Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Modern
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Si-woo approached Han So-young and spoke.
"Jang Ye-hwa said she reached out?"
"Yeah. She said she had a proposal and would explain the details in person."
"Tell her to come whenever it's convenient."
Han So-young nodded and handed him a single sheet of paper.
"You remember that informant I mentioned before?"
"Yeah."
"I found someone suitable. He's a detective who retired recently..."
He had retired not long ago and was working at a private investigation firm due to tough circumstances. There was no real reason to turn him down.
"Hire him. Any applicants for the clan?"
"No. We just posted it, so maybe that's why—no one's applied yet."
The clan members were the issue.
They had posted with far better conditions than other clans, but no one was coming.
The conditions were too good, which made people suspicious instead. They wondered if it was some shady clan. Of course, the better the conditions, the fewer applicants from the lower ranks.
Si-woo wouldn't want to join a small clan like this either. There was a way to solve it, though.
'Need some fame...'
Hunters, amusingly enough, trusted word of mouth the most. They only believed what they'd seen with their own eyes or heard from trusted sources.
With so many dying or getting seriously injured from a single mistake, it was unavoidable.
As he pondered what to do, he glanced at Han So-young and remembered something. He had a gift for her.
He pulled out a jar of Blue Bee Honey.
"Share this with the others."
"What's this? Honey?"
"A spiritual medicine."
"Eek...? S-spiritual medicine?"
The common trait of spiritual medicines was that they were ridiculously expensive. Her hand trembled slightly as she took the jar without much thought.
Eating Blue Bee Honey and mixing it with Mixed Origin Qi Art amplified the effects. Si-woo wrapped his arm around her waist and said,
"Want to eat it and check the effects?"
"Uh, yeah...?"
Han So-young knew her mana grew stronger after being intimate with Si-woo.
Seeing her face flush, he commanded,
"Use formal speech."
"Y-yes, sir."
She bowed her head deeply. She used casual speech normally, but he was flipping her switch to make her formal.
Si-woo gripped her butt firmly.
"Ahh..."
Thanks to her ability, he had cut down a first-rate martial artist with a single stroke. It was quite useful, especially against careless foes.
Time to recharge.
The appointed time with Jang Ye-hwa was approaching.
Si-woo looked down at the passed-out Han So-young, then got out of bed to prepare to leave.
'Blue Bee Honey works great.'
At this rate, he could quickly raise the clan members to D-rank.
He gently laid the dazed Han So-young on the bed and took the elevator.
It was convenient having the dorms and clan house in the same building.
-Vrrr
With the elevator's familiar vibration, it descended to the third floor, where the reception room was.
He opened the door to find a neat interior.
Lee Da-som had apparently hired a firm to clean it up nicely. He was grateful for her handling the details he had overlooked.
Si-woo sat in the reception room waiting when there was a knock, and Lee Da-som entered to announce,
"Jang Ye-hwa has arrived."
He stifled a laugh at her awkward attempt to mimic a secretary from TV.
Jang Ye-hwa had come. The difference this time was that she was visiting him, not the other way around.
Si-woo offered her a handshake and asked,
"Long time no see?"
"...Yeah."
Seeing Si-woo's relaxed face, Jang Ye-hwa felt a twinge of annoyance. She hadn't slept properly since the awakening massage day.
She felt dissatisfied but kept her poker face, honed from her chaebol upbringing.
She glanced at Lee Da-som closing the door and said,
"What's with the high school girl?"
"My secretary."
She blinked in disbelief.
"Secretary...?"
"She does great work despite the looks."
A cafe had already opened on the first floor of the building. She nodded indifferently.
"Still, she's lacking in a lot... If you want, we can train her at our company."
"Hmm... Not a bad idea. I'll ask her."
Si-woo admired her figure as he sat. She was still in a prim suit.
Her voluptuous body contrasted with her cold expression. His gaze lingered on her bursting cleavage.
Noticing his stare, she said a bit embarrassed,
"Ahem... Th-they keep growing. Sigh. It's annoying having to get new clothes every day. Does it look bad?"
Her breasts had grown from the awakening's aftereffects. Seeing her overflowing white blouse, he wanted to pin her down right then.
"No, it suits you perfectly. Looks pretty."
Her ears turned red at the casual compliment.
"Anyway. I came to ask for an interview."
"Interview?"
He wondered what kind of interview would bring the CEO herself.
"Yes. About your rapid growth. We'd like you to mention in the interview that the weapons from our SH Smith were behind it. Especially the new model we just released..."
It made sense. He wasn't well-known yet, but it was prime material for the press.
He needed fame too, so having the company promote him was welcome.
But
"Is that the real reason?"
"Pardon?"
"You came all the way here just for that?"
For something like that, a secretary or a phone call would suffice. Yet she had come personally.
Si-woo stood from his seat.
He plopped down right next to the flustered woman and leaned in close.
"Is that the real reason?"
Repeating himself, her face turned bright red.
The confident woman swallowed hard and tried to scoot away sideways. But on the narrow sofa, there was no escape.
Soon she was at the edge, with Si-woo pressed right up against her. He placed his palm on her thigh and stroked gently.
She flinched but didn't resist.
"Is this what you came for?"
"N-no way."
But Si-woo's keen senses picked up her growing feminine scent.
"A-anyway, we'll compensate you plenty, so please."
"Compensation's not what you really want, is it?"
Si-woo stroked her waist as if embracing her, seducing her openly.
"N-no. Okay, I'll take that as a yes."
Her flushed face fled the room.
Si-woo tilted his head. It wasn't like her to lose composure over a few compliments.
'What's up? Oh, forgot to ask about her awakened ability.'
There was no guarantee she'd tell him even if asked, but he hoped it was useful.
It wasn't his only chance, so he swallowed his regret. Her lingering fragrance had him slightly aroused.
Thinking of hugging Lee Da-hye when he got home, he stood up.
Her male secretary eyed Jang Ye-hwa's demeanor curiously but learned nothing.
She fanned her burning face.
Taking the door her secretary held open as a given, she sat in the back seat, lost in thought.
'Sigh... Casually complimenting me like that...!'
It felt like she was the heroine in a drama. Her face heated up at mere words.
Before, she would have brushed it off.
But her awakened ability was lie detection. She could sense even subtle goodwill or hostility.
He showed no interest in compensation—only blatant desire for her. Her heart pounded at his gaze.
Even the driver upfront and her trailing secretary lied as casually as breathing.
Yet Si-woo radiated pure lust. The male gaze wanting her stirred her newly awakened feminine instincts.
"Ahh..."
Memories of the awakening massage made her breath hot.
She had meant to probe his thoughts over a meal, but his directness flustered her.
Lee Young-cheol, master craftsman of one of Korea's top forges, arrived at SH Smith.
He had come to see the first person to wear their newly launched weapon, the White Lotus Sword series.
The White Lotus Sword series targeted C- to B-rank hunters. It was a masterpiece born from research for solid performance at a reasonable price.
Without luxury materials, it had been tougher.
The debut showcase for this hard-earned new weapon was none other than Hunter Choi Si-woo.
Lee Young-cheol glared at Si-woo, clearly displeased.
His rapid growth suggested great talent. No real issue there—except how close he sat to his daughter.
Across from him, Si-woo and Lee Na-yeon sat side by side, their distance oddly intimate. It felt off, nagging at him.
Normally foul-mouthed, he opened with a preemptive strike.
"What do you do, kid?"
Si-woo replied nonchalantly.
"The one who's gonna wield this sword?"
His personal masterpiece. Made with C-rank materials but performing at B-rank level. The first sword to shatter the prejudice that performance couldn't exceed materials.
"You, a punk, wielding my sword?"
The old man showed his irritation openly.
"And how great are you, then?"
The desired reaction emerged. Lee Young-cheol smirked triumphantly at Si-woo's response.
As he opened his mouth to retort, his daughter whispered to Si-woo.
"...That's my dad."
"Ah...! I see."
Why tell him that? The punk suddenly became polite upon hearing it.
Lee Young-cheol, about to snap, clamped his mouth shut.
Couldn't complain about sudden manners. It irked him more, though he didn't know why.
Being polite to parents in front of his daughter shouldn't feel weird, yet it did.
Si-woo smiled oddly and said,
"I wield a sword pretty well, Master... no, Master Craftsman Lee Young-cheol."