Master? What the Hell Is That? (3)
The headquarters of the Jirisan Monster Defense Legion was located in Sancheong City.
Inside the helicopter en route to Sancheong.
"What does everyone think?"
Major General Oh Jinhyeong's question was answered first by Major General Gu Junyoung.
"It's definitely not an awakener, but there's something there for sure."
"And what's that something?"
"It was incredibly natural. We're commanders ourselves, Masters even, but..."
"Not a hint of intimidation, right?"
"Yes! He had charisma ingrained in his very bones. I almost doubted if he really was Kim Taeju, the mana rejector from Paju Territory that Military Intelligence investigated."
Park Pilseong chimed in too.
"It's not just charisma. He even clashed with Lee Jeonghak and held his own."
"Exactly. When we shook hands, I slipped in a bit of my energy, but he brushed it off with a smile."
"...Brushed it off?"
"Yeah. His energy doesn't even reach expert level, but the way he handles it surpasses expert technique."
"That's strange. Sure, sometimes mana compatibles who haven't awakened are stronger than awakeners, but Kim Taeju's a mana rejector, isn't he?"
"What's wrong with being a mana rejector? He must've overcome his curse somehow."
On the other hand, Hong Juntak looked worried.
"That's exactly what bothers me. I still think we should've killed Lee Jeonghak."
"True. He's definitely marked the guy now."
"He's already produced two antidotes in such a short time. One of them's a strategic asset. For the sake of our military, we need to protect him."
"But wasn't Lee Jeonghak acting a bit off back then? The bastard was fidgeting like a dog desperate to take a shit."
Everyone nodded.
Yeah.
It had been weird.
"Anyway, let's deal with Jo Hoonseok. Juntak, you're on it."
"I'll dispatch mobile special forces agents to Gurye right away."
"Don't leave any evidence!"
"Yes, sir!"
Oh Jinhyeong issued orders to Park Pilseong and Gu Junyoung as well.
"Pull ten men from each of your divisions. Make sure to include at least one expert-level officer. Mission: guard the antidote production factory and the orphanage."
"I'll prepare one platoon from the division's direct search team."
"Yes, sir!"
And then,
Oh Jinhyeong eyed the four rationalist-faction awakeners tied up like dead rats in the corner of the helicopter with cold indifference.
But Ma Sang-sik flinched, gauging their moods.
The generals exchanging secretive talk even with them awake unnerved him.
"Uh, we didn't hear anything."
Oh Jinhyeong replied with a warm smile.
"It's fine. You can listen."
"Pardon?"
"Do you know why we brought you along?"
"W-well..."
That was the strange part.
They knew exactly who was behind it all.
They'd even talked about sending troops to handle it.
In short, they weren't needed at all.
"It was just to embarrass Lee Jeonghak a bit. A warning not to get cocky relying on Free City."
"Ah! I see... So, you're letting us go then?"
"Well, goal achieved, so yeah, we'll cut you loose."
"Th-thank you!"
The helicopter was already flying over the Jirisan dense forest.
At maximum altitude to avoid flying monsters.
No flying monsters would come this high anyway, and even if they did, it didn't matter.
This was a combat helicopter equipped to shake them off.
Suddenly!
Hong Juntak stood from his seat at Oh Jinhyeong's glance.
He slid open the side door with a rumble.
"One by one. Out you go."
"...Pardon?"
Ma Sang-sik gaped blankly at the abrupt command.
"Why the surprise? I said we'd let you go."
"Where to? ...You don't mean from here?"
"What, you expect us to escort you home nicely?"
"W-we'll die if you drop us from here!"
"Dumbass?"
Hong Juntak hurled Ma Sang-sik out first.
Whoosh!
"See ya!"
"Gah! Aaaaaaaaah!"
Then one after another.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Uwaaah..."
"S-save... aaagh!"
"You fucking bastards aaaah!"
Hong Juntak dusted off his hands and sat back down.
"Once back at base, start live combat training. We're launching a large-scale subjugation op soon."
"We'll run it alongside material gathering ops."
"Once the spore poison antidote's supplied, we'll hunt camel antler deer too."
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood."
"Report the exact number of camel antler deer hunted for spore poison. No skimming."
"...Y-yes, sir."
"...Understood."
The day after the clash with Lee Jeonghak.
Baek Seoyeonn arrived in Gurye from New Seoul.
She hadn't found a house yet.
She planned to stay at the orphanage until a suitable place turned up.
If anything, that felt better.
Like coming home.
On the way, she'd called all her contacts one by one to learn about the situation in Gurye.
Why her father had suddenly started a company, who this Kim Taeju was that he'd partnered with.
That led to a call with Baek Changhoon, like a blood brother to her.
- Taeju hyung? He's the real deal. My life's mentor, more than worthy of my respect.
"Mentor? Didn't you say you wanted to be like Dad?"
- Come on, does a mentor have to be just one person? Dad and Taeju hyung—both are my role models and mentors.
"Hmm, I was worried he might be a con artist."
- Con artist? The guy's tossing tens of billions at the orphanage like pocket change, and he didn't hold back on that pricey camel antler deer meat either.
"Camel antler deer? ...Spore poison ones?"
- Yeah, hyung and I hunted 'em together.
The meaning of that...
"You mean the antidote's already made?"
- Spot on. Taeju hyung made it. Mass production's starting soon.
Now it clicked.
Why her father had called her.
A father who only wanted the best for his child.
Yet he'd quit a big corporation to start a company with a partner and asked her for help.
Baek Seoyeonn had been rising fast as the youngest manager.
By common sense, no parent who wanted their child's success would make such a request.
Of course, she was ready to sacrifice that much for her father.
'Turns out it was for me all along.'
Taehong Bio, freshly founded.
No mere startup or venture.
A company with success guaranteed.
A stage where she could unleash her full potential.
Baek Seoyeonn hailed a taxi and headed to the address her father had given.
She arrived quickly.
A somewhat shabby five-story building.
A crowd gathered in the wide open lot out front.
"Oh?"
Familiar faces too.
Changhoon and her grown-up friends and siblings from the orphanage, plus kids who looked like current residents.
'Some kind of party?'
Two bonfires blazed, with massive pots hanging over them.
Just then, she spotted her father.
Baek Seoyeonn jumped out of the taxi and ran over.
"Dad!"
"...Huh? Oh! Seoyeonn!"
Baek Hongpyo greeted her warmly.
"You rascal! You should've called ahead— I'd have come to pick you up."
"Hehe, wanted to surprise you."
"Didn't surprise me much. Kid, there's been so many shocks lately."
"I bet. So, party today?"
"Party? Nah, after all that drinking yesterday, we're just doing hangover soup with camel antler deer bone broth."
"...Pardon?"
It was hard to believe.
Spore poison camel antler deer wasn't just pricey meat—the bones were too.
And they were using it for hangover soup?
"Oh! Look at me. Come here. Someone I want you to meet."
"Huh? Who... Oh!"
Baek Hongpyo grabbed Baek Seoyeonn's hand and dragged her over to Taeju, who was ladling soup for the kids.
"Taeju."
"Elder, eat up quick before the broth runs out. These kids'll devour it all."
"Hoho, just looking at it fills me up. Oh, right—introductions. This is the daughter I mentioned..."
"Ah! Baek Seoyeonn, right?"
Taeju stopped what he was doing and approached her.
"Heard a lot about you. Kim Taeju."
"Baek Seoyeonn."
"Looking forward to working together. I can make antidotes, but I'm clueless about everything else."
"Is there anything more important in a pharma company than making medicine? I'll be in your care—let's make Taehong Bio the top company in the Samhan Empire."
Taeju shook her hand with a pleased smile.
Things were falling into place.
He'd develop new drugs, President Baek Hongpyo would handle distribution, Baek Seoyeonn management. Baek Changhoon would cover security and odd jobs.
'Come to think of it, everyone's Baek except me.'
So what?
They were all trustworthy.
Even Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak of the martial world had been the same.
When his clan lost its base to the Demonic Cult and fled to the borderlands, the key to their revival wasn't money or martial arts—it was people.
No home, no land, not a penny to their name, but with reliable people by your side, you'd achieve your goals eventually.
'Coming to President Baek first with the antidote was a godsend move.'
Taehong Pharma, steadily shaping up with Baek Seoyeonn's addition.
And a few days later.
Baek's Drugstore finally resumed selling mosquito poison antidote.
Before the sun rose, an endless line snaked out.
As Baek Hongpyo raised the shutter, people surged in like a tide.
No one griped about side effects.
There weren't any to begin with.
Free City Gurye.
Inside the Castle, known as the safest spot.
Where the wealthy lived, so the district was impeccably maintained.
Clean streets, wide roads, luxury sedans cruising by.
Jo Hoonseok hadn't left the Castle in days.
He felt like he'd get stoned if he went out.
But today, he had no choice.
Autonomy Committee meeting day, and the standing members had demanded attendance.
Agenda: grilling him on his responsibility for drug price-fixing and bullying small pharmacies.
He'd ended up admitting fault.
With Imperial envoy Ji Gwangin and Cheonwang Group Chairman Min Dongyeol turning their backs, resistance was futile.
'Fucking bastards.'
How much those pitying stares had irked him.
Guild Master Lee Jeonghak hadn't shown.
Thankfully, no talk of the rationalist hit job.
He'd been inwardly sweating that too.
Anyway, this mess was settled for now.
Lay low a few months, and it'd fade from memory.
Time to head back to the Castle.
Better not leave for a while.
Late night.
Jo Hoonseok drove toward the Castle entrance.
Stopped at a signal, a motorcycle pulled up beside the driver's seat.
Vroom! Vrooom, vroom!
"What the?"
Glancing at the noisy engine,
Crack! Crash!
"Gasp!"
A blunt weapon shattered the car window and slammed into Jo Hoonseok's temple.
"Urgh."
He blacked out from the impact.
When he came to, blinking slowly.
'...Huh? Where am I?'
Still in the car.
Beyond the front windshield, a vast lake stretched out.
'That's...'
The artificial lake encircling the Castle.
He glanced at the side door in panic—the car teetered on the cliff edge.
'G-gotta get out!'
Or it'd plunge.
Unbuckle first.
Click!
But.
"Wha?"
The belt wouldn't release.
That was when.
"You awake?"
"Gah!"
Someone was in the back seat.
"Wh-what? Who the hell are you?"
"Who else? If you don't get it in this situation, you're a real idiot."
"Ah..."
Chills ran down Jo Hoonseok's spine.
A hit job?
He'd done this to others, never dreamed it'd happen to him.
"K-Kim Taeju send you?"
"Nah, Namwon Monster Defense Division Mobile Special Forces."
"Military? Why the military?"
"Why do you think? Because of what you did. Didn't you know mosquito poison antidote's a military strategic material now? You being alive might disrupt production."
"Uwaaah..."
Jo Hoonseok trembled in terror.
"P-please, spare me. I won't interfere, I swear."
"Can't guess why I told you my affiliation? You think I said it to let you live?"
"I-I'll keep it secret, I swear—"
"You crossed the line. Shouldn't have ordered the hit. Might've lived otherwise."
Thwack!
Another blow to the back of his head.
Jo Hoonseok slowly lost consciousness.
His final regret.
'Because of Baek's Drugstore's military contract?'
The military wanted steady antidote supply—his existence was a thorn.
'If they'd just left me alone...'
It would've stayed local to Gurye, maybe no military supply at all.
Tilt,
The car slowly tipped.
Then splash—into the artificial lake.
From the cliff above, the man watched till the end.
Until the rippling waves calmed.
He stood a while longer, then pulled out his radio.
"Mission complete. Heading back now."
Finding Jo Hoonseok's car would be tough.
Even if they did, it'd be ruled an accident.