Chapter 79

〈 Chapter 79 〉 Part 1, Chapter 5 (12)

Yun Yuhwa never leaves his estate.

This is partly to maintain his reclusive image, but mainly to minimize his own activities in order to focus on controlling puppets like Jae-min and the Black Market chairman.

Self-imposed house arrest.

The only time Yun Yuhwa reveals himself is for the annual social party on his birthday. Even in the original story, Yun Yuhwa only shows his true form to a few trusted individuals he can open up to.

His childhood nanny and butler. Sang-woo, originally from headquarters but currently dispatched to Incheon. And Seok Harang, who became close after discovering Yun Yuhwa’s true identity.

Given that Yun Yuhwa appears in person less than once a year, I couldn’t help but be surprised to see him right in front of me.

“Why are you here?”

“How else? You summoned me, didn’t you?”

Yun Yuhwa tapped his smartwatch. While it’s true I did summon him, I meant not his physical presence but…

“Couldn’t you have sent someone else? Either Jae-min or the chairman? Don’t you have puppets placed in the government and association?”

“Of course we do. But I feel we need to revisit our contract.”

Yun Yuhwa projected a screen showing the destroyed Daejeon research facility.

“…Ah, Daejeon, huh? It’s been noisy these past few days.”

“How could someone who knows better act this way? You were responsible, weren’t you?”

As expected, half-hearted excuses wouldn’t work. Due to the 10 heroes I placed in PMC and Soyeon Kang, Yun Yuhwa had likely already deduced the truth. I pointed at a drink with my finger.

“Can we talk while having something?”

“Of course.”

I casually chose a strawberry yogurt smoothie. Yun Yuhwa selected an Americano – though darker than usual. As I stirred mine with a straw, I answered his question.

“Yes. Had a little exchange with Light Blade.”

“Figures.”

Yun Yuhwa sipped his coffee and furrowed his brow. When he’s calculating something, his left eyebrow twitches slightly.

This was a moment that mustn’t be interrupted. I waited patiently until Yun Yuhwa reached a conclusion and spoke first.

Clunk. The coffee cup was placed on the table. Yun Yuhwa finally spoke.

“It’s unreasonable to continue our contract as is. The risks are too great.”

“Why?”

Though I already knew the reason, I wanted to hear it from Yun Yuhwa himself. He tapped the table with his fingers and continued.

“If Light Blade falls, Korea falls. Yu-sung only has value within this country; on a global scale, they’re just another common conglomerate. No matter how much core you bring in, I can’t assist in destroying the entire nation. Yu-sung still needs Korea as its foundation.”

“So that’s the problem.”

Yu-sung allows Yun Yuhwa to accumulate assets. Since personal special abilities require significant capital, should Korea collapse, both Yun Yuhwa and all of Yu-sung would disappear.

A security vacuum. Someone needs to fill the void left by Light Blade’s absence.

“Can’t the Blue Wind Sect fill the gap left by Light Blade?”

“There were many righteous army leaders during the Imjin War, but only Admiral Yi Sun-sin saved the nation. And you guys aren’t even righteous soldiers – you’re bandits! Impossible. We need legitimate heroes, not villains.”

I couldn’t really argue with that. Light Blade’s status in current Korea is indeed quite high. Yun Yuhwa continued.

“The current international situation is also concerning. Japan is waiting for any excuse to annex this land, while China has already established a forward base on Baekdusan. Russia has abandoned the Far East since the Pyongyang incident.”

“In other words, if Light Blade falls, they’ll start a war?”

Yun Yuhwa nodded. His increasingly serious expression seemed to be reading my true intentions.

“Customer, surely you don’t actually want war? If Light Blade disappears, it will start a Sino-Japanese War over the Korean Peninsula.”

“We can stop it, right?”

Yun Yuhwa fiddled with his cup at my calm response.

“Are you saying your organization’s full strength surpasses even the Round Table?”

“To be precise…”

I pointed at myself.

“I can kill them all. Light Blade, Unjang, Gale Guest – everyone.”

“You’re full of confidence. Fine. Given your display in Daejeon, let’s generously assume you can kill them all.”

Yun Yuhwa bit her lip.

“What if China and Japan cooperate? What if the two Round Table members are sent to different battlefields? If you’re injured fighting one and defeated by the other?”

“You won’t lose, and you won’t get hurt.”

“Customer.”

Yun Yuhwa spoke firmly.

“I’m making the gamble of my lifetime here. Success means becoming the richest magnate dominating East Asian finances; failure means becoming a fallen tycoon from a collapsed nation. Can you please approach this transaction more carefully? I…”

Yun Yuhwa glared at me sharply.

“Show me the basis for trusting everything I have on you. Otherwise, our deal ends today.”

“Indeed. That’s why you came in person.”

By burying the giant Light Blade in history and standing firm against China and Japan, this nation could become the hegemon of East Asia – an ideal shared by Korea, China, and Japan alike.

“Women who dream of world domination really think big, huh.”

“People should aim high in life, shouldn’t they? I merely wish to place the world under my control and manage it to my liking. Might as well make some money along the way.”

“While this may be sudden, may I ask – do you have confidence?”

Yun Yuhwa smiled and placed her hand on her chest.

“Customer, do you think my dreams are unrealistic?”

“…”

“No.”

“Why?”

She counters my question. Yun Yuhwa is confident that I know everything about her. I recite the answer she hopes to hear.

“Because you have the ability, so naturally you can dream such dreams, right?”

“…”

Yun Yuhwa’s voice trembled.

“Could it be… Are you from a parallel dimension? Perhaps we were lovers there. I intended to tell this only to the person I’m going to marry. Did something about gender change when moving to this world?”

“…”

“Is there such a thing in this world?”

Suspicion filled Yun Yuhwa’s eyes. I cleared my throat to calm her down.

“This is the fifth time. The answer is no. Just understand that I share similar thoughts with you. My dream, you see…”

Yun Yuhwa focused on my voice.

“Is solely to kill the god that would destroy this world and protect Earth. Along the way, I might survive too.”

“Of course you have the ability to do so?”

I nodded. Though it’s an unexpected statement, Yun Yuhwa will extract the maximum truth within her knowledge. She took a sip of coffee to moisten her throat.

“…Still, the evidence is insufficient. Normally, we’d need to see at least three cards before calling all-in. Right now, I’m being asked to bet everything on seeing just the ace.”

“At least three cards would show if it’s a full house or straight flush?”

“Exactly. Betting everything only to end up with a pair of aces would be disastrous.”

It’s troubling. How much should I reveal?

Turning her into a monster would make things easier, but Yun Yuhwa needs to conduct external activities as a human. If I forcibly turn her into a monster, she might rebel and use her cunning to stab me in the back.

She could become either Zhuge Liang or Sima Yi.

There’s no choice. We need to discuss ways to eliminate Light Blade and handle the resulting void. Being intelligent, she might suggest a better solution than I could.

If she tries to exploit the situation…

‘Kill her.’

“Listen carefully. My plan is…”

Yun Yuhwa set down her coffee and began listening attentively.

* * *

“Ah, I’m going crazy.”

Seok Harang pulled at her white hair and paced anxiously outside the alley. It was just an ordinary Seoul alley, yet somehow she hesitated to enter.

“Was sister into that kind of thing?”

I understand. Yun Yuhwa lived nearly half her life pretending to be a man. Not just one or two, but seven different lives.

Perhaps during that process, her sexual identity wavered, or maybe she became bisexual. It’s possible some of Jae-min’s numerous flirtations with women were genuine.

Seok Harang shivered.

“Then what if I…”

She shook her head vigorously to dismiss the thought. Fortunately, Yun Yuhwa’s influence hadn’t reached her yet.

“Seriously, creepy.”

Since Light Blade took legal guardianship of Seok Harang after finding her at the orphanage, many people have shown interest in her, but none managed to connect.

Partly because Seok Harang wasn’t interested, but whenever it seemed serious, Light Blade would always appear like a flash and block it.

Girls-only middle school, girls-only high school. Actually, she attended mostly for minimum attendance requirements while focusing on hero activities. If the women’s universities in Seoul still existed, Light Blade would have definitely sent Seok Harang there.

Light Blade was usually by Seok Harang’s side.

“I haven’t even had my first love yet.”

Not a flower boy, nor a flower girl. That simply wouldn’t do.

“Right. If he comes out, reject him immediately.”

Already an hour had passed.

Though she was asked to guard outside while someone supposedly retrieved a secret elixir, Seok Harang didn’t want to go inside, nor did Yun Yuhwa wish her to. They agreed to signal each other if anything happened.

Ping. A message arrived. Notification from Yun Yuhwa that the conversation had ended.

“Huff, huff.”

Seok Harang muttered to herself. The person she faced was someone experiencing sexual identity confusion due to excessive use of special abilities. Though Seok Harang couldn’t accept that love, she could at least offer encouragement.

Thud, thud.

Yun Yuhwa appeared at the corner of the alley. The ironclad will and reckless image she maintained outside seemed shaken now.

“Sister?”

Sadness, sympathy, mourning. The residual magic emanating from Yun Yuhwa carried a deep sense of comfort for Seok Harang.

Wince. Seok Harang squinted against the sunlight. Yun Yuhwa remained in the shadows, unable to step into the sunlight. Her heels stopped at the edge of the shadow.

“Harang, I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for?”

“I really did my best.”

“Whatever. Let’s go back. People are already in an uproar.”

Yun Yuhwa had nothing to say to Seok Harang, who was smiling mischievously in the sunlight.

“Isn’t there love elsewhere? There will definitely be someone who loves you in New Seoul. As a dating expert, if you come to Busan, I’ll introduce you to someone much prettier than those rejects.”

“What nonsense are you spouting now?”

“Didn’t sister get rejected?”

“…Stop saying weird things. Let’s go back. I’m tired.”

Yun Yuhwa shook off the sleeve and walked away briskly. Tears glistened in her eyes, ready to fall.

Seok Harang tilted her head while maintaining a meaningful smile.

“Got rejected, alright.”

* * *

“…Is that really true?”

Yun Yuhwa denied it. Information inaccessible even through U-sung’s intelligence network or the informants planted in associations and governments.

Facing someone calmly drinking yogurt through a straw while revealing shocking truths that could overturn the world.

Her expression, savoring the yogurt with closed eyes, looked as refreshed as someone relieved of ten years of indigestion.

“Believe it or not, that’s your choice. However…”

Phoenix’s hand caught fire. Soon, her arm transformed into black armor and blue flames.

“Do you understand the many advantages after killing Light Blade?”

“…Yes.”

Weighed countless times. Seven distinct thought processes developed through special abilities compared the two scenarios: cooperating with Phoenix after killing Light Blade versus severing ties with Phoenix and aligning with Light Blade.

The conclusion was that Light Blade must die. For Yun Yuhwa’s own sake, for the survival of U-sung and Korea, and for world peace.

That it would benefit Yun Yuhwa, she judged. Yun Yuhwa made up her mind.

“…Alright. On the condition that you consider my suggestions?”

“No? You’ll follow exactly, right? Puhuhu. I was just thinking of killing, but consulting was a good decision. Truly an idea bank.”

“…On the condition that ‘that’ goes to me? Not as a gift, but as consulting fees.”

“Yes. Use it freely.”

The direction is set. All that remains is for Yun Yuhwa to mobilize the group to operate covertly.

The execution date is Saturday, May 9th.

“However, there’s one thing I don’t understand.”

“What is it?”

Yun Yuhwa asked Phoenix, who was about to pick up her drink.

“Why does Harang need to be put to sleep so she can’t wake up on the day Light Blade dies? Afraid she’ll interfere in the fight?”

Phoenix closed her mouth. Yun Yuhwa gulped down the remaining coffee from her parched throat.

“Princess Setwha…”

Phoenix spoke.

“Seok Harang is Light Blade’s daughter.”

Drip. Coffee poured from Yun Yuhwa’s lips like a waterfall.