Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 350

“I heard the story.”

Lee San-hoo said, unable to hide his fatigue.

“I heard the head of Hainan changed?”

He was Eunha’s strategist, but Lee San-hoo had not participated in the recent Hainan overthrow.

It was a given that his mind was brilliant, but he wouldn’t have been a combat force.

Taking Lee San-hoo on this infiltration mission into Hainan would have been nothing but a burden.

“Congratulations on your success.”

In public, Lee San-hoo spoke formally to Yi Rown.

But now, in what seemed like a private setting, he spoke comfortably.

“Eunha will become even stronger. Thanks again, it’s thanks to you that I became Eunha’s strategist.”

Lee San-hoo was unusually talkative today.

“I heard there was some incident in Busan, Hainan’s base… Are you alright?”

Feeling a subtle sense of unease, Yi Rown looked at Lee San-hoo.

“Why…”

It was when Lee San-hoo was about to ask why he was looking at him like that.

“You were absent.”

Yi Rown said to Lee San-hoo.

“……Huh?”

“You said you needed a vacation.”

Lee San-hoo had requested a vacation right after they had left.

“Ah.”

Lee San-hoo said without being flustered.

“It’s not like I’m completely okay yet. Honestly, it’s true that the pressure of being a strategist for such a large organization like Eunha, when I was just a player, is unbelievable, right?”

The tired look on his face seemed even more tired.

“Even someone who seems as great as me needs time to comfort myself.”

Lee San-hoo chuckled.

“It seems like there will be even bigger things happening frequently in the future.”

Lee San-hoo and Yi Rown made eye contact.

“You can throw me away anytime if I’m lacking. I’ll always strive to prove my abilities.”

Lee San-hoo replied with a tone that even conveyed resolve.

“Then… let’s meet at the meeting later.”

Lee San-hoo, about to turn away and quicken his pace again.

Yi Rown’s voice flowed out towards his back.

“Certainly…”

Thud.

Lee San-hoo stopped.

“I told you that it would be better to choose for sure.”

The words he had said to the Unknowns in Busan.

Yi Rown was bringing it up again.

“……”

Lee San-hoo, who had turned around, was slowly turning his head.

“What are you talking about?”

A face that knew nothing.

His face, tilting his head and even frowning, didn’t seem like he was lying.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“How boring. If you have something to say, say it properly anytime. I’ll listen well to our leader’s words.”

Lee San-hoo seemed like something was bothering him, but he thought he shouldn’t touch it, and hurried his pace.

After he disappeared.

“Lee San-hoo’s vacation period is the same as when we were in Hainan.”

Ha Se-min appeared and said to Yi Rown.

“Last time, and this time too…”

Already twice.

“Lee San-hoo’s vacation coincides with the appearance of the Unknowns.”

Whenever Lee San-hoo was absent, the Unknowns appeared without fail.

“……”

Yi Rown seemed lost in thought.

“But…”

That’s why Ha Se-min had been keeping a close eye on Lee San-hoo since last time, or even before that.

An assassin who was more trustworthy than anyone else, and whose skills were definitely certain.

“According to Lee Yong-jin’s report…”

Lee Yong-jin, who had become the master of the Ghost Valley.

He had been monitoring Lee San-hoo.

“Lee San-hoo has never left his home and Gyeonggi Province.”

There were clearly suspicious circumstances, but there was no proof.

“I will look into it further for now.”

With those words, Ha Se-min disappeared.

Yi Rown continued to stare in the direction where Lee San-hoo had disappeared with languid eyes.

* * *

I thought it was strange from the beginning.

-Lee San-hoo.

That guy was too outstanding.

It was clear that his skills and combat power as a player were insignificant, but his brilliant mind and spirit were so great that he could have accomplished anything.

At least, he was someone who would have gained attention at meetings and made a name for himself in some way, but the fact that he had only appeared now.

-Eunha.

The fact that he appeared in Eunha, and that it was right after the Blood Cult had started to rise in the Philippines.

-Lee San-hoo… I’ve never heard of that name.

Despite having such skills and intelligence, the fact that even the players didn’t know him was definitely strange.

The reason why Yi Rown participated in the new recruit training was not only to take a break after a long time and to observe the guild’s situation.

‘I need to keep an eye on him.’

The reason why he couldn’t take his eyes off Lee San-hoo was also because of that.

The constant thought that there was something.

But no matter how much he looked and observed, there was nothing special.

‘Is he hiding his power?’

It was common for martial artists to hide their level of mastery.

Any martial artist would hide more than 30% of their power, and a great master would hide more than 50%.

Also, it was so natural and subtle that the more skilled a master was, the harder it was to notice the hidden energy.

But in the end, even that would be exposed to a master who was greater than oneself.

‘He’s not a martial artist.’

Lee San-hoo was definitely not a martial artist.

‘A player.’

He was a player more certainly than anyone else.

He actually used the status window, leveled up in the last battle, used skills, and even used items.

This was already a confirmed fact, and it was also written in the information that Ha Se-min had extracted from the Player Association.

However, that didn’t stop Yi Rown from watching him.

‘Even a player has many ways to hide their power.’

Even more thoroughly than a martial artist.

Perhaps there might be some method that even he couldn’t notice right now.

That’s why.

-Make him a strategist.

He gave him the high position of Eunha’s strategist, bound him, and monitored him both officially and unofficially.

As expected, after he appeared, a new force called the Unknowns and players began to appear.

Players who could even face martial artists of the Hyeonkyung realm [a high level of martial arts mastery].

They had something beyond a high ranker.

But even so, there was no proof right now.

“Then, we will proceed with the Shinma Alliance [a new martial arts alliance] matter like this.”

The meeting that had begun was heading towards its end.

Dang Hwa-young was in charge of organizing and conducting the meeting.

“Lastly…”

Now, the last agenda item.

“It’s about the Unknowns who have appeared again.”

The moment Dang Hwa-young mentioned the Unknowns.

Swoosh.

Yi Rown’s gaze was directed towards Lee San-hoo.

“……”

Eyes that didn’t move.

No particular reaction was shown.

“Hwasan [a famous martial arts sect] moved, and Cheong In-woo appeared. The Blood Demon said that it is believed that the Red Plum Blossom Cheong In-woo and the Unknowns clashed…”

He observes.

“The Blood Demon personally saw the Unknowns and sent them back.”

The eyes of the meeting room turned to Yi Rown.

Even Lee San-hoo’s gaze.

“We need to decide on a clear response or treatment for them.”

Last time, they had postponed the decision about them.

But it was necessary to decide on the treatment of the Unknowns, who were constantly bothering them.

“We need to decide once again whether to define them as enemies, allies, or a neutral force.”

And the one who would make that decision.

“Please let the Blood Demon decide.”

It was Yi Rown.

Eunha, the Blood Cult, the alliance.

It was Yi Rown who had brought them all together and united them.

Even if it wasn’t that.

“What do you think, Blood Demon?”

It was Yi Rown who had personally met and talked with the Unknowns this time.

His thoughts were the most important.

“……”

Lee San-hoo was also Eunha’s strategist, but he was only looking at Yi Rown, as if there was no objection to that fact.

“Not yet.”

It was the last time.

“They haven’t chosen yet.”

Yi Rown said, lifting the coffee cup in front of him.

“I will decide for sure at the next meeting.”

Another postponement.

“Understood. Then the next agenda is Hwasan and the Red Plum Blossom…”

Until the end of the meeting, Yi Rown watched Lee San-hoo.

And.

“I understand now.”

He left the meeting with those cryptic words.

* * *

Lee San-hoo, who was called a strategist for convenience, was actually the team leader of Eunha’s Planning and Management Team.

His position was at the director level, an executive position.

Naturally, he was in the Planning and Management Team.

With employees who were still arbitrarily assigned.

Lee San-hoo was sitting awkwardly in his team leader’s office, handling his work.

It was then.

Thud!

The chairs collapsed.

“Hya…!”

The employees’ shouts were heard.

“We greet the Blood Demon!”

Outside the team leader’s office, beyond the blinds, all the employees stood up and took a fist salute.

Among them, Yi Rown, with a languid face, whether he was annoyed or bothered, was walking in.

Swoosh.

Lee San-hoo also stood up.

Creak.

The door opened naturally.

“We greet the Blood Demon.”

Lee San-hoo also took a fist salute and paid his respects to Yi Rown.

Lee San-hoo, who spoke comfortably in private, but now Yi Rown’s visit was official.

It was necessary to treat him formally.

“Is this a guild or a sect?”

“Still…”

Lee San-hoo smiled at Yi Rown.

“Isn’t it better than ‘We greet the guild member’?”

Stories that Lee San-hoo had heard when he became a strategist.

In the past, Yi Rown was a guild member who was considered a legend of Eunha, and many of Eunha’s guild members….

-Guild member, ten thousand years! Ten thou….

-Shut up!

He heard stories that were considered legends.

Stories that were like children’s games.

It was also a story that was passed down as a joke, a behind-the-scenes story that was possible because the Blood Cult was pure and also extreme.

“So, what brings you here?”

Lee San-hoo naturally offered the seat of honor.

But Yi Rown sat down on the sofa and leaned back.

“Did you come because of the last incident?”

Lee San-hoo said, sitting across from him.

Lee San-hoo, who had immediately risen to the position of Eunha’s strategist and team leader of the Planning and Management Team.

And the only reason he was able to rise to that position was.

-His mind.

It was because he had a brilliant mind.

The meaningful look that Yi Rown had shown before the start of today’s meeting.

“Did you say it would be better to choose for sure?”

That he had come to him to confirm those cryptic words.

“……”

Yi Rown, with his languid eyes, looked at Lee San-hoo.

It was like a look that was urging him to tell the story himself.

“Are you suspecting me?”

Lee San-hoo was expressionless.

“That I’m one of the Unknowns.”

Lee San-hoo had already noticed.

“I can understand that you put a guard on me under the guise of protection.”

Lee San-hoo’s tone changed.

“Because you put a player, whose background is unknown, in a position of responsibility in Eunha.”

The suspicion was natural and necessary.

“I thought you would be monitoring me unofficially as well.”

Lee San-hoo, as Eunha’s strategist, knew how Eunha was run.

He knew that Eunha had more hidden power than revealed power.

He also knew that there were more things going on unofficially than officially.

“But…”

A smile spread across Lee San-hoo’s lips.

“I didn’t think you would suspect me of being an Unknown.”

Lee San-hoo had a dumbfounded look on his face.

“Here.”

Lee San-hoo stretched out his arms and thrust out his chest.

“Try to kill me. If I’m an Unknown, I’ll have to show the hidden power to block your attack.”

A confident voice.

“If not… I’ll die.”

Yi Rown said in a voice that truly had no emotion.

“If you suspect me, check it out.”