Chapter 538. Clearing Up (3)
Vrooooom...
The Lamborghini traveled leisurely on the road. Whenever he drove on this particular section of South Korea's road network, Kang Jin-Ho would consider doing one of two things. Either he'd stomp on the accelerator as much as possible or drive slowly despite his mounting frustration since he was scared of another encounter with the traffic cops.
However, at least right now... It was neither of those.
Although his red supercar was traveling at a relatively tame speed, Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel frustrated at all. Actually, it felt more like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. That was because he had finally learned that going as fast as he could was not the solution to everything.
'Now that I think about it... I'm pretty stupid, aren't I?'
Most people believed there was a lot to learn from the wisdom of the old. In a way, Kang Jin-Ho fit that bill. Even though the truth of the matter was more complicated than that. That was because Kang Jin-Ho was definitely older than his own father.
This bizarre turn of events meant Kang Jin-Ho was stuck in a weird reality of looking after a father younger than him. Of course, he didn't care about that. Whether Kang Yu-Hwan was younger or not, he was still Kang Jin-Ho's father, anyway. That fact would never change.
No, the real issue was something else. And that was with Kang Jin-Ho always receiving life lessons from his father.
'Hah. I might be older but not any wiser.'
Was this the case of Kang Jin-Ho failing to act his age? Or was Kang Yu-Hwan blessed with way more wisdom for his current age? It'd be wonderful if the answer had been the latter, but Kang Jin-Ho knew the truth leaned far closer to the former.
When he looked back... How should he describe his life? He fought. He struggled. He fought again. Then, he struggled some more.
What Kang Jin-Ho earned at the end of all those endless fights and struggles was various knowledge on winning 'most effectively' and a natural inclination to suspect others. Oh, and more knowledge on how to win without fighting, how to make the defeated enemy completely submit, and how to drive irreconcilable enemies toward utter ruination...
'Yeah, I am definitely hopeless, aren't I?' Kang Jin-Ho ruefully shook his head.
The stereotypical mindset of older folks being wiser than their younger counterparts was based on the uncontested-but-must-be-true premise that living longer would give you more opportunities to experience epiphanies.
Unfortunately, martial artists like Kang Jin-Ho, who only single-mindedly tread the path of cultivation, never got much of a chance to experience many things despite living longer lives. And Kang Jin-Ho was receiving stinging reminders of that fact rather often lately.
“My lord, what are you mulling about? Wiggins asked from the passenger seat.
“Oh. I was thinking about... people's ages.”
“...I'm still quite lively for my age, that I assure you.”
“I'm not talking about that,” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled wryly after noticing Wiggins' subtly testy-sounding response. “I wasn't worried about how old you are or things related to that, Knight Wiggins. If we're talking about age, I'm actually older than you, after all.”
“Mm... Yes, I'm sure you're right.” Wiggins nodded slightly. His mind was put to ease after hearing that explanation from Kang Jin-Ho. Even if he had already made his pledge, it'd still be awkward to bow his head to someone who looked young enough to be his son. “By the way, I'm curious about how the Chevaliers would react after seeing me.”
“Hmm...” Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes while depressing the accelerator a little harder. Then, he glanced at Wiggins. “I'd like to confirm your reason one more time.”
“My reason, you say?”
“Yes. I need an unequivocal confirmation.”
“I see. Can you be more specific, my lord?”
“Before we start…” Kang Jin-Ho fixated his eyes on the road ahead. “Do you still wish to cooperate with us? Or, has that desire of yours changed?”
“Yes, I still want to be a part of your organization, my lord,” Knight Wiggins replied with unwavering conviction in his voice.
“How come?”
“Of course, it's to...”
“...You want to become stronger. Yes, I get that. It's a solid enough reason. A warrior who dedicated their entire life to gaining strength would bet everything of theirs to achieve that goal. However, that can't be your sole reason,” said Kang Jin-Ho, suddenly sounding uncharacteristically cold. “A man spends his entire lifetime trying to build his empire. His... position in the world. And you must've reached your position in the Round Table through a lifetime of blood and sweat. So, for you to kick all of that aside and willingly seek out a worse-off position? That does not compute in my point of view.”
Wiggins slowly nodded in silence.
“If I'm being honest, I still cannot trust you one hundred percent. So, I want to hear from you. Give me a reason that will force me to accept you.”
Knight Wiggins quickly fixed his posture in the passenger seat after realizing the grave importance of this conversation. In a way, this was like Kang Jin-Ho's final test for Wiggins.
“Kuh-hum. I'm not sure where to begin, but...” Wiggins spoke in a calm, weighty tone. “Then, let me start off by agreeing with your assessment. Yes, I've spent my entire life reaching my current position. I'm a knight of the Round Table. I don't know if you understand the significance of that title, but... I assure you, it's nothing to laugh about.”
“Yes, that's what I've heard as well.”
“My lord... No, I should refer to you as Mister Kang, at least for the time being. The title of a knight is much more prestigious than you think, Mister Kang. And its importance cannot be stated enough. So much so that the old cliché of great power coming with great responsibility perfectly suits a knight of the Round Table.”
“...I see. Go on.”
Knight Wiggins' expression suddenly grew melancholic as he stared out the windshield. “I gave my all to fulfilling my duties as a knight, Mister Kang. It was rewarding, of course. And my work brought me great honor. And I was proud of bringing peace to our world. However... one day, I suddenly realized something. Instead of bringing peace, what I've been doing was forcing the world to fit a set of rules the Round Table had created.”
Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded. Obviously, he had no idea what Knight Wiggins had experienced. Even so, he could acutely understand what the Englishman was trying to say. 'Right. It's the changing of one's viewpoint.'
It was in human nature to want to climb all the way to the top of a tower while looking up at it from the ground. This hypothetical tower would've looked so wondrous from the bottom, after all. And the desire to conquer it would be too strong to ignore.
However, the climber would quickly learn the cold, hard truth after reaching the top that the scenery... was not as special as they had thought. As a matter of fact, looking down from the top would even reveal imperfections that had not been visible from the ground.
Kang Jin-Ho also felt this way before in the past, so he could sympathize with Wiggins to an extent.
Wiggins continued to speak. “Even so, I thought I could not abandon my post. I would be no one if I threw away my duties and my beliefs, after all. Let's not forget that people who can freely discard their everything for the sake of a brand new challenge are seen as heroes of fantastic tales precisely because not many of us can replicate that.”
“Yes, you're right.”
“That was why I've been mulling and agonizing about my future, Mister Kang. But then, I saw a glimpse of what could be a solution to my dilemmas.”
Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow. “And that is... the potential to improve your strength?”
“No, it's not,” Wiggins shook his head. “It's not about strength, Mister Kang. What I saw wasn't something as basic as that, but... a person. Not an organization, but a lone human being.”
“A person, you say?”
“Yes. No organization in existence can one hundred percent truly reflect or apply the leader's intentions. That is a fact. Everything will be restricted by the organization's structures and set of rules. Even those at the top of the hierarchy are not free from these rules. Until now, I took that as gospel. An inalienable truth. However, it's not like that here.”
“...?”
“This isn't the case of a transcendental being existing because of the organization, but the organization existing because of a superman... An organizational structure I've never seen before exists in this country, and that piqued my curiosity. What would I be able to achieve in this place? How high would I be able to reach? And then... Would I become as strong as you?” Knight Wiggins spoke with a palpable reverie, his expression resembling an excited child. “That's my reason in a nutshell, Mister Kang. The figure of Superman I saw as a child... As I grew older, I learned that that was nothing more than a figment of someone's imagination. That's why I had to conform to reality. I could never become a Superman myself, after all. However...! As it turned out, there are Supermen in this world. Even if they don't look like the comic book Superman, and certainly do not act like one.”
Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head a little. “That... I have to say, I'm surprised to hear that from you. Surely, you must've had access to East Asia's information?”
“I'm not placing importance on who is stronger or anything like that. No, what I saw was freedom. Freedom that can only be seen and felt to be truly appreciated.”
Kang Jin-Ho sighed under his breath. He wanted to hear a concrete reason for Wiggins' about-turn, but the answer he got was even more obtuse than before. The problem he had right now was that...
Knight Wiggins' expression was just too pure to belong to a man trying to pull a fast one. Kang Jin-Ho didn't have the power to read people's minds, but... If Wiggins was capable of lying through his teeth while making that kind of face, then he should forget about joining the Martial Assembly and get on a plane to Hollywood instead!
'Well, he's good-looking, so...'
Kang Jin-Ho glanced at Wiggins' face. This Englishman boasted the unique quality of being a devastatingly-handsome older gent, so he'd easily claim the top spot in Hollywood's male actor pecking order if he wanted a career change.
Kang Jin-Ho quickly tossed that unnecessary thought out of his mind, then resumed summarizing Wiggins' reply. “So. In conclusion, you wish to abandon your previous post and start brand new with us on this side. Is that about it?”
“Yes, more or less. That is, if you require my assistance, of course. My lord.”
Kang Jin-Ho wryly smiled at how sneakily Wiggins changed the honorifics again. Of course this knight of the Round Table was needed by Kang Jin-Ho.
More specifically, Kang Jin-Ho needed someone like Knight Wiggins with in-depth knowledge of Western martial arts. There was a good chance that mastering the West's fighting methods could significantly improve not only the Assembly's but also Kang Jin-Ho's combat ability.
“Then... Welcome to the Martial Assembly, Knight Wiggins.”
“Thank you very much, my lord.”
“I think... Everyone will welcome you with open arms,” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded in anticipation. Unfortunately, his expectation was way off the mark.
***
“...Wait. Did you say the Round Table?” Lee Hyeon-Su dazedly blinked his eyes before suddenly turning his head toward the nearest window in the Assembly Master's office.
Since that gesture screamed, 'Instead of being subjected to this, I might as well jump out that window!' Bang Jin-Hun quickly reached out and firmly grabbed Lee Hyeon-Su's arm.
Kang Jin-Ho nodded, obviously unperturbed by the atmosphere in the office. “Yes, I did.”
Lee Hyeon-Su's cheeks twitched. “...Aha. Yes, the Round Table it is. And then, he's a... knight of the Round Table? And there's also a Master?”
“Mm...” Kang Jin-Ho casually shrugged his shoulders.
A weird smile formed on Lee Hyeon-Su's face. 'Why don't you... just kill me already?!'
Every person had their limit, didn't they! The worst type of workplace superior wasn't an as*hole who dumped a truckload of work on their subordinates and pretended none the wiser, even though no human could realistically finish before the deadline. No, the really-truly-worst one was a superior who genuinely had no idea what they were saddling their subordinates with!
'Seriously?! A military senior who gives you ten bucks to buy a combo burger meal with Coke, and a cup of coffee, then asks for a change of five bucks is a nicer person than Mister Jin-Ho here!'
The biggest issue with Kang Jin-Ho was his lack of awareness. Why couldn't he understand that people in this world weren't Superman like him?!
“Okay, so... Mister Jin-Ho, what you're saying is...” Lee Hyeon-Su raised his head to stare directly at the expressionless Kang Jin-Ho, then at Knight Wiggins, who was smiling brightly as if no worries in this world could trouble him.
'What the hell!'
Kang Jin-Ho's attitude was one thing, but what about this older gent?! Wasn't he supposed to be a knight of the bloody Round Table?! Even Lee Hyeon-Su heard so many rumors about that damn organization. That was how significant the Round Table's presence was in the global arena. And Wiggins was a core member of that place. A bloody knight!
So, why did a man with such an important position... fail to realize the severity of the situation he got himself involved in?!
“E-excuse me...” Lee Hyeon-Su carefully spoke in English, his cheek-twitching intensifying. “Knight Wiggins. Is that correct?”
Wiggins smiled gently at Lee Hyeon-Su's fluent English. “Yes. That is correct. You're Mister Lee, yes? I'm relieved to hear that your pronunciation is appreciably better than my lord's. Since my lord's pronunciation can be a bit unclear at times, I've been having trouble understanding him, you see? In any case... It's a pleasure making your acquaintance, Mister Lee.”
“Oh, uh... Yes, me too. Thank you for your praise, and... N-no, hang on a minute. That's not it!” Lee Hyeon-Su urgently rubbed his twitching facial muscles. “I, uh, I'm asking you just in case, but... The Round Table is aware of this situation, yes? You've already made proper arrangements on that side before…”
“Mm...” Knight Wiggins smiled refreshingly. “No, the Round Table has no idea. That reminds me. I should inform them soon.”
“...Go jump in a bloody lake, you stinking bastard.”
What a relief it was that Lee Hyeon-Su cursed in Korean. That probably spared some of his blushes!
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