Chapter 1256. Blue Guild’s Youth Center (25)

It was such a heartfelt moment that I wanted to play some sad background music.

“I know... you can hear me, you fool,” Jin Cheong mumbled.

“...”

“Quit this ridiculous act and get up right now!” Jin Cheong shouted.

Jin Cheong wouldn't stop shouting at the top of his lungs, but he definitely knew that I was dead. My heart had stopped a while ago. My face had become deathly pale, and my soul had left my body a while ago. Medically speaking, I was dead, and everyone could see that. Yet, he denied the reality and clung to a delusion, refusing to accept his only son’s death.

In the end, it was clear that he was only human.

‘I think I’m going to cry, damn it.’

“You bastard!” Jin Cheon shouted.

He understood in his head that I would never open my eyes again and that I would never call him “Father” or “Papa” again.

Logically, he knew there was no hope left, but his heart just couldn’t accept it.

Jin Cheong was in denial, rejecting reality. It was rare to see the most rational man on the continent acting so irrationally.

The children watching the scene had also fallen silent. They were at a loss for words and could only stare at Jin Cheong. Even Felis Hanest had no choice but to stay quiet.

No matter how sad he was, could there be anyone as sad as a father who had just lost his one and only son?

In the end, he couldn't hold in the emotions welling up inside him, and I saw him walking toward me. He had been sending me messages through the communication channel, but there was no way I would respond to any of them because I had already drawn my last breath.

"You... crazy bastard! What the hell are you thinking?!"

‘I don’t know either.’

He lifted me up, but I dangled in his arms like a puppet with its strings cut.

“This isn’t funny. This isn’t funny!” Jin Cheong roared.

“...”

“

Heuk... heuuuuung...

”

“

Heuk...

Mr. Jin Young... Mr. Jin Yoooung...”

“Cut the crap! He isn’t dead. There’s no way he’s dead,” Jin Cheong said.

“Commander, Mr. Jin Young... is already...”

“Commander...

heuk... heuuk...

Please save Mr. Jin Young. Please... Please, I beg you.”

Even the kids rushed forward and cried. His face, which normally would never show even a hint of panic, was once again clouded with confusion. It was probably because he couldn’t handle the kids closing in on him. If there were only a few of them, it'd be different, but there were dozens of them.

In the end, he couldn’t ignore the pressure.

He pounded on my chest. It looked like he was performing CPR by pressing down on the area just below the sternum with both palms, but that wasn’t what he was really trying to do.

‘I already took the anesthesia potion.’

He probably believed that breaking my ribs would make me stand up, but it was pointless.

“Damn it! Can’t you hear me telling you to stop this ridiculous crap?! You bastard!” Jin Cheong yelled.

Regardless of what he had in mind, Commander Jin looked really desperate.

"Damn it! Lee Ki-Young, you scum! I know you can hear—"

"..."

— ...

— Why did you even come here?

"That’s what you’re asking me? What kind of deep resentment do you have against me for you to pull this kind of nonsense?"

— I’m trying to increase your approval rating. Why do you even hate it so much?

"Approval rating, my ass... Get up right now."

— Think about it. Do you really want me to get up?

"What?"

"..."

— If I get up, you’ll have to live with a kid, so it’s better for me to bow out right now. Let’s be honest. I know you find this annoying. If I stay alive, how are you going to take care of me? You managed to keep me hidden, but that’s no longer possible with all this attention.

"..."

— I wouldn’t mind tagging along with you to all the social events in the Republic, but think about it. Is that what you truly want? I haven't been saying anything about it, but I really am doing this because I care about your approval rating.

"Bullshit..."

— I guarantee this will sell well. Being dead will be better than being alive for me. Strictly speaking, is this really your fault? It’s the Blue Guild’s fault for letting terrorists find their weaknesses.

— Of course, you can’t dodge the moral responsibility for abandoning your son... but if anyone’s going to take the heat, it’ll be the Blue Guild, not you. In addition, victims usually don’t get blamed.

"Don’t expect me to be your puppet anymore."

— I’m telling you to think about it logically... You already know that this will boost your approval rating. I’m doing this to strengthen your future projects in the Republic. Catching the Six Stars isn’t easy either...

— Anyway, this is good for everyone. It’s a perfect happy ending.

"Basically, you just want to solve everything without lifting a finger. You’re trying to use the people’s anger against the Six Stars, turning them into the enemies of the Republic."

‘I got caught.’

— I have a feeling they’re going to be more active in the Republic than in the Democratic Country.

"Don’t make me laugh."

— Well, since you caught me red-handed, I’ll be a bit more honest. You’re right, but what’s wrong with that?

"You shameless—"

— Be honest, is it really that bad?

Huh

? Is it really such a bad thing to make use of the anger of the Republic’s people against a new group threatening the continent? What’s the Blue Guild doing now? You’re doing all this while selling out the honor you value so much. Do you want me to repeat what I told you last time?

"..."

— It’s time for us to move beyond thinking in terms of the Democratic Country or the Republic. We need to think only about one united continent.

"That’s nonsense, but let me make one thing clear. Don’t think you can manipulate me any longer. I might partly agree with you that the Democratic Country or the Republic doesn’t really matter, but the problem is that you’re betraying me to get your way.

"Are you aware of the rumors circulating in the Republic right now? Of course you do because it’s all your damn doing."

— Are you planning on getting married?

"..."

— You’re not. Let’s be honest. Who’d actually want to date you? There are already enough people constantly bothering you. Don’t your adjutants say things about getting married, having kids, carrying on your legacy, and whatever?

— We’re not like that, but I bet your side totally is. Won't it be great to take care of all that annoying stuff in one go?

"Shut up. Just stand up and explain. No matter how you try to fool me with your pretty words, I’m not going along with you this time."

— I wonder if you can really stick to that decision.

"Hmph."

“...”

“Commander... to protect us... Mr. Jin Young...

heuk...

”

“...”

“He sacrificed himself to protect us.

Heuuung

... I’m sorry. It’s all because we were useless...

heuk...

”

‘You’re saying that now?’

Commander Jin stood up slowly as if he had made up his mind. He looked like he no longer wanted to be involved. He seemed to be thinking that even exchanging words with the kids meant getting even more involved in this mess.

He quietly tried to slip away, but there was no way the kids from the Republic would let this happen. The ones who had been watching him from the start grabbed his sleeves and burst into tears.

“Please kill us!”

“

Heuk...

Commander... Is... Is... Mr. Jin Young... really dead?!”

“...”

“Is there...

heuk

... really no way to bring him back?”

“Th-There might be a way. It can’t end like this... N-Not like this. Commander, if you use the Jin Family’s cursed magic...”

“Jin Young... Mr. Jin Yoooooung...!”

“Commander... please save Mr. Jin Young. Please...”

Even I would have a hard time walking away in that situation, but Jin Cheong was the kind of guy who could pull off even that. He looked like he hesitated for a moment and fell into deep contemplation.

Then, he looked as if he had made up his mind, saying, “H-he has nothing to do with me."

“...?”

“He has... nothing to do with me,” Jin Cheong said.

“...”

‘Commander Jin, seriously...’

He muttered that repeatedly, sounding determined. He was about to break the unspoken rule—once someone's work was in motion, never interfere with each other.

Just then, the shocking words finally slipped from his mouth.

“He’s not my son.”

“...”

“...”

“He’s... not my son. He’s...” Jin Cheong trailed off.

And that was when I heard a

bam!

‘What the hell?!’

“How... could you say that right now?!” Kim Myung-Won roared. He had just punched Commander Jin.

‘What’s this?’

Of course, Commander Jin wasn't so soft that he’d just take a hit from a kid. In the end, he caught the kid’s fist, but it didn't mean that he took zero damage. I could say with confidence that he suffered massive emotional damage.

‘No, no...’

Regardless of what Jin Cheong felt, Kim Myung-Won wouldn't stop shouting at the former with tears in his eyes. After all, he knew the story between the father and son.

“I’ll never forgive... people like you. I’ll never forgive you! He’s your son! He... saved us...

heuk

... he's your son!”

“...”

“Your son, who has been begging for your love his entire life, is now dead, and all you can say to him is that he's not your son?! Is that it?! You think everything’s over now just because you said that? Jin Young thinks of you every damned day!

"He just wanted you to be proud of him... He wanted you to acknowledge him! He worked hard... every single day...” Kim Myung-Won said.

“...”

“Does saying he’s not your son mean everything’s over now?! You think it ends... just like that? It’s not fair... H-He’s just... too pitiful! Jin Young deserved more love... He deserved to be loved! To smile a little more...

heuk

...” Kim Myung-Won added.

‘I’m sure he wants to run away. Damn, this is kind of... Even I’m...’

“He saved the continent! He didn’t even know what the word 'sacrifice' meant... He didn’t know anything... and yet he saved the continent! Do you really think Jin Young did that because he understood some higher calling?

"He was just a kid! Do you think he cared about noble missions or whatever that means?! He just... he just wanted to be acknowledged by you. How can you not see that?!” Kim Myung-Won yelled.

‘Wait...’

“Look at him! That’s...

heuk

... your son, Jin Young... Please... just... accept it. Even if it’s his last moment... please... just accept him as your son. It’s not hard...

Heuk

... it’s easy,” Kim Myung-Won begged.

‘Myung-Won...’

“I don’t know what happened to you or what you went through when you lost your wife... but please! At least at this moment...

heuk

... accept him as your son...” Kim Myung-Won cried.

Kim Myung-Won’s passion was so intense that it felt like even I would get scorched by it. I couldn't even begin to imagine how deep Commander Jin’s wounds had to be for him to act like that. This was my fault. I never expected that things would turn out to be this cruel.

‘At this rate...’

He would end up losing his mind...

Set ablaze by Kim Myung-Won’s passion, the other kids moved forward, making sure that Jin Cheng couldn’t escape.

Those unaware of the rumors surrounding Jin Cheong and me understood what was happening after hearing Myung-Won's outburst.

The angry stares of the kids felt frightening. Their pure hostility, the likes of which couldn't be found anywhere else, would terrify me as well if I were in Jin Cheong's shoes.

Jin Cheong was definitely terrified.

In the end, Commander Jin only had one choice.

“...”

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“There’s no way... this kid is my son,” Jin Cheong mumbled.

“...”

It gave me goosebumps...

“He can’t be... my Jin Young,” Jin Cheong mumbled.

It was a memorable line.

‘Let it rain.’

Rain had to fall at this very moment, and just like that, heavy raindrops descended from the firmament, concealing the tears of Commander Jin, who lost his son today.