158- 166

Chapter 158: Chapter 158

Whoosh-

The wind blew inside the library.

"… Food?"

The Samchunkyo leader wondered if he heard him wrong.

"Yeah. I'm hungry. I'm sure you make pretty decent food. It's all about quality. It doesn't have to be much. Including this person beside me, make enough food for 2 people."

Min Sung then grabbed another book that was lying on the table.

The Samchunkyo leader blankly stared at Min Sung and then looked at the ground with concern.

Min Sung closed the book again and then walked toward the Samchunkyo leader, who was in nothing but his white panties.

The leader instinctively flinched and trembled.

"Hurry up and make the best thing you can make here," Min Sung said right in front of the Samchunkyo leader's face.

The Samchunkyo leader pointed at the red robe that was folded away.

"Can I please put on my clothes first?"

The Samchunkyo leader looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Ho Sung."

In response, Ho Sung Lee lifted his head in the middle of reading a book.

"Yes, Sir!"

"Keep your eye on him. Check that he's not putting poison into the food."

"Yes, Sir. Is it okay that I go alone?"

Ho Sung Lee asked with an anxious face.

"Yeah. You can beat him."

In response to Min Sung's remark, the Samchunkyo leader opened his eyes wide as if he was hurt.

Ho Sung Lee looked at the Samchunkyo leader in pity.

And when the Samchunkyo leader noticed Ho Sung Lee's glance, he looked even more hurt as he put on his clothes.

***

The Samchunkyo leader walked out of the library with Ho Sung Lee.

He normally would have been able to call someone over, but since he was no longer able to use his Aura, he had to look for the people in person.

In addition, there were also guards standing by, but they had all left.

The only ones remaining were those who got paid.

The Samchunkyo leader smiled bitterly.

It wasn't long ago that he lived a life of luxury like an emperor.

But after he met that Korean hunter, he lost all the authority that he previously had.

'Life is a joke.'

The Samchunkyo leader wanted to die as soon as possible.

Just the thought of the humiliation he endured with his clothes off made him furious inside.

He wanted to vomit blood and die.

When he refused to help him with the books of martial arts, he used an alternative and cruel method.

'Ugh… Damn it.'

He thought he was capable of withstanding most tortures, but this was way too cruel.

When he grabbed him by the throat and unleashed his magic spell, a nightmare ensued.

He experienced pain that he had never felt before.

Rather than doing something that would make him lose consciousness, he made sure he stayed present… And the thought of that gave him chills.

The nightmare planted inside his head caused pain all over his body.

Complete darkness.

The Samchunkyo leader struggled within that darkness.

The devil's laughter didn't stop, and it continued to ring from all directions.

The sound of the devil's laughter dug through his eardrums, and the dirty and sticky hands of the devil touched him all over his body and began to eat him alive.

The most shocking part of all was the fact that he could never wake from it.

It was a darkness that couldn't be compared to physical pain.

This was more than just torture. He was being pushed down into Hell.

When the Samchunkyo leader thought back on those memories, his face grew pale, his eyes darkened, and he felt his skin dry up.

And his memory of standing in just his underwear during his so-called punishment made him feel so humiliated that death would have been better.

But why wasn't he going crazy?

That was the most painful question of all.

The Samchunkyo leader shook those thoughts out of his head.

At that moment.

"Cheer up," Ho Sung Lee said.

Th Samchunkyo leader looked at Ho Sung Lee and sighed deeply.

'I can't

believe I'm hearing this from that thing.'

He no longer had the energy to even look angry, as he was now nothing but a tiger without its fangs.

"… What's his favorite food?"

The Samchunkyo leader asked with an exhausted voice.

"You don't have to worry about making it healthy. It just has to taste good."

The Samchunkyo leader thought of all the food he had tried in the past.

But he had always been so obsessed with martial arts that he never had a particular interest in food.

Furthermore, he felt heavy when he ate so much, so he never ate much, and in order to grow his muscles, he mostly ate meat along with nutritional supplements.

For that reason, the Samchunkyo leader had no idea what kind of food was considered delicious or satisfying.

"Oh, you don't' have to worry about the menu. You have me."

Ho Sung Lee caught on and got rid of the Samchunkyo leader's worries.

In response, the leader sighed.

"Stop sighing. You might get beat up by my master again."

The Samchunkyo leader was about to sigh once more, but he swallowed it back.

***

They reached the kitchen.

The Sachunkyo leader called upon another person.

He told him he had to prepare delicious food, and that Ho Sung Lee would watch over the process.

In response, the employee asked for just a moment and returned to the kitchen in order to prepare the materials.

Luckily, the soldiers had all left Samchunkyo, but the cooks, who got paid to work, were still there.

Meanwhile, Ho Sung Lee saw all of the employees dressed in modern clothes and sighed at the Samchunkyo leader.

"Hey, Mister."

In response, the Samchunkyo leader flinched and looked at Ho Sung Lee.

He felt rage within him, but his original vigor had died down due to his recent circumstances.

Since Min Sung Kang prevented him from being able to use his Aura, he was nothing more than just a regular person.

"What are you glaring at? And what's with that outfit?"

Ho Sung Lee scanned the Samchunkyo leader's outfit in pity.

Ho Sung Lee knitted his brows at the bright red and silky robe.

"I mean, everyone else is wearing modern clothes. Why are you dressed like that? So embarrassing."

The Samchunkyo leader stared into space.

When he saw his blank face, Ho Sung Lee coughed thinking he might have crossed the line.

"Well, I respect your taste, but I feel like you're going overboard… Sorry if I offended you."

The Samchunkyo leader plopped down on his knees. He grabbed his head and began screaming.

"Aaaaaaagh!"

Ho Sung Lee flinched in response.

"Huh? What's wrong, Mister? I said I'm sorry! Okay, fine. It looks good on you. You look cool!"

Ho Sung Lee tried to comfort him, but there was no use.

The Samchunlyo leader screamed and rolled around on the ground like a crazy person.

Ho Sung Lee sighed and stared at him with discomfort.

"…"

The sight made him feel bad for him.

***

Ho Sung Lee looked around the kitchen where the food was made in Samchunkyo.

Everyone was busy cooking.

Many people worked in this kitchen, and it was full of cooks who were very talented.

Samchunkyo had so much money that they employed the best chefs.

But it wasn't all about skill.

To Min Sung Kang, it was all about a proper meal more than a meal that was served in a classy manner.

Ho Sung Lee watched over the cooks inside the kitchen.

He instructed them on what to make and how to make it.

Ho Sung Lee made his orders very clear.

And then he watched over them as they prepared it.

He almost looked like he had been working as the head of that kitchen for years, which made everyone feel taken aback.

And as for the Samchunkyo leader, he simply stood near the door covered in dirt as if he was a dirty and abandoned broom.

***

Min Sung read the books and memorized all of the technical skills.

What he read, in the beginning, were just basics that were unnecessary, but these detailed skills were things he could make use of.

He was able to use all sorts of abilities even with the weakest force.

The information he read was impressive.

After much contemplation, he acknowledged that this was compiled through extensive research.

He quickly read through the book and went on to the average as well as the advanced books.

The advanced books focused mostly on revelations.

There was a limit to martial arts.

And the only way to surpass that limit was to approach it with a new mindset and method.

There was one thing in particular that Min Sung realized while reading the books, which was that he had only been focusing on increasing the force of his magic spells.

The reason why he was able to increase the force was because he ate a lot of monsters in the Demonic Realm.

He literally swallowed them whole, allowing him to absorb their magic power as well.

However, the speed of advancement was low when one only focused on the output.

In order to claim new territory and become stronger, he had to do things completely differently.

He needed to change his mindset.

While Min Sung thought about that.

Knock, knock-

He heard someone knock.

"Come in," Min Sung replied.

Chapter 159: Chapter 159

Creak-

The door opened, followed by Ho Sung Lee and the Samchunkyo leader and behind them were Samchunkyo employees bringing in food.

Min Sung got up and pushed his book aside.

As soon as the food arrived, the book became unimportant.

Min Sung's focus was solely on the cooks who were bringing in food.

The food appeared in front of Min Sung.

Min Sung looked down at the food with sparkling eyes.

One of the dishes that came out was the famous Beijing Kaoya.

Beijing Kaoya was known as one of the best dishes in China, and it was composed of a whole duck.

It almost looked like the roast chicken they sold on Korean streets, but the color was completely different.

The Beijing Kaoya received so much light that it was pale, making it look almost sexy.

Like a woman who was tanned in all the right ways.

The chef approached to cut it up for him, and Min Sung allowed it.

The chef began cutting the Beijing Kaoya in front of Min Sung.

Seeing how he was separating the skin from the meat in bite-size pieces, it must have been a dish where the two parts were eaten separately.

Just looking at him made him feel satisfied.

He was fascinated.

It didn't look too different from the roast chicken in Korea, but it somehow looked more luxurious.

Min Sung stared at the Beijing Kaoya with great anticipation.

Min Sung picked up his chopsticks and started with the skin.

Om nom!

"Mm…!"

'It's crispy and savory!'

Min Sung appreciated the savory flavors of the skin and compared it to Bossam that he ate in Korea.

He dipped a piece of the Beijing Kaoya in soy sauce and wrapped it in cucumber-based vegetables before taking another bite.

Om nom!

The flavors in his mouth were a work of art.

'So good!'

He knitted his brow and appreciated the flavor.

This was what they called Beijing Kaoya in China.

"Phew."

Min Sung felt a sense of harmony from the soft meat, vegetables, and Baobing.

He felt like the inside of his mouth was on a yacht, enjoying the nice ocean breeze.

'This is amazing.'

Min Sung enjoyed the Beijing Kaoya.

The more he ate, the more he understood why people of the Ching Dynasty enjoyed this dish so much.

Once Min Sung finished the main dish, he moved on to the next.

It was another famous dish in China called Kungpao Chicken.

Despite being a chicken dish, it smelled very spicy.

Min Sung looked down at the food in awe.

This was one of the dishes that originated from the Qing Dynasty, and it was fried to be crispy.

It was a dish made of chicken, peanuts, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, onions, ginger, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar.

It was oily like most Chinese dishes were.

Before the memory of the Beijing Kaoya disappeared from his head, Min Sung immediately tasted the Kungpao Chicken.

Om nom, om nom!

The soft flavors of the chicken accompanied by spiciness stimulated his nostrils, and the sweet and salty flavour triggered his mind.

'Is this the depth of China's flavors?'

The movements of Min Sung's chopsticks grew faster.

'This is good.'

It was spicy, making it addictive.

Min Sung's speed grew faster after every bite.

***

The Samchunkyo leader blankly stared as Min Sung ate his food.

The Samchunkyo leader knitted his brows and dropped his jaw as his eyes stared far into space

'… How does he make it look so good?'

When comparing to himself, who wanted to dominate the world, it was shocking to see Min Sung focusing on just one meal.

When he looked back on it, he had spent most of his time trying to get stronger.

And as a result, he was unable to enjoy the small things.

He was obsessed with power, authority, and the desire to take over the world.

'But what's the point…'

In the end, he was defeated and humiliated by someone stronger, and he was now unable to enjoy a meal like the one Min Sung was eating.

The Samchunkyo leader realized how useless everything had been and shut his eyes tight.

"Hey,

Leader."

In response to Min Sung's calling, the Samchunkyo leader opened his eyes.

He had already finished his meal.

Min Sung wiped his mouth with a napkin and pointed a the empty plates and bowls.

"Do the dishes. And Ho Sung, watch him."

"Yes, Sir."

Min Sung then took his book and left the room.

The Samchunkyo leader watched as Min Sung left.

He felt a surge of emotions.

He couldn't help himself to say what was on his mind.

He knew he wouldn't listen anyway.

The Samchunkyo leader picked up the bowls with a face that looked like he lost a country.

He was so out of it that a bowl slipped from his hands.

When the bowl fell, a piece of Kung Pao chicken fell on his robe.

The Sacmhunkyo leader stared at the oil that got on his robe.

And then.

"Sob… Sob."

The Samchunkyo leader covered his eyes with his hands and cried.

"Hahahahaha!"

But he then burst into laughter.

Ho Sung Lee watched anxiously.

"What's wrong?"

The Samchunkyo leader ignored him and continued to laugh.

Once he was finished, he picked up the bowl from the ground with a clearer look in his eyes.

He took the rest of the plates and bowls and quietly left.

Ho Sung Lee followed with a confused look on his face.

***

Since they were in the middle of the mountains, the sound of birds and crickets could be clearly heard, the sun was bright, and the air was fresh.

Min Sung sat in the middle of a long staircase and read his books as if they were comic books.

While he was reading, he heard someone approaching.

Min Sung looked to the direction of the noise.

He saw a man in a wheelchair approaching through the hall.

Min Sung put down his book and looked at him.

He didn't feel any kind of hidden intentions.

He stopped in front of the stairs and looked up at Min Sung.

He was a man with glasses and a fierce look on his face, but his eyes were filled with pain.

"Hello. I'm Yoo Tae Jung."

The man introduced himself as Yoo Tae Jung and bowed so low that he could see the top of his head.

Min Sung looked down at him without a word.

Yoo Tae Jung lifted his head back up and cautiously looked at Min Sung.

There was no hostility in his eyes.

Min Sung waited for him to get to the point.

Yoo Tae Jung had no hostility, but he had no fear either.

All he experienced was great pain.

The man in the wheelchair, Yoon Tae Jung came down from his wheelchair.

He was unable to move the bottom half of his body, so he plopped down onto the ground as soon as he got off.

Yoo Tae Jung kept his head on the ground as if he was bowing down to Min Sung.

"I just have one request for you."

Min Sung watched without a single ounce of interest in his eyes.

Yoo Tae Jung lifted his head and looked at Min Sung.

Min Sung and Yoo Tae Jung met eyes.

A moment of silence then ensued.

"What is it?"

Min Sung asked.

Yoo Tae Jung gulped and began speaking with a stiffened face.

***

Before the monster break began, there were three boys who grew up in an orphanage together.

Once they left the orphanage, they continued to endure difficult circumstances, so they relied on each other quite a bit.

That was when the monster break began

Rousers began appearing, and the second eldest and the youngest of the three boys became a rouser with the qualifications of a hunter.

They were able to defeat monsters with their strength, and because they were more powerful than the rest, they were able to advance quickly.

A few years after that, an organization called Samchunkyo came about.

The leader of Samchunkyo commanded to find more skilled hunters in order to make Samchunkyo grow.

And among them, there were two boys that stood out.

They were the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, and his little brother, Min Ho Kim.

The Samchunkyo leader knew they had a deep affection for each other, so he kidnapped the youngest so that the second-eldest could be his puppet.

And then he used the youngest to threaten him.

What started as an attempt to save his little brother continued until now.

That was the story that Yoo Jae Jung, who was the eldest among the three boys, told Min Sung.

"I'll do whatever you ask. Just please free my brother…"

Min Sung looked down at Yoo Tae Jung and then laughed.

"Did you try to kill me as well as countless other people just to save your brother?"

The man in the wheelchair, Yoon Tae Jung didn't answer and dropped his forehead on the ground.

"I'll do anything. So please…"

"Why should I trust you?"

"There's a thing called a magic contract. If we sign a contract with a rare item from the dungeon, I'll have no choice but to obey you."

"But you don't look that useful to me. I killed your brother, Jae Hyuk Han. But you still want to follow me?"

"I won't resent you for what happened while I was looking for my brother."

The man in the wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung looked up at Min Sung with sincerity in his eyes.

Min Sung slowly looked away.

Chapter 160: Chapter 160

"Bring him here," Min Sung instructed.

From behind Min Sung, the sound of footsteps and metal clanging could be heard coming down the stairs.

And when Yoo Tae Jung heard that, he looked up in shock.

He listened carefully in nervousness.

He heard the sound of limping footsteps, as well as the metal clanging and getting dragged on the ground.

The man in a wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung, gulped wondering if it was who he was thinking of.

A moment later, the youngest of the 3 orphans, Min Ho Kim, appeared.

The man in the wheelchair looked up and his eyes were filled with tears.

The youngest, Min Ho Kim, had his eyes covered with a cloth, and around his body were chains made of magic.

The man in the wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung, bit down on his lip as he looked at his wobbling brother.

He didn't even have to ask to know what kind of pain he had endured.

"I'll erase his memory," Min Sung said.

The man in the wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung, quickly looked over at him.

"Is that possible?"

Min Sung called over Bowl.

Bowl squirmed out of his pocket, and once he was on the ground, he looked up at Min Sung and rubbed his eyes.

"Erase Min Ho Kim's memory," Min Sung instructed.

Bowl looked up at Min Ho Kim at the top of the stairs and then back at Min Sung.

"I can erase his memory from the last hour, but if that's not the case, I have to erase his entire memory," Bowl said with an unconfident voice.

"I don't care. Erase it all."

Min Sung looked at Yoo Tae Jung and continued,

"Do you agree with this?"

He asked.

Yoo Tae Jung nodded with a desperate look on his face.

"Of course. Thank you. I owe you my life!"

Yoo Tae Jung shouted with all his sincerity.

When he heard Yoo Tae Jung's voice, Min Ho Kim tried to wriggle out of his magic chains and ended up falling on the ground.

Although his body was tied up and his eyes were covered, he tried to look for his brother, Yoo Tae Jung.

"I can take off your blindfold, so you two can see each other for the last time," Min Sung offered.

However, the eldest of the 3 brothers, Yoo Tae Jung, shook his head.

"I just want him to rest in peace without any more pain."

Min Ho Kim broke out into tears through his blindfold.

"Bowl."

In response to Min Sung's call.

"Ugh…!"

The youngest brother, Min Ho Kim, was gagged, so all he could do was cry.

Bowl jumped up the stars toward Min Ho Kim, who was tied up with magic chains.

He then looked at him and took out his small cane from his back.

As soon as Bowl used his dark magic, dark energy was absorbed by Min Ho Kim's body.

And as soon as flames appeared in Bowl's eyes, Min Ho Kim lost his memory and dropped his head to the ground.

"Bowl, get rid of the magic chains and moved Min Ho Kim to the bedroom."

"Yes, Master."

Bowl bounced up the stairs. He broke the magic chains. He then put Min Ho Kim on his shadow board and headed out of Taehwajeon.

Min Sung stood in the middle of the stairs and took out a weapon from his item window.

Swoosh!

Thunder and lightning struck from his Orichalcum Sword.

"… Thank you for this luxurious death," the man in the wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung, said in tears.

Min Sung swung his Orichalcum Sword without a word.

Slash!

The eldest brother, who never woke up as a hunter.

The man in the wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung, followed the second eldest brother, Jae Hyuk Han, to the afterlife.

Min Sung stared at the first brother in the wheelchair for a very long time.

And then…

After a moment of silence.

"Take out the leader," Min Sung said in a dark voice while looking down at Yoo Tae Jung's body.

Ho Sung Lee walked down the stairs. He bowed down to

Min Sung and then went down to the hall.

He then opened a nearby casket and let the Samchunkyo leader out.

Around him wasn't a chain made of magic but a plain rope.

Ho Sung Lee made him kneel in front of the stairs.

"Leader."

Min Sung stared down at the Samchunkyo Leader with fierce eyes and continued,

"I'm going to ask you a question, and I don't care if it's the truth or a lie. But if I sense that it's a lie, you're going to have that painful nightmare again. And it'll be extra long this time."

The leader lifted his head and stared at Min Sung with fearful eyes.

He was about to say something but stopped himself.

Just thinking about the pain he endured last time made the Samchunkyo leader's body stiffen up.

He was no longer able to look at Min Sung and dropped his head.

"First question," Min Sung started with a low voice.

"Where's the recipe for the sedative that represses the item's side effects?"

Min Sung asked the Samchunkyo leader with a glare.

"It's in the library!"

The leader trembled as he quickly answered.

He was scared as if he was faced with the god of devils.

"And what's the way to get rid of the side effects once and for all without the sedative?"

The Samchunkyo leader knitted his brows and gulped.

"That's not possible. Inside the item is an insect, and once it enters a human body, it stays in there until the human is dead."

"Is it contagious?"

The Samchunkyo leader shook his head.

Min Sung nodded and slowly got up.

He then slowly walked down the steps while looking down upon the Samchunkyo leader.

"Gasp! I didn't lie! It's the truth! I promise!"

The Samchunkyo leader plopped down on his bottom.

But he didn't think to run and remained stiff as he peed himself.

Meanwhile, Min Sung walked off the stairs and stood in front of the Samchunkyo leader.

He then stared down at him.

"Huff…! Huff! Huff!"

The Samchunkyo leader panted because of Min Sung's stare.

Min Sung kneeled in front of the Samchunkyo leader and met eyes with him.

The Samchunkyo leader shook as if he was convulsing.

"Kill me now. Just kill me!"

The Samchunkyo leader shouted with more strength in his body.

"I learned something interesting thanks to your books. You use a unique method to acquire magic… For example…"

When Min Sung lifted his hand, the Samchunkyo leader flinched and lifted his head up high.

Min Sung then slowly clenched his hand.

At that moment.

Crackkkkkk!

"Aghhhhhh!"

The Samchunkyo leader's two legs began to break due to the pressure Min Sung applied.

Despite not being able to use his Aura, the Samchunkyo leader was able to endure it due to his long training.

As a result, he didn't faint and withstood the pain.

That was also a benefit that allowed him to stay alive as well as a disadvantage of not being able to die.

But compared to the nightmare that Min Sung showed him, this pain was nothing.

The Samchunkyo leader panted because of the pain while staring at Min Sung.

Min Sung's mouth opened.

"I read the books, and there's no problem with me reading them even without your help. It's been interpreted so well."

The Samchunkyo leader widened his eyes with shock.

It must have been a lie.

He had devoted his whole life to make those books.

And they weren't made to be easily understood.

But that wasn't important considering the situation he was in.

"… Then?"

The Samchunkyo leader looked at Min Sung with anticipation.

Min Sung pointed at the first brother of the 3.

It was the man in the wheelchair, Yoo Tae Jung, who recently died.

"Look at what you did."

The Samchunkyo leader grimaced at the sight.

"What is it that you want to say?"

"What do you think?"

"Who cares about that scum? If you've interpreted the books, you don't need my help! So just kill me!"

The Samchunkyo leader said with bloodshot eyes.

Min Sung grabbed him by the throat.

"Gasp?! Cough! I-I told you to kill me! I did your dishes, and I even cooperated with you for the books! This isn't what we agreed on!"

The Samchunkyo leader wriggled in fear.

"Yeah. But the pain you caused them, using them as puppets, and trying to kill me. Considering all of those things you did, killing you wouldn't be enough. There's no need to waste time with someone useless."

"Then why are you doing this?"

The Samchunkyo leader screamed in frustration.

"Because of you, I have a lot more on my plate. And more importantly…"

Min Sung's hands radiated with magic, and his eyes flashed like that of a ghost.

"You shouldn't have messed with the restaurants and the cooks."

"Ugh! W-what…?!"

The nightmare began.

The Smachunkyo leader's face shriveled up and lost all of its fat.

Even his long hair fell off of his head.

In no time, his body aged and his body began to deteriorate. He then went into the process of regeneration.

His damaged body regenerated and repeated for every section.

"Ho Sung, bring the sedative recipe."

Min Sung spoke as he continued to drown the Samchunkyo leader with his magic.

In response, Ho Sung Lee immediately fan over to the library.

Chapter 161: Chapter 161

Ho Sung Lee was certain.

Min Sung Kang was not only the god of devils, but he was a top devil that turned into a human being.

Ho Sung Lee was impressed by the Samchunkyo leader's mental strength.

He endured that horrific state for so long that the Samchunkyo leader's body looked like it was dying away.

If it was him, he would have lost his mind already.

"Sir, there's the sedative recipe I brought from the library."

Ho Sung Lee wiped out his thoughts and handed over the item.

Right in front of the Samchunkyo leader on the ground, Min Sung accepted the recipe from Ho Sung Lee.

There were no lies.

The recipe contained how to make the sedative that would suppress the item's side effects in great detail.

"Sir, that's not all. I also found some sedatives that have already been made."

Min Sung nodded and put the recipe inside his item window.

"Tell the world hunters that we took care of Samchunkyo and to prepare to meet with us."

Min Sung wrapped up the situation and swung his Orichalcum Sword.

Kaboommm!

Along with a loud thunderous noise, the Samchunkyo leader's body was sliced in half.

After confirming the Samchunkyo leader's death, he walked over to Taehwajeon without any lingering feelings.

***

The American hunter master, Ethan, heard the news from Ho Sung that Samchunkyo had lost the fight.

Ethan stared into space while smoking a cigarette and grimaced without much energy.

"This is now Min Sung Kang's world."

Ethan laughed. He put out his cigarette and then proceeded to wash his face with both of his bulky hands.

"Phew…"

When he sighed, the interphone rang.

Ethan pressed the speaker button, allowing him to hear the secretary's voice.

"Master, a meeting with Min Sung Kang has been arranged. You can check for it in your mail."

Ethan hung up and put his hand on his mouse with a nervous face.

When he went into his inbox, he saw the appointment just as his secretary had said.

6 PM

Korea Grand Party Hall

'World Hunter' Gathering

Ethan stared at the small words on the screen as he scratched his head.

Ethan could already feel the pain of the media's criticisms, so he showed a pained face as he sighed and clenched back on his teeth.

All he could do now was wait for the storm to pass.

***

"Where did Ssol go?"

Ho Sung Lee went everywhere looking for the gold goblin, but he couldn't find him anywhere.

He was scratching his head while looking around, and when he put a cigarette in his mouth, he heard a rustling noise.

"Wow-!"

The gold goblin popped out from between the trees like a ghost.

"Agh!"

Ho Sung Lee flinched backward.

In response, the gold goblin, Ssol, grabbed his belly, which resembled that of E.T. and laughed without a sound.

"You startled me!"

Ho Sung Lee screamed at him, but he was just laughing at a flower blooming on a tree branch.

"Sigh."

Ho Sung Lee headlocked Ssol as if he was a mother of 3 and proceeded to drag him along.

Ho Sung Lee then saw something and stopped.

Min Sung was sitting in the library with his legs crossed and his eyes closed.

Even Ssol, who was still in Ho Sung Lee's headlock, expressed his awe.

'What is he doing?'

Beside Min Sung was a pile of books that the Samchunkyo leader left behind.

'Is he meditating?'

Ho Sung Lee tilted his head in wonder.

***

The cardinal law outlined by the books.

Simply put, meditation was quite an interesting thing.

Despite having to focus intensively, it made one feel at peace.

Min Sung's body was covered by a magic spell, and he absorbed that energy from around him.

But Samchunkyo's books explained a different method.

They stored magic power within their lower abdomens and circulated it through the alveolar veins.

That made one's head feel clear, the body refreshed and light and the consumed magic power immediately recharged itself.

That meant that Min Sung was now able to regenerate all of his magic powers including his vital force and his recovery power.

Min Sung didn't know the time was passing due to this surprising magic and fell into a trance.

***

While Min Sung stayed

at Samchunkyo for a while, the media put the spotlight on Min Sung Kang.

The assembly, which was formed to raid the Black Tower, was now closed off from the media due to confidential military matters.

But when the Black Tower disappeared and peace returned, the media released all of the materials they had gathered.

And of course, the subject of those materials was Min Sung Kang.

Since Min Sung's identity hadn't been announced to the world yet, the media started to attack the world with their reports.

And because Min Sung Kang appeared in the world in such a sudden away, the citizens couldn't help but feel unfamiliar.

But once they came to know just how impressive Min Sung Kang was through the articles, the citizens began showing more and more interest.

And the explosive interest in Min Sung Kang led to a change.

If he was a superstar by day, he was a superhero by night.

And after a little more time, Min Sung Kang had become a God among the public.

The time it took for the entire world to change their views on Min Sung Kang was less than 5 hours.

***

Min Sung woke up from his meditation and opened his eyes.

Ho Sung Lee put out his cigarette and ran over to Min Sung immediately.

Ho Sung Lee was going to say something when he looked at him with surprised eyes.

Min Sung's gaze looked different from before.

He had dark eyes like a basement, but his eyes now were shining with a bright light.

"Ho Sung."

"Yes?"

"Blowfish."

"… Pardon?"

Min Sung got out of his lotus position and jumped down from the guardrail.

"Look for a good restaurant when we get back to Korea," Min Sung told Ho Sung Lee.

"Were you thinking about food during your meditation?"

"It helped me focus. Get ready to leave. I'm getting hungry."

In response, Ho Sung Lee broke out in sweat that dripped from his forehead.

"Yes, Sir. But what about the youngest brother, Min Ho Kim? What are you going to do with him?"

"I'll hand him over to the Central Institute. Put him in the car. We'll take the Warp Gate together."

Ho Sung Lee flashed a bright smile.

"Yes, Sir!"

Min Sung thought strangely of Ho Sung Lee's sudden tension and got up.

Ho Sung Lee smiled and then started looking around in shock.

"Ugh, where's Ssol?"

Ho Sung Lee trembled as he set out to look for Ssol once more.

***

The big palaces of Samchunkyo were lit on fire.

There was dark smoke coming from it as Samchunkyo turned into ashes.

Firefighters and specialized hunters rushed over to Samchunkyo in order to put out the fire while Min Sung and his party drove over to the Warp Gate.

Ho Sung Lee, who was in the driver's seat, glanced over at Bowl and the man who was playing together.

He was smiling nicely and fooling around with Bowl as if nothing bad had happened to him in the past.

Since he lost all of his memory, he didn't seem to feel any pain or sadness.

He was impressed by Bowl.

He was able to erase one's memory.

Ho Sung Lee considered that an amazing ability.

However, the youngest brother, Min Ho Kim, was probably curious.

About the memories and his past that he forgot.

Ho Sung Lee sighed deeply.

'That's something he has to overcome on his own.'

"How much longer?"

Min Sung asked as he looked out the window.

"20 more minutes. But Sir. I feel like you'll get tired when you get back to Korea."

"Why?"

Min Sung looked over at Ho Sung Lee.

"The media have been putting you in their headlines ever since the dungeons and the Black Tower disappeared. So you're a world star now."

Ho Sung Lee glanced over and laughed without much confidence.

Min Sung didn't like things that were bothersome, so Ho Sung Lee was worried he would get angry, but Min Sung was surprisingly calm.

He looked at his face in more detail through the back mirror and saw that he was thinking about something deeply as he looked out the window.

Ho Sung Lee watched him before putting his eyes back on the road.

***

They took the Warp Gate back to Korea.

As soon as they entered the lobby, a lot of mumbling could be heard from outside.

It seemed as though reporters were gathered around.

Ho Sung Lee's heart sank when he noticed Min Sung looking at the entrance.

He wondered if he was going to kill them all for shoving cameras up his face.

"Sir, I'll look for a better way to get out of…"

"That's okay."

"Pardon?"

"No need."

Min Sung opened the fridge and drank a can of beer.

He enjoyed the refreshing carbonated drink and threw the can away.

Min Sung wiped his mouth and then proceeded out the door.

Ho Sung Lee took Ssol and Min Ho Kim and followed after him.

As soon as he stepped outside, there was a barricade at a 50-meter radius stopping the reporters from getting any closer. They were flashing their cameras as they took their photos.

Ho Sung Lee looked around with a shocked look on his face.

There were over 100 reporters.

There were both Korean and foreign reporters at the scene.

The gold goblin, Ssol, clapped his hands as he looked around in awe.

And the youngest brother, Min Ho Kim, who followed Min Sung here, stared blankly at the reporters.

Chapter 162: Chapter 162

"I was really worried about you. I'm glad you're back safe."

Ji Yoo Kim greeted Min Sung with a bright smile on his face.

She was dressed in a white suit and seemed to have fully recovered from her injuries.

But her face was a little pale as if she wore too much makeup or the aftereffects were still there.

While the camera shutters continued to flash, Min Sung scanned the reporters.

Ji Yoo Kim stood closer to Min Sung.

"The media are all talking about you in their headlines. It might get uncomfortable, but you'll be the center of attention for a while."

"Was it your idea to put up the barricades?"

Min Sung asked.

Ji Yoo Kim smiled softly.

"You'll have no choice but to get attention, but we'll do our best at the Central Institute so that it doesn't get in the way of your life."

There were guards lining the barricades.

As soon as Ji Yoo Kim gave a signal, the guards pushed the reporters back to make way.

At the end of the path was a large luxury car.

"We'll take you to your home."

Min Sung looked at the car and guards and smirked.

"It doesn't feel like I went and killed people," Min Sung said as he walked.

Ji Yoo Kim caught her breath and followed Min Sung.

Ho Sung Lee, Ssol, and Min Ho Kim followed behind them.

On their way to the car, Ji Yoo Kim approached Min Ho Kim, who was nervous, and made sure he was comfortable.

***

"We prepared a party hall. You can have your meeting with the world hunters there. The time is tomorrow at 6. I sent the location to Ho Sung, and the Central Institute will make sure you get there comfortably."

Ji Yoo Kim smiled at Min Sung, who was looking out the window.

"Will you be able to hold a formal interview there?"

"Yeah."

In response, Ho Sung Lee immediately looked back at Min Sung.

Ji Yoo Kim was also surprised at the response she wasn't expecting.

But Min Sung continued to look out the window.

And then.

"Ho Sung."

"Yes?"

"Did you find a blowfish restaurant?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I looked into it. I felt like it would be uncomfortable for you to eat outside given the current circumstances, so I asked the restaurant if they could come to us, and they said they could make an exception as long as you give them the go-ahead. What should we do?"

"What else? Tell them to come over. Make them come right away."

"Yes, Sir. Then I'll tell them to go to your house and prepare the meal immediately."

Ho Sung immediately gave the blowfish restaurant a call.

***

After dropping off Min Sung's party, Ji Yoo Kim took off with Min Ho Kim.

In order to make sure that no reporters or strangers went near Min Sung's house, the Central Institute stationed hunters in the area.

Meanwhile, Min Sung went inside his house.

His personal chef, Woong Jang greeted them with a smile.

As for Woong Jang's granddaughter, she just stared at Min Sung with a blank look on her face.

Ever since she heard about Min Sung on the news, her attitude with him completely changed.

She wasn't scared of him, but she looked at him as if he was royalty.

"Your jaw looks like it might fall off."

Ho Sung Lee grumped at Sia Jang in jealousy.

On the other hand, Min Sung had no interest and just passed Sia Jang…

And just greeted Woong Jang with an 'I'm back'.

Woong Jang smiled and nodded.

Sia Jang couldn't take her eyes off of Min Sung as if she was a little kid obsessed with an idol.

And then…

"Wow!"

The golden goblin, Ssol, looked at up Sia Jang, and in response, she screamed. She plopped on her butt and burst into tears.

When Sia Jang cried, Ssol cried with her but without a sound.

Woong Jang looked at Ssol with a surprised look as well.

"This is our new family member."

Ho Sung Lee patted the golden goblin, Ssol, as if he was praising him.

Woong Jang looked closely in fascination.

Meanwhile, Sia Jang ran back to her room.

Woong Jang laughed at his granddaughter, while Ho Sung Lee stuck out his tongue as Sia Jang went up the stairs.

"What about his meal?"

Woong Jang asked.

"Oh, the cooks at a blowfish restaurant are bringing the materials right now."

Ho Sung Lee checked his

watch and continued.

"They'll probably get here in 10 minutes."

Woong Jang nodded.

"Then I'd better set it up so that they can get started."

Woong Jang rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands at the sink.

"Then I guess I'll wait outside for the team."

Ho Sung Lee headed to the front door with a cigarette in his mouth.

He lit his cigarette as soon as he passed the yard, and when he peeked through the gates, it was so quiet out there that he wondered if Min Sung was actually famous.

But Ho Sung Lee understood once he found out that the Central Institute hunters were keeping guard.

'Oh! It's because of Central Institute.'

Ho Sung Lee realized what he had forgotten and laughed quietly.

"Well, they already know Min Sung is going to be at the party tomorrow. So they have no reason to be in a rush."

Ho Sung Lee smoked his cigarette as he mumbled.

He then thought about the party that would be held tomorrow.

It was going to be splendid.

There was going to be a seat for Min Sung Kang, and Min Sung Kang would probably intimidate the world hunters with his great presence.

It was going to be a historical moment when Korea finally got to dominate over the rest of the world.

Ho Sung Lee wasn't particularly a patriot, but he was excited for tomorrow to come as a fellow Korean.

While he was laughing, he heard the sound of a car.

It was the blowfish team.

Ho Sung Lee threw out his cigarette and lifted his arms above his head.

"Over here!"

Ho Sung Lee screamed with his hands in the air.

***

A fancy feast was being prepared.

A long wooden table was set up in the yard, covered in a table cloth.

Clean plates and utensils were set up, and the smell of the food cooking filled the air.

Various wines were set up in wooden boxes, and soju bottles were kept in bins filled with ice cubes.

The atmosphere was almost perfect for their upcoming meal.

"Call him," Woong Jang instructed.

"Yes, Sir!"

Ho Sung Lee, who was watching TV in the living room, immediately got up and knocked on Min Sung's door.

"Sir?"

After the knock, Min Sung came out of his room soon afterward.

"Let's go."

Ho Sung Lee pointed ahead of them.

Min Sung led the way while Ho Sung Lee followed behind them.

When they arrived in the yard, it almost looked like a garden party.

The cooks from the blowfish restaurant greeted Min Sung with a smile.

Min Sung gave them a nod and then sat down at the long wooden table.

Sia Jang also ran out to the yard and sat next to Min Sung.

"Why are you sitting there when he's about to enjoy his meal?"

Ho Sung Lee stuck out his lip and glared.

At that moment-

"Sit down, everyone. Let's eat."

In response to Min Sung's instructions, Ho Sung Lee showed a surprised look on his face, and Woong Jang smiled as he sat next to Sia Jang.

So Ho Sung Lee also sat down, and Bowl crawled out of Min Sung's pocket and sat on top of the table like a mascot.

As for the golden goblin, Ssol, he was just surprised that he could see trees in the yard.

Meanwhile, the blowfish team confirmed that everyone was seated before delivering the dishes.

***

Since he hadn't eaten a single meal during his journey back to Korea, Min Sung was starving.

Grumble-

His stomach made it clear.

However, Min Sung patiently waited for the food to arrive.

Since this was a Tiger Puffer, it was going to be different from the standard blowfish.

Min Sung gulped as his stomach urged him to eat.

His body wanted this pain to go away.

Min Sung breathed in and out and waited patiently.

"Should we prepare your drinks beforehand?"

One of the blowfish cooks asked.

"I'll have white wine."

The cook nodded. The cook opened a bottle of white wine and began pouring white wine into Min Sung's glass followed by the rest of the party.

When Min Sung lifted his glass as he waited, Ho Sung Lee, Woong Jang, and Sia Jang also raised their glasses, and Bowl raised his water glass.

Although they were waiting for him to make a toast, Min Sung drank his wine without a word and enjoyed the flavors.

***

All of Min Sung's senses were focused on this meal.

The white wine that he had just tasted was clean.

As an American white wine, there was no fishy scent. It was sweet, and it was overall very clean and easy to drink.

He felt as though the glass of wine helped his blood flow better when the first course of his long-awaited blowfish meal came out.

The first dish was the skin of the Tiger Puffer.

It was mostly made of collagen, meaning it was good for the skin and body.

Min Sung put the peel in his mouth and chewed it.

'It's good.'

The chewiness was pleasant and eating it with the salad made it taste fresh while also boosting his appetite.

The Tiger Puffer's peel was, how could he describe it?

'Okay! I'm ready, so let's go for it!'

That was what it was saying.

Once Min Sung finished his Tiger Puffer peel, the next dish that came out was fried soft tofu, which was originally from Japan.

Munch-

When he chewed on the fried soft tofu, it was crispy but soft like the clouds at the same time.

The entrancing course meal continued.

The blowfish sushi went down smoothly.

As for the fried blowfish, the skin was crispy and could be chewed off like rubs, and it went so perfectly with beer that he couldn't resist.

He immediately ordered a beer and gulped it down.

Chapter 163: Chapter 163

'Phew, this is delicious.'

There were so many different courses, that he was able to enjoy every single one of them.

The taste of roasted garlic.

The crispy and savory blowfish peel.

The well-roasted blowfish meat.

When he ate the eggplant dish and the corn croquette, it felt like he was getting blows to his head.

That was the end of the appetizers.

And at the perfect time, the traditional blowfish main dish appeared.

Blowfish Shabu Shabu

Min Sung looked at the Shabu Shabu materials with widened eyes.

His eyes then turned to the side.

An employee poured hot water into a beautifully shaped pot.

As Min Sung watched, he felt his blood boil.

That was how impactful the main course was.

The main dish had a magical power of making him as excited as he would have been if he stood in battle.

Before tasting the main dish, Min Sung added vegetables, mushrooms, and Tiger Puffer to his boiling water.

Since the pot was hot, the Shabu Shabu materials cooked in no time.

The pot was full of ingredients as the broth filled in a delicious manner.

When Min Sung judged that the time was right, he immediately hunted down the materials from within the broth.

He first grabbed on to a piece of Tiger Puffer.

When he dipped it in sauce and tasted it, he sensed that the softness was something that could only exist on fresh blowfish.

And the special sauce was the key.

The taste of the blowfish was delicious, but the special sauce made the experience 2 times better.

It was worth the wait.

His mouth was pleased.

'This is delicious.'

Min Sung enjoyed the soft yet rigid blowfish meat while also trying some of the vegetables.

The combination of the soft cabbage along with the other ingredients made him realize why Shabu Shabu was so loved.

He lifted his spoon and tried the broth.

Slurp!

The white broth also had oil in it, and the depth of it reminded him of the sea.

Hot broth usually cooked down quickly inside the mouth, but the Shabu Shabu broth maintained its hot temperature and spread throughout his entire body.

It was intense yet comfortable, just like getting a Thai massage underneath a hot towel.

Min Sung smiled as he picked up another piece of Tiger Puffer.

The natural Tiger Puffer was so plump and smooth, making the flavors that much better.

He acknowledged the blowfish restaurant as the very best.

***

The next morning.

Min Sung enjoyed the egg toast Woong Jang made him and went out into the yard.

From in between the trees in the garden, Ho Sung Lee appeared.

"Sir, I've prepared it so that you can get your driver's license and helicopter license."

Min Sung nodded.

"Let's get going."

Min Sung put down the hose in his hands and led the way, and Ho Sung Lee followed behind him.

"General Ji Yoo Kim helped this time as well. The Central Institute prepared a practice site and an exam hall so that you can complete the tests in peace."

"Good job."

Ho Sung Lee smiled at Min Sung's satisfaction.

"Haha! It was all Central Insitute's doing. I didn't do anything."

"Get ready to leave."

"Yes, Sir!"

While Ho Sung Lee headed out, Min Sung put on his clothes and got ready to leave.

He was going to get his driver's and helicopter's licenses.

Min Sung studied all night long for the exams.

All he needed was one night of studying.

Since he had great memorization abilities, he had no problems writing examples.

Min Sung got into Ho Sung Lee's car and took off to the exam hall.

***

He arrived at the private license exam hall that the Central Institute prepared.

When Ho Sung Lee saw Min Sung Kang pass both the driving and helicopter licenses in one go, he was astonished.

But the fact that he was so good at fighting meant that he was smart.

The ironic and mysterious question was, why was he so bad at cooking?

But then again, the fact that he was bad at something made him seem more human.

At times like this, he realized once again that he was a beast.

"It's now time for the technical practice. Should we take a break?"

In response to the examiner's question, Min Sung just asked to get it over with quickly.

So they proceeded without taking a break.

Since the practice time was already set, he had to fill that entire time slot.

But when he did everything he was asked

perfectly and there was no more to teach, the examiner decided to cut down on the designated time.

It almost seemed like an AlphaGo, which was perfectly programmed to complete the exam was doing the practice.

As a result, Min Sung passed both his driving and helicopter exams by the afternoon.

'Now that he's a world hero and the general of Central Institute—Ji Yoo Kim—is ready to support Min Sung no matter what, he's ready to take on the world.'

'I can't believe he had a private license exam.'

If he was a regular person, the media would have taken him apart.

But since Min Sung Kang even defeated Samchunkyo, the citizens were rather pleased that Min Sung could complete his exams in such a short time.

That was how helpless the media was to Min Sung Kang.

It seemed like what they said about killing one making one a murderer and killing 1000 making one a hero was true, and that made Ho Sung Lee laugh and shiver at the same time.

And what was even more surprising to Ho Sung Lee was that he was serving a human like that.

***

"Congratulations on your high-speed license acquisition," Ho Sung Lee said with a bow.

"Where's the car?"

"I didn't know you would be done this soon. Good thing I brought the car ahead of time. Right, this way."

Ho Sung Lee led the way for Min Sung.

When they got out of the exam hall, a fancy car was waiting for them in the parking lot.

It was the Audi R12, which was a special limited-time edition, with only 5 existing in the whole world.

It was the top car in the current generation, and the manufacturer willingly sold one to Min Sung.

"Here are the keys."

Ho Sung Lee handed him the sparkling keys with respect.

"Are you going straight to the party? If you are, I'll call the Central Institute ahead of time. Since I drove my own car here, I'll follow you from behind."

"There's still some time left. I'm hungry. Where should we eat?"

Min Sung asked as he opened the car door.

Ho Sung Lee knew Min Sung would ask for restaurants, so he had a few prepared.

"It's near the party hall. You should try some cold noodles before winter rolls around. It's easy to find if you use the navigator. It's mainly old people who visit the store, and at this hour, it probably won't be very busy. Since there will be food at the Gangnam party hall as well, I'm recommending a simple snack. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I'll eat there and meet you at the party. No need to follow me."

Ho Sung Lee smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Sir."

"I'm off."

Min Sung started the engine.

Vroooooom!

The Audi R12 spit out a large noise.

And as soon as Min Sung stepped on the gas pedal.

The wheels of Min Sung's car spun at high speed and created smoke.

The car then took off at an explosive speed.

As Ho Sung Lee watched Min Sung's car go in the distance, he smoked his cigarette and knitted his brows.

He destroyed the Black Tower, defeated Samchunkyo, and came back to Korea as a hero.

He then got his car and helicopter license in half a day and took off in his new sports car, which made him look like a beast.

Ho Sung Lee shook his head.

"I have to live life like Min Sung Kang."

Ho Sung Lee smoked his cigarette and smacked his lips.

He then tilted his head.

'Wait… But I feel like 2% is still missing.'

"Oh!"

Ho Sung Lee realized what was causing that feeling.

"A woman! He doesn't have a woman!"

Ho Sung Lee nodded.

"If he found a woman, he'd live the best life. Haha. Yeah. What's the point in being strong if he can't even date a beautiful woman? So being single was the key to becoming stronger? That's crazy. What makes men stronger are women."

Ho Sung Lee snickered and then grew anxious that Min Sung would soon meet a woman.

"Nah. Min Sung with a woman? I can't even imagine it."

Ho Sung Lee smirked. He shook his head and threw out his cigarette.

***

He arrived at the cold noodle restaurant that Ho Sung Lee recommended.

Once Min Sung arrived, he parked his car in the small parking space.

It was a medium-sized restaurant.

It was in a small alley, and the building was so old that it looked very traditional.

The owner, who seemed to be a woman in her 70s, was startled by the noise and stepped out with a surprised look on her face.

But when she saw Min Sung, her eyes grew wide.

"Oh my gosh! Who's this? Sir! I mean, God. What brings you to a place like this?"

She grabbed Min Sung's hands with her wrinkly hands.

But Min Sung felt burdened and took his hand away.

"I'd like a bowl of cold noodles," Min Sung said as he walked inside.

The owner couldn't keep her eyes off of Min Sung as she followed him inside.

Min Sung sat by the window and waited for his food to arrive.

While the cook prepared the food, the owner stared at Min Sung while covering her mouth.

Min Sung felt uncomfortable by the gaze.

After spending 100 years in the Demonic Realm, having a conversation with people in this generation was uncomfortable.

He had been alone for so long that he was the most comfortable just like that.

Others thought that there was a problem with him, but Min Sung liked living according to his own style.

It was hard for Min Sung to mind others and do things for other people.

He thought he was adjusting well to this world, but that wasn't always the case.

Once the owner realized that Min Sung didn't like her staring at him, she quietly delivered his food and left so that he could eat in peace.

Chapter 164: Chapter 164

How much mustard or vinegar one puts in cold noodles was very important.

But for Min Sung, who was very bad at cooking, the question of how much to add was a difficult one.

Luckily at this restaurant, the cold noodles already came with the mustard and vinegar added.

Ho Sung Lee might have recommended this restaurant particularly with that in mind.

After all, Ho Sung Lee's recommendations were always great.

'Time to try it.'

Min Sung cut the cold noodles in half with scissors and then grabbed some cold noodles with his chopsticks.

People had different opinions about what was the most important in cold noodles, but it was definitely the broth and the noodles.

In that sense, this restaurant's cold noodles were near perfection.

The noodles were firm yet soft to the bite.

And the broth had sweet and sour flavors of the perfect degree.

Min Sung continued to chew the noodles while drinking the broth by the bowl.

Slurp!

Gulp, gulp, gulp!

He made a very refreshing sound.

The broth filled with ice was so refreshing that he felt like he was standing under a waterfall.

'This is delicious.'

It was more delicious the more he ate it.

The cold noodles made him almost lose his mind.

It actually made him focus even more.

And he naturally sped up as he continued eating.

'This is so good.'

He focused on the cold noodles solely with that thought in mind.

Min Sung emptied the bowl in no time.

The portion was a little small, but as Ho Sung Lee said, there would be food at the party, so it was unnecessary to fill his stomach to the brim.

Min Sung wiped his mouth with a tissue and got up.

When he gave the owner his credit card, she laughed.

"How was your meal?"

"It was delicious," Min Sung said with a dry yet brighter tone.

"I'll take your money next time. You saved the world, for Christ's sake. This is the least I can do."

When Min Sung hesitated with his card in his hand, the owner laughed and pushed his hand back.

"Get going. It was an honor to meet you, Sir."

The owner bowed so deeply that he could see the top of her head.

Min Sung stared at the owner and then bowed before leaving the shop.

***

The Korea Grand Party attended by Min Sung Kang and the world hunters took place in the most luxurious building in Gangnam.

There was a red carpet at the entrance of the building, and around the barricade were countless reporters.

The reporters were allowed to enter the party at 10.

That meant they could only capture Min Sung for a short while before 10, but the reporters gathered around the building anyway.

As the time approached closer to 6, the reporters learned that the famous people were about to arrive.

They hurriedly checked their cameras and fought over the best spots.

There were just 30 minutes left before 6 o'clock.

A black sedan arrived in front of the red carpet, and the guest got out.

It was a famous announcer who would host today's event.

As soon as she got out of the car and walked the red carpet, the camera flashes continuously went off.

She almost made the place look like a film festival.

After that, the VIP Korea Grand Party guests arrived one by one.

People from all over the world attended, making it hard to believe it was a Korean event.

Celebrities from all over the world with money and authority attended.

Celebrities from both Korea and other countries could be seen.

Amongst them were really famous celebrities who were invited to the great party.

Even famous Victoria X models walked the red carpet toward the party hall.

Countless celebrities appeared one after the other, followed by the world hunters.

Flashes went off everywhere.

Unlike celebrities, the world hunters didn't show off happy facial expressions.

Since they were about to be criticized by the media, the world hunters looked as if they were getting dragged to their deaths.

For that reason,

they didn't enjoy the cameras and headed over to the party hall in a hurry.

A moment later, when most of the VVIP members had stepped on the red carpet.

There were just 5 minutes until 6 o'clock

The Central Institute general, Ji Yoo Kim, and Ho Sung Lee got out of their car.

The reporters showed great interest.

The person of biggest interest was Min Sung Kang, but the Central Institute and Ho Sung Lee were also hot topics of conversation.

For that reason, Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee's appearance elicited a hot reaction.

The reporters even fought for the best spots so that they could take good photos.

Meanwhile, Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee waited for Min Sung to arrive.

Ho Sung Lee looked uncomfortable about the interest he was getting from reporters, but Ji Yoo Kim had more experience, so she smiled in a comfortable manner.

While Ho Sung Lee waited for Min Sung to arrive, an exhaust sound could be heard from somewhere nearby.

It sounded like the exhaust sound from a supercar.

In response, the reporters tensed up and kept their focus.

A moment later, a flat supercar—R12—arrived in front of the red carpet while letting out loud exhaust noises.

As soon as the car stopped, the flashes went off even before he got out of the car.

The way the reporters captured him proved that they were willing to waste film just to get the best shot.

Snap- Snap! Snap! Snap!

The spotlight flashed continuously.

And when Min Sung got out from the driver's seat, the flashes went over at an even faster pace.

Min Sung walked to the red carpet underneath the overwhelming flashes.

Min Sung looked so good in his black suit that he almost looked like a living God.

The people who were gathered there stared at Min Sung, who flaunted a thin physique, a tall height, and a handsome face.

Min Sung didn't mind the people around him as he stepped onto the red carpet.

Ji Yoo Kim and Ho Sung Lee followed Min Sung's lead.

Min Sung walked toward the party hall confidently while the reporters showered him with interest.

***

Min Sung continued to walk the red carpet regardless of all the attention.

The countless flashes lit Min Sung as he walked into the party hall.

As soon as Min Sung entered, the famous celebrities smiled at Min Sung and clapped.

The applause came from all four directions.

It was fascinating.

He had returned from the Demonic Realm after 100 years.

The world had gone mad and living on despite the possibility that he was mad too could have caused an imbalance in the ecosystem, but the reality was different.

This hilarious world was treating him like a hero.

He simply didn't want anyone to disturb his relationship with food, but it escalated to this extent.

And what was about to happen next… all started from his hopes that he could live on in a world that he enjoyed living in.

If that was the case…

He had no choice but to use them to some extent.

That was the most convenient way.

And humans only saw what they wanted to see.

That was how the mad world was still functioning.

Min Sung continued to walk.

The celebrities, who were watching, Min Sung, made way for him to walk through.

Min Sung stood in front of the long table.

While countless famous celebrities watched, Min Sung opened a champagne bottle with a straight face and poured himself a glass.

And when he lifted his glass, the celebrities also filled their glasses.

The celebrities focused their eyes on Min Sung while holding their breath.

Min Sung lifted his glass even higher and then chugged the whole glass.

The celebrities smiled brightly and drank after him.

The most famous celebrities in the world began following Min Sung's lead.

Just like that, Min Sung Kang's party began

***

Ho Sung Lee rubbed his eyes with both his hands.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

'Is that really Min Sung Kang?'

He asked himself over and over inside his head.

Min Sung Kang had greeted many famous people and was now surrounded by Korean celebrities, Victoria underwear models, and Hollywood actors.

To Ho Sung Lee, Min Sung surrounded by the most successful women made him look like a God.

'Why are there so many incredible women around that sterile man?!'

He was jealous beyond belief.

On top of that, Min Sung hid his cold personality and showed off a soft and likable facial expression.

It was just slight, but to Ho Sung Lee, it looked extreme.

After all, Ho Sung Lee knew Min Sung Kang better than anyone.

'Why is he letting his guard down around women?'

'I thought that was the reason why he got so strong!'

'… Oh!'

Ho Sung Lee was shocked for a moment.

'Oh yeah…'

'That's what Min Sung meant.'

When he thought about it further, he realized that that was just the process of how he became strong.

Min Sung Kang was already strong.

He was so strong that no one could mess with him.

Especially now that the Black Tower and the dungeons were gone, Min Sung had no one to be afraid of.

Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung with a pale face and sighed in jealousy.

He was a man who had everything.

That was Min Sung Kang.

Ho Sung Lee drank Tequila straight from the bottle out of jealousy and coughed it all out.

Chapter 165: Chapter 165

While Min Sung Kang drew everybody's attention, the American hunter master, Ethan, made the world hunters gather around him.

They sighed in front of Ethan.

And then a moment later, the world hunters began to talk.

"He'll definitely try to make a deal for the sedative and recipe, but I have no idea what he'll ask for in return."

"If he tries to make a deal with our lives, how about we try to taint Min Sung Kang's image through the media?"

"That's not a bad idea. If we shake up Min Sung Kang's image, who's perceived as a hero right now…"

Ethan scanned the world hunters with a frustrated look on his face.

In response, the world hunters backed down.

"Does it look like he would get taken down by the media? Don't you know his personality?"

The world hunters grew silent.

"He'd go down on us as soon as he realized we were after him. You can't handle that."

"…"

The world hunters avoided Ethan's gaze.

Ethan sighed deeply and knitted his brows at Min Sung, who was surrounded by all sorts of celebrities.

"I don't know how much he's going to ask for in exchange for the sedative, but we'll have to go along with it."

In response to Ethan, the hunters grimaced in disgust.

The world hunters then chugged their glasses of alcohol.

***

"I've heard some rumors that you're limited in function as a man… Is that true?"

One of the top Victoria underwear models scanned Min Sung up and down as she asked.

Her words ridiculed him, but her eyes were seductive.

She sent him an enchanting look, and she tilted her body to show off her sexy breasts and hips.

Min Sung drank his single malt contained in a straight glass as he stared at the model.

As soon as their eyes met, her face turned red, and she smiled to show her white teeth.

She had a perfect smile that could win any man over, but Min Sung slowly leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"Your stocking is ripped. I see you're excited, but if you were going to rip them, you should have done it in bed. Go and drink some water to calm yourself down."

Min Sung tapped the Victoria model on the shoulder and walked off to call over an employee.

"Where's the world hunter meeting being held?"

Min Sung asked.

"The 12th floor. Let me show you to the elevator," the employee said as he led the way.

Min Sung walked off with the employee while the celebrities kept their eyes on his back.

Meanwhile, the Victor model watched him with a brightly flushed face.

***

The world hunters all sat down.

But the head seat in the VVIP meeting room was empty.

That was Min Sung's seat.

The world hunters watched for Min Sung to appear in silence

Tick tock-

They had agreed to meet at 7 o'clock.

But 5 minutes, 10, minutes, 15 minutes…

30 minutes had passed, but Min Sung still wasn't there.

The world hunters showed stiffened looks on their faces.

They were already pressed as it was, so Min Sung not showing up made them feel tortured inside.

Since their lives were on the line, every single minute felt painful.

"Why don't we get someone to check up on him…?"

When one of the world hunters from the Middle East spoke up, Ethan shook his head.

"He might be testing us. Let's just wait. We have to be patient."

In response to the American master, Ethan, the world hunters all looked at their watches and let out groans.

***

Min Sung was standing next to where the food was set up.

He scanned the food with sparkling eyes.

As for the employee who was showing him to the world hunter meeting room, he was just standing and idling by, breaking out in cold sweat.

But Min Sung didn't care as his eyes remained fixed on the table of food.

There were roasted mushrooms as well as roasted bell peppers and asparagus.

Since he had cold noodles that weren't very filling, Min Sung gained his appetite again, making the lobster cheese under his eyes look delicious.

The cheese was melted on top of the lobster, and a sauce was spilled

all over it.

Min Sung gulped at the sliced up lobster.

When he grabbed a fork and stabbed it into the body of the lobster, a piece came out easily.

The sauce was right next to it, so Min Sung dipped it and put it straight into his mouth.

The meat of the lobster was chewy, and the cheesy flavors spread throughout his entire mouth, among the scent of butter that took over his nose.

'It's delicious.'

The combination of cheese, butter, and sauce were unbelievable.

He didn't taste any oiliness. It was sweet, and the sauce tickled his nose with its pleasant flavors.

'This is so good'

Min Sung was entranced as he took his second bite.

This portion included internal organs, so it was sweet and bitter in the most perfect way.

The scent of the internal organs was a work of art.

Min Sung smacked his lips even while eating the lobster.

It was similar to shrimp but still different.

While shrimp exploded in a light flavor, this one felt like the flavors were exploding at a much higher intensity.

Min Sung enjoyed the flavors and then draw some red wine to get rid of some of the oiliness.

The heavy red wine absorbed into his tongue from all surfaces.

Some of the scent remained in his nose and left in a long enjoyable fashion.

'… This is crazy.'

Min Sung knitted his brows and looked at the wine bottle.

French wine.

He didn't know much about wine, but Min Sung thought that this one was an impressive wine.

Min Sung memorized the name of the wine. He wiped his mouth and hands with a wet wipe and turned around.

Countless celebrities were watching him blankly.

Min Sung threw away his wet wipe and lifted his chin at the employee who was standing next to him.

The employee then began leading the way.

At that point, Min Sung got on the elevator and headed over to the meeting with the world hunters.

***

Min Sung walked through the automatic doors and entered the meeting room.

As soon as Min Sung appeared, the world hunters all stood up.

The world hunters greeted him, but Min Sung didn't look at them and just passed by.

Min Sung sat down at the head of the long table and slumped down.

When Min Sung sat down and stared at the world hunters, the world hunters minded him with nervous eyes.

"Are you going to keep standing there?"

Min Sung asked.

The language watch was activated and began translating his language, and in response, the hunters coughed and sat down with troubled faces.

"…"

The room was filled with awkward silence.

Everyone looked like they were sitting on thrones, and Min Sung was the only one who looked comfortable.

And Min Sung's level of comfort made the world hunters feel even more uncomfortable.

Min Sung leaned his back into his chair. He tapped on the table with his index finger and scanned the hunters before laughing.

"You know what this feels like?"

In response to Min Sung's question, all of the world hunters looked at Min Sung.

Min Sung continued,

"You look like a bunch of homeless mutts here to mooch off a good meal."

In response, some of the world hunters laughed bitterly while some looked insulted.

The American master, Ethan, just stared at the table without a word.

Min Sung slowly got up. He put his hands in his pockets and then sat close to American master, Ethan.

Min Sung looked down at Ethan.

Ethan continued to look at the table, but his facial expression changed.

Min Sung's gaze grew colder and colder.

Ethan's face started to sweat and then he scratched his neck and coughed. He loosened his necktie and then looked up to glance at Min Sung.

"Ahem…"

Ethan coughed and grimaced as if Min Sung's gaze was uncomfortable.

Min Sung lifted his gaze and scanned the world hunters.

"You probably want to take the sedative. You don't have much time. And I'm sure you don't want to keep coming to me to get your snack," Min Sung said.

"What we want is the recipe to the sedative. Please tell me what you want," Ethan said with a stiffened face.

The facial expressions of all of the world hunters were identical.

They all looked like they were ready for a huge accident.

Min Sung slowly got up from the table and sat back in his head seat.

The room grew silent.

The world hunters were quiet in a dark, heavy, and uncomfortable way.

They had no choice but to accept any condition Min Sung presented.

That was their reality.

"No need to be so anxious," Min Sung continued.

"Even though you worked with Samchunkyo to kill me…"

Min Sung's words chilled the air.

The world hunters held their breaths. They widened their eyes, and their hearts began pounding faster.

Their anxiousness grew worse and worse.

Min Sung leaned over to put his elbows on the table and looked at the world hunters with a softer gaze.

"It's too tiring to kill all of you. Who would do all of the dirty work for me?"

In response, the world hunters gulped.

"Listen up," Min Sung continued.

"I'm going to give you an order, and if anything gets in the way of the process, I'll exclude that entire country."

In response, the world hunters all focused their eyes on Min Sung.

They were curious and anxious to find out what process he was talking about.

Just as they always were.

"What are you going to ask us to do?"

Ethan asked Min Sung as a representative of the world hunters.

The uneasy atmosphere of the meeting room reached its peak since Min Sung first arrived.

Chapter 166: Chapter 166

Min Sung took off his elbows from the table. He straightened his back and caught his breath.

"The Black Tower I cleared was just the test server. That means the real game will begin soon. I'll probably bring down that tower too, but if those bastards pop out, we need a line of defense. So we need to set that up."

Min Sung's words were shocking.

How could such a difficult Black Tower be nothing but a test server?

That meant without Min Sung Kang, the world was easily going to come to an end.

"My condition is that while I build the defense line in Korea, you provide all of the supplies that we need. Everything that we need."

It was a rational proposal.

The cost of providing materials was going to be astronomical, but since that was also for the good of the world's peace, it was a plausible agreement.

The problem was that that wasn't the condition of the deal, but their future.

From this point forward, it wasn't a matter of greed, but a matter of survival.

The world hunters grew silent at the unexpected situation.

And the person who broke that silence was American master, Ethan.

"Are you saying providing materials to Korea's line of defense is the best strategy?"

Min Sung nodded.

"Is that all you want?"

"Each country must deposit 10% of its national defense budget into my account, and in return, I won't get involved in the war."

What Min Sung just proposed had nothing to do with the sedative.

The power that Min Sung had alone was the most powerful in the world.

For that reason, saying he wasn't going to be involved meant that he would take his foot out of the world's politics.

And the national defense budget was to be deposited in the case of a war.

Min Sung's revelation that he had no intention of having a war meant that he didn't want to disturb the world's peace, which meant that he was abandoning his greed to rule over the world.

Min Sung Kang not using his power was going to be exchanged for a tithe.

But this wasn't a matter that could be interpreted in such a simple manner.

This meant that it was still a possibility that Min Sung Kang would abandon his home country and step into a different path.

So this also meant that the person, Min Sung Kang, could be set up as its own country.

Since 10% of their national defense budget was a great sum of money even for America, the world hunters were unable to say anything.

"No negotiations. Take it or leave it," Min Sung stressed.

"Will you give us some time to discuss it?"

Min Sung asked.

"How long?"

"1 hour."

"Send me the decision via text, and if you decide to accept my conditions, prepare the contract by tomorrow. Let me repeat. No negotiations."

Min Sung loosened his necktie and walked out of the meeting room.

As soon as Min Sung left, the meeting room suffocated in silence.

A moment later, someone let out a sigh.

***

Min Sung rented out the entire dessert lounge.

He called Ji Yoo Kim by the window-covered wall and told her to meet him in the lounge, and then he looked out into the grass and trees beyond the glass.

Even if they set up a line of defense for when the Demonic Realm began showing itself for real, there was bound to be damage.

It was possible that the line of defense would be quickly defeated as well.

But even so.

Min Sung's eyes grew dark.

'I can't let this vibrant world… go down because of those dirty bastards.'

'I'm going to make sure I kill every single one of them.'

Min Sung's eyes grew colder than ever before as he looked out at the grass and trees.

***

Ji Yoo Kim took a deep breath before knocking and then headed inside.

Min Sung was sitting in a chair with his legs crossed as he looked out the window.

Ji Yoo Kim watched him for a while, but when Min Sung looked back at her, she lowered her gaze and sat across from him.

Ji Yoo Kim quietly looked at Min Sung and waited for him to say something.

"You must be curious why I didn't call you to the meeting," Min Sung said.

Ji Yoo Kim smiled and shook her head.

"I don't know when."

Min Sung

looked out the window and continued,

"But the ones from the Demonic Realm will come pouring out soon," Min Sung calmly explained.

Ji Yoo Kim's face stiffened.

"I'm going to set up a defense line, and the other hunter countries will provide us with the supplies we need."

Ji Yoo Kim continued to listen without a word.

"If the world hunters accept my proposal, that is. But they will. They have no other choice. They're probably discussing it as we speak."

"…"

"The Central Institute men will be dispatched to create a defense line against the devils."

"If we do, how long can we last?"

Ji Yoo Kim asked.

"It'll go down. But we don't know how long it'll be before it does," Min Sung replied.

Ji Yoo Kim showed a worried look on her face.

"They'll probably get through the defense line."

Ji Yoo Kim gulped and stared at Min Sung.

Min Sung continued,

"But I won't just sit back and watch. The defense line is simply to buy us some time. But that alone has meaning."

Ji Yoo Kim stared at Min Sung.

"Thank you."

Min Sung, who looked at the scenery across the window smirked.

"Don't misunderstand me. I'm doing all of this for myself in the end."

"I know."

Min Sung looked back at Ji Yoo Kim.

She was smiling.

"But I'm still thankful. And I'm going to protect us. Like you said, we won't last long. But still. We'll do our best to protect this world."

Min Sung stared at Ji Yoo Kim and then looked down with a sigh.

"Well, I don't want to do this…"

Min Sung closed his mouth for a moment and then looked at Ji Yoo Kim straight in the eyes.

"But I'll just have to trust you on this one."

In response, Ji Yoo Kim looked at Min Sung with a warm gaze.

But Min Sung avoided her and got up.

"As soon as the world hunters decide, you'll get a call as well. Get moving as soon as you get the message. We don't know when they'll show up."

Ji Yoo Kim looked out the window with many emotions going through her mind.

"They might even appear before we come up with the defense line."

Min Sung also looked out the window with her.

After a moment of silence…

"That's the worst-case scenario. If that happens, we'll have to find another way to buy some time."

Ji Yoo Kim nodded at Min Sung.

"Okay."

Min Sung looked into space.

"If they appear before we have a defense line…"

Min Sung grimaced.

"I'm afraid of that, too."

Min Sung turned around.

Ji Yoo Kim watched as Min Sung left the lounge and smiled bitterly.

That man was the only reason why this world still had hope.

Ji Yoo Kim slowly got up and looked up at the moon in the sky.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect this world. We're weak compared to Min Sung, but still."

Ji Yoo Kim stared at the moon with determined dyes.

"We'll do our best so that you can fight with us backing you up."

Ji Yoo Kim let out a smile.

"I promise you that."

As soon as she said that.

Her phone rang.

Ji Yoo Kim took out her phone and checked her message.

The world hunters all agreed to Mr. Min Sung Kang's proposal. The hunter countries will all supply Korea with the materials they need. Prepare the defense line right away.

Ji Yoo Kim clenched her phone and ran out of the lounge.

***

Ho Sung Lee sniffled as he looked around him.

He was on the building's rooftop overlooking a spectacular view.

Min Sung was enjoying the scenery at the railing when Ho Sung Lee ran over in response to Min Sung's call.

Ho Sung Lee had no choice but to wait because Min Sung continued to look at the view without a word.

A moment later.

"Ho Sung," Min Sung finally called.

Ho Sung Lee gulped and took a few steps forward.

"Yes, Sir."

"Is there a problem with my personality?"

"… Pardon?"

"Don't make me ask twice."

Min Sung looked back at Ho Sung Lee with a frightening look.

Ho Sung Lee gasped and broke out into cold sweat.

"That's such a weird question…"

"I already know. For example, when I deal with you."

Ho Sung Lee scratched his head.

"So are you asking me if there's a problem with your personality when you deal with other average people?"

"Something like that."

'Just tell me straight up if that's right or not, damn it.'

'But should I tell him the truth about this?'

When Ho Sung Lee was having such thoughts.

"Just be honest."

"You won't like it though…"

"The formal interview will start soon. I just don't want to do anything to delay the process with a useless issue, that's all."

"Oh… I see."

Ho Sung Lee had also heard.

About Min Sung's plan.

Min Sung thought that they had to rush to create a defense line since they had no idea when the devils would invade.

He must have been anxious about dragging on time with small problems because he didn't want the devils to arrive before there was a line of defense.

'There's nothing fascinating about this though.'

'He just wants to protect the restaurants.'

'What else is new?'

"Tell me, Ho Sung," Min Sung pressed as he looked out into the scenery.

"I can be honest, right? You're not going to push me off the roof or beat me to death, right…?"

"I promise I won't."

Ho Sung Lee fell into deep thought and then made a decision.

It was his duty to tell him the truth about his personality before letting him go to a formal meeting.

Ho Sung Lee breathed in and then opened his mouth.

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