Korea's Strongest: Kang Sung-gi (6)
"Those who want me as leader, press 1. Those who think it's fine for Kang Sung-gi to be the leader, press 2."
I wondered what the hell he was talking about, and sure enough, voting devices had already been placed in front of each seat. They were touch-screen electronic gadgets with numbers displayed on the screens. Being small devices, you could probably keep them under the table and press the numbers without anyone else seeing if you didn't want to.
Seo Na-yeon glared at the other side of the room. No need to ask who her target was.
The two guys who didn't want their castration getting out looked uneasy as they exchanged glances with Seo Na-yeon.
"Alright, let's get started."
As soon as Baek Seonghun said that, large monitors behind him lit up with two faces: one was Baek Seonghun, and the other was me.
Baek Seonghun's photo looked old—his hair was thick, and he had a mild expression. Mine, on the other hand, was definitely taken today. Probably when I passed through the entrance.
I didn't like my photo being used without permission, especially blown up on a big screen, but honestly, it wasn't a bad shot. The staff must've picked a decent one so I wouldn't get offended. Better than an ID photo, at least.
The voting began. We could tell from the numbers ticking up under each face on the monitors.
One by one, they climbed. Baek Seonghun's face twisted as he watched. The numbers under him and me were rising at almost the same pace.
In the end, I hit 5 first.
Obvious who voted for me: me, Kim Seol-bi, Seo Na-yeon, and Park Hyun-jun and Kim Hyun-cheol.
That made it a tie at minimum. I wasn't too worried. Park Hye-na was close with Kim Seol-bi, after all. Knowing how tight Kim Seol-bi and I were, why would she pick Baek Seonghun?
Baek Seonghun's face was pure shock. He clearly hadn't even considered this outcome by 1%.
Seeing his face contort so viciously was kinda satisfying, especially after he'd strutted up to the podium acting all high and mighty.
Current score: 5 to 4.
The last one would decide it.
And...
Beep!
I was stunned by the final score. Baek Seonghun, on the other hand, looked hugely relieved.
5 to 5. A tie.
"Hmmm..."
Baek Seonghun ground his teeth, glaring at the monitor. But that wasn't gonna change the results.
"A tie, huh..."
He spat it out like he could barely stand it, and Seo Na-yeon jeered at him.
"No way! Revote!"
Would a revote change anything? I doubted it.
"Got it. Let's vote first on whether to revote. My time is valuable, and so is yours, so we should settle that upfront."
The vote on revoting came out 2 to 8. Eight against.
Me included—this dragging atmosphere wasn't pleasant. Only Baek Seonghun wanted to drag it out. Maybe Seo Na-yeon too.
"The Hongcheon raid is a week away. We can't waste time. Since it's important, how about we meet again in three days and vote then?"
Baek Seonghun proposed, and it went to a vote. 9 to 1 this time.
Probably just Seo Na-yeon against.
He must've figured he needed three days for some backroom politicking. First, find out who voted against him. Then flip them by the next meeting.
I was curious too. Who picked Baek Seonghun? Simple math said it shouldn't have been possible.
The hunters rose from their seats, filing out one by one.
Baek Seonghun pulled his hood back up and shot me a death glare. His face screamed confusion—how the hell did things end up like this?
Anyway, business here was done. He straightened up and headed out.
"Why'd it turn out like this?"
Even Kim Seol-bi looked baffled. She'd probably done the math like me and expected 6 to 4.
"You assholes wanna die?!"
Seo Na-yeon bellowed at Park Hyun-jun and Kim Hyun-cheol.
They rushed over, protesting like someone might overhear.
"It wasn't me! For real! Bro! It wasn't me~~!!"
Kim Hyun-cheol wailed like he was about to die of injustice.
"Not me either. Why would I? I hate that Baek Seonghun prick too!"
Park Hyun-jun seemed just as wronged.
"Argh, seriously..."
With them protesting so hard, even Seo Na-yeon had nothing more to say. I couldn't read minds, but the vibe screamed they weren't lying.
"Seol-bi-ya, I'm heading out. I'll text you—let's grab food later."
Park Hye-na stood up as she said it. All eyes from the remaining folks went to her, like they'd planned it.
She'd been friendly to me earlier, suggesting the three of us eat together with Kim Seol-bi, but now she wouldn't even look our way. Something was clearly bothering her.
"You guys are serious?!"
Seo Na-yeon kept grilling Park Hyun-jun and Kim Hyun-cheol, but I figured it was pointless. Kim Seol-bi agreed.
"See you next time."
I said to Seo Na-yeon.
"Huh? You're just gonna split like that?"
She looked miffed. She'd stuck her neck out for me more than once. No need to be harsh.
"Three days from now. We'll see each other then."
Her face lit up with a smile at my words.
"Yeah!"
As Kim Seol-bi and I headed out, Park Hyun-jun and Kim Hyun-cheol yelled final pleas behind us.
"Take care!"
"Bro! See you in three days!"
I must scare them, but they probably dreaded their secret getting out even more.
As we left the building, Kim Seol-bi murmured,
"I never thought Hye-na would..."
She'd pegged her as one of mine too, and now guessed who'd voted for Baek Seonghun.
"It happens."
It could. I was a total stranger to Park Hye-na today. Sure, she was tight with Kim Seol-bi, but not close enough to know everything. No reason for her to vote for me just because.
Now...
What next? The vote ended in a tie.
Handing the leader spot to Baek Seonghun would make it hard to meet Kim Yeon-hwa's condition—me at the center of the S-rank hunters, tackling the SS-rank dungeon.
Three days... Something had to change in that time.
Kim Seol-bi and I agreed to head to Kang A-jin's to discuss the Baek Seonghun situation. She knew more about the ins and outs of the hunter world—both the light and the shadows—than we did.
Plus, Valentina and Luiza were there too.
Chichi and Titi had gone back to Thailand to handle inheriting their organization. They'd said they'd return to Korea soon.
Kang Mancheol was probably with them. Last I saw, he was less man and more massive hunk of meat. He'd likely spend the next decade or so as a guinea pig for every poison they could dream up.
Horrifying just to think about. Though the crap he'd pulled—and planned—in Korea wasn't any better.
Kang A-jin saw us off. Getting to her place was still impossible without her help. Maybe once I developed my sorcery more, but that could wait.
Another thing I pondered for later: installing warp points at my place and the women's homes. We'd come and go easily whenever. Not that they lived far, but Seoul traffic sucked. It'd be convenient, especially for group meetings like today.
Kang A-jin heard about the S-rank meeting from us in the car.
"He finally showed his true ambitions."
Like Kim Seol-bi, she'd long suspected Baek Seonghun of gunning for Jo Dong-geun's spot.
"He probably worked on them in advance. Some hunters hated Jo Dong-geun's reign—not so much power lust, more greed for cash. Jo Dong-geun wasn't generous. Baek Seonghun's greed leans more toward power than money. They probably figure it'll be easier to make bank sticking with him."