Chapter 170: Maintenance Time (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 170: Maintenance Time (3)
The members of Black Unicorn met with the management team one by one.
Since Lee Yu-na was the only one from a wealthy background, everyone else seemed quite anxious and expectant about their contracts. Even Yu-na appeared secretly excited, driven by a desire to be recognized by Lee Ru-da rather than a need for money.
That recognition was important.
In sports, you often see superstars fighting with their teams over salary negotiations. When you see someone who already earns hundreds of millions or billions of won engaging in a long, drawn-out negotiation just to get a bit more, you might think one side should just give in. However, it was a matter of pride and self-esteem regarding their own skills.
Money is the easiest way to express one's value.
What mattered was the feeling of being important and respected within the team. She’s getting that much, but I’m only getting this? It wasn't about the money itself; it was about the bruised ego and the demand for better treatment.
That said, my girls were on the naive side, so I wasn't sure if they’d negotiate well.
Yu-na, despite her own sister being the Clan Leader, had gathered the party members beforehand to explain how to secure a better contract. She advised them that since Black Unicorn would be entering dungeons much more frequently and tackling higher-ranked ones than other parties, they should increase their share of the dungeon rewards even if it meant lowering their base salary.
She even told them the current market value of Black Unicorn and warned them not to sign for anything less than a specific amount.
"Can I... really ask for that much? Won't I get kicked out for refusing to sign?"
"What are you talking about? That's the bare minimum. Ask for even more."
As I mentioned, except for Yu-na, none of the Black Unicorn members grew up wealthy. Kwon Ye-jin, who had lived a typical middle-class life, looked at the figure Yu-na suggested with a face full of disbelief, as if it didn't feel real.
"Are you telling me such a huge amount on purpose just to get me kicked out?"
"This woman... her mind is so twisted. Fine, get paid less if you want. They’ll probably offer more than that when you actually go in to sign anyway."
Ye-jin went into the negotiation room, still not quite believing Yu-na’s words.
She returned in less than thirty minutes.
"Masteeer... I signed..."
One look at her overwhelmed expression told me exactly what kind of contract she’d landed. To be on the verge of tears like that, the offer must have exceeded her wildest dreams, even after hearing the minimum from Yu-na.
Ye-jin muttered to me with a nasally, tearful voice.
"I'm going to buy my dad a house first. He worked so hard to raise me..."
As I hugged her while she acted like a child, I locked eyes with Yu-na, who was wearing a satisfied smile. She shrugged and gave Ye-jin a playful smack on the back.
"You'll earn more than that just by clearing dungeons, so stop talking nonsense and buy some gear. Signing bonuses are meant to be spent on equipment."
"Hmph... Okay, I'll listen."
Perhaps because of Yu-na's explanation before the negotiation, Ye-jin nodded and tried to hug her.
"Don't hug me! Hey! Get off!"
Yu-na tried to push her away by her forehead, but she was no match for Ye-jin, whose Stamina and Strength stats were far superior. As I watched Yu-na struggle to peel off the clinging Ye-jin, Anna suddenly scurried over and joined the hug.
"Why are you hugging me too, Anna? It’s cramped, get off... Yeon-woo, don't take pictures!"
There was no way Yu-na could overcome the physical abilities of a top-tier melee Attacker; her resistance was futile. The sight of the three of them huddled together was so cute that I was snapping photos with my smartphone when Yoon A-young returned from her negotiation.
She was faster than Ye-jin. Did she just coolly sign the papers the moment she saw them?
"It's done."
"Are you happy with it?"
"It's top-tier treatment. There's no way I wouldn't be."
A-young spoke calmly as she stood beside me, watching the other three rolling around on the floor in their group hug.
"Did you have a word with them, Oppa?"
"About what?"
"The contracts. Honestly, I was a bit surprised. I doubt even top prospects in the US get paid this much."
"No, Clan Leader Lee Ru-da and the Square Garden management team simply judged your value to be that high."
"Hmm..."
A-young shot me a suspicious glance before pulling out her phone to take pictures of the trio. She had her doubts, but I truly hadn't done anything.
In the first place, I had signed my contract the very day Michelle Audrey visited. I trusted that Lee Ru-da would take good care of the party members, and she had indeed assessed our value correctly. It was just that the girls hadn't realized their own worth yet.
Currently, even small to mid-sized clans were testing out Supporters and Defenders. Large clans were already raising D-rank parties with clearly defined roles, and the results were promising. Of course, many argued that the efficiency was lower in low-rank dungeons due to slower clear speeds, but considering the increased stability of the party, it was actually a gain in terms of saving Orbs.
A Jewel of Life wasn't cheap, and since clans usually invested Orbs into low-rank heroes with the intent of "leveling them up," it was a win for the clans as well.
Black Unicorn was the one leading that tactic.
If they could just poach one, any member of Black Unicorn could be made a leader to significantly advance a clan's tactical research. On top of that, while they had only just reached B-rank, their skills were above those of veterans, and except for Anna, everyone could handle multiple roles.
Kwon Ye-jin was a "bruiser" who could switch between Attacker and Defender, while Yoon A-young was an Attacker who could support the frontline and provide area-of-effect attacks. Yu-na was a Supporter capable of dealing sub-damage, and Anna, though her role was limited, was an Attacker who could definitely make up for Black Unicorn's lack of raw offensive power.
The media mostly hyped me up because I caused a lot of trouble and happened to be a man, but every single member of Black Unicorn was an incredible individual.
Looking at them now made me feel proud.
From Ye-jin, who used to defy me, to Anna, who had been on the brink of ruin because she couldn't control her Demonization—these were members I had raised with the utmost care. They were all exceptionally talented, so I couldn't take all the credit, but seeing them grow so well couldn't help but be rewarding.
The thought of bringing in a new member and having to train them and get them used to Supporter tactics was already giving me a headache, though. Since they’d be B-rank, they’d probably have that mindless "attack-move" tactic ingrained in their bones. They might even question my tactics now that they were established.
Their stats and experience might be sufficient, but since I’d have to change their fundamental concepts, it would likely be much harder than teaching the current members.
Even if we did find someone, it would be a challenge.
*
There was no one in Black Unicorn stupid enough to skip training just because they were excited about their contracts. After finishing our respective training sessions, we went our separate ways. Since there was a lot of personal maintenance to do, like getting new equipment, we had been spending more time apart after training lately.
And as the leader of Black Unicorn, I had plenty to do as well.
Actually, was it really me who was busy? It was the staff dedicated to Black Unicorn who were swamped. From designing the exclusive operations room granted to B-ranks to recruiting members, adjusting requests, and managing dungeon and training schedules—the staff were working hard according to my instructions.
I only made the adjustments or final decisions, but the staff were so shorthanded that even the field team members like Woo Jae-hee and Kim Tae-eun were helping out.
The shift from C-rank to B-rank felt significantly different. It might be because Square Garden gave the parties a lot of authority, but it felt like each party was running its own mini-clan. Once this adjustment period was over, I’d have to go back out into the field and act as a hero.
For the time being, my hero activities were on temporary hiatus.
Ah, right. I need to send the money.
I pulled out my smartphone and transferred money to Jeong Yeon-a via bank transfer. Most of my signing bonus would go toward equipment and other expenses, but I still had to take care of my family.
Not long after I sent the money, my phone rang.
"Yeon-woo, what's this money for?"
"It's an allowance. I signed a new contract, so I sent it so you can stop working so hard."
"Hahaha, am I finally living the life of receiving an allowance from my child? I suddenly feel old."
"You're still young. Your skin is still so soft."
When I complimented her, Jeong Yeon-a let out a small laugh.
"I'm still not losing to those young girls. It's a bit much for an allowance, but thank you. Though, I wish you'd give me something other than money."
"I'll visit soon and give you plenty."
After ending the somewhat suggestive call, I was about to head home when I noticed an office with the lights still on.
Our workaholic staff member was still here.
I watched Han Ju-hee working alone in the office from a distance before approaching her.
"You haven't gone home yet?"
"Oh, yes. There are some places I need to contact at night because of the time difference."
Ah... come to think of it, that made sense. Since she was reviewing recruitment on a global scale, time zones were an issue. I had wondered why she stayed so late to work, but looking into the details, there was always a reason.
Feeling a bit guilty for my thoughtless assumption, I sat down next to Han Ju-hee and looked at the hero profile she was reviewing.
"Is she Brazilian?"
"Yes. She's a ranged Attacker with great skills, and she's very interested in Black Unicorn."
South America... as expected, her physique was incredible. Every time she moved while fighting a monster, her characteristically voluptuous body swayed, which was quite a sight.
"However, she has a strong tendency to act independently, so she's not a good fit for Black Unicorn."
Han Ju-hee abruptly turned off the video I was enjoying. I was just getting to the good part...
She immediately pulled up an Excel spreadsheet and drew a line through a cell that seemed to be the hero's name.
Just how many were there?
On the table organizing hundreds of heroes, hardly any names remained intact. These were all names Han Ju-hee had personally checked and disqualified. I hadn't thought the criteria were that strict, but seeing the list changed my mind.
"If it's too hard, should we lower the standards a bit?"
Han Ju-hee looked at my face for a moment, then shook her head.
"No, I'll keep looking. Compared to when I was recruiting Anna Rubik, this is much easier, so I shouldn't complain."
"But I've raised the standards that much higher. I was naive to think it would be easy."
"It's fine. I've already excluded so many heroes that if we change the criteria now, I'd have to re-check everything."
That was true. If I changed the standards now, the list Han Ju-hee had spent days categorizing would become trash. I really wasn't cut out for administrative work. Back in the military, I suffered because of superiors who constantly changed their minds; I almost did the exact same thing just now.
As I stayed quiet out of embarrassment, Han Ju-hee told me not to worry and that she would definitely find someone. Right, I should leave it to the expert and do what I’m good at.
"It's late; are you staying much longer?"
"I'm planning to make one more call in about an hour and then head home. I'll just organize some data while I wait."
The fact that she was staying just for one phone call made me feel even more apologetic.
"Then you have time for a meal, right? Let's go grab something nearby. My treat."
"You don't have to..."
"No, please let me do at least this much since you're working so hard for Black Unicorn. Or I can go buy some snacks."
I hoped I wasn't being tactless by dragging a busy person away.
Han Ju-hee checked the time, then nodded and stood up, turning off her computer. She was wearing a basic white dress shirt and a black skirt, but the office look still suited her perfectly.
I left the clan building with her as she threw on a coat.
"If there's anything you want to eat, just say the word. I'll buy you anything."
"I just need to fill my stomach simply."
"I won't take up too much of your time. Let's eat something delicious instead."
"Thank you."
I had been with Han Ju-hee since the Break Line days. Come to think of it, she was the person I had known the longest.
"How is it working at Square Garden? Compared to Break Line?"
"Hmm... the treatment is different, and the welfare and salary are so vastly different that comparing them would just be badmouthing my previous workplace."
Han Ju-hee spoke indirectly with a bashful smile, as if she were embarrassed. As expected, Break Line was trash.
"I can say this, though. I like the feeling that I'm using all my abilities and learning a lot. I thought I was fairly good at my job, but everyone at Square Garden is so talented that I sometimes lose my confidence."
"You're good at your job too, Ju-hee."
"I was just a big fish in a small pond."
With a faint smile, Han Ju-hee continued.
"That's why I love it. There's so much to learn, and there are so many people to respect that I can feel myself improving just by being with them."
"The people in the clan probably feel the same way when they look at you."
"Hehe, I hope so."
As we were walking and chatting amiably, Han Ju-hee suddenly stopped in her tracks, startled.
Following her gaze, I saw a man standing there who looked familiar.
Wait, is this déjà vu?
Something like this... happened before.
Back then, Baek Bo-min was with us, but now it was just the two of us. I thought they had broken up, but was she still dating him?
The man, whose name I couldn't remember, held up his smartphone and started taking pictures of us.
Click— Click—
He was taking a lot.
After finishing his flashy photoshoot, even using the flash, the man tucked his phone away and flashed a disgusting smile at me.
"Caught you red-handed, didn't I?"
Caught what? Are you still suspicious?