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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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It was a rather surprising situation.
But for the Returnee Association, especially for Chief Strategist Kim Ki-young, it was a considerable boon.
‘Lee Seong-joon… that man is too dangerous.’
He was already a nuisance for his absurd growth rate, and recently,
he’d achieved the feat of breaking Sandra Bullock’s Treasure Gate record, solo.
‘If he had continued to grow at this rate, he would have soon become an obstacle to our Returnee Association.’
Normally, he would have immediately mobilized the association’s power to eliminate or recruit him.
‘If it weren’t for Baek Mu-jin, that monster…!’
Although he didn’t know the exact reason, immediately after meeting Lee Seong-joon,
Baek Mu-jin, as the Vice-Leader of the Returnee Association, had declared that Lee Seong-joon was his.
He had also left a stern warning that anyone who dared to touch him would face dire consequences.
But Baek Mu-jin wouldn’t be able to say much if Sosumun and Kang Yi-ryung made a move.
“It’s like killing two birds with one stone.”
As a sinister smile spread across Kim Ki-young’s lips,
the TV screen changed, and the announcer’s booming voice announced the start of the friendly spar between Korea and China.
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The friendly spar between Korea and China, the first since the appearance of the comet Lee Seong-joon.
It was enough to draw the world’s attention.
Especially the Koreans were showing great interest.
Considering Lee Seong-joon’s overwhelming achievements, a spark of hope had ignited in their hearts.
Could Korea, always considered a weaker nation, cause an upset?
People, their eyes red with excitement, flocked to the stands, paying a hefty price for a ticket, and finally, it was a full house.
After the opening ceremony and the introduction of the players, the announcer’s voice boomed.
The long-awaited friendly spar between Korea and China will now begin!
After the announcer’s introduction, filled with various descriptions, the closed doors opened, and two hunters, Lee Seong-joon and Song Wei-long, walked into the arena.
Thud. Thud.
The two men, facing each other in the large arena, 70 meters long and 50 meters wide, exchanged bows.
“I am Lee Seong-joon.”
“I am Song Wei-long, an S+-rank hunter and the Black Wind Grand Master of Sosumun.”
After a brief greeting, as Lee Seong-joon was about to turn and find his place, Song Wei-long spoke again.
“Your martial prowess and spirit are as excellent as the rumors say. You are indeed a talent worthy of our master’s attention.”
Sincere admiration was in his eyes.
But he couldn’t deceive Lee Seong-joon, who had ruled as a sovereign for a long time.
‘He’s hiding something.’
His compliments were just a prelude to his real purpose.
He was using a conversational style Lee Seong-joon despised.
“Don’t beat around the bush. Get to the point.”
“You’re a man of action, I see. Excellent! I’ll get straight to the point.”
Despite Lee Seong-joon’s cold tone, the smile on Song Wei-long’s face didn’t disappear.
“The Korean Hunter Association, Baekho, Bulsae – none of them are worthy of you, Lee Seong-joon. Isn’t the foundation of the martial arts you use from our China? This means that our China, our Sosumun, is where you belong.”
His eyes gleaming,
Song Wei-long continued with a proud tone,
“Come to China. Our master has promised to grant you the privilege of becoming a citizen of the great China! A member of Sosumun! So…”
From the moment he had started his recruitment pitch, Lee Seong-joon had dismissed it as nonsense, but he didn’t interrupt.
Song Wei-long’s words were valuable information.
‘So Sosumun’s hidden agenda in this friendly spar was recruitment…’
It was an incomprehensible move, but he could understand the situation.
During his time in the Thousand Continents, he had encountered countless sects that acted irrationally due to their superiority complex.
Of course, he had never imagined seeing such a sect in 21st-century Earth.
‘…How absurd.’
As Lee Seong-joon chuckled inwardly,
Song Wei-long continued,
“Haha, you must be so surprised that you’re speechless. I understand. This is the first time our master has made such a generous offer. It’s all because you are an excellent martial artist, so you should be proud.”
As if he was certain that his offer would be accepted, Song Wei-long’s face was filled with confidence.
Of course, it was just a delusion.
“I understand you have great pride in China and Sosumun, but…”
Lee Seong-joon’s eyes turned cold.
A heavy pressure filled the arena.
“Survival of the fittest, a saying in the martial world. I doubt the Black Wind Grand Master, or Sosumun, has the right to say such things to me.”
Song Wei-long’s eyes narrowed, and his aura pushed back against Lee Seong-joon’s.
“It seems your pride is as high as your skill… Indeed, your talent and skill deserve respect.”
His usual smile was gone, replaced by a stony expression.
“But you’ve gone too far. To mention not just me, but all of Sosumun… For the sake of a smooth conversation, I’ll have to teach you a lesson in reality.”
He drew his sword.
But he didn’t attack.
‘It’s frustrating… but the difference in skill is clear.’
Lee Seong-joon was a master who could subdue the S+-rank villain Yang Joon-hyuk in an instant.
A head-on fight was out of the question.
‘…First, I’ll wear down his stamina and look for an opening.’
The moment he formulated his plan, the horn sounded, signaling the start of the duel.
Clang—!
Song Wei-long quickly expanded his senses, drew his sword close to his body, and prepared to defend.
‘Where will he come from?’
His narrowed eyes watched Lee Seong-joon’s every move, every breath.
He wouldn’t let him get a hit in easily.
He would endure and endure, forcing him to acknowledge the power of China and Sosumun.
‘If that happens, he’ll realize his own ignorance.’
As he steeled himself, his eyes gleaming…
Whoosh—!
He heard the sound of wind, and a strong gust of pressure hit him.
At the same time, Lee Seong-joon closed the distance in an instant.
“Whoa…!”
Song Wei-long staggered, his defense broken.
Naturally, Lee Seong-joon didn’t miss the opening.
“As expected.”
Appearing before him in an instant, Lee Seong-joon smiled leisurely.
“You’re not worthy.”
“Not yet…!”
His face contorted, he tried to imbue his sword with sword qi.
But he was too late.
Lee Seong-joon’s fist, already imbued with fist qi, was upon him.
‘So soon…? How?’
He didn’t even have time to wonder.
Clang—!
His sword shattered, and Lee Seong-joon’s fist struck him in the abdomen.
“Gah—!”
With a cry, he spat blood and flew through the air.
In that instant, Lee Seong-joon leaped, grabbed his neck mid-air, and slammed him into the ground.
Kaboom—!
With a deafening roar, Song Wei-long’s large body was slammed into the arena floor.
“Ugh…”
His eyes rolled back, his body convulsed, and he lost consciousness.
The first duel ended with Lee Seong-joon’s overwhelming victory.
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In Sosumun’s waiting room, Kang Yi-ryung’s face, as she watched the TV broadcast, was twisted in a demonic rage.
“Useless trash.”
She had known Lee Seong-joon’s martial prowess was considerable, so she had expected her executives to lose.
But she had thought the elites she had chosen would at least achieve something.
Yet, they were being defeated one-sidedly, unable to withstand even five exchanges.
The fourth fighter, Luohan Grand Master Liu Zixu, was barely holding on at the tenth exchange, but it was a precarious situation.
It was humiliating enough to suffer consecutive defeats to the weaker Korea, and now,
the friendly spar was being broadcast live worldwide.
“How dare you tarnish the name of Sosumun, which I have built…”
As she seethed, ready to tear the executives apart, Xiao Zhan cautiously spoke,
“While it’s understandable for you to be angry, Master… this could be an opportunity.”
“What? An opportunity?”
Her killing intent shot towards him.
The pressure was suffocating, but Xiao Zhan remained calm.
He spoke in a composed voice,
“Yes, this is an opportunity. Your goal is to subdue Lee Seong-joon, isn’t it?”
There was no reply from Kang Yi-ryung.
But the fact that the killing intent had subsided was enough of an answer.
Xiao Zhan continued confidently,
“He’s as arrogant as he is skilled. To tame such a wild beast, you need an overwhelming victory. Of course, you could have easily won, Master, but it’s wise to be cautious. And now, thanks to these preliminary duels, you’ve had a chance to observe his martial arts and fighting style, haven’t you?”
Although they hadn’t had many long exchanges, it wasn’t a complete loss.
They had gathered useful information about his martial arts, fighting style, and habits.
It might not be much use to someone like him, but for a master like Kang Yi-ryung, it would be invaluable.
“Now that you have a way to completely subdue him, this is an unparalleled opportunity.”
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