Chapter 193
Chapter 193: Chapter 193
***
The doorbell rang.
When he answered the door, Ji Yoo Kim greeted him with a sweet smile.
“What do you want?” Min Sung asked at the front door.
Ji Yoo Kim smiled with a vein popping out of her forehead.
“Can I go inside first?”
Min Sung gestured her to come in with his chin and sat down on the sofa first.
***
“Wow… So this is it. It looks even better in person,” Ji Yoo Kim said as she looked at the mysterious tree on the other side of the window.
“You didn’t come to my house just to see the tree, did you? What are you doing here?” Min Sung asked.
“I did come to see the tree,” Ji Yoo Kim said with a smile.
“Why?”
Ji Yoo Kim replied with a serious look in her eyes, “It’s so coincidental that a mysterious tree like that appeared at a time like this.”
“So?”
“Most importantly, the whole world is interested in this tree right now. Some are even saying it’s protecting this land. There’s no basis for it, but still.”
“What do you need?”
“Research?”
“With whose permission?”
“That’s why I came to ask you .”
“I won’t give you permission. If I do, you’re going to keep coming here, and I don’t like it when people invade my personal space.”
“I’m not asking just for research. Even though the dungeons and towers disappeared, people are still anxious. Actually, they’re left with a lot of side effects.”
Min Sung poked at the mysterious tree in the yard with his finger.
“And that’s going to solve that for you?”
“Of course. People need something to rely on.”
“But why does that have to be my space?”
“That’s what I want to ask.”
Min Sung looked far into the distance
Ji Yoo Kim laughed.
“Please put our world’s people at ease, Min Sung.”
“You’re smooth with your words.”
Ji Yoo Kim laughed bitterly.
“That’s my job as the general of Central Institute.”
Min Sung clicked his tongue. He put his hands in his pocket and slowly got up.
“And what do I get in return?” Min Sung asked Ji Yoo Kim.
Ji Yoo Kim flashed a smile.
“Tell me what you want.”
“A contract.”
“What kind of contract?”
“A promise not to hide anything from me from now on.”
“I don’t have to sign a contract for that…”
“No, people have a tendency to get other thoughts when they feel freer, and that will end up screwing me over.”
“You’re thorough.”
“Regarding the detailed conditions…”
“No, just one condition.”
Min Sung looked at Ji Yoo Kim with cold eyes and continued, “Your life.”
Ji Yoo Kim let out an awkward laugh.
“My life?”
Min Sung took a step closer to Ji Yoo Kim.
“Listen carefully. If you die, Central Institute disappears, and remember that there aren’t many humans who can replace you. Remember that as soon as you die, this country will be doomed.”
“But you’re also someone who’s protecting Korea as well as the world…”
“That’s true, but I might be able to protect the world, but I don’t know about keeping order. I’m not in a place like you to take responsibility.”
Ji Yoo Kim laughed bitterly.
“You’re very threatening.”
“That’s why it’s a contract.”
“Then prepare the contract. I’ll stamp it for you.”
“Make sure that as small number of humans as possible enter my house.”
Ji Yoo Kim smiled and nodded.
“Sure.”
“If that’s it.”
“Can I see the tree before I go?”
Ji Yoo Kim showed a cute and playful look on her face.
Min Sung pointed at the front door with a straight face
Ji Yoo Kim sighed.
“Okay, fine.”
Ji Yoo Kim walked toward the door and then turned around.
“Oh yeah. Where’s Ho Sung?”
“Why?”
Ji Yoo Kim smiled.
***
While Ssol enjoyed his party, Ho Sung Lee smoked a cigarette in the driver’s seat.
As soon as he took a puff, he suddenly remembered something as suffocating and unpleasant as the smoke that came out of his mouth.
It was Min Sung Kang’s words.
‘You’re still weak.’
He felt bothered by it because it sounded like he was calling him useless, and the one who took out the dagger was Woong Jang’s granddaughter, Sia Jang.
She told him that he was worthy just for putting his life on the line to fight.
Those two opinions conflicted inside his head.
It would be best if no more dungeons or towers appeared so that no hunters would be needed, but no guarantees could be made.
Just like how dungeons disappeared and the towers appeared.
For the same reason the citizens were worried, so was Ho Sung Lee.
There was a little difference, but it was ultimately the same thing.
After all, he wasn’t worth as much as one human being to Min Sung Kang.
That was what Ho Sung Lee was the most serious about.
‘How can I resolve this?’
Ho Sung Lee smoked his cigarette and continued to think deeply.
The idea that got in the way of Ho Sung Lee’s thought process was the belief that people don’t change.
Ho Sung Lee threw away his cigarette outside the window with a stiffened face.
‘That just means I have to change.’
He had to change in order to change the situation.
He shut his eyes closed and sighed.
He had to change himself.
Ho Sung Lee opened his eyes and started his car.
***
Ho Sung Lee brought Ssol home.
“We’re back, Sir.”
Min Sung looked at both Ho Sung Lee and Ssol.
Ho Sung Lee was dressed up in a designer striped suit and a proper hairdo.
On the other hand, Ssol was smiling like a fool while looking far into space.
“The monster analysis organization said we can bring Ssol over to meet goblins whenever we want,” Ho Sung Lee explained.
Min Sung looked at Ho Sung Lee and then headed to the garden.
Ho Sung Lee immediately followed.
As soon as Min Sung got to the garden, he immediately looked up at the tree, which was now taller than the house.
“The analysis team of Central Institute will come.”
Ho Sung Lee looked up at the tree with Min Sung.
“Are they going to analyze this tree?”
“Yeah. We’re going to stay somewhere else for the time being. Tell Woong Jang to come with us.”
Ho Sung Lee looked around.
“Um, Sir. Then does that mean Woong Jang’s granddaughter…”
Min Sung glanced over at Ho Sung Lee with sharp eyes.
Ho Sung Lee coughed.
“Do what you want.”
Ho Sung Lee hid his smile and bowed.
“Yes, Sir.”
“But what’s with your outfit. Did you want to go into the dating business since Ssol was going into the market anyway?”
Ho Sung Lee flashed a smile.
“Why can’t I?”
“Well, it’s not that you can’t, but it doesn’t make sense for a human with no talents to start dating.”
“This outfit is my way of saying I’ll do things better from now on. I’m going to change.”
Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung straight in the eyes without looking away.
Min Sung smirked at Ho Sung Lee and walked off.
“We’re going to write up a contract. In return for letting the Central Institute look over that tree, they’re going to promise not to keep any secrets from me, and if they violate it, the general of Central Institute, Ji Yoo Kim’s life is mine.”
Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung with surprised eyes.
“Prepare the contract, stamp it, and send it to Central Institute.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Min Sung entered his bedroom and closed the door.
Ho Sung Lee bowed and then let out a sigh.
“So her life is on the line…”
Ho Sung Lee laughed.
At that moment, his phone rang.
It was Ji Yoo Kim.
Ho Sung Lee went back to the garden and answered it.
“Hello?”
Have you heard from Min Sung?
“Yes, I just did. I’ll see you once I have the contract.”
When will that be?
“How’s tomorrow morning?”
Sounds good to me.
“What time is good for you?”
Any time is fine with me.
“Then how about 9?”
Sure.
“Then see you tomorrow.”
I have something to talk to you about after, so please make some extra time.
Ho Sung Lee tilted his head.
“Something to talk to me about? Is it about Min Sung?”
No, it’s not. See you tomorrow.
“Oh… Okay.”
He hung up.
Ho Sung Lee looked down at his phone in confusion.
“What does General Kim have to say to me?”
Ho Sung Lee thought about it and then forgot about it since he would hear about it tomorrow anyway.
He had to prepare the contract first.
Ho Sung Lee called up a famous law firm.
Hello?
“My name is Ho Sung Lee.”
As soon as he revealed his identity, they redirected him to the CEO.
He soon spoke to the CEO of the law firm, and after telling him he would leave right away, he got his coat and left Min Sung’s house.
***
The next morning.
Ho Sung Lee got his contract and headed to Central Institute.
Ji Yoo Kim greeted him with a bright smile.
“It feels like it’s been a long time.”
Ji Yoo Kim offered a handshake.
Ho Sung Lee shook her hand and sat down.
“What a strange feeling. When we first met here…”
Ho Sung Lee stopped himself when he realized he made a mistake.
“Oh, I wasn’t trying to embarrass you,” Ho Sung Lee said while waving his hands.
Ji Yoo Kim smiled.
“I’ve been regretting the fact that I didn’t protect you. I’m very embarrassed that I tried to send you abroad. I’m the leader of a country, after all.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not at all. I was going to mention that anyway.”
Ho Sung Lee scratched his head and smiled.
“Oh! Here’s the contract.”
He handed her the contract.
“I made it through a major law firm. It has the conditions that you agreed upon, and if there’s an issue, the lawyer is right outside, so we can edit it right away.”
Ji Yoo Kim looked it over and smiled.
“There’s no problem. We’ll have our lawyer check it one last time, but I don’t’ think it’ll need to be edited.”
Ji Yoo Kim set the contract aside and looked at Ho Sung Lee.
“Okay. Now let’s move on to our conversation.”