Chapter 113
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Seo Ji-yeon, You're Mine
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I tracked down Lee Yoo-jin, the president of Cheonsan Group, who served as Songdo's lifeline.
This time, she was at the company, so I planned to go straight there and hash things out.
"No, really, that's impossible. Please consider our situation just this once. Da Hakka. Ha Jung-seok is already here auditing us over the latest weapon shipment."
It was the expected reaction. Asking them to foot the bill for urban reconstruction was straight-up banditry.
But here's the thing—Baekhwa was a villain.
I decided to apply some silent pressure.
"Is it really that much of a stretch?"
"Crossing the barrier again is out of the question now, and tearing up social infrastructure without a solid excuse? If we get caught, Cheonsan Group is done for."
"I see."
Yeah, laying infrastructure in villain territory? Who'd greenlight that? It might even mean rebuilding the city from scratch.
Handing a shiny new city over to villains.
The Korean government or the Association wouldn't let that slide, not even for Cheonsan Group.
"The biggest issue is that finishing the quarantine zone would give us territory substantial enough to pass as a real nation. Most of it's in ruins anyway, and pouring funds in right now is tough."
"Why's that?"
"Because of those Nolbu Space Industries bastards jumping into the space race."
"That Nolbu thing you're talking about?"
Nolbu Space Industries. The rival to Cheonsan Group in Korea, backed by Nolbu's deep pockets.
Space-related ventures, literally.
In the original story, there was nothing about Nolbu like this. It popped up out of nowhere.
[Master. Current Cheonsan is outperforming its original story counterpart. So Nolbu is launching all sorts of ventures to check them.]
Ah, got it.
With magitech booming, Korea must have seized the chance to catch up on space tech. Did Korea even have that originally?
"Yes. Take a look at this."
Lee Yoo-jin tapped her laptop, pulling up a news clip.
In the video, a smug-looking Nolbu with greed written all over his face was grandstanding to a crowd of reporters.
"Dear citizens. At last, the spaceship carrying golems and equipment for terraforming Mars is ready. I, Nolbu, will go to Mars no matter what! Come with me, everyone! To the vast cosmos!"]
Oho, check out this refreshingly insane bastard.
This era was the late 21st century.
Post-Cataclysm, scientific civilization had regressed amid constant monster wars and the rise of magitech, stalling progress for a while.
And now terraforming?
"Is this realistic?"
"Yes. They say mana-based terraforming is possible. If it works, we could abandon Earth with its gates and migrate to Mars. That's why Cheonsan jumped in late to the game."
Impressive. This world's Korea! Or rather, Nolbu?
"Success odds?"
"Our Cheonsan magitech spaceships have already made several trips to Mars, so it's pretty much guaranteed. Unlike before, building them with magitech is easy. The issue was whether mana holds out en route and how long. If mana only works on Earth or like a battery, we're screwed. But after a few launches—crashing on Mars notwithstanding—we proved mana works there too."
"Terraforming success must've skyrocketed Nolbu Industries' stock."
Then Cheonsan can't afford any slip-ups now. Investing in a villain's co-development plan would just burn cash.
"Yes. We've built ships too, but with shareholders watching and this sensitive time... Sorry, Baekhwa."
No need to apologize. I've got the solution.
Ultimately, just launch first before Nolbu Space Industries, right?
"What if you launch before Nolbu Space Industries?"
"That'd solve it. Our Cheonsan magitech space engineering beats theirs. We would've gone first without the audit. Got pushed back because of it. Though Ha Jung-seok's probably behind that."
Lee Yoo-jin sighed deeply, like the ground might cave in.
"So basically, you can't invest because..."
"If we launch the first terraformer, we'd win on volume. Losing to Nolbu now might let them swallow Cheonsan whole. So we need to send a fleet and prove terraforming works."
Hm. Failure's not an option. Lee Yoo-jin is Lee Yoo-jeong's sister, my bitch, and Cheonsan supports us.
"We'll provide the justification."
Takes some scheming, but doable.
"You can do that? For real?"
"Just tell me the launch date. I'll show you a brilliant way to screw them over. Nolbu's been eyeing Songdo anyway, pissing me off."
That dog bastard sweet-talking Ha Jung-seok into investing in Songdo probably helped push the Baekhwa subjugation.
I'm somewhat filial, so no beating up old folks myself. But revenge? Definitely.
"As you wish, Baekhwa."
Lee Yoo-jin listens so well. Nice.
Next up: Seo Ji-yeon.
Around that time, Seo Ji-yeon, the number two in Korea's hunter world, was pacing frantically at home.
It was about Yoo Eun-ha and Yoo Jin-seok, naturally.
A potential turning point in her life.
"Time to make a decision."
Yoo Jin-seok or Yoo Eun-ha—one of them.
She'd waited plenty. Confessed her love multiple times. But Yoo Jin-seok stayed silent. Lately, he was glued to Kim Ji-hye. Like Eun-ha said, she couldn't waste her youth like this.
But hooking up with just any guy? No. And she might still have feelings for Jin-seok.
"What to do..."
Jin-seok didn't reject her outright, but he didn't see her as a woman. No real future there. Still chase him to the end?
—Think of it as me standing in for Jin-seok. Our voices are similar, right?
Eun-ha offered to take Jin-seok's place. But how could she see Eun-ha as Jin-seok? Impossible. Wrong, too—it'd just exploit her kindness.
—Honestly, suspicious, right? Picturing a future with that guy. Isn't it?
Eun-ha's words kept stabbing.
—Jin-seok's got plenty of people around him already. One more like you? Fine. You've chased him hard enough. Weird if he doesn't notice. I need you for real. As a freak, I don't have many I can rely on.
True. Jin-seok had enough people.
Even without her: Kim Ji-hye, Rebecca, Cha Ji-eun, tons of women. Plus connections everywhere.
"Maybe that's why."
Probably. Jin-seok didn't want to shatter the status quo everyone loved. Couldn't pair with anyone.
He was conflicted too.
But it stung. She could never be special to him.
Instead, hearing what she craved from his sister, Eun-ha.
—Even after seeing that? Think hard. I need you bad.
—Trusted you enough to tell. Hate it? Spill anytime. I braced for that.
She'd shared a secret that could bury her socially if leaked to the Association. A lifetime curse. Casually, trusting her completely.
What now?
She had to admit: bold moves got to her. And Eun-ha? She really liked her.
Jin-seok wouldn't step up, yet she fantasized about two-timing. No—Eun-ha's words warmed her heart.
She replayed them.
What'd she say first?
—Truth is, you're my number one.
—What?
—Been eyeing you for years. Fell hard when you first saw you at the academy with oppa.
Eun-ha called her number one in her heart.
Meaning top priority.
Thump thump thump thump.
Her heartbeat swelled.
The more she thought of Eun-ha, the hotter her chest burned; guilt over betraying Jin-seok melted away.
Eun-ha was right. Jin-seok was impotent. Great guy, no balls to claim a woman. Weaker than girl Eun-ha.
No one else would court her so fiercely. People find true happiness with those who love them, she'd heard.
—You're the one who made me a lesbian. Tried yielding to oppa, but no more.
Post-movie theater, memories of Eun-ha heated her up.
She watched Baekhwa vs. Cha Ji-eun on broadcast.
Cha Ji-eun full-force was a handful even for her. Eun-ha, hyped beyond Jin-seok but still a cadet, without even White Flame? No way she'd win.
Tidal wave? Pure worry.
Had she died then, she'd have shredded Cha Ji-eun's photo. Unbefitting an Association hunter.
"What if she'd gotten hurt?"
Thinking of Eun-ha cooled her love for Jin-seok; her mind filled with Eun-ha.
What if hurt?
Couldn't ignore it. Her heart tilted to Eun-ha, not Jin-seok. Time to meet and confirm.
"She won't hate me, right?"
She'd said no participating in war, shared intel. Eun-ha would understand.
Not sulking over injuries from Cha Ji-eun. Looked fine on TV.
Or did she like Cha Ji-eun?
Broadcast skipped details, but date proposal to a guild master? Villain or not, Eun-ha's will?
No. Didn't want to lose Eun-ha.
"Already? Hate that. Want to see Yoo Eun-ha."
Selfish? Fine. One hug might change everything. Give certainty.
Then—presence in the room.
"Miss me?"
"Huh? When'd you break into my house?"
Eun-ha, disguised as a guy, grinned mischievously before her.
"Told you—you're my number one (in my heart). So what's wrong with me coming home?"
"Wait, hold on."
She'd infiltrated in Jin-seok's likeness, stroking her hair with loving eyes.
That warm gaze, the "mine" claim—filling her heart's voids.
Thump thump thump thump.
Heart pounding wildly.
Below, heat rising. Lower belly tingling.
Seo Ji-yeon instinctively knew what it meant.
Yes. She was in heat for Eun-ha. For another female who couldn't impregnate.
Else why quiver like this? Her womb urging honesty.
Finally, conviction.
Couldn't hold back. Felt cheesy, but drawn intensely to Eun-ha.
"Can't take it anymore."
Impulse overwhelming.
Maybe she fell fast.
Didn't want to lose this eager woman. Wanted pure love.
Seo Ji-yeon let reason snap, embracing Eun-ha tightly and pressing their lips together.