Chapter 229

“Don’t stop.”

“?”

“Just ram straight through.”

“???”

Dozens of question marks appeared above the driver’s head.

He had spent decades as a driver for Shinra Hyeon, had traveled all over the country, and had experienced all types of hardships, but crashing a car into the front gate of Korea’s military prison was a first.

He would’ve hesitated if not for Shinra Hyeon’s parting words: “

Think of Young Master Kang as me and serve him well.”

With Shinra Hyeon’s words echoing in his mind, the driver gave a shout and slammed the pedal.

Baaaang!

Between the slowly closing gates, only a crack of space remained when a dark limousine punched through like a bullet, traveling at over five hundred miles per hour.

Model name: MG-N01.

The limousine that Shinra Hyeon had given Jae-Hyeok had been custom-made by the Magic Tower as a gift for Shinra Hyeon.

It was the latest model, outclassing even the president’s exclusive car.

Although the prison gate was arcane technology in its own right, before it had yet to fully close, the limousine had no issue punching right through.

By the time the prison warden charged out, his initial surprise had been replaced by a steaming fury that rose all the way to the top of his head.

Nevertheless, he knew there was nothing to be done about it

The prison gate was so large that the opening and closing mechanism was bound to operate slowly. This shouldn’t have been a problem originally, but Jae-Hyeok had destroyed the barricades leading up to the gate, leaving nothing to slow him down.

Damnit, this arrogant brat was supposed to be stopped from even setting foot near the prison!

While the warden was fuming, a swarm of soldiers quickly spread out around the limousine.

“Hands off the wheel! Step slowly out of the car!”

The soldiers moved in unison, sparing not a single wasted movement. They wished to present only their best to General Cha Seung-Min, who had taken the trouble to visit this remote location.

Jae-Hyeok stepped out of the limousine, looked around, and tilted his head in doubt.

“Isn’t your attitude completely wrong?”

The warden gave a mocking laugh. “What, did you expect a salute?”

The only thing the warden feared was the limousine's absurdly high performance; now that Jae-Hyeok had willingly stepped out, he relaxed and continued, “Well, yes. Generally, a National Treasure candidate deserves respect, since one day, they’ll become a National Treasure and bring glory to the country.”

He lit a cigar, inhaled, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

“But, what about you? You killed many of Korea’s high-level players on the day of your candidate exam, and days later, you're still acting wild—no, it’s even worse: you’re abusing your new status to cause chaos as you please. Tell me. Do you think such behaviour is worthy of respect?”

The position of warden was one where it was hard to gain achievements and easy to make mistakes. Compared to other positions, wardens were very slow to earn promotions, if at all.

In fact, “warden” was often the last destination for lieutenant colonels who gave up on being promoted to colonel.

Lieutenant Colonel Nam Tae-Geun was just such a person.

After another puff of his cigar, Nam Tae-Geun answered his own question.

“No. No, you aren’t worthy of respect.

“I refused your visit this morning when you called, but so what? Kang Hyeon-Ah is a national traitor and has been placed in solitary confinement—she has no visitation rights. So what right do you have to come here and make a scene? Do you think being a National Treasure candidate gives you the right to bend others to your will? Damn spoiled brat, there is no limit to your arrogance.”

Nam Tae-Geun’s tirade lingered in the air, faintly echoing as Jae-Hyeok stared quietly.

Nam Tae-Geun was old for his rank. In fact, he could even be described as an elder. His tidy hair was grey, deep wrinkles etched his face in hard lines, and his gaze betrayed a calm intelligence that was absent in the earlier young major Jae-Hyeok had dealt with.

Among Nam Tae-Geun's admission class, some of his peers had risen to brigadier generals and even major generals. But none had served the army as long as he had. While everyone else retired, Lieutenant Colonel Nam Tae-Geun remained, making his seniority one of the highest in the entire army.

When Nam Tae-Geun spoke, he radiated an aura of command, and his criticism of Jae-Hyeok was articulate. Nam Tae-Geun’s words seemed reasonable.

Of course, Jae-Hyeok was unfazed. With a raised brow, Jae-Hyeok asked, “So even after all the vile things that Ji Cheon-Myeong did to the Kang family were exposed, you still treat Kang Hyeon-Ah as a traitor?”

“Kang Hyeon-Ah used her position as a soldier to smuggle mines and explosives in an attempt to bomb the National Assembly. Ji Cheon-Myeong may have wronged her, but Kang Hyeon-Ah has her own crimes to atone for.”

There might’ve been grounds for leniency if she had committed a targeted crime against Ji Cheon-Myeong, as Kang Dae-Seong did, but this case was different.

Jae-Hyeok gazed at the wrinkles at the corners of Nam Tae-Geun's eyes and let out a sigh. "Those are just smooth words. Isn't the term 'old fox' fitting for someone like you?"

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"What do you mean?"

"Since you understand the true nature of Ji Cheon-Myeong, shouldn’t we return and investigate why Kang Hyeon-Ah targeted the National Assembly building in the first place? Perhaps she already knew about the politicians connected to Ji Cheon-Myeong."

Jae-Hyeok’s eyes swept over the guards in the tall watchtowers along the prison walls.

“You think me spoiled and selfish. But I intend to act in line with my duties as National Treasure candidate, serving the truth that people like you turn away from. In fact, I—”

Nam Tae-Geun roared with a red face, “Impertinent brat—open fire!”

Having no way to refute Jae-Hyeok’s words, Nam Tae-Geun switched to using force before Jae-Hyeok could gain any verbal ground. Jae-Hyeok stood on their turf, surrounded by his soldiers, after all; Nam Tae-Geun would have complete control of the narrative and investigative results after subduing Jae-Hyeok, so there was nothing to fear.

Kid, did you think this is the first time I’ve encountered someone like you? Unfortunately for you, this isn’t my first rodeo.

Nam Tae-Geun sneered, expecting the matter to be resolved in seconds. However, seconds passed, and Jae-Hyeok was still standing. His sword was a blur, effortlessly deflecting the hellfire, while Jae-Hyeok kept his back pressed against the limousine to minimize exposure to his front.

“I guess Ji Cheon-Myeong’s defeat was not entirely luck.”

Nam Tae-Geun snorted and signaled with his hand. Instantly, blue lights blinked on in the watchtowers, heralding the activation of the military prison's most powerful weapon—

Arcane lasers.

Across fourteen watchtowers, fourteen targeting lights locked onto Jae-Hyeok. This was the pinnacle of arcane technology, impervious to mere physical force.

Don’t worry.

I won’t kill you.

At the rank of lieutenant colonel, Nam Tae-Geun would find it hard to bear the consequences of killing a National Treasure candidate. More importantly, that wasn’t what Cha Seung-Min wanted.

After learning of Jae-Hyeok’s visitation request, Cha Seung-Min had personally flown to the prison by helicopter to supervise Jae-Hyeok’s capture.

Clearly, this task was important.

Nam Tae-Geun had long resigned himself to his rank, and had only been waiting to retire after maximizing his pension. But Cha Seung-Min’s arrival presented a new hope: maybe, just maybe, if he completed this task well, would Cha Seung-Min reward him?

Cha Seung-Min held the pedigree of a count and the rank of general, which he’d earned at a young age. He was a pillar of Korea’s military. One word from him would be all it took for Nam Tae-Geun to soar through the ranks.

I won’t let go of this lifeline.

Nam Tae-Geun’s eyes flickered with resolve, but in that instant, Jae-Hyeok spoke.

“Hell Sword.”

Having parried hundreds of bullets, the unbroken combo has triggered Iyarugt’s unique Skill.

“......!”

Nam Tae-Geun’s eyes bulged.

He and all his soldiers crashed to their knees, panting and grunting. It seemed as if gravity had doubled several times. They struggled to look up, and their trembling gazes fixed upon Jae-Hyeok’s red sword.

S... Sword... pressure.

Under Jae-Hyeok’s expansive sword pressure, the interconnecting fort wall and the fourteen watchtowers all began to crumble.

A few of the arcane lasers not only activated but malfunctioned as they fell within their crumbling towers, sending out wild, full-energy beams that carved clean lines into the pavement or the stone face of the military prison.

“N-no!”

Nam Tae-Geun watched as the watchtowers, fort walls, and soon even the prison’s arcane gate came crashing down. He reached for the prison gate as if begging a loved one to stay, but it was useless.

All around him were ruins.

A stray laser beam triggered a secondary explosion, which dislodged Nam Tae-Geun’s glasses, kicked an extra layer of dirt into his face, and stirred his already disheveled hair into a wispy bird’s nest.

Nam Tae-Geun just stared ahead blankly.

The prison, which boasted state-of-the-art offensive and defensive weaponry, had crumbled to nothing during his tenure.

Nam Tae-Geun trembled.

“Ah... uwaah...”

A warden’s main role was to manage the prisoners and facilities. There wasn’t much else to do besides that, so he just had to be good at these things.

And yet...

“Dammit! Damnit!”

Nam Tae-Geun slapped the ground repeatedly.

I’m already old. I just wanted a few final promotions, to retire like a setting sun instead of a firefly. And now? And now! Now I’m going to get scolded by juniors half my age... It’s all that brat's fault!

Nam Tae-Geun popped up from the ground with wild eyes. He locked gazes with Jae-Hyeok and roared, “Do you have any idea how much this costs?”—Nam Tae-Geun gestured wildly to the wide expanse of rubble—“You’ve pushed me into a dead end!”

Nam Tae-Geun drew his sword. He was no longer Lieutenant Colonel Nam Tae-Geun; he was now Player Nam Tae-Geun, and he had a grudge to settle.

Nam Tae-Geun leveled his sword at Jae-Hyeok.

He was a genuine swordsman with a unique style of his own. Despite maining a dual-edged blade, his sword technique focused on blindingly swift thrusts and had been evaluated as one of the best in its field.

With a shout, Nam Tae-Geun leapt forward and thrust toward Jae-Hyeok’s chest, but in that instant, a flicker of red swept by and the latter half of his blade spun away like a defunct boomerang.

Nam Tae-Geun gasped.

M-my beloved sword...

Seeing his mortified expression, Jae-Hyeok raised an eyebrow.

Who in their right mind would compare sword speed with the Kang family? Not to mention, Jae-Hyeok’s sword-drawing speed had reached new heights after obtaining Peak Sword’s scabbard.

Nam Tae-Geun’s old face rapidly drained of color as the reality of the situation dawned on him.

I made a mistake.

It wasn’t that Ji Cheon-Myeong was weak...

His body trembled violently as he saw Cha Seung-Min reflected in the boy standing before him.

Nam Tae-Geun fell to his knees, knowing any resistance was useless.

“Who is behind this?”

Looking at this sad display, Jae-Hyeok thought,

there is no way a man like this was the one holding down Kang Hyeon-Ah all these years

.

A new voice answered Jae-Hyeok’s question.

“You dare to say that someone is behind this? Soldiers only follow military law.”

Blood suddenly flowed down Jae-Hyeok’s cheek.

Cha Seung-Min stood on the front steps of the prison, dressed in a white uniform. On both sides of his chest, rows of medals gleamed with eye-catching splendor.

“On the other hand, what about you? I can generously concede that the massacre you carried out during your candidate exam had some justification, but your killing of the Association branch managers, your interference in their election, and your destruction of this place is overstepping... No, calling it overstepping is too mild. Are these not acts of treason?”

He is strong.

Jae-Hyeok sensed it. He could die if he fought Cha Seung-Min here.

“Looking back on your actions, it doesn’t seem like you became a National Treasure candidate to serve your country, but to throw your weight around and wreak havoc as you please.

Tsk-tsk.

You’re just like your sister. I will detain you on behalf of the country.”

An inky cloud blacker than pitch rose under Cha Seung-Min’s feet and quickly expanded to engulf everything around.

Indeed, Cha Seung-Min’s abilities fit his nickname—

The Black Wind.