29. The One Who's Scared Will Back Down First.
From major media outlets to personal streamers, all forms of media and forums were abuzz with news and discussions about the revival of the raid leader system after twenty years.
But before the excitement could even fade, a breaking story the next morning drew people's attention away from the raid leader position entirely.
Bang!
"What the hell is this? Taeseong Guild is relocating? To Myeongseong City? Where the fuck is that?!"
Tae Su-cheol, who had first learned of the guild relocation through the news, slammed his desk in rage.
It wasn't the relocation itself that pissed him off. It was the fact that he hadn't known about it.
His secretary subtly chimed in as Tae Su-cheol's face flushed red with anger.
"This might actually work out for the best. If Guild Master Joo Se-ah, that thorn in your side, gets pushed to some backwater, she'll naturally fade from the chairman's sight too, won't she?"
"You think so? The youngest always draws more attention when she's out of sight."
"No way the chairman would go that far..."
"The old man from back in the day? Maybe not. But he's gotten soft lately. No guarantee he won't let emotions sway him."
Tae Su-cheol was dissatisfied with the situation slipping beyond his control. To him, everything and everyone except himself were mere pawns on a board. If he couldn't move the pieces himself, they at least had to stay in his line of sight to satisfy him.
He was known outwardly as calm and cool-headed, but that was just an act to avoid showing weakness before claiming the chairman's seat. His true nature was that of a tyrant, driven by the urge to destroy anything he couldn't possess.
'All this because of that Kang Moo-hyuk bastard? Popping out of nowhere and getting on my nerves.'
Tae Su-cheol checked the time.
"He still not here? It's almost ten."
"Would he dare be late? It's a meeting with you, Vice Chairman."
"That guy's just never sat right with me."
Tae Su-cheol was waiting for Kang Moo-hyuk.
The moment the raid leader appointment article dropped yesterday, he'd summoned him to group HQ, but the guy had spouted some excuses about not being able to come right away, promised to visit the next day, and then cut off contact like it was nothing.
Even giving him the benefit of the doubt and rescheduling for today, he should have arrived thirty minutes early to wait.
A mere raid leader—not even a guild master of an affiliate—daring to ignore Taeseong's next-in-line? It grated on him.
The intercom buzzed right on the dot at ten.
"Vice Chairman, Taeseong Guild Raid Leader Kang Moo-hyuk has arrived."
"Send him in."
Asshole's got timing down to the second.
Already on my shitlist, and now this? First impressions in the toilet.
The man who soon entered the vice chairman's office had neatly combed-back hair with a sharp part, piercing eyes, and a cold demeanor—otherwise utterly ordinary.
Nothing standout, yet he carried an intangible aura that made him hard to dismiss lightly.
"Taeseong Guild Raid Leader, Kang Moo-hyuk."
Tae Su-cheol dismissed his secretary and gestured to the sofa.
"Sit."
Kang Moo-hyuk took a seat to the right of Tae Su-cheol in the head chair. He leaned slightly toward him, eyes fixed deferentially below the vice chairman's chin—posture screaming he'd listen intently to every word. The way he sat made him look like Tae Su-cheol's right-hand man, comfortable and familiar.
'Look at this guy.'
Tae Su-cheol had planned to come out swinging, but reconsidered.
What clearer sign of surrender could there be?
He's broadcasting submission with his whole body.
'Good instincts for survival, or just a black-hearted schemer?'
Suspicion was inevitable, but you didn't turn away someone bowing their head.
To run a behemoth like Taeseong, you had to clearly divide allies from enemies—and use the neutrals if they proved useful.
As Tae Su-cheol pondered, Kang Moo-hyuk spoke first.
"My apologies for yesterday. Too many eyes watching; couldn't move right away."
"Bound to happen when you're busy. So, took the raid leader gig? Must be a shitstorm around you. Everything alright?"
"Taeseong gets no respect among guilds, but it's still family from a chaebol, right? They sneer but can't ignore us. Didn't realize from the inside how much shade the Taeseong Group casts—big enough to block the midday sun when you're powerless."
'Acknowledging the guild as a group subsidiary?'
Tae Su-cheol caught the implication and tilted his head.
'A guy like that relocates the guild without HQ notice? To some provincial hole?'
As wariness rose at the contradiction, Kang Moo-hyuk pressed forward.
"I did inform Director Tae Su-man... As you heard in his report, this is a golden opportunity to sideline Guild Master Joo Se-ah."
Tae Su-cheol flinched.
They'd been scheming recently—must've been about this. But why tell me?
His mind raced to the simplest conclusion.
'Ah, guild rat through and through—clueless about group power plays.'
From the outside, Tae Su-cheol was Taeseong's undisputed heir.
The succession fight was "over," crown prince set—that was the public line. Reality was a second prince's rebellion brewing.
No outsider would know.
That realization made Tae Su-man all the more irritating.
Using the raid leader to check Joo Se-ah was fine, but trying to turn the guild into his puppet? Unacceptable.
To test his theory, Tae Su-cheol probed Kang Moo-hyuk.
"Director Tae Su-man must've promised something good. Told him to handle it himself."
"Industry-first non-hunter guild leader? More than satisfying for me. Grateful for the offer."
"No big deal. Stick with me, and your path's paved in gold."
"Looking forward to it."
Tae Su-cheol decided against anger—instead, he'd sweet-talk and steal this card from Tae Su-man.
Taeseong Guild was an ugly duckling in guild circles, but in chaebol management, it could be molded into a swan.
His father the chairman kept it at arm's length, but the next owner thought differently.
'Kills two birds: Joo Se-ah and the girl. Might even be my joker card.'
He'd called to intimidate, but seeing Kang Moo-hyuk's potential utility, Tae Su-cheol flipped course.
"No need to drag busy Director Tae Su-man back in. Why don't you brief me on your plans?"
"Should've prepped a presentation if I knew I'd pitch straight to you, Vice Chairman."
"No need for formality. Just lay it all out, no holding back."
"Understood. I'll speak freely, 'no holding back.'"
At the same time, Taeseong Guild staff were in full panic.
The sudden relocation news out of nowhere.
No one inside had known meant it was done in secret—or fake news.
They prayed for the latter.
"Internal notice dropped!"
"Nooo, please be fake news!"
Trembling hands gripped mice as they checked the guild intranet.
The relocation is confirmed and proceeding as reported in the news.
The content matched the news exactly.
Relocation was a done deal.
"North Pocheon... We gotta go? Really?"
"Fuck this, makes no sense? Sudden move to a special zone? That's a monster den!"
"They're taking resignations. Only volunteers."
"Might as well fire us."
"Let's barricade. Can't accept this."
Guild hunters were just as frantic, their morale shredded.
Choi Mi-ran clutched her face with a sigh.
"Damn, going there kills our only selling point."
"We had one?"
"Being a Seoul guild."
"Ah."
Kim Seong-hyeon nodded in agreement.
"What if we don't go?"
"Quit the guild?"
"Hypothetically."
"Freelancer life? You?"
"Nah..."
"Got offers?"
"Nope."
"Then we're dragged along."
Most hunters reacted similarly, but some took it differently.
"Back and bam, this chaos? Raid leader shock barely over, now relocation? Hyeong-gyu, your take?"
"Sounds fun. Guild's been too quiet. This new raid leader's a real bulldozer. Haven't even seen his face, but that bold push? Dig it."
"North Pocheon cool with you?"
"People live there too. All the same."
"No people. Just monsters."
"...Eh, hunters only need monsters anyway."
Like Baek Hyeong-gyu and Na Dong-pa, unaffiliated hunters showed interest.
But faction leaders like the expedition team were calculating furiously.
"Problem. Leaving Seoul."
"Word from above?"
"Just watch. Not thrilled."
No Song-rin sighed at Lee Gi-yeong's question.
"Info's too thin. No clue on the North Pocheon motive."
"Poke the guild master's secretariat?"
"With Jang Deok-gu there? And even if, he'd know jack. Look at this—news dropped before anyone knew. Raid leader's doing, bet."
"Rumors say so."
"Gotta meet him myself. Ignoring him keeps spawning headaches."
"And Jang Deok-gu?"
"Only banned outside. Inside's fine. Time for a constructive chat."
"Resignations pouring in. Notice just went up."
Joo Se-ah grumbled. Jang Deok-gu scanned the live resignation list beside her.
"Fewer than expected. Thought they'd all bail."
"Some indecisive types. They'll all quit soon enough. More surprising: hardly any hunter withdrawals."
"Why? Steady paycheck without hunting? Public corps envy this cushy gig."
"Can't deny it, and it sucks. Raid Leader Kang was right. Can't work with these people. Gotta flip the guild upside down."
Joo Se-ah wasn't worried about that.
They were just playing cautious now; defections would snowball—she'd predicted it.
Her real concern was elsewhere.
"Office too quiet. Expected a riot. Association geezer's nagging first."
"Sa Guild Master wouldn't move sloppy. He'll wait for your weak moment and pounce."
"I know his thoroughness best. Gotta lay low awhile. Already over quota."
"Too late. Sa holds grudges forever."
"Know that too. Who'd he learn long grudges from? If he bites, I bite back. The scared one backs down first."