Chapter 76 - Mop Up

Silence.

A pin could drop right now, and the sound would be heard loud and clear. The oppressive silence inside the conference hall stopped others from breathing.

Chal-kahk.

A reporter pressed the shutter of his camera by force of habit, and the sound was unusually loud.

As if they were frogs coming out of hibernation, people started to move when they heard the sound. However, no one dared to open their mouth.

“So our mutual non-aggression treaty is broken?”

“How can that be? It isn't anything like that. If I knew this place was Alandal, I would have never stepped a foot in this place.”

Woojin grinned.

Woojin was curious about one thing.

This was the reason why he had come to the US himself.

“Why are you here?”

“My goddess gave me a revelation. She wants me to guide the saviour.”

“Hmmm. This means Aria sent you here?”

Blasphemy.

However, Melody didn’t show any signs of being angry or disgusted.

He couldn't be compared to someone like her, who was able to hear a goddess' voice.

However, he was someone who had already met face to face with a god.

She bowed her head more in front of him...

“Yes… I'm only a lowly servant. I came here as my goddess decreed… ”

“Ah, it's all right.”

He already knew what she was going to say. Woojin waved his hand at her then he looked at Deacon.

“Let's have a little talk.”

Deacon couldn't understand Woojin's Korean words, so his secretary gave an immediate translation from his side.

“…mmmm. This location is unacceptable. Let's move to a different location.”

When Deacon started speaking to his secretary, Woojin finally had the chance to look at his surrounding. When he spotted a broadcasting camera, he walked towards it. The cameraman was taken aback, and he was besides himself when Woojin headed towards him. Woojin stood in front of him, and he asked a question.

“Is this being broadcasted live?”

At his unexpectedly sophisticated English, the shocked cameraman shook his head.

“No.”

“Turn it back into a live broadcast.”

Woojin's words flustered the cameraman even more.

When he turned to look at the executive from the broadcasting company, he also had a conflicted expression on his face. The content of the meeting was supposed to be kept a secret. The network made a deal with the Titan Guild to show only an edited version of the meeting at a later time. The guild had to give consent on what would be shown.

“It'll be like an year-end greeting. A year-end greeting.”

Woojin's words swayed the heart of the executive from the broadcasting company.

This man was a hero, who had saved US citizens from a terrorist attack. The executive thought he had a duty to deliver his voice to the world.

Americans had a large fear about terrorist attacks.

In response to the attack, Woojin had throw his body in the way to thwart the attack, so the public interest in him was tremendous.

“You can speak now.”

Woojin looked straight into the camera and he grinned.

"The bastard who shot a missile at me, the bastard who plotted against me as the middle man, the bastard pulling strings from behind… ”

The cameraman didn't know Korean, but Minchan, who had come up from behind, covered his face with his palm.

President. Please speak a little bit more nicely…

“Soon, I will find and kill all of you. Wait for me.”

After Woojin ended his speech, he turned to look at the broadcasting executive.

“Thank you.”

From listening to his tone and inflection, the executive could tell Woojin was giving a speech that was far from an year-end greeting. However, it was being broadcasted live, so the executive couldn't do anything.

The cameraman turned his head, and he whispered to the executive.

“Should I continue to film this?”

The footage of the Holy Maiden kneeling in front of Woojin had been recorded. As he looked over the disordered conference hall, the executive nodded his head.

“Just record it.”

It would be unreasonable to send this through a live broadcast.

‘This Asian man is… ’

In a short amount of time, the Holy Maiden Melody became the center of attention for every American. However, this woman had knelt in front of the Asian man. No matter how anyone saw it, she had shown him the utmost respect.

‘This is going to be fun.’

The world will now focus their attention on the man named Kahng-woojin.

After finishing what he had to say, Woojin walked back to the stage. In a flash, Minchan approached Woojin from behind, and he called out after Woojin.

“President.”

“Ah, Minchan.”

“…….”

Minchan looked at Woojin with a complicated gaze. Woojin had put his body in harm's way to protect him, and all the people inside the Hotel. Woojin probably didn't know if he would live or not, yet he had sacrificed himself.

“Thank you for saving me.”

Woojin smirked.

“It's fine. Follow me. I have to talk to those people.”

Titan Guild's guild master Deacon passed the duty of hosting the consortium to someone else. Then, he quickly disappeared towards the back with the Holy Maiden Melody. Minchan's face scrunched up when he saw the Holy Knights, who had recently begun to follow Melody.

“Didn't you say you were friend with her?”

“Uh, what? We are friends.”

“…….”

In what way?

No matter how he saw it, he couldn't see Melody as Woojin's friend.

“Just follow me.”

“…….”

When Woojin and Minchan followed Deacon, the conference hall started to come to life.

“Who's that Asian man?”

“Is he Ms. Melody's husband?”

“What kind of Holy Maiden had a husband?”

“You never know, since it's a different planet… ”

Even amongst the uproar, Baek-dosong's face trembled a little bit.

“Senior vice president Jung.”

“Yes, president.”

“I, I… ”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“It seems that I obtained a really interesting younger bro.”

Baek-jongdo's eyes were sparkling with curiosity and excitement. Jung-chansung grabbed his head.

How was he interesting? Woojin was obviously a dangerous person.

Jung-chansung let out a deep sigh.

*

The office of Titan Guild's Guild Master.

When Deacon sat down on the seat of honor at the conference table, Melody approached him and she spoke quietly.

“You should concede the seat to Alandal's Monarch… ”

“What?

Deacon was momentarily panicked. Woojin, who followed behind them, waved his hand.

“Ah, it's fine.”

“…….”

Woojin sat to the right of Deacon, and Minchan naturally took a seat next to him. Melody continued to stand by Deacon's side, so he turned to look at her.

“You should also sit, Holy Maiden.”

“I wouldn't dare… ”

Woojin looked at the Holy Maiden.

[Just sit..]

[…Yes.]

[…….]

The two of them spoke in Alphen's language, and it irritated everyone else's ears. Deacon furrowed his brows as he looked at Woojin.

What kind of relationship did these two have?

When a translator, who was more proficient in Korean, arrived, Deacon's curiosity was answered.

“If you don't mind me asking, what kind of relationship do the two of you… ?”

“Ah, she's a friend. A friend.”

Deacon's expression indicated that he didn't believe Woojin's words at all. Melody's face paled.

‘Oh, my goddess. Why would you send me such a tribulation?’

A friend of the Immortal…

Her body shook from just thinking about it.

“Mmm. We have something akin to an alliance.”

“An alliance?”

“We struck down Trahnet's army together.”

“…….”

The Holy Maiden didn't say anything.

He was fudging the truth when he said that they had struck down Trahnet's forces together.

Woojin had destroyed and killed anything that stepped on to Alandal.

The alliance sent an emissary to promise that they won't invade Alandal in the future, so there were little friction between them.

Trahnet still went after Alandal's land, and Woojin had hunted down Trahnet's army.

They fought together since they had a common enemy. However, her side hadn't closely cooperated with Woojin. So it was ambiguous to call it an alliance.

Everyone fought against Trahnet on their own, so to speak.

Woojin's action could be characterized as hunting Trahnet. It was quite generous to say the alliance just held on. Basically, they weren't the ones being hunted.

The translator passed on Deacon's words to Woojin once again.

“I know you are Korean. So how did you form a relationship with those on the Planet Alphen?”

“I was summoned there 5 years ago. I lived on Alphen for 20 years, and I have only recently returned. Are you trying to conduct a hearing?”

Woojin frowned when Deacon continued to ask questions. The nervous Holy Maiden spoke to Deacon.

“Please, don't irritate him. You are being rude to the Monarch.”

“…….”

The endlessly haughty and dignified Holy Maiden was a nervous wreck right now.

Deacon couldn't get used to it.

He didn't know Woojin's identity. In his perspective, Woojin looked more like a human, and the Holy Maiden was more like a god-like figure.

Anyways, he was very curious about this human named Kahng-woojin, but Deacon didn't need to get all the answered from Woojin.

It seemed that the Holy Maiden was well acquainted with Woojin, so he would get the information from her at a later time.

“Hmmm. Hmmmm. Why did you want to see me?”

When their conversation returned to the main topic, Woojin opened his inventory, then he took out an item. He placed it on top of the table.

“Kyahhhk!”

The secretary screamed, and the translator quickly turned his head away. Even Minchan scrunched up his face as he looked away. Deacon's eyes hardened, but worry started to fill his eyes.

‘What is the meaning behind this action?’

As the guild master of a large organization, his worries deepened. Surprisingly, the only one who didn't show any reaction was the Holy Maiden.

Her expression said everything that needed to be said.

‘Alandal's Monarch brought someone's severed head.’

That was the extent of her thoughts.

She wasn't surprised at all by his actions.

As Woojin received Deacon's gaze, which was filled with unasked questions, he spoke in a nonchalant manner.

“This is the bastard, who ambushed me yesterday. He led me into a Dungeon to kill me. I would like you to find out the identity of this man.”

The Holy Maiden's eyes widened in surprise.

Earth chose a different path to destruction to Trahnet... Someone on earth tried to assassinate the Monarch of Alandal...

Isn't that the absolute worst way to suicide?

In the past, kingdoms were destroyed for using such similar methods... Several kingdoms...

“Even if you come here to ask us, we didn't… ”

“I'm not suspicious of you guys. I want you to find out this bastard's affiliation. There can't be many Rank AA Roused working as an assassin on earth.”

“Still… ”

“We'll look into it.”

Deacon was going to negotiate with him, but the Holy Maiden quickly accepted the request.

'Titan Guild master. Thank you for all your cooperation up until now. If I'm to repay this debt, don't I have to be alive? I have to return to Alphen alive, so I can save countless number of people. Please don't agitate the Immortal any further.'

The Holy Maiden pleaded with her eyes as she looked at Deacon. He swallowed what he was about to say.

“I'm going to go after the helicopter that shot the missile. I'm hoping that the helicopter didn't originate from within the US. If it is, conflict is inevitable.”

Woojin was not trying to foster a hostile relationship with the US government, but in the end, he didn't really care. He was sure that there were a couple of people in the government involved in the attack.

“The government is trying its best to locate the helicopter.”

“They don't have to search any further. I already know where it is. I'll be leaving soon.”

“…….”

Melody, who had been standing still, suddenly stepped forward.

“I will go with you.”

“Why do you want to follow me?”

At Woojin's dissatisfactory reply, Jung-minchan stepped forward.

“It would be better if you work with the Titan Guild.”

He wasn't doing this to perform a meritorious deed. He also wasn't doing this to ferret out all the terrorists. Woojin just wanted to take his revenge.

Minchan wanted to lessen the chance that any misunderstanding would happen with the US government. Titan Guild maintained a close relationship with the US government, so there was a lot of advantage in having them along.

The US was much more sensitive to terrorist acts compared to other countries.

Woojin had stopped a terrorist attack from succeeding, so the US public was already treating him like a hero. Of course, it would be great if he was able to round up the terrorist at their base of operation. However, many US citizens would not like someone like Woojin carry out a hostile act inside their country, unless he was really some kind of a superhero.

It would be better to carry out this mission with the Titans.

“All right. When are we leaving?”

“Ggoo-hmmm. I'll scrap together a response team. Five hours should be enough."

He wanted to ask why it would take so long, but he reminded himself that his enemies won't be running away anytime soon. Even if they did run away, it wasn't a problem. He had sent both Bibi and Ggaebi to keep surveillance on them.

“Then, shall we talk a little bit about your homeland?”

Woojin was curious as to how the situation on Alphen changed after he left.

There was a saying that said if one meets a person from the same country in a foreign land, then it would feel like the other person was from your homeland. She thought the saying was spot on. Still, the Holy Maiden couldn't get used to the unusually friendly actions of the Immortal.

“What would you like to know… ?”

“What's Kyle doing these days?”

“Hero struggled with the injury he sustained 3 years ago. About a year ago, he passed away while fighting one of Trahnet's commanders.”

“Ah, so that fellow died. That friend did have a bum leg.. ”

Yes. The leg that bothered him was the leg he shattered, while fighting a Necromancer named Immortal. Even when holy water and the god's blessing was applied in bulk, his injury never healed completely.

“How about the wrinkly old man inside the forest?”

“The Gread Elder of the Elf is… ”

Melody's words faded, and she looked at Woojin with trembling eyes…

Was he really asking, because he doesn't know?

“Why did you stop speaking?”

“…….”

Ha. He really is asking because he doesn't know.

So how should she phrase this?

‘You killed him when you stole the World Branch… ’

No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn't come up with an answer that wouldn't ruin the Immortal's mood.

‘Oh, my goddess. How can you give such an ordeal… ’

Tears started to well in the Holy Maiden's eyes.