The Precise Chairman and the Summons
Go Jang-young was an extremely precise man.
Breakfast was always at 8 a.m. The menu was always simple: soup, bread, and a bit of fruit.
At 9, he headed to the park near his house for a walk, always carrying a book to read a page or two. He'd toss crumbs to the pigeons or jot down a poem in his notebook while watching the drifting clouds.
Lunch was at 12:30 p.m., usually Korean fare.
Afternoons were always spent practicing his martial arts. After that, a shower, and dinner at 7 p.m.
Dinner was even simpler: just nuts and fruit.
He went to bed precisely at 11:15 p.m. and rose at 5 a.m.
Except when duties as chairman of the disciplinary committee demanded otherwise, Go Jang-young's life was a repetition of yesterday today.
This afternoon, like any other, he was in the midst of his training. He was slowly unfolding the ultimate technique of Hwamyeongak, one of the Five Elements Arts, when he sensed movement outside.
Go Jang-young frowned.
The housekeeper, who managed the household chores, hesitated before offering him the phone.
"...A call from the Dungeon Association."
"I see."
Go Jang-young took the phone and stepped into the training room to answer.
"Go Jang-young speaking."
—Chairman, there's an urgent item on the agenda. You need to come to the Association right away.
It was Park Sung-mok, a member of the disciplinary committee.
"I'll be there soon."
Hanging up, Go Jang-young let out a sigh.
His routine was disrupted, but this was part of his routine too. He couldn't ignore it, so he took a few deep breaths to wrap up his training properly. One must handle their duties with the utmost effort.
As efficiently and precisely as possible.
Fifteen minutes later, Go Jang-young departed for the Association.
The review wrapped up in an hour.
Go Jang-young glanced at the committee members, who usually handled disparate tasks and only gathered when a disciplinary request came in to discuss and decide.
"This is the first time we've processed a morning submission in the afternoon, isn't it?"
"Uramata Guild has been making waves lately. If we let a clear rules violation slide, other guilds might think it's fine. Handling it quickly seems like a good approach."
Lee Dong-jun spoke up.
"I disagree. It might look like the Association is making an example of Uramata to warn other guilds."
Heo Myung-ho and Lee Dong-jun glared at each other.
The disciplinary committee consisted of the chairman plus six members: three appointed by the Association, and three from the raider and guild side. Lee Dong-jun was Association staff; Heo Myung-ho a former raider.
The members split into factions and began arguing.
The Association side argued that since a carrier's acquired item had been shielded by a teammate raider in violation of rules, the team and guild deserved discipline.
The others felt the rules had been bent, but not enough to warrant the disciplinary committee.
Go Jang-young raised his hand.
The conference room fell silent.
"The violation is clear, so we need to consider the level of discipline. Any thoughts?"
"I say revoke their guild license."
Lee Dong-jun again.
Heo Myung-ho slammed the table with both hands and stood.
"Ridiculous. A minor rules infraction, no victims or injuries—revoke a guild license? If we must discipline, a fine or temporary raid ban seems appropriate."
The members dove back into arguing over the discipline details.
Go Jang-young raised his hand again.
The members glared and huffed at each other but couldn't ignore the chairman's authority. In deadlocked cases like this, the chairman's judgment often became the committee's decision.
"We need the full facts, so summon the team leaders from the other three guilds who raided with Uramata's Pink Team. We'll decide after hearing their testimonies."
Both sides grumbled, but knew it was the most reasonable proposal.
The meeting ended there.
When he first saw the elegantly sealed letter, Go Cheolmin thought it was a prank. But upon opening and reading it, a heavy sigh rose from deep in his chest.
He read it three times in a row, but the contents remained the same.
Knock knock.
At the sound, Go Cheolmin finally rose and opened the door to find Yoo Min-jeong, Choi Muhyun, Yeom Sang-taek, and Kim Jun.
Only then did he notice the letters in their hands.
Summons from the disciplinary committee.
"Sit down first."
Go Cheolmin stroked his stubbly cheeks and chin. He had no idea what to say; no words came to mind.
He reached out and snatched the letter from Kim Jun, scanning it hurriedly.
The content was straightforward.
Report to the Dungeon Association Guild Management Division Disciplinary Committee conference room at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
The others were identical.
Seeing the looks in the kids' eyes gave Go Cheolmin strength.
"It's nothing. Don't worry. Just tell the truth as it happened. The raid's right around the corner. Get out there and prepare meticulously. Got it?"
"...Yes."
After sending Pink Team out of the master room, Go Cheolmin grabbed his phone immediately.
The parking lot was empty at midnight.
Go Cheolmin drove his van in. Choi Min-su's Hummer loomed against the far wall. He parked beside it.
Getting out, Go Cheolmin climbed into the Hummer's passenger seat.
"The letter?"
Choi Min-su asked from the driver's seat.
"Here it..."
A wrinkled hand snatched the letter Go Cheolmin offered from behind.
"I'll take a look first."
It was Yeon Un-jae.
Go Cheolmin hadn't imagined Choi Min-su and Yeon Un-jae riding together. These two led the factions splitting Cheonhondan. They'd gathered here for this one issue.
Yeon Un-jae read it carefully, then passed it to Choi Min-su.
"Looks like the Association, stung by that press conference, is taking it out on you."
Yeon Un-jae smiled softly at Go Cheolmin.
"Any way to stop it?"
"Fold Uramata and join Cheonhondan. Bring Pink Team too. I'll take responsibility and raise them up."
Go Cheolmin couldn't tell if it was sincere. He glanced at Choi Min-su.
Having reviewed the letter, Choi Min-su stared at Go Cheolmin.
"The elder has a point. Cheonhondan would make the Association hesitate."
"Senior!"
"Kidding. Just kidding."
"What should I do?"
"Make it go away. It's no big deal anyway."
Choi Min-su was confident. Then Yeon Un-jae chimed in.
"The problem's Go Jang-young. He's so strict, even minor violations get punished. The infraction's clear, so not easy. Ah, same surname—maybe visit and ask nicely. Heh, just kidding."
Yeon Un-jae and Choi Min-su pledged to pull every string and influence for the discipline issue.
Still, Go Cheolmin couldn't relax.
Uramata's luck had been rotten lately.
"By precedent, we'll get disciplined for sure... Worst case, guild license revocation. The Association's always been sensitive about this stuff."
Skyla said.
"Shut down the guild house over not reporting an item properly? How does that even make sense?"
Choi Muhyun shouted, agitated.
It was loud, but fine. Pink Team was discussing the discipline at Yoo Min-jeong's house instead of the guild house.
"Disciplinary chairman Go Jang-young is an extremely precise man."
Yeom Sang-taek and Choi Muhyun nodded in unison.
"With Go Jang-young handling it, revocation's unlikely. The issue's who requested it. Turns out it was Song Si-heon, master of Cheonroehoe."
"The guild from Blue Lightning that joined that raid."
Choi Muhyun said.
Kim Jun recalled Do Jin-yong, the bulldozer-like raider. Do Jin-yong was Blue Lightning's team leader.
"Why'd he request discipline?"
Yoo Min-jeong asked.
Skyla explained the plan Song Si-heon had hatched while Pink Team was in the dungeon: absorb Uramata and hire Go Cheolmin as instructor. It failed, tanking Cheonroehoe's finances. She added that.
"Still doesn't make sense."
Yeom Sang-taek muttered.
"Here's the fun part. The day of the request, the Association's Guild Management Division loaned Cheonroehoe 10 billion won."
Skyla whispered.
"No way?"
Yoo Min-jeong's eyes widened.
"Fact. But can't prove it publicly—they'd deny it. No evidence."
Skyla was half thrilled, half pained. Pink Team entering her world was good, but that world was so ugly.
"Why would the Association do that?"
Choi Muhyun asked.
Skyla looked at Kim Jun. Feeling her gaze, he spoke.
"The press conference. They dropped it without a word to the Association."
"Bingo."
Skyla confirmed.
"We should tell Master right away... He already knows?"
The excited Yoo Min-jeong calmed and asked.
"Of course. No need to worry. Master's on it, along with Muhyun's dad and the Yeon family patriarch."
They were surprised but soon relieved. With Choi Min-su and Yeon Un-jae involved, it'd sort itself.
Yoo Min-jeong didn't forget the key point.
"Everyone except Skyla testifies tomorrow in front of the committee. We need to settle what to say and what to avoid here."
"That's why I'm here. Master asked the same."
Skyla pulled out the raid report. The one team leaders had agreed on and submitted to the Association. It would guide their testimonies.
"Looks like a long night. Shall we start?"
Skyla eyed Yeom Sang-taek first.
Do Jin-yong emerged from the conference room sweating profusely after his testimony.
An Seong-ho and Im Seung-hyun jumped up, but Association staff blocked them from talking to him. They'd discussed stories beforehand, but no one knew what might slip out under the room's pressure.
"What the hell is this over one carrier punk? Why do I have to testify? It's all because of incompetent juniors like you! Should've ended it there."
Im Seung-hyun from Hanmudan Guild jabbed a finger at An Seong-ho, venting.
An Seong-ho, hands clasped over his knee in thought, glanced sideways at Im Seung-hyun.
"You're anxious, right?"
"...What?"
"Scared it'll come out—what happened in the dungeon. Right, senior?"
"W-what are you talking about?"
"I'm scared too. Three teams couldn't take Pink Team—got picked off instead? I'd lose face. But less than you, senior. You waited for the other teams to die."
His smiling face made Im Seung-hyun scowl at his junior.
"So?"
"Playing with a lit bomb is foolish. Don't mess with me anymore, senior. You know I'm impulsive. Or I could go in there, spill every detail. Chat up Daily Raiders reporters too."
"......"
Im Seung-hyun glared murderously but turned away, refusing to engage.
An Seong-ho smirked inwardly.
You'll never senior me again.
Word came that the three team leaders had finished testifying.
Yoo Min-jeong stood from the waiting room chair.
"Our turn. Let's go."
Pink Team headed to the conference room.
They brushed past Do Jin-yong, Im Seung-hyun, and An Seong-ho—no chance to talk. Do Jin-yong nodded slightly at Kim Jun; An Seong-ho signaled Yoo Min-jeong similarly.
Pink Team sat on the long bench in the hallway outside.
"Raider Yeom Sang-taek, come in."
A staffer said.
Yeom Sang-taek was tense but had anticipated being first, thanks to Skyla, so no panic.
He glanced at Yoo Min-jeong, Kim Jun, and Choi Muhyun, then entered confidently.