80 – The Price of the Blood, Part II

Chapter 28. The Price of the Blood, Part II

Translator: Khan

Editor: RED

4.

The Capital Defense Command was a military unit created to protect Seoul. The position of Chief Commander of the unit that protected the heart of the Republic of Korea could not be a regular seat. Only the best elites could sit down, and among the elites, only those who wanted to be at the pinnacle were able to sit down.

Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk was the man who was sitting there. “You said you were under Major General Chang Young-sung?”

Lee Hyuk was the chief among the stars. Kim Tae-hoon was facing him across just one table. It would be appalling to imagine the situation for those with the rank of soldiers.

Major General Lee Ki-soo, who was standing behind Lt. Gen. Lee Hyuk, would feel bitter if he took the position instead of Kim Tae-hoon.

“Yes, I was.” But Kim was different. There was no retreat, no hesitation, and there was no sign of wanting to hide the truth.

“You were… not now, it that it?

“You don’t even know if Chang Young-sung is alive?” Kim’s harsh response made Lee Ki-soo’s back go cold.

“No, I’m not saying that, but I am asking whether you’re denying your military status.” However, Lee Hyuk showed no emotional change in Kim’s behavior. He asked questions with a calm but rather cold look on his face. He looked extraordinary.

‘The star is the star. It’s not a joke.’ With that look in the eyes of Lee Hyuk, Jang Sung-hoon, who was behind Kim, felt a lump in his throat.

“Yes.” However, it did not work for Kim. It was also Kim’s presence. “I’m not a soldier now.”

Before monsters appeared, humans were divided into social status, social position, property, etc. The soldier was worse. They used direct distinction between classes. In such a world, an individual’s power had little meaning. But not anymore.

Kim had power. That was the overwhelming force, at least enough to console those who died for him. And now it was time for that power to distinguish between ranks.

“I am the head of the Mac Guild, who manages the Bucheon and Incheon areas.”

“You are not a soldier, but you use the weapons of the Korean Army.

“The weapons are blocking monsters heading to Seoul.”

“It depends on the interpretation. In some ways, the existence of the Mac Guild could be an anti-government force group that looted military weapons without government permission.”

“Do you want me to interpret this whole situation on my own?” Therefore, Kim did not back down in front of Lee Hyuk. At this moment, everyone could see who was in the higher rank by comparing the marks of the Awakeners on each other’s right hand. “Do you want us to be an anti-government force group?”

“I can’t bear it anymore, stop!” It was not Lee Hyuk, but Lee Ki-soo who vented anger over Kim’s attitude. “You say whatever you want when we’ve arranged a conversation! Are you threatening us?”

The surroundings began to get cluttered with a harsh atmosphere.

‘Stand by.’ ‘Standby.’ ‘We’ll move anytime.’ As soon as the order was issued, preparations were made to suppress or kill Kim and Jang.

“I don’t intend to threaten you.” Kim put the clutter together into one sentence. “I’ve come all the way to the negotiating table.” Along with the words, he took a thumb-sized jewel out of his arms. The jewel, which was shining like a blue sapphire, had begun to dye Kim’s palm green. Everyone’s eyes widened.

“Is that…”

“The monster stone of the blue-grade monster, the Gamecock.”

Snap! At that moment, he could hear the clicking sound of a camera’s shutter in the distance. It was quite a long way off, tens of meters away. It was not a Smartphone camera, but a DSLR camera that sounded like a cannon through lenses. He palmed the jewel again after hearing the sound.

“I’ve already seen a lot of blood. I don’t want to see blood anymore. Let’s negotiate.”

“Hmm!”

Lee Ki-soo immediately coughed and stepped back. His eyes were still directed toward Kim’s hand holding the monster stone, and his eyes were shaking. It was proof of his concern.

‘Damn it, if I get it, the game is over.’ At present, it was ridiculous to estimate the value of a blue-grade monster Stone. He could not get it even if he wanted to. Of course, it was too necessary for the Capital Defense Command, as well as for Lee Ki-soo. What a thing to get by killing Kim Tae-hoon here!

“How much do you assess as the value of this monster stone?” Kim asked them.

‘How much will you pay for it?’ It certainly sounded like that to Lee Hyuk or Lee Ki-soo.

Shh! Lee Hyuk raised his hand. Then Lee Ki-soo, who was backing down, stepped forward again. He talked instead of Lee Hyuk. “If you exclude Hunminjeongeum and the Sunsubi of King Jinheung, we can negotiate with anything. We’ll have to negotiate exactly as you say, but we can do business with anything, except for two things.”

As soon as Kim heard that, he looked at the monster Stone of the Gamecock that he was holding in his hand with black Eyes.

[Crystal of the Gamecock]

• Strength and Health are increased when ingested.
• The skill of Energy is greatly increased when ingested.
• The skill of Mana is greatly increased when ingested.
• The skill of Defense is greatly increased when ingested.
• The skill of Mana Resistance is greatly increased when ingested.
• When ingested, the power of the Gamecock [Anger Soaring] can be obtained.

Then he put it in his mouth and gulped it down! Everyone, who looked at him went blank.

“Er? Huh?” “Did he eat it?” Those who were trying to hide in various places and aimed at Kim even blurted the words in their minds without realizing it. His behavior was shocking enough. The same was true for Lee Hyuk and Lee Ki-soo, both of whom looked at Kim with a stupid expression.

“Let’s continue the negotiations.” It was Kim’s words, coming out of the mouth that ate the monster stone, that made them change their expressions.

“Well, what… You ate it now. What kind of negotiation…” Lee Ki-soo still looked ridiculous as he spoke.

“I never said I would be negotiating with the monster stone of the Gamecock.”

“What the fuck is this?” Lee Ki-soo burst into anger. It was rude to show anger in front of Lee Hyuk, but there was no one, including Lee Hyuk, who raised doubts about the anger. There was more than enough all around.

“I told you a few times before. Many people died to stop the Gamecock heading for Seoul, and thanks to it, the people here survived, and I came to receive the price of the lives of the dead and the survivors.”

But not for Kim Tae-hoon. ‘I will be paid the price of the blood.’

For him, all this was unjust, not just fair. In the first place, if Major Oh Se-bum and the Six Snakes had not brought the Gamecock in Sejong City to Bucheon, there would not have been a dead one.

Was there a more unjust death? And now, he must not tolerate the injustice. When he accepted the injustice, the damage would be seen, not by Kim, but by those who followed him.

“I can exchange anything except Hunminjeongeum and Sunsubi of King Jinheung… I will make it a reference point for the value of the monster I have killed.”

“You crazy bastard!” At the words of Kim, Lee Ki-soo no longer had any courtesy. It was a farce from the beginning.

‘That’s crazy.’ Kim should not have been here. He should have been dead in Bucheon!

Kim, who should have died, provoked Lee Hyuk in this way? Lee Hyuk was not a naïve man, and he was not a man full of kindness. He would regard all of this from Kim today as a disgrace, and would prepare to pay off his disgrace.

In the process, if Lee Ki-soo was found to have ordered Oh Se-bum… It would be the worst. Therefore, Lee Ki-soo wanted to overturn the table itself. He wanted to make Kim and Lee Hyuk a relationship that they would not face again in this way.

However, Kim ignored Lee Ki-soo and asked Lee Hyuk, “Who is the superior?”

At the words, Lee Ki-soo, who had exploded like a volcano, became mute.

Lee Hyuk revealed his unpleasantness with his expression. However, he expressed his displeasure only in his face at this moment, but he did not vent his anger.

“We can’t stay still if you are uncooperative.” It was evidence that he had already completed the calculation perfectly in his mind; who held the sword at this moment?

“So you’re going to kill me? The dragon, you left that nonsense monster behind.”

The reason why the Capital Defense Command hunted monsters while raising forces outside Seoul, including Major Oh Se-bum, was simple.

They trained Awakeners to kill the monsters. In that sense, the blue-grade monster stone was important. It was like a piece of a puzzle that was necessary to kill the dragon.

But the monster stone was now in the stomach of Kim. Even if his belly was cut open, the monster stone of the Gamecock could not be obtained.

‘Chang Young-sung had a great monster under his command.’ Anyway, Kim had survived the monster called the Gamecock and killed it. Whether he was given the favor of the heavens or thanks to the relics, he survived anyway. It meant that he had the qualification to survive and persist.

‘Nevertheless, do we have to kill him? We can kill him. But the price to pay for it is too high.’

Finally, the enemies of Lee Hyuk were not just Kim.

“Okay, I’ll pay you for the price of the blood.” ‘I will save you, and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is more our concern right now.’

There were the Mac Guild and Kim in Bucheon and Incheon, and Colonel Lim Hyun-joon was in Gangwon Province and the front line. As soon as both of them became their enemies, the Capital Defense Command would be besieged. They should avoid that much. “I want to make a deal after I pay the price.”

Furthermore, if Kim claimed to be a hound, he could willingly pay and use him as a hound. “There’s a green-grade monster on the side of Cheonggye Mountain, leading the Goblins, and its forces are coming down toward Gangnam District, as well as Cheonggye Mountain. Kill it.”

“Lieutenant General, that’s—” At the words of Lee Hyuk, Lee Ki-soo tried to do something, but his action was blocked by the cold eyes of Lee Hyuk.

They waited for Kim’s answer, and Kim responded to the wait.

“I’ll receive three national treasures for the price of the blood, and one national treasure for one green-grade monster.”

5.

“Boss, can I ask you a question?”

Outside Namsan Tower…

Now the sunshine felt a little hot, so the shade of the trees around Namsan Tower was pleasant, so Jang and Kim talked for a short break.

“What would you do if I was murdered?”

This time, Kim Tae-hoon was originally supposed to go alone. In such a situation, Jang claimed to be a companion. The existence of Jang would be a great help. The problem was risk.

If the Capital Defense Command revealed its hostility to Kim and put it into practice, the endangered person would be Jang, not Kim. Of course, Jang was fully prepared. However, Kim’s appearance against Lee Hyuk was so aggressive that Jang’s fear of preparing for the resolution was chilled. It would not be surprising if Lee Hyuk caused an accident in a fit of anger.

“If you’re killed, you can’t help it.” Kim answered Jang’s question calmly.

“That’s too bad to hear.”

“I can make one thing clear if you die instead.”

“Really? What is it?”

“To wage war with the Capital Defense Command, you won’t have to weigh at least as much as you do now.” With Kim’s still calm voice, Jang smiled, as if he was satisfied with the answer.

“It’s less regrettable to hear that.”

A group of people began to stride toward them as they spoke. Wearing military uniforms, they were soldiers, and at the same time they were Awakeners with marks on their right hands. They were a group of people here to help Kim pick up the relics and watch him. It was Major Oh Se-bum who had the brightest appearance in the group and was at the forefront.

“I’ll take you to the Bank of Korea.” His appearance changed the faces of Jang and Kim. “It’s nice to see you again like this.”

Major Oh was one of the reasons why Kim and Jang came to Seoul. “Did you say Major Oh Se-bum?”

“Yes.”

“So I couldn’t even shake your hand.” Kim gave his right hand to Major Oh. Major Oh held Kim’s right hand after a brief pause. As soon as they held each other’s hands, Kim stared at Oh with his bloody eyes and said in a low voice. “It’s the third time I’ve met you, and we should shake hands.”