Can I Make One Phone Call, Too?

An offer had come in from the Ohsung Group: they wanted to meet Hunter Cheon Yooshin. The stated purpose was to show him a newly created prototype. Until now, even when prototypes were finished, they were simply delivered to the Hunter Management Department through regular staff. But this time, the Ohsung Group Chairman—a man known for being notoriously "heavy-bottomed"—was stepping out himself. The very same Chairman Baek Giseong who would ignore a call from the President, claiming he was too busy with company business to appear in public.

Team Leader Park Haesu knew exactly why. "He just wants to make a good impression," he thought. And if he could go a step further and convince Hunter Cheon Yooshin to transfer to the Ohsung Guild, which operated under his group, that would be even better. After ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all, the Ohsung Guild was one of the top two guilds in the country. The problem was that "top two" designation. They were second, not first. The number one ranked guild had Kang Minho.

Kang Minho was, quite literally, a character straight out of a game protagonist's story. Before the current interest in Cheon Yooshin, Kang Minho had monopolized every bit of attention in the country. The first in the country to clear an E-rank gate. The first A-rank hunter in the country. The first to reach level 30. There were even cautious speculations that he might have reached level 40 by now. He was a world-class hunter who had moved beyond Korea to clear gates all over the globe.

While he sometimes drew criticism for his slight arrogance, his A-rank status made everything forgivable. Anyway, the Ohsung Guild was destined to be the eternal runner-up. Even if they invested massive amounts of money and magic stones into top-tier equipment, they couldn't overcome the gap created by awakened traits. It was a situation where Cheon Yooshin might easily be swayed if they played their cards right. This wasn't the first time they had tried to poach hunters this way. It was a proposal that made Park Haesu uncomfortable, but this wasn't a situation he could control on his own. He had to be honest with Cheon Yooshin, who was currently engrossed in a mobile game right in front of him.

"Yooshin-ssi? The Ohsung Group says they'd like to meet with you regarding a prototype."

"Hm? A prototype?"

Cheon Yooshin didn't even take his eyes off his phone. Shouldn't you look at someone's face when they're talking to you? "They say a prototype crafted from Minotaur leather has been completed."

"So?"

"So... they want to show it to you..."

"Forget it. What would I get out of seeing something like that?"

It was a waste of time. It was obvious that whatever they made wouldn't even be a speck of dust compared to the items he usually used. Did he really have to make time to go see such an item? He didn't have the time for that.

"Ah! Damn it! I'm dead."

He watched as the plane dodging bullets on his phone screen exploded. His score was 2,141. The score of the player in 10th place, the lowest rank on the leaderboard, was 14,024. It was a score nowhere near making the rankings.

"Ha... do these bastards only eat and play games? How on earth do they get scores like this?"

'You're the one who only eats and plays games! No, wait, why do you get scores like that if that's all you do?'

These days, Cheon Yooshin didn't enter any uncleared gates. He was only clearing gates that had already been cleared. Because of that, he was living a life of "eat, play, sleep," having set up a cot he'd found somewhere in a corner of the office. Park Haesu had told him he could rest at home until a new uncleared gate appeared, but Yooshin insisted that an office worker should be at the office—was it right to go home just because there was no work? He had come to the office just to play. It was so annoying that even Park Haesu, who had to watch him from the side, couldn't help but look at him with disdain.

Anyway. "Are you really not going to meet them? Chairman Baek Giseong of Ohsung Group is coming in person this time."

A lunch date with Chairman Baek Giseong had once been put up for auction. The winning bid that day had been a staggering 300 million won. An anonymous person had bid 300 million won for just one hour of lunch with Chairman Baek. When Park Haesu told Cheon Yooshin about it, his reaction was:

"Is that guy crazy? He spent 300 million? Not game money?"

Park Haesu had nodded as if he'd expected that reaction. It wasn't that Park Haesu, an office worker, couldn't understand why someone would throw 300 million won into the air for a lunch, but...

"The other party is the Chairman of Ohsung Group."

"Ha... Chairman or whatever. It's not like he bought a snack, he spent 300 million on a mere lunch? Isn't that guy insane?"

"He is a very difficult person to meet. You might be able to gain something through a brief meeting. Whether it's economic or otherwise."

"Forget it. What would I gain? It'd be different if he gave me 300 million. And don't you know I'm busy? I have to be on standby in case a gate pops up, so where would I find the time to go?"

'Is that the attitude of a person who says they're busy?!'

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheon Yooshin lay down and went back to his mobile game. He was no different from a total bum. But in a way, it was a relief. 'Is it a relief that he has no greed for wealth?'

"Damn it! You're all dead! I'm paying for items. Seriously!"

"...Understood. Then I will decline the Ohsung Group's proposal."

"I said I understood. I'm busy."

Park Haesu's brow twitched. A person who says they're busy is sitting there playing a mobile game?! He wanted to just hit him. It felt like watching a disobedient younger brother addicted to games. 'If I did that, I'd be the one to die.'

It was when Park Haesu shook his head and stood ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up from his seat. Yoon Hyewon burst in with a desperate expression. And no sooner had her report ended than killing intent began to radiate from Cheon Yooshin's entire body.

"Where is that bastard?"

"...You mean he refused?"

Baek Giseong's lips trembled. No matter what, he was a Chairman. Not just any chairman, but the Chairman of the great Ohsung Group, the largest and most influential in Korea!

"That is correct, Chairman."

"Even after I told him I would go myself?"

"Yes, Chairman."

At the secretary's words, Baek Giseong sank deep into his chair. "Ha... that guy must really be something these days. To think he'd refuse even when I asked to meet him."

He had even personally selected a gift to meet Hunter Cheon Yooshin. He had gone to great lengths to secure one of only five supercars in the world. Furthermore, he had planned to get close to Hunter Cheon Yooshin and, if the opportunity arose, scout him into the Ohsung Guild. He had even been willing to put him in the position of Guild Master if he wanted. But all that effort had gone to waste.

"Should I try talking to him once more?"

"Forget it! I don't want to be rejected twice."

The pride of the Ohsung Group Chairman wouldn't allow it. That was when the secretary's phone rang. Beep-beep. Chairman Baek Giseong, having lost his motivation, gestured for him to go out. The secretary left quickly, but returned just as fast.

"What is it?"

"We have a big problem. A problem has occurred at one of our subsidiaries."

"What kind of problem?"

A cash flow problem? Or an industrial accident? How big could it be for a direct report to come in?

"Do you know Cheomdan Happy Industry?"

"Is that our ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠subsidiary?"

There were countless subsidiaries under the Ohsung Group. He couldn't possibly know the names of all of them. Nor did he need to. Wasn't that why he paid his employees good money to do the work?

"It's not a subsidiary, it's a subcontractor."

"So?"

"It's the place where Hunter Cheon Yooshin's mother works."

Baek Giseong's eyebrows twitched. A red flush slowly rose to his face. "What? Why are you telling me this only now!"

Baek Giseong's fist slammed into the desk. The items on the table rattled. "Why didn't you report such important information immediately?"

"I-it was a mistake..."

"You crazy bastards! You're telling me it was a mistake after taking such high salaries? Do you think that makes any sense!"

"I-I'm sorry."

Baek Giseong let out a long sigh. "So, what kind of problem happened?"

"Hunter Cheon Yooshin's mother was sexually harassed..."

For a moment, Baek Giseong's mouth froze. "What did you just say?"

'Am I losing my mind in my old age?' But the secretary repeated it with clear pronunciation. "She was sexually harassed..."

"No, what kind of crazy bastard...!?"

Not long after, the Ohsung Group's legal team began to move.

"Well, I was just looking out for you because I heard you raised two children alone without a husband, but you shouldn't act like this, ma'am."

Park Jaehyeong said to Yoo Insook. At that, Yoo Insook shouted as if she were being wronged. "You touched my shoulder! You touched my thigh!"

"Do you have any evidence? Isn't this country based on evidence? Bring me the evidence. Evidence."

Park Jaehyeong laughed shamelessly. "I could even sue you for false accusation. And defamation, too."

Seeing that, Planning Team Leader Kim Jeonghyeon, who was standing behind them, frowned in disbelief. Kim Jeonghyeon had followed her here. Of course, it wasn't because he was worried about her. She was someone the Hunter Management Department cared about. Therefore, he couldn't just leave her alone, even if he didn't know the exact reason.

"I saw you touch her with my own two eyes!"

"No, Team Leader, why are you doing this to me? What grudge do you have against me to corner me like this!"

Park Jaehyeong shouted as if he were the one being wronged. 'Ha. Look at this bastard?' This guy wasn't fit to be in his company. His acting was so good that it wouldn't be a waste if he won the Best Actor award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

"Why don't you be honest? How long are you going to drag this out?"

"Ha... you really are a difficult person to talk to."

Park Jaehyeong shook his head as if he had no choice. If he couldn't talk to him, what was he ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going to do? Call for backup? As he had guessed, Park Jaehyeong said to the detective in front of him, "Detective. I'm going to make one phone call. That's allowed, right?"

"Yeah. Do whatever you want." The detective said, looking displeased. In any case, it wasn't certain yet whether he was a criminal or not.

"You're really going to regret this, Team Leader?"

Park Jaehyeong, who had his phone to his ear, smiled a triumphant smile. Kim Jeonghyeon scoffed. He was confident in his own connections, too. That was when:

"Oh. Vice President. I'm sorry for calling so late!"

...Vice President? At the word "Vice President," Kim Jeonghyeon's face stiffened. Whether Kim Jeonghyeon's face stiffened or not, Park Jaehyeong's call continued.

"I've had a very unfair thing happen to me. I was reported for sexual harassment, of all things. Yes. Yes. It's truly unfair. You know me well, don't you, Executive Director? But do you know who the reporter is? No, our company's Planning Team Leader, Kim Jeonghyeon, reported me. Does this make any sense? Reporting someone from the same company. And an innocent person at that. Yes. Yes. Yes! Just a moment."

Park Jaehyeong took the phone from his ear and said, "He wants you to take the call."

"Who..."

"Hey. If you heard, why are you pretending not to know? The Vice President. Our company's Vice President, Kim Dongsu."

At the name Kim Dongsu, Kim Jeonghyeon's eyes widened. Cold sweat ran down his back. The reason was that Vice President Kim Dongsu was his father's younger brother. And he was someone he feared even more than his father. Swallowing hard, he put the phone to his ear and said, "P-Planning Team Leader Kim Jeonghyeon her..."

Before he could even finish, a storm of shouting erupted from the other side of the phone.

[Hey, you bastard! What the hell are you doing right now?]

"U-Uncle, that is..."

[Do you know if our company recently went public or not?]

"Y-yes, I know."

[And you, a bastard who knows that, are reporting someone for sexual harassment?]

"But it's truly..."

[Ha! This bastard really doesn't listen. Hey, is that important right now? Are you, a Planning Team Leader, trying to ruin the company? What is this?]

"Yes?"

[If an incident occurs, you should be thinking about how to cover it up. Why are you escalating it? Are you doing this because you're relying on your father? Huh?! And do you not know who Park Jaehyeong is? He's a person who was with us when we started this company. He's been with us since we laid the foundation. You're reporting someone who is basically a founding contributor? Are you out of your mind?]

"N-no, but..."

[What do you mean 'but'! Drop the complaint immediately and send him back! Tell them you misunderstood!]

"..."

[Can't you hear me?]

Suddenly, Yoo Insook caught Kim Jeonghyeon's eye. The Yoo Insook in front of him was someone the Hunter Management Department was paying attention to. Such a person had been sexually harassed, and he was supposed to bury it? He didn't think he should do that. He didn't know why, but he felt that way.

"I-I can't do that, Uncle."

[You, you bastard? Just wait there. I'm coming right now! Give the phone to the Manufacturing Team Leader immediately!]

Kim Jeonghyeon's face was drained of all color as he handed over the phone. His face had gone pale in an instant. Park Jaehyeong also talked for a moment before hanging up. Park Jaehyeong had a triumphant expression on his face. As if he had known it would turn out this way.