The Time-Limited Leader Makes the Raid a Success - Chapter 51



Only Noblemtl

Episode 51

51. Just give me some weight.

It wasn’t that far from the Bukpocheon Guild Headquarters to Nampocheon. The only problem was that there were monsters roaming around on the way there and back.

But monsters were nothing more than a minor concern.

Kang Mu-hyeok doesn’t move alone, and he uses a strong A-rank hunter as his bodyguard, so even the most powerful monsters are no threat.

In addition, by periodically mobilizing hunters to clear the path, the monsters developed learning abilities and did not come near the area.

“So why should I escort the captain?”

“If you want to move quickly, one A-rank is enough, but right now the only A-rank that’s free is Team Leader Yeom Soo-hyung.”

“Director Jang Deuk-gu was there too.”

“Mr. Cho is very shy. Director Jang will perceive him as a risk factor.”

As soon as he heard the person ‘Mr. Joe’ mentioned by Kang Mu-hyeok, Yeom Soo-hyung’s expressionless face distorted.

“What? Were you going to meet that guy? Why are you telling me that now?”

“If you had told me in advance, you wouldn’t have come.”

“You can still go back now.”

“You can’t make a U-turn. Do you know how much it costs to run this car in a high-concentration mana zone? I can’t afford it. I even have to save money on the regular replacement of engine protection cartridges.”

“Ugh. Looking at what you’ve been doing these days, you seem more like a general affairs manager than a team leader. Whenever you open your mouth, it’s all about money.”

“What can we do? That’s the situation of a small guild.”

Even though they had borrowed hundreds of billions of won from banks, the guild still had plenty of money to spend on new projects, such as renovating their headquarters and building a breeding facility.

Yeom Su-hyeong, who knew full well how tight money was, couldn’t bring himself to turn the steering wheel.

“Damn it! If I see that guy’s face, I’ll have at least a year of bad luck. I’ll wait outside, so you can meet the captain alone.”

After passing the border guard post dividing South and North Pocheon, the vehicle entered the downtown area of ​​Nampocheon centered around Pocheon City Hall.

When they arrived at the cafe they had decided on as the meeting place, Kang Mu-hyeok got out of the car. Yeom Su-hyeong was still sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Are you really not going in? It’s been a while, so let’s at least see your face.”

“He’s a guy whose face is hard to see anyway, so what’s the point of seeing him? We’re not even close. Just go do your business and come back. I’ll wait.”

When Yeom Soo-hyung strongly refused, Kang Mu-hyeok did not insist any longer.

Although Mr. Cho was a colleague from my previous job at Titan, he was not a person with whom I had smooth interpersonal relationships. Before he left the company, I could count on one hand the number of people I had talked to, excluding Kang Moo-hyuk.

His gloomy personality played a part, but his ability to draw a line with people was also a problem. He caused trouble to those around him through various incidents. In particular, he shook his head with a strange expression because he was strangely involved with Yeom Soo-hyung.

If it had been the generous Pyobeomhee, we would have welcomed her warmly, but unfortunately, she was unable to join us as she was busy interviewing people returning from vacation in relation to this incident.

Kang Mu-hyeok entered the cafe, ordered a coffee, and sat down in a corner.

It was a weekday morning, so the interior was completely empty except for takeout customers, and the silence was thick when the wind chime hanging on the door rang loudly.

“Long time no see?”

A thick voice came from above his head. Kang Mu-hyeok raised his head and saw a middle-aged man with a square jaw standing there.

“Mr. Joe?”

“Then, me. Who would that be?”

A light tone of speech that does not match his dignified appearance.

His voice was phlegmy, but his tone was as refreshing as carbonated water.

“Your face is different, and your voice is different every time, so how can you know? It’s not like we don’t know each other, so it would be okay if you just showed up as you are.”

“Like this? Will it be okay if I do it the way it was originally?”

Suddenly, a young girl’s voice came out of the middle-aged man’s mouth.

Kang Moo-hyuk frowned. The old man’s face and the young woman’s voice. It was so unbalanced that it was hard to look at.

“That ‘doppelganger’ trait is truly amazing, Miss Cho.”

“I told you not to call me that. I told you to call me Mister. Why would I turn into a man and go around like that?”

“We’re the only ones in the cafe, so why bother?”

“A freelance spy must protect himself even when buried in a grave. It is said that he must hide his identity, including his name, age, and gender, to be safe.”

Ironically, Mr. Joe, who made a living as a guild spy, had an obsession with his own safety and security.

Thanks to that carefulness, there were only a handful of people at his former workplace, Titan, who knew his original face. Even when Gongduri had an accident at Titan, the person who caught him was Mr. Joe, but he still thought he was a detective.

“Okay, then do something about your voice.”

“That’s enough greetings. Let’s talk about work. Are you curious about the Titan Guild’s news?”

After Mr. Joe’s voice changed to a rough one again and he started talking, he got to the main point.

“But it’s strange. The former strategy team leader asked me all about Titan. If I just called a few of my party friends right now, they’d come out easily.”

“It’s related to the HR department. It’s difficult to ask them.”

“Well, Hunter personnel are a matter of superiors, so the fact that Captain Kang made contact with them will be reported immediately.”

“If someone outside the guild digs into it, it could cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“You also have a contract with Matthew and Bugilma, right?”

A contract not to interfere with the Titan Guild.

Mr. Cho already knew the information that only Matthew and Kang Mu-hyeok knew.

Normally, he would have been offended and said that he was being followed, but Kang Moo-hyuk admitted it without much emotion.

“You knew it. That’s the point of this request. No matter how much I think about it, I’m the only reason Titan would mess with Iron Will, and the only person who would be my enemy on Titan is Mata Su Bugilma. The problem is that I’ve never broken a contract. Of course, it’s common in this world for contracts to become scraps of paper. But it’s not common for them to suddenly break them. After looking into it, it seems like there haven’t been any major incidents in the guild. I came to see Mr. Joe because I thought I might be missing something.”

“That’s right. At least on the surface, everything seems fine.”

“On the surface? Then, was there any invisible movement?”

“It’s nothing special, just what I expected? The shareholders who supported Gilma and one neutral shareholder have joined Gilma’s side. It’s not known to the public yet, but Matthew may become Gilma soon.”

Kang Mu-hyeok closed his eyes tightly.

Even if it wasn’t at the gate, at least in terms of politics within the guild, it was difficult for guild leader Lee Cheol-jung to handle Matthew.

At one point, he pushed Bugilma because of his younger brother, Mataesik, but even that seemed to have worn off.

‘I have no regrets now that I’ve left Titan, but I think the friendly guild leader Lee Cheol-jung was better than Matthew. So, is this incident something like Matthew’s grudge?’

Kang Mu-hyeok shook his head. He hadn’t yet fully ascended to the position of guild leader, and even if he had, he wasn’t the type of person to be so emotional.

It was difficult to understand from a common sense perspective that a Titan targeting the Tier Guild would be hostile to Iron Will, which could supply Rider Wolves.

“Matthew Soo Bugilma may be ambitious, but he is not a man without circumstances. Is there any connection between him and Iron Will regarding that shareholder?”

“Bingo. You’re sharp, aren’t you? I found something interesting. You’re lucky. Have you heard of ‘Union Asset Management’?”

“Of course I know. He’s one of the Titan shareholders. Are you on Bugilma’s side this time? Hmm, it certainly won’t be easy for Guild Leader Lee Cheol-jung to win.”

It wasn’t that it wasn’t easy, but it was clear that the odds were already against them.

Kang Moo-hyuk, who knew the internal situation of Titan well, was puzzled.

Why did a powerful shareholder who had remained neutral until now suddenly take Matthew’s side?

Mr. Joe said with a meaningful smile.

“You asked me to do you a favor last time, right? The place you hacked with Gongduri’s help. It’s called Hansung Enterprise. You asked me to dig up the back of that place, right?”

“Why is Hansung Enterprise here all of a sudden… … .”

“Union’s funding source is a Japanese financial company. People who frequent there also visit Hansung Enterprise.”

Kang Moo-hyuk felt a chill down his spine. A bad feeling suddenly welled up in him.

“Could it be that the Slayer Guild instigated this?”

“Normally, it would be connected like that. But I heard you even signed an MOU with Slayer? You have the priority to supply Rider wolves, so why bother touching them? The strategy team leader is not an idiot.”

“That’s right. There’s absolutely no reason for that.”

“I also found out about this when I was working as an employee at Hansung Enterprise, which was commissioned by Chief Kang. I had a hunch when a Japanese buyer came and went. His identity was Hunter. A Hunter disguised as a salaryman and coming to a small business? That’s really suspicious. So I followed him and Union showed up. At first, I didn’t know, but when Chief Kang brought up Titan, I looked into it and strangely connected. It was really exciting.”

Kang Moo-hyuk tried to piece together the puzzle using the information he had so far. There were a lot of missing pieces along the way, but he was able to make out the picture.

‘Union, one of Titan’s major shareholders, supported Matthew. Matthew suddenly started shaking Iron Will. Union suspects some kind of relationship with Hansung Enterprise. Hansung Enterprise is a satellite guild of the Slayer Guild. However, Slayer agreed to strengthen cooperation with us just a few days ago. Of course, it could be a ploy to weaken Iron Will, assuming that Hansung Enterprise wasn’t exposed. If Iron Will can’t be self-reliant, Slayer could step in as a savior and take it over. Could it be his intention to eat Rider Wolf whole?’

It’s not perfect, but the outline is roughly drawn.

However, Kang Moo-hyuk still placed weight on another possibility than the conclusion that the Slayer Guild had colluded.

And at the heart of that possibility is.

“Mr. Cho, I have an additional request. I would like you to dig deeper into the relationship between Hansung Enterprise and Union. In particular, I would like you to focus on Hansung Enterprise’s Executive Director Kim Myeong-jun.”

“Okay. Please send the payment to that overseas account.”

Mr. Joe got up and left the cafe.

While Kang Mu-hyeok was lost in thought, Yeom Su-hyeong came in.

“The guy who just left. He waved at me. Is that him?”

“yes.”

“Your tastes are still the same. You’ve turned into that kind of neighborhood uncle. Anyway, it’s not just unique, it’s annoying.”

“Isn’t it because of that unique trait that she’s recognized as a top-class investigator? I can call her this often because of our connection during the Titan days, so I should at least respect her tastes.”

Yeom Soo-hyung shook his head, shaking off the sight of Mr. Joe and said.

“So. Did the Titans find out anything?”

“It seems like Matthew and Bugilma were involved.”

“Matthew? That can’t be… … .”

Yeom Soo-hyung tilted his head. Kang Moo-hyuk, who found his reaction strange, asked.

“Why are you doing that?”

“No, it’s nothing special. It’s just weird.”

“What part are you talking about?”

“You know that guy’s style. He’s so persistent and thorough that it almost makes you want to die. He’s the type of person who sees things through to the end, no matter what. But this case is a bit sloppy. If it were me, I would’ve swept up all the vacationers. What are you going to do with just fourteen people?”

“Sweep… … .”

“Honestly, the current Iron Will Guild members don’t have any pride in their guild, right? But if it’s the Titan that has the most potential for promotion to a Tier Guild, then I’ll be the one to fall for it. Of course, I came out of there too.”

Suddenly, a danger signal flashed in Kang Moo-hyuk’s mind.

“I should hurry back to headquarters. I think I missed something.”

“What do you mean, missed part?”

“The returnees. Maybe they’ve all already passed.”

* * *

Joo Se-ah drew a question mark on her head as she saw Kang Mu-hyeok hurriedly return to the headquarters.

“What happened? Why are you looking like this?”

Kang Moo-hyuk quickly summarized the main points and explained the situation.

“Maybe they all went to Titan? Then why come back… … .”

“I’ll have to check it out now. Maybe they’re trying to persuade the rest of the guild members as well.”

“These are the kids with no morals! Oh my? I’ve been so shameless.”

Joo Se Ah, who had been spraying murderous intent with a fierce expression for a moment, regained her composure and gathered her momentum.

Kang Moo-hyuk went up to the team leader’s office with Joo Se-ah and secretly called Pyo Beom-hee.

“Have you finished interviewing the returning members?”

“Who gave the order? It was already finished. But there wasn’t much content?”

“Did you write up the interview notes?”

“I put it in the payment folder.”

Kang Moo-hyuk turned on his tablet and checked the 13 people who had returned from vacation listed in the document. While comparing the personal information of the members he knew to the list, he pointed to one person and asked.

“What about this guy?”

“Who? Lee Jeong-min? Well, I don’t know what part you’re talking about.”

“In your personal evaluation as a hunter, you were said to lack the courage to stand in the front lines and to be timid to take on the role of lieutenant. Your peers’ evaluations were similar. Did you show any signs of anxiety during the interview?”

“Huh? When you say it like that, it makes sense. You don’t make eye contact very well. Even when you tell yourself to be relaxed, your posture is awkward and your legs are shaking a lot.”

“If I interrogate you, will you open your mouth obediently?”

“I don’t know about that. It was the first time we talked today.”

“Since you’ve talked to him directly, you’ll probably have an idea.”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to get, but I don’t think there’s any need for questioning. Just glare at her and she’ll tell you everything.”

“That’s a good idea. Did you hear that, Guildmaster?”

Kang Moo-hyuk looked at Joo Se-ah. Joo Se-ah asked back at the sudden mention.

“What am I?”

“Just give some weight to Hunter Lee Jeong-min.”

* * *

Lee Jeong-min went upstairs tensely at the captain’s call.

In the office, there was not only Kang Mu-hyeok, but also Joo Se-ah, Pyo Beom-hee, and even Yeom Su-hyeong, whose identity was highly suspicious as to what he had been doing.

I didn’t notice it when I looked at them separately, but when I looked at them together, this combination was quite burdensome.

In particular, Joo Se Ah was glaring so much that I couldn’t even look at her.

“Father, did you call? What is it…?”

“I already called you, so it would be better to call you.”

As soon as Joo Se-ah let go of her grudge, Lee Jeong-min’s face turned pale in an instant.

Her lips were glued shut, as if they had been glued shut, but cold sweat was running down her forehead like a fountain.

The guild master’s naturally exuding aura indirectly showed the power of the next S-rank that we had only heard of in words until now.

It was definitely not something a C-rank hunter could endure.

Moreover, Lee Jeong-min was a hunter with a personality that was not very strong, so it was even more so.

Kang Moo-hyuk, who checked Lee Jeong-min’s condition, whose legs were shaking, spoke soothingly.

“The guild leader is quite angry. I’m not trying to harm you. I just have a few questions for Hunter Lee Jeong-min. If you just answer me, there won’t be any problems.”

Kang Moo-hyuk tried to coax her gently, but to Lee Jeong-min’s ears, it sounded like a threat, saying, “If you lie, it won’t be fun.”

Finally, he bowed his head in resignation.

“Well, ask.”

“Those returning from vacation. Did they all fall for Titan’s transfer offer?”

“……yes.”

“The purpose of your return is to persuade the remaining members within the guild?”

“Yes… that’s right.”

Kang Moo-hyuk placed the list of returnees that he had printed out in advance on his desk and spread it out in a fan shape.

“For something as bold as a large-scale transfer through an insider, you need someone in charge that the guild members can trust. Is there anyone among you who has taken on that role?”

“… … .”

“Of course not. Their ranks are low, and their personalities are such that they wouldn’t have the guts to plan something like that. Okay, then. Let me ask the last question.”

Lee Jeong-min’s gaze was focused on Kang Mu-hyeok as he lightly tapped the desk.

“Who on Titan would you want to have in this role?”

52. The rotten part needs to be cut out.

“How, how about that… … .”

Lee Jeong-min opened his mouth and was unable to continue speaking in response to Kang Mu-hyeok’s questioning.

“As expected, there was a mastermind.”

“Who is that guy?”

Joo Se Ah pushed her face in and bit. Lee Jeong Min flinched in surprise. Then, he covered his mouth that was about to open with his palm and turned his head away.

“I can’t say it with my own mouth.”

“As expected, Hunters aren’t the type of people who listen to words, regardless of rank.”

Joo Se Ah thrust her fist as if she was going to show off her power. She was pretending to threaten, but Lee Jeong Min, who was being pushed around as much as he could, didn’t have the presence of mind to tell the difference. However, she didn’t say anything in the end.

“It’s my life. If they find out I leaked something, I’m done for.”

“Since I was called here, wouldn’t you be suspicious even if I don’t say anything?”

At Pyo Beom-hee’s remark, Lee Jeong-min’s lips twisted as if he was almost crying. Kang Mu-hyeok calmed him down.

“I won’t force you. There are a few people who can guess without me having to tell you. Instead, let me ask you one more question. What message did you give him on Titan? Since no one else has left the guild except for the vacationers, I think you might have left a note or something. Or did you convey it verbally?”

“… … .”

“If you won’t even open your mouth, I will have no choice but to use force.”

“No. It’s a letter. Of course, I don’t know the contents. I used an item that was sealed and would be obvious if opened.”

Lee Jeong-min added hurriedly, fearing that he might be nitpicking.

‘The fact that he used a sealed item to deliver the letter in secret means that there was no one trustworthy enough to use as a messenger. Not having anyone trustworthy means that things were moving quickly and there wasn’t enough time to communicate. The changes in Matthew and Bugilma’s personal circumstances also happened recently, so it would have been even harder to prepare in advance.’

Since it was a special activity area and phone calls were restricted, it would have been difficult to capture the mind of the instigator without prior communication by writing a few words. Furthermore, a high-ranking hunter with the courage to betray the guild would not be so foolish as to act without trusting anyone.

Kang Moo-hyuk asked again to confirm the suspicious part.

“Was there anything else besides the letter? A separate message, or something?”

“Nothing else… Oh? Now that I think about it, during our conversation among ourselves, I mean, the people who returned from vacation. Anyway, I heard that there was a member who received something else from Titan.”

“Who are the other members? What are they?”

“I overheard it, so I don’t know who it was, but I think it was a mana stone… Ah! I heard he received two intermediate mana stones.”

“Two intermediate mana stones?”

Joo Se Ah asked back, tilting her head. If it was a mid-level item, it would be quite valuable. Lee Jeong Min quickly explained the whole story to avoid any misunderstandings.

“I asked him if it was a deposit that no one else had received, and he found out. But then he found out that it wasn’t his, but something he had been told to give to the person who came with the letter. That’s why I heard he was disappointed.”

“The intermediate mana stone is expensive, but it’s not something to be taken lightly. Hmm, is it like a deposit?”

“No. It is not something given in return.”

Kang Mu-hyeok answered Joo Se-ah’s question on her behalf. He pretended to have a serious expression on his face. It was an expression that made one guess at something.

“Do you have any idea?”

“I’ll have to check it out first.”

“What kind of thing?”

“This is the equipment room.”

* * *

Strategic and tactical supplies warehouse.

It was the new name that Kang Mu-hyeok changed when he acquired Warehouse C from Titan.

It is conveniently called the equipment room for short, but it is written as the official department name in the documents.

On the way to the equipment room, Joo Seah asked.

“Why are you going to the equipment room?”

“It’s because of the intermediate mana stone.”

“Mana stone?”

“What I was wondering after hearing Hunter Lee Jeong-min’s story was how the Titans and the insiders could communicate. Because of the nature of the special area, it is difficult to communicate with the outside. The people on the list of insiders I suspected had never been on vacation yet.”

“Well, that might be true.”

“But the moment the clue of the intermediate mana stone appeared, something suddenly came to mind.”

“What is that?”

“This is a piece of equipment that I approved for development in Warehouse C when I was on Titan. It was sealed to the point of being almost scrapped due to its extremely low efficiency… … .”

“What kind of equipment is it?”

“It’s a satellite phone. It’s something that allows communication in high-concentration mana areas, like a vehicle engine protection cartridge. However, it’s an item that eats up one mid-level mana stone per five minutes of talk.”

Joo Sea was shocked by the extreme waste of one intermediate mana stone for five minutes of use. It was a cost that even the Slayer Guild, which she had previously been a member of, could not afford to spend recklessly.

We hurried our steps and soon arrived at the equipment room.

An Ji-il, who was in charge of the equipment team, stopped working while repairing rusty equipment when he saw Kang Mu-hyeok.

“There shouldn’t be a raid, but what’s going on in this shabby equipment room? Oh, even Gilma is here… Team Leader Pyo and Team Leader Yeom? What the hell is going on?”

“Can you check the satellite phone now?”

“Why that money-eating thing?”

“I need to check something. Could you also give me the ledger?”

“Just wait a minute. Hey, bring me the receipt over there, and over there… No. I’ll find the equipment faster.”

While Kang Mu-hyeok was checking the equipment receipt ledger, An Ji-il came out holding something. It was a phone several times larger than a typical satellite phone, and the expression on his face as he held it was not good.

An Ji-il raised his satellite phone and shook it, shouting angrily.

“Who touched this? It was sealed, so why is it open? And there’s one empty quantity. Who took the equipment out without permission?!”

“There’s no record of anyone using a satellite phone in the ledger either.”

When Kang Mu-hyeok shoved the documents in, Ahn Ji-il became very angry and her face turned red and blue.

“This… This is so annoying. I’m really pissed. You’re stealing my equipment like this without my permission?! Confess before I track you down and smash you up! Huh?!”

There was an employee who was fidgeting, whether it was because of An Ji-il’s threats or the serious atmosphere of Gil-ma and the team leader standing behind him.

Kang Moo-hyuk found him and approached him. The badge on his chest had the name ‘Yoo Dong-soo’ written on it.

“Mr. Yoo Dong-soo?”

“Yes, yes… … .”

“Did Mr. Yoo Dong-soo take out the satellite phone?”

“I didn’t take it out. The expedition leader said he wanted to take a look… …!”

“Expedition leader?”

Joo Seah briefly searched her memory for someone who was the expedition leader. Then she realized that the expedition had been disbanded. They say that a guild without an expedition is like a steamed bun without red bean paste, but in the special activity area where they couldn’t attack the gate, it was an unnecessary organization.

However, it was a department that clearly existed before the guild reorganization, and members who were not familiar with the new organizational chart still called it by its old title.

The former expedition leader… … .

“Hunter Do Kyung-hoon. He was one of the expected candidates for the spy, so I’m not surprised.”

Joo Se-ah, who realized Kang Mu-hyeok’s words a beat later, said.

“Why him?”

“You lost your position as expedition leader. It’s not like you lost your influence because of the position, but you must have felt like you were demoted, even if it was just on the surface. There’s no way you wouldn’t be dissatisfied. Plus, you had rebelled over the guild relocation issue, and your anxiety must have grown as the guild leader trained the young hunters.”

“Why training?”

“It must have seemed like an attempt to take away their own people.”

Before Kang Moo-hyuk took office as the leader, Joo Se-ah had never directly communicated with the hunters. Since each faction openly cracked down on the hunters, it was difficult to even create a place where they could be close to each other in the first place.

However, there was no stage for him to demonstrate his skills. Gilma could not go out alone to conquer the gate, and there were no employees with the sales power to collaborate with other guilds.

In addition, the Slayer Guild kept provoking trouble from the outside, and the Taesung Group’s half-brothers were also keeping them in check, so they were isolated and helpless with enemies on all sides. To the regular members, their position as the guild leader seemed precarious. No matter how much Joo Se-ah was there, she could only be seen as a rotten rope.

But after Kang Mu-hyeok came, the guild gradually changed.

The changes in the guild, led by Gilma and the leader, may have felt more threatening to Do Kyung-hoon than the actual pressure.

“I’ve been watching you for a while, giving you a chance… but this is crossing the line. Let’s go, Guild Leader. This is the time to cut out the rotten parts.”

* * *

At the cafeteria on the first floor of the former resort building, Do Kyung-hoon was leisurely enjoying coffee after his meal.

Around him, some of the former expedition members and hunters who could be called Do Kyung-hoon’s faction were gathered.

Among them, Choi Mi-ran and Kim Sung-hyun were also sitting at the end of the table, having afternoon tea time.

“Ah, but I still like this place. I like it because it feels like a resort. It’s decorated very nicely.”

“It’s a place that was remodeled from a previous buffet. Of course it would be good.”

“Do you know how messed up it was when I first got here? I thought I was going to throw up because of the goblin shit and piss, man.”

“Now that I think about it, that’s true. Looking at this, the manager is really a person. He gets things done very quickly. When did you fix this place?”

“Well, I agree with you. When I first saw him in the parking lot, he was a bit unlucky. But after getting to know him, I realized he wasn’t a bad person. He was the first to finish building the dorms and the restaurant where the members would stay. It was so uncomfortable to live in a tent. At least there was groundwater, so I could shower. Otherwise, I would have quit.”

“I’m staying because I regret not going to Gilma-nim’s training. It’s a special class that’s hard to get anywhere else.”

“Actually, when I dealt with Gilma and saw monsters, it felt a bit bland. My coping skills have also improved, and everyone’s movements have improved, so it’s easier to apply buffs and debuffs.”

Choi Mi-ran and Kim Seong-hyeon chattered without paying attention.

Thanks to that, Do Kyung-hoon was able to hear their entire conversation.

‘As expected, the young guys are leaning towards the captain and Gilma. Right now, they’re scared by my shouting, but if more time passes, my orders won’t even work. The only time to move is now.’

Because of this situation, I couldn’t even recommend the young Hunters to transfer to Titan. If a traitor were to come out and get word to the leader, it could ruin things.

“Tch!”

Do Kyung Hoon clicked his tongue when he saw Kang Moo Hyuk coming into the cafeteria. Joo Se Ah was next to him.

The moment I made eye contact with them, I knew something was wrong. The steps they took toward me seemed full of emotion.

With the appearance of Kang Moo-hyeok and Joo Se-ah, the attention of the members who were eating was focused. Some of the hunters from Do Kyung-hoon’s faction felt tense.

“Hunter Do Kyung-hoon, let’s talk.”

“Go ahead, Captain.”

Kang Moo-hyuk noticed that Do Kyung-hoon was prepared as he watched him stiffly.

“Can we really do this here?”

“I’m not running away. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I have nothing to hide.”

“I’ve known you were thick-skinned for a long time. How dare you say that in front of me? You must have a lot of guts, Do Kyung-hoon.”

“Not as much as Gilma, who comes and goes through the Red Gate as if it were food.”

Do Kyung Hoon responded to Joo Se Ah’s provocation with a hearty laugh.

Kang Moo-hyuk said after giving a sign to Joo Se-ah, whose fist was twitching, to calm down.

“I think you know why we came here. I won’t say much. Please leave now.”

“Why me?”

“Because it’s better for both of us. If you hold out, you’ll end up in a bad situation.”

“Director Jang Deuk-gu will be here in the evening. He’s really saying this for Do Kyung-hoon, so you’d better listen.”

Joo Se-ah took care of Kang Mu-hyeok.

The party leaders of the old expedition who knew Jang Deuk-gu well flinched. Do Kyung-hoon was also someone they wanted to avoid, but he couldn’t back down easily. That was because he had not yet been able to recruit the other members, except for his close associates.

Do Kyung Hoon had no choice but to take out the insurance policy he had taken out before Joo Se Ah became Gil Ma.

“Okay. Let’s say I quit. Will you properly pay me my severance pay? My severance pay is 30 billion.”

“I know. If you quit at the guild’s request, the penalty is 30 billion. If you quit on their side, it’s 100 million. It’s a completely unfair contract. You’re teasing the former guild leader. You really are very capable.”

“I am somewhat competent.”

“I wanted you to use that ability in Iron Will. Don’t use it for your own greed.”

“So, are you going to take care of it or not? Oh, the guild is short on money right now? Should I take this in installments?”

Do Kyung-hoon, who knew about the guild’s financial situation through the finance team, smiled in victory.

But there was something he didn’t know. It was a loan of several hundred billion won from Hanshin Financial Group. Kang Moo-hyuk had not yet shared the details with the finance team, and the amount was not even in the account, so it was an unknown fact.

It was quite a bluff from Do Kyung-hoon’s perspective, but thanks to the loan, Kang Moo-hyuk was able to respond without wavering.

“I will pay you. In a lump sum.”

“what?!”

“Well, I could give it to you. But it makes me angry. Even if I had money, I wouldn’t give it to someone like you.”

Do Kyung Hoon was upset when he said he would give her a deposit, but when he changed his decision again on a whim, Do Kyung Hoon got angry. Are you playing with people? No, more than that, he was annoyed by Kang Moo Hyuk’s expressionless gaze.

“What are you trying to say?!”

“How about this? Termination of contract by mutual agreement.”

Do Kyung Hoon opened his mouth wide. He burst into laughter.

“What did you mean? Did you mean you didn’t want to give me a single penny? Did you expect me to accept that?”

“You have to take this offer. Otherwise, the things you did here will be revealed to the world.”

“!!”

“I will brand you as a shameless hunter who systematically smuggles hunters from your own guild to other guilds. You will have no place to set foot.”

“You’re just spreading rumors? What should I do? I already have a prior engagement.”

“You can join Titan? I guarantee you, you won’t be able to join Titan. I’ll make it happen.”

“Commander, this isn’t the Titan you used to touch. Are you mistaken?”

“Okay, try it.”

“… … .”

“Does what I say work or not?”