Chapter 168: The Early Master (2)

That was why the powerful in China were like flowers.

They were removed from office for political reasons.

They disappeared from their positions for incomprehensible reasons.

They died with their heads cut off and bodies blown apart.

Like flowers blooming brilliantly, emitting a radiant red color, and as if sowing seeds in that place and blooming again, new flowers bloomed.

Just as flowers bloom profusely when the season changes, but those flowers were not the same as the past ones.

The country called China.

The organization called the Chinese Communist Party.

Its very essence became something truly bizarre beyond compare.

So even if I build connections, they'll all be reset when war breaks out... it would be meaningless. It's fine now, but... it won't be long.

World War III would definitely happen.

Jinseong was certain of this.

This was because World War III wasn't something that would occur due to the ambition of just one country.

The powder kegs of each country, each continent would all explode, and everyone would be tainted by madness. People who had been living peaceful lives would willingly give themselves over to madness and kill people as if they had never been peaceful, and try to paint the world with their madness using methods incomparably more 'efficient' than in the past.

China's invasion?

Japan's preemptive strike on Korea?

War between Russia and Eastern Europe?

All of these were just triggers.

Just very small triggers, like a spark arising in a warehouse full of flammable materials.

If the entire warehouse was filled with materials that easily burn and explode, it didn't matter where the spark arose.

What difference did it make whether the spark arose in the center or in a corner?

Anyway, the spark would burn the warehouse vigorously and surely spew those flames outside the warehouse.

No matter how hard Jinseong tried.

Even if prophets somewhere on Earth tried with all their might to prevent it.

World War III would definitely happen.

Just as an umbrella could only cover one's body but couldn't stop the rain from the sky, their efforts to change the future would be too small and weak compared to a war that takes the entire Earth as its stage.

And saying it would definitely happen meant that what Jinseong must do was also determined.

Tsk. I need to move more quickly. I need to secure more sorcery faster than China.

Saying that World War III would happen carries several meanings.

It meant that the future wouldn't change.

At the same time, it meant that the future was going to change but not the big things.

It meant that small things could be changed but the outcome would flow similarly.

And this fact had only one meaning for Jinseong.

It meant he mustn't be lazy in securing sorcery.

The relics destroyed during World War III.

The numerous relics and sorceries that China sent people to loot.

The numerous sorceries lost and distorted during the war.

If the sorceries that couldn't reach Jinseong in the flames of war meet the same fate as before the regression, there would be no greater tragedy.

It wouldn't be bad to wait a bit longer, but...

Jinseong used space-folding to descend from the roof to the garden.

Screech-

With the sound heard when using space-folding, Jinseong gently landed in the garden and walked towards the mansion's door, trampling the soft flowers. Then, as if pondering something, he stood still for a few seconds before moving his steps to his room.

Returning to his room, Jinseong picked up his charging smartphone and made a video call.

Then, with a bit of static, the video call connected, and a woman with wet hair hanging down appeared on the screen.

[ Yes, Kannushi-sama. ]

It was Rise, whom he had video called not long ago.

She seemed to have just come out of the shower, showing skin that hadn't fully dried and drooping hair in the video.

"Is the work going well?"

[ Yes. It's progressing well as you ordered. ]

Rise answered Jinseong's question, exhaling white breath.

[ Fortunately, things are flowing as predicted without variables. The bad reputation has spread through people connected to Elder Murata Ryunosuke, and because of that bad reputation, the connections he could use have naturally shattered... He's probably feeling like he's surrounded by enemies everywhere, don't you think? ]

Rise answered Jinseong's question with a charming smile.

However, contrary to her seemingly kind smile and tone, the content within was incredibly vicious.

Uchikawa Ryosuke.

A politician who had tried to betray Jinseong earlier, tried to maneuver to get involved with onmyoji, and even when Jinseong personally spoke to him, kicked away the opportunity and ran away, an ungrateful person beyond compare.

The content was that this politician was becoming socially and politically isolated.

[ I hear he's not being invited to any private gatherings. Connections are like spider webs, aren't they? Moreover, even if parties and factions are different, connections as part of Japan's leadership class, as nobility, aren't cut off... That ungrateful person who doesn't know gratitude will no longer be able to exert power properly. ]

Jinseong nodded as he listened to Rise's report.

There was no joy or surprise in his expression.

Because what had happened was only natural.

No matter how much Uchikawa Ryosuke was considered part of the social leadership or a powerful politician, he was nothing more than a novice. Even if he might seem like an almighty power holder to other ordinary people, to senior politicians like Murata Ryunosuke, he was nothing more than a lump of flesh.

The elder, who was no different from an old monster, had as many connections as the years he's lived, and could use those connections as much as he wanted.

Even in an ordinary country, if one used connections, they could project that power as much as they wanted, but in a country like Japan where behind-the-scenes politics was established, it was not lacking compared to when they were active. No, perhaps they could wield even more powerful influence than when they were active.

And the result of that was as clear as day.

A terrible downfall.

But fortunately in the midst of misfortune, you could say.

Even among them, there was a consensus about the privileged class, so unless it was something they absolutely must do, they didn't act excessively cruel.

There was a kind of courtesy towards the privileged class.

"Tsk, if he became a politician, he should know how to take care of himself to some extent. Having made wrong choices repeatedly, it's right that he should accept such a situation gracefully."

Jinseong harshly evaluated Uchikawa Ryosuke.

In a way, it was only natural.

How could someone who couldn't grasp opportunities when they were there be called a politician?

He kicked away golden connections and opportunities out of disgust and tried to go to ruin, attempted betrayal with blatantly obvious actions, was caught without even properly executing it, and even after being caught, instead of clearly choosing a side, he tried to take everything that would benefit him while straddling between the two sides until the end.

Moreover, he even refused when Jinseong gave him another chance to return. And that wasn't based on rational judgment, but dominated by primal emotions.

He wasn’t cold-headed.

He couldn't grasp opportunities.

He couldn't discard what should be discarded, and couldn't take what should be taken.

He couldn't properly distinguish between what would cause trouble if eaten and what wouldn't.

Moreover, perhaps because he obtained his position easily, he had no attachment to that position and didn't properly know its value.

Despite this, his desire to stand above others was strong, and he could even commit betrayal without hesitation for that.

If his ability is lacking, he should at least be loyal to fill his stomach and accumulate wealth. Tsk tsk. Truly a life with no value except as bait.

It wasn’t as if he was a person contributing to society either. He was trash who committed evil acts without hesitation, let alone doing good deeds.

He did drugs, used money and power to lure women who flaunt their youth to shine into bed, harassed people by finding fault to receive bribes, and filled his own stomach using the blood and tears flowing from others' eyes as fertilizer.

For Jinseong, for society.

And universally, he was a human whose disappearance would be much more beneficial.

That's right.

In short.

He was the kind of person whose death would benefit the world.

The kind of person whose killing could accumulate good karma.

"However, yes. There's no better person than such a human for use as bait."

[ That traitor? ]

"That's right."

Jinseong said to Rise with a smile.

"Originally, people use expressions like 'it stinks', 'it's full of stench', 'it's rotten' when they see humans steeped in corruption and sowing evil karma. But you know. Aren't there things that like these rotten, stinking things?"

Rise frowned slightly as she recalled something at Jinseong's words.

[ Perhaps, are you talking about insects? ]

"That's right."

Jinseong smiled as he looked at Rise's face, which frowned in disgust as she imagined something wriggling.

"Now that the efficiency of sorcery has improved..."

He paused for a moment, then looked straight into Rise's eyes and said:

"I'll go to Japan within three days."