Chapter 114

JiHan hadn't expected YouHua to go all the way to Korea when she could have avoided any risk and sent someone else.

'Well, she probably didn't think there was any risk.'

Sung JiHan didn't expect Xin YouHua to come here.

Why come all the way here and take on the risk when she could have sent someone else?

'No. She probably didn't think she'd be in any danger.'

Since there was no way for her to know he was a regressor, she couldn't have possibly guessed that he knew her identity.

[Master, the woman who stalked us before is over there,] Ariel said.

He extended his Force senses and carefully went over the people sitting at the table. They'd come with the Chinese embassy's delegation and nobody suspected a thing, but…

He sensed they had large-caliber handguns on them.

'They're clearly waiting for the right moment to kill her from a distance.'

Given their obvious intent, he wanted to deal with them then and there, but it wasn't the right time. Everyone knew about his Force, so people would suspect him if YouHua died as soon as he entered the venue.

'We need to make it look like a natural death,' he concluded.

Then, he asked Ariel, who was still on his left arm, a question. 'Can you send some of your power into that young woman's shadow?'

[Only her?]

'Yes.'

[That's easy. Do you want me to kill her?]

'Not right now. Could you trigger it later and make it seem natural?'

[That's also easy. She's just a lowest-level species, so stopping her heart should be enough.]

'Good. It's very important that we leave no traces behind.'

[That's my specialty.] A portion of her power flowed out of JiHan's arm, imperceptible to the people around them. [Done. Just give the order and I can kill her immediately as long as she isn't too far away.]

'Since we're doing it through a heart attack, do it after she leaves her seat. People might be able to save her if it happens here.'

[Should I send her to the restroom then?]

'You can do that…?'

[I've already analyzed how your bodies work. Giving her the urge is simple enough.]

Ariel truly seemed like a member of a superior species at times. JiHan nodded as he admired her capabilities. After finalizing the plan with her, he continued to speak with the general manager in a nonchalant manner and said, "What does the event schedule look like?"

"Ah, yes. About that…"

* * *

Xin YouHua, who was keeping a careful eye on them from a distance, frowned. 'This is going to be harder than I thought.'

Before she'd left Hong Kong, it'd been easy enough to imagine it, but thinking about a plan and carrying it out were entirely different matters. In the first place, the Administration Office had chosen a surprisingly narrow venue. There was no way she'd be able to make a quick escape if she tried something there.

'I could have avoided all this if they'd just shot her in the restroom back then, tsk.'

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't help but regret having missed that chance.

Wan Im, the Chinese Ambassador stationed in Korea, chose that moment to speak to her in a friendly manner from across the table. "YouHua, I heard the rough details from your father. Is separating that woman from JiHan for a moment good enough?"

"Oh…" she exclaimed, "Ambassador, would that be possible?"

"I have a good relationship with Korea's prime minister and already told him I wanted to speak privately with JiHan," he explained. "I'll stall for time in a separate reception room so you can do what you need to."

YouHua's eyes lit up. They'd been sponsoring Wang Im for quite some time, and he was certainly paying it back through his actions. 

"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed.

"No problem. Send my regards to your father.

"Of course!"

The two of them laughed warmly, and the atmosphere lightened as some time passed until…

"We will now proceed with the award ceremony!" Korea's Prime Minister announced from the podium.

That's when Youhua felt the sudden urge to use the restroom. 'I haven't even drunk anything… Is it nervousness?' she wondered. 'It's not like I'm going to kill her this second, so this is a good time to go.'

She got up and headed for the restroom, and shortly after she arrived…

"Ugh…!" She gripped her chest and collapsed. People would have called an ambulance and performed CPR on her if it happened in the event hall, but there was nobody in the women's restroom who could save her.

Ariel watched from YouHua's shadow and confirmed she'd stopped breathing. 'What a fragile species,' she thought, 'She never suspected a thing until it was too late.'

Humans were a lowest-ranked species with dull senses who died as soon as their hearts stopped. It was hard for her to understand why such a species had even been invited to Battle Net.

'No wonder they receive so many S-rank Gifts.' Compared to all of the top human players with S-rank or higher Gifts, the Shadow Elves' Gifts were somewhat lacking. She'd thought it was discriminatory at first, but that thought had changed. 

When she thought about how weak they were, she wondered if Battle Net hadn't given them enough SS-rank or higher Gifts.

'My master's the odd one here. Is it because he's somehow connected to the constellation-hunting 'Wandering Martial God'?'

If he continued to grow at such incredible speed, he would probably cause quite a stir in the Space League.

'But why did he want this woman killed?' she wondered. The dead girl in front of her seemed to be just another insignificant human.

She left the bathroom and returned to JiHan, who was receiving his award on stage.

"I hope you continue to work hard for our country, Player Sung JiHan."

"Thanks, Prime Minister," JiHan replied casually as they shook hands and were bombarded with bright flashes as their picture was taken by the press.

[Done,] she said to him through their mind link.

'Good job,' he replied without any external change in expression.

[Why did you want me to kill her? She seemed like a nobody.]

'She was the other owner of the Late Bloomer Gift and was probably behind the people with guns.'

[Ah, so she sent that stalker as well?]

'Yes. Fortunately, she came here to die.'

[You did a great job in figuring her out so quickly.]

Humans might have been nothing special, but JiHan really stood out. She didn't ask any more questions. He wouldn't answer them anyway, and it was trivial compared to what he knew of the final shadow technique.

After the ceremony, the Prime Minister approached him with a friendly smile on his face and asked, "Player Sung JiHan, do you have some time to spare?"

"Yes, Prime Minister," he replied.

"The Chinese Ambassador expressed his desire to speak with you privately. Would you like to meet with him?" The Prime Minister was practically begging him to go.

"Yes, let me go get my niece first."

"Ah, actually, it's a sensitive matter… Can your niece wait a moment longer? It won't take long."

'So this is what they were planning,' JiHan thought as he gave the Prime Minister a skeptical look. He wasn't sure why the man was going so far, but it was probably for the best that he went along with it. Since he'd already eliminated YouHua, it would be a great alibi.

He summoned Ariel out and said, "Ariel, please stay with Sae-ah for a bit."

[Understood.]

After that, he followed the Prime Minister into the private reception room, where he saw the members of the Chinese embassy again.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Sung," Wang Im, the Chinese Ambassador stationed in Korea, greeted him in fluent Korean and shook his hand. "Your recent activities have been quite impressive."

Then, Wang Im made a comment directed at the Prime Minister. "It must be wonderful to have such a remarkable player! It seems that Korea's prospects are better than ours."

"Mr. Sung's just exceptional! We can't compare to China," the Prime Minister said lightly in reply.

Rather than discussing anything sensitive, the two were just exchanging positive comments. More precisely, the Prime Minister was overreacting to Wang Im's flattering words.

The only potentially sensitive topic they discussed was…

"Mr. Sung, I watched yesterday's video about finding dungeon cores. I never imagined you'd release such information on Battle Tube. Didn't you hesitate a bit?"

"It wasn't verified information," JiHan replied, "and dungeon portals are a problem that plagues all of us, so I thought releasing that information was the right thing to do."

"I see… A commendable thought, but don't you think you got too little in return for how valuable that information was?" Wang Im handed him his business card. "That video made me feel regretful. If you ever have information like that in the future, how about you cooperate with us? China looks after those who help it."

"Okay," JiHan bluntly replied. To think they'd talk about paying him appropriately while scheming his niece's death behind his back. "I'll consider it. Thanks for the kind words."

With that, JiHan grabbed the business card and stood from his seat. He might have been there to establish an alibi, but he was tired of them. "I'll be leaving now," he said.

"Why don't you stay a little longer?"

"My niece is waiting for me, and I've been here too long already. I have your card now, so I'll be on my way."

Wang Im tried to keep stalling for time and said, "But since we've crossed path—"

BOOM-!

The doors to the room suddenly flew open, and a man rushed in, shouting in Chinese as he said, "Sir! Miss YouHua…!"

"Huh? What happened?"

"She was found dead in the restroom!"

"What?!"

JiHan couldn't understand Chinese, so he just stared blankly at the two.

The Prime Minister, on the other hand, seemed to be able to understand them and muttered, "H-how could that be…?"

"What happened?" JiHan asked.

"Ah… They said someone was found dead."

"What? But who would…?!" He acted surprised and prepared to leave. "This isn't the time to be standing around like this! I'll be going to my niece!"

"Ah… Yes, okay!" Wang Im finally relented, shocked by the sudden news of YouHua's death.

The general manager rushed over as soon as JiHan left the room, with Sae-ah and Ariel following behind.

"I heard someone was found dead," JiHan said.

"Yes. A Chinese lady was found dead in the women's restroom. They say it was probably from a heart attack. Ah… to think something like this would happen on such a good day."

Then, the general manager spoke in a low voice and said, "We've prepared a limousine for you to leave in before it gets too chaotic."

"Thanks for the consideration," JiHan said. "Sae-ah, let's go."

She nodded. "Yes, Uncle…"

Unlike when they were arriving, she was silent on the way back. Only when they were back in the Sword Palace's elevator did she finally speak up.

"The rank of my Gift went up again."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes. From E to D…" she said as she gave him an intense look. "Uncle… Did you do this?"