The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 204

204. Crossed Relationships (1)

I followed my brother to the edge of the rooftop.

“This is my city. Now it’s your city too, 형 [hyung – older brother or a term of endearment for a close older male friend].”

I leaned against the railing alongside my brother, gazing at the cityscape.

Junho exhaled a plume of cigarette smoke.

The fact that my brother smoked bothered me slightly, but he was an adult now.

It wasn’t my place to interfere.

Junho pointed to the city center with the cigarette in his fingers, explaining.

“Centered around Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, that’s the market, that’s the stadium, the structures along the fortress walls are military facilities, and outside the walls are the residential areas for the general population. Phew-”

The cigarette smoke my brother exhaled scattered into the air.

Beyond the railing, a massive fortress wall was visible.

Suwon’s appearance was very different from Mangyeong.

Here, they had established a proper civilization.

The buildings were mostly newly constructed, and all sorts of different races roamed the streets.

Moreover, the massive pyramid rising in the center of the city was so overwhelmingly large that it felt imposing.

It was much larger than the pyramid I had seen in the media at some point.

“What’s that?”

I asked naturally, and Junho looked at the pyramid and answered nonchalantly.

“…형’s [hyung’s – older brother’s] tomb.”

“…Huh?”

My tomb?

“It’s true.”

My brother put out his cigarette and looked back at me, saying.

“형 [hyung] will live here from now on. This is a fortress that hasn’t fallen once during the previous rounds. You won’t have any inconveniences living here.”

I leaned my upper body over the railing, enjoying the fluttering wind. As I did, I answered my brother’s question.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why?”

I looked at my brother.

My brother was quite tall, so I had to look up a bit.

“I don’t know your position in Suwon, but I’m the leader of a faction. The war is over, and I need to wrap things up. There are people waiting for me. Oh. And. Hmm… Hair about this long, taller than me but shorter than you, a girl. Haven’t seen her?”

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

“A woman named Jin Jaehee. Do you know her?”

“….”

Junho looked beyond the railing. He seemed to be thinking about something.

The silence didn’t last long.

“That woman is receiving treatment from my personal physician. You don’t have to worry.”

Junho’s words brought me some relief.

“That’s a relief. Where is she? I want to go see her now.”

“Ah… well. Her condition isn’t very good right now, so I don’t think you can meet her. I’m sorry, 형 [hyung].”

…That’s a lie.

Junho always had a habit of scratching his temple with his finger when he lied.

I didn’t ask Junho why he was lying.

What was clear was that Jin Jaehee was alive, and I wanted Junho to explain the lie himself.

“Then. I guess there’s no helping it.”

“I’m sorry, 형 [hyung]. Let’s go see her as soon as she’s treated.”

“…Okay.”

“More importantly, 형 [hyung]. You said you were going to clean up Mangyeong, right?”

“I have to.”

“Then I’ll help you. What’s the plan?”

“Plan…”

I was about to say the plan, but I swallowed my words.

The plan always involved asking for Jin Jaehee’s opinion first.

Why was that?

I had finally met my brother whom I had been eagerly waiting for, but I felt a strange sense of alienation.

The faint murderous intent I felt from my brother, it wasn’t directed at me, but it was too ominous to ignore.

As I remained silent for a while, Junho said.

“형 [hyung]. I’m so happy to have found you. I know. The feelings you’re having towards me right now. You must feel a bit alienated. I do too. The good thing is that your appearance hasn’t changed much. Anyway. 형 [hyung]. Just believe in this one thing. I will move for you. 형 [hyung] is my only family.”

My brother spoke as if he had seen through my heart.

I couldn’t deny it, so I just smiled.

“This city is yours now, 형 [hyung]. I can even give up the position of ruler if you want.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“Don’t be wary of me, 형 [hyung]. I’m serious.”

“I know.”

I patted Junho on the back.

“Still, there’s nothing for you to help with. I’m going back to the faction to sort things out and come back. This is my job. I have to take responsibility and finish it.”

“…I understand that.”

“I’ll be back soon. Take good care of my friend.”

“…Okay.”

Junho nodded, and I responded with a smile.

Meeting my brother was truly a fortunate thing.

Whether it was murderous intent or the smell of blood, just being able to face my brother and talk was enough to make me happy.

My dream had come true anyway.

Jin Jaehee’s help was a big part of achieving that dream.

And now, it was my turn to make her dream come true.

I had a plan for that, and now I controlled Seoul. More than anything, I had my brother now.

* * *

On the rooftop where Kang Si-on had left, Kang Junho was still leaning against the railing, muttering.

“Friend… a friend…”

He muttered again.

“A friend… Friend. That woman is 형’s [hyung’s] friend. Friend. Friend… Friend.”

Chup- Phew-.

Kang Junho exhaled a sigh and cigarette smoke simultaneously.

“형 [hyung] doesn’t usually have friends… It’s strange… Everyone else is a moron. Family members too. Neighbors. Friend…? No. No. It can’t be. That can’t be true. Others are tools. Others are just tools. The only ones to trust in this world are 형 [hyung] and me.”

Kang Junho continued to utter meaningless words.

He couldn’t understand the existence of friends.

Friends couldn’t exist.

In interpersonal relationships, there are only mutual purposes, causes, and results.

형 [hyung] shouldn’t have friends.

No, more than anything, Kang Si-on is a being too noble to be compared to others.

The royalty cannot associate with the commoners.

The commoners will inevitably corrupt his 형 [hyung].

Kang Junho didn’t want to see the pure white figure of his 형 [hyung] stained with the dirty filth of that woman, Jin Jaehee.

Ttak-. Tteudeudeu.

Kang Junho put out his cigarette and headed somewhere.

As he moved, numerous shadows followed him.

Junho headed to a lodging facility in District 1, not far from here.

It was the best hotel in Suwon.

He opened the door to the suite on that rooftop.

Tteolkeong- Deudeudeudeu.

Kang Junho entered the suite and looked around.

From luxurious food to clothes, to the staff attending to her.

And a woman with black hair sitting on a luxurious sofa.

Kang Junho was treating Jin Jaehee with the utmost care.

No matter what anyone said, she was someone 형 [hyung] cherished.

Jin Jaehee was sitting on the sofa, and she only turned her eyes to look at Kang Junho.

Her sharp eyes were looking at him.

Kang Junho frowned once and sat on the sofa opposite her.

On the table, there was a bucket filled with ice along with expensive wine.

Kang Junho pulled out the cork with his bare hands.

Ppong!

“It’s expensive wine. You haven’t even touched it. Why? Are you not happy with the service?”

Jjuljjuljjul-.

The wine fell into the round wine glass, rippling before settling down.

Jin Jaehee asked Kang Junho.

“Why did you lock me up here?”

“….”

Kang Junho didn’t answer.

He simply pushed the wine glass in front of Jin Jaehee.

Kang Junho also poured wine into his glass, leaned comfortably against the back of the sofa.

He crossed his long legs and brought the glass of expensive wine to his nose, smelling it first.

Then he pressed his lips to the wine glass, took a sip, and slowly felt the aroma in his mouth, rolling his tongue.

Keolkeok.

After taking a sip of wine, Kang Junho put the glass down on the table and said.

“I never locked you up. You can leave whenever you want. Isn’t it entirely your choice to stay here?”

“I’d appreciate it if you could say that after removing your goons from inside the room, the hallway, and the hotel.”

At Jin Jaehee’s words, Kang Junho raised the corners of his mouth and smiled.

“You have an amazing artifact sense. Do you happen to know how many there are?”

“I don’t have any obligation to answer your questions one by one.”

“Don’t take such a threatening stance. I don’t like you either. Do you think I want to solve this with words?”

Kang Junho narrowed his eyes sharply and scrutinized Jin Jaehee.

Jin Jaehee didn’t back down from his piercing gaze.

Tension lingered between the two.

Kang Junho remained silent for a while before asking.

“I’ll ask you just one thing. Do you love my 형 [hyung]? Why are you by his side? Even risking your life.”

At his question, Jin Jaehee had no choice but to remain silent.

Jin Jaehee’s eyes wavered slightly.

Kang Junho watched Jin Jaehee’s expression.

“You can’t answer easily. Why?”

“Because I have no obligation to answer you.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“…Stop it.”

“Then let’s talk alone.”

Kang Junho gestured for the people waiting to leave.

Then the people rushed out of the room.

Now only the two of them were left in the room.

Kang Junho leaned forward and asked.

“How many years have you spent with 형 [hyung]?”

“…It’s probably been longer than you think.”

“Five years? Seven years?”

“Stop with the useless talk.”

If you include the days Jin Jaehee spent with Kang Si-on in her previous life, it would be at least 10 years.

Of course, there was no way Kang Junho would know that fact.

“Shall I answer for you instead? I cherish 형 [hyung] more than you think. 형 [hyung] probably feels the same way. To me, one 형 [hyung] is more precious than 7 billion people.”

Kang Junho released a little bit of his power.

Jin Jaehee also recognized Kang Junho’s artifact power, but since it wasn’t an aggressive reaction, she didn’t respond in particular.

If the two of them fought here, it would lead to the worst outcome.

Kang Junho and Jin Jaehee both knew that fact.

The Trump cards that had risen due to Kang Junho’s artifact power gathered one by one and formed a sphere.

“The way to approach the League is different for each player, but from some point on, everyone started running towards one result.”

The Trump card sphere was blocking each other’s view.

Kang Junho lightly turned his finger to the side and cleared the sphere.

Now the two could look each other in the eye again, and Kang Junho looked into her eyes and said.

“That’s the victory of the round. The League I’m thinking of is a competition to select the owner of this planet.”

Pallak-. Pallak-.

The Trump cards on the ground stuck to the sphere one by one.

The sphere, which was small at first, was now as big as a tire.

The sphere turned.

Like the Earth.

“I’m going to create a world for 형 [hyung]. I’m going to kill all the unnecessary humans and only keep the ones who will obey 형 [hyung]. Becoming the only god. 형 [hyung] is enough to become the god of humans. People are disgusting because they stick together.”

Jin Jaehee frowned and asked.

“You’re going to… kill all the humans?”

“To be exact, I’m only going to keep the necessary humans alive. There are too many trashy people in the world. Unnecessary beings. This League is like a sieve. Humans who are eliminated are discarded, and humans who achieve growth and development live on. 형 [hyung] can become a new god in a new era.”

“Don’t say such nonsense.”

“It makes sense. A moron doesn’t know why he’s a moron. Look at you.”

Kang Junho leaned back on the sofa again and raised his chin slightly.

“The real morons… don’t know why they’re morons? They’re selfish. Self-centered. They think everything in the world doesn’t suit them. They think of other people’s lives as less than a dog’s…”

“What does that have to do with annihilating humans?”

“A being who doesn’t know he’s a moron must be ruled by power. That’s why power has become the measure of the world.”

“….”

“Idiots must all die. That’s my goal.”

Kang Junho asked Jin Jaehee again.

“I’ll ask you again. Are you in love with 형 [hyung]?”

Jin Jaehee refused to answer.

Then Kang Junho continued his barrage of questions.

“But what are you doing next to a man you don’t even love?”

“Why?”

“What for.”

“Tell me. Why can’t you say it?”

“Is there a reason why you have to risk your life to be by 형’s [hyung’s] side?”

“I can’t understand. Your thoughts. Your actions. And even your purpose.”

“Do you think someone who can’t even be honest with themselves deserves to be next to 형 [hyung]? You’re a flaw. Just a flaw. You don’t deserve it. 형 [hyung] has spent too much time by your side. He’s been gradually tainted by you. You, the filth, have tainted 형 [hyung]. I don’t need disobedient dogs in my plan. You’re done here. But I’ll acknowledge your contributions so far. I know you protect 형 [hyung] and that you’re thinking of 형 [hyung]. I’ll create an environment where you can live comfortably until you die. Go to Jeju Island. That’s my land too. You’ll be worshiped like a god there. All I need is one command. Worship Jin Jaehee. This one word. This is my last consideration. Don’t ignore my consideration. Please.”

Silence flowed after Kang Junho’s series of words.

There was no change in Jin Jaehee’s expression.

She sighed deeply.

Kang Junho was just looking at her eyes.

Jin Jaehee said.

“No.”

She got up from the sofa and headed outside.

Kang Junho’s eyes were fixed on her until she left the room.

(To be continued)