Free Web NovelA week had passed since Hiroyuki’s death.
Yet even with time, the suspicions and controversies showed no sign of fading.
It had been officially announced that the two bodies found alongside Hiroyuki were yakuza members.
The Metropolitan Police concluded that Hiroyuki had died in an accidental stray-bullet incident during a clash between yakuza groups. They gathered the press and delivered an interim investigation report.
— Accordingly, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki is presumed to have died due to a stray bullet during a conflict between yakuza factions.
Most people did not accept the announcement at face value.
The media raised doubts as well, but they had no concrete evidence — only suspicion.
Japan’s internet, however, was an entirely different world.
All kinds of conspiracy theories were spreading freely, treated as fact without a shred of verification.
Koizumi killed Hiroyuki.
Hiroyuki was originally yakuza.
Hiroyuki isn’t dead at all.
“Interesting. Everyone’s imagination is quite impressive.”
I muttered while scrolling through posts on a Japanese portal site.
Then one particular post caught my eye.
[Hiroyuki’s Death and Heaven’s Church]
Hiroyuki’s death is presumed to be deeply connected to Heaven’s Church. Hiroyuki wanted to seize control of Heaven’s Church and was assassinated by believers who opposed him. Heaven’s Church is currently in extreme internal chaos.
It was a short post — poorly structured, lacking logic.
But if examined closely, it contained details that only an insider of Heaven’s Church could possibly know.
“It hasn’t even started yet, and this is already leaking out.”
The comments were mostly negative. free𝑤ebnovel.com
Some accused the poster of slandering Heaven’s Church. Others said it was disrespectful to drag Hiroyuki into baseless conspiracy theories.
I closed the laptop with a faint chuckle and turned to Manager Ma.
“Today, right?”
“Yes. The Korean special delegation has arrived. Talks are already underway.”
Once it became public that the Seven-Gwanggu would be re-explored, public opinion would turn sour.
If the public uproar intensified, Hiroyuki’s death could easily be buried.
That wouldn’t do.
“Is Yamamoto still at headquarters?”
“Yes. He returned home after police questioning and is currently staying inside headquarters. The organization that Suzue belonged to is already under a sweep operation. Most members have been arrested, but the boss-level figures are on the run.”
As I listened to the report, I tapped my fingers on the desk.
The Seven-Gwanggu issue and negotiations over North Korea’s claims were still pending.
No matter how I thought about it, those matters had to be handled while the major issue of the Chief Cabinet Secretary dying in a yakuza conflict was still dominating headlines.
Since Hiroyuki tried to use me, I intended to use his death down to the bone.
“For now, leak the recording between Hiroyuki and Takayama — but exclude the parts about Heaven’s Church.”
It was not yet time to release anything related to Heaven’s Church.
“Understood, Boss. Have you decided where to leak it?”
It was far more effective to let it explode exclusively in one outlet rather than scatter it everywhere.
That way, the other media companies would scramble to follow up.
“The reporter who questioned Koizumi that day — he was from Yomiuri, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Give it to him. From what I saw, he doesn’t seem the type to play dirty.”
“Understood. I’ll organize it and deliver it within the day.”
“Don’t move personally. Use someone else. It would be a mistake if our identity were exposed.”
“Yes. It’s already arranged.”
I smiled without realizing it.
Manager Ma anticipated my thoughts without needing explicit instructions.
As expected.
Satisfied, I lifted the thick file beside me.
“Good work. Judging by how Heaven’s Church is unfolding, it’s about time to bring Han Hyunsoo into Korea.”
The file contained a detailed internal report on Heaven’s Church.
The mother and the two brothers had split apart, tearing at each other.
Even the believers were divided in two, cursing one another as Satan.
It was complete chaos.
“As expected, the one who colluded with the Japanese branch to kill Han Hyunsoo was Kim Sunja.”
I had suspected as much.
But to think she truly was the mastermind.
She must have desired Heaven’s Church enough to order her own son’s death.
“It’s self-inflicted, but Han Hyunsoo is pitiful.”
He could have killed his mother and brothers.
But he refused to sever familial ties — and nearly died on Japanese soil because of it.
Though once he learned that the woman who gave birth to him had orchestrated everything, living wouldn’t exactly feel like living.
“The smuggling route is fully prepared. If you give the order, he can arrive in Busan as early as tomorrow.”
“Good. If everything’s ready...”
I imagined what would happen once Han Hyunsoo returned to Korea.
Once he appeared alive, the board would flip completely.
He would reunite the divided believers and push out Kim Sunja and the two brothers.
This time, they wouldn’t back down easily.
A fierce internal struggle would erupt.
They would try their utmost to kill one another.
A bloodstorm within the church was inevitable.
“Black Bear is ready?”
“Yes. A Korean team is prepared. Once they receive Han Hyunsoo in Busan, they will stay with him at all times.”
“Tell Chunha Group to be ready as well. For something like this, Chunha Group might suit better than Black Bear.”
If this were simply about killing, Black Bear was enough.
But if not everyone could be eliminated, then fear had to be instilled — fear that retaliation could reach them at any time.
The law may be distant, but fists are close.
No one suited dirty work better than gangsters.
“Yes. I’ll inform them.”
I would leave the Korean branch to Han Hyunsoo and focus on the Japanese branch myself.
“It’s just as much of a mess here.”
Hiroyuki was dead. Heaven’s Church was imploding.
“For a so-called religious organization, they sure play dirty.”
With Hiroyuki gone, the Japanese branch had split in two.
One faction insisted on separating from Heaven’s Church entirely as planned.
The other insisted they could not abandon its roots.
They were fighting # Nоvеlight # fiercely.
When Hiroyuki was alive, the orthodox faction couldn’t raise its head.
Now they could.
The power was evenly split — no clear victor.
“Let’s give strength to this side. I want to meet this man.”
I held up a photograph.
It showed the senior pastor who had opposed Kitamura — the man who had joined hands with Hiroyuki to control the Japanese branch.
“Will you meet him personally?”
“Yes.”
“Understood. I’ll arrange contact.”
“Not yet. Let them fight first.”
Only when someone is cornered at a cliff’s edge does a sweet offer truly work.
Besides, believers rarely think rationally.
“Let’s go see Han Hyunsoo.”
By the time we arrived at Kobe Port, night had fully fallen.
We reached the warehouse where Han Hyunsoo was staying.
Despite headquarters being raided and executives arrested, security here remained airtight.
The yakuza guarding the warehouse recognized me and opened the iron gate.
We drove further inside and stopped in front of the warehouse.
Inside, Han Hyunsoo was eating.
The yakuza had treated him well — he was eating high-end sushi. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
I let out a dry laugh.
Hearing it, Han Hyunsoo looked up and smiled brightly, sushi still in his mouth.
“Oh! President Kim Muhyuk.”
Shaking my head at his theatrics, I sat across from him.
“Keep eating while you listen.”
He tried to put down his chopsticks, but I stopped him.
“In Korea, your mother Kim Sunja and your two brothers are fiercely fighting over succession.”
He chewed slowly, listening carefully.
He seemed unsurprised.
“The collaborator was Kim Sunja.”
“...What?”
His chopsticks froze.
“Your mother — the woman who gave birth to you — ordered your death. Do you not understand?”
“My... mother ordered me killed? Is that true?”
“Yes. Han Hyunwoo has already released all the evidence. A recording.”
I glanced toward Seo Jinju, crouched in the corner with her head buried in her knees.
“Kim Sunja also bribed Seo Jinju. She was the first to move before news of you reached Korea.”
Han Hyunsoo stared blankly.
“A mother tries to kill her son. Sons join hands to kill their mother. That’s the current state of Heaven’s Church. Even if you claim you cannot break familial bonds, you have nowhere left to retreat. Will you still return?”
He slowly put down his chopsticks.
Then spat the food from his mouth onto the floor.
The dullness in his eyes ignited — like a yaksha.
“Is it true that my mother tried to kill me? If that’s a lie...”
“What do I gain by lying? Your life could disappear with a flick of my finger.”
“....”
“So stop your delusions. I’ll ask again. Will you return?”
He nodded firmly.
“Yes. Heaven’s Church is where I belong. I will go.”
“It won’t be like before. The path may be stained with blood. Abandon both human ties and familial ties and seize Heaven’s Church completely. That is why I kept you alive. If you repeat your previous mistake, I will kill you myself.”
“...It will be different.”
His eyes already said so.
“Tomorrow, you’ll take a smuggling vessel to Busan. A mercenary team I hired will be waiting. They’ll assist you in whatever you do. But my help ends there. Everything afterward is yours to resolve. Can you do it?”
“I have to. I must reclaim my place.”
I didn’t know how far his resolve went.
But his voice sounded like he intended to go all the way.
“Good. Rest well tonight.”
I stood without hesitation.
“Wait.”
Han Hyunsoo stopped me.
His gaze wasn’t on me — but on Seo Jinju.
“What will you do with her?”
“Seo Jinju?”
“Yes. Let me handle her.”
I laughed loudly.
“I believe I told you not to concern yourself with her.”
“But—”
“I’ll let her live. She won’t return to Korea. Consider her dead and forget her. Don’t go looking for her later. This isn’t a request. It’s a warning.”
He flinched under my indifferent stare.
“Forget her.”
Leaving the final warning, I turned.
I walked toward Seo Jinju.
“Seo Jinju.”
She lifted her head.
Resentment burned in her eyes.
“Han Hyunsoo returns to Korea tomorrow. But you do not.”
“Kill me. Just kill me.”
“I can’t do that. If you want to die, do it yourself.”
“....”
“Or shall I give you a chance to kill Han Hyunsoo?”
I signaled Manager Ma.
He pulled a knife from his coat and tossed it in front of her.
The sharp blade clattered loudly against the cement floor.
Every gaze in the warehouse turned toward us.
“Kill him yourself. Revenge should be done by your own hands. Right now, you could. No one would help him.”
Han Hyunsoo shot to his feet.
But a yakuza guarding him pressed him back down.
Seo Jinju stared at the knife.
“Kill him. This may be your last chance.”
Her trembling hand reached for it.
“...I can do it.”
She slowly rose.
Like a zombie, she staggered toward Han Hyunsoo.
