Just Hand It Over
“Is that really true?”
Choi Yunmi, the owner of the S-rank gear shop, stared at me in shock after hearing everything. Kim Se-in and I had come to her store together. We went up to the third floor, where only S-rank gear and weapons were sold, and told Choi Yunmi about the atrocities committed by Puleaf Tech. Of course, we'd made an appointment in advance, and it wasn't just the three of us. We'd also invited Puleaf Tech's president, Kang Mancheol, to join us. We arrived an hour early to talk with Choi Yunmi first.
The hunter world was full of incidents and accidents, but even she seemed stunned by this one.
“So Kim Se-in nearly died in that dungeon. If it hadn't been for Hunter Kang Sung-gi, she would've...”
“Yes, without a doubt. Honestly, even if someone else had found her, the outcome would've been the same. Hunter Kang Sung-gi is my lifesaver.”
Kim Se-in gazed at me with warm affection. Seeing that, Choi Yunmi shot me a look tinged with envy.
“I've heard bad rumors about that company before. It wasn't my place to get involved, and I couldn't really interfere anyway, so I just let it slide. But this time, they clearly crossed the line...”
Choi Yunmi shook her head after saying that.
“No, they broke the law.”
“I'm not planning to handle it through the legal system.”
I shared my thoughts, which I'd discussed beforehand with Kang A-jin and Valentina. These kinds of business crimes in the hunter gear industry were hard to pin down properly, and even if you did, they usually ended up with a slap on the wrist. Puleaf Tech wouldn't have pulled something like this without some backing. The wildcard was me—an S-rank hunter getting involved. No matter what, when an S-rank steps in directly, they can't just play around anymore.
Still, trials took time, and since it happened in a dungeon, gathering solid evidence for a murder-for-hire charge would be tough. Better to go with a surefire way to send them packing.
“I see...”
Choi Yunmi swallowed dryly and nodded. She'd watched S-rank hunters up close plenty of times. She knew exactly what they were capable of when they set their minds to it.
“What if we do this?”
After a moment's thought, she offered her idea first.
“For someone like Kang Mancheol, the scariest punishment is losing his money. He's riding high right now with his business booming, feeling invincible. Don't you need a gear company, Hunter?”
“A gear company?”
I echoed her, wondering what she was getting at.
“Puleaf may have committed plenty of illegal and corrupt acts while building and running the business, but the company itself is solid. Kang Mancheol poured everything he had into it. Its potential value is easily over ten billion won.”
“Ten billion...”
I didn't have that kind of cash. And I had zero experience running a company—what the hell would I even do with it?
“Of course, you wouldn't have to pay the full amount. Isn't Kang Mancheol's life basically in your hands anyway?”
“Hmm...”
I mulled over Choi Yunmi's proposal. She clearly had something in mind. Part of it was probably wanting to impress an S-rank hunter like me, and part sympathy for Kim Se-in's story. An idea from someone as capable as her? Couldn't go wrong following it.
“Can I leave it to you, President?”
“Of course. You can take their money and company first, then handle the rest separately.”
Choi Yunmi flashed a smile that bordered on icy. I'd planned to summon Puleaf Tech's president through her, but I hadn't nailed down what to do next. Her plan sounded perfect, especially the part about dealing with the aftermath later.
“This Kang Mancheol guy's late for such an important meeting. Want something else to drink?”
“Yes, an iced Americano, please.”
“And for you, Hunter Kim Se-in?”
“I'll have the same.”
Choi Yunmi mentioned him being late, but we still had thirty minutes until the appointed time. We'd come an hour early—not because the talk would drag on, but because we didn't know when he'd show. Common sense said anyone meeting an S-rank hunter would arrive early.
And sure enough, just as the iced Americanos were set in front of Kim Se-in and me, the elevator dinged open. A portly, half-bald man came rushing over, panting.
“Sorry I'm late!”
It was still twenty minutes before the scheduled time. No need to apologize, but S-rank hunters did have different standards for punctuality.
“No rush. Wipe your sweat and catch your breath.”
“Pardon? Oh, right!”
Puleaf Tech's president, Kang Mancheol, must've heard from Choi Yunmi about a meeting with an S-rank hunter and rushed here. The reason? A custom gear commission. I'd never dealt with it before, but apparently, gear companies begging S-rank hunters for custom work was a huge deal. For a small outfit like Puleaf, it could turn their fortunes around. The contract profit was one thing, but the prestige of being recognized as capable of S-rank custom gear would skyrocket their value.
That said, this was his first time seeing me. He knew all the established S-ranks, so hearing about a newly awakened one probably had him scrambling. He froze for a split second upon seeing my face, then recovered.
As I suggested, he pulled out a handkerchief to dab his forehead—then went rigid as ice. His eyes had shifted to the woman beside me.
“Long time no see, President.”
Kim Se-in's aura was different now. Before coming here, we'd gone shopping at the department store. Dressed in luxury clothes and accessories from head to toe, she looked like a goddess—no exaggeration. And that wasn't all. After sex with me, she'd grown stronger. While the others got modest experience gains, she'd received direct mana injection. Her injuries had healed perfectly, her complexion glowed brighter, and her energy felt more refined.
To Kang Mancheol, she must've looked like a ghost risen from hell.
“Wha? Uh...”
He stared holes into Kim Se-in, then at me. Back to her, then me again. After rolling his eyes a few times, he cleared his throat.
“Ahem. Long time no see, Guild Master.”
“Oh? You're late, President.”
Choi Yunmi approached and addressed Kang Mancheol.
“Huh? Oh! President, thank you for setting up this valuable meeting!”
Kang Mancheol looked much older, but Choi Yunmi clearly held sway in the industry. He bowed his bulky frame before her. Probably because her gaze felt especially cold today.
“Now that you've wiped your sweat, have a seat. We have things to discuss.”
At my words, Kang Mancheol hesitated before dragging over a small chair and sitting like a criminal. He could've taken one end of the plush sectional sofa, but no—small chair for his big frame.
“I rushed over as soon as I heard. You want custom gear made...?”
Kang Mancheol's face was already pale as he parroted his rehearsed line. He knew it too. This wasn't a real S-rank custom commission meeting.
“Kang Mancheol.”
Choi Yunmi crossed her legs and called his name.
“Yes? Oh, yes!”
“Don't you have something to say to Hunter Kim Se-in?”
“Ah... that is...”
Sweat poured down Kang Mancheol's forehead like rain.
“What... what should I say...?”
“Forget it.”
I had no interest in forcing a denial from Kang Mancheol, who was clearly playing dumb. He'd deny it anyway—admitting it here would be a death sentence.
“Let's talk business.”
At my words, color returned to his face.
“Yes! We have just the thing for you, Hunter. Made with rare materials airlifted from Thailand...”
“Not that business.”
“Pardon?”
To the bewildered Kang Mancheol, Choi Yunmi said,
“Puleaf Tech's been doing well lately, hasn't it?”
“Yes. Thanks to you all, we've grown steadily to this point...”
“Hand it over.”
“Pardon?”