Sponsor Lee Yun
“How’d it go, oppa?”
Shin Ye-hwa approached Seong Ye-han just as he finished his call with his secretary... no, Han Si-won.
“She said it’s a go.”
Shin Ye-hwa shot him a suspicious look as he replied in a tone like he was just heading out for a casual jog along the path in front of their hideout.
“Hmm... Oppa. Just who the hell have you gotten tangled up with?”
“The senior researcher from my old company?”
“You think some random researcher could sneak an A-rank outlaw into the city?”
“She didn’t seem like your average researcher... but yeah, for now.”
Shin Ye-hwa’s face twisted in clear dissatisfaction, though she didn’t voice any outright complaints. After all, even if things went south, she and Seong Ye-han—two S-ranks—could bulldoze through money, power, or whatever else the world threw at them. Raw force was the most primal, reliable bargaining chip in existence. Modern society just made the fallout too damn messy, so they preferred subtler routes when possible.
“So, what’s she like?”
“Huh?”
“Pretty?”
“Yeah, pretty.”
“Awakened?”
“Uh... doesn’t seem like it.”
“Then whatever.”
Shin Ye-hwa’s sudden interrogation cut off abruptly once she heard the woman wasn’t awakened. Her interest evaporated in an instant. Any chance of her sharing Seong Ye-han meant A-rank minimum—that was her cutoff. Non-awakened parasites... er, civilians weren’t even on the table. Sure, if Seong Ye-han called her pretty, she had some looks worth appreciating, but money and power? Meaningless. Both she and Seong Ye-han were S-ranks; those perks came automatically once acknowledged. The only thing that mattered was how much she’d boost his growth.
A decent face might make her good for a quick fuck to keep him entertained, but not harem material in Shin Ye-hwa’s eyes. She switched off her curiosity about the voice on the phone and plastered herself against Seong Ye-han instead. Sucking gently at the nape of his neck to rev him up.
Lick, lick—
“What the—? Why all of a sudden?”
Seong Ye-han’s puzzled voice only made her bolder, like she owned the place.
“I told you. If you fuck someone else, you do me too, no exceptions.”
“Huh?”
“You did her three times, so me three times.”
“W-Wait a sec.”
That night, Seong Ye-han squeezed out one extra round on top of the three, totaling four for Shin Ye-hwa. She’d been cockblocked mid-heat and forced to watch him rail another woman wide-eyed, so it was only fair. Still, it made for one hell of a long night for him.
Senior researcher Lee Yun at the YP Research Institute sat lost in thought in her private office. The top floor space sprawled across nearly an entire level—far roomier and more comfortable than the director’s office or even the main labs packed with researchers.
Leg crossed on the plush sofa, fingers tapping idly, she savored the ruby glow of wine in her thin crystal glass. Han Si-won stood by her side as always.
Finally, unable to stand it, Han Si-won spoke up.
“Are you really just going to help him like that, miss?”
Her voice held a calm facade, but anyone who knew her well would catch the subtle tremor. Lee Yun flashed a sly smile.
“Of course I am.”
“But miss... he’s arbitrarily changing the terms. He’s clearly treating you like a joke.”
Han Si-won’s tone was firm, but Lee Yun sipped her wine’s sweet aroma with leisurely grace.
“My sweet Si-won, you’re too rigid sometimes... It was just a condition to prove his ability. Doesn’t matter how he does it—the process is irrelevant.”
“It might not even be his power entirely. Shin Ye-hwa’s with him, after all.”
“Could be.”
She’d been shocked when Shin Ye-hwa popped up in her investigation after their chat about him and the outlaw. Back then, Lee Yun had just laughed it off—the world’s full of surprises.
“Then...”
Han Si-won trailed off, about to argue for reconsidering the deal, but Lee Yun continued.
“But even that’s part of his power... Mmm~”
She admired the color and scent before tasting it, letting the rich, sweet-bitter notes fill her mouth.
“Shin Ye-hwa, infamous psycho bitch. No way she’d turn obedient just from a rank drop. She’d sooner rampage harder.”
Most people clung to delusions of grandeur even at rock bottom. The bigger the fall, the more they blamed the world instead of adapting. Especially an infamous loose cannon like Shin Ye-hwa facing unprecedented demotion from S-rank? Lee Yun wouldn’t blink if she went outlaw herself.
Yet since bolting from Eternal Guild, Shin Ye-hwa had been suspiciously meek. An obvious anomaly meant one thing: a reason behind it.
“So, you’re saying Seong Ye-han’s a mental manipulator?”
“Maybe... but I doubt it’s that likely.”
“But...”
Otherwise, how else would the queen of chaos turn into a lamb? Despite Han Si-won’s logic, Lee Yun shook her head.
If he had mental powers, he wouldn’t have quietly slaved away in the monster management department for a year. Even with special conditions, he’d have made a move during their one-on-one drinking session when she pitched sponsorship—after he’d met Shin Ye-hwa. But he hadn’t shown a hint.
“If he’s a mental type, that alone makes him decent enough. If not, he’s impressive in his own right. Gotta keep a guy like that close—he tamed a psycho S-rank.”
Han Si-won stayed silent as Lee Yun teased, Don’t you wanna push him hard and see what crumbs fall? She knew her mistress’s mind was made up. She was just hands and feet to execute it, not some decision-flipper.
“Plus, I’m betting he caught the outlaw himself.”
A-rank outlaw, intact limbs, with a notoriously tricky esper ability. The easiest way to gauge talent? See what problems they solve and how. Claiming an E-rank scrub subdued an A-rank unscathed? Ninety-nine out of a hundred would scoff, call it fake even with proof. But Lee Yun knew she was the one-in-a-hundred.
Her investment would pay dividends later.
“I’ve got good eyes, Si-won. Trust me once. Hehe.”
“Understood.”
Han Si-won bowed politely, watching her mistress sip wine with a soft smile. She’d never doubted that talent—not once. The woman who’d spotted and pulled her from the trash heap wouldn’t miss this time either.
“I always trust you, miss.”
“Oh? Can I be touched now?”
Lee Yun beamed, and Han Si-won swiftly changed the subject to dodge the teasing.
“...I’ll refill your glass, miss.”
“Hehe, always so shy. Want a glass too?”
She’d normally refuse, but those sparkling eyes left Han Si-won sighing in defeat. Matching her mistress was part of a subordinate’s duty.
“Sigh... Just one glass?”
“Yes, yes! That’s my Si-won. You know it’s my favorite.”
“...”
The cozy master-servant drinking session deepened amid smiles.
“Whoa...”
Honestly, Seong Ye-han had wondered what tricks Lee Yun would pull to help them. This was borderline illegal smuggling in a world where monsters and outlaws made re-entry from the wilds a nightmare. Checkpoints were tighter than ever; without brute force, his group—basically civilians—couldn’t sneak into the city.
Post-magic stone tech, mana fields blanketed city outskirts for friend-or-foe ID. Bypass official roads or gates, and you’d get tracked instantly. Stealth espers could dodge it, but none of them qualified. They’d half-expected some shady broker from rumors or movies.
But Lee Yun laughed off their meager imaginations with a massive, pristine truck. Trailer emblazoned with the YP Research Institute logo—achingly familiar to Seong Ye-han from hauling stones and monster parts during his department days.
Trucks like this routinely carted fresh monster byproducts right up to forest edges without raising eyebrows. Freshness was king for corpses or cuisine; direct shipping from source cut time. Sure, escorts were standard, but...
Probably stash Na Yu-ri in the cargo, with him and Shin Ye-hwa riding shotgun as “guards.”
“This is... bigger than I thought...”
He’d known Lee Yun was sharp, but maybe a bigger player than assumed. Even for YP, aiding an outlaw’s infiltration was huge risk. Doing it openly with company trucks? Insane unless she’d earned massive pull. Sane board members wouldn’t greenlight it.
“Hop on.”
The driver flashed a friendly grin, face vaguely familiar, and said no more. No questions about their crew. Looked like his sponsor hid big secrets too.
“Let’s go.”
“M-Master... we’re not becoming lab rats or anything, right?”
“Quit your bullshit...”
Seong Ye-han smacked Na Yu-ri—who was trembling and babbling nonsense—then shoved her into a corner amid monster corpses. He and Shin Ye-hwa claimed the hunter escort cab up top, ignoring her whines about the stench and cold.
Vroom—
The mana-stone engine hummed smoothly as the truck pulled out. No monster ambushes; it seamlessly joined a convoy of identical YP haulers, barreling down the road in orderly formation—a sight in itself.
“Finally over.”
Just three days, but it felt like a week. Massive gains: CC pet, mana stones, experience... Despite the chaos, Seong Ye-han’s first hunt wrapped up triumphantly.