Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 333

333. The Devil Returns (4)

Kazath summoned a Faceless One and fled, his ‘Reverse Summon’ no longer functioning due to Hyun-woo’s weakened connection to the Hell difficulty.

It was ironic that summoning worked but reverse summoning didn’t, but he was satisfied with gaining new knowledge.

After finishing negotiations with Ivan, Hyun-woo immediately re-boarded Albert’s plane. The refueled plane took off eastward.

“G-Gang Hyun-woo.”

“What is it now?”

Hyun-woo, who had been reclining with his eyes closed, responded.

“The Almighty Union will follow your orders, and I know that Lee Ji-tae of Chrome and Adam Fault are also friendly to you. Moreover, with even the ‘Demon King’ Kazath under your control… are you already a ‘Star’?”

Hyun-woo opened his eyes slightly, looking at Albert with amusement.

“Looks like you’ve heard something from the teacher [referring to a mentor or leader].”

“Answer me, Gang Hyun-woo. If you have already become a Star, and the game of this world is over…”

“Half right and half wrong.”

Hyun-woo closed his eyes again.

“It’s true that I’ve become a Star, but the game isn’t over. And judging by the situation, it doesn’t seem like it will ever end. Maybe the world will stay like this forever, you know?”

“…Without a winner in the game?”

“Yeah. Without a winner.”

At those words, Albert stood up abruptly, seemingly enraged.

“Then there’s no possibility of the best future ever coming! A world where everything is realized justly, where there is no sadness or pain, no conflict or anger!”

“Yeah. What’s the problem with that?”

“What’s the problem? The teacher was trying to create such a paradise. With our own hands! Rather than expecting a heaven that may or may not exist after death, we would build an eternal kingdom directly on this earth!”

“Wow, that’s really creepy. You guys have become a cult.”

Hyun-woo sighed deeply and replied.

“Former President, listen carefully. It’s a little different from the teacher, but I’ve already seen a world where the winner of the world has been decided. A world where lifelines are attached only by the whim of the winner.”

“You’ve already seen a world where the winner has been decided? Do you have the same ability as the teacher?”

“It’s not unrelated, but it’s a little different. Anyway, the survivors there struggled to survive and fought to take even a small piece of remaining land. It’s really funny, you know. They used to be the strongest in the world, but now they’re fighting over a piece of land slightly larger than Korea, calling themselves transcendent or the strongest.”

Albert couldn’t understand what Hyun-woo was saying. Hyun-woo wasn’t exactly saying it for Albert to understand.

Hyun-woo continued, as if cherishing memories.

“Then let’s say they fought well and won. What do you think will happen? Do you think it’ll be over with a declaration of victory? No. That world is already a ‘decided’ world, and there’s nothing more. Quietly, silently, nothing happens.”

“So, in order to prevent such a world from coming, we must fight even harder…”

“You don’t understand, do you, old man?”

Hyun-woo turned and lay down, looking straight at Albert.

“What’s the point of putting in effort in a finished story? A world where one Star has won is already a closed world. Even if you think this isn’t right, it’s already too late. It’s impossible to fight or change anything. The Star is trapped in their own ideology, and the residents also consider that the highest value.”

Winning the game and becoming a Star is like becoming a milestone.

A milestone always points in one direction and guides travelers, but that’s it.

A milestone cannot go anywhere.

It can never even know if it is pointing in the right direction because it is already buried in its own ideology.

“I cannot accept it.”

Albert said stubbornly. Hyun-woo thought he would.

It wasn’t a problem with a definite answer.

Hyun-woo thought that a completed world was not good, but Albert or the teacher may have wanted a grand and great future that Hyun-woo couldn’t even imagine.

However, there would be people who couldn’t follow that shining world.

“Gang Hyun-woo, you may be strong… but we haven’t been just playing around for the past three years. We can’t entrust the existence of the world to the favor of just one person.”

“Ah, you’re threatening me.”

Hyun-woo said with a grin.

“You were so scared that you asked if I was a Star, but you have a lot of guts. So, are you going to kill me?”

“If you are an obstacle to the best future, we will find a way somehow. Even if you kill me, someone will definitely…”

“Good. Go ahead and try.”

“What? What are you saying…”

At that moment, Albert trembled as he looked into Hyun-woo’s eyes.

Hyun-woo sincerely wanted it, not just bluffing.

He really wanted Albert to gather all of the alliance’s strength and come at him with all his might, without sparing any means for the sake of insurance, and dig a trap to kill him. He would go there anytime if called.

Hyun-woo was treating Albert as nothing more than a dustpan [implying he sees Albert as insignificant].

“If not, create the best future with your own hands.”

Albert snapped back to his senses at Hyun-woo’s words. Hyun-woo offered a generous proposal like a kind and good person.

“Don’t talk about pie-in-the-sky things like the teacher or Utopia, but the best future you can create as the former President of the United States, as a diplomat, as a politician. Then you’ll know what you need to do.”

Albert pursed his lips tightly. What Hyun-woo was saying was simple.

“The teacher said it, didn’t he? If you do your job properly in your position. Then what can you do?”

For the best future, you shouldn’t pick a fight with Gang Hyun-woo.

But at the same time, you had to pick a fight.

***

The rumor that started somewhere spread faster than Hyun-woo and Albert thought.

A hunter in Romania, from the mouth of an airport employee, from the eyewitness accounts of Russian soldiers, from an immigration officer in Korea, a ghost-like rumor began to sweep through the American diplomatic community.

Gang Hyun-woo has appeared.

Gang Hyun-woo, who was known to be dead, has returned.

Most of the rumors were dismissed as bizarre stories, like the Beatles or Hitler being alive.

However, vivid testimonies continued, and even unclear photos gradually began to be released.

The first to move as the news spread were those who had been considering from the beginning that Gang Hyun-woo might not have died.

“Gang Hyun-woo has appeared.”

Chrome Headquarters.

Adam Fault looked at Lee Ji-tae as if dumbfounded.

Lee Ji-tae’s body was soaked in sweat. It was as if he had been stirring up the whole world. He even entered through the window without using the formal entrance.

After ‘stabbing’ the teacher, the Leading Star left him for some reason.

Lee Ji-tae couldn’t shake the feeling that the Leading Star had used him instrumentally.

The Leading Star may have seen an undesirable future and used Lee Ji-tae as a tool to prevent that future.

However, Lee Ji-tae decided not to be too dissatisfied with that fact.

With or without the blessing of the Star, Lee Ji-tae was still a powerful ability user and one of Chrome’s top executives.

“Gang Hyun-woo?”

“Yes. He was reportedly found in Romania. He moved to Russia with Albert Cromford. The Russian side denies it, but there are clear signs of a cover-up.”

“Do you remember how many times we’ve gone looking after hearing rumors that Gang Hyun-woo is alive?”

Adam Fault said suspiciously. The image of Gang Hyun-woo that they remembered was so terrible that it was hard to put into words.

Even if he was alive, he would be in a state where he couldn’t even get up for the rest of his life.

Lee Ji-tae nodded and said.

“This time it’s different. Intelligence agencies in each country are checking the truth, and the Alliance and the South China Union are in an uproar. There are quite credible testimonies.”

“Hmm. What’s the reaction from the Almighty Union?”

“That’s… strangely, there’s no reaction. It wouldn’t be strange if they heard the rumors first. They are still confronting the South China Union.”

Adam Fault’s eyes widened at those words. She quickly got up from her seat and began to dress.

“Then he really has returned. Lee Ji-tae, do you have the strength to use your ultimate skill again? We need to go to the Almighty Union as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“If Gang Hyun-woo really came back, he would have contacted Yoo-min first. Then there’s no reason for him to be surprised and rush to find Gang Hyun-woo like you. He’s probably waiting because Gang Hyun-woo will find him on his own.”

‘So, he doesn’t even have the time to give me a call,’ Lee Ji-tae made a sulky expression.

But he didn’t feel too sorry. It wasn’t a new thing.

“But why do you have to go to the Almighty Union?”

“Gang Hyun-woo went to the Almighty Union, and in a situation where the South China Union is threatening to launch a nuclear attack on Korea, what do you think Gang Hyun-woo will do to the South China Union?”

“Come down quickly. I’ll do my best.”

***

Lee Seo-yeon walked quickly down the hallway with a firm expression.

Behind her, Wang Xinliang, the chairman of the South China Union, followed with an anxious expression.

“Ms. Lee Seo-yeon, why are you in such a hurry?”

“Hurry? Am I in a hurry? Does this look like I’m in a hurry? Being in a hurry means we should have finished negotiating with the Almighty Union a long time ago. Damn it, we should have finished it when we were even slightly superior. You insisted that we had to eat Japan [conquer or control Japan] before we could negotiate…”

But she couldn’t blame Wang Xinliang alone. Who could have predicted that Gang Hyun-woo would return?

Lee Seo-yeon also agreed as a result, so she was driven into this situation.

They were heading to a conference room prepared by the TaeSung Group in Korea. It was for the final negotiation with the Almighty Union.

The fact that Wang Xinliang, the chairman of the South China Union, visited Korea was proof that they were cornered, but at the same time, they were able to maintain a minimum of pride thanks to the TaeSung Group, the core of the South China Union, securing the conference room.

Lee Seo-yeon saw this as a positive sign. The Almighty Union also wanted to negotiate.

The South China Union was now closer to a multinational alliance than a Chinese-led country, and corporations and clans could exert as much influence as a country.

Therefore, with the ability users of the Starving Star losing their power, Lee Seo-yeon’s position was practically that of a powerful figure.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it.’

The emotions Lee Seo-yeon felt when she heard the news of Gang Hyun-woo’s death were complex.

Lee Seo-yeon tried to help Hyun-woo, and at the same time, she used Hyun-woo a lot.

In particular, Gang Hyun-woo’s neutralization of Helen was the best achievement. But that was the last time, and Gang Hyun-woo died.

Lee Seo-yeon thought it was fortunate, but she couldn’t help but be nervous about the fact that she would have to do everything on her own from now on.

But she had been doing well for the past three years.

As the game didn’t progress, the Stars left, and as the authority of the ability users weakened, Lee Seo-yeon was able to take over the South China Union naturally. It wasn’t difficult for her, who still had the power of the Whispering Star.

Now she was able to say to Gang Hyun-woo that she had come this far without your help.

‘But why now of all times?’

The problem was that Gang Hyun-woo had really appeared at this point.

Like a loan shark who came to collect overdue debts.

It was still just a rumor, but Lee Seo-yeon considered it a highly credible rumor. She had to make a deal with the Almighty Union quickly while it was still just a rumor.

“We are still superior to the Almighty Union. Japan is right in front of Korea, and our overall forces and equipment are far superior. We don’t want to use nuclear weapons, but we should be able to put them on the negotiating table at any time. We need to have a favorable negotiation with the Almighty Union before Gang Hyun-woo shows up.”

“What do you mean by a favorable negotiation?”

“For example, signing a non-aggression pact in exchange for handing over Japan.”

Wang Xinliang stared at Lee Seo-yeon with wide eyes.

“Isn’t that just a declaration of surrender!”

Lee Seo-yeon looked at Wang Xinliang as if dumbfounded.

If Gang Hyun-woo really came back to life, it wouldn’t end with just Japan.

Even if Gang Hyun-woo declared that he would dismantle the South China Union, Lee Seo-yeon would have to assess whether that declaration would be made within this year or not.

“That’s a cheap price to pay. So, we need to make an agreement quickly before Gang Hyun-woo comes.”

“Such a humiliating agreement…”

“Ha… I should have just thrown you into the Taiwan Strait and brought someone who listens well. No. The Han River would be enough. Is the chairman a big deal? Even if I grabbed a political science graduate student on the street, it would be better than now.”

Wang Xinliang was speechless at Lee Seo-yeon’s sudden outburst.

In the end, he seemed to realize that he had no choice but to follow Lee Seo-yeon’s words, and he closed his mouth and followed.

Lee Seo-yeon repeatedly whispered to herself, thinking of the face of Yoo-min, whom she would meet soon.

‘I can do it. I’m more advantageous. The Almighty Union doesn’t have the ability to carry out a long-term war.’

She could give up Japan. But no more than that.

It was a generous condition for the Almighty Union as well. They could eat Japan without paying any price.

But the moment Lee Seo-yeon opened the door and entered, her expectations were shattered.

“Ah, Ms. Lee Seo-yeon. You’ve arrived.”

Yoo-min greeted Lee Seo-yeon with a gentle smile. And next to him stood Gang Hyun-woo.

Lee Seo-yeon approached Yoo-min with a frozen and cracking appearance. She was so surprised that she forgot to greet him.

It was just yesterday that she heard the news that Gang Hyun-woo had appeared in Romania. She was confident that she was faster than anyone else.

But already?

‘It’s okay. I’m still advantageous. Let’s say we can give up Japan and Taiwan. In the worst case, let’s negotiate even the Philippines. Isn’t this generous enough? Gang Hyun-woo will understand too.’

Lee Seo-yeon took a deep breath and calmed herself. However, she felt her confidence waning as she got closer to Gang Hyun-woo.

Gang Hyun-woo looked exactly the same.

Contrary to the rumors that he was in tatters, his body was all intact, and rather, a more bizarre atmosphere was fiercely emanating.

Lee Seo-yeon felt her instincts as an ability user screaming. She wanted to turn around and run away right away.

‘…Okay. It’s a pity, but let’s give up all of the South China Union’s overseas shares and nuclear weapons. Even if only TaeSung Group and the South China Union remain, they are already strong enough to belong to the world’s core. The Almighty Union will become ridiculously strong, but we can still exert influence with just economic shares.’

“Lee Seo-yeon. Long time no see. If Yoo-min greeted you, you should accept it, right?”

The moment she came close enough to see his eyes, Hyun-woo opened his mouth.

Lee Seo-yeon stopped in her tracks.

Wang Xinliang thought that Lee Seo-yeon’s expression was somewhat resigned, as if she had given up a lot.

Then Lee Seo-yeon opened her mouth.

“The South China Union will unconditionally surrender to the Almighty Union.”