Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Modern (2)
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Master Craftsman Yi Young-cheol left with a sour expression on his face, and Jang Ye-hwa soon arrived. The shirt that had been straining so tightly before was now neatly buttoned up.
"Well, wearing that to the office wouldn't exactly fly."
Last time they met, those buttons on the verge of popping had been so enticing...
"Was she really just dressing like that because I was such a hassle last time?"
As Si-woo recalled Jang Ye-hwa's previous outfit, she spoke up.
"Sorry about that. The craftsman insisted on meeting anyone who would wield a sword we made ourselves... Did it make you uncomfortable?"
Si-woo chuckled.
"No, it was fun."
"Glad to hear it."
She outlined their future plans. To promote the gear, they would feature an interview in Hunter magazine.
"Will that really be enough?"
"No choice. We need to flood the market with equipment and build trust before we get fair evaluations. Short-term success is tough."
Si-woo thought for a moment before speaking. A good idea had come to him, but he wasn't sure if it would work.
"Why not just film me hunting monsters in a rift instead?"
A few days earlier.
Kang Ji-hyuk, the infamous playboy of the Kang Jin Group, was the president of Kang Jin Steel, which crafted equipment for hunters.
He recalled the stunning sight of Jang Ye-hwa from a party where chaebol heirs gathered.
Her youthful, elegant beauty belied her thirty years. He was captivated by her voluptuous breasts and hips.
Especially those massive mounds that made his groin ache just looking at them—he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"Just how many cup sizes? F? G?"
Her modest attire made it hard to tell at a glance.
And the way she ignored men entirely only fueled his desire. He'd looked into her: a pure virgin who had never even dated.
She was like a flower on a cliff, rare even among chaebol families.
He rushed to his father, begging to meet her.
Chairman Kang furrowed his brow but nodded after a moment's thought.
"Hmph... Never thought you'd have a useful idea for once."
Both Kang Ji-hyuk and Jang Ye-hwa ran companies making hunter gear.
SH Smith was famous among mid-to-low tier hunters, while Kang Jin Steel dominated the mid-to-high end.
A merger would mean massive expansion. Plus, swapping his useless son for the capable Jang Ye-hwa would ease his worries.
Chairman Kang gave his approval.
The request he'd made on a whim because she was hot was working out better than expected.
Kang Ji-hyuk nearly danced with joy upon hearing his father's permission. He fantasized about that haughty woman becoming his wife and practically bounced in excitement.
Chairman Kang picked up his smartphone and clicked his tongue.
The device filled the air with the hearty laughter of Jang Ye-hwa's father, Chairman Jang.
-A formal meeting's off the table. My daughter's not thinking about marriage yet.
"Isn't it obvious kids should marry when their parents say so?"
-I'd love to make her, but her company's doing so well she won't even listen to me. I didn't help at all—practically hoped it'd fail—and she made it thrive anyway. Ha ha ha!
Chairman Kang made one last push.
"Still, isn't sooner better for marriage?"
"Ah, well, our girl recently awakened, you see. She says she's got plenty of time—why rush? What am I supposed to say to that? Uh ha ha."
"Urgh..."
-Anyway, sorry about this. Let's team up on a field op sometime.
Click.
Chairman Kang swallowed his envy after hanging up. The words said "sorry," but the tone dripped with bragging.
Comparing him to his own good-for-nothing son, who was busy squandering the family fortune, naturally stoked his rage.
Kang Ji-hyuk's face hardened sharply.
Jang Ye-hwa, that damn woman, had refused the meeting. It felt like a feast right in front of him slipping away, making him desperate.
His father said SH Smith was booming so much that even her own dad couldn't sway her. Ridiculous.
He had to pretend to die if his father said so...!
"Hoo..."
He sighed, his eyes roaming over his female secretary's figure as she reported.
She had a killer body, as expected from someone hired for her looks. The tear-shaped mole by her eye was especially alluring.
Her body trembled faintly under his lecherous gaze.
Kang Ji-hyuk scowled as he listened to her report.
"Hold on—what now?"
"Yes, SH Smith is launching gear targeting max B-rank—actually, C-rank hunters."
SH Smith, which mainly served low-tier hunters, was expanding its business.
C-rank was solidly mid-tier. That was prime territory for his male-run company.
"Ha... She's doing everything herself? Annoying as hell..."
The secretary bowed her head silently. Speaking up would only make things worse—better to keep quiet.
Kang Ji-hyuk twisted his face.
With Jang Ye-hwa's company succeeding, the marriage talks fell through.
Furious, he partied hard at a club, doing drugs.
"Fuck what?"
"The news..."
He glared and snatched her tablet.
She shrank back in terror, pressing against the wall, but there was no escape.
[Kang Jin Steel Playboy Causes Another Scandal.]
-Infamous Kang Jin Steel heir... K from some club...
"Ha, fuck."
Irritating. Some clueless reporter posting trash like this. His dad would summon and chew him out any second.
His face contorted in rage as he pondered how to torment the journalist. Seeing his secretary quake only stirred his sadism.
"Hey."
"Y-yes?! Yes, sir!"
"Strip."
Horror flooded the secretary's face. Her voice shook as she spoke.
"W-what?! I-I have a boyfriend..."
"Not stripping? Want me to dump that bastard on the street?"
Tears streamed down as she fumbled with her clothes.
Kang Ji-hyuk smirked slyly, pulling white powder from his pocket. Time for a hit to lift his mood.
The drugs sharpened his mind. The effect was incredible, as always.
Knowing he'd be summoned anyway, he went straight to his father.
"Ha... You timed it well. I was about to break your legs... Hah! Fine. Just get married. I'll find you someone suitable."
His usually intimidating father didn't scare him now. Drugs were miraculous.
"I don't want anyone but Jang Ye-hwa."
"And if I say no?"
Kang Ji-hyuk straightened up, high on his drug-fueled brilliant idea.
"Give me a chance, Father. I have a plan."
Chairman Kang looked uninterested, zero expectations.
"Ha! You?"
"First, we'll target Jang Ye-hwa's company."
"..."
A flicker of interest crossed Chairman Kang's face.
"Her—er, that woman's swords are known for cost-performance, right? They even got that ridiculous nickname 'national soup sword'... I'll flip that image against them."
"Hm..."
Seeing his father uncross his arms, he pressed on excitedly.
"Our image is premium gear with top-tier performance, isn't it?"
Chairman Kang grumbled reluctantly.
"And you're failing to uphold even that. Market share keeps dropping. If you can't hack it, quit."
What could he do about those idiot blacksmiths botching weapons? Kang Ji-hyuk swallowed his complaint and continued.
"You always said when you can't beat a rival, drag 'em down."
"I did."
"First, we'll trash their new launch. Cost-cutters like them have no business invading this space. C-rank is where performance trumps value, right?"
Sensing his father's deliberation, he said confidently.
"We'll smash it in a duel first."
Speedman
A C-rank with lower-body enhancement, famous for sprinting across the Han River.
It was a gimmick loaded with gear, but that only boosted the hype.
"Gear carry. No, pure skill."
Riding the controversy, he grew his subscribers and became a famous NewTuber.
Speedman eyed Si-woo's photo and said to Kang Ji-hyuk.
"Hm... This guy?"
"Yeah. SH Smith's new golden boy rookie."
Kang Ji-hyuk showed him CCTV footage.
Video of Choi Si-woo fighting Choi Jun-pil not long ago.
"What do you think? Can you win?"
Seeing Choi Jun-pil incinerated, Speedman sneered at Si-woo.
"Got one-sidedly wrecked, then lucked out when the opponent self-destructed. Pathetic. I can crush him."
To highlight gear differences, they needed same-rank hunters. Same body-enhancement ability, so he picked this guy—but the cocky attitude was off-putting.
Kang Ji-hyuk double-checked.
"You sure?"
"Ha ha. Choi Jun-pil? That loser had me struggling? I'd end him before the flames even sparked. I'm Speedman, after all."
"Winning's a given. The point is proving our weapon's superiority."
He handed over the Dragon Head Sword, Kang Jin Steel's flagship. Distinguished by the dragon head carved into the hilt.
It looked identical to standard C-rank market swords.
But inside: premium materials making it A-rank worthy. Enhanced cutting power, mana efficiency boosts, all sorts of enchantments.
"With this... Perfect. I'll shatter his sword. Then pummel him my way."
Kang Ji-hyuk stroked his chin, pondering one last time. He wanted to hype it big, just in case.
"Hm..."
Seeing his concern, Speedman stood.
"Ha... Let me show you."
He drew the sword and assumed a stance.
"Haaap!"
His thigh muscles bulged as he charged, cleaving a sturdy wooden dummy in half.
"How's that?"
Speedman sneered at Si-woo's photo. Rookies with potential like this needed stomping.