Chapter 88: Chapter 86
“How’s the food?”
“It’s good, sir.”
“What is your sister’s name?”
Ha Gojun immediately became teary at the question.
“It’s… Ha Goyeon, sir.”
“Meaning flying swallow. That is a good name. Do you know anything about whereabouts of your sister?”
“I do not know, sir.”
That was the obvious answer.
“I see. Then why don’t we talk about your payment for your loss?”
“Payment, sir?”
Kang Hyuk nodded at Ha Gojun’s question.
“Those who were locked up back there are all given enough payments for their losses. You are the only one remaining.”
“…That is not necessary, sir. I only wish to find my sister.”
“Hey.”
Kang Hyuk then glared at Ha Gojun, to which he whimpered without realizing.
“Just get it when I say I’ll give it to you. Don’t make things complicated.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“I’m not sure if you know, but the payment method is already decided. Everyone will take the same portion of whatever they like from that building.”
“How big is the portion?”
Kang Hyuk raised his hands to explain on the question.
“It’s about this big… about two feet each way, so I guess about this much?”
“Then… do I have to go back there?”
“That would’ve been the case, but we already cleaned up the place, so I brought what I can here.”
Kang Hyuk then placed a white porcelain vase on the table.
“Huh?”
At once, Ha Gojun’s eye grew large from shock.
“W-why is this here?”
Ha Gojun reached over and carefully grabbed on the white porcelain vase that had no embroidery or any drawings on it.
“What is it?”
Ha Gojun then answered Kang Hyuk’s question with shaking voice.
“This… is my family treasure.”
“Is it?”
Kang Hyuk pretended as if he did not know, but he already knew that the vase was Munyun Ha Family’s treasure.
‘No way I would not recognize that. Ha Dukyung bragged on and on about that d.a.m.n vase!’
This was a treasure that was given to Ha Dukyung by the Emperor himself.
“If you see on the bottom here, there’s the word ‘Munyun’ engraved. My grandfather was trusted by his majesty, the Emperor. His majesty asked my grandfather of any concerns while his studies, and he replied that noise from neighborhood was the biggest problem.”
Ha Gojun further continued.
“At that, his majesty gave my grandfather this vase, and told him that when this vase will start working for its purpose, the problem will disappear. And just like that, our family treasure was given to us.”
Kang Hyuk had heard this story tens of times before, so he almost memorized it. At least this white vase proved to be the key clue to many questions regarding this incident.
‘I was wondering why the noise from gladiator ring was not being heard… there’s our answer.’
This vase was an object that cuts outside noise, and it activated when a flower was put into the vase.
‘But then… they went so far, to create a office in the middle of the ring, to put down that vase in that location?’
This was possibly explaining that Yeom Jung specifically went for the vase, and destroy the Munyun Ha Family in the process. Once was possible for coincidence, but having it twice was never a coincidence.
‘d.a.m.n b.a.s.t.a.r.d.’
Knowing more of it made Kang Hyuk to become furious. He now decided to not kill the man too easily. Kang Hyun remembered that through Byuk Aerin’s questioning, they found out that Yeom Jung loved money and started the gladiator business to earn more money.
‘He loves money that much, huh?’
Then there was a one good method for punmishment. But what’s first was to help this poor guy out of his misery. Kang Hyuk reached into his pocket and pulled out gold and silver nugget and gave it to Ha Gojun.
“I figured that wouldn’t be enough, so I brought these along.”
“I don’t need any more payments, sir.”
“But you will need’em if you’re to find your sister.”
“I can sell this vase to get some money.”
“…”
Kang Hyuk then confirmed that this boy was set on his goal to find his sister, and was not thinking about what was to come after that. Meaning…
‘He is thinking to kill himself after he finds his sister.’
There was no way Kang Hyuk can allow that. He had promised Ha Gojun’s grandfather to look after his family so that they will not falter.
‘It feels like I’m losing here, but I would rather help him than see Ha Dukyung haunting in my dreams.’
Kang Hyuk forced Ha Gojun’s hands open to grab on gold and silver nuggets then spoke to him.
“But you still need to look into future.”
Ha Gojun then held on nuggets and replied in small voice.
“…Thank you, sir.’
That’s when someone approached from outside the room.
“Can we go in now?”
“Come in.”
The door opened and Shim Gu and Ji Myung entered. Ha Gojun became nervous at their appearance, and Ji Myeong grinned at Ha Gojun.
“Oh? Look who dis is! Blood Ghost!”
“Ah!”
Ha Gojun’s face turned pale. Kang Hyuk sighed and turned to Ji Myung.
“Mister, his name is not Blood Ghost. His name is Ha Gojun.”
Kang Hyuk looked like in his twenties, while Shim Gu and Ji Myung looked like they were in their eighties. That’s why Kang Hyuk spoke to him in polite ways, but he did not speak like that in his telepathic message.
-If you ever call him that again, I’ll whoop your a.s.s.
-S-sorrie! Amidabuddha.
Ji Myung however, turned to Ha Gojun in confused look.
-Why? Why are you looking at him like that?
Ji Myung rubbed his bald head at Kang Hyuk’s question and answered.
-He look familiar-ish. I’m sure I saw him somewhere…
He then asked Kang Hyuk.
-What was his name again?
-It’s Ha Gojun. Eldest son of Munyun Ha Family.
-That’s familiar-ish too! Hmm… Ha Gojun… where did I…
“OH!”
Ji Myung then shouted out in exclamation.
“Ha Goyun! Ha Goyun of Munyun Ha Family!”
At once, Ha Gojun’s two eyes grew large in surprise.
“Bhante, do you know my sister?”
“So, Ha Goyun was your sister? That lil’ rascal is a bold…”
Ji Myung was about to blurt out what he thought, but had to stop at Kang Hyuk’s glare.
“A-Amidabuddha…”
He then began explaining what had happened until now.