Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Cheonhwa (3)
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With those words, a brief silence followed.
Soon, Kim Hyun, standing in a crooked posture, shot back at Park Yong-ha.
"So, you're saying you're giving me a cruise ticket to Jeju Island? For free, just like that?"
"It's not just a giveaway."
Park Yong-ha offered a faint smile.
"Please think of it as a token of appreciation for the dedication you've shown us."
"Kuk. Kehheheh."
Kim Hyun clutched her stomach, holding back laughter, before finally bursting into guffaws as if she couldn't contain it anymore.
"Dedication, huh. Dedication."
"......"
She had shown goodwill, only to be mocked.
It was a situation that would irritate anyone, but Park Yong-ha's smile never faded from his face.
After laughing until tears streamed down her face, Kim Hyun wiped the corner of her eye with her hand and spoke.
"If that's the case, your attitude toward someone who's shown such dedication seems off."
"......What do you mean by that?"
"You're not the real deal."
At those words, Park Yong-ha's face stiffened for a moment.
"You send a mere clone and expect a heartfelt conversation?"
"......"
"A person ought to have some conscience."
Kim Hyun smirked as she gazed at the frozen Park Yong-ha.
"Got something to say?"
Park Yong-ha's decision was swift.
He immediately bowed his head at a perfect ninety degrees.
"I'm sorry, Kim Hyun. I had no intention of deceiving you."
"Oh?"
"Yes. The truth is, the original body was overwhelmed with work..."
"I'm not interested in excuses."
"......"
Kim Hyun crossed her arms, pondering for a moment before breaking into a grin.
"Well, fine. I'll accept that sincerity of yours."
"......!"
At that instant, Chae Seol-ah flinched in surprise.
"K-Kim Hyun?"
But before Chae Seol-ah could say anything, Kim Hyun snatched the ticket Park Yong-ha held out.
Park Yong-ha looked dumbfounded as well, but he quickly schooled his expression back into a smile.
"......Thank you for accepting my gesture, Kim Hyun."
"Yeah, yeah."
"I hope we have the chance to meet again someday. Next time, I'll come in person, not as a clone."
"Sure, whatever."
Kim Hyun waved her hand dismissively.
At the blatant dismissal, Park Yong-ha's eye twitched slightly, but he erased the displeasure from his face in an instant.
Park Yong-ha flashed a grin.
His serpentine narrowed eyes curved into crescents.
"Thank you again for gracing our hotel. Have a wonderful day."
With that, Park Yong-ha departed.
The hotel room was left with Kim Hyun still chuckling and Chae Seol-ah wearing a rigid expression.
"Ah, that was fun. So much fun."
With those words, Kim Hyun flopped back onto the bed.
Chae Seol-ah followed, swallowing dryly.
'Why... why did she take it?'
It was an offer anyone would find suspicious.
Showing up at the hotel room out of the blue, offering a Jeju Island cruise ticket as a gift?
And not even in person, but sending a clone?
'It's obviously fishy!'
It was a situation that would raise suspicions for anyone.
'Suspicious. So suspicious.'
All that talk of dedication and rewards didn't change the fact that the visit lacked any context.
No matter how you looked at it, there had to be some ulterior motive.
'Definitely.'
A group like Cheonhwa surely had something up their sleeve.
With her thoughts reaching that point, Chae Seol-ah spoke to Kim Hyun.
"Kim Hyun."
"Yeah?"
"I think it's best not to go on that cruise."
"Why?"
Chae Seol-ah shook her head with a frown.
"Cheonhwa Group is shady. They're suspected of involvement in illegal activities, and there are rumors they treat hunters like private soldiers. Even our Management Bureau is keeping a close eye on them—they're extremely dangerous."
"So?"
"A gift from their vice president out of nowhere... It screams conspiracy."
"Hmm."
Frustrated, Chae Seol-ah raised her voice.
"The fact that he came as a clone from the start is weird! He must have something to hide. No doubt about it!"
Kim Hyun shrugged.
"So, to sum it up: shady guy. That's it?"
"Well, yeah... That's the summary, but..."
Frustrated, Chae Seol-ah thumped her chest. It felt like she was burning up inside.
'They're not just bad guys—they're really bad!'
But Kim Hyun was merely picking at her ear.
"I know."
"......Pardon?"
For a moment, Chae Seol-ah blinked, not grasping Kim Hyun's words.
"I know. That guy's suspicious."
Kim Hyun sat up on the bed, grinning slyly.
"He looks like the type with a black heart, doesn't he? Shady, with ulterior motives. The clone thing from the start says it all. How could he not be suspicious?"
Kim Hyun snorted.
"Plus, you don't trust narrow-eyed types on principle."
"Th-then why did you take it? If you knew he had ulterior motives."
"Just because."
"Huh?"
Kim Hyun shrugged again.
"I just wanted to go to Jeju, so I took it. Wanted to try riding a cruise ship too."
Chae Seol-ah stared at her in disbelief.
"Wh-what do you mean..."
The flustered Chae Seol-ah stammered.
Kim Hyun chuckled, watching her.
"Ah, of course, I'm not going right away."
"Yes?"
"I never said when I'd go."
"B-but the ticket has an expiration..."
"It's not like I don't have money. No reason to use this ticket specifically."
Kim Hyun swept her hair back with her hand.
"If I get interested later, I'll go then."
"Ah......"
Only then did Chae Seol-ah realize Kim Hyun hadn't fallen for Vice President Park Yong-ha's scheme. She had known about the ploy all along and played along anyway.
"Of course."
Kim Hyun shrugged.
"That guy trying to manipulate me is annoying, though."
Kim Hyun tapped the side of her neck with the side of her hand.
"Back in the day, I would've just lopped his head off on the spot. Not that it matters with a clone. I could always track down the real one and kill him too."
"......!"
Only then did Chae Seol-ah jolt in shock.
Thinking about it, the old Kim Hyun would've turned the place into a bloodbath the moment she spotted that.
Yet today's Kim Hyun had held back.
"Why?"
"You asking me why I held back?"
Kim Hyun gave her an incredulous look.
"N-no, I mean... but still..."
"Yeah, the old me would've killed him."
But.
Kim Hyun grinned.
"That's not how it works normally, right?"
"R-right?"
Killing people just because they piss you off makes you a murderer, after all.
Kim Hyun nodded, looking straight at Chae Seol-ah.
"Simple. I've reclaimed my social skills now."
With that answer, Kim Hyun gazed at Chae Seol-ah with sparkling eyes, as if expecting something.
Chae Seol-ah finally understood the meaning in those eyes.
'No way......!'
It was clear. She wanted praise for not killing anyone.
'Oh my god.'
Well, not killing was good, sure.
But Kim Hyun looking at her expectantly for praise?
It was like watching a fierce tiger acting like a pampered housecat, kneading dough.
In other words, bizarre.
'St-still... this is progress...... right?'
Compared to chopping heads off at the drop of a hat, it was improvement, leaving Chae Seol-ah with an expression caught between laughter and tears.
After that.
A few days passed.
Finally, preparations for Kim Hyun's new home were complete.
Thanks to Bartory moving swiftly.
Thus, Kim Hyun could end her hotel stay sooner than expected.
"Ah, it was nice staying here. Hotels are pretty great, huh?"
"Not really for me."
Chae Seol-ah replied with an awkward expression.
Knowing Vice President Park Yong-ha might be watching made her hotel stay deeply uncomfortable.
Like stepping into enemy territory.
The suspicion of being monitored only heightened her unease.
"You're overreacting."
"Am I......?"
"Yeah. There was never any surveillance."
Chae Seol-ah sighed at Kim Hyun's words.
'Well......'
If Kim Hyun said so, it must be true.
Her senses were on another level entirely, so if no watcher had pinged them, there wasn't one.
'Still feels off.'
Chae Seol-ah glanced back.
The towering High Flower Hotel loomed.
'What was their real game plan?'
"Has Kim Hyun left?"
"Yes, Vice President. We confirmed checkout just now."
At his secretary's report, Vice President Park Yong-ha tugged at his tie. A deep sigh escaped his lips.
"In the end, no results."
"You did deliver the ticket, though."
"I guarantee you, she won't use it."
Vice President Park Yong-ha ground his teeth.
"That damn bitch......"
His clone ability, never once detected before, had been spotted immediately.
Not by Management Bureau agents, nor other S-Rank hunters. Even Liu Guoliang, China's National Power-level Hunter, hadn't noticed.
And she saw through it at a glance.
'I knew she was strong, but......'
Her senses were on another plane entirely.
To notice that.
Unbelievable perception.
Impossible to surveil someone with such senses. All prior plans had to be scrapped.
The perfect chance to observe Kim Hyun, wasted.
'No, trying might've gotten me killed.'
Considering her temperament, the clone surviving detection was lucky.
Fortunate, in a way.
"What now? If Kim Hyun interferes with our plans, it's all over."
"We drive her out somehow."
Direct manipulation was off the table.
Beyond her rebellious nature making it impossible, attempting it was suicidal.
But abandoning the plan wasn't an option.
They needed to summon the outer god for immortality.
So, what to do?
After much deliberation, Vice President Park Yong-ha spoke.
"......We have no choice but to make her choose it herself."
Vice President Park Yong-ha muttered through slitted eyes.
"Contact the Japan branch."
"......Japan?"
"Yes. If an S-Rank Gate opens there, Kim Hyun will go raid it."
Normally, National Power-level Liu Guoliang would handle it. East Asia's S-Rank Gates usually fell to him.
But 'coincidentally,' an S-Rank Gate was set to open in China around the same time, ruling out Liu Guoliang.
As long as Kim Hyun didn't abandon Japan, they could send her abroad.
"......Isn't that risky?"
The secretary voiced concern.
"They might discover we're creating Gates. No, they definitely will."
"Who cares if they find out? Once we summon Azrath, it's done. We try everything possible."
Vice President Park Yong-ha clenched his teeth.
His eyes glinted coldly.
"This time, we see it through to the end."