Know Your Place
“Understood.”
Director Lee Won-hyung’s expression grew even more rigid as he ended the call. Kwon Si-young, who had been observing him, spoke up.
“That phone call just now…”
“I’m heading out.”
“Take care, Director.”
They had arrived at their destination, so she never heard his reply, but Kwon Si-young could already guess the nature of the call.
Maybe this is for the best…
Knock, knock, knock.
The door opened at the sound of the knock. Lee Won-hyung offered his greetings first to the three men waiting for him inside the stately room.
“My apologies for being late. An unexpected gate opened in Daejeon, so…”
“No one here is unaware of how busy you are, Director. Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
Lee Won-hyung bowed his head slightly in gratitude at President Hwang Hyun-mu’s consideration, then took his seat.
This was the President’s office.
Four people sat around a round table in a cross formation: the master of this room, Hwang Hyun-mu; the ruling party leader, Kwak Juwon; the opposition leader, Kim Daesung; and the final invitee, Lee Won-hyung.
The first to speak was Hwang Hyun-mu.
“Well then. You wouldn’t have asked for this meeting unless there was a good reason, Director. Let’s hear it.”
“Before that, I have something to report, Your Excellency. Just before I arrived, I received word from my subordinate that Hunter Ahn Humin has just cleared the twentieth floor.”
“The twentieth floor?”
When Hwang Hyun-mu expressed his surprise, Lee Won-hyung nodded.
“Yes. In practical terms, his only companion remains the porter, Hunter Han Sowon. That means Hunter Ahn Humin cleared it essentially alone—and in a single attempt, in just eight hours.”
“Ahem…!”
“Haha…”
At his explanation, Kwak Juwon and Kim Daesung, seated across from each other, showed clear discomfort.
Soon after, Kwak Juwon voiced the reason for his unease.
“I’m well aware that you hold that man in high regard, Director. But I fail to understand why you’re still fixated on someone who rejected our full proposal and said he’d think it over. I truly don’t.”
“I agree with Representative Kwak this time. We offered Hunter Ahn Humin the best benefits we could, and he turned us down—albeit politely—by saying he needed time to consider.”
Haah…
At the unified stance of the two party leaders, Lee Won-hyung let out a deep sigh inwardly before explaining.
“Didn’t I say it from the beginning? The premise was wrong from the start. A proposal is something you make when your relationship with the other party is equal, or when you hold the upper hand. If the other party is vastly superior to you and you need their strength, then it isn’t a proposal—it’s a request.”
“That’s exactly why what you’re saying makes no sense, Director! No matter how exceptional someone is, no individual surpasses the nation! The benefits we offered Hunter Ahn Humin were already far beyond what the state should reasonably extend to a single person. Tax exemptions? Really?”
“I agree. Even SSS-rank hunters in the largest guilds cannot escape the obligation of paying taxes. It is a citizen’s duty that must be fulfilled regardless of ability. On top of that, we promised to accommodate Hunter Ahn Humin’s convenience and provide full governmental support—and he still refused? Or what? Director, you’re not suggesting we offer even greater benefits to one individual, are you? Honestly, I can’t even imagine what more we could possibly give.”
When it came to this, the ruling and opposition parties joined forces to attack their opponent. It was quite the sight.
Whenever someone gained immense power and authority that threatened their own, the leaders of these jackals—who normally fought over the same prey—would bare their fangs at the new enemy without hesitation, even if it meant burning down their own house in the process.
Lee Won-hyung found the behavior of these politicians utterly tiresome. He preferred to avoid entanglement with them whenever possible, but his work inevitably drew him into such dealings.
At first, there had been many clashes, objections, breakdowns, and failures. But with experience, he had learned how to handle these kinds of people.
“Fairness, you say… Indeed. As Representative Kwak pointed out, fairness is certainly important. It’s why some agents at the Bureau receive higher salaries than others despite risking their lives equally. It’s why some lawmakers earn less while others earn far more for serving the same country. All because of fairness, isn’t it? Because the weight of their roles differs. Am I wrong?”
“Well, that’s…”
“Then! If one person’s ability can determine the fate of the nation, how should the state treat them in the name of fairness? If they sacrifice themselves for the country and its people, what must we promise to avoid violating that fairness?”
“Even so, there are limits. Director Lee. Are you suggesting we hand the entire country over to him?”
At Kim Daesung’s aggressive question, Lee Won-hyung shook his head heavily before replying.
“There’s no need for that. If Hunter Ahn Humin so desired, he could achieve that in the near future without either of your permissions.”
“Is that supposed to be a serious statement? There are things one can and cannot say, even as a joke…”
“Does it sound like a joke?”
Rumble…!
“…!”
“…!”
In an instant, a subtle pressure emanated from Lee Won-hyung’s body, weighing down the space and pressing upon Kwak Juwon and Kim Daesung.
This wasn’t a deliberate display of force meant to intimidate. It was the weight of years spent as a hunter, countless experiences, and the quiet authority of his age carried within his words.
“If there’s anyone in this room who wishes this situation were a joke more than anyone else, it’s me—Lee Won-hyung, Director of the Awakening Management Bureau. I’m here pleading with Your Excellency and the two representatives that we must recruit him even if it means using every resource and authority the nation possesses, simply because we cannot control one individual. Do I look like I’m joking right now?”
“B-but what if he betrays us?”
“What if that force-of-nature-level human suddenly changes his mind and turns his blade on our citizens? Can we stop him? Director, you’re essentially arguing that we should grant even greater power and authority to such a person. Surely you have countermeasures prepared for that scenario?”
Following Kwak Juwon, Kim Daesung posed a similar question.
A single individual whose military might a nation could not contain. If he escaped control and threatened the people, could you take responsibility?
Lee Won-hyung’s answer was simple.
“Do you think such a thing exists? If it did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place.”
“W-what do you mean…?!”
“How can the Director of the Management Bureau say something like that…?”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying we should make a request, not a proposal! Stop weighing every option and simply convey the sincere wishes of our government and our people to him! Tell him that we will stand by his side first, so he should stand by ours as well. Representative Kim, you asked how we could possibly control a force-of-nature-level human. As you said, he possesses that kind of power, but he is still human. He has a precious family, comrades, and a life—and all of it exists right here in the Republic of Korea. Do you truly not understand how tremendous an advantage that is? Simply by being born in the same country, we already hold the priority to ask him to protect this nation! Please, know your place. We have entered an era where the government is no longer the nation’s greatest power—a single individual now surpasses it. That is the reality we face!”
Lee Won-hyung looked directly at Hwang Hyun-mu as he spoke.
“But we’ve already squandered that priority and lost much of Hunter Ahn Humin’s trust and expectations, Your Excellency. We must make the right choice now. He has already cleared the twentieth floor. It will be difficult to keep this hidden any longer.”
“What kind of person did you find Hunter Ahn Humin to be after meeting and investigating him yourself?”
“He values money, but it isn’t everything to him. He cherishes his family deeply, and they love him just as much in return. If the state takes responsibility for caring for his family, the likelihood of Hunter Ahn Humin betraying us and becoming an enemy is extremely low.”
“I see. Then what do you believe we should do to make amends for our previous mistake, Director?”
“Y-Your Excellency…!”
“That’s…”
Hwang Hyun-mu quietly raised his index finger and pressed it to his lips.
“To be honest, I don’t think conditions are necessary. We simply need to provide Hunter Ahn Humin with whatever support he requires in any given situation. That doesn’t mean he’ll make unreasonable demands or request support that would harm the nation.”
“Do you have any basis for that?”
“The man I met was an extremely reasonable person. He fully understood his own abilities and value, yet he wasn’t arrogant. He remained calm and collected throughout. He was a clever young man who knew how to distinguish between actions that would benefit him and those that wouldn’t. Such a young man would certainly understand what it means for the state to make a request of him. If my judgment proves wrong… then I will take full responsibility in whatever form is necessary.”
“……”
Faced with Lee Won-hyung’s unwavering gaze and conviction, even Hwang Hyun-mu could only nod in acknowledgment.
“Understood. At the very least, there aren’t many within our government who could refute Director Lee’s assessment of a hunter’s talent and potential—including myself. Hunter Ahn Humin has already demonstrated that potential today. I can’t simply stand by.”
“Your Excellency? What do you mean…?”
When Kwak Juwon broke into a cold sweat at Hwang Hyun-mu’s meaningful words, the President answered without hesitation.
“By presidential authority, I intend to grant Hunter Ahn Humin access to the Awakening Management Bureau’s Level 1 Archives. Director Lee Won-hyung of the Awakening Management Bureau—do you agree?”
“Your Excellency!!”
“You can’t! No matter what, opening the archives to a civilian? And Level 1 at that… You know better than anyone what kind of items are stored there, Your Excellency!”
Unlike the two representatives, who looked ready to faint from shock, Hwang Hyun-mu replied with a faint smile.
“Yes, I know them well. They’re nothing more than troublesome relics gathering dust because they’ve never found a proper master, aren’t they?”
At Hwang Hyun-mu’s response, Kwak Juwon and Kim Daesung foamed at the mouth as they tried to stop him.
“T-troublesome relics?! Each and every item in the Level 1 Archives is dangerous enough to turn an ordinary A-rank ability user into an SSS-rank!”
“Moreover, most of the items in the Level 1 Archives are cursed objects that cause their users to go berserk! How could you open them to a mere civilian?! If something goes wrong…”
However…
“Didn’t Director Lee just say that even without those items, Hunter Ahn Humin could cause the very catastrophe you’re worried about if he so wished?”
Director Lee Won-hyung nodded gravely, and Hwang Hyun-mu continued.
“For an awakener of that caliber, the items stored in the Level 1 Archives wouldn’t even be considered an extraordinary benefit. As long as we exclude the cursed ones, it should be fine. And this much is necessary if we want to recover even a fraction of the points we’ve already lost. If anything, his strengthened power would only add to the Republic of Korea’s national defense. I can’t think of anything more fortunate. What do the two of you think?”
“W-well, if that’s how it turns out, then of course it would be ideal…”
“But people don’t always move in the right direction, and we must prepare for every possibility…”
Cutting off Kim Daesung, Hwang Hyun-mu gave an immediate reply.
“Then let’s do this. While the two of you prepare the best possible countermeasures for that worst-case scenario, we’ll put all matters concerning Hunter Ahn Humin on hold.”
“Your Excellency!”
The two men’s expressions brightened, but Hwang Hyun-mu’s next words instantly turned their faces sour.
“In exchange, if Hunter Ahn Humin joins another guild during that time—or, in the worst case, emigrates to another country with his family—then the responsibility will fall on the two of you as well.”
“W-what are you saying?!”
“Since Director Lee, who advocated for Hunter Ahn Humin’s recruitment, has agreed to take responsibility if the hunter harms the nation, it’s only fair that the two of you—who opposed it—should bear the corresponding responsibility as well. Am I wrong, Representatives Kwak and Kim?”
“That’s…”
“Let’s see… The unauthorized departure of a national-level hunter capable of single-handedly deciding the fate of the nation wouldn’t exactly be a light matter, would it?”
“……”
In the end, the government’s operation to recruit Ahn Humin was launched with unanimous agreement from all four.