Free Web NovelHeaven’s Church Main Headquarters.
For the annual mass wedding ceremony held every year, Han Hyunsoo was changing clothes with the help of several female believers.
“Leader, the atmosphere within the Japanese branch has become unusual.”
Standing stiffly beside him, his secretary spoke while flipping through a small notebook.
“What? What about the Japanese branch?”
“They are openly expressing that they do not recognize your authority.”
“What? Which bastards dare?”
Han Hyunsoo suddenly twisted his body sharply toward the secretary.
The believer dressing him was flung aside.
Yet Han Hyunsoo paid no attention to the fallen believer and shouted angrily.
“Who dares disrespect the main headquarters!”
“Most of the senior leadership of the Japanese branch have officially sent notice to the Korean branch stating they demand the reinstatement of President Han Sungjin. Otherwise... the Japanese branch intends to withdraw from the Korean headquarters and reestablish itself independently as a religious body devoted to President Han Sungjin.”
Han Hyunsoo’s face twisted violently. Frowning deeply, he muttered,
“What? Go independent and do what? How am I supposed to reinstate my father? The prosecution locked him up. Why the hell are they screaming at me?”
“My apologies.”
Han Hyunsoo scratched his head and began spewing curses for quite some time.
The secretary and the believers stood nearby, heads bowed, unable to say a word.
“Find out who’s trying something behind my father’s back. You’re keeping constant watch on my mother and my brothers’ movements, right?”
“Yes. They have not left the sacred grounds in Gapyeong. Both brothers and your mother remain there.”
“Sacred grounds my ass. Report to me every time they step outside, and make sure a watcher rides with them.”
“Yes, Leader.”
There was nothing about Han Hyunsoo that resembled a religious leader.
Anyone watching would have mistaken him for a gangster.
“Japan is a core region of Heaven’s Church. If we lose that, we’re finished. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, Leader.”
“The ordinary believers won’t know any of this... Seems to me the Japanese leadership is playing tricks.”
Heaven’s Church had been founded by a Korean on Korean soil.
Yet strangely, it had more followers abroad—particularly in Japan and the United States—than in Korea itself.
Among them, the Japanese branch was by far the largest.
“Father isn’t getting out of prison while he’s still alive. Set up meetings with the Japanese leadership. If they want something, we’ll give it to them.”
Just mentioning his father seemed to give Han Hyunsoo a headache.
Han Sungjin. Han Sungjin.
The founder had gone to prison, and Han Hyunsoo had taken the successor’s seat—but he had not yet fully secured control over the church.
His father’s shadow still lingered heavily throughout the organization.
“If I have to do whatever it takes to secure legitimacy, then I will. If not me, who will protect this church?”
“That’s right. You are the Messiah and the Truth.”
Han Hyunsoo cast a sinister look at the flattering secretary, then spoke to the believers.
“You all get out. Come back when I call.”
When the room emptied, Han Hyunsoo headed toward his bed with the secretary.
* * *
I spent the night at the headquarters of the Yamaguchi-gumi.
When morning came and I opened the door, the garden bathed in sunlight filled my view.
“Not bad.”
The garden was beautiful enough to make yesterday’s unpleasantness fade away.
Tall trees rose between carefully arranged spaces, and a cool breeze flowed through them, brushing gently against my face.
I stepped out and sat directly on the wooden floor, quietly admiring the scenery.
Colorful flowers, low-cut grass, and meticulously maintained trees formed a harmonious composition.
“Please enjoy it with some refreshments.”
The woman who had guided the guards yesterday approached with a tray.
Hearing familiar Korean, I nodded with a faint smile.
“I’ll bring tea as well. Please enjoy the refreshments while you wait.”
She knelt beside me and began preparing the tea.
She seemed slightly uncomfortable moving in a yukata.
‘She said she was a Zainichi Korean.’
I wondered why she was here.
How had a Zainichi Korean ended up working inside the Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters?
“What’s your name?”
She paused and looked straight into my eyes.
“Masako.”
“You said you’re Zainichi Korean. Don’t you have a Korean name?”
“Kim Seonggyeong.”
“Miss Seonggyeong. How did you end up working here?”
“....”
She did not answer.
Either she did not want to speak, or there was a complicated story behind it. I decided there was no need to pry further.
“I’m just glad to meet someone from home in a place like this. If you ever need help, say so. We’re of the same people. It must not have been easy living in Japan as a Zainichi Korean.”
Her eyes trembled briefly, but she said nothing. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
I returned my gaze to the garden.
Soon she handed me the tea, and I enjoyed the sweets she had prepared.
“Boss.”
After some time, Manager Ma emerged from the next room.
“You’re up, Manager?”
“I woke earlier. I was reviewing materials that came from Black Bear.”
“Already? They arrived fast.”
I extended my hand, and he handed me the laptop.
I opened it and placed it on my lap.
“Use this.”
Kim Seonggyeong quietly placed a small tea table beside me.
After thanking her, I moved the laptop onto it and began reading.
Manager Ma had already organized and opened the files for me.
I read slowly. When I had gone through about half, a warm cup of tea was placed beside me.
She had set it down silently.
She remained kneeling nearby, careful not to disturb me.
‘She’s perceptive.’
The tea had a pleasant aroma. I took a sip and continued reading.
By the time the green tea had cooled completely, I had finished reviewing everything Black Bear sent.
“Han Sungjin is just an excuse. In the end, they’re fighting over their own rice bowls.”
I closed the laptop with a dry laugh.
Heaven’s Church was a mess internally.
The headquarters was in Korea, but the largest power base was Japan.
Over five hundred thousand registered followers.
No wonder Japanese politicians couldn’t ignore them.
They even believed in a pseudo-religion. These were not rational people.
If the church ordered them to die, many would obey.
The Japanese branch leadership was now scheming to break away from Korea and pursue an independent path.
Now I understood why Hiroyuki had made such a ridiculous proposal.
He was behind them.
“They pretended to be loyal believers, but they were thinking something else behind the scenes.”
As I stood, Kim Seonggyeong rose as well and placed slippers on the stone step for me.
“Please don’t follow. I need to think.”
I walked toward the artificial pond in the garden.
Reaching it, I looked down at the koi swimming lazily.
‘They dare try to use me?’
I didn’t like Hiroyuki’s manner at all.
I had thought he was simply a fanatic ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) devoted to Han Sungjin.
Learning it had all been calculated left a bitter taste.
Even the look in his eyes now seemed like acting.
This is why you never trust the Japanese.
“Manager.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“What should we do with Hiroyuki?”
“Do as you wish.”
Manager Ma answered steadily behind me.
I smiled faintly.
“Do as I wish...”
Thunk.
The bamboo water fountain in the pond clacked as water spilled from it.
The sound cut through my thoughts.
“I suppose we should do something good for Prime Minister Koizumi.”
Unintentionally, I might end up easing his burden.
After standing there for quite some time forming a plan, I turned back.
When I returned to the annex, Kim Seonggyeong was still kneeling on the wooden floor, waiting.
Keeping my gaze on her, I asked Manager Ma,
“What do you think of that woman? I think she’d do well if we took her to Korea and put her to work.”
Manager Ma looked at her briefly.
“I’ll look into her.”
“No need. We can just ask the owner.”
In the distance, Yamamoto was walking toward us.
“President Kim Muhyuk, did you sleep well?”
“Very comfortably, thanks to you.”
I smiled casually, then glanced around.
“Waking up to such a quiet garden is quite pleasing. I’ve decorated my own place, but compared to this, it’s embarrassing.”
“If you wished, you could build something far grander.”
That was true.
“Let’s eat first.”
He cleared his throat.
“Later. Let’s talk first.”
I led him into the room I had slept in.
Kim Seonggyeong followed with refreshments.
“Please step outside for a moment.”
“Yes.”
She withdrew quietly.
I turned to Yamamoto.
“How did she end up here?”
He burst into laughter.
“Did Masako catch your interest? You should’ve said so last night.”
What is this idiot thinking?
“What nonsense are you spouting? I’m asking because I’m curious how a Zainichi Korean ended up in a yakuza den. Don’t cross the line. Just answer.”
He smiled awkwardly.
“If I were to tell the full story of the women here, it would take half a day.”
“Summarize.”
“She was sold here to pay her parents’ gambling debts. She was a top student at the University of Tokyo.”
“The University of Tokyo?”
“That’s what I’ve heard.”
A woman who attended the University of Tokyo, now serving in a yakuza headquarters.
“Why?”
“She’s perceptive. Works well.”
Yamamoto nodded.
“She’s intelligent. Speaks five languages. Whenever we receive important guests, she handles them. She’s valuable.”
“Give her to me.”
“...What?”
“I’ll take her to Korea.”
Yamamoto went silent.
I smirked.
“What? You don’t like that?”
“No, of course not. As you wish.”
Fear works quickly.
“What about her parents?”
“Dead. She’s effectively alone. Her father was once a prominent Zainichi Korean businessman. Lost everything gambling. His wife killed herself. The daughter ended up here.”
“Life is unpredictable.”
Hiroyuki included.
“Now then. Let’s get to the point.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s kill Hiroyuki.”
“...What?”
“Kill Hiroyuki. And Takayama as well.”
