I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 196

196

“What trouble could there be from squeezing blood from people in the dark, killing, and manipulating to get money?”

“I can hardly believe my ears.”

“Should I repeat it if you didn’t hear?”

“Kang Shin-hwa, aren’t you afraid of our Oseonghui [Five Stars Association]? If you make Oseonghui your enemy, you’ll have enemies everywhere.”

Jin Geuk-myeong’s expression changed.

He sensed from Shin-hwa’s firm reaction that the scout offer was already off the table.

Whoosh!

He emitted a murderous aura.

Shin-hwa, facing him directly, could feel the blazing black aura behind him.

Jin Geuk-myeong, an Awakened with at least SSS+ rank. If they were to fight head-on, Shin-hwa would have to be very tense.

“I warn you. Everything you do from now on will only make you more miserable.”

“Make us miserable, you say…”

“Whatever you’re thinking, give it up. Many eyes are watching your black hands.”

“Kang Shin-hwa.”

“……?”

“If this organization could be changed by the words of someone like you, it would have changed a long time ago. You’re too much of a romantic.”

“Well, I didn’t think it would even register, but it’s as expected.”

“Get to the point. You didn’t come here out of goodwill. What are you trying to pull on me?”

At Jin Geuk-myeong’s question, Shin-hwa finally brought up the topic he had been waiting for.

It was time to make his move. The key was how quickly and fiercely he could drive him.

He didn’t need to be polite anymore, so he changed his tone.

“Your Oseonghui’s entire plot has already been detected. You were planning to secretly develop a parasite called Daegwangchung [Great Light Worm] and put it in Hwagwang Industry’s magic potions, right?”

“……!”

At that moment, Jin Geuk-myeong’s eyes shook greatly.

This was a top-secret project of Oseonghui that was being pursued with absolute secrecy.

It was an internal secret with no possibility of being leaked to the outside.

All personnel involved in the development were working in isolated spaces.

Besides, the only ones who knew the secret in Oseonghui were himself and the Oseong Seven Swords. The Black Society and the Sam合hui [Three Harmonies Society], except for the chairmen, did not know about this top secret.

The chairmen would not carelessly blurt it out. The Oseong Seven Swords were always by his side, and Jin Geuk-myeong himself had never leaked it to the outside.

‘Is it a betrayal from the inside……?’

There was a possibility that there was a traitor among the researchers.

Although they had been thoroughly isolated, secrets could leak out in any form.

“It’s not just this that I’ve figured out. I also know what side effects Daegwangchung can cause.”

After that.

Shin-hwa told Jin Geuk-myeong the future facts exactly as he had discussed with Lee Ha-seong.

Throughout the listening, Jin Geuk-myeong had a dumbfounded expression.

It was information that he could never have known unless he had gone into his head and come out.

It felt like his secret plan had been leaked from beginning to end without missing a single word.

‘This is ridiculous…….’

Jin Geuk-myeong was speechless.

With everything already exposed, what was the point of the plan? He now understood the KSA’s [Korean Special Ability Association] visit.

“The relevant information has been delivered to the KSA, as well as the WSA [World Special Ability Association] and all the management bureaus around the world. Are you thinking of carrying out a terror attack that you and I both know about? Are you going to do such a sloppy terror attack? Heh heh.”

Shin-hwa raised his voice.

The addition of laughter at the end made Jin Geuk-myeong feel even more unpleasant.

Of course, Jin Geuk-myeong neither affirmed nor denied Shin-hwa’s words.

A reaction would mean ‘acknowledging’ the fact in some form.

‘Let’s push harder. I need to make him feel completely deflated. Enough to scrap the plan.’

Shin-hwa decided to put more pressure on him.

He had to make him feel that the plan was so obvious that he would scrap all the plans.

“I have the talent of precognition. I knew in advance about your plan to take control of the Hongyeon [Crimson Flame] and Cheongyeon [Azure Flame] Guilds using the CSA [Chinese Special Ability Association].”

“……”

“Releasing parasites, causing an unspecified number of Hunters to go berserk, and then selling the cure to make money. It’s all gone to waste now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jin Geuk-myeong shook his head.

That was his reaction, but inside, he was seething.

Could Shin-hwa really see the future? If so, how far could he see?

He couldn’t know anything, and he was just frustrated.

“Let’s not do stupid things, Mr. Jin Geuk-myeong. Unless you want to turn all the Awakened around the world into enemies.”

“……”

“Oh, the CSA, which acts as your henchman, will be your eternal bellhop, though.”

“Kang Shin-hwa… You are arrogant, presumptuous, and use very disrespectful language.”

“Isn’t it always a fight between dogs covered in poop to see who barks better?”

“Could it be that you are telling me all this in advance out of consideration for me?”

“Puhahaha! I appreciate you interpreting it that way! Oh, I’m so grateful that you see me in such a good light?”

Shin-hwa burst out laughing at Jin Geuk-myeong’s absurd question.

He must have been very eager for a ‘talent’ like himself…!

To be getting this much attention from a man called the villain of the century…!

He felt good, but on the other hand, he felt bitter. Two emotions coexisted.

“If you were thinking of screwing me over, you could have waited and then revealed it. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“You’re free to delude yourself. Anyway, I clearly warned you. Moreover, I know that Oseonghui is planning to kidnap Ayumu Kanata, an Awakened from Japan.”

“What……?”

“You’re planning to kidnap her as if she disappeared using the Dark Forest in Japan, right? The JSA [Japan Special Ability Association] is already monitoring everything, so be careful.”

“Crazy bastard……”

“You recently signed a cooperation agreement with Russia’s Pravda Guild and then kidnapped an insider, right? Sergei Borgov. I know all about that too.”

Shin-hwa showed off his knowledge as a Regressor to his heart’s content.

Even if Jin Geuk-myeong suspected him of being a ‘Regressor,’ it didn’t matter to him.

If he really believed that he knew the future for sure, he would be careful in all his actions.

Since there was nothing to hide, wouldn’t he? Whether he suspected him of being a Regressor or thought he had precognition, it was all the same benefit.

“I’ll tell you a few more things. Listen carefully. I can see everything in my eyes and in my head, you see?”

After that, Shin-hwa rattled off sensitive stories related to Jin Geuk-myeong.

Throughout the listening, Jin Geuk-myeong couldn’t say a word and just listened like a mute.

He felt unpleasant.

He felt like Shin-hwa had caught all his weaknesses without leaving anything out. Like a hostage.

‘How far are you seeing through me, Kang Shin-hwa? You goddamn XX…….’

He cursed involuntarily.

He felt like his secrets had completely disappeared. Like he had been stripped naked and everything had been exposed.

“Chairman Jin, let’s live quietly like we do now. Let’s not bother each other, and let’s not do anything unnecessary.”

“Kang Shin-hwa… You are arrogant and presumptuous.”

“I’m making a polite suggestion. If you do anything unnecessary, we’ll both get tired. I can see everything, you know?”

“……Damn XX.”

“I have clearly warned you. I hope that our Chairman Jin is not a madman who turns all the Awakened around the world into enemies.”

Crunch.

Jin Geuk-myeong gritted his teeth.

He felt like he had been completely played by Shin-hwa from beginning to end.

He felt foolish for his actions, which had shown so much favor and praise earlier.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“I hope we don’t have to meet like today again. Of course, I won’t be coming to you for anything good, will I?”

“You must know what it means to turn your back on me without my permission.”

“Well… If you have the confidence, let’s fight. I’ve already stopped the assassinations of Joo Young-saeng and Lee Yeon, so there’s nothing I can’t stop.”

“There will come a day when you regret that arrogance.”

“Welcome. Keep in mind that the more people you send that I kill, the more my honor and status will rise.”

“……”

“The stupidest thing in the world is to dwell on a secret that you know, I know, and even the dog next door knows.”

He drove the wedge with his last words.

Shin-hwa was sure.

Given Jin Geuk-myeong’s personality, it was unlikely that he would carry out this plan, which had been exposed in its entirety.

Besides, he was relieved because he had clearly staged the KSA’s contact with Hwagwang Industry.

‘There’s an old saying that one word can repay a thousand nyang debt [Korean currency].’

He felt like he had solved a big problem without shedding a drop of blood.

He felt somehow proud.

‘That’s why Nicholas told me to try to get along as much as possible.’

Anyway, so far, he had resolved the situation with words only, without any physical conflict.

Shin-hwa had solved one of the four ‘major incidents’ of 2020 that he was worried about in the easiest way.

Considering the life-and-death struggles he had with Mok Jin-woo and Shin Jung-ah in the past, it was a cost-effective result.

“Kang Shin-hwa, I don’t expect to see you again.”

“Well, I’ll think about it if Chairman Jin repents and becomes a monk. Don’t be greedy for more now.”

Shin-hwa left a clear warning and confidently left the conference room.

Jin Geuk-myeong’s fierce murderous intent instantly enveloped his entire body, but it was not enough to feel threatened.

“I’ll guide you.”

Lee Gull, who was in the waiting room, escorted Shin-hwa and guided him into the elevator.

Looking at Jin Geuk-myeong’s face, which had turned red and blue, it seemed that the negotiations had broken down early on.

* * *

“This way, please.”

“There’s a gloomy back road that doesn’t suit the splendid Oseong Tower.”

“It’s a path mainly used when there are many uncomfortable eyes. The chairman also uses it often.”

“I appreciate the consideration.”

“Rather than consideration, please see it as a trick from the performer’s point of view who doesn’t want to create things that will become a nuisance to each other.”

Meanwhile, Lee Gull guided me to a small side door on a side path, not the main gate I had originally entered.

Glancing sideways, I could see all of the Oseong Seven Swords waiting for me near the main gate.

Well… I don’t think it’s bad to have a fight. I have nothing to lose.

I can’t guarantee that I’ll win, but at least I was confident that I wouldn’t die.

“It’s a pity. The chairman has liked Mr. Kang Shin-hwa for a long time.”

“Unfortunately, I have never liked Chairman Jin Geuk-myeong.”

“Differences in beliefs. It’s a part that’s hard to overcome, like ideology and religion.”

“I hope you don’t become a monster consumed by beliefs.”

I gave Lee Gull advice that wasn’t advice.

Just because he is polite and courteous does not mean that he is not a villain.

However, since he treated me with at least the minimum courtesy, I just gave him a word of advice to match it.

And after a while.

Lee Gull bowed politely in front of the side door that was not visible to anyone.

“Take care.”

“Thank you.”

“Always be careful of the shadows of darkness that close the eyes of the world.”

A tone that seemed to be packaged like soft advice.

I immediately realized that Lee Gull’s words meant to be careful of assassination.

A good phrase should be answered with a good phrase that matches it.

I smiled at him and left a word.

“Keep in mind that shadows can only exist when there is light. Light is not afraid of shadows.”