A Perilous Bargain
"It's been a while, sure. But it's only been a month since we last met."
"A month is an eternity. Didn't I tell you? You're my type, Kang A-jin. How do you think I've been holding back without seeing my ideal woman for a whole month?"
Jo Dong-geun said with a sleazy grin. Most women would buckle under his overwhelming aura, no matter what he said. In fact, he was actively using a passive skill that dominated his opponent's psyche. With his immense mana reserves, he could run a dozen such passives simultaneously without breaking a sweat.
Kang A-jin saw right through it, of course, and wasn't about to fall for such tricks. Still, being near him gave her a headache. He was pouring effort into seducing her, and she was pushing back with all she had. The invisible clash of mana was what caused the throbbing pain.
Even so, she fought to keep her mind sharp. Let her guard down for even a second, and she'd end up like all the other women he'd conquered. Sure, as Korea's top shaman, he'd treat her decently at first—but Jo Dong-geun was the type to discard her like a toy the moment he got bored.
"Let's get to business."
Kang A-jin spoke quickly, eager to escape this place. But Jo Dong-geun had no intention of letting her off easy.
"Come on in. We'll talk nice and slow."
He flung the door wide with a smile. She hesitated, a chill running down her spine, but she had no choice but to comply. After all, she was the one who'd come here with a request.
Stepping inside revealed exactly the nightmare she'd expected. Naked women sprawled everywhere, drooling and unconscious. Fluids leaked from between their legs. Bruises bloomed red across their battered skin. Drugs sat brazenly on the table, empty bottles scattered about.
He'd invited her into this without a hint of shame. She'd never expected gentlemanly manners from him, but the sheer depravity still turned her stomach.
"Don't mind them."
Jo Dong-geun shrugged it off like it was nothing and sank into the wide sofa. He draped one arm over the armrest and gestured to her.
"Have a seat. Drink? Or something else?"
By "something else," he meant the drugs, no doubt. She knew he indulged in all sorts of illegal substances. To him, they were like candy—pure pleasure without any physical harm. A being above the law. No matter what crimes he committed, punishment never touched him.
The other S-rank hunters were much the same, of course.
Kang A-jin dragged over a chair and sat directly in front of him.
"I'm fine."
"Playing hard to get? Between us?"
He flicked his eyes to the spot beside him, inviting her closer. She ignored it. Any ordinary person would have caved to his demands, but Korea's greatest shaman was made of sterner stuff. She was grateful for that strength now.
"Heh heh heh."
Jo Dong-geun crossed his legs and smirked.
"I'm curious. I always figured you as the type who never asks for help. You've got the skills to handle everything yourself, right? So what brings you to me?"
"It's about Park Hyun-jun."
"Hyun-jun?"
Jo Dong-geun's eyebrows twitched in mild surprise.
"What'd that punk do to you?"
"Nothing to me. But he insulted one of my acquaintances."
"Acquaintance?"
"Kim Seol-bi."
"Ahh~"
He nodded, intrigued.
"Makes sense. Only something involving fellow S-ranks would drag you here. Care to elaborate?"
"Park Hyun-jun is obsessed with Kim Seol-bi."
"Mm. And? Do I have to meddle in every hunter's love life now?"
"He's crossed the line. He tried to kidnap her friend."
Jo Dong-geun reached for a cigarette on the table, lit it leisurely, took a drag, and shrugged.
"So?"
"I need you to mediate. If we leave it like this, who knows how far he'll go? Cleaning up after someone dies would be a lot messier, don't you think?"
"I don't get it."
His face showed genuine bewilderment.
"This isn't even your problem. And you know I'm not exactly sitting around with nothing to do."
Kang A-jin glanced around the room. Doing this every day, and he called himself busy? But that wasn't the point.
"I owe Kim Seol-bi a debt. I want to repay it with this."
"Hm..."
He took another drag, exhaling slowly toward the ceiling.
"I get the gist. But if I step in, what do I get out of it? What'll you do for me, A-jin?"
His gaze locked onto her. A shiver crawled up her spine. She couldn't let it show.
"What do you want from me?"
"Hahaha."
His face hardened.
"You joking?"
He released a subtle pulse of mana. A chill seeped into her bones. She couldn't beat him in raw power. Gritting her teeth against the cold, she shot back.
"I've helped you with your requests plenty of times already. Isn't that enough?"
"That's all in the past. You got paid for it. Think rationally. I don't take favors from just anyone. I need compensation."
He rose from the sofa. Her heart clenched. The thought of him raping her had always been horrifying—but now, it was unbearable. There was only one man on earth she'd ever give herself to: Kang Sung-gi.
"Stay back!"
She spat the words and flung talismans into the air. They formed a hexagonal barrier around her.
"What the hell?"
Jo Dong-geun pressed his lit cigarette against the barrier, channeling his mana into the tip. A hole burned through the shield, widening rapidly. The barrier crumbled, the talismans incinerated to ash.
"You hate me that much?"
She nodded. He chuckled in disbelief.
"Heh heh heh. You're something else, A-jin. But I love embracing women who despise me."
He took another step. She bit her lip and uttered the forbidden word she swore never to use in front of him.
"Jo A-young!"
"What?"
"What if Jo A-young found out who killed her adoptive parents?"
"What?"
His expression turned feral. Jo A-young was his little sister. They were orphans, separated young—him raised in an orphanage, her adopted abroad early on. Once he became an S-rank hunter, he'd sought to reclaim his only sibling. But even an S-rank couldn't just steal her from her adoptive parents' home.
Then, suddenly, those parents died. It was ruled an accident, but Kang A-jin knew Jo Dong-geun was behind it. She'd been hired to erase the memories of journalists sniffing too close to the truth.
"What did you just say?"
"I didn't want to go there. But you're demanding too much for such a simple favor."
He glared daggers at her. For the first time in her life, she tasted true terror—like a demon was boring into her soul. Part of her wished she'd just die and be done with it.
The silence stretched like hours. Finally, he withdrew his mana.
"Hahaha."
He flopped back onto the sofa.
"Just kidding. Of course I'll help, since it's you asking, A-jin. Not a big deal, like you said."
"......"
She gasped as the tension released from her chest.
"But remember this: You're my type, and that's no lie. I've wanted to win you over for ages. Korea's top hunter and top shaman—what a perfect couple. Who wouldn't bless us?"
"Thank you for agreeing. I'll be going now."
She stood, legs wobbling from exhaustion, but she forced herself steady. She bowed once to Jo Dong-geun and turned for the door.
A sudden chill hit her back as she walked.
Squeeze.
He hugged her from behind.
"What are you doing? Let go!"
Ignoring her, he buried his nose in her neck.
"Sniiiif!"
He inhaled deeply.
"I can't help it. Your scent..."
"Let. Go!"
"Hahaha."
He released her with a laugh.
"Take care."
Kang A-jin fled the hotel room without looking back.