Chapter 480: Operation: Clown's Play.
Chapter 480: Operation: Clown's Play.
Ting.
With the sound of the door opening, two men stepped inside. One of them paused and looked around with a wistful gaze.
The interior was immaculate. A large window was set neatly into the wall, and shiny tables were arranged tidily along it, showcasing a clean design.
But there was one strange thing: no one was there. For such a fine restaurant, it was odd to the point that anyone would notice; not a single User could be seen.
The large man who had entered first and was looking around turned to face the man who had stopped at the entrance.
“Hyung-nim. It seems the other party hasn't arrived yet.”
“Well, they might be a little late.”
“…Does that make any sense? This is the Mercenary district. They’re the ones who told us to come. Not only did they have the nerve to summon you, Hyung-nim…”
“Welcome.”
Just then, as the large man was about to flare up in anger, a gentle woman's voice came from the kitchen. The woman who soon emerged into the hall with light steps was as beautiful as her voice—as graceful and lovely as a single, pure flower. At the same time, her full, prominent breasts momentarily drew the men's gazes.
The moment the man at the entrance and the woman met eyes, they both let out a soft sound, as if they knew each other.
“Hello….”
The woman bowed her head politely, but she couldn't hide the slight hesitation in her voice.
The man immediately regained his composure. He took a step forward and greeted her calmly.
“Yes. It's been a long time, User Lim Hanna. It's also been a while since I've been to the Love House. Ah, is it the Love Pub now?”
“Yes. We changed the name after renovating… Taejin-ssi… Ah. Should I call you Lord Su?”
“I'd appreciate that. I am, after all, the lord of a clan now.”
“Yes… Lord Su.”
For a fleeting moment, an unreadable look of disappointment crossed Hanna's face. The Su Clan's lord, Park Taejin, did not miss it. Then, a memory from the past suddenly surfaced, and he spoke with a business-like tone, feigning indifference.
“Anyway, I didn't expect to see you here. I heard you were with the Mercenary Clan… Are you working at the Love Pub?”
“I just… am…. Ah, should I make you something? The usual you had when you used to come here…”
“No, it's fine. I'm not here to eat; I'm here on business. By the way, it seems the other party hasn't arrived yet?”
“Yes, yes. Well, I'll show you to your seats first. Please, come this way.”
Hanna turned away, looking dejected. She walked with slightly slumped shoulders and slow steps. Park Taejin felt a small but satisfying sense of triumph as he followed her to a table and sat down.
“I heard they'll be here soon. Please wait just a moment.”
But that feeling was fleeting. The moment Hanna left, the triumph in Park Taejin's mind vanished, replaced by suspicion. The large man seemed to feel the same, muttering as he pulled his chair in to sit.
“By the way, Hyung-nim. Why on earth would Mercenary want to see us?”
“Who knows. We'll have to hear them out first.”
“I'm suspicious. Those bastards have been thick as thieves with Hyuk-hyung lately…”
“Baek Du-san. I'm telling you this just in case, but watch your mouth in front of Mercenary.”
Park Taejin's eyes narrowed for a moment as he spoke sharply. Baek Du-san hurriedly nodded and clamped a large hand over his mouth. The action was so unfitting for his large frame that Park Taejin let out a small chuckle.
“Good grief. Anyway, let's just wait quietly.”
Ting.
A moment later, the sound of the door opening was heard.
*
Park Taejin stared ahead with an unfriendly gaze. A man with a pleasant appearance sat upright, a constant smile on his face. His features were neat, not the kind to give a bad first impression, but Park Taejin, facing him, didn't hesitate to furrow his brow.
In truth, there was one reason for this blatant display of displeasure. It wasn't because they had dared to summon the number one figure of the Alliance, nor was it because the man belonged to Mercenary. Summoning him could be acceptable depending on the other party, and although Mercenary had stood in Park Taejin's way, it didn't seem intentional. They were just pathetic for being played by Shin Hyuk.
However, the real reason Park Taejin was frowning was on the table. A fist-sized recording crystal orb and a thick bundle of records. The crystal orb's light had faded as if it had already finished playing, and the thick bundle of records was scattered about.
That was right. The men surrounding the table were Users from the Coran Alliance and the Mercenary Clan. Su Clan's Lord Park Taejin, Serengeti Clan's Lord Baek Du-san, and Mercenary Clan member Jo Seungwoo. These three men were gathered at one table, talking. And the reason their conversation had paused seemed to be the crystal orb and the bundle of records on the table.
A quiet silence flowed. The one who broke it was Baek Du-san, his rugged face flushed red. Huffing, he flipped through the records and then suddenly slammed his hand on the table. With a loud bang, the teacup on the table rattled, and the silence was shattered.
“Damn it! What is this bullshit!”
“Oh my. You really surprised me. You must have great strength. Hahaha.”
“Hahaha? Hahaha? Hey, you think this is funny? Are you that proud of planting spies?”
“Ah. I already told you that's a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? You son of a…”
“Baek Du-san.”
Just as the harsh curse was about to erupt, Park Taejin quickly stopped him. Baek Du-san hastily shut his mouth. But the sound of him grinding his teeth was quite menacing, his anger not yet subsided. Through it all, Jo Seungwoo continued to watch the two men with a calm expression.
In truth, Park Taejin was just as furious, but he took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. There was no point in getting angry now. After composing himself, Park Taejin spoke in a quiet voice.
“So. Why did you show us these things?”
“Well… since you, Lord Su, are the one leading the Alliance, we wanted to know what you think of this incident…”
“Let's skip the pleasantries. There must be something the Mercenary Clan wants.”
“…Oh? This reaction is unexpected. From what I saw in the crystal orb…”
Jo Seungwoo smiled faintly and let his sentence trail off. However, any User present could guess what he was about to say, or that he had trailed off on purpose. The stiff expressions on the two men's faces were proof of that.
Finally, Park Taejin placed a hand on the table. He slowly clenched it into a fist and glared at Jo Seungwoo.
“User Jo Seungwoo, was it… Don't get the wrong idea.”
“……”
“I admit the competition got a little heated, but the Alliance is a family. We are Users who gathered under the banner of one family. I think I know what you're trying to say, but it would be best if you didn't run your mouth any further.”
“…Haha. Is that so? I understand. It seems I didn't know much about the Alliance. I'm truly sorry.”
Jo Seungwoo apologized immediately. Park Taejin let out a calm breath and withdrew his glare. His throat feeling dry, he picked up his teacup and spoke.
“Hmph. I apologize as well. I tend to speak harshly when I'm angry. Anyway, let's hear Mercenary's demands.”
“Rather than demands… 'request' would be a better word. We don't really have anything to demand.”
“What? Nothing to demand?”
“Yes. For your information, we have already submitted a crystal orb containing the exact same footage to the Central Administration. We have no intention of sweeping this incident under the rug.”
Thud!
A dull noise echoed from the table. The teacup he had just lifted had fallen. Park Taejin stared at Jo Seungwoo with a blank expression, his mind racing furiously. He had thought Mercenary would demand various things in exchange for covering up this incident.
But instead, they had already submitted it to the Central Administration.
Then why?
“Are you kidding me? Then why on earth did you ask to see me?”
“Lord Su. Your voice is getting a little loud.”
“How can it not get loud in this situation?”
“Ha. I don't understand, I really don't. Why are you so angry?”
Park Taejin opened his mouth to retort. But the moment he looked forward, he had no choice but to close it again. Jo Seungwoo's expression had completely changed. He was now resting his chin on his clasped hands, sending a chilling glare. He looked like a completely different person from a moment ago.
“Kidding? Does what we're doing look like a joke to you?”
“……”
“Lord Su. There's a limit to being shameless. We, Mercenary, trusted the Alliance. We even gave up the achievements we worked so hard for to build a good relationship with you. But then. When we found out about this from an anonymous tip. How do you think we felt? How do you think the Mercenary Lord felt?”
“Umm…”
“You're the one who shouldn't be raising your voice, Lord Su. The one who should be angry is Mercenary, not the Alliance.”
“No. I'm not denying that it was Shin Hyuk's fault… Anyway, if it were just about Shin Hyuk, that's one thing. But then why on earth did you ask to see me?”
He didn't know if that was true. He didn't know who the tipster was. With the Alliance having more than a few enemies, there was no way for Park Taejin to know.
But Park Taejin was smart. As such, he quickly grasped and assessed the situation. Since it was already submitted to the Central Administration, there was no turning back. So, trying to coax them into covering it up was impossible. The priority now was to step aside from the coming storm. The wolf-like bastards from the East would never stay quiet.
With that thought, Park Taejin subtly brought up Shin Hyuk, deflecting the focus. Seeing this, Jo Seungwoo smiled secretly. Of course, on the outside, he maintained his cold demeanor.
Jo Seungwoo said.
“…Tsk. I'm not doing this just to provoke you, so let's stop with the angry faces. Anyway, the reason I asked to see you, Lord Su, is for the sake of our future relationship with the Alliance.”
“For the sake of our relationship?”
“That's right. Our Clan Lord is a very realistic person. He can't forgive Shin Hyuk for pulling such a ridiculous stunt, but as for the others… well, he thought it couldn't be helped. And in fact, the Central Administration also requested that we keep it within reasonable limits.”
“The Central Administration? No, is that really true? Why would they…?”
“Yes. I don't know the detailed circumstances of that part either. However, he said you would understand if I just mentioned this: Lee Hyoeul, Steel Mountains.”
“Lee Hyoeul…? Steel Mountains…? Ah!”
At first, his expression was indifferent. Being in a position without any leverage, he couldn't help but feel anxious no matter what he heard.
But the moment he heard the names Lee Hyoeul and Steel Mountains, Park Taejin's eyes widened. He could finally understand why the Central Administration had mediated. In other words, a plausible lifeline had just been thrown to him in this bleak situation.
“That's a relief. It seems you understand what I mean… Anyway, Mercenary's request is simple. As I said before, we have no intention of letting this incident slide. However, we will focus on the Lord of the Southern Conquest, who led the plan, and turn a blind eye to the others.”
“Hmm. I appreciate you saying that, but we're not entirely unrelated. The entire Alliance won't be able to avoid criticism.”
“You'll have to endure that much. Try putting yourself in our shoes. If the Alliance had been the victim of something like this, would you have just stood by quietly?”
“……”
“Of course, it's inevitable that this incident will create a rift between us, but we are well aware of the Alliance's power. Our Clan Lord is also fully aware of that fact. Just apologize cleanly this one time, and help us deal with the Lord of the Southern Conquest. No. It's fine if you just stand by and watch. If you do that for us, Mercenary will completely forget this incident. And we are willing to build a good relationship with the Alliance in the future.”
“…Hoo.”
Park Taejin let out a deep sigh. He slowly stroked his forehead.
In fact, since the Central Administration already knew, the situation wasn't that bad. No, it wasn't the best, but it was the next best thing, perhaps?
In a way, Park Taejin could see this as a good opportunity. He didn't know what would happen with the Halo matter if this incident blew up, but he could definitely oust Shin Hyuk, the current number two in the Alliance. And he could do it without getting his own hands dirty, just by watching. This was certainly a huge advantage.
But after having confidently declared that they were one family just a moment ago, he hesitated to readily agree now.
In the end, after much deliberation, what he said was a roundabout deflection.
“Umm. I certainly understand what you're saying… but I think I'll need to speak with the Mercenary Lord as well.”
“There's no need for that. You may think this is rude, but our Clan Lord is extremely busy at the moment. With one thing and another. That's why he has completely entrusted this matter to me, and therefore, all authority rests with me. So, you can give me your answer right here, right now. A simple yes or no will suffice.”
Baek Du-san's eyebrow twitched fiercely. The way he spoke to his revered Hyung-nim was unbelievably arrogant. But since he would follow Park Taejin's orders to the death, he bit his lip and tried his best to endure it.
Some time passed. Park Taejin slowly closed his eyes. Then, with another deep sigh, he gave a small nod. Inwardly, he was thinking that either outcome was fine, but he needed to show an attitude of having no other choice.
And as soon as Jo Seungwoo confirmed his reaction, he smiled faintly. At the same time, he gently swept back the hair on the right side of his head and opened his mouth.
“I see. Thank you very much. And I sincerely apologize for my somewhat rude words and actions earlier. To be honest, I was so angry when I first heard about it…”
“It's fine. As you said, I just tried to put myself in your shoes. We also find this incident very regrettable. The one who truly needs to apologize is…”
“Ah, no. It's alright. I've fully grasped the situation. As you said earlier, Lord Su, the fault lies solely with the Lord of the Southern Conquest. Besides, you've shown the pride and magnanimity of the Coran Alliance… Our Clan Lord will surely think this is enough. As I said before, we will do our best to ensure no harm comes to the Alliance, excluding the Southern Conquest.”
“Hm? Well… anyway, thank you for saying that and for your understanding. After this incident, I too would like to continue our relationship with Mercenary on good terms.”
The icy atmosphere instantly turned amicable. Although he had been forced to accept, Park Taejin, who had always considered Shin Hyuk his greatest rival, was somewhat satisfied. Of course, the same was true for Jo Seungwoo, who had also gotten what he wanted.
Finally, Jo Seungwoo swept the table, pulling the crystal orb and the bundle of records toward himself.
And as he nonchalantly opened his mouth.
“Well then, shall we start wrapping things up?”
This time, he swept back the hair on the left side of his head.
*
After finishing their conversation, Park Taejin and Baek Du-san left the Love Pub. Jo Seungwoo had praised the chef's skills and suggested they stay for a meal, but Park Taejin refused flatly. And he did it right in front of Lim Hanna, who had been introduced as the chef.
Recalling the subtle look of disappointment on Lim Hanna's face, Park Taejin felt an unreasonable sense of pleasure. At the same time, he gave a bitter smile. He felt petty for acting this way just because she had rejected his confession in the past, and for feeling pleasure from it.
However, Baek Du-san seemed to interpret the bitter smile differently, speaking up carefully as they walked side by side.
“Hyung-nim. Don't blame yourself too much. It was an unavoidable situation.”
“…Yeah. You're right.”
“And to be honest, I felt a little refreshed, in a way. It means that detestable bastard will be crushed if we just stay put. Of course, we'll get some criticism too, but…”
“Baek Du-san. I thought I told you to watch your mouth.”
“No, I mean, I was moved when Hyung-nim said the Alliance was a family.”
“Du-san-ah. Let's just keep quiet. There's nothing we can do about it now. And there was nothing we could have done. This was a kind of ultimatum. A one-sided ultimatum. It's no different from them saying they'll do whatever they want. That's why I couldn't do anything.”
Baek Du-san fell silent for a moment. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he understood the meaning behind Park Taejin's words to some extent.
But perhaps feeling sorry for his hyung-nim, who still looked bitter, he soon spoke again. Of course, it was on a different topic this time.
“Alright, alright. I just have to keep my mouth shut. Anyway… how was she? Now that I think about it, you saw her for the first time in a while.”
“Hm? Who did I see for the first time in a while?”
Park Taejin feigned ignorance. Baek Du-san gave him a sly grin and nudged him in the ribs.
“Aww, don't pretend you don't know. Lim Hanna. That 'Flower of Monica'…? Or whatever it was. Anyway, that big-breasted cow bitch. From what I saw earlier, she seemed pretty interested in you, Hyung-nim.”
“Interested? Don't be ridiculous. She's a User who even got a Rare Class from Mercenary. It is strange, though. Why would someone with a Rare Class be working in a place like that?”
“How should I know? But if I were that bitch, I'd be kicking myself with regret right now. If only she'd accepted Hyung-nim's confession back then, she'd be the woman of our Alliance's number one man…”
“Enough, man. What's the point of bringing up my first love now? Besides, you know how much of an iron wall she is. Countless Users courted her, but she never once gave in. And even if she had gone out with me, it would've just been a platonic relationship. Anyway, I have no regrets and no lingering feelings now.”
Although he said that, Park Taejin felt tempted by Baek Du-san's words. And he thought. About Lim Hanna's beautiful face, her gentle voice, and her large breasts. Moreover, since she was once the famous 'Flower of Monica', known for being an iron wall, he felt the desire to conquer her at least once. It was an unavoidable desire that any man would have.
Baek Du-san chattered on excitedly. He spewed vulgarities, saying things like he should try again, or that if it were him, he'd fuck her a few times and dump her. Park Taejin played along half-heartedly as they headed for the Warp Gate. Although Park Taejin had told him to stop, their attitude made it hard to believe they had just been in a serious discussion moments before.
But did they know? That the person they were counting on had no intention of giving them what they wanted. That the woman Park Taejin called an iron wall was at that very moment stripping off her own clothes and reporting the success of their plan. And that, naked and held in a man's arms, she was disparaging Park Taejin's attitude that day while panting out moans.
Unaware of any of this, the two men stood amicably before the Warp Gate. And with steps that seemed endlessly light, they disappeared into the portal.
