Chapter 169. Bigger Than the Auction
Chapter 169. Bigger Than the Auction
Documents and profit-and-loss reports lay scattered in disarray across the office of the Hunterguard CEO.
And the numbers, uniformly printed in red ink, warned of hemorrhaging losses.
"Hoo... the damages are immense..."
The dragon bone he had received from Song Hoon as a penalty fee.
Of course, that, too, was an astronomical sum, but it was only a fragment—far from the whole.
And if another such item appeared at the auction, its scarcity value would fade.
'The donations have been covered with currently liquid assets, but...'
The current situation was far from welcome.
For the first time in a chain of events that had always proceeded according to his plans, things had slipped from his grasp.
"Still, it's a blessing in disguise..."
The general public perceived Hunterguard as maintaining an image of symbiosis with other corporations.
If he were a fool, he would have aggressively pushed that image, but...
He had decided not to move rashly.
'I still don't know Song Hoon's position. Could even this be something he intended...?'
Just as he was about to leave his office for a breath of fresh air,
the door suddenly swung open and his secretary entered.
"S-Sir... a meeting request has..."
"A meeting?"
He halted his steps and slowly turned his head.
He sensed anxiety from his secretary.
The look on his secretary's face made him briefly wonder, 'was there a hearing scheduled?'—but no such event was on the calendar.
He was a man who managed his time by scrutinizing documents as if memorizing them line by line.
"To be precise, it's not an official meeting request. It's just... someone from the Korean side expressed a desire to see you, sir..."
"...Korea?"
His eyes narrowed.
And for a moment, his mind raced.
At this timing, from Korea.
Could this really be a coincidence?
"To be more precise... from what level is this request?"
He asked one final time.
The secretary, after a moment's hesitation, spoke.
"Hunter Song Hoon... says he wishes to have a word."
In that instant, the CEO felt something cold slide down his throat.
He turned his head to look at the wall clock inside the meeting room.
"...What does the rest of my schedule look like?"
When he murmured the question, the secretary, as if expecting it, answered without hesitation.
"I have cleared it all. You can depart immediately."
The CEO quietly drew a breath and picked up his coat.
"Good. Let's go."
He already knew.
This was not a 'meeting.'
It was, in effect, a summons.
A dangerous meeting he could not refuse, and must not refuse.
"Hoo... There's a Korean proverb: 'Even if you enter a tiger's den, you'll survive if you keep your wits about you,' wasn't it...?"
He hauled his weary body straight to the airport.
First class, where only the wealthy could ride.
Even leaning back into the plush leather seat, he could not settle.
"..."
He sat silently and loosened his tie once.
'Song Hoon... what in the world were you trying to say?'
His gaze was fixed on the clouds passing far beyond the window, but his vision remained clouded.
All sorts of scenarios whirled in his mind.
'Would I be forced out of the industry? Or did he intend to swallow the whole industry, starting with a merger and acquisition of my company? Was that it...?'
He let out a sneer, lifting one corner of his mouth.
'Was that image-making of symbiosis... actually groundwork to acquire the company later?'
If an ordinary person declared they would take over a corporation, they would be called insane, but...
If that person was Song Hoon, it was an entirely different matter.
'His ability to mobilize cash...'
If Song Hoon put his mind to it and secured cash by raiding gates, there would be no resisting it.
If the investors holding shares had to choose between him and the Unknown Hunter, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
The CEO absently rubbed his face, then swept a hand across his forehead.
The moment his fingertips touched his forehead, it was damp with cold sweat.
He let out a long sigh, then murmured quietly.
"What stance would be most advantageous for me to take?"
His secretary, who had been handling documents beside him, slowly raised his head at the CEO's words.
"..."
Even his capable secretary dared not offer any advice.
Because Song Hoon was no ordinary politician, entrepreneur, or investor.
"It is difficult for me to say this, but... it would be best not to provoke his temper at all..."
"Are you saying that if I keep my head held high... I'll end up being devoured instead?"
"..."
He closed his eyes.
Arranging his thoughts piece by piece, he made a resolution.
'Let's move slowly. I must grasp what he wanted first.'
---
The CEO of Hunterguard stood in the first-floor lobby of a luxury building.
'Not the foundation... but summoning me to his home...'
He felt no displeasure whatsoever.
Rather, he felt tension.
What on earth did he intend to say by calling him to his home...
'Hoo...'
After taking one deep breath, he pressed the doorbell with a trembling hand.
There was no chime, nor any response like 'Who was it?'.
─ Click.
Only the quiet sound of the lock releasing echoed.
The quiet lobby, and the private elevator at its end. He rode it.
─ Click.
It was the same this time.
Without a single sound, the door quietly opened.
Cautiously stepping inside, he closed the door slowly and headed toward the inner living room.
Someone was sitting on the sofa.
One was the Unknown Hunter, Laila.
And another person.
'Huh...?'
The CEO tilted his head for a moment, then quickly realized.
'As I thought, he asked Song Hoon for a favor.'
Just as he thought that, the door to the inner room quietly opened.
"You're here?"
Song Hoon stepped out.
He was dressed casually, nothing formal.
It conveyed the confidence of a man who had no need to stand on ceremony.
"..."
"Shall we talk sitting down?"
Gesturing, he took a seat first.
He casually crossed his legs, leaned far back against the sofa, and looked at the CEO.
Just silently, without a single word.
The CEO wrestled with whether he should speak first, then soon shook his head.
'No. It's not too late to speak after seeing his actions first.'
"This is quite unexpected, isn't it?"
The CEO furrowed his brows slightly.
"...What do you mean by that?"
"I heard you donated everything I gave you."
The CEO drew a sharp breath.
Song Hoon's tone was expressionless, but his eyes held a distinct curiosity.
Eyes that were judging him.
"I even heard you left the dragon bone I gave you completely untouched."
"..."
"So did you cover the donations with the company's finances?"
The CEO's brow trembled.
That was thoroughly concealed internal information shared only by key executives within the company.
"How did you..."
"How I know isn't that important. What's important is that I know."
When Song Hoon paused briefly as if about to bring something up, the CEO instinctively felt a sense of crisis.
At that moment, he opened his mouth before Song Hoon could.
"Regarding this incident... I am deeply sorry. If you are considering expelling us from the industry, please... at least not that..."
Song Hoon tilted his head as he looked at him.
The CEO took a deep breath and continued.
"Whether it's a merger or restructuring... if you let me keep the management rights, any condition..."
At that, Song Hoon let out a small, quiet laugh.
At that ambiguous expression, the CEO closed his mouth and cautiously observed his reaction.
"Originally, I was going to cut off all dealings with your company and smash it to pieces. Because it's aggravating."
Smash a company to pieces because it was aggravating?
The CEO bit his lip.
But he was utterly outmatched in this inescapable logic of power.
In truth, he himself had absorbed subcontractors in that exact manner many times before.
"But, you know, I thought that might be a bit of a tired, cliché move."
Song Hoon slowly turned his head to look at the streamer sitting beside him.
And he continued calmly.
"Lowballing him was clearly a mistake. But well, this guy here was also at fault for not reviewing things thoroughly, so."
He looked back at the CEO and declared nonchalantly.
"The dragon bone, you said you still have it, right?"
"Yes."
"We'll consider that transferred at three times the price. You can sort out the penalty fees and donations among yourselves from that."
"...Th-Three times!!!"
The CEO's voice trembled.
But seeing the look in Song Hoon's eyes, he shut his mouth.
"You seem to be misunderstanding something... We are not negotiating right now."
Tyranny.
But there was nowhere to appeal this grievance, and no way to resolve it.
This was simply a natural disaster.
'How could this...!'
"Of course, as the CEO, you already know this... but this public image that's been formed... you can use it."
"..."
The CEO bit his lip and nodded his head slowly.
"Well, I'll use that money for a good cause. So don't think too badly of it."
Compared to being forced out of the industry...
Compared to the company being shattered...
This was, at least, a far better choice.
---
"Hoon, will it be okay leaving it like that?"
Those remaining at home were me and Laila.
I stared at Laila quietly.
"...Why?"
"Probably... it will be quite a heavy blow. Even if he uses the image as you said, Hoon... in the end, for a corporation, it's profit that comes first, not reputation."
They would probably struggle considerably for quite a long time.
Because reviving a company once its trust had crumbled was difficult.
"It's his own doing."
Earlier, the documents I hadn't brought out. My gaze turned to where those documents were.
Documents I had been prepared to make public if he hadn't swallowed his pride.
But he had bowed his head immediately.
"Hmm... something like this won't happen again, I'm sure."
"Of course not. Anyway, what do you plan to do with the money?"
"Well, if I just hand it over to the foundation, won't they use it well on their own?"
"Sometimes when I see you, Hoon, you really have no plan at all..."
I subtly avoided Laila's eyes, which were looking at me as if I were hopeless.
"Ahem... I need to hold the auction quickly. For the auction..."
As if she had expected this, Laila pulled out her smartphone.
There was a list she had written down.
"These are the companies that wish to participate. I think we'll need to rent quite a large auditorium."
"That might..."
─ Vrrr...
The smartphone on the table vibrated.
Checking the screen, it was Max.
"...?"
"...?"
Laila and I tilted our heads in confusion as I answered the call.
"Hey, Max. What's..."
- R-Right now... can you come quickly? L-Laila's help...!
Max was in a rarely seen state of panic.
Wondering if some incident had erupted, the tension in his voice spread to us as we listened.
"Why? What's going on? First, calm..."
- Uh, Emilia is complaining of labor pains right now...! So we're riding in an ambulance together to the hospital...! Ah, it's not time yet...!