Kang Jin-Ho's role always had been to create a scene. And as usual, it was up to Lee Hyeon-Su to mop up the aftermath.

From the moment the boats returned to the harbor, Lee Hyeon-Su was swarmed with work, and… Actually, no. He was supposed to be too busy to even catch a breath, but to his surprise, things proved to be a lot more easygoing than he had expected.

'Huh.

I actually don't have anything to do.'

The mop-up operation this time was a cakewalk compared to all the crazy stuff in the past. For instance, the battle between the Yeongnam Group and the Korean Martial Assembly. Unlike back then, Lee Hyeon-Su didn't have to worry about reforming the Assembly to ensure everything ran smoothly after absorbing the remnants of the Yeongnam Group. He also didn't have to run around trying to uncover and absorb the Yeongnam Group's assets into the Assembly's coffers.

Compared to when Kang Jin-Ho left China with the demon cult in tow, Lee Hyeon-Su didn't have to freak out at how severe his boss's injuries were, nor did he have to sweat bullets while trying to accommodate a huge number of "refugees" suddenly flooding in.

All he had to do this time was send the injured martial artists to the Assembly-affiliated hospital and send the rest home, back to the Assembly HQ.

All in all, Lee Hyeon-Su got to enjoy a rare relaxed mop-up operation as a result. And now, he was laughing heartily into his phone.

"Yes, that's correct, Major General! Hahaha! Things somehow escalated that way."

-Even if you say so… Don't you think the event has spiraled out of our control?

"I assure you, we were doing our best to be cautious. But you know how it is. Things never go according to plan."

-Won't the Japanese complain about this?

"No, you don't have to worry about that. Besides, some of their men are still floating on the ocean even as we speak, you see?"

-I'm sorry? Did you say they are still floating on the ocean?!

"Yes. But there's nothing to be alarmed about. The Japanese should be dispatching rescue ships soon enough. When they approach our territorial waters, can you let them be, please? Trying to stop them will raise diplomatic issues for sure."

-Mm, I see. If you say so, it can't be helped, then. In any case… As a fellow Korean, I did my best to assist since the Japanese were trying to invade us, but… Please refrain from doing something as conspicuous as this event, Chief Lee. You know the times have changed, what with cameras everywhere.

"Of course, of course. We will continue to be vigilant. However, our hands were tied on this one, Major General. Not much we could've done when those lunatics showed up with their guns blazing. We can only ask you for your favor on this one."

-Truth be told… The higher-ups were telling me how uncomfortable this event has made them.

Lee Hyeon-Su's expression crumpled unsightly just then.

'What the hell? Whose side are you on, you assholes?'

It wasn't as if the Martial Assembly people invaded Japan, but the other way around. The only thing the Assembly was "guilty" of was fighting off the invasion attempt, so why were the bloody politicians trying to criticize the defenders of their nation? Did they want to sit on their butts and wait to get slaughtered, all for the sake of keeping things down-low?

Although his blood was boiling, Lee Hyeon-Su switched on his businessman mode and maintained his "jovial" attitude. "We are always grateful for all your hard work, Major General. And we will be even more grateful if you do us this favor. We won't leave you feeling short-changed at the end of the day. You know that."

-Eiii! Please be careful of what you say, Chief Lee! Receiving things like that is the fastest way to get fired in this day and age!

"You know the higher-ups will turn a blind eye if the… thoughtful presents come from us. Don't worry, Major General. We won't leave any traces that lead to you."

-Well, if you say so…

Lee Hyeon-Su smirked wryly at that response. "Well, then. We'll leave it in your capable hands."

-Understood. I'll try my best to placate the higher-ups with my report. However, we might ask you for your assistance sooner or later. I hope you won't refuse us then.

"Of course we will be there."

-Great! Then, until next time.

The line went dead, and Lee Hyeon-Su slowly shook his head.

"Gee, whiz. These people can't help themselves, huh."

If he could, Lee Hyeon-Su would've loved to open the floodgate of insults, but his time was too valuable for that.

'I mean, let's be real here. A Major General doesn't really have much power these days, now does he?'

Of course, people with considerable influence were supposed to occupy positions like Major General of the military. And this position allowed one to mobilize the army as a commander. However, those things were stories of the past. And only applicable when war was afoot.

Unfortunately for Major Generals of the world, which were two-star generals, plenty of three-stars could be found nowadays. And even someone as lofty as the Minister of Defense got regularly chewed out by some measly National Assembly members in this day and age.

In that case, how much power would a mere Major General realistically wield? Not much, that's what! In the face of a sensitive issue that could cause a diplomatic row with a neighboring country, someone like a Major General was nothing more than an insignificant fly. No wonder he was whining like that on the phone!

'In any case, that problem is now taken care of.'

Lee Hyeon-Su never expected this Major General to act like a problem solver, to begin with. No, the person on the other side of the line was simply Lee Hyeon-Su's contact with the military. The real problem solvers were folks with more stars on their uniforms.

This was what the relationship between the martial world and the surface world was like in a nutshell.

The "other side" recognized the existence of the martial world, but they pretended as if they were all unaware. The only method of communication was through special, fixed channels, and everyone acted like no one had been cooperating with each other.

What a funny and weird situation this was, considering it didn't come to be this way out of some special reasons.

This way of doing things started way back in time, and it simply carried on like some kind of time-worn tradition to this day. No one bothered to change this arrangement, nor did anyone even think about doing so.

Truth be told, though… Lee Hyeon-Su preferred it this way. The other side publicly acknowledging the martial world, thereby opening more communication channels in the process, would only increase Lee Hyeon-Su's workload, after all!

'That's right! As long as I can plug them up with money, it'll be a net profit for us.'

Lee Hyeon-Su seriously thought this was the right way. It wasn't because he didn't respect the worth of money, though. Martial artists or not, everyone still had to live in the world run by Capitalism, anyway!

So, he knew money was more important than anything in the surface world. No matter how valuable it was, though, one must not hesitate to freely use money if doing so could conveniently solve most problems. Money could be earned again later. However, if a problem spiraled out of control, it could morph into something no amount of wealth could resolve.

"Okay, so that's all sorted now. Then…"

Lee Hyeon-Su smirked deeply. Obviously, there was still some work left to be done. As a matter of fact, he still needed to pay considerable attention to pull the closing curtains on this matter for good. He predicted that the Assembly's coffers would be running dry for some time while trying to shut the mouths of every politician and high-ranking official looking for a quick payday.

However, that was fine as far as Lee Hyeon-Su was concerned. Money wasn't important to his side of the world, anyway.

No amount of wealth could nurture strong martial artists. It might help to some degree, yes. But these people could never be substituted with money. In that case, pouring millions to protect them didn't sound like a waste to Lee Hyeon-Su's ears.

"...And the Japs must be going absolutely bat-sh*t insane by now."

An evil cackle suddenly broke out on Lee Hyeon-Su's face.

He did as Kang Jin-Ho told him to and phoned the Japanese. Lee Hyeon-Su didn't mince his words, so how would the Japanese respond now? Since the higher-ups in the Japanese martial society couldn't all be morons, they must've finished accessing the situation by now.

They must be in a state of emergency.

What if Lee Hyeon-Su was in their shoes, and this crap had happened to him? How horrifying would that be? Merely thinking about it made him whistle reflexively.

He absentmindedly muttered, "Korea can't lose in naval warfare, now can it?"

"Sorry?" Yi Myeong-Hwan tilted his head.

"...Don't 'sorry' me, okay?" Lee Hyeon-Su grunted after seeing that unimpressed look on Yi Myeong-Hwan's face. It seemed Yi Myeong-Hwan had sneaked up to Lee Hyeon-Su without getting noticed.

"Sir, everyone's finished getting on the bus."

"Good. Let's call it a day, then."

Yi Myeong-Hwan cautiously asked, "...Is this all we're doing tonight, sir?"

"Huh? What, you itching to do something else, then?"

That reply left Yi Myeong-Hwan with not much more to say.

'It kinda feels weird, though.'

Stuff felt more grandiose back when he and the other Demon Flames were attacking Lee Jung-Geol's residence at the mountainside. Which was ironic, considering the enemies this time were far superior in strength and skills.

With how abruptly and concisely the night's action had concluded, Yi Myeong-Hwan found it difficult to say which of the two events had been more threatening to his life.

Lee Hyeon-Su tutted at Yi Myeong-Hwan. "Don't get distracted, and make sure no one slips away."

"Huh? No one's gonna slip away, sir."

"Don't be an ass and do as I say, okay?" Lee Hyeon-Su growled unhappily, prompting Yi Myeong-Hwan to sober up and stand straight. Lee Hyeon-Su continued with his grilling. "This is when unforeseen incidents usually happen, okay? These idiots' blood is still boiling, but there's nothing they can use to vent some steam. So, what do you think they will try next?"

"...I see where you're going with this, sir."

"Imma hold you responsible and grind you to dust if some idiot causes a scene somewhere. Got that?"

"Sir, yessir!" Yi Myeong-Hwan replied with knife-sharp discipline.

Lee Hyeon-Su finally nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Let's get everyone home."

While watching the buses drive away, Lee Hyeon-Su pulled out a fresh cigarette and mouthed it.

Click…

After lighting it up, he leisurely sucked the unhealthy smoke deep into his lungs. That was when it finally hit him. This event was over for good.

'...No, in a way, this is merely the beginning.'

Lee Myeong-Hwan pensively smoked away.

Since this event ended without too much fuss, Lee Hyeon-Su was having slight difficulty appreciating the enormous implications of what they had gone through tonight. But he should not forget that this incident was the first time a foreign martial society tried to invade Korea since the Korean martial society's founding.

Now that it had happened, the same thing would surely repeat itself sooner rather than later. Since Japan invaded, China would try to do the same, too. No one could guarantee that such a scenario wouldn't come to pass.

'When looking at it long-term, it's not all good news.'

Soon, the stories of Kang Jin-Ho stepping in and annihilating the Japanese would spread to all corners of the world. With that, even a moron should be able to predict that the enemies targeting the Korean Martial Assembly and Kang Jin-Ho would become even more meticulous in their planning.

'Maybe I'm just being paranoid. But…'

Lee Hyeon-Su rubbed his eyes in weariness. There would be no end to it once he started thinking this way.

"Good" and "bad" existed for all things in this world, like two sides of a coin. However, Lee Hyeon-Su was predisposed to think about the bad stuff first and get obsessed with them. Even he could tell this was not a healthy habit. It could potentially make him too timid. Too cowardly.

That was why he consciously tried to enjoy tonight's victory.

'Hah… The other side ain't gonna be the only place in utter pandemonium.'

It seemed nobody had been hit by the realization just yet. However, come tomorrow? They should all realize the truth.

The truth of what they managed to accomplish tonight!

Lee Hyeon-Su chuckled when his mind imagined the pandemonium that would ensue. Just as his thoughts reached that far, however…

"Lee Hyeon-Su?"

"Yes, sir!" Lee Hyeon-Su hurriedly turned around when he heard that familiar voice coming from behind him. He'd recognize that voice anywhere!

Lee Hyeon-Su stiffened a little at the sight of Kang Jin-Ho standing behind him.

'Gee, whiz. I can't get used to his presence in times like this.'

Although, was it really Lee Hyeon-Su failing to get used to Kang Jin-Ho's presence? Or was it more like the traces of blood-soaked battle hadn't dissipated from Kang Jin-Ho yet?

Whatever it was, Lee Hyeon-Su couldn't help but think that Kang Jin-Ho going through his daily activities, Kang Jin-Ho standing on the battlefield, and Kang Jin-Ho triumphantly returning from war were all three different individuals.

"Assembly Master, sir! Give me your orders."

Kang Jin-Ho briefly nodded. "Are we done with the mop-up?"

"Yes, sir! We're mostly finished here."

"I see. I'll leave the rest to you, then. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, sir!" Lee Hyeon-Su energetically replied before tilting his head. "Are you… going somewhere, sir?"

"Yeah. I'm going home." Kang Jin-Ho chuckled airily, then turned around to leave.

***

"...And done."

Kang Jin-Ho arrived in front of his house, so he stopped running. However… A soft sigh leaked out of his mouth.

'This isn't going to work.'

The fastest mode of transport from the city of Samcheok to Seoul for Kang Jin-Ho was using his two legs to run. And that presented a bit of a problem.[1]

Kang Jin-Ho usually refrained from relying on his cultivation in mundane matters. That was because he believed it wouldn't do for him to forget that he was also a member of the surface world.

So, Kang Jin-Ho did his utmost best to drive to his destination, even if running on foot would've been faster. He even put up with the cramped interior of his Zoom Zoom supercar and drove it everywhere for this very reason.

However, for today… He wanted to come home as soon as possible. Was it because Kang Jin-Ho felt tired?

'Right. My clothes.'

Kang Jin-Ho stood there and inspected his clothes first. Although he put on a new set of clean tracksuits, an accident could have happened on his way here.

'...And how is my smell?'

He also re-inspected himself to make sure there was no stench of blood clinging to him. After a quick inspection, Kang Jin-Ho took out his phone and inspected himself one more time. Then, he sucked in a deep breath before walking toward the Kang residence's front door.

Beep, beep, beep!

He undid the electronic doorlock and opened the door to enter.

'Everyone should be asleep… Eh?'

"Hey, you!"

Something flew in toward Kang Jin-Ho's face the moment he entered the foyer. He quickly caught this item and blinked his eyes in stupefaction.

'A cushion?'

"Do you have any idea what time it is?! How dare you stay out the whole night! And here I was, thinking you've finally learned your lesson, but… Huh?!" Kang Eun-Yeong roared while rushing toward Kang Jin-Ho like an enraged bull, but then, she stopped running, her eyes powerfully quaking. "A tracksuit?!"

"…?"

"Not just any, but a tracksuit I've never seen before?!"

"...Huh?"

Kang Eun-Yeong's clenched fists began trembling noticeably, then she suddenly spun around on her heels and yelled at the top of her voice. "Mooooom! Mom! Mooooom! Oppa came home while wearing new clothes! His old clothes are gone! Moooom!"

"Say what now?!" The main bedroom door was flung open to reveal Baek Hyeon-Jeong's figure urgently rushing outside. "What is the meaning of this!"

"…!" Kang Jin-Ho stood there in stupefaction.

Baek Hyeon-Jeong's sharp glare scanned her son from top to bottom, then she pointed at a spot by the nearby couch. "Sit."

"…" Kang Jin-Ho maintained his silence while demurely sitting on the spot.

"Now, speak the truth! What happened to you? Start from the beginning, and do not leave anything out!"

"…"

"Hurry, son!"

Some people might call Kang Jin-Ho a weirdo for enjoying peaceful times like this. But this situation helped him remember that he was no longer fighting the war and safely at home with his family.

Yes, his home. And with his family. Nothing could be more peaceful and loving than…

Baek Hyeon-Jeong sharply yelled at Kang Jin-Ho. "You dare smirk back at me?!"

If he was being honest, though, Kang Jin-Ho wasn't particularly enjoying this moment.

1. Samcheok is a port city on the East coast of South Korea. ☜