Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 182

Chapter 182: The Secret of the Past Life Revealed （5）

Kang San’s exposé.

The presidential office responded immediately.

Gathering all the reporters in Korea, Chief Secretary Kim Mu-hyeok appeared in an official capacity as the spokesperson. People jokingly said that when the presidential office was cornered by public opinion, it was always Chief Secretary Kim Mu-hyeok who appeared, not the president himself.

This time was no different.

As he walked with confident strides, flashes erupted from all directions.

Flash!

Flash! Flash! Flash!

“Chief Secretary-nim. What do you think about this incident?”

“Is what Kang San said true?”

“Did you really order White Knight Lee Han-seong to eliminate Kang San?”

Questions poured in.

Kim Mu-hyeok’s reaction was calm.

He glanced at the reporters and answered the questions one by one.

“First, what I can assure you here is that the presidential office is not involved in this incident. I promise you this on my position. If anyone presents clear evidence regarding this, I will take full responsibility and accept punishment. However, if there is no evidence, please refrain from spreading rumors.”

“But it’s true that Lee Han-seong was caught attacking Kang San… no, Major Kim Chun-sik, isn’t it?”

“According to the investigation, that was due to a personal grudge. There was an incident where an A-rank Werewolf Lord was dealt with in the past. Lee Han-seong didn’t like the rising social reputation of Major Kim Chun-sik, whom he had disliked since then.”

“You’re saying that White Knight attacked Major Kim Chun-sik for such a trivial reason? Do you think that makes sense?”

“What else could it be?”

It was absurd.

The reporters murmured at the illogical excuse.

One reporter asked,

“What are you planning to do about Lee Han-seong’s treatment in the future? He committed a crime, didn’t he?”

“Lee Han-seong is currently being treated at a hospital. Punishment for this incident is natural and appropriate, but frankly, I believe that losing an arm is enough punishment for an S-rank Hunter. As you all know, a nation’s power is determined by how many S-rank Hunters it possesses. Considering the nation’s safety, instead of typical punishment like imprisonment, we plan to have Lee Han-seong actively utilize his abilities through methods such as forced labor.”

“Ultimately, doesn’t that mean he won’t be punished?”

“To be precise, it means taking a magnanimous approach. The government cannot interfere any further in a personal matter, can it?”

The logic was clear.

This incident…

It was reduced to a personal incident caused by Lee Han-seong’s grudge.

Without any explanation as to why the hero White Knight acted that way, or what Lee Han-seong’s true nature was, they simply swept the incident under the rug. Naturally, none of the reporters present understood. While the government-backed reporters tried to turn a blind eye to the truth, a few reporters with a sense of mission asked Kim Mu-hyeok, who was about to conclude the conference:

“Chief Secretary Kim Mu-hyeok-nim. Do you really think this level of explanation will resolve the controversy?”

Kim Mu-hyeok’s gaze fell on the reporter’s chest.

He saw the name tag.

“Reporter Jo Sang-cheol-nim.”

Their eyes met.

Then he smirked.

“We’re not living in an ordinary world, are we?”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Immediately after the press conference.

Naturally, public opinion exploded.

Protesters flocked outside the Blue House, and people were angry and critical of the government’s complacent attitude.

Inside the presidential office.

“Those damn insects.”

President Jang Beom-seok reacted calmly.

Critical public opinion?

He had fully anticipated it.

The reason they held this kind of press conference despite that was because they couldn’t simply discard Lee Han-seong, a valuable card, even if he had lost an arm. Kang San foolishly didn’t kill Lee Han-seong. Even if it was self-defense, murder was a different issue, and if Lee Han-seong died, it would be difficult to hold the government accountable.

He understood.

It was natural for people living within the realm of common sense to act that way.

“But it’s really unexpected. Was Kang San strong enough to subdue Lee Han-seong? Lee Han-seong is still Lee Han-seong, you know.”

“The secretariat is also assessing the situation due to the unexpected outcome. Based on the information gathered so far, it seems that both Major Kim Chun-sik and Kang San are stronger than we knew. Even though about 10 minutes passed after Lee Han-seong attacked Major Kim Chun-sik, Major Kim Chun-sik endured, and then they defeated Lee Han-seong in a joint attack with Kang San. As you know, Lee Han-seong is a cunning bastard who hides his power. The fact that he couldn’t win even when he used his full strength means it’s right to assume that his opponents are strong.”

“Thanks to that, my fourth term is in jeopardy. So, what’s the solution?”

He was always the same.

President Jang Beom-seok.

He desired power but lacked ability.

The fact that he readily accepted the offer from Kim Mu-hyeok, a young man in his 20s, proved that he was the perfect puppet. That’s why he had to continue as president for the future plan. The order for Jang Beom-seok to be discarded hadn’t been issued yet in the grand scheme of things.

As always.

Kim Mu-hyeok presented a solution.

“……How about turning the public’s attention elsewhere?”

“Elsewhere? How?”

“The method is simple.”

A chaotic world.

What people want is not a common-sense approach.

“If we deliver news that will give people a sense of security, public opinion will instantly shift towards your side, Mr. President.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

A few days later.

The protests continued.

As public opinion boiled over and spread, news that shocked people was reported.

『Breaking news. To further solidify the cooperative relationship with South Korea, the US government has decided to provide a large quantity of weapons and personnel to enhance the training system. The acquisition of a direct warp gate, which has only been discussed for years, has also finally been approved. As a result, the US and Korea will be able to secure a passage through which tens of thousands of troops can be sent at once with the consent of both countries. The US government stated that this is a reward for the dedication shown by President Jang Beom-seok and that the US government hopes to continue its friendly relationship with South Korea.』

Immediately after the article was published.

President Jang Beom-seok appeared before the people.

He, who usually didn’t show himself much, raised his voice with a flushed face.

“I, Jang Beom-seok, am not unaware of your dissatisfaction. But yesterday, today, and tomorrow, this is a chaotic world where people who were laughing and chatting right next to you could die. We can never survive with just common-sense armchair theories. This Lee Han-seong incident? I was shocked too. I can’t understand why White Knight committed such an atrocious crime and tried to drag me down with him. But that doesn’t mean we can discard the power of an S-rank. We must utilize his value, even if it means putting a time bomb around Lee Han-seong’s neck.”

He pounded his chest.

He appealed with sincerity.

“I am the president of this country. I am the president elected as a leader in this chaotic era where I have to sell my soul to the devil to protect the citizens who elected me. If you are dissatisfied with me now, impeach me anytime. I will gladly step down. But if you believe that I am the only option to protect your safety, please trust me until the end.”

The president’s speech.

The scene was turned upside down.

Public opinion reversed in an instant.

━He’s not wrong. We can’t survive monster attacks if we only deal with things through common sense.

━Even if Lee Han-seong was a villain who hid his true nature until now, I don’t think we need to discard him if he has value.

━Someone’s going to be angry about this situation. The government isn’t giving a proper explanation and is trying to cover things up. But what can we do? Once you see the head of someone who was once your friend get blown off right in front of your eyes, anyone would prioritize their own safety.

In the end.

People’s reactions concluded with one statement.

It’s just, that kind of world.

No other explanation was needed.

A world where common sense didn’t apply, where their own safety was prioritized over fair and legal procedures.

It was just, that kind of world.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

The past few days.

Kang San observed the series of events.

Reporter Kim Min-yeong’s article ignited the flames, and Chief Secretary Kim Mu-hyeok’s irresponsible response led to protests.

But with just one response.

The moment they brought in the US, all the problems were solved.

‘How did they manage to get help from the US government?’

The US.

The superpower leading the present era.

They were so powerful that it was said that even if all the other countries combined their military power, they wouldn’t be able to stand against the US alone. It meant that the US wasn’t a country that would listen to Korea’s requests easily.

Moreover, the current US president.

Eric Roberts, unlike President Jang Beom-seok, was truly fit for the position.

Born into an elite family.

From a young age, he faithfully followed noblesse oblige, distinguishing right from wrong and leading the US political scene. In fact, apart from the US government, the number of S-rank Hunters who followed him exceeded five. With him becoming president, the US solidified its position as a superpower even further.

The scale was different.

Then there was only one hypothesis.

The entity behind Kim Mu-hyeok.

It meant that they could be a force powerful enough to influence the US government.

‘The situation is worse than I thought. If I’ve gotten on the wrong side of this unknown force, problems will arise soon.’

That’s when it happened.

Buzz━

His phone rang.

Kang San’s expression hardened as he checked the screen.

『Chief Secretary Kim Mu-hyeok』

The culprit behind this situation.

The one who knew the secret.

Kang San answered the phone without hesitation.

Click━

『Kang San-nim. You’ve been through a lot these past few days, thanks to me.』

“……Likewise. I didn’t expect the government to react so aggressively, even though I rejected your offer.”

『Did you really think I would make empty threats? By the way, this call can’t be recorded due to noise interference, so it’s best not to entertain the shallow thought of securing evidence with this. The reason I’m calling you is that I’d like to meet you.』

A request to meet.

It was a trap.

He didn’t know what would happen if he responded to Kim Mu-hyeok’s offer, the same Kim Mu-hyeok who sent Lee Han-seong as an assassin.

『Well, I fully understand that my intentions are suspicious. It would be meaningless for me to assure you of your safety. However, it will be interesting. I heard that Lee Han-seong was babbling about there being someone behind the Korean government. It’s about that. I’ll share a special secret that only a few people like me know, a secret that the rest of the world doesn’t. I promise you this much.』

The Sun God Church.

Revolution.

The entity behind Kim Mu-hyeok.

And Luca Bellino and Azmoon.

Secrets existed in this world.

When Kang San lived as an F-rank, he was a citizen who was simply happy with President Jang Beom-seok’s announcement to guarantee safety, unrelated to any secrets. Now it was different. The direction Kang San was heading wasn’t unrelated to them. From the moment Lee Han-seong’s past life was revealed to be Moyeongcheon, Kang San knew that the ill-fated relationship with Peng Mujeong was also awaiting him.

Perhaps.

The clearing of karma might not be a good deed.

The karma of the past life meant ill-fated relationships, and Kang San might be liberated if he killed them all.

“Tell me the place and time. I’ll go there.”

『You’ve made a wise decision.』

He received the meeting place.

The meeting was in three hours.

Kang San needed to make some simple preparations.

He didn’t want to blame his own stupidity for falling for the opponent’s intentions in case a battle broke out.

But then.

“Don’t go.”

On the table.

A woman was suddenly sitting there.

It was Luca Bellino.

At her sudden appearance, Kang San asked with a hardened face,

“What do you mean?”

This situation.

That statement.

He couldn’t understand any of it.

Everything became complicated from the moment he confirmed Lee Han-seong’s past life.

Luca Bellino spoke with her red-stained lips.

“Take it as it is. If you want to live a complete life as Kang San in the future, don’t go to that meeting.”