"If you eat only rice and maize and not duck or fish, you will sicken and die. And then where will the House be?"
"Where it's always been. Stuck in Clamflat, North Korea."
"Do not speak of the Pearl of the Orient that way."
"I have an idea," Remo said.
Chiun narrowed his hazel eyes dubiously. "What is your idea?"
"Why don't we bring all your people out here?"
"Here! They would sooner starve."
"Which is exactly what would happen if the House didn't support them. But I mean it, Chiun. The climate is great year-round. There's plenty of food. And it's in America."
"A country less than three centuries old. It is hardly broken in yet."
"You have a better idea?"
"I had been considering offering these poor Korean refugees sanctuary in my village of Sinanju."
"In North Korea? Where it's winter three seasons out of four and there's no food or freedom?"
"There is freedom in my village. No one would dare say otherwise. I have forbidden all derogatory speech."
"You talk to Sunny Joe about this?" Remo asked.
"Not yet. I wished to speak to you first."
"I doubt he would go for it."
"These poor relations of ours have fallen into low habits, Remo. They eat corn." His eyes narrowed. "And they drink it."
"No disagreement there. But now that Sunny Joe's back for good, he's going to straighten them out."
"Once Koreans fall into corn-eating habits, drinking spirits follows naturally. One cannot cure the symptom without eradicating the disease. They are obviously homesick."
"It's not going to go over, so forget it."
Face stiffening, the Master of Sinanju drew back the reins to put space between Remo and himself. "On the morrow," he announced, "I am leaving."
"Okay."
"With or without you."
"I haven't decided what I'm going to do with rest of my life yet," Remo said in a nonthreatening voice.
"You will do what you must."
"Count on it."
"And the path you must follow is the path you have followed. You are a Sinanju assassin."
"I don't want to be an assassin anymore. I've put in my time. And I've put killing behind me. I'm a man of peace now."
"Is that what you want me to tell Smith?"
"Definitely."
"And do you also want me to inform Emperor Smith of your recent good fortune?"
A flicker of a shadow crossed Remo's face. "You can leave that out."
"Because if I do, he may order me to do something I would rather not do."
"If you're driving someplace in particular, state your destination."
"Very well. Smith selected you above all other whites to be placed in my hands because you were a foundling. Now that you are no longer fatherless, he may see in this development a threat to his organization."
"You suggesting Smith would order a hit on Sunny Joe?"
"You must not call him that. It is too familiar. Call him Appa, which is Korean for 'father.'"
"I'm not comfortable calling him that. I've only known him a few weeks. I like 'Sunny Joe' better."
"It is un-Korean. And disrespectful."
"I'm more Sun On Jo than Korean. Remember? But back to Smith. If you're trying to blackmail me into going with you, forget it. I'm through being an assassin."
"Have I ever told you about the stonecutter?"
"If you had, I've long ago forgotten. And if you plan to, I'm not interested. Don't tell Smith about Sunny Joe. Because you know if he sends anyone here, it'll be you. And you also know if you come for Sunny Joe, you'll find me standing in the way."
The Master of Sinanju regarded his pupil with stony eyes for a long moment. "I do not appreciate you taking that tone with me, Remo Roam."
" 'Williams.' I'm keeping the name I've been used to all these years."
"But I would not respect you if you failed to stand up for the one who is truly your father," Chiun continued. "So I will let it pass."
"Good."
Chiun pointed his mount eastward. "Tomorrow I depart."
"Okay."
" With or without you."