Chapter 165
He might have a bad personality, but he has common sense.
Sure, he’s violent at times, but he is good at heart.
This was how Jae-Hyeok’s friends saw him.
All of them had been with Jae-Hyeok for long enough to see his colors. He was someone who adhered to noblesse oblige as if he were soul-bound and would sacrifice himself without hesitation for others. At his core, Jae-Hyeok was good, if a little rough around the edges.
“Kuaaaaaack!”
Perhaps that was why the students felt no aversion when Jae-Hyeok stabbed and slashed the Guardian Guild members without blinking
Besides, weren’t the members of Guardian at fault? They had trespassed on Kang family grounds and drew their weapons; no one could argue even if they were beheaded.
Based on his personality, Jae-Hyeok actually showed a lot of patience.
This was a world where those with monstrous strength ran rampant. Now more than ever, people were expected to take responsibility for their property and safety. The government couldn’t be everywhere, so the easiest way to dissuade players from criminality was for the government to loosen its scrutiny on self-defense cases. For example, a landlord wouldn’t be held legally responsible for shooting an intruder on the spot.
“W-wait... spare our lives...”
Before anyone realized it, all five Guardian members—no, all five intruders were kneeling in front of Jae-Hyeok.
It was hardly an exaggeration to say it happened in an instant. In less than two minutes, five members from one of the five top guilds had been defeated by a student.
“Guardian... isn’t all that impressive, huh?”
“Maybe they were just small fries? New recruits?”
Small fries!? New recruits!? These bastard brats!
The four B-class Guardian members turned to their trembling eyes to Yang Jun, the A-class leader of this mission. In the player industry, there was a saying that so long as one’s level was higher, they were a big shot, so how had Yang Jun lost to a student? On paper, it should’ve been impossible. Yet here they were...
“I-I will tell you everything! Anything you want to know... Just ask!”
Yang Jun, the only one to have received a direct blow from Jae-Hyeok, seemed like he’d been kicked into a changed man. The four B-class players watched in stunned amazement as their arrogant team leader bowed and begged with snot and tears.
At this point, the hearts of the Guardian Guild members became infinitely heavy. This wasn’t a nightmare but reality, which could only mean there was something terribly wrong with the boy before them.
Kang Jae-Hyeok had been level 10 at the time of his admission re-evaluation, and not much time had passed since. By all accounts, Jae-Hyeok’s level should have been somewhere between level 23 and level 28.
In other words, his stats should have been several times lower compared to B-class players like themselves.
And yet they had failed to register Jae-Hyeok’s first sword swing, and that one blow alone had carried enough force to incapacitate all four of them at once. Even Yang Jun, their last hope, folded in two blows.
“Your name.”
“Y-Yang Jun. I’m the team leader of the Guardian Guild’s Third Special Task Force!”
“Were you sent by the sub-master? Or was it an elder called Gu Suk or something?”
Jae-Hyeok flicked the blood from his blade and crouched in front of Yang Jun.
“T-that...”
Yang Jun calmed down a bit and hesitated. Seeing Jae-Hyeok clean his blade, he thought Jae-Hyeok, this boy, didn’t intend to use violent means.
Indeed...
Siick!
“Ah!”
...Jae-Hyeok habitually cleaned blood from his sword, but that was to slow his blade from dulling during battle.
Shaking, sweating, Yang Jun stared at the sword buried in his thigh.
“Answer me,” Jae-Hyeok said.
“T-the sub-master sent me! Yes, definitely him! The elders have to go through several procedures to mobilize a special task force, but the sub-master can order us directly!”
“Is it possible for the leader of a special task force to act on their own? For example, maybe they heard that your master got beaten and tried to capture me to curry favor with the sub-master?”
“N-never, I would never. Even if the Kang family has fallen, I wouldn’t dare to attack a ducal mansion on my own. Without the sub-master’s permission, I would be the one to take the fall if there is a problem.”
“How unexpected.”
“Huh?”
“It seems you understand the consequences of trespassing on a ducal family’s land. Yet you did it anyway. I guess you thought you could get away with it.”
“I-I just wanted to make a good impression on the sub-master! Kuaaaack!”
“......”
Jae-Hyeok’s friends looked on with pale faces.
Was it because Jae-Hyeok’s actions were cruel?
No.
They understood that actions came with consequences. Jae-Hyeok had every right to deal with these invaders from Guardian as he pleased.
Rather, they were shocked for another reason. This player, Yang Jun, was a team leader of one of the five major guilds? Didn’t that mean he was at least A-class? Moreover, Yang Jun spoke as if the sub-master was the true leader of Guardian.
They had a vague idea of why Hae-Rin’s expression was always dark.
I always wondered why Guardian’s successor enrolled in Class B instead of Class A...
What’s going on at Guardian? Does this sub-master somehow have her trapped and unable to fight back?
The students watched Jae-Hyeok’s back in worry. In truth, even after the Guardian Guild members had crossed the gate, the students hadn’t taken the situation too seriously. The successor of Guardian was one of Jae-Hyeok’s closest friends, so they assumed any conflict between the Kang family and Guardian would be resolved smoothly.
However, reality was proving different.
Judging by how Yang Jun and the rest treated Hae-Rin, it seemed Hae-Rin had lost her position in Guardian and had no authority over the situation.
This incident... might blow up.
The students gulped nervously.
“Elder Song.”
“Uh? Y-yes?”
Jae-Hyeok handed a notebook to the dazed Elder Song.
“You need a lot of things to settle down here, right? Please write down whatever you need.”
“All of a sudden?”
He wants to worry about that now?
“W-what? Are you going shopping in this situation?” Cheon Hye-Ji asked. She knew it was a silly question, but she really couldn’t guess what else Jae-Hyeok was planning.
Surprisingly, Jae-Hyeok nodded.
“Yes.”
“Uh?”
“Um, things have grown a little messy, so let’s disband here. But... “ A rare, gentle smile appeared on Jae-Hyeok’s. “Thank you for visiting my Kang family.”
It had been eight years since the Kang family... since he had welcomed guests. Jae-Hyeok was grateful to his friends, more than they could know, for visiting without fear of the public eye.
“Ah? Is thanking friends for visiting something you should do? Hmph, I’ll come back again before the end of vacation. And I’m warning you—you better not wave me off by saying you are too busy.”
“I’ll come when Hye-Ji comes.”
“If they're both coming, then I’m coming.”
“Why do you guys keep tagging along? Maybe Jae-Hyeok wants me to visit alone?”
The trio of idiots from Class B bickered.
“Well, it was fun. And if Guardian troubles you, contact me. I’ll help you even if I have to ask Grandfather for a favor,” Jang Yeon-Ju said.
“Hmph. Contact me, too. I can at least testify that the Guardian members crossed the gate first,” said Roh Jun-Yeop.
Yoo-Jin added, “If they try to fight it and it becomes serious, I can make the truth public. My mother has a tight grip on the media, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
“S-so what if Guardian sends someone to retaliate? Should I stay over during the break to help stand guard?” Da-Hee asked.
Do-Jin cut in, “What are you saying? The one standing guard should be me! I’m going to live here starting today!”
Looking around, Jae-Hyeok felt warm. These... are my friends.
“Um, I also had a good time and... I’m sorry.” Jae-Hyeok looked at Hae-Rin, who had her head lowered as if she were some criminal, and felt his anger rise.
Why should she have to apologize? Those bastards...
All the fault lay with the Guardian Guild... Jae-Hyeok kept the anger from his voice as he asked, “Elder Song, have you written it all down?”
“Y-yes.”
He received the notebook from Elder Song. “Okay. Then I’ll take care of it... No, I’ll go and get them.”
***
“......”
Jae-Hyeok parted ways with his friends in front of the mansion and followed Hae-Rin without her noticing. As she walked alone, Jae-Hyeok thought that her straight posture and level chin resembled his own. Despite what had happened today, she didn’t stoop or stare down. Jae-Hyeok couldn’t help but nod. Hae-Rin may not talk or smile much, but she always carried herself with dignity.
That’s right.The harder it is, the more confident you should be.
“Even if it hurts, you can’t show it. Otherwise, you’ll be hunted by the wolves nearby... Isn’t that right?”
“Huh? Ah, yes!”
Yang Jun, who had been walking ahead with a lifeless expression, snapped to attention at Jae-Hyeok’s question.
“What? Was your mind wandering? Get it together. How are you going to take responsibility if you get caught?”
“I-I will correct it!”
Yang Jun answered vigorously, though his eyes were bloodshot. He was fortunate to heal his wounds and survive, but it felt like swapping one death sentence for another.
They would be at the headquarters of the Guardian Guild in a few moments, and then he would have to do something crazy.
“Let’s go.”
“Hiik! Yes!”
Yang Jun quickened his pace as he felt the chill of Alus’ dagger digging into his spine.
***
Meanwhile, inside the headquarters of the Guardian Guild.
“Really? Is he going to be captured soon?”
“Yes, I sent a special team.”
“Hahaha! Today is going to be his death day! Dad, you are the best!”
How long had it been since Jae-Hyeok had taken Hae-Rin? A month?
Finally... For the first time in ages, Jeong Ru-Han regained his smile and threw himself into his father’s arms.
Pathetic. The sub-master of the Guardian Guild, Jeong Jae-Uk, stroked his son’s hair with eyes as cold as ice. I should have a second child. Even if there’s quite an age difference between him and Park Hae-Rin, I could make it work...
The whites of Jeong Jae-Uk’s eyes turned black as he considered ways to depose his useless child. Meanwhile, Jeong Ru-Han felt an unknown chill and dug deeper into his father’s arms, unaware that there was perhaps no place more dangerous in the world.
“My son seems very weak these days.”
“It’s all due to that bastard Kang Jae-Hyeok! I relied on those useless bodyguards and let my guard down, leaving me traumatized!”
“Haha, then everything will be okay after today. You will be able to crush him with your own hands.”
“Yes!”
Jeong Ru-Han smiled gleefully. Father loves me most. And there’s nothing he can’t do. Oh, Jae-Hyeok, I bet you wish you had a father like mine, instead of that drooling vegetable.