Chapter 121: Chapter 120: Bringing Up the Past, Part IV (1/2)
Chapter 121: Chapter 120: Bringing Up the Past, Part IV
Translator: HunterW
Editor: RED
”Jiwon oppa, you're here.” Haein was waiting in the first floor lobby, as if she knew I was coming.
”Yeah. I heard about what you found at the King-Emperor's Tomb. Congratulations.”
”It was all thanks to you, anyway.”
I couldn't tell if she was just saying that or if she figured out my hint that day.
”They're waiting for you upstairs.”
”Okay, let's go.” I followed Haein to the elevators.
As we headed for the 96th floor, Haein spoke up. ”Did everything go well… with the Hitman Guild?” she asked in a slightly trembling voice. So, she knew about them as well.
”Yeah. They just caused me some grief in the past. I just went to get some compensation out of them.” I didn't say any more on the matter.
Haein didn't ask any more questions either and we rode the rest of the way in silence. When we arrived at the 96th floor, Haein led me to the chairman's office, just like five years ago.
---
Song Daechul once again felt that same feeling he had five years ago when Lee Jiwon entered his office the second time.
Even when everyone around him said that looking after the sleeping Lee Jiwon was a waste of time, Song Daechul had thought differently. He couldn't forget that confident aura Lee Jiwon had when he first walked into this office. He couldn't abandon him when he fell asleep, and looked after him for three years, especially when Lee Jiwon looked as if he would wake up at any moment.
-Unfortunately, after those three years, even I had changed.-
In those three years, Song Daechul had forgotten the importance of Lee Jiwon, and didn't look for him when he woke. Song Daechul didn't take action even when his grandson had tried to hurt Lee Jiwon. Song Daechul had believed that Lee Jiwon no longer had any use to him anymore, but he was completely proven wrong. In less than a year, Lee Jiwon had become a force to be reckoned with!
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”Welcome again, Jiwon.”
”Hello, Chairman Song.” Even after I had left the country, I always heard about the Sunbin Guild, and especially about the man who led the guild to greatness.
”Please, have a seat here.”
I sat down next to Song Myungsoo at his invitation.
”I heard about your skills at the King-Emperor's Tomb.”
”It wasn't much.”
Song Daechul chuckled. ”Really now? You did more than both guilds in less time. Are you sure it wasn't much?”
”I was just lucky.”
”Well, if you say so, then it must be true,” Song Daechul said with a smile. ”Ah, that's right. Haein, go ahead and give him that.”
”Yes, grandfather.” Haein took something out of her inventory.
”This is the Rank 8 item that came out of one of the random chests when you offered yourself as the sacrifice.”
I gave a wary look to Song Daechul as he placed the Rank 8 item on top of the table. I doubted that he was trying to show off.
”I'll be blunt. I'm confident that your final gesture to Haein was a hint to open the fifth chest. It was from there that Haein obtained a Rank 9 item.”
”...” I didn't say anything.
”I'm sure you know that I can't hand that over. If I do when we're not in good graces with the Cheng Long Guild… it won't look good for us,” Song Daechul said as he pushed the item towards me. ”However, I would be more than happy to give you this one. Think of it as compensation for taking on the irreversible 70 death penalties.”
I didn't take on those death penalties, but I wasn't about to correct him. I already received 1.3 billion golden rings to keep that a secret. I could also keep pretending that I didn't gain anything from the raid, and keep them distracted that I had lost so much of my progress because of them.
However, while I did really want to, my real goal here was to find out why Song Haechang wanted me kidnapped. It probably wouldn't do me any good if I were to take it.
”I believe you did the right thing by taking the golden rings from us. It's more than reasonable since you had to take on that many penalties,” he continued while nodding. ”However, while this is to thank you for helping us get the Rank 9 item…it is also to ask for forgiveness as Song Haechang's grandfather. I would like you to accept it.”
With that, I lost all traces of suspicion I had toward the older man. I did come here almost sure that he had some hand in it; it was different hearing it directly from him.
”If you already knew about what happened and about the existence of the Hitman Guild, why have you done nothing about it?” I was more curious about that then why Song Haechang gave the order.
”I suppose there's no such thing as an eternal secret, is there? Even if I could deal with the Hitman Guild, I can't do anything about Haechang. He is my grandson, after all.”
I nodded. Song Daechul was still human in the end. ”I understand. Then I'll just…”
”I would like you to meet with Haechang, as well.”
”Excuse me?” Whatever reason he had, I wanted to end it here. I already extorted the Hitman Guild, and he had just handed over a Rank 8 item. That was enough for me to bury the hatchet, and I didn't want to argue what was right or wrong with him. I had no desire to have my revenge and beat Song Haechang black and blue for what he did to me. It wasn't like he actually hurt me or anything. I didn't get why he wanted me to meet him.
”I'm sure Song Haechang hates my guts right now. Why do you want me to meet him?”
”I know that very well, but I still want you to at least see him. You can do whatever you like when you do. You can kill him a few times if you wish, or you can just leave after seeing him. Can you do that for me?”
I stared at him for making such a strange request. ”Okay, I'll do that.”
”Thank you.”
I was getting a little curious now. I wanted to see for myself how he could become that messed up. I placed the item on the table into my inventory and followed Haein out to where Song Haechang was.
---
A few had stayed behind in Song Daechul's office when Lee Jiwon left.
”Father, why are you letting him meet Haechang?” asked Song Myungsoo.
”I believe that it is the best way to save Haechang.”
”What?”
”I was too conceited to realize Lee Jiwon's uniqueness. But I'm sure you remember as well when we first met Jiwon.”
Song Myungsoo nodded in agreement at his father's words.
”He was so confident even after the world had changed, while we couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. We owe everything we have to him.”
It was all thanks to Lee Jiwon's information and advice that the Sunbin Guild could take advantage of the eight months before the Otadolon stage was in full swing. Lee Jiwon was no doubt the Sunbin Guild's greatest benefactor.
”When we had all given up on him, Jiwon proved himself and made his name known throughout the world in less than a year.”
”I know that as well, but he's…”
”Yes, he did it all alone. There are still many out there who look down on him for that, but he proved to everyone that he could become powerful on his own. He did it in Egypt, in Macau, and he did it again at the Tomb.” Song Daechul took a sip of his tea before continuing, ”It took him less than a year. He has the potential to be more in the near future. He has many rivals to overcome soon, so let's watch over him.”
”Yes, father.”
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