Free Web NovelHan Hyunsoo, the current leader of Heaven’s Church, arrived at Osaka Airport.
Yet not a single person from the Japanese branch had come to greet him.
“Hah... look at these bastards.”
Han Hyunsoo clicked his tongue and frowned. He recalled the words the Japanese branch leadership had sent.
‘If you wish to speak with us, come directly to the Japanese branch. We have no reason to visit the Korean branch.’
They did not refer to the Korean headquarters of Heaven’s Church as the headquarters.
Instead, they called it the Korean branch.
Han Hyunsoo clicked his tongue again, fully aware of what that implied.
The sheer audacity of refusing dialogue unless he personally came to Japan angered him deeply.
And to think they dared to order him—the current leader—to come and go at their command.
It infuriated him, but he ultimately decided to visit the Japanese branch in order to talk.
However, he did not want the believers to know he was going to Japan. So he entered the country quietly, accompanied only by his secretary and a single attendant to drive.
“Hey. Where’s the car?”
“It’s waiting outside.”
“Then move. Let’s go see those rare, arrogant faces of theirs and have a talk.”
As Han Hyunsoo strode forward, his secretary and attendant followed behind.
Once outside the airport, he scanned the surroundings. The car that was supposedly waiting was nowhere to be seen.
“What the hell? Where’s the car?”
“Ah, please wait just a moment.”
The attendant spoke politely and ran off somewhere. Left alone with his secretary, Han Hyunsoo turned to her.
“What the hell do you think these bastards are trying to pull?”
“Even when the former President was alive, there were many in the Japanese branch who consistently claimed they were separate from the Korean branch. However, while the President was still there, those opinions never gained real strength...”
The secretary trailed off, glancing carefully at Han Hyunsoo.
“Hey! Just say it.”
“I’m sorry. Since you took the position of leader, the separatist faction seeking to split the Japanese branch has gained much stronger momentum.”
“Why? I carry my father’s blood too. What’s the problem?”
“...It’s not about legitimacy. It seems they know that Kim Muhyuk supported your rise.”
“Hah...”
Han Hyunsoo pressed his forehead. Grinding his teeth, he lashed out at the innocent secretary.
“Did I have a choice? They were on the verge of wiping Heaven’s Church off the map in Korea! I simply chose to join hands with him. Is that such a great sin?”
“No. Most people would think as you do. But the Japanese branch appears to be seizing on that point.”
“Wait. The ordinary believers don’t even know much about Kim Muhyuk. So is this just the leadership stirring things up among themselves?”
“That seems to be the case.”
The ambiguous response triggered his temper.
“‘Seems’? ‘Seems’? What kind of vague answer is that? Does that mean you haven’t grasped anything clearly?!”
“...I’m sorry.”
“Damn it! I ought to just—!”
Han Hyunsoo raised his hand sharply. Seeing his hand lifted high, the secretary squeezed her eyes shut.
At that exact moment, the attendant pulled up with the car.
Han Hyunsoo lowered his hand and cleared his throat.
“Get it together. You’re the only person I trust. If you’re like this, how am I supposed to rely on you? Right?”
“I apologize, Leader.”
“Since I came all the way here on your advice, there’d better be some change. If not, I won’t let it slide. They dared to make me come all this way for nothing.”
“I’m sure a good outcome awaits.”
“Yeah. Open the door.”
The secretary opened the door, and Han Hyunsoo climbed into the vehicle.
She closed it quietly so it wouldn’t slam.
As she turned and moved to the passenger seat, her eyes flashed coldly.
* * *
To prepare for any unforeseen incidents, one Black Bear mercenary team and one Chunha Group combat team had entered Japan.
They were scattered across lodgings throughout Kyoto, waiting for my orders.
When I finished reviewing every aspect of the plan and most preparations were complete, I received a call from Yamamoto.
— President Kim Muhyuk.
I had clearly told him not to contact me until I reached out first.
“What is it? I said I would call when necessary. Did Takayama run away or something?”
— No. It seems Hiroyuki contacted Takayama.
“Hiroyuki?”
He must be desperate. For a Chief Cabinet Secretary to reach out first to an underboss.
“Why? Did he tell him to come see me again?”
— No. He asked him to do a job.
A job?
If it was something he wanted to entrust to the yakuza, it couldn’t possibly be good.
I narrowed my eyes.
“Did you share our plan with anyone? Is that why Hiroyuki moved?”
— Absolutely not. I told no one. As you instructed, once all preparations were complete and after I heard from you, I intended to have Takayama arrange the meeting with Hiroyuki.
At least the plan hadn’t leaked.
My plan was to have Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary die amid a yakuza conflict.
At a secret meeting between Takayama and Hiroyuki, yakuza gunmen would storm in and open fire.
They would claim they were targeting Takayama but “accidentally” kill Hiroyuki as well.
Yamamoto had agreed to prepare both the gunmen and the subordinate organization that would [N O V E L I G H T] take the fall afterward.
It was the method that would minimize shock.
Yamamoto would inevitably suffer some damage, but there was no better option.
And yet, I hadn’t anticipated this variable. Hiroyuki’s sudden move caught even me off guard.
“What exactly did Hiroyuki instruct?”
— Well... He asked Takayama to kidnap and handle Han Hyunsoo, the leader of Heaven’s Church.
“What? He told him to kidnap Han Hyunsoo?”
— It seems Han Hyunsoo entered Japan today. Only three of them came—himself, one attendant, and one secretary.
The leader of Heaven’s Church entering Japan without proper security?
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
“As a Chief Cabinet Secretary, he would have quickly obtained the information that Han Hyunsoo entered without security... Are you certain he ordered him to kill Han Hyunsoo?”
— He did not give a direct order to kill. He simply asked that he be “handled appropriately.”
Ridiculous. Telling the yakuza to “handle it appropriately” was no different from saying to kill him quietly without a trace.
“The Japanese branch... No, Hiroyuki has lost his mind. Completely insane.”
The Japanese branch was a problem—but Han Hyunsoo was the bigger problem.
What kind of idiot enters Japan without security?
The leader of a pseudo-religion is bound to have enemies.
Cults destroy individuals, families, even nations.
There was a reason Han Sungjin always traveled with overwhelming security.
He even recruited fanatics as bodyguards willing to die for him.
Pressing my throbbing forehead, I asked Yamamoto again.
“How did they get Han Hyunsoo to come to Japan?”
— Takayama said he does not know.
Of course. Hiroyuki wouldn’t truly trust Takayama enough to share specifics.
But even if Han Hyunsoo was foolish, he wouldn’t have come without thinking.
The Japanese branch must have done something.
“Where did he instruct the kidnapping to take place?”
— He said to take him after he leaves the Japanese branch and heads to his lodging. It seems Han Hyunsoo’s secretary has been bought by the Japanese branch. She is supposed to assist.
“What? Is that true?”
— Since Hiroyuki said it himself, it’s probably true that the secretary has been bought. If someone inside cooperates, a quiet kidnapping is easy.
Now Han Hyunsoo’s behavior makes sense.
Entering Japan with minimal personnel meant he trusted his secretary and attendant.
If even one of them betrayed him, his safety couldn’t be guaranteed.
Especially not here. This wasn’t Korea. It was Japan.
Unless he trusted them completely... or he was simply an idiot.
An idiot who couldn’t even see betrayal from his closest aide.
— President, what shall we do? If we refuse this request, meeting Hiroyuki later may become difficult.
Yamamoto was right.
I tapped my fingers lightly against the table and sank into thought.
If I saved Han Hyunsoo, my plan might be disrupted.
If I let him die, that didn’t sit well either.
If someone worse—some truly deranged fanatic—took the position instead of a greedy, controllable man like Han Hyunsoo, what would become of Heaven’s Church?
If the church couldn’t be eliminated outright, it was better to have a leader driven by ambition rather than faith. Someone who could be manipulated.
At that moment, Kim Seonggyeong gently placed a steaming cup of tea in front of me.
When I stared at her, she spoke softly and lowered her eyes.
“You looked troubled, Boss. It’s a calming tea.”
I gave a faint smile and pressed the mute button. Setting the phone down briefly, I asked her,
“Thank you, Seonggyeong. If it were you, what would you do? If you had to give up one thing to gain another.”
“Boss, do you really have to give one up?”
Instead of answering, I nodded.
She tilted her head slightly, thinking for only a moment.
“But if it’s you, Boss, couldn’t you take both?”
“Normally, yes. But if you absolutely had to choose one, what would you do? Tell me your thought.”
This time she didn’t hesitate.
“If I absolutely had to choose one, I’d choose the irreplaceable one.”
“The irreplaceable one?”
The corner of my mouth lifted involuntarily.
Smart.
She was thinking along the same lines as me.
“Yes. Whether it’s a person or an object, everything has its own value. But those values aren’t equal. If one side is even slightly more valuable, I’d choose the one with higher value.”
Listening to her, I made my decision.
Save Han Hyunsoo.
He had more utility.
I had only asked to hear her perspective. The result was more satisfying than expected.
No matter what she said, I wouldn’t have reversed my decision. But knowing she thought similarly pleased me.
She’s worth cultivating further.
“Thank you for telling me your thoughts.”
“It’s nothing. I just thought that’s what you would choose, Boss.”
I took a sip of the tea she gave me, then picked up the receiver and unmuted the call.
“Yamamoto.”
— Yes, President. I’m listening.
“Let’s accept Hiroyuki’s request. But don’t kill him. Capture him and lock him up. We’ll tell Hiroyuki he’s dead.”
— But Hiroyuki may demand to see the body.
“That would be even better. Hiroyuki will never ask to see the body or confirm the death.”
A seasoned politician would understand the weight of words.
That was why he had used the vague phrase “handle it” instead of explicitly ordering a killing.
If this incident later became public, he’d want an escape route—he could claim he never said to kill him.
He wouldn’t ask to see the corpse. Doing so would make him an accomplice.
“Oh, and you recorded the call between Takayama and Hiroyuki, right?”
— Of course. There’s nothing more foolish than trusting a politician.
If the two of them died, all the secret conversations between Hiroyuki and Takayama would be released to the press.
“So this one was recorded as well?”
— Yes. I received it personally.
“Good. Do you have a quiet warehouse somewhere? A place to hold Han Hyunsoo.”
— No need to worry. We have several warehouses at Kobe Port.
“Perfect. Lock him up there and call me. I’ll come.”
— Understood.
I ended the call and set the phone down.
Suddenly I felt tired. I rolled my neck from side to side and rubbed it.
“It’s always like this. Nothing ever goes exactly as planned when I deal with Japan.”
It seemed Japan and I were fundamentally incompatible.
I turned my gaze to Kim Seonggyeong, who was kneeling beside me.
“What about the list I gave you? Did you check it?”
I had handed her the inventory of the Hussein Collection and told her to give me her opinion.
“Yes. I checked it. I still can’t believe all of that is part of your private collection, Boss. The paintings that were said to have disappeared...”
As she continued speaking, I tilted the teacup toward my lips.
* * *
After leaving the Japanese branch headquarters, Han Hyunsoo kicked the passenger seat and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“You bitch! What the hell did those bastards say? They want to become the true headquarters of Heaven’s Church? Do you think I came all the way to Japan to hear that?!”
The seat rocked violently, the impact jolting the secretary. frёewebηovel.cѳm
“I-I’m sorry. When I was in contact with them, they said they would speak positively. They said if you personally visited, Leader, they would stop making unreasonable demands...”
“What nonsense! Didn’t you see their eyes? The same men who always looked at my father with respect were looking at me with contempt! I should replace every one of them. Turn the car around. I’m going back to Korea. I don’t want to stay in Japan another minute!”
The moment Han Hyunsoo shouted—
A massive impact slammed into the vehicle.
“Aaaagh!!”
Without a seatbelt, Han Hyunsoo was thrown around the back seat and struck his head.
“What the hell! Drive properly, you idiot!”
As the impact subsided and the car came to a stop, he began yelling again.
Blood was running down from his forehead; it seemed he had split it open.
Then another loud crash echoed from the rear seat.
Through the shattered window, men in black suits stood holding various weapons.
The man at the front spoke coldly.
“You’re Han Hyunsoo, right? Get out.”
The atmosphere was unmistakably dangerous.
Han Hyunsoo felt it immediately.
“N-No, you’ve mistaken me.”
One of the men glanced at a photograph and burst out laughing.
“It’s him! What do you mean mistaken? Get out, bastard. Unless you want something broken.”
The yakuza opened the door and dragged Han Hyunsoo out roughly.
The attendant rushed desperately toward him, only to be beaten down mercilessly.
Watching this, the secretary quickly lowered her head.
At the corner of her lips, hidden from view, a faint smile hung.
