Failed Negotiations
Back in his room, Taejeong called over Park Se-ah and asked,
"So, what was that about earlier?"
"What do you mean?"
"Choi Da-som. Did she say something mean? You looked so deflated."
"No, nothing like that at all. She just seemed so high-class, and she said she was the boss's friend."
"Then you need to hold your head up higher. You're basically on my level now. Coming here doesn't change anything special. You're not the type to mess up anyway. Just be yourself, shoulders back. You get what I'm saying?"
"Yes!"
"Good. That's more like you."
"But from what she said earlier, the situation doesn't sound good... What do you think will happen?"
"We'll see when we get there, but if Da-som's right, it'll bomb out. Everyone's on the same page about that. Of course, if it does, those thugs will just get even more rowdy."
"Any countermeasures?"
"None right now. One front's already a handful—two is out of the question. But it doesn't matter. Whatever they pull, I can pay it back double later."
The biggest reason Jenix was getting steamrolled helplessly by those two guilds was the absence of high-level hunters.
Solo powerhouses who could shatter grand magic barriers and turn mid-tier guilds into wastelands. Each one's combat prowess rivaled disaster-level threats, so the gap between having them and not was like night and day.
Currently, Invincible and Gold Lion each had one high-level hunter, and across all of Korea, there were fewer than fifty such figures. That meant their influence was enormous.
To overturn that overwhelming power gap, there was only one answer: crush them with even greater strength.
To do that, he had to make the most of this time he'd been given.
'Negotiations are doomed anyway. The real key is the quest. Now that I'm this deep in, I have to squeeze out some results before I leave.'
As Taejeong focused entirely on the quest, Park Se-ah hesitantly spoke up.
"About what that lady said earlier..."
"Huh? What? Choi Da-som?"
"Yes. She and the boss... you two were lovers before, right?"
"Why? Did it look that way?"
"The way she looked at you... it felt like it."
"Really? I didn't notice. Yeah, we dated a long time ago. But now we're just friends."
"For real?"
"What, you think I'd fake it? You don't seriously think I'm some third-rate novel character betraying the guild over an ex, do you?"
"Of course not. I just..."
"Just what?"
"Nothing."
"Boring. I'm gonna catch a quick nap. Wake me if anything comes up."
"Yes."
Watching him lie down on the sofa and close his eyes, Park Se-ah recalled her conversation with Choi Da-som just moments ago.
Choi Da-som still hadn't gotten over Yoo Taejeong. The look in her eyes, the tone of her voice, the slight tremble in her body—it had all transmitted vividly to Park Se-ah, stirring an inexplicable sense of crisis from the depths of her heart.
She couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. She just wanted to stay by his side for a long, long time. To become someone even closer to him.
That was all. Yet in that picture, Choi Da-som appeared as a threatening presence.
It left her confused. Not knowing what this emotion was.
Ding-dong.
Thirty minutes after Taejeong had fallen asleep, the bell rang out.
"Who is it?"
"It's the escort. Please come to the lobby."
After the curt message and the sound of retreating footsteps, Park Se-ah woke Taejeong.
He opened his eyes right away, as if he'd only been dozing, stretched with a yawn, and muttered,
"They want us out?"
"Yes. To the lobby. Looks like we're heading to the conference room."
"Finally meeting them, huh. Alright, let's see what kind of bastards they are."
In the lobby, the executives were starting to gather one by one.
"Alright, everyone who's here, board the bus."
Following the escort's words, people piled on, and Taejeong and Park Se-ah, the last ones, climbed aboard last. The bus set off.
Taking his seat, Taejeong quietly spoke toward Gerard.
"You scanning everything?"
-Yes, Master.
"Good. Record every last bit, nothing missed. Even the tiniest details. You know what I mean?"
-Understood.
Taejeong had launched B6-1 into the air just before boarding the bus. It wasn't visible now, but Gerard would have the memory, and he could review the footage from the drone later.
About fifteen minutes passed like that. The bus slowed and stopped, and the group disembarked.
"Hm."
The spot they stepped out into was surprisingly a bustling urban district lined with buildings. It rivaled Jenix's central zone in scale, teeming with massive crowds.
He didn't know the exact location, but the cluster of towering skyscrapers suggested an office district full of institutions.
"This is the place. Everyone, form two lines and follow."
At the escort's command, they entered the large building ahead. The interior had already been cleared—nameplates and signs were all covered up.
Riding the elevator to the 15th floor, the Jenix executives entered the special conference room at the far end. Their eyes immediately caught the opposing party's representatives, already seated.
Glancing at them once, they took their assigned seats marked with names.
Taejeong's spot was right next to the guild master's.
Left side: Gold Lion and Invincible. Right: Jenix. The head seat was empty, but shortly after they arrived, a man entered and took it.
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Choi Muhyeok, policy director of Han San-do. No need to stand. This is a peaceful negotiation spot requested by both sides, so please observe the proper etiquette and manners. I'll be here purely as an observer and won't intervene unless violence breaks out. Let's begin."
At his words, secretaries moved to one side to take handwritten notes.
Yang Taesik, Jenix guild master, spoke first.
"First, our thanks to Han San-do for hosting us here at our request. I'll start with my statement. As guild master running this organization, I take full responsibility for this incident. On that note, I sincerely apologize to the two guild masters present."
Even with his polite bow, they just crossed their arms and snorted dismissively.
It was the reaction he'd expected. But seeing it firsthand hit differently.
The raid leader and a few others clenched their fists, bodies trembling with rage.
Taejeong, watching right beside them, felt the same.
But unlike them, Yang Taesik seemed unfazed. He gestured to his aide beside him.
The man brought out a small box—the only item granted entry permission.
Inside was a Silver Crown, a rare magic stone that surfaced maybe once every five years.
Opening it revealed the gleaming silver glow of the Silver Crown.
"That's..."
"A Silver Crown."
"First time seeing one in person. Where'd they get it?"
As some reacted, Yang Taesik slid the box forward and spoke.
"This is a luminous stone from our guild. Known in the world as the Silver Crown. It's modest, but as a gesture of reconciliation, please accept it in good faith."
Choi Cheol-ho, Gold Lion guild master, who had been lounging in his chair, leaned forward.
"Seems like you're misunderstanding something. This incident isn't something a cheap trinket like that can settle."
"I know. This is just..."
"We won't take it. Gold Lion and Invincible nearly went to war over what your side did. Do you, as head of a mid-tier group, not grasp what it means for two top-tier guilds to clash? It's value beyond money. No more stalling—let's cut to the chase. We want one thing: hand over the culprit. Then we'll close the case and pull out of all your business ventures."
It was just as expected. Choi Da-som had been right.
"That's impossible. It wasn't even a real dispute—just something from the territory war, and now you want us to hand over a guild member? What kind of absurd demand is that?"
The raid leader couldn't hold back anymore.
Looking at him, Jo Young-min of Invincible spoke up.
"You don't seem to get it."
"Get it? I'd get it if there was something to get. Dragging territory war stuff out into the open—who does that?"
"Plenty of precedents even without us."
"So that makes it law? To me, it just looks like thug bullshit. Small-time crap."
As tempers flared, Invincible's 1st raid leader, Lee Kyung-hyun, shot to his feet with a bellow.
"You bastard! Watch your mouth. A mere raid leader spewing that crap at a guild master? Did you feed your manners to the dogs?"
"Hmph. He's not my master."
"What!?"
The room grew heavy in an instant. They looked ready to lunge at a word.
As Choi Muhyeok moved to mediate the heated atmosphere, Yang Taesik was quicker.
"What are you doing? Sit down."
"But we have to keep listening to this nonsense?"
"Sit. What's wrong with you? Please."
After seating the fuming raid leader, Yang Taesik turned back to Choi Cheol-ho.
"What happens if we don't accept?"
"You'll have to offer something else."
"Name it."
"Hand over the Pyeongchang complex or the Jecheon factory. We're two guilds, so one each would tidy things up nicely. That might make us willing to compromise a bit. What do you say? Is he worth that much to you?"
As Choi Cheol-ho eyed Taejeong, he instinctively started to rise. He couldn't bear the guilt.
But Yang Taesik grabbed his arm.
'Don't say a word.'
'But.'
'You know speaking up won't fix this.'
He sat back down at Yang Taesik's head shake, watching the negotiations with a heavy heart.
All the guild members felt the same.
Staff and strategy heads proposed alternatives, but swaying the opposition—who had come prepared—was tough.
The morning session, dragging two hours, ended in a clean breakdown.
"We've made our position clear, so we expect good news. Enjoy lunch, and we'll see you this afternoon."
As they filed out, sighs and groans filled the room.
"Ha. Dealing with those scum is humiliating in itself."
"Knew it from the briefing, but those demands..."
"No point dragging it out. Better to head back."
As complaints bubbled up, Taejeong stood and apologized.
"I'm sorry. This is all because of me..."
"What weak talk is that? You did great."
"Don't even think like that."
"If it was your fault, I'd cut off my own wrist."
"Should've smashed a few more of their toys while you were at it. Cheap bastards, haggling over two castles. Tsk tsk."
The whole group rallied around him.
It only made him feel worse.
His eyes turned ice-cold.
'You bastards. Just wait. I'll repay this injustice tenfold.'