The Government (3)

Yujin stared at me like I'd lost my mind.

"I'm kidding. It's a joke."

As if weekends would matter when it came to revenge. It had only been a light jab.

I slipped my hands into my pockets and stood.

"I'll be going with you tomorrow."

"...What?"

Yujin looked faintly thrown.

"Your plan will be a lot more airtight with me there."

I thought back to a conversation we'd had before.

She had wanted certainty. She wanted to know whether the Association had truly abandoned them. She'd said she would take my word for it — and still, she needed to see it with her own eyes.

The Yujin of that moment had been so cold it sent a chill even through me.

Still. I'm worried.

Yujin had intended to take her revenge alone. I understood her well enough that I didn't particularly want to insert myself — but I was afraid that kind of half-hearted hesitation might be exactly what got her hurt.

I am not a saint. Yujin, however, was already one of my people.

If something happened to her, I would be sad.

...It was absolutely not because I didn't want to lose a competent part-timer.

"You really don't have to go this far for me..."

Yujin looked genuinely apologetic.

I told her not to worry about it and grinned.

"There's no need to feel that bad. It isn't even a difficult job. And besides — you're working for me for free, aren't you?"

"Ah, no. That's not..."

I blinked at her round, startled eyes, mildly confused.

"...If I get fired from the Association I'll need a paycheck, and if the shop goes under that's a real problem. It's right in the heart of Seoul. The rent is insane."

I own the building, though.

The shop was in my name. It had been inherited from my father, so that was only natural. Which made her concern completely pointless... and of all moments, she chose this one to voice it.

Yujin didn't seem like a normal person either.

There isn't a single normal person around me.

I let out a long sigh and explained, as kindly as I could.

"A day's revenue? We'll just recoup it from the Association President's pockets."

"...Excuse me?"

That bastard always did love a good bribe.

The Association President, Gu Ja-hyeok.

I knew him well. The living embodiment of incompetence. A selfish hypocrite, a rotten politician — you could have used him as the textbook example.

Apparently, though, even God hadn't made humans quite that stupid. Even a shameless creature like him had been given one talent.

Politics. I remembered the Association President as a man who had been very, very good at politics.

It surprised even me. That many people with that much to hide.

Gu Ja-hyeok had been the former Prosecutor General. Maybe that was why — or maybe the country simply had that many sinners. He had packed a considerable number of people's weaknesses into something he called the Ledger.

A USB drive the size of a thumb, overflowing with enough information to turn Korea into a wasteland overnight. He had used what was in that Ledger to keep his seat, and he had used the power that came with it to swallow bribes by the handful.

He had stuffed himself so thoroughly that even in my previous life, I remembered being stunned just looking at it.

Anyway. I was grateful.

Because all of it was mine now.

If the shop ever goes under, I can live off that. Heh.

My previous life had not been a gentle one. I had been on the receiving end plenty of times, and I had dished it out plenty of times too. Every last bit of that experience was still sitting intact in my head.

In other words...

"Jackpot."

"What?"

"Ahem. Nothing. Anyway — I'll see you tomorrow."

I gave her a casual wave and disappeared.

"Aigoo, a pleasure. Hunter Han Seonghun."

It was the first time in this life that I had set foot through the Association's doors.

My impression: it was shit.

This place hasn't changed at all.

There was a reason they called it the Hunters' Graveyard. The faces of the people passing by were steeped in shadow. You could tell at a glance how brutal Association work really was.

What am I supposed to do if Chaewon says she wants to join the Association someday?

It was the kind of nightmare that would probably crawl out of my dreams tonight. I shook my head, swept the thought aside, and held out my hand.

"Nice to meet you. Han Seonghun."

"Yes! How could I not know you? The hero who saved Korea! Hahaha! But the gloves...?"

"Ah. I'm a germaphobe."

I smiled pleasantly and brushed his hand off. Then I immediately grimaced and turned to Yujin.

"Sanitizer."

"Yes."

Yujin pulled a small bottle from her pocket. I rubbed my hands a few times and shook them off. I wasn't even overdoing it. It was genuinely filthy.

"Ha... ha."

Having just been treated like a pathogen to his face, the Association President did not look pleased. He recovered quickly enough, though, and plastered on a full business smile. However foolish a man he was, he was not quite stupid enough to be rude to an S-rank Hunter.

"As expected of an S-rank Hunter — you take such thorough care of yourself!"

"Ah. Yes."

I sat on the sofa and crossed my legs, then swept a glance around the room.

There it... is.

I remembered the location from my previous life. Sitting right beside the Association President's desk was a silver safe that might as well have had I AM IMPORTANT stamped across the front.

No need to rush. Confirming the location was enough. I could swipe it later.

Today, I had decided to take something else.

"The contract terms... is it true you'll accommodate me as much as possible?"

"Of course. That goes without saying."

"The people on this end didn't have enough authority. We couldn't even have a proper conversation."

What I had to do today was simple. Act like a moderately bad guy.

...It wasn't a particularly difficult role.

"I was told that with you, Mr. President, a conversation would actually go somewhere. So I came without hesitation."

"Hahaha! That's Hunter Seonghun for you. Just like your abilities — you settle everything in a flash."

"You have no idea how frustrating it's been, Mr. President. This woman doesn't know a thing. Not a single thing."

I looked at Yujin and shook my head. Then I looked back at the Association President.

People in high positions are always easy to butter up.

Today's primary objective was one thing.

To make the Association President confess, in this room, that Yuri's surgery had been a lie from the start.

That was why I needed him to recognize me as a bad guy — the same breed as the man sitting across from me.

"Allow me to apologize on her behalf. Though I have to say, you seem rather different from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Hunter Han Seonghun I'd heard about?"

He shot Yujin a look, then turned that business smile back on me.

"In a good way, of course. Please, tell me. What are your terms?"

"There's only one. Ten billion won. In a lump sum, right here."

The smile that had been sitting on the Association President's face stiffened, just slightly.

"...Ten billion?"

He dragged a hand across his forehead and offered a bitter smile.

"Ten billion... of course, that may well be a bargain for bringing Hunter Seonghun on board. However, as I'm sure you're aware, the government's standing is quite low at present. We are not exactly swimming in surplus funds."

I rested my chin lightly on my hand, as if to say, go on.

"With the polarization between corporations and the government as severe as it is, we would like to recruit an S-rank Hunter of your caliber and weaken the corporations' position, even if only a little."

"And?"

"I don't know if I dare make this proposal, but... what if you signed at five billion for now, and once the corporations' standing has dropped, we added another fifteen billion on top? How does that sound?"

What a load of crap.

The Association President's words were honeyed nonsense that didn't hold up for a second. Whether you were a corporation or the government, your actual power shifted based on how many S-rank Hunters you held.

The corporations already had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠multiple S-rank Hunters on their rosters. A few S-ranks walking into the Association were not going to make corporate standing drop.

In other words, he was asking me to volunteer for five billion won.

He'd probably run the same speech on every other S-rank Hunter too.

What a pathetic con.

"Mr. President."

I called to him, low.

"Yes, Hunter Seonghun."

"This is giving me a headache. Let's just do ten billion."

The Association President looked at me with an expression of practiced difficulty.

"This is a matter I'll need a little time to consider. Would you grant me a brief moment? Miss Yujin? Bring some tea. We have a guest, and you're just standing there staring."

Still hesitating, I see.

Whether it was because he was stupid or because he was trying extra hard to be careful, this was the kind of man he was. All I had to do here was give him a small push of certainty.

"A lot to think about, I take it? I understand. You don't even know my trait yet. Then how about this. I'll kill one person of your choosing."

"...Excuse me?"

"I'm an Assassin-class. I can kill someone without a mouse or a bird ever knowing."

"What on earth are you...?"

"I was pretty poor growing up. So I'll do anything for money. Keep paying me on time, and I won't be loyal to the government. I'll be loyal to you, Mr. President."

The Association President stared at me with startled eyes — and then a laugh started bubbling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up out of him.

"Bwahaha—! It seems you and I are a much better match than I thought. I like that aggressive streak a great deal. Let's sign right now."

He snapped his fingers, and Yujin produced the contract papers.

"Just sign here. I'll deposit the ten billion immediately."

I took the pen Yujin handed me and signed on the line.

Looking thoroughly satisfied, he nodded and pulled out his smartphone.

"Ten billion, deposited. Go ahead and check."

A chime sounded.

"Confirmed. Let's make some good business together."

"Excellent. I have a feeling things are going to go very smoothly from here."

I flicked a quiet glance at Yujin. She caught the signal and moved to the Association President's side.

"Mr. President, congratulations. Now that I've brought you Hunter Han Seonghun as promised — you'll proceed with Yuri's surgery, won't you?"

"Ah, right. The surgery..."

The Association President turned his face away. He looked like he was holding back a laugh.

"I'm not sure I should even be telling you this, but the doctor who was going to perform the surgery died yesterday. I'm looking for another one as we speak, for your sake, you poor thing."

"...And you expect me to believe that?"

"Hahaha! Believe it or don't — it doesn't matter to me anymore. You've worked hard, Miss Yujin!"

"So... it was all a lie, in the end?"

Tears welled and fell from Yujin's eyes, one after another.

"Blame your own stupidity. That's just how society works. Be grateful you learned something thanks to me. Ah, and I'll be sure to attend Miss Yuri's funeral—"

"You fucking bastard!"

Yujin couldn't hold back any longer. She seized the Association President by the collar.

"Heh—! Hunter Seonghun? Kill this woman. She has no respect for her superior."

"I'd rather not?"

I said it through a yawn.

"Wh-what do you mean."

"Why would I?"

"B-but we just signed a contract."

I stood up in one motion and pointed at something on the back of the contract.

"Hmm? Take a closer look. It should be written in tiny-ass letters right around the middle."

"Three minutes are up, you son of a bitch."

"What the hell are you talking about!"

The Association President looked back and forth between me and Yujin.

"Th-then don't tell me you two... from the very beginning...?"

"That's right. You guessed it."

"Blame your own stupidity, Mr. President. That's just how society works."

"W-wait! Miss Yujin. Listen to me. The surgery! There's a way to do the surgery!"

A crimson ribbon materialized in Yujin's hand.

"This is the Association! Think again! Do you even know what happens if you kill me!?"

"So you should be grateful. You won't be walking after this, though."

A moment later, the Association President's screams began to ring through the office.

I turned my head.

The scene was far too grotesque. I had no desire to commit it to memory.

They say when a woman holds a grudge, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠frost falls even in the height of summer...

Chaewon crossed my mind, unbidden. I made a quiet resolution to make sure she never, ever had reason to hold a grudge against anyone.

Then Yujin's voice came from behind me.

"Shall we go?"

Yujin's face was streaked with blood.

"How are you planning to handle the aftermath?"

"He won't talk. He's the type who values his own life more than anything."

"And besides — the revenge isn't finished yet."

"...What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to bury him socially."

She pulled out a small recorder and showed it to me.

He's good at politics, though.

Yujin would handle it herself. But if I simply left things alone, it might become a hassle down the line.

I quietly approached the Association President's desk.

And the gray safe I had been watching since the moment we walked in.

CRACK!

I tore it open with my bare hands. It wasn't difficult.

"This is coming with me."

"Ghhk—! ...How did you...?"

"None of your business. And you know what happens if you talk about today, right?"

He squeezed his eyes shut.

"From now on, maybe actually read the terms before you sign a contract."

Wouldn't want him getting scammed again.

I left him behind and slammed the door.