Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

After ending a call with Anton, the Guild Master of Tsar, Kang Mu-hyuk put aside his piled-up tasks and delved into deep thought.

'There are five Gates at the level of the Blagoveshchensk Gate... No matter how I think about it, this seems suspicious. Could Gates of such magnitude really have appeared all at once?'

Even Kang Mu-hyuk, who knew the entire history from the World Hunter Scene's History down to the last detail, had never encountered such a phenomenon anywhere.

'Well, let's assume that Gates are inherently beyond common sense. Let's also consider the ongoing conflict between Russian and Chinese Hunters as a factor exacerbating the situation. Considering the money involved with Gates, of course, there was a chance of bloodshed.'

However, despite considering all these issues, the current phenomenon was still suspicious. Although there was no evidence or sign to doubt, Kang Mu-hyuk felt uneasy about the events unfolding in the Demonic Realm.

“I can’t even take immediate action. How frustrating...”

The problem was that Kang Mu-hyuk, or rather, Korea, was a third party in this incident.

Korea had no stake in the Demonic Realm nor any justification to get involved. Even if profit could be used as a justification, Iron Will was not capable of interfering.

At best, only the Slayer Guild in Korea might be able to get involved, but given the scale of the guilds involved from Russia and China, even this was not an easy task.

'I should at least share the information with Director Cha Gil-joo. I'll reassure him that it has nothing to do with the Vladivostok incident. Plus, knowing the movements in the Demonic Realm could help us prepare in case of an emergency.'

Just when Kang Mu-hyuk was about to pick up the receiver.

The phone on his desk rang first.

Kang Mu-hyuk checked the number displayed on the phone’s screen. It was a number he knew very well.

“Ah, right. There was this matter too.”

He organized his thoughts while the phone rang a couple more times before he answered it.

“Yes, Director. What can I do for you?”

Tae Suman.

The disgruntled voice of Tae Suman, the strategic planning director of the Taesung Group and the owner's second son, came through the receiver.

-It's so hard to hear your voice unless I reach out myself.

“I’ve been busy, as you know.”

-Hmm, busy?

A mocking snort came through.

-Of course you were busy, getting rid of Cho Choonghyun and all. And clearing out all of my people there~ What’s next? Are you going to do the same to me?

Despite his sharp tone, Kang Mu-hyuk replied calmly, “Didn't you call me well aware of the fact that Cho Choonghyun was coaxed by the chairman? He even came for my life. I couldn’t touch him because of the chairman, and had to quickly push him out of the guild. And this outcome isn’t bad for you either, Director.”

-All this was for my benefit? Even cutting off the entire Strategy Team?

“The existing Strategy Team was under Cho Choonghyun’s control. There was no telling who might be under the chairman's influence. It was better to cut them all off rather than suffer sorting them out.”

-And now, I have no alternative but you, Guild Leader Kang, isn't that right?

“It’s not that I’m your only option, but rather, focus on the fact that no one else who might come in would be a better alternative than me.”

-…….

Tae Suman was silent for a moment.

With Cho Choonghyun gone, he couldn’t learn the full details, but he had gathered from a mole he had placed within the chairman’s office that there had been a power struggle between Kang Mu-hyuk and the chairman.

From the outside, it seemed like Kang Mu-hyuk merely bowed his head in submission, but the reality was different. The chairman was merely testing loyalty, and Kang Mu-hyuk had deftly ducked under the swinging blade.

And this part precisely.

Kang Mu-hyuk having remained safe until now meant that he had passed the chairman’s test. That alone was proof enough of Kang Mu-hyuk’s capabilities.

'Cho Choonghyun disappeared just at the right time. The chairman probably won't care. Moreover, he doesn't see Kang Mu-hyuk as a threat. Rather, he seems to consider him a tool to tighten his grip on Se-ah. Otherwise, the lack of follow-up action despite the suspicious disappearance of Cho Choonghyun wouldn’t make sense.'

This was not only because Cho Choonghyun wasn't considered important, but also because Kang Mu-hyuk's utility was deemed greater.

The same was true for Tae Suman.

Eventually, he had to accept the choices imposed by Kang Mu-hyuk. He didn't trust him, but as long as they could use each other, it was beneficial to cooperate.

-How ridiculous! I got fooled by your honey-coated words before. Now I don’t even have a choice. Even if you plot to cut me out now, I have to fall for it, darn it.

“Cutting you out isn’t that simple now, is it? Director.”

-So you're saying you'd cut me out if you could?

“I’m hanging on under you, Director. If you get cut, I’ll fall too. Unless I'm planning to commit suicide in front of the chairman, I have no intention of turning against you.”

As long as they had a common enemy, they were in the same boat.

That was the relationship between Kang Mu-hyuk and Tae Suman.

-Fine. Well, we don't work based on trust anyway. But still, there needs to be some assurance if we're going to work together.

“How should I prove it?”

-It’s simple. Se-ah. No, I mean Guild Master Ju Se-ah. I heard she came into headquarters today.

Kang Mu-hyuk sensed a tremor in Tae Suman’s seemingly simple question.

'Anxiety, tension. He’s afraid of Ju Se-ah getting her foot in the door. In that case...'

Use what can be used. It just so happened that he had made plans for this. Kang Mu-hyuk was waiting to see what results Ju Se-ah would bring from her meeting with the chairman.

Kang Mu-hyuk shifted from an attitude of seemingly dependending on him to a more proactive stance.

"Are you curious why she came in?"

-Well, she's busy with the opening of Hunter Village, and she still came here. So yeah I guess?

“It’s nothing serious. Just a summons from the chairman.”

-You don't know why?

"They didn't tell me the details."

-You're Guild Leader Kang, you wouldn't just not know.

"Of course, I have my suspicions."

-What are those?

"It’s time for the half-year promise the chairman made with the Guild Master to be evaluated."

-Ah, that promise at the chairman’s birthday party? Whether to close the guild or not.

"No, it’s not feasible to discuss that right now. Even the chairman couldn’t shut down a guild that has shown such performance overnight. He dislikes actions that could tarnish the group’s reputation."

-Then what?

"It could be that she has to quit the guild at all costs to join the group."

-!!

After a pause, the sound of Tae Suman swallowing dryly could be heard over the phone.

After giving Tae Suman a moment to collect his thoughts, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke.

"Director, it seems about time we meet again."

-A busy man like you is suggesting a meeting now? Is there some good news?

"This proposal won’t be too bad for you either."

Ju Se-ah visited the Samsung-dong headquarters to meet her biological father, Tae Jinsung.

Despite not working at the headquarters, her face alone was enough to get her a pass. This was because she was recognized not so much as the chairman’s daughter but as Korea's top Hunter.

"Guild Master Ju Se-ah, the chairman has been waiting for you."

The secretary who met her from the elevator escorted her to the royal level chairman’s office.

Standing at the door, Ju Se-ah took a deep breath.

'I'd rather deal with Gates. This place, jeez...'

Despite being an S-ranker, it was still an uncomfortable place, not because of monsters.

"You're here already. Don't linger at the door. Come on in."

Hesitating for a moment, Tae Jinsung’s clear voice called out from inside.

Ju Se-ah frowned and swung open the door to the chairman’s office.

“Did you awaken as a Hunter now? How did you know I was outside the door?”

“If you sigh that loudly, even an old man as deaf as me would hear. Come and sit down.”

Tae Jinsung moved from his desk to the sofa. Ju Se-ah closed the door and sat on the farthest edge of the sofa from him, mirroring the emotional distance between father and daughter. It might have looked awkward to others, but the chairman didn’t mind.

“Shall we have a cup of tea?”

“It's not like we’re here for tea time, are we, Chairman?”

Ju Se-ah retorted curtly.

“So you don’t even call me father anymore.”

“When have you ever seen me as your daughter?”

“I thought of you as my daughter, that's why I offered you the Guild Master position and even talked about adding you to the family register.”

“Both were just tricks to bring me into the group because you needed me.”

“You knew that, and yet you accepted the Guild Master offer.”

“You keep talking as if it was a favor. That’s usually called a deal. Don’t talk like you’ve been giving it to me unilaterally.”

"From what I know, a lot of the group's money went into this?"

"Compared to recruiting Korea's top Hunter, that's mere pocket change."

Tae Jinsung looked at Ju Se-ah, who responded without missing a beat, with a newfound interest. Perhaps his gaze made Ju Se-ah curious, so she asked.

"Why?"

"You've gotten bolder. Even the way you speak has changed."

"Really?"

"You've started to resemble that guy under you."

"Under me? Are you talking about Guild Leader Kang Mu-hyuk?"

"That's not a good influence you've picked up."

"It seems I've learned well if you don't like it."

"We might as well get to the point if we're just going to upset each other the more we talk."

"When have you ever cared enough to get upset?"

"Don't be disrespectful."

Tae Jinsung glared with wide eyes, and Ju Se-ah met his gaze without flinching.

After a moment of staring each other down, Tae Jinsung clicked his tongue and looked away first. He was displeased that his youngest daughter was not intimidated by his glare.

'All my other children avoid my gaze, but this one is defiant. Tsk tsk.'

Even though she was a Hunter who faced monsters, her boldness was more a matter of temperament than her profession.

She wasn't afraid of him. Tae Jinsung was certain that even if Ju Se-ah weren't a Hunter, she would still stand up to him. This was one of the reasons he wanted her in the group.

"Let's skip the pleasantries. The guild will remain as is; you're coming into the group."

"The great chairman of Taesung Group is changing his tune now?"

"I promised I wouldn't dissolve the guild, not that you would get where to stay. Recall exactly what I said."

Reflecting on that memory, indeed he had said:

'I'll give you six months. Normalize the guild by then. If you cannot, I will dissolve it.'

Ju Se-ah realized she had been naively misled.

"How can a chaebol be so stingy?"

"A single word can change the figures in business. If you couldn’t catch that, it shows your capabilities as a Guild Master are lacking. You still have much to learn."

Though it was petty, Ju Se-ah felt arguing would only make her look weaker, so she kept her mouth shut. Instead, she brought up a prepared remark.

"Even so, I never said I’d abandon the guild to join the headquarters."

"Are you trying to argue?"

"Hardly. Do you think arguing would make you just let it go? We never put anything in writing. There wasn't even a clear verbal agreement."

"So you want to declare it as invalid?"

"I don't handle things so loosely. I'll consider that as your proposal."

"A proposal?"

"I'll join the headquarters. Please prepare a position for me."

"Interesting."

"But I will continue to lead the guild as well. I will still operate as the Guild Master, so there will be many days I won't be in the office here."

Tae Jinsung quickly grasped where Ju Se-ah's proposal was coming from.

"Did that Guild Leader tell you to do this?"

"Expecting you would say that, Guild Leader Kang told me to convey that yielding to you in some aspects is profitable for us both. He advised me to avoid taking the hard path and settle things reasonably. He thought you would understand that."

As soon as Ju Se-ah finished speaking, Tae Jinsung burst into sardonic laughter.

"So, in other words, you're telling me to yield reasonably as well."

"Ah, and he added one more thing. If you try to have everything, you will lose everything."

Tae Jinsung stared intently at Ju Se-ah. Actually, it was more like he was glaring through her at Kang Mu-hyuk behind her.

'She needs to be cajoled and appeased, huh? She's doing pretty good.'

While he was pleased that Ju Se-ah had made some compromises, the thought of the inscrutable Kang Mu-hyuk pulling her strings annoyed him. He felt an irrational desire to be childish toward Kang Mu-hyuk, who was achieving what he himself could not.

"Well, seeing how he has persuaded you, his silver tongue must still be in fine form. Such people are difficult to handle. Be careful. Once the oil catches fire, it burns up in an instant. And it will burn both foes and friends alike. Better keep your distance if you don’t want to get burned."

"The guild is my responsibility. I handle all personnel decisions."

"Take it as advice."

Ju Se-ah’s sharp tone prompted Tae Jinsung to change the atmosphere.

"The guild's listing is coming up soon. I don’t like negotiating with something that’s going to be part of the group anyway, but it’s better if things are amicable. Being proactive usually brings more enthusiasm. Fine, continue managing the guild affairs. But when called, come quickly to the headquarters."

"Unless it's urgent."

"Even if it’s not urgent, make time."

"We’ll have to negotiate that. I can't help it when I’m hunting monsters."

Tae Jinsung was surprised that his daughter, whom he expected to be more stubborn, had made a compromise and nodded again.

"Alright, I’ll consider that."

On the surface, Tae Jinsung accepted everything with a benign smile, but his thoughts were cunning.

'It's hard to take the first step, but once you start walking, running comes in an instant. You might dislike it, but you'll have to move according to my plans.'

Kim Ahyoung

Age: 27

Affiliation: Secretary's Office, Vice Chairman, Taesung Group

Mr. Cho glanced between the woman who had just entered the cafe and the photo displayed on his smartphone.

"That's her. Just as the information said, she comes to this cafe after lunch."

Since the cafe was popular and located near Taesung Group's headquarters, the assistant often purchased snacks here for the vice chairman's afternoon enjoyment.

After selecting a dessert, Mr. Cho approached Kim Ahyoung, who was sipping her coffee, under the pretense of picking up a napkin from a nearby service table. Waiting for the right moment, he slipped a substance into her coffee cup as she looked away.

'It’s harmless to the body. It just causes frequent urination.'

Shortly after, Kim Ahyoung hastily made her way to the restroom after taking a few more sips of her coffee. Mr. Cho followed her at a distance.

Waiting outside the restroom stall Kim Ah-young had entered, he listened for the sound of the toilet flushing. As soon as she came out, he took action.

"Hah!"

Whether the sleeping powder took effect or not, Kim Ahyoung suddenly collapsed, her legs giving out beneath her.

Mr. Cho quickly grabbed her and dragged her back into the restroom stall, locking the door.

'This transformation requires direct contact, which is bothersome. Am I shooting a damn movie every time or what?'

Inside the stall, he took a deep breath, and his appearance began to change. It was Kim Ahyoung's face now.

"Ah, ahh."

Having confirmed the change even in his voice, Mr. Cho grabbed the ID and smartphone, swapped clothes with Kim Ahyoung, and then made a call.

"It’s me. I'm in the third stall of the restroom. I’ll infiltrate Taesung; handle the rest. Erase her memory later when I call you. She won’t wake up for at least five or six hours."

After delegating the cleanup to another member, Mr. Cho infiltrated Taesung Group.

With Kim Ahyoung's appearance and employee ID, no one suspected a thing.

'I've infiltrated the place successfully. Now, how about I see what I can find in the vice chairman’s office?'

He casually greeted the other office assistants and arranged the desserts he had bought in the pantry before sitting at a desk as if nothing was amiss and listened intently in the direction of the vice chairman's office.

He used an eavesdropping skill that could easily listen through even a concrete wall.

Soon, he heard the vice chairman talking on the phone.

-Apparently, Se-ah is coming to the headquarters.

'The witch at Taesung?'

-We can't delay it any longer.

'Who is he talking to? I can’t hear the other side.'

-We have no choice. Let's use the method we used before.

'What method? What’s he talking about? I can only hear his side.'

-We won't hesitate anymore. Please contact the White Tiger Guild, Mr. Kim Myung-jun.

'!!'