#293. Let's See Whose Power is Stronger.
Kang Moo-hyuk had barely returned to the guild when Joo Se-ah summoned him.
"From what I dug up, this Jin Sun-mi girl. Looks like she caused trouble at her previous school too. She stirred up so much shit that her dad shipped her off in a fit of rage. The Jin family folks have tempers like wildfires, so she probably couldn't defy her old man."
"That unresolved piece finally clicked into place."
"What do you mean?"
"Why she didn't lift a finger when Go Eul-ji hit her. Whether it was suing or crushing her with chaebol power, there should have been some reaction. But back then, there wasn't a hint of it."
"Why bring that up now...?"
Joo Se-ah trailed off as realization dawned, and she shut her mouth. Kang Moo-hyuk confirmed what she'd pieced together.
"She's a hunter, isn't she?"
"Yeah. That was the problem."
"Incidents between civilians and hunters almost always paint the hunter as the aggressor. Doesn't matter if it's a chaebol family. In court, public opinion sways things more than the presumption of innocence."
Joo Se-ah knew this all too well. She'd been a student once herself and had gone to school through gates more often than not, just to avoid any trouble.
Even the most promising hunter got a headache from assault charges involving civilians.
That's why hunter-related cases rarely ended at simple assault. Better to silence witnesses outright.
"Still, Eul-ji didn't go at her with bad intentions. She just messed with the girl bullying her friend a bit. Didn't even hit her directly—just tripped her lightly or something? No serious injuries."
"Process and outcome don't matter. The core issue here is a civilian victim and a hunter perpetrator. School violence? Bullying? That's ordinary crime. But hunter violence? Heavy felony. Hiding your hunter status while doing it? Aggravated punishment. If it turns into a mudslinging blame game, it's obvious who bleeds more."
"She hid it because she was worried about Japanese assassins."
"Can't use that as an excuse. Sure, we could spin it to stir national outrage and bury the case, but it'd just balloon other problems. Japan protests? Instant diplomatic shitstorm. And we can't prove it anyway."
Joo Se-ah's face hardened at Kang Moo-hyuk's words.
"Hold up, why would kids' squabbles escalate to diplomacy?"
"Because Go Eul-ji's guild has an S-rank. And her grandfather's the Hunter Association chairman. They're top figures in Korean hunter circles, like it or not. She doesn't seem aware, though."
Thinking about it, yeah. Flip it around—if Korea announced they'd tried to assassinate a Japanese prodigy, Japan wouldn't sit idle either.
"So what do we do? She was all cocky, yelling no settlement. Call her back now?"
"Hmm, no. Can't make the guild master lose face like that."
"Fuck it, sell a kidney or whatever."
"They've got no evidence anyway. It's old news. Pushing for a separate lawyer meeting in a winnable court battle? That's them knowing it. Leaking to the press? Same context. I know this kind of fight—they drag it out, you just get dirtier. Cut it quick for your sanity."
"Hoo! Kids' fight turns into grown-up war."
Joo Se-ah ruffled her hair in frustration.
S-rank or not, couldn't solve it with fists. Her stepping in would just make her media bait, spotlighting the incident.
Kang Moo-hyuk sipped his cold coffee and said,
"In times like this, the stronger adult wins. Opponent's Jin Do Group, right?"
"Yeah. That potion cartel bigwig."
"Let's show them. Whose power is stronger."
The next day, Kang Moo-hyuk contacted Jin Do Logistics and scheduled a meeting.
Maybe because their guild had an S-rank and Taeseong Group ties via Joo Se-ah, or because it involved his daughter, CEO Jin Do-jun accepted.
When Kang Moo-hyuk arrived at headquarters, a secretary came down to the lobby to guide him.
"You're Iron Will's Kang Moo-hyuk, right?"
"Yes."
"The CEO's waiting. This way."
But the secretary led him not to the CEO's office.
A middle-aged man with graying sideburns stood with his back to the door, gazing over Seoul from the vast conference room's window.
"Sir. Iron Will's Kang Moo-hyuk is here."
"Leave us."
As the secretary exited, the man extended a hand for a shake.
"Jin Do-jun."
"Kang Moo-hyuk."
As their hands clasped, Kang Moo-hyuk sensed something off.
Too formal a spot for kids' issues?
Jin Do-jun sat at the head of the table, gesturing to a seat.
"Have a seat."
Kang Moo-hyuk dove straight in once seated.
"Regarding your daughter and our guild's Go Eul-ji hunter..."
"Sorry to interrupt, but this isn't kids' stuff anymore. It's gotten complicated. Out of my hands."
"Out of your hands?"
"The chairman—Sun-mi's grandfather—found out. He dotes on her fiercely. He's furious."
Only then did Kang Moo-hyuk grasp the odd tension in the room.
Business play?
Who knew if Jin Do Group chairman truly adored his granddaughter. But one thing was clear: they were weaving kids' drama into some scheme.
Kang Moo-hyuk couldn't help a wry smile at the business mindset that exploited anything.
"Mr. Jin, let's cut the bullshit."
"How so?"
"No beating around the bush, no long speeches. Time's worth more than money for us, right? Lay out the chairman's offer and terms. Dragging it out later just wastes energy."
Kang Moo-hyuk pushed hard, almost rudely. Jin Do-jun didn't snap, just smiled faintly.
"Fiery as expected. No wonder Joo Se-ah recruited a non-hunter like you. My apologies. Too blatant?"
"If you're sorry, trying to psych me out in this huge conference room ain't it."
Kang Moo-hyuk muttered, glancing around like to himself.
A vein twitched faintly on Jin Do-jun's forehead, then vanished.
"In the potion trade, guild egos trip us up. Us regular merchants? Gotta flail to not lose the intimidation game."
"If this petty shit's just to sell more potions, I'm disappointed. Too small-time."
As Kang Moo-hyuk prodded again, Jin Do-jun's eyes narrowed. He swallowed anger, speaking low.
"Those potions? Billions in annual sales. Trillions industry-wide. Anyone gets petty."
"So what's the play? Sacrifice our guild's prodigy to shake up the cartel?"
Jin Do-jun flinched at Kang Moo-hyuk's jab.
"Just probing, but hit a nerve? Hoping an S-rank backs you? Cartel's already buzzing?"
"Sharp without details. Should've gone business over guild ops."
"Big 4 not enough? Crushing 'em all for top dog? Embarrassingly obvious."
"Every business aims for number one."
"Can't solo the other three. 2v2 ties? Artisan Community's skill-less but holds rare potions. Leaves Hanju and Taeseong. You know our guild master's Taeseong, right?"
Kang Moo-hyuk floored it without braking. Jin Do-jun sweated but played cool to hold ground.
"I know Joo Se-ah and Taeseong Group aren't close."
"So hit Taeseong? Pull in Hanju too?"
Jin Do-jun paled again.
How much does this guy know? How'd he learn about Hanju alliance?
Kang Moo-hyuk grinned at his expression.
"No shock. Hanju chairman's got beef with Taeseong."
He saw through Hanju Group's game too.
After Taeseong falls, Iron Will's next. Everyone knows Hanju chairman holds grudges.
Taeseong down? Potion monopoly for the remaining three. Joo Se-ah, Taeseong blood, would struggle for supply no matter what.
A long, malicious plan.
Kang Moo-hyuk sighed deeply, reverting to his initial tone.
"Honestly, came to end this at kids' level. But world doesn't bend easy. Power clashes veer weird. Didn't expect this. For your daughter, couldn't you play dad a bit more?"
"Look, Kang Moo-hyuk. You outsiders wouldn't get it, but we handle kids' issues like business. Started personal, but once tangled, can't ignore. Eul-ji's grandpa association chair, master S-rank? Recalculate naturally. If ordinary family, we'd settle quietly."
"Ordinary? You'd crush her. Folks scheming like this wouldn't laugh it off."
"Who frets stepping on ants? Call it elitism, fine. Hunters do it too. Natural in this world. Said no long talks, but you're the sentimental one."
Thought his emotions dulled? Apparently not.
Kang Moo-hyuk felt genuine anger for the first time in ages. His own father flashed in mind.
"Listen, Jin Do-jun. Fatherhood means infinite responsibility for your kids. Their wrongs, mistakes, selfishness too. At least, using them to blackmail and extort? That's shameful."
"Take it back. You should've taught, not guild ops. Who you lecturing?"
Kang Moo-hyuk and Jin Do-jun glared, locked in a piercing stare.