Chapter 32: Kang Dong Woo
Kang Seo Yeon Eldest Daughter of Kang Family. She was Gold Class Hero - Rank 11. She had good archery, one of the best in Gold Class and she awakened an ability to control fire. But she went missing.
Six months ago, a party of heroes that consisted of six Gold Class went to the east. The party leader was Kang Seo Yeon, Kang Myung Hee's big sister.
It was said, many mutated beasts began to appear in the east at an abnormal rate. Hero League dispatched Kang Seo Yeon's party to investigate.
At first, everything went smoothly and in less than a month. The party managed to find the cause of the abnormal amount of the mutated beast that appeared in the east. The party found a stone gate that led to another world.
The beast came from behind the stone gate. Kang Seo Yeon decided to investigate inside the gate without waiting for the reinforcement. The party reported the discovery and continued the investigation. Six Gold Class Heroes entered the stone gate and it was the last time Hero League contacted that party.
After a month, there was no news from the party. It was as if they were swallowed by the stone gate.
Hero League could not afford to lose six Gold Class Heroes at once. The executives came into an agreement to send a rescue. The rescue team consisted of forty Gold Class Heroes.
It was the party that came back a few months ago. Even though forty Gold Class Heroes came back intact. It could be said that they failed their mission as they failed to rescue Kang Seo Yeon's party.
So, it had been six months since Kang Seo Yeon went missing along with her party. Myung Hee entered Hope Preschool to wait for her big sister to return.
That was why every time she was in class, she would gaze toward the north. With a heart full of hope, she was waiting for her big sister to come back. However, reality crushed the child's hope, Kang Seo Yeon still went missing until now. There was no news from them.
It was the story behind the glum Kang Myung Hee.
...
On the rooftop, Heero sat across Kang Myung Hee and the boy. The boy who followed Kang Myung Hee was her big brother, the heir of the Kang Family, Kang Dong Woo.
Heero let out a sigh when he heard the full story. But if it was like Myung Hee said, her sister is most likely already dead. It had been half a year, after all, there was only a little probability they still survived behind the stone gate.
However, there was one thing that piqued his interest. The stone gate to a different world. If he was not wrong, the stone gate was most likely the same as the stone door at the Peak of Nebraska Mountain.
A door that led him to find the Specter God and Beast God. However, this stone gate was different. If it was a place where God lived, Bai Xin Yue's party would not come back intact. It might be different from the door at the peak of Nebraska Mountain.
Even though Kang Myung Hee already calmed down, her eyes were still red from crying. As for Kang Dong Woo, he was staring at him coldly. He did not know why this boy was so cold to him, but he was sure this was their first meeting.
"So, Myung Hee wants Teacher Xing to save Myung Hee's big sister?"
"Mmm." Kang Myung Hee nodded her head.
"But why do you choose Teacher Xing?" This was the thing that puzzled Heero.
Kang Family was a giant family with a former Emperor Class Hero in it. Moreover, Kang Myung Hee's father, Kang Yun Cheol was also a Crown Class Ranker. Kang Family had many rankers working for them. With such force, Kang Family could easily look for Kang Seo Yeon.
Tears that had dried trickled once again, "M-My father… has given up… they said… Sister is already dead… if there's no news in a week… My father will hold… a funeral for Sister Seo Yeon…"
Kang Dong-Woo gritted his teeth when he heard his sister cry. He wanted to comfort her, but he did not know-how. Myung Hee was not the one feeling down and sorrowful, he was also depressed inside.
Heero stood up and picked Myung Hee up. He embraced her to calm her down. For a little girl to turn out like this, the siblings might be very close.
Heero scratched his head, "Good. I will try my best to help. I will try to check the stone gate, but I don't know where it is. Does Myung Hee know where the stone gate is?"
Myung Hee stopped crying when she heard Heero wanted to help. But when Heero asked her the stone gate's location, Myung Hee shook her head. She also did not know where it was.
Heero's lips formed a helpless smile. But he also could not blame Myung Hee. She is just four years old. Maybe, her decision to ask for help was her decision on a whim because of the Hope Park incident.
At that time, Myung Her witnessed how strong Heero was by beating forty people. She thought he was strong and then she came here to ask for help to save her sister.
Looking at Heero's troubled look, Myung Hee was aware of his trouble.
"Teacher Xing, I will come back and ask my mum." She immediately thought of a way to find the stone gate's location.
"There's no need. I know the dungeon's location, but…" Kang Dong Woo stared at Heero with a dagger-like stare that made Heero uncomfortable.
"But what?" Kang Myung Hee became excited when she heard her brother knew the stone gate's location.
"Your Teacher Xing could not enter the gate because Hero League guards the stone gate. Even Ranker Alliance could not enter the dungeon, let alone your nameless Teacher Xing."
Kang Dong Woo's words were sharp. He did not try to hide his prejudice against Heero.
"Moreover, even he could enter the dungeon, he would just go die. Even Gold Class Hero - Rank 1, Bai Xin Yue and her party did not dare to venture deeper into the dungeon. Sister, you only send your Teacher Xing to his demise if you send him to the dungeon."
Let's go back! I am following you here because you were begging me to. Don't you waste your time with the people from the outer region?! They could only bluff!"
Kang Dong Woo stood up from the seat and pointed his finger toward Heero's face, "And YOU! Don't you dare to give my sister with false hope such as you will the best. Just keep that bullish*t for yourself!!!"
After saying those words, Kang Dong Woo approached Heero intending to take Myung Hee. However, Myung Hee refused and clutched her hand tightly on Heero's body.
"No! No! Teacher Xing is strong. He beat Old Man Song and Daddy's thirty-nine subordinates. Teacher Xing is as strong as Grandpa!!! He could help me to find Sister Seo Yeon! I don't want to go back with you!" Myung Hee burst out.
Heero could only shake his head when he heard Kang Dong Woo's words. He learned the people who lived in the inner region would look down at the people who lived in the outer region.
The wall that separated the four regions was not for the sake of protection, but the barrier of social status. Since he started working in the noodle shop, he often visited the commerce region. During this time, Heero realized that the people treated him differently because he was from the outer region.
The difference was so clear. When the people from the inner region came to the commerce region. The shopkeeper would treat them as God while if it was him, they would treat him coldly as he came from the outer region.
Of course, not everyone was like that, but most of them did. Heero was not surprised if a kid like Kang Dong Woo that came from the inner region had a prejudice against him.
Sshing!!!
Kang Dong Woo unsheathed his sword. Yes, he was bringing a sword all the time. But Heero did not expect Kang Dong Woo would point his sword toward him.
"Alright then, I will test him. If he could beat me just like he beat Old Man Song. I will share the stone gate's location." Kang Dong Woo smirked and confidently challenged Heero.
He believed Heero was just a swindler. What a mere preschool could do? If he was as strong as his sister told him, this man would not stay in the outer region and become a waiter of a cramped noodle shop.
"Oi! Oi! Oi! It's dangerous for a kid like you to play with a sword!" Heero got Myung Hee to stay away from Dong Woo.
He was afraid if this kid suddenly swung the sword and hurt Myung Her accidentally. However, Dong Woo took it as Heero cowered in fear.
"See! Your Teacher Xing is just a mere swindler! I haven't made a move yet, but he already ran away!"
'I will show it to Myung Hee, this man is just a swindler!'
Myung Hee turned her head at Heero, with her clear and innocent stare, she spoke: "Teacher Xing, can you have a match against my brother?"
"Eh, are you sure? You know, Teacher Xing is strong."
"I know. You can have a match, but don't hurt my brother, okay?"
"Hmm, okay!"
Looking at his sister talked closely with Heero. Dong Woo was pissed off, moreover, his sister was taking a side to an outsider.
"You…"
Just as he wanted to charge toward Heero, suddenly there was an unknown pressure enveloped him.
"Urgh…"
Klang! Klang!
Dong Woo could not hold the pressure well. The short sword fell from his hand and he fell on his knees. His breathing became hurried, the pressure was suffocating him, and his vision blurred.
This was a Ki field created by Heero. He also experienced this kind of pressure many times during his training with Saint. His first experience was no different than the current Dong Woo.
"Teacher Xing stop!" Myung Hee could not bear to see her brother suffer like that.
Even though she did not know what had happened to her brother, but she knew it must be Teacher Xing's doing.
Heero nodded his head and removed the Ki field. As soon as the Ki field disappeared, Dong Woo sucked a deep breath.
Inside the Ki field, it was very hard to even breathe. He thought he was going to pass out, but then the pressure disappeared. There was no need to guess, the culprit must be the man called Teacher Xing.
"You… You are cheating. You did a sneak attack on me. It's not a fair match. I haven't even used my real power."
After saying those, a flame appeared in Dong Woo's hand.
"I am, Kang Dong Woo, the future of Emperor Class Hero will not lose against a mere preschool teacher like YOU!!!"
The flame in Dong Woo's right hand blazed even fiercer.
However, there was no way Heero would let Dong Woo release his flames. In an instant, he appeared before Dong Woo and flicked her finger toward Dong Woo's forehead.
Tak!
"Arghh!"
Dong Woo screamed in pain and the flame in his hand instantly vanished. He fell back as he kept rubbing his pained forehead.
"You… You… You…"
Dong Woo stood up and held the pain on his forehead. He pointed his finger toward Heero, but there were no words came out.
In the end, he realized the man in front of him was strong. Just like Myung Hee told him, this person was very strong.
"Do you know who I am? I am Kang Dong Woo, the heir of Kang Family…"
He realized Heero was stronger than him. He tried to use his background to scare Heero. Dong Woo's wits reached their end. He did not know anymore what to say and blabbered out his background.
Heero shook his head and approached Dong Woo with an expression of "So what?".
"Don't come closer, or I will report you to Central Police!" Dong Woo was now scared.
"You said you want to be Emperor Class Hero?" Heero asked in a cold voice.
"Y-yes… I will become Emperor Class Hero. Just like my grandfather…" Even though Dong Woo was clueless why Heero suddenly asked, he still answered truthfully.
"But you are unfitting to be Hero!" Heero declared coldly. But his declaration incited Dong Woo's rage!
"Who says I am unfitting to be a Hero!!??? I have the power and I will be the strongest Hero. I will surpass you in 5 years!!!"
"Oh? Really? Then let me ask you, what is Hero's duty?"
"Killing the beast and protecting the people from the danger!"
As expected, an answer from a kid.
"Then, do you still think you can be a Hero after what you did just now? You tried to use your ability without caring for your surroundings. Do you know where we are?"
We are in a noodle shop, there are many people below. But you still want to launch your flame with full power. Let alone the people downstairs, what about your sister? Do you still care about her? What if your flame injures your sister? You are not even a good brother and here you want to be a Hero?"
Heero started lecturing twelve years old Dong Woo.
Meanwhile, Dong Woo looked at his little sister in a daze. This time, Dong Woo did not refute Heero anymore as he was also aware of his mistake.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone