The Two-Faced Vice Chairman
"W-what did you just say?" Kim Youngjun was inwardly flustered. A man with the title of Vice Chairman—the man running the largest conglomerate in South Korea—was saying something like that? Furthermore, he didn't look twenty years younger than himself. Had he misheard?
But.
"I said it's absurd, you old man."
The friendly expression from just a moment ago was nowhere to be found. Instead, his gaze was filled with blatant disregard for Kim Youngjun.
"It's not that we didn't want to sign the contract; it's that we couldn't. You're the ones who won't budge on that 500 million won, aren't you?"
"T-that is..."
"And on top of that, you have the nerve to barge into the Vice Chairman's office of the Great Ohsung Group."
Kim Youngjun blinked, unable to properly grasp the situation unfolding. However, Executive Director Oh, who had been standing at attention beside Baek Junhoo, shook his head without Baek Junhoo or Kim Youngjun noticing. The man right in front of them, Baek Junhoo, was a man who truly lived up to the nickname "the man with two faces." Usually, he wore a mask of kindness and gentility. But once the trigger was pulled...
His true nature was revealed. Just like now.
"How are you going to take responsibility? Do you know what my hourly rate is? You've already wasted ten minutes. Since you've made me waste ten minutes of my precious time, pay up 500 million won and get out."
"W-what kind of nonsense is that?"
At that, Baek Junhoo let out a cackle. The sight made Kim Youngjun’s skin crawl. It was as if he were looking at someone who had just taken drugs and lost his mind. Baek Junhoo, who had been cackling, suddenly went cold. His voice carried a threatening tone.
"Nonsense? Do you know what my annual salary is? 500 million? That doesn't even cover my hourly rate."
Kim Youngjun’s mouth went dry. He felt like something terrible would happen if he stayed here any longer. He carefully lifted his hips from the sofa and spoke.
"U-um, Vice Chairman. If I was rude, I apologize."
Unlike his initial desire to come in and talk to the Vice Chairman, Kim Youngjun now wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
But.
"Where do you think you're going? You have to pay for wasting my time. I told you to cough up the 500 million won, didn't I?"
"H-how am I supposed to have that kind of money?"
"And you're trying to do business without even having that much?"
Baek Junhoo clicked his tongue lightly and picked up the teacup that had been placed in front of Kim Youngjun, still steaming.
"Then shouldn't you pay with your body instead?"
Madness flickered in his eyes.
"W-what..."
He was terrified now. He couldn't predict the other man's actions at all. Executive Director Oh, standing behind Baek Junhoo, was avoiding eye contact entirely.
"Now, listen to me carefully. You see this hot water? I'm going to pour this over your head from now on."
"What are you do—,"
"Shh! I'm not finished yet."
At Baek Junhoo’s firm voice and crazed gaze, Kim Youngjun clamped his mouth shut. Baek Junhoo lifted the teacup in front of Kim Youngjun’s face. As the hot steam from the cup touched his face, Kim Youngjun could feel the scalding heat.
"Endure it. If you endure for 10 seconds, I'll forget about the 500 million won. And if you endure for 30 seconds, I'll let the contract proceed. So that your company doesn't suffer any losses. But, you can't open your mouth. You just have to bear it."
"A-are you serious?"
Kim Youngjun’s eyes widened. Baek Junhoo nodded vigorously.
"I am Baek Junhoo, Vice Chairman of the Ohsung Group. So, the words that come out of my mouth cannot be lies. Hundreds of billions of won move with a single word from me."
"I-I understand. I will endure it."
Kim Youngjun squeezed his eyes shut and waited. A cruel smile spread across Baek Junhoo’s lips as he watched him.
"Hey, Executive Director Oh."
"Yes! Please speak!"
Executive Director Oh answered in a voice full of military discipline.
"Count to 30 seconds from the moment this water falls. You can do at least that much, right?"
The teacup in his hand tilted slowly. The first drop touched the crown of his head. The heat pierced through his scalp. Kim Youngjun’s mouth opened involuntarily, and a scream threatened to burst out, but he desperately held it in. There were dozens of employees watching him. For them and for the company, the contract renewal had to happen.
The stream of water soon ran down his hair and onto his face. His skin heated up in an instant. He felt pain so intense it made him dizzy. In the midst of that, a voice counting numbers reached Kim Youngjun’s ears. It had only been 5 seconds. He despaired at the fact that only 5 seconds had passed since he started this ordeal.
Soon, 30 seconds had passed, and all the water in the teacup had fallen. Kim Youngjun’s hair, face, neck, and white shirt were already completely soaked. Baek Junhoo set the teacup down and wore a satisfied smile.
"Good. You won. I will let the contract proceed."
Kim Youngjun struggled to endure the burning sensation on his face and neck as he spoke.
"Th-thank you!"
Baek Junhoo, seemingly having lost interest, waved his hand as if to tell him to leave. As if he were shooing away an annoying fly. But Kim Youngjun, who was firmly at the bottom of the food chain, simply bowed his head once more to express his gratitude.
Once the door closed, Executive Director Oh asked.
"Shall we really proceed with the contract?"
"Don't."
"A-ah, understood."
It was always like this. He was good at stabbing people in the back. He considered himself an expert at fleecing people, but the Vice Chairman was different from the roots up. He would never see Kim Youngjun, who had just left, again. Photos of his face had likely already been circulated to the security team. It meant he could never set foot in this company again. Forever.
***
Countless people had gathered at the Self-Defense Force base located in Tokyo. Among them, the one who stood out the most was, of course, Prime Minister Kenji. Hunters were guarding his perimeter. Besides them, high-ranking cabinet officials in suits were waiting for someone with tense expressions.
"They will arrive soon, Mr. Prime Minister."
At the news from the control tower, Prime Minister Kenji’s eyes sparkled. His gaze turned toward the sky. Then, a small dot began to appear in the distance. The shape that grew larger was a transport plane. The peculiar thing was the vivid Taegeuk mark painted on the transport plane.
"They finally came."
The only hunter who could save a crumbling Japan, Cheon Yooshin, had finally arrived in Japan. As the transport plane drew closer, the tension at the airport heightened. However, contrary to expectations, the transport plane did not slow down.
"Why aren't they slowing down?"
Prime Minister Kenji’s smile vanished. At this rate, they would crash. The faces of the people waiting on the runway turned white. At that moment, the transport plane grazed the runway and passed right over it.
The Prime Minister, staring at the plane's tail like a mute, muttered.
"This is an airport... where on earth are they going?"
Before long, the plane disappeared into the clouds. The control tower was in chaos as well.
"HL1387, respond immediately! Where on earth are you going! Is the transport plane being hijacked?"
The controller’s urgent voice poured out over the radio. Failure of a transport plane to land on the scheduled runway could cause serious problems. Fuel might run low, or flying on an unscheduled route could risk collision with other aircraft. Especially when not in one's own country, but abroad. Moreover, changing a flight plan without prior consultation was a violation of international aviation law. There was no way the pilot flying the transport plane didn't know this. In other words, there had to be a reason they were forced to deviate from the route.
The first thing that came to mind was a hijacking. Just then, the pilot’s calm voice was heard over the radio.
-Tokyo Control Tower, this is HL1387. We are... we are currently heading to where the Giant Queen Ant is.
The controller’s brow furrowed.
"W-what are you talking about? Failure of a plane to land on the scheduled runway is a serious violation. Please return to the original flight path and land immediately."
But there was no answer. On the radar screen, HL1387 was simply continuing its flight, deviating further from the scheduled route.
***
Inside the plane that had deviated from the promised route, specifically inside the cockpit, the atmosphere was filled with tension. Only the pilot and co-pilot were there. And Cheon Yooshin was sitting in the jump seat behind them.
"U-um, Mr. Yooshin. Is it really okay to go on like this?"
Anxiety permeated the co-pilot’s voice. This was a major accident—no, a major criminal act—that could result in the revocation of their pilot licenses if things went wrong. Nevertheless, the reason they had deviated from the route was none other than the request of Hunter Cheon Yooshin.
If someone else, a tycoon or a politician, had made such a demand, they would have called the airport police and had them dragged off immediately, but the opponent was Cheon Yooshin. According to rumors, even the President walked on eggshells around him. And even before boarding Cheon Yooshin, they had been requested by the government. Do whatever he wants. So, they had no choice but to comply.
"It's fine. When would we land at the airport and move? Moving by plane is faster."
"A-ah, no..."
The pilot and co-pilot’s faces went blank for a moment. Wouldn't a normal person be unable to think like that? This wasn't a taxi.
"Wouldn't they want us to end this situation quickly even more?"
"Ah, is that so?"
That was when.
"I think we're almost there."
The pilot pointed through the window. There, countless ants were tearing apart and eating all the high-rise buildings of Japan.
"Ugh..."
The pilot let out a groan without realizing it. The scene was truly horrific. If there was a silver lining, it was that there wasn't a single person in sight. It was obvious that everyone had already evacuated before the creatures arrived.
"I will land briefly on that building over there."
The pilot intended to land on a tall building that the ants hadn't occupied yet. However.
"No. Keep going."
"Pardon? If we go further, the transport plane won't be able to land because of them."
"That's why I said just go. I'm not going to land."
"Then are you intending to descend?"
Descending is only possible for special forces members who have undergone high-intensity training. And to put that into practice, they have to experience training dozens or hundreds of times, not just a few. Moreover, this aircraft is a transport plane, not a helicopter. Descending from a higher altitude than a helicopter, at the flight speed of a transport plane, is only possible for veterans. Yet, a civilian who hasn't even been to the military is going to descend? It wouldn't be strange if someone else had been punched in the back of the head immediately.
But.
Yooshin opened his mouth as if it were nothing.
"I'll drop on my own, so please head toward where the big one is."
"Are you capable of that?"
"No problem."
At his confident answer, the pilot nodded.
"Understood."
The transport plane flew rapidly toward where the Giant Queen Ant was. Various types of ants on the ground attempted to attack the approaching transport plane, but their attempts, lacking anti-air capabilities, could not affect the transport plane.
"I will open the transport plane's cargo bay."
"Yes. Open it."
As Captain Lee operated the button, the cargo bay door opened. Then, biting cold air rushed in. Yooshin stood there and looked down below.
"There really are a disgusting amount of them."
There were so many that the ants were clinging to the buildings, their bodies tangled with each other. Because of the wind, Captain Lee shouted loudly.
"Are you really going to be okay? There is still time to withdraw."
Yooshin tilted his head slightly and smiled.
"Just go back once I drop."
Captain Lee couldn't help but be appalled by his nonchalant appearance. Even veterans with plenty of descending experience feel nervous right before descending. In a way, that's a natural emotion for a human without wings. However, this man named Cheon Yooshin was so nonchalant that it was as if he had lost the ability to feel fear.
"Then please be careful!"
"Victory!"
After giving a clumsy and playful salute, Yooshin jumped straight into the open door.