World-Saving is a Skill

Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Hearing my answer, Han Hoon and Han Soo-hee’s expressions hardened.

"Not to be rude, but you should be more careful with your words in front of people like us."

At Han Hoon’s words, I glanced toward the door and said,

"Does Chairman Han have incontinence or something?"

He said he was stepping out for just a moment, so how long is he planning on staying gone? Maybe he has a hobby of letting his ramen noodles get soggy on purpose.

"Ah, were you all having a nice chat?"

The door opened late and the chairman walked back in. Immediately Han Hoon and Han Soo-hee sat down. Han Sang-ah had never even gotten up in the first place, so she was the exception.

"What were you talking about?"

"They seem worried that I might be aiming for your chair, Grandpa."

Hang Sang-ah, she... Is the type who tosses out words without even realizing they’re bombs, leaving everyone else’s heads in ruins.

Chairman Han Sang-cheol let out a low sound at her words.

"Who knows how such a kid ended up popping out of the Han family."

He clapped his hands once and looked at me.

"Anyway, Hunter Yoo, was there any discomfort with the meal?"

"Oh please, of course there was. It was a dinner table, but I felt like I was the steak being served instead of sitting in a chair."

Am I the guest here, or the meat you brought out to carve up? What kind of joke is this?

"Honestly, enough beating around the bush. What do you really want?"

At my words, Han Sang-cheol let out a grunt as he sat back down.

"Was what you said in that Donghae interview sincere?"

I nodded at that.

"Would I lie there? Do you know what kind of stage that was?"

"Statements at press conferences are 80 percent lies."

I frowned as I answered,

"That depends on the attitude of the person speaking. The venue itself isn’t inherently a place for lies."

"From the start, your attitude has been disrespectful. Even now, you’re still rude."

I nodded.

"Maybe if enough time passes and the fire I lit in Korea dies down, things will change. But at least for now, even if you’re the chairman of Geumyang Group, I’m in a position where I can push back."

At that, Han Sang-cheol slammed the table and looked at me.

"Push me back? Sounds like you don’t want to plant your feet in Korea at all, Hunter Yoo."

I calmly replied,

"Do as you please. I guess Korea will have another Viktor Ahn situation then."

"What did you just say you bastard?"

His eyebrows twitched violently. I didn’t care whether it was an act or if he was truly angry.

"You think I’ve got nowhere else to go but Korea? If I said I wanted to move tomorrow, I’d be flooded with offers begging me to come."

Switching nationalities? If I exaggerate only a little, it could be finished in fifteen minutes.

"You sound like a damn traitor."

"I’m not walking out on my own. If you kick me out, how can you call that betrayal?"

As I finished speaking, I extended my hand slightly. The bottle of liquor on the table flew into my grip. The three Hans wore startled expressions.

I poured into my glass and continued,

"I understand you want to win the power struggle before we get to talking. You’re a man with a lot to lose."

I drained the glass and wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"But still, this is a bit much, isn’t it? Sitting across from someone who just started as a Hunter, and I still don’t even know the real reason you called me here."

If you’re just going to press me without saying anything, what am I supposed to do? Is this one of those 'how much are you worth' tests? I hate that kind of thing.

It’s the same as saying you want to rip me off because you don’t know me well.

"I’m not blind to the Hunters’ hard work, but you know, being outsiders, sometimes your kind ends up clashing with the interests of the Geumyang Group."

Hearing that, I frowned immediately. So that’s what this is about. He wants a separate Hunter division under the company.

"You mean you want to form some kind of in-house Hunter organization?"

"Yes, well… it would be called the Security Headquarters. Its main duties would be transporting company assets and protecting our operations. Each affiliate would have its own security team, but they would all be commanded by the Security Headquarters."

And of course, the Security Headquarters would report directly to Geumyang’s main office.

"There are plenty of experienced Hunters around. If the compensation is decent, quite a few would want to join."

It makes sense. Safety is a top priority for many Hunters.

"I want you and Sang-ah to lead that Security Headquarters. Hunters have their pride. I can’t just put anyone in charge."

"So after barely five hours since the press conference, you’re telling me to retract my words already?"

Han Sang-cheol replied,

"Is it really so hard to say one thing in public and do another in private? I’m not even saying right now. Keep up the pretense for a year or two, then slip in quietly."

"Grandpa."

Han Sang-ah spoke.

"Then what about Israel’s Club Shaddai?"

At her words, Han Sang-cheol responded,

"You mean that Erosion Core in Israel? Don’t get so obsessed with revenge. If you’ve got enough money, you don’t even have to get your own hands dirty."

Han Sang-ah shot up from her seat and stared at him.

"Grandpa, how much would it cost to cut your head off and hang it over Geumyang’s headquarters entrance?"

"Sang-ah!"

Han Soo-hee’s voice rang out in shock.

I stared at Han Sang-ah. Wait, she’s angry? That Han Sang-ah?

"Probably around Geumyang Group’s entire market capitalization."

Han Sang-cheol brushed off her fiery words without batting an eye. Within moments, Han Sang-ah’s expression had already returned to normal.

After a brief thought, I let out an awkward laugh.

"Well, if that’s the case, taking down just Club Shaddai wouldn’t be nearly enough."

"Yes, it would be far from enough."

Listening to their back-and-forth, I added,

"Then how about this? Join that Security Headquarters of his, play the obedient granddaughter, and slip antifreeze into his meals."

Han Sang-ah replied,

"Food would taste sweet if I did that."

"Then do it with coffee."

"He doesn’t drink coffee. But he does drink Bacchus often. If I stick a needle through the cap and inject it, that should work."

The conversation between us was unbelievable.

"But wouldn’t there be an autopsy? His head might never end up displayed at the entrance."

At her serious follow-up, I burst out laughing.

"You’re insane."

Laughing with that short evaluation, I wiped the tears from my eyes and straightened my face again.

"Anyway, thanks for the offer, but I’ll decline."

I stood up.

"Thanks for the ramen. And next time, don’t mess around with things like this. Not when it’s clear none of you even touched the food."

After all, not just Han Sang-cheol, but his two grandchildren too hadn’t eaten a bite.

"Geumyang Group crushing one person’s life isn’t that hard…"

The moment he said it, I slammed my chopsticks into the table and dragged them forward. Cleanly, the table split in half.

The food and drinks spilled everywhere with a loud crash. I strode forward and stabbed the chopsticks down right next to where Han Sang-cheol sat.

"Hey gramps, listen carefully. I don’t usually make the first threat."

Not that I can say I’ve never threatened anyone. There was Europe, after all.

With that, I stretched out my hand and gripped the wall hard. My fingers sank into the marble like kneading dough. I tore off a chunk of the wall.

"But if someone else makes the first threat, that means they’ve already given up on solving conflicts or misunderstandings through dialogue. And me? I always try to resolve things with words if my counterpart is willing. But if not, then I don’t bother staying polite."

The chunk of wall dropped to the floor with a heavy thud.

"When a bear charges you, what you need is a shotgun, not a panel for debate."

I ground the marble chunk to powder under my boot and continued,

"As chairman of Geumyang Group, I’m sure you’ve heard how I handled the tantrums of European warlords. If Han Sang-ah is crazy, then I’m a madman too."

That’s why we get along so well, which is why we stick together as comrades.

Suddenly the door burst open and the Hunters hired as security stormed in.

"Stop right there!"

"Oh, for crying out loud. What now?"

The ring on my finger gleamed, instantly freezing their limbs. Ten Hunters who had rushed in were subdued in an instant.

"You all want to die together here? What do you think I am, standing before your chairman? Some well-mannered citizen?"

I clicked my tongue and went on.

"What’s in front of your chairman right now is a beast that wakes up every day ready for his own death and craving his enemy’s. But if that beast walks around bare, people get terrified. So I put on a muzzle and practiced restraint."

I locked eyes with Han Sang-cheol from just inches away.

"From now on, don’t ever threaten me again. Because the moment I take that muzzle off, things like power, wealth, age, and etiquette get tossed right out the window."

After a short pause, I gave myself a mock knock on the head and laughed.

"Did I make it too complicated? Well, maybe at your age, it’s harder to understand."

I patted his head.

"Try threatening me again. Next time, I’ll kill you, and just let the aftermath play out however it will. Honestly…"

I mimed flicking his forehead, then smashed the wall instead. Cracks spiderwebbed out with a shower of dust.

"Blowing apart an old man’s dying skull wouldn’t take long at all."

I broke off eye contact with Han Sang-cheol and turned to Han Sang-ah.

"It must've been nice to see your grandpa again. Let’s go back and get to work."

Han Sang-ah stood, bowed politely to her grandfather, and said,

"It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I’ll come visit you again. Stay healthy."

Come to think of it, we barely even ate. Damn it, what the hell was the point of coming here?

"After Taebaek, now Geumyang Group? Feels like you’re making too many enemies."

"There were only ever two possible outcomes."

Either we would storm out like we just did, or I would accept the chairman’s proposal.

Does it look like I went through all this hell just to take some position in Geumyang’s Security Headquarters?

"You think he would’ve let us go peacefully if we just said no?"

"No."

"Then next question. If he wouldn’t let us leave, what would we have had to do?"

"Get up and walk out anyway. Then Grandpa would’ve thrown out similar threats."

So the conclusion is the same either way.

"It’s not like I’m a psycho that enjoys intimidating old men."

"You could get charged for threatening someone, you know."

"Not when the offer itself was crooked."

Asking me to break a public promise just hours after making it, how could that be called fair?

"Geumyang Group crushing an ordinary person is easy."

"But crushing a Hunter? That’s tricky. Especially one who just demolished a grade 1 Erosion Core with only two people and lit up the press with it. At this peak, it’s practically impossible."

I looked out at the darkening streets.

"So I’m saying, I won’t let myself get dragged around."

It hadn’t been long since we crossed Siberia. Naturally, Han Sang-ah couldn’t really grasp how people in Korea were seeing us, how we were being perceived.

But me? I knew.

A buzzing sound, and a message arrived on Han Sang-ah’s smartphone.

"What, is your grandpa saying he won’t give me any more elixirs?"

She shook her head.

"No, it says to make sure you take them."

Oh? After all that, he still wants to hand me elixirs?