Accusations Fly and the Witch Descends
Having arrived at the restaurant and digging into his breakfast, Taejeong mulled over the raid leader's words, muttering to himself.
"The raid leader was there too... How the hell?"
No matter how much he thought about it, it just didn't add up. The raid leader's class was Lancer, with no stealth skills or anything like that. There was no way he could have been in a place like that. And if he'd been there from start to finish, he wouldn't have had the leisure to act so casually. Last night's incident was an ultra-emergency on par with the guild's very survival at stake.
Something's off. I definitely saw him get caught up in it. Why didn't he say anything?
He couldn't even get a read on it. Just then, Park Se-ah, who was eating across from him, called out to him cautiously.
"Um..."
"Huh? What's up? Something to say?"
"I'm sorry about last night. I meant to wait, but I dozed off."
"It was that late—normal to crash. Don't sweat it. But hey, after I left, anything happen?"
At Taejeong's question, she startled for a split second and fumbled her words.
"S-Sung-geom showed up... And I..."
"He did?"
"Yes."
"How'd you handle it? Those guys seemed like unreasonable assholes."
"I just..."
"Yeah, you."
"Told them you were passed out drunk... and they left."
"Just like that? Weird. They didn't seem that laid-back. Anyway, good job. Nobody caught on, right?"
"Yes."
"You okay? You look kinda pale."
"Just a bit."
"Right, you drank last night too. After that much whiskey, who'd feel fine? Eat up quick."
"Okay."
While Jenix Guild's personnel were having breakfast, the Gold Lion Guild headquarters was in utter chaos.
"What? Is that true?"
"Yes. We went in to stock the secondary items, and the fifth-floor main warehouse was completely empty."
"Not a single thing left?"
"Yes."
"What the hell were the guards doing!? No—start with them. Interrogate them first. What's the status?"
"We've already hauled them all to the investigation room."
"Anything yet?"
"We're just starting the interrogations, so nothing solid has come up."
"This... this is insane. Do you know how much that stuff's worth? What's the damage estimate?"
"Most of it can't even be appraised at market value..."
"Give me a ballpark at least."
"Well... the munitions department estimates around 1.8 trillion won..."
BAM! Choi Cheol-ho slammed his desk as he heard the report.
"This is exactly why I opposed building that new warehouse. All that bullshit about structure and management issues, and look what happened. How the hell are you gonna take responsibility for this?"
At his words, the executives hastily summoned all averted their eyes. That only fueled Choi Cheol-ho's rage further.
"Armaments Department—this whole thing started with you pushing it. Why are you sitting there like dead rats? If you've got a mouth, say something."
"We pushed it, but the execution was handled by the munitions department..."
As the Armaments Department head tried shoving blame onto Munitions, the Munitions head waved it off and shot back.
"What're you talking about? We just followed orders. If you're gonna nitpick, blame the Business Department that approved it..."
"Hey, watch it. You trying to pin this on us?"
THUD!
"Shut it, all of you. How can grown-ass people dodge responsibility and just pass the buck? No wonder we're still not in the top five. Zero sense of camaraderie."
Every executive inwardly grimaced at Choi Cheol-ho's words. He was right, but the final approval had come from his own hand.
"Choi Muhyeok's waiting anyway—head to the meeting room. We'll hash this out after."
A good while had passed since they'd finished eating and entered the meeting room, but for some reason, no one from Gold Lion had shown their face.
"Their manners are trash."
Yang Taesik had been seated for over an hour already. The other executives looked annoyed too, and even Choi Muhyeok at the head table wore a sour expression.
Only after another twenty minutes did they finally saunter in.
"Sorry, we had some internal issues."
The meeting dragged on just like yesterday—no give, pure deadlock. Pointless time wasted.
"Neither side seems to be finding common ground. Let's call this meeting concluded. Any objections?"
Choi Muhyeok's declaration drew nods from the room.
Final breakdown. As everyone expected.
"No point sticking around then. We'll head back to our guild."
"By all means. We've got a car ready."
Exiting the room, they boarded the bus Gold Lion had provided. Yang Taesik thanked Choi Muhyeok, who rode along.
"Thanks for accommodating our request. We'd love to repay you—could you stop by our guild sometime?"
"No need. It's my job. Don't worry about it."
"Still, it's the thought..."
"Really, it's fine. If I take payment, I can't do this work anymore. So please."
Soon the bus reached the main gate. Drivers had vehicles waiting. But ahead, a large force of personnel stood blocking the way.
And as they disembarked, hunters closed in—including Choi Cheol-ho and his crew from the meeting.
Raid leader Kim Hansu, now visibly irritated, demanded of Choi Cheol-ho.
"What the hell is this?"
"Just procedure. Cooperate."
"It's over—what more procedure?"
"Simple stuff. Inventory search, same as when you came in."
"What?"
Choi Cheol-ho's words froze every Jenix executive's face. They'd complied on entry for security, but searching on exit was a massive breach of etiquette.
Knowing that, Choi Muhyeok stepped in.
"What's the reason?"
"Ah, Chairman, you can go. This doesn't concern you."
"Doesn't concern me? I'm here as mediator—if you're detaining them like this, that's a problem."
"Even with reason, no?"
"Let's hear it first."
Choi Cheol-ho inwardly cursed the unexpectedly stubborn Choi Muhyeok.
Just leave already. Meddling in everything, damn it.
Plastering on a smile despite himself, he explained.
"Last night, our Grade 1 warehouse got cleaned out by someone."
"Burglary?"
"Yes. Seems they hit during the security shutdown from renovations."
"So you're saying our guild master thinks Jenix did it?"
"Never said culprits. But it never happened before you arrived, and inventory checks aren't hard. Just asking for cooperation."
Jenix personnel bristled at Choi Cheol-ho's words.
"That's the same damn thing!"
"You calling us thieves now?"
"Talks break down, and now every dirty trick in the book."
"Never suffered humiliation like this in my life..."
Chaos erupted; Yang Taesik calmed them and stated firmly to Choi Cheol-ho.
"We won't comply. What kind of disgrace for a top-tier guild?"
Choi Cheol-ho's tone flipped instantly.
"Never asked your permission."
"What!?"
Kim Hansu, refusing more insult, flared with blue aura—he'd invoked a skill in fury. The encircling hunters lit up with various glows, ready to charge.
But Choi Cheol-ho's group just sneered.
Choi Muhyeok, fed up, proposed mediation.
"Everyone's too heated—calm down. Gold Lion master, you insist on the search?"
"Told you, simple procedure."
"Fine. But this touches Jenix's honor. How'll you take responsibility?"
"Guild rules—responsibility? The neutral chairman keeps leaning one way. Makes it tough for us."
"Tough? And?"
"We could file a complaint over unfair handling."
Choi Cheol-ho's threat hardened the affable Choi Muhyeok's face.
"A complaint? You calling that a threat?"
His killing-intent-laced tone made Choi Cheol-ho flinch and shut up. But his buddy, Invincible Guild master Jo Youngmin, had his back. He'd been watching; now he stepped beside Choi Cheol-ho.
"Threat? And that tone's grating, even for a Hansan-do guy."
Taejeong, the true culprit, wanted to die right there. Quest forced his hand, but he never imagined it'd escalate like this. He figured a search was no big deal—he'd pass clean, like on entry.
What he'd overlooked: executive pride and guild honor. Too quest-focused, he'd ignored it.
As he berated himself, things worsened. Invincible, Gold Lion, Hansan-do—Korea's elite snarling at each other.
Jenix, the relative weakling, buckled first. No more troubling Choi Muhyeok.
"We'll comply with the search."
Jo Youngmin, barely holding Choi Muhyeok's gaze, eagerly jumped on it, averting his eyes.
"That's more like it. Should've done that sooner. Alright, one by one over here..."
Just as they savored their psi-win—
Suddenly, ears rang, the ground shook wildly.
Woooong. Wooong-!
"Wh-what?!"
"E-earthquake?"
"No. This ain't it. This is..."
Hunters mid-shout gaped in shock, mouths agape like by agreement.
Buildings. Buildings were ripping free like uprooted trees.
Third floors, fifth—no matter; concrete crumbled, rebar tore, levitating into the air.
Over a hundred of them.
Amid the spectacle, only Choi Muhyeok calmly looked up.
Moments later—a shout.
"Th-there!"
Gazes followed his sky-pointing hand.
A fluttering red cape amid the buildings.
Belonging to a woman hovering arrogantly, overlooking the ground.
Choi Cheol-ho and Jo Youngmin, recognizing her face, cried out in horror.
"The... the Witch!?"