Chapter 676. Welcoming (1)
The types of situations humans could encounter were numerous.
They might find themselves in a happy situation or, if luck wasn't with them, they might wallow in sorrow.
However, Da Bao couldn't readily decide what kind of situation this was.
'Okay, so. This is like...'
He saw a scene fairly similar to this in a nature documentary a long, long time ago. In that scene taking place in an exotic savanna somewhere, a lion was playing around with a newly-born fawn.
The lion initially seemed amused by this activity only to grow tired of it eventually, and... It munched on the fawn soon afterward.
Wasn't Da Bao's situation exactly like that of the fawn?
He ever-so-carefully sneaked a glance next to him while keeping his head firmly fixed to the front.
'Gee whiz! I can't even breathe!'
A lion was sitting right next to him. In that case, Da Bao had to be the fawn. And that fawn's life story ended as the lion's snack, so...
So, what about Da Bao, then? Should he find some solace in the fact that at least this lion wouldn't snack on him?
'Dammit! Obviously that won't comfort me at all!'
If a man had to choose between getting devoured by a predator or murdered by a fellow human being... Obviously, he wouldn't want either of those things to happen to him. However, if he absolutely must choose between the two!
...Most people would probably choose the latter option. However, Da Bao would choose the former. That was because he knew too well how cruel and vicious humans could get when they wanted to inflict maximum pain on their victims!
A certain familiar smell was wafting off this Korean man. A smell—more like an atmosphere, really—that only those in the know would recognize. Usually, it'd be described in olfactory terms, like the 'smell of blood'.
If a man like that was his executioner, Da Bao would unhesitantly choose the death by lion feasting on him! Unfortunately, he didn't have a say in this matter. The only thing he could do was remain trapped under the lion's front paw and slowly suffocate to death.
'Those sons of b*tchs!'
Da Bao was the strongest of the three. And that was his problem this time.
The other two realized they couldn't win against Da Bao one-on-one, so they tacitly agreed to gang up on him. In the end, Da Bao was forced to kneel in defeat.
When he recalled the happy faces of those two after getting Kang Jin-Ho's permission to throw themselves off the cliff, Da Bao's boiling anger threatened to break free of his control.
Without qi, those men were just 'normal' people who happened to be slightly sturdier than average. There was zero guarantee that they would survive a fall from such a height. If their luck was bad, it'd be an instant death. If their luck was even worse, it'd be wallowing in fatal injuries while slowly dying.
Even then, those two were making such liberated expressions!
To Da Bao, those expressions of two men who didn't care about dying as long as they could escape Kang Jin-Ho's clutches were so...
'...I'm so envious!'
That should've been him!
If only he was allowed to do it, Da Bao knew he would've jumped oh-so-wonderfully off the cliff's edge like a champion diver!
'Goddamn it!'
Unfortunately, the chance to demonstrate his diving technique was never given to Da Bao. Although, as a consolation prize, he was given the exclusive privilege of riding riiiight next to Kang Jin-Ho! However, he'd rather prefer death instead.
Da Bao sighed under his breath. Even then, he remained ever-cautious not to get on Kang Jin-Ho's nerves.
'By the way... Why is he dragging me along, too?'
Da Bao couldn't quite figure this part out. From that Korean man's perspective, someone like Da Bao shouldn't have any uses, so why? Why was he being taken to somewhere?
If the aim was to find toys to play with, the Korean wouldn't have picked only one out of the three and discarded the rest.
Da Bao decided to stop thinking. It didn't matter how hard he thought about this situation since he would never figure out Kang Jin-Ho's true intentions. Every expert that crossed a certain strength threshold was a bit messed up in their head, after all!
Was this because reaching a high-enough cultivation realm made one go cuckoo in the head? Or was it more like only the crazies were capable of reaching such a realm? Da Bao couldn't tell for sure.
In any case! It was obvious to Da Bao that racking his brain thinking about this development would only result in his head blowing up. Or he'd go crazy before that.
Da Bao could only squeeze his eyes shut while cursing his own stupidity for walking right into Kang Jin-Ho's open maw.
Maybe Da Bao could have found some solace if he knew there was someone else in this van more confused and alarmed than he was!
'What the freaking hell?! Why are we taking him along?!'
Han Eun-Sol was on the verge of breaking down and crying.
The spectacles he witnessed today already exceeded his brain's capacity to perceive reality. In fact, he had reached a stage where things his eyes saw and his ears heard were no longer being stored in his brain!
Han Eun-Sol's brain started overloading when Kang Jin-Ho casually tossed a man off a cliff. And when three men started fighting each other for some reason, only for the two winners to smile brightly while jumping off the cliff... Han Eun-Sol's poor brain completely shut down.
He might be awake and breathing on his own, but his mind couldn't grasp what his body was doing right now.
Choi Yeon-Ha suddenly yelled in irritation. “Argh! It's cold, Eun-Sol! Hey! Drive slower, will you!”
“...Yes, ma'am.”
Indeed, she must be cold. Although today's temperature was on the toastier side, the van didn't have a windscreen. So, the faster they drove, the more winds would enter the cabin. In that case, it'd obviously be cold inside!
As a man, even Han Eun-Sol felt like freezing to death with all this wind blowing in his face, so it must be even worse for Choi Yeon-Ha!
Han Eun-Sol groaned softly.
'I... I don't care anymore.'
The spectacles he saw today didn't feel real to him. Besides, his instincts were urging him to simply... forget everything he saw. If he haphazardly tried to dig for the truth now, having nine lives wouldn't be enough to guarantee his survival.
The sooner he forgot everything about what he witnessed and returned to the 'reality', the better!
However...!
Han Eun-Sol glanced through the rearview mirror, and...
'Disappear from my sight so I can return to my reality, okay?!'
How was he supposed to return to reality when Kang Jin-Ho and that Chinese bandit-like man were still sitting right behind him?! Wasn't this the same as opening his eyes to find a fire-spitting dragon roaring behind him?!
Han Eun-Sol suddenly had an urge to throw himself off the cliff to wake up from this nightmare.
'No, hang on. No way this is a dream...!'
Han Eun-Sol noticed that the back of his hand was still aching from when he had pinched it earlier. Also, there was the...
“Hey, isn't there a blanket or something in here?! I'm going to freeze to death at this rate!”
It didn't seem like Choi Yeon-Ha was sane-minded, either!
Since her behavior remained the same as before despite the unknown Chinese man who caused a scene while wielding a huge knife earlier was sitting right behind her, Choi Yeon-Ha had to be someone super-duper-extraordinary, indeed!
'Looks like I've been underestimating noona all this time.'
Han Eun-Sol knew Choi Yeon-Ha was one of the world's most rude people, but he still believed she existed within the realm of common sense. The truth was, though...! As it turned out, Choi Yeon-Ha was a junkie who didn't need drugs.
Since her mind was obviously 'high' all the freaking time, why would she need drugs in the first place!
Han Eun-Sol earnestly began debating whether he should turn in his resignation or not.
The van containing Han Eun-Sol's sorrow and dilemma continued to travel the road. Thanks to Choi Yeon-Ha's frequent complaints about freezing her butt off, the vehicle could only crawl toward the hotel. However, it still admirably taught its driver a valuable lesson that one would eventually reach their destination by diligently and continuously moving forward.
The van eventually stopped in front of the hotel lobby. Choi Yeon-Ha shuddered grandly. “Urgh! I'm going to dip myself in some warm water for a little while.”
Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “I see. Take care of yourself on your way up.”
"Mister Jin-Ho, do you have any dinner plans for later tonight?"
“Mm, well...” Kang Jin-Ho scratched his cheek. “Actually, I have companions waiting for me. I need to ask them about it first, so...”
“You can bring them with you, you know?”
“One of them is rather attention-grabbing, you see...” Kang Jin-Ho replied while smiling wryly.
It'd be impossible to escape garnering people's attention if he went inside a restaurant with Vator in tow. If the quest was about living a 'normal' life, then Vator needed to learn former knight Wiggins' stealth technique first!
Of course, Vator himself would argue that he didn't need sundry tricks like that. After all, wasn't Vator way too obsessed about small details in unnecessary things but resorted to arguing about manliness in matters where his detail-oriented mind would've been appreciated more?
Choi Yeon-Ha sounded a little disappointed. “Hmm, I guess it can't be helped, then. Let's take a rain check on that dinner.”
“I'm sorry.”
“By the way, when are you planning to return to Korea?”
“I don't have a firm schedule. However, that doesn't mean I can stay here for long. My plan is to travel elsewhere in a few days.”
“Really? Are you going on a sightseeing tour?”
“No. I have a business to attend to in China.”
“Ah. I see,” Choi Yeon-Ha nodded. She didn't bother asking where Kang Jin-Ho was headed or what he was going to do. Sometimes, such questions would only strain relationships, and she didn't want that to happen.
What mattered right now was that the man before her eyes was Kang Jin-Ho. What he did was secondary.
“Okay. In that case, please hang out with me lots before you leave.”
Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. “...I'm sorry?”
“I'll be lonely and bored after you leave, you know?”
“...Oh. I see. Understood.” Kang Jin-Ho smiled awkwardly at her. 'Why does it feel like her character has changed a little?'
In the past, Choi Yeon-Ha never lost that aloof edge even when showing her affection. She never touched or got anywhere near things that could hurt her immense pride. That was just how she operated.
But now... She said all those things without batting an eyelid! Did her hidden side reveal itself after their relationship had deepened? Or maybe she had changed?
The truth was... It didn't matter. This new Choi Yeon-Ha was pretty great, after all!
Kang Jin-Ho chuckled and nodded slightly. “Then, we'll be on our way now.”
“Okay! See you tomorrow!”
While watching the two of them nonchalantly share a goodbye, Han Eun-Sol and Da Bao thought of roughly the same thing.
'Look at them flirting in public!'
'Stop flirting in public!'
***
After parting ways with Choi Yeon-Ha, Kang Jin-Ho accompanied Da Bao to a different hotel.
Da Bao couldn't squeak out a word while following Kang Jin-Ho. That was fine since Kang Jin-Ho also didn't break his silence, anyway.
Actually, he didn't even order Da Bao to follow. Kang Jin-Ho relaxedly took the lead as if he already knew Da Bao had no choice but to obediently follow him.
'Should I try to escape?'
Da Bao briefly thought that to himself before smirking in helplessness.
Escape? What a dumb idea that was. Did that fawn have no legs, and that was why it couldn't escape the lion? Of course not. No, it knew that the moment it turned tail and fled, the lion's vicious fangs would sink deep into its throat. That was why it had given up on running away.
Nothing was more dangerous than showing the unguarded back to a predator.
When they stepped inside the elevator, Da Bao totally resigned himself. It felt like his situation had changed a little bit. If he were to describe this change, he was now...
'Right. I'm now a live fish on a cutting board.'
...And this Korean man was a chef wielding a sashimi knife!
When Kang Jin-Ho exited the elevator and opened a door to a hotel suite, Da Bao squeezed his eyes shut and wordlessly followed him inside. But, when he opened his eyes again... His eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets from sheer astonishment.
'V-V-Vator?!'
How could he not recognize who that big man was?
Seven billion people might call this planet their home, but only one man should have a physique as large as Vator. Besides, Da Bao had seen Vator from very, very far away many moons ago, anyway.
'B-besides all that, though! Why is Vator here?'
“You're back, master,” said Vator while standing up.
His posture left no room for misinterpretation. He was clearly speaking to his superior.
Da Bao's brain kicked into a higher gear. Judging from this scene, that Korean man was Vator's superior?
Did that mean this... Kang Jong-In or whatever his name was... a top-ranking official in the Crimson King's faction?
Maybe? Maybe not? If that's not it, then...?
Da Bao could no longer remain calm even if he wanted to. Objectively speaking, Kang Jin-Ho's true identity wouldn't improve or worsen this situation for Da Bao, anyway. Even so, the human mind still wanted to know more.
“You said you wanted to see Guo Liqin, didn't you?” Kang Jin-Ho asked while glancing at Da Bao.
That prompted Vator to turn his attention to Da Bao as well. But his gaze was... disinterested. As if he was watching a fly slipping past an open window.
That disinterested gaze sobered Da Bao right up.
“Since you two seem to know each other, why don't you say hello?” Kang Jin-Ho muttered while walking toward one of the doors in the living room of the hotel suite. He remained expressionless while grabbing the door handle and turning it.
Da Bao tensed up a little and cautiously peered through the open doorway. Immediately after that...!
“...!”
Da Bao's entire body began shuddering in dread. He could see a familiar face of... No, a completely unfamiliar face of a man entered his view instead!
'H-how? How is this even possible?!'
A spectacle he couldn't believe was real was waiting for him inside.
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