I'm Not That Kind of Person (2)
The outlook for the negotiations was grim. Kang A-ram presented the materials she'd diligently gathered, trying to gain the upper hand, but they were repeatedly shot down by Myeong Gi-sa's sharp rebuttals.
"Miss, I see you've put in the effort, but that's as far as it goes."
"Urgh!"
"Still, bringing the preliminary investigation results from the Punishment Enforcement Bureau was a good move. Just don't let the emphasis on public interest strip away its value as evidence."
About thirty minutes into the negotiations, every piece of material Kang A-ram had brought was dismantled. A-ram sat down, feeling wronged, a single tear glistening at the corner of her pretty eyes. Even her crying face was stunningly beautiful, but inside, I was burning up like overcooked bulgogi.
What do I do...?
I can't stop that guy. For real.
I nodded to myself several times internally. The man who introduced himself as Myeong Gi-sa was no ordinary fellow. When he showed up in his dusty hard hat and tank top, I honestly hadn't expected much. If anything, having worked day-labor jobs myself to pay for tuition, I felt a sense of kinship. He even resembled the kind worker uncle who'd looked out for me.
But...
He's insanely smart.
"Smart" didn't even begin to cover it. To convey even a fraction of what I felt, I'd have to resort to that vulgar term Nebula's policies make me hesitant to use—he was that brilliant. A Zhuge Liang of the negotiation table, a young dragon! Watching him single-handedly dismantle the archive materials Nebula had amassed with all its might left me in awe.
And now, I had to stop this superhuman. How on earth could I shut down this negotiation destroyer? As I racked my brain, the ball came to me before I could even prepare.
Myeong Gi-sa broke the brief silence.
"I think we've seen enough of each other's cards."
He looked at me with a light smile. Please, let my face look normal.
"Shall we get to the main point?"
"State your demands."
"First, 40 billion for the project delay penalties. No real estate or liquid assets—strictly bonds or cash."
"......"
Myeong Gi-sa laid out his threats like he'd been waiting for this moment. My vision blurred at a sum I'd never even heard of in my life. 40 billion...
But his demands were just getting started.
"Plus 18 billion for repair costs on equipment damaged by Nebula's excessive demands, including opportunity costs."
Damaged equipment obviously meant the sabotage results. Opportunity costs...
Compensation for contracts they couldn't take while their gear was busted.
It makes sense...!
But...!
My head spun. Between this shabby guy in his "Safety First" beanie and me—a cotton-candy blowhard good only at bluffing—1.9 million worth of bungeoppang were on the line. Reality slipped from my fingertips.
I had to do something. To buy time to breathe, I adjusted my glasses up and down with my fingers. Then I pulled Myeong Gi-sa's submitted materials toward me.
The moment I opened the file, a barrage of charts and numbers assaulted me. Pure humanities major Seo Han-gyeol blacked out on the spot.
Not sure what he made of my wide-eyed faint, Myeong Gi-sa swallowed nervously, looking tense.
"And finally, the most important condition."
The total so far from the Heavy Equipment Knights was 58 billion. I braced myself for what the last 10 billion condition might be.
"...What is it?"
"The executive who orchestrated the sabotage against the Heavy Equipment Knights. Reveal his real name and put him on trial."
"......"
?
No problem there.
It wasn't my business anyway. And just hearing it, the perpetrator and victim were crystal clear. Even to a Chungcheong cotton candy like me, it was obvious. Sending a bad guy to jail? Hell, I'd applaud that.
That's the real issue here.
I glanced at the damp documents. Even a quick skim revealed they were loaded with bombs—not just one or two. More like all the dirty deeds that had been hidden underwater until now.
The gate outer wall construction was the least of it. Briefing files had zero mention of at least four other items...
Even starting to read now would mean two straight days of overtime! And a simple apology might snowball the compensation into oblivion.
Just the base claims are 58 billion. If I say the wrong thing...
A tragic narrative flashed in my mind.
'Why's the compensation so high?'
'Seo Han-gyeol led the negotiations! Blame that guy!'
'Daring to cost Nebula tens of billions! Pay it off in the mines!'
'Kwaaa! My bad!'
Absolutely not. Nebula wouldn't let me off, and I'd rot in a mana mine inhaling rock dust for life. I couldn't accept that extreme future!
Sorry!
I swallowed tears, ready to deploy high-rank evasion tactics. Better pay up than lose my neck, right?
Secret Technique: Eel Slip-Away.
1. We'll investigate and get back to you (no timeline given).
2. That's not our department. We'll connect you to the responsible one (not my fault anyway?).
3. We'll consider it (three seconds of brainpower allocated).
The legendary move faster at raising blood pressure than resolving issues. Activate!
I gotta survive first.
As I steeled my sleazy resolve and opened my mouth—
-Kurrrung!Kwarrrung!!
"Ugh?! Chief Seo! Airborne mana saturation is spiking! We need to evacuate now!"
...?
The world shook.
* * *
Myeong Gi-sa's years of field experience kicked in instantly.
"Hey! This is Myeong Gi-sa—what the hell's going on outside?!"
He yanked out his radio, snarling into it. A crackling voice replied urgently.
"What?! Did the facility team all drop dead? What've you been doing without fixing it?!"
"Goddamn it!"
Myeong Gi-sa spat curses and pocketed the radio.
"What's going on?"
But Seo Han-gyeol's expression, watching Myeong Gi-sa who looked ready to bolt, was utterly impassive. The ground quaked, dust swirled everywhere, yet his gaze didn't waver.
Only then did Myeong Gi-sa closely examine Seo Han-gyeol's clothes.
And he noticed.
...Hold up. Not a speck of dust on this guy's outfit?
Maybe at the start of negotiations. Nebula might be scum, but they're loaded—teleport gear or whatever.
But now?
Dust everywhere, heavy equipment overheating warping mana waves all around. Yet no dust on his clothes.
Only one explanation.
His ability! Protecting every fiber with his power!
Myeong Gi-sa inwardly recoiled in shock at the realization.
This madman! Manipulating internal mana with that precision?!
Now it made sense why Seo Han-gyeol showed no tension. With that control using a single mote of mana, what if he went all-out, drawing ambient mana for his ability?
...He's not fearless.
He has no reason to be. Does a lion on the Serengeti fear a pup? Do humans flee ant swarms? No.
To Seo Han-gyeol, the Heavy Equipment Knights' might was no longer a factor.
Gritting his teeth at the serene Seo Han-gyeol, Myeong Gi-sa seethed with conflicting emotions.
Should I call for help? But the opponent's Nebula!
Torn between choices, he hesitated.
"Damn! Damn it!"
The agonized Myeong Gi-sa.
"Chief Seo... I'll follow you anywhere...!"
Kang A-ram declared resolutely, hands trembling.
In the hellish chaos of concrete dust, only Seo Han-gyeol remained.
"......"
Gazing coldly at everyone.
Watching them. He had no choice but to watch.
Thinking the negotiations were toast, he'd given up in despair. Then suddenly, the heavens and earth rumble-crashed like the apocalypse?
And some key machine broke...
What now?
That's right! Seo Han-gyeol wasn't thinking coolly amid the chaos. He was just overwhelmed, his processing speed lagging behind the simultaneous crises.
But Seo Han-gyeol was a man who grew. A mere month at Nebula, but experience is experience—his tongue slipped free from brain control and started babbling.
He sighed. After climbing so high, the tiger's back looked broad and flat.
And he went with the flow.
"Everyone, stop."
A low tone unfit for the situation. Myeong Gi-sa and Kang A-ram froze.
Seo Han-gyeol's mind raced.
Handle it step by step. First, prevent death or illness.
Finally calming, he recalled the chopper briefing.
The Knights' main gear is all mana-powered, right? Incomplete combustion spews inert mana dust.
Carcinogenic nightmare stuff worse than pre-gate Earth's pollutants!
Seo Han-gyeol flung open his briefcase. Inside yawned an endless abyss.
The ex-elite corp spy turned worker, Myeong Gi-sa, instantly recognized it.
Space interference ability!
Now it clicked why he'd flown straight to the negotiation site. Even if teleporters glitched, with this mana control and space ability, no issue!
If not for [Organization]'s carry, Seo Han-gyeol and A-ram would've been ripped apart into Seo-Kang mixed jerky.
Without delay, he pulled special gas masks from the bag and handed them to the two.
"Put these on. Low chance, but inert mana dust might be spreading."
"Th-thank you!"
"......Why give one to me?"
Myeong Gi-sa paused before taking the mask. He knew mana-dust-filtering specials were pricey disposables. No reason to give one to him—especially after he'd hammered Nebula.
But Seo Han-gyeol was firm.
"Myeong Gi-sa. Since you've worked in the same space as our secretarial office, you're temporary protected personnel under the Nebula-Heavy Equipment Knights MOU. The agreement applies to all, and your death voids our progress. You don't want that, do you?"
"......Is that really all?"
Myeong Gi-sa eyed him suspiciously.
Seo Han-gyeol kept his cool facade, but inside he was boiling.
Kwaaaak! I used them!
He'd gone with the flow and whipped them out, but the aftermath terrified him.
Stolen from the field team's warehouse while buttering up Team Leader Yu Seo-yeong with coffee! 4.5 million each, right? Worth grabbing in bulk, but please ration them...
Lost in worry, he stood frozen, mask extended. The Chungcheong cotton candy lacked the guts to watch someone die up close...
...I see.
Interpreting it as unyielding resolve—not moving until he took the mask—Myeong Gi-sa wore a complicated expression.
Seo Han-gyeol, was it? No point in emotional ploys or power plays with this guy. He absolutely upholds 'promises.' Unbelievable he's from Nebula's secretarial office.
Not disposable, right? Reusable? A scratch and my three months' pay vanishes?
"Tch. I'll repay this debt later! Let's get out first!"
Embarrassed at his own pettiness over personal reasons, Myeong Gi-sa moved.
If Seo Han-gyeol knew his thoughts, he'd say no need.