Chapter 57: Break Line Collapse (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 57: Break Line Collapse (4)
As soon as Park Sung-jun emerged from the dungeon, articles and videos began flooding the internet in real-time; there was no need to even go looking for what he was up to.
In a video labeled as breaking news, Park Sung-jun was shown looking utterly bewildered as he scrambled into a van.
It was no wonder he was caught off guard—I had timed the release of the articles right when he was supposed to be entering the boss room.
And here, gathered in one place, were the people who already knew everything.
It had been a struggle to gather this many people in secret. Fortunately, I had Park Su-jin’s connections; if I had been on my own, negotiating with everyone in just two days might have been impossible.
Not everyone had to be here, but this was the finale, after all. Isn't it better to share the good things with as many people as possible?
The Big Players who held stakes in Break Line had taken over the clan leader’s office as they pleased, waiting for Park Sung-jun.
Before long, the secretary’s voice echoed from outside, followed by the sound of rapid approaching footsteps.
The door swung open, and today’s protagonist made his entrance.
Surprise, motherfucker, Park Sung-jun.
Park Sung-jun’s eyes went wide like a startled rabbit as he scanned the Big Players. His gaze soon landed on me, and his face contorted.
"Jeong Yeon-woo... was this your doing...?"
I gave a bright, innocent smile to Park Sung-jun, who had hit the nail right on the head.
He really was quick on the uptake.
Seeing my smile, Park Sung-jun’s expression shifted into that of a murderer. His trembling hands looked ready to seize my throat at any moment, and his tightly clenched teeth seemed poised to tear into my jugular.
You should have known when to stop.
Why did you have to threaten me and try to involve my family?
If you had just stayed still, it would have been good for Break Line and good for me.
Though he had been momentarily agitated, Park Sung-jun quickly regained his composure, his expression returning to its usual mask.
"It seems everyone has been misled by this brat, but the articles are not true."
Park Sung-jun spoke politely to the Big Players, but their expressions didn't budge.
Among them were those he had slept with to secure his position, and those who had been his accomplices in his misdeeds.
However, the Big Players who had already completely washed their hands of Park Sung-jun merely watched him with cold, silent gazes.
Realizing from their eyes that they had already turned their backs on him, Park Sung-jun let out a hollow, incredulous laugh. He glared at them one by one.
"President Lee Ok-soon, are you sure you want to betray me like this? You know very well what I have in my possession."
I know, I know! I know too.
I’ve already finished my deal with President Lee Ok-soon. Don't you worry.
I suppressed the urge to taunt him from the sidelines and simply watched Park Sung-jun’s one-man show.
When Lee Ok-soon merely stared back with a stoic gaze, Park Sung-jun turned his arrows of blame toward someone else.
"President Baek Yeon-ji, it’s me, Park Sung-jun. I’m the one who grew Break Line to this level. Break Line won't collapse over some petty articles. You know me."
President Baek Yeon-ji, who loved money as much as she loved men, looked at Park Sung-jun with icy eyes.
"Clan Leader, let’s end it here. You’ve worked hard up until now."
For the record, when I went to strike a deal with that old woman, she tried to make a move on me under the guise of helping.
It was skin-crawling to feel those wrinkled, aged hands fumbling at my thigh.
It was a moment where I actually felt a shred of respect for Park Sung-jun for being able to sleep with a woman like that.
However, the moment the Halmangu realized who was backing me, she immediately prostrated herself.
Watching these villains engage in a desperate internal struggle was hilarious.
Among the people gathered here as 'Big Players,' not a single one was a good person. They were humans who enjoyed crushing others with wealth and would do anything if money was involved.
They were trash who didn't even bother to hide their foul lusts.
Watching these greedy pigs—whether male or female—grunting in their gluttony was truly revolting.
My only regret was that out of all these pigs, Park Sung-jun was the only villain being slaughtered today.
Ah, wait. Am I one of the villains too?
"Oink, oink."
When I mimicked the sound of a pig, everyone turned to look at me.
Ah, maybe I played around too much given the serious atmosphere.
Taking advantage of the attention, I looked at Park Sung-jun with a smile.
"They didn't gather here just because of the wiretapping. You’ve committed embezzlement, manipulation, and far too many things a Hero should never do. That’s why they’ve gathered in such a hurry."
"Hahaha, the brat has certainly grown bold."
Park Sung-jun’s party members belatedly entered through the open door.
They looked confused, not fully grasping the situation, but as they stood behind Park Sung-jun and the door closed, the room was filled with a sense of intimidation.
Judging by the way some of the Heroes glared at the back of his head with looks of pure dissatisfaction, it didn't seem like they were all on his side. Regardless of their feelings, however, the mere presence of the party members behind Park Sung-jun provided significant pressure.
On our side, there were only eight powerless civilians and one D-rank Hero.
Han So-ye looked at the crowd with anxious eyes before making eye contact with me.
Her eyes widened when she saw me, her expression shifting to one of worry.
As I smiled at her to tell her not to worry, Park Sung-jun spoke in a low voice.
"By the authority of the Clan Leader, I am initiating a 'Break'."
Break.
The terminology varied by clan, but it meant assuming command over all Heroes in an emergency.
It was a type of Clan Leader prerogative and command right intended to stabilize the clan during chaotic situations, such as when a monster appeared in the world. It placed their orders above all else.
Since it forced compliance, it was essentially a declaration that they would handle the situation even if it meant bypassing the law in a true emergency.
However, it didn't have any magical or cursed binding force; it was more of a contractual obligation where the members were expected to follow the Clan Leader's authority.
"Cut the bullshit."
And of course, one could rebel like that.
A B-rank Hero from Park Sung-jun’s party, who looked to have a nasty temperament, spat out a curse.
"Yoon Na-young, you are still a Hero of Break Line."
"I’m quitting, you son of a bitch. It was you, wasn't it? You’re the bastard who leaked that weird info when my husband was trying to move to a U.S. clan. You motherfucker, Jin-woo suspected me because of you, and we even got divorced. You should be grateful I’m not caving your skull in right now. I treated you well because you were a cute guy, and you went and lost your damn mind."
As the Hero finished her tirade with eyes blazing with fury, the expressions of the other Heroes behind Park Sung-jun shifted.
Wow, he really did pile up a lot of bad karma.
Now cornered from both front and back, Park Sung-jun stared intensely at me.
"I’ve been played quite beautifully."
"That’s why you should have known when to stop."
"So, what’s next? Are you going to install a D-rank Hero as the Clan Leader? Ah—I suppose since she’s famous right now, she’d make a decent figurehead. But you know what? If I leave, Break Line is finished."
Park Sung-jun turned to the Heroes behind him and shouted.
"You all know it! I’m the one who brought Break Line this far. Who among you is going to lead Break Line if not me? Do you think Break Line can function without me?! And do you think there’s another clan out there that would take you in without Break Line?!"
He wasn't wrong. Without Park Sung-jun’s dirty dealings behind the scenes, Break Line—which lacked a single A-rank Hero—couldn't be maintained.
But then again, did we even need Break Line?
While Park Sung-jun was screaming at the top of his lungs, the office door opened, and everyone turned around.
"... ..."
Park Sung-jun’s party members, who had been more arrogant than anyone else within Break Line, stood there with blank expressions before stepping aside.
The sound of clicking heels echoed as a woman with a cold expression walked in with dignity.
"... ... Lee Ru-da..."
Park Sung-jun muttered, his face dazed.
Long black hair, and eyes that seemed to transcend the world.
Lee Ru-da, possessing a presence stronger than anyone else, led the Heroes of Square Garden inside. The Heroes of Break Line parted before her like the Red Sea.
Lee Ru-da ignored Park Sung-jun and walked past him, looking down at me among the Big Players with cold eyes.
"I’ve come to buy Break Line, as promised. Sign the papers."
Lee Ru-da took a sip of the drink in her tumbler.
She hated bitter things and loved sweets, so she didn't drink coffee.
However, she felt that meeting guests while drinking something like cola would diminish her dignity as a Clan Leader. She had forced herself to drink coffee for a while, but recently, she had switched to using a tumbler.
Inside the opaque tumbler was a sweet strawberry smoothie.
As she pulled the tumbler away, she secretly licked the lid with her lips to ensure none of the contents were visible. Lee Ru-da set the tumbler down gracefully and glared at the man sitting across from her.
The much-discussed D-rank prospect, Jeong Yeon-woo.
However, this time, he hadn't come as a Hero, but as a seller.
Having skillfully obtained the consent of the stakeholders, he had come as their representative to sell Break Line.
The clan he belonged to had no value as a product.
However, Lee Ru-da was curious to see how he would package and sell a pathetic product like Break Line.
Even in the presence of one of Korea’s few S-rank Heroes, Jeong Yeon-woo sat with a relaxed posture, sipping his coffee.
"You should acquire Break Line."
"And why should I?"
Though Lee Ru-da’s powerful gaze was burdensome, Jeong Yeon-woo didn't show it and spoke calmly.
"Because it’s cheapest right now."
"Break Line has two hot rookie prospects and one more prospect who has been showing promise for a while."
Lee Ru-da nodded as if acknowledging that much, then fixed Jeong Yeon-woo with an even more pressuring, intense gaze.
"And? Is there anything else? If it’s prospects we want, we can just scout them once their contracts are up. There’s absolutely no reason for us to buy a bloated, useless entity like Break Line."
"That’s true, but I think I’m about to sign a ten-year life-term contract. I doubt I'll ever be for sale."
Jeong Yeon-woo spoke honestly and shrugged his shoulders.
"So in the end, you’re asking for help."
"No. I intend to sell Break Line."
When Lee Ru-da spoke mockingly, Jeong Yeon-woo shifted his posture and met her gaze.
"If you acquire Break Line, you’ll likely reorganize the Heroes as you see fit, but first, there are many B-rank Heroes. Even if they aren't suited for the front lines, they are experienced Heroes on the verge of retirement."
He was saying there were many talented individuals who could be used for training rookies or other duties, even if they couldn't handle main missions like dungeon raids or capturing villains.
Human resources like these were scarce in any clan. After reminding her of that, Jeong Yeon-woo continued.
"You’ve likely already assessed the secondary resources Break Line possesses, so I’d like to talk about something else. That’s the only way to whet Hero Lee Ru-da’s appetite, isn't it?"
"My tastes are quite picky."
Lee Ru-da wouldn't even touch something unless it was as sweet as a strawberry-berry smoothie.
She watched to see how sweet of a proposal he would make, and his relaxed mouth began to move.
"First, you can acquire three Heroes who will become A-ranks within two or three years at a bargain price."
"You’re quite confident. I didn't know you were the type to be so full of yourself."
"I don't overrate myself. This is strictly a cold, analytical assessment."
If any other passing D-rank Hero had said such a thing, she would have immediately made them realize their true place.
However, Lee Ru-da found it hard to simply dismiss him, as she had personally read the reports where he devised strategies using supporters and evaluated Heroes.
Even so, two or three years was an exaggeration. Lee Ru-da brushed it off, thinking he was overstating things to make the package look more appetizing.
"And since you seem to have a great interest in supporters, I will establish a tactical theory through my party. My party will provide the proof as well."
"Now that is quite interesting."
Lee Ru-da’s eyes sparkled.
Currently, she was more interested in the tactics inside Jeong Yeon-woo’s head than in the Hero himself.
And yet, he was volunteering to create tactics for Square Garden.
As his proposal began to grow more enticing, Lee Ru-da picked up her tumbler and took a drink.
It was the strawberry smoothie she loved enough to drink every day, but strangely, it didn't taste as good as his proposal.
"And this is the last thing."
Jeong Yeon-woo trailed off, inserting a pause.
Curious about what kind of proposal would require such hesitation, Lee Ru-da stared at him intently. He pondered for a moment before letting out a smirk.
"I will make Hero Lee Yu-na an S-rank."
"... ..."
As Lee Ru-da’s gaze turned fierce, Jeong Yeon-woo quickly added more.
"Actually, it’s such a personal matter that I wasn't going to bring it up, but I said it because you didn't seem quite tempted enough. Please put Hero Lee Yu-na in my party. I’ll climb to S-rank with her."
"You came here to sell something, and yet you’re asking for a bonus from me? What a ridiculous trade. Do you really think I’ll accept that?"
Looking at the mocking Lee Ru-da, Jeong Yeon-woo gave a broad smile.
"Yes. Because you’re a kind older sister who cherishes her younger sister."
"... ..."
"You’re worried about the future of your sister, who has a support skill with a major drawback. I’ll take that worry away for you."
At his words, Lee Ru-da was left speechless.
Letting out a hollow laugh at his incredibly nonchalant attitude, Lee Ru-da placed her tumbler on the desk.
"If you break or hurt Yu-na after I entrust her to you, you’ll pay for it ten-thousand-fold."
"Then the deal is struck. I look forward to working with you, Clan Leader."
Despite Lee Ru-da’s threatening words, Jeong Yeon-woo smiled brightly.