Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: 13. Needle in the Sack (6)
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Right after the final test ended.
Before Jeong Hye-mi burst in, the proctor had contacted someone somewhere.
"Team Leader Gu Jun-ho. It's nothing major, but..."
The person on the other end was Gu Jun-ho from Daeyang.
The proctor emphasized the overwhelming record of 40 minutes, stressing that the sixth party's skills were anything but ordinary.
"I've been handling evaluations here for ten years now. I've overseen countless tests during that time, but I've never seen a party respond so perfectly. Their positioning between offense and defense, the party's synergy, each individual's prowess... It's unbelievable that a group this outstanding is still unknown. How about Daeyang taking a look at them?"
[...If you put it that way, I'll check it out. Could you send over any video footage?]
"Of course."
At that point, he hadn't thought much of it.
Even though the proctor and Gu Jun-ho had a good rapport, Daeyang Management wasn't the type of organization to recruit based solely on one person's word. If anything, they applied even stricter standards. As long as the talent was genuine, Daeyang was the kind of group that overlooked personal flaws like criminal records and scooped them up by any means necessary.
Still, he showed some courtesy.
Brushing off someone going this far out of their way could sour the relationship.
He might need the proctor's help again in the future, so Gu Jun-ho didn't ignore the gesture.
That didn't mean he was committing to anything.
He planned to give it a quick review and reject them with a reasonable excuse if anything felt off.
Merely C- to D-Rank.
Not enough to get Gu Jun-ho excited.
But when he received the video file from the proctor and watched it, he called back before it even finished playing.
[I need those people's contact information right now.]
It was the exact same reaction as Jeong Hye-mi's.
Those people in the video.
They were the kind of existence that no one in management could afford to overlook.
The call connected.
When he reached Kang San and identified himself, Gu Jun-ho cut straight to the chase.
[I'm truly sorry to contact you so suddenly. If you've heard of Daeyang, you know we're a company specializing in management. As such, we get info on top-performing testers from promotion exam sites, and I just heard from an administrator that your party put on an incredible show. It was truly impressive. To be honest, I couldn't find a single flaw to nitpick in your party's synergy.]
Jeong Hye-mi and Gu Jun-ho.
Their perspectives differed.
Jeong Hye-mi had started off suspecting variables and possible ulterior motives, viewing everything through biased lenses. She eventually recognized the genuine skill of Kang San's party, but it still took time to accept the absurdity.
Gu Jun-ho was the opposite.
The variable had been his own trap, so he could judge Kang San's skills at face value.
'Just as the proctor said. Even if they're D-Rank now, this party's capabilities can't be measured by that alone.'
Everyone was the same.
As he watched the mage handle the sudden variable, Gu Jun-ho straightened up in his seat. From then on, it was nonstop admiration. No matter what variable arose, this party never faltered—no doubt from years of honed teamwork. And around the midway point of the video, he realized this party revolved around none other than the tanker, Kang San.
'D-Rank? No way. With that level of tanking, they could jump straight to C-Rank.'
It was uncanny.
Not their physical stats reaching C-Rank, but their proficiency in absorbing attacks had surpassed it.
Black Spiders and Green Spiders.
Enemies that should overwhelm any E-Rank tanker, yet Kang San never wavered once. Gu Jun-ho also caught the details the proctor had noted: blocking the rear dealers' line of sight with his body, herding monsters to match casting times. Even when a swarm rushed in at once, he instantly consolidated aggro to avert any crisis.
On top of that, timing their breaths while tracking the clock.
It was a scene proving Kang San was the party's core and true leader.
[Let me be direct. I want to recruit your entire party. Standard management contracts are usually 6:4 splits. Assuming the hunter isn't top-tier, the agency takes 40% and provides support in various ways. For your party, we're offering a 7:3 split plus 100 million won signing bonuses each. This is an unprecedented offer. Unless you're a proven C-Rank or higher, ratio adjustments and signing bonuses don't exist. But Daeyang Management recognizes your party's skills and has boldly decided to extend this.]
It was extraordinary.
Undeniably favorable terms.
Gu Jun-ho had the authority to propose recruitment on the spot, and he was so taken with Kang San's party that he approved a total signing bonus of 400 million won immediately. For Daeyang, it was no loss. As long as they landed skilled hunters, recouping 400 million wouldn't take a full year.
For Kang San, it wasn't a decision to rush.
After a brief silence, he replied cautiously.
"...Understood. Thank you for the offer, but I'll discuss it fully with my team and get back to you."
He hung up.
Then shared the details and asked.
"What do you all think?"
Gu Jun-ho wanted the entire party.
It wasn't something Kang San could decide alone, so he sought his teammates' opinions first.
Jo Han-byeol spoke up.
"...I'm not sure. Daeyang Management sounds like a great deal, but there's Chan-woo to consider. If Chan-woo's tied to Heavenly Firmament, doesn't that make it impossible from the start?"
He was right.
Jeong Chan-woo wasn't under a standard contract—his father was a high-ranking executive at Heavenly Firmament.
Transferring to Daeyang was out of the question.
As all eyes turned to him, Jeong Chan-woo scratched his head and said.
"I don't mind transferring to Daeyang. Sure, I'll get an earful from Dad, but if Heavenly Firmament wanted to avoid this, they should've made an offer first. I actually reached out to them before, but they brushed me off as insufficiently skilled. If Daeyang's extending this kind of proposal, it means Heavenly Firmament dropped the ball, right? How can I trust people like that? Blood's thicker than water, but business is business. I'll follow Kang San hyung's lead completely."
Truth be told, he didn't really want to transfer.
However.
Jeong Chan-woo didn't want to lose Kang San, and if forced to choose between him and Heavenly Firmament, Kang San held the edge right now.
All the favors from Heavenly Firmament so far?
He trusted his father would understand.
The unfilial son would get scolded harshly, but he had zero desire to leave the party solo. Training with them boosted his skills, and above all, he genuinely liked these people.
As Jeong Chan-woo finished.
"Same here."
"Doesn't matter to me either way."
Yeon Woo-bin and Jo Han-byeol chimed in agreement.
As always, the choice fell to Kang San.
After some deliberation, Kang San said.
"Objectively, joining a management agency brings big advantages—systematic oversight, all sorts of support. But I think all those perks would be meaningless to us. We turned down Woo-bin's father's generosity precisely to stand on our own. That was support on par with any agency's, yet I don't see Daeyang's making a dramatic difference now. Sure, things might change later. We'd need a major group's backing for large-scale raids or special ops, but that's not the call to make today. Our skills are climbing fast, and when the time comes to affiliate, we can renegotiate our worth then."
"So, you're saying we decline?"
"That's my take. No need to tie ourselves down with a contract. We've proven we can handle things ourselves—this test is proof."
The decision was made.
Decline.
Unlike Heavenly Firmament, which had been shot down internally from the start, Kang San's group opted to reject Daeyang's offer.
Kang San conveyed the rejection over the phone.
It was an unexpected outcome for most, but while waiting, Gu Jun-ho had anticipated this.
'One of the party members is with Heavenly Firmament.'
After checking profiles.
He'd learned about Jeong Chan-woo.
Not just any affiliate—his father was a top Heavenly Firmament executive.
Knowing that, he figured they'd turn it down, but there was one point he couldn't grasp.
'Then why didn't Jeong Hye-mi know about this party? A group this stellar should've been recruited by Heavenly Firmament ages ago, and they wouldn't have overlapped schedules with Project B Team. Even if B Team succeeded, this party would've overshadowed their achievement. So excluding Jeong Chan-woo, none are Heavenly Firmament affiliates yet. Too early to give up.'
His judgment was swift.
A fisherman doesn't hesitate to cast the bait.
"...I understand your decision, Kang San. But I don't think this ends our connection. Daeyang's doors are always open, and if you ever need management assistance, call this number."
A brilliant gem.
Talent with boundless potential.
Worth visiting three times like Liu Bei to Zhuge Liang.
That attitude had propelled an ordinary manager like him to team leader.
"And if, just if, even 'solo' you ever want to join Daeyang, you'd be welcome."
[Got it.]
That was it for today.
Without making Kang San feel pressured, Gu Jun-ho ended the call.
At that moment.
Heavenly Firmament Management headquarters.
In the rooftop lounge called the Sky Garden, Team 5 manager Jung Min-hyuk lit a cigarette.
"Hoo, haa—."
He exhaled smoke.
The thick haze eased his cluttered mind a bit.
"Where the hell did it all go wrong?"
After the merger with Castle Management.
Jung Min-hyuk had dreamed of a bright future under a major corporation.
But upon joining Heavenly Firmament, he hadn't notched any achievements, and from the moment Kang San's name came up in an internal meeting, something felt off. The guy was a nobody. Barely E-Rank, so he'd bluffed his way through, but the unease lingered.
"...Nah, what could go wrong."
Kang San.
He erased the name from his mind.
Now wasn't the time to dwell on spilled milk—he needed to hustle for survival at Heavenly Firmament. He hadn't even finished his smoke amid the growing anxiety. Time to make calls and score some results.
He started walking.
Heading back to the office, he spotted his senior rushing up to the rooftop lounge, panting.
"Jung Min-hyuk! What are you doing here?"
"Pardon?"
"Pardon my ass! Didn't I tell you to pick up your damn phone?!"
"No, I just stepped out for a smoke..."
"Shut it. Follow me."
He was utterly confused.
Flustered by his senior's harsh tone, he trailed behind.
They seemed headed to a meeting room via elevator.
"...What's going on?"
He asked cautiously.
His senior glared down irritably and snapped.
"Emergency muster. All of Team 5, and you're specifically ordered to come. It's from Team Leader Jeong Hye-mi. You screw something up? She's got a rep for being a hardass. Anyway, let's go."
'Jeong Hye-mi?'
He blinked.
He'd only heard the name—no direct ties.
What could it be?
Nothing came to mind.
Jung Min-hyuk simply stared tensely at the descending elevator floors.