Shall We Make a Bet?
Son Jung-beom left his office and headed straight for the situation room, Eum Yeong-jin glued to his side.
They hurried into the elevator and spoke as the doors closed.
“They invite us to meet, then announce Joo Se-ah's rank-up? That's a total slap in the face. This is a declaration of war!”
Son Jung-beom, who had been preparing to meet Kang Moo-hyuk based on Eum Yeong-jin's report, grasped the gravity of the situation upon seeing Joo Se-ah's press conference.
Like every Baekho Guild master before him, his innate survival instinct was screaming a warning.
“That bastard planned to finish us from the start.”
He should have seen it coming when Kang Moo-hyuk started hanging around Seong Seon-je.
'I thought he was working with Kang Moo-hyuk because of Joo Se-ah, but it was Seong Seon-je's endorsement that made them partners.'
Seong Seon-je was infamous for being picky about who he worked with. To earn his cooperation, you needed real ability to back it up. Otherwise, you'd just get used or outright ignored.
“The key right now is whether Joo Se-ah is really S-rank.”
Eum Yeong-jin's voice trembled without him realizing it. He caught himself and knew he was tense.
Son Jung-beom, by contrast, stayed calm.
“They put on a show like a national address—full production value. They wouldn't bluff that big. Joo Se-ah was already a top S-rank candidate anyway. The timing's the only surprise.”
“Being a candidate doesn't mean everyone makes it to S-rank.”
Son Jung-beom shook his head firmly, rejecting Eum Yeong-jin's doubt.
“She might've already been S-rank. Maybe they've been hiding it.”
“Why hide it? The perks of S-rank are huge...”
“Perks come with downsides. Threats from Japan's hunter world, checks from Korea's top guilds. Without a guild strong enough to back her, none of it's easy. Staying hidden might've been smarter.”
The elevator dinged at their floor.
As the doors opened, a cacophony rushed in—operators frantically calling dispatched hunters, comms chatter checking perimeter defenses. It was chaos like a flea market.
The situation room operator team lead locked eyes with Son Jung-beom but just nodded curtly, no formal bow.
Son Jung-beom didn't mind.
In a tier guild, the situation room ran on real-time field needs. Even A-rank guilds were looser about this stuff.
Take Titan Guild—Vice Guild Master Ma Tae-soo ran the situation room and most key departments.
Tier guilds alone understood how vital independence was for strategic and ops teams. Even guild masters didn't meddle lightly.
The team lead finished barking orders to his crew before approaching Son Jung-beom.
“Defenses?”
“Bumped straight to Level 1. Contacted the gate team mid-raid too.”
“They won't make it back in time.”
“You think they'll hit us right away? Fighting in downtown? Honestly, even I'm against it. No matter how crazy they are, provoking the authorities would be a burden.”
“This isn't your average lunatic. Didn't you see Sinuiju? He booted out those Chinese satellite guilds. And the Hwangyong Guild guys, famous for never backing down—they're in his pocket too. Nothing's off-limits for him.”
Son Jung-beom had never met Kang Moo-hyuk, but he was dead certain of the threat.
Eum Yeong-jin, who'd clashed with him multiple times, wasn't so sure. He had a different take.
'Isn't Joo Se-ah's S-rank announcement making things safer for us? Hitting us right after she goes S-rank would rile up the other tier guilds. Starting a guild war in Seoul? That's begging to be labeled a dangerous element. Even for Kang Moo-hyuk, it's a lose-lose. He can't be that blind.'
Eum Yeong-jin's thoughts didn't reach Son Jung-beom. A call from the lobby cut in.
“Vice Guild Master, Iron Will's Kang Moo-hyuk is here. Says he'll wait in the lobby cafe. Your orders?”
“Who'd he come with?”
The operator on the line checked with the lobby and paused, surprised, before turning back.
“Alone, sir.”
Baekho Guild's headquarters stood in Bongrae-dong.
A 50-story building on the main drag, Seoul Station in front, Namdaemun behind.
Built with gate-sourced special metals from frame to finish, it wouldn't crumble under most impacts—a landmark guarding Namdaemun.
Kang Moo-hyuk sat in the lobby cafe, coffee ordered but untouched.
Gazing quietly out the glass wall, someone approached.
“Our guild coffee's great. Free for guests too—why not pair it with some cake while you're here?”
Kang Moo-hyuk glanced around. He'd arranged it; the place was empty except for them. He flicked his eyes only, sizing up the man.
A friendly-faced middle-aged guy, a bit short but solidly built, looking down at him.
“Have a seat, Baekho Guild Master Son Jung-beom.”
Kang Moo-hyuk's host-like demeanor flipped the roles.
Son Jung-beom clocked the confidence. He pulled out the opposite chair without protest and sat.
'Fearless? Or just cocky?'
With an S-rank in her pocket, anyone would strut.
The two men locked eyes briefly. Son Jung-beom broke the silence first.
“This situation worries me deeply, Raid Leader Kang.”
“What's worrying you?”
“When have we ever fought? Ah, sorry about the noise up in North Pocheon last time. Our Park Beom-il stirred things up too. Hunters are hard to control, you know. Anyway, aside from misunderstandings, there's no bad blood between Baekho and Iron Will.”
“No bad blood, yet you're worried?”
“Just because you can't see the blade doesn't mean it's not aimed at us. Put it away while we're talking nice. Hostility's worse than friendship, no?”
“That's why I came alone—to keep it friendly.”
“You ask to meet, then drop that S-rank bomb right before? That's asking for a fight.”
“That kind? What kind do you mean?”
“Cancer lump? Hah! Ridiculous.”
“Hit a nerve?”
Son Jung-beom nearly smashed Kang Moo-hyuk's head in.
But he couldn't. Not reason holding him back.
A thread of killing intent wrapped his body in an instant.
He traced its source.
Outside the cafe's glass—a lone figure on a bench across the boulevard.
'J-Joo Se-ah...'
Far off. Kang Moo-hyuk close by.
Even an S-rank needed distance, but enough to kill him before she intervened?
He couldn't risk it. Killing Kang Moo-hyuk would doom him and the guild.
A guild master killing another guild's civilian exec?
Perfect casus belli.
The realization chilled his spine.
'He's betting his life to provoke me? Insane.'
The provocation rested on Kang Moo-hyuk's bet: Son wouldn't make the worst choice.
Son knew it too, glaring across the street in disbelief.
Kang Moo-hyuk spoke once he confirmed the man got it.
“I have docs on Baekho Guild's various corruptions. Colluding with Hwangyong Guild to let Chinese forces take Sinuiju. Evidence of plotting the Makyung incident to sow chaos on the peninsula.”
“Fabricated evidence? We'll deny it. Call it fake. Rally public opinion. Say the S-rank hunter's pushing us out to take our spot—conspiracy. Rumors will flood the press. Inappropriate guild master-raid leader ties, the Sinuiju massacre without government talks. Evidence overflows.”
“Fabricated, right? You're well-prepared.”
“Issues over truth. Wanna bet? Who wins?”
Kang Moo-hyuk groaned like it stung.
“Issues over truth. Agreed. Truth's hard and painful. Issues are easy and fun. People believe what they want because it's entertaining. I'd probably lose.”
“So, ready for friendly ties now?”
“If we fight with truth alone, yeah.”
“What?”
Kang Moo-hyuk pulled his smartphone from his jacket, set it on the table, and dialed.
International call: country code '86', area '10'.
Beijing, China.
The tone cut off. He switched to speaker.
“Professor Guan, Kang Moo-hyuk here. With Baekho Guild Master Son Jung-beom. Got words for him?”
A moment later, English from the speaker.
Short, but the nasal tone was unmistakable to Son Jung-beom.
His hunter senses confirmed: Guan Hong himself.
His long-time partner was cutting him loose.
“Tea sometime, Professor Guan.”
Kang Moo-hyuk ended it before Son could interject—smugly.
“You get the picture now. Let's talk what's coming for Baekho Guild.”
“...”
“Hwangyong Guild will issue a statement. Baekho plotted to disrupt Northeast Asia peace, pitting Chinese, Korean, and Russian hunters against each other.”
“What nonsense...”
“The Chinese guild alliance, including Hwangyong, expresses deep condolences to affected hunters and civilians. They'll assist Guild Master Joo Se-ah in investigating and punishing all threats to regional hunter peace.”
“Bullshit! The Chinese led that war—you know we have proof too!”
“Told you. No truth fight.”
Son Jung-beom's heart sank, even without hearing the rest.
Kang Moo-hyuk continued.
“Chinese S-rank hunter Sim Wol. Died heroically fighting Zmei Gorynych for regional peace.”
“That was the Tyrant who...”
“An S-rank national strategic asset sacrifices for peace—and Baekho's to blame. Who'll they believe? Curious? Wanna bet on it?”