Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: All-In Bet on Justice
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I knew it without even looking.
Kang Han had gone for one more round of dungeon mining today, even after yesterday's incident.
“……”
Kang Han stood frozen in place the moment he entered through the door, staring right at me.
“Mansu Mountain Dungeon, correct?”
His tightly shut lips parted, and a low voice emerged.
“Yes, but that's not the name of the dungeon.”
I stood up from my seat and faced him directly.
“I'm Nayeo-ju.”
“……Kang Han.”
A dry, rigid tone that sounded like it might snap if you tried to bend it.
“Is your body feeling better?”
But somehow, it's subtly kind.
“Yes, as you can see. Thank you for saving me back then……”
“I'm sorry about that day.”
“Huh? For what?”
“If I had handled things properly from the start, you wouldn't have gotten hurt, Nayeo-ju-ssi.”
For a moment, I buffered, unable to process it.
So, right now.
“You're saying my injury was your fault, Guild Leader Kang Han?”
“I don't think I bear no responsibility.”
I'd planned to keep things strictly business today, but I couldn't hold back.
“Guild Leader Kang Han.”
“Speak.”
He looked ready to humbly pull out whatever pocket change he had if I demanded compensation.
“If it hadn't been for you, Guild Leader, I would've died yesterday.”
“……”
“Not just me—maybe even those people who were running away. Because sacrificing one person like me wouldn't have bought enough time for all of them to escape.”
And the ones who should feel guilty aren't Kang Han—it's those who'd have turned me into the sacrificial lamb.
Kang Han was still watching me with that inscrutable expression.
But he wasn't brushing off my words.
His green eyes, still lingering with golden afterimages, were trembling.
“Thank you for saving my life.”
Now Kang Han looked completely lost for words.
Because he'd probably never received thanks like this before.
Gratitude like that belongs to those who have the power to protect someone to begin with.
“You'll be getting a lot more thanks like this from now on, so get used to it.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You reawakened your skills. I saw it.”
Now Kang Han had power.
The power to protect someone.
“And the real reason I came here today isn't the Mansu Mountain Dungeon—it's this.”
I pointed to the bag of money.
Only then did Kang Han notice the thick stack of checks and furrow his brow.
“Sell it to me. The Justice Guild.”
Not content with just a frown, the gaze of Kang Han—which had been utterly devoid of emotion, like he didn't know what feelings were—shifted.
Staring like that, he's scary.
His eyes are such a vivid green, too.
Changes beyond just his gaze happened simultaneously.
Droolung—
A melancholic sound that could make even the cheeriest puppy mope, followed by gray hearts popping like bubbles all around Kang Han.
So this is the effect when favorability drops.
“The Justice Guild isn't for sale. Try other guilds……”
“25 billion.”
Kang Han clamped his mouth shut again.
Yeah, that figures.
The Justice Guild's debt is about 24.9 billion.
Even ignoring the smaller units, it's an enormous sum.
“With 25 billion, you can pay off that godforsaken debt entirely. Right?”
I walked over to the table, picked up the bag, and set it down at Kang Han's feet.
“Feel free to count it. The bank verified it multiple times.”
My entire Mega Lotto winnings of 25 billion—all of it.
An all-in bet.
But I don't regret it.
The only one who can save this world is truly Kang Han.
Plus, this 25 billion will come back multiplied many times over as the Justice Guild grows.
It's an investment.
Me, Nayeo-ju.
I know how to make bold investments like this.
But Kang Han wasn't an easy mark either.
After a brief glance at the money bag, he clenched his fist and said,
“The Justice Guild isn't for sale. If you want to run a guild, look elsewhere.”
“I'd love to, but I'm in a position where it has to be the Justice Guild.”
“Why?”
His words carried a sharp edge.
'Hmm, sorry. Gotta tell a little white lie.'
No helping it—for my goal.
“When I was young, Hunter Kang Young-won saved my life. Consider this repayment.”
As expected, mentioning his mother got a reaction from Kang Han.
Pling—
This time, pink hearts popped up around the expressionless Kang Han's head.
Ugh, my eyes.
This guy's such a softie.
Anyway, I need to ride this momentum.
I fired my final shot.
“I'm not interested in commanding raid operations. Just give me shares and management rights. You can keep being guild leader, Kang Han-ssi. In simple terms, I'll handle management, and you handle raids. Pretty good terms, right?”
Neither the Kang Han in front of me, nor Yu-chan grinding his teeth, nor Su-ho could refute it.
I'm offering to buy a collapsing building under collateral, its debts, and a guild full of members with serious flaws—for a whopping 25 billion.
Plus, guaranteeing Kang Han's position as guild leader and not touching raid rights.
Honestly, I'm the sucker in this deal.
“Hand management over to me, and you can focus solely on gate raids, Kang Han-ssi.”
“What's your reason for going this far?”
It was similar to his earlier question, but different.
Kang Han was asking for my ultimate purpose.
This time, I gave an honest answer.
“To rebuild the Justice Guild properly.”
Still, no immediate reply.
'Stubborn as hell.'
But no worries.
The day after the Mansu Mountain Dungeon incident, there's always another visitor for the Justice Guild.
Knock knock.
Right on cue, a knock echoed, and everyone's heads turned that way.
“Guild Leader Kang Han, representatives from Sama Bank have arrived.”
Several people in black suits entered the office.
They handed a document to Kang Han and announced,
“Due to the inability to repay the overdue interest and principal totaling 24,964,530,000 won, we will proceed with seizure of real and personal property.”
Han Ji-seong squeezed his eyes shut.
In the end, the inevitable had arrived.
The seizure was a foregone conclusion.
It wasn't Kang Han's personal debt, but the Justice Guild's—so he'd proposed everyone shoulder it together, only to be firmly rejected multiple times.
He'd said it was his responsibility as guild leader.
Even wanting to help, his frail body, prone to rampages, couldn't even handle mining work.
There's a limit to how much one person can earn from mining.
“What is this?”
“Seizure……?”
The guild members were all shocked.
“We took out the loan from Daehan Bank. Not Sama Bank.”
Kang Han blocked the collection team's path.
But the Sama Bank employee remained unfazed.
“Didn't you receive the notice? As of yesterday, the Justice Guild's debt has been transferred to Sama Bank.”
No such notice had come.
Sama Bank knew that.
No—they'd planned it that way.
To catch the Justice Guild off guard with a sudden visit.
“Still, this is awkward. This building won't fetch much, and liquid assets…… might as well be zero.”
“Isn't that a bit harsh?”
Yu-eul snapped, but the man ignored her.
Instead, he turned to Kang Han.
“However, we have a message from Sama Guild Leader Sama Young.”
Sama Young.
The illegitimate son of the Sama Group, registered as the second son.
The tyrant of Sama Guild, infamous for his poor reputation due to his willingness to use any means for his ends.
“By our calculations, even liquidating all of Justice Guild's assets leaves about 15 billion in remaining debt. However, Sama Young has generously offered to forgive it all if Hunter Kang Han joins Sama Guild.”
Generous offer?
The entire Justice Guild's atmosphere turned murderous in unison.
Sama Group's rhetoric was crossing lines more and more.
They wanted the symbolism of Sama Guild devouring the once-top of the five great guilds, Justice.
A tactic worthy of the tyrant Sama Young.
“Normally, it would be far too high for your value, Kang Han-ssi, but you luckily timed your skill reawakening perfectly.”
“Ha!”
Finally, a hollow laugh escaped Jang Su-ho, who never showed anger.
“Now, please sign.”
The Sama Group employee thrust a contract at Kang Han.
The moment he signed that scrap of paper, everything would be gone.
This building, where his grandfather Hunter Kang Je-won first rallied the awakeners to defend the nation.
The honor his mother Hunter Kang Young-won had fortified even further.
The Justice Guild, which had tenuously carried on that legacy—gone.
“Han-ah.”
Han Ji-seong called out to Kang Han.
At the same time, Kang Han realized.
He was standing at a crossroads.
He chose one path without hesitation.
“Nayeo-ju-ssi, do you have the contract?”
The woman, who had been leisurely lounging on the sofa observing the situation, grinned and approached.
“We should hire a lawyer later to draft a proper one. Can't sign anything carelessly. But……”
She extended her right hand.
“A handshake will do.”
Kang Han's large, rough, but warm hand grasped mine.
'Done.'
An immense sense of accomplishment surged up my spine.
“Let me properly introduce myself again.”
I glanced at Kang Han's favorability, now a rosy pink 《 ♥ 5 》, then spoke.
“A-grade healer making waves, Nayeo-ju.”
The first small but sure step was a success.
“Looking forward to working with you, Guild Leader Kang Han.”
Let's save the world together—and protect my 25 billion too!