Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Countermeasures
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Sa Seon-gi didn't bother explaining the plan.
He just said he could do it and fell silent, prompting an impatient Min Ha-na to ask.
“How are you planning to do it?”
“I'll have to find a way.”
In the end, Sa Seon-gi didn't have a concrete plan either. But that didn't mean he'd spoken recklessly.
“The Assassins' Guild refuses contracts on two types of targets: royalty and the Magic Tower.”
The Magic Tower's standing on the Azelan Continent was just that significant.
“So they don't take precautions. Killing a mage who isn't prepared for an assassination isn't a difficult task.”
Sa Seon-gi exuded confidence.
Just as he said, mages were historically vulnerable to assassination. That was why, whenever a fellow mage was assassinated, others would pursue the culprit to the ends of the earth as if it were their own personal matter.
Much like how all law enforcement is mobilized when an officer is killed, mages responded in kind, which was why they ended up on the Assassins' Guild's list of off-limits targets.
“Hmm, that makes sense. The fallout would be considerable, but for us, that's a good thing.”
Everyone finally agreed with Sa Seon-gi's opinion.
“The problem is that Lilia rarely makes public appearances.”
“I will find a way.”
“You're planning to infiltrate, aren't you?”
An assassin would do whatever it took to achieve their goal. That was why Wang-sik couldn't just let him handle it alone.
“Seon-gi, let's do this as a team. We'll leave the assassination to you, but we'll create the opportunity for you.”
Even for an assassin, there were advantageous times and places.
“Where is the place with the highest probability of success?”
Sa Seon-gi answered without a moment's hesitation.
“The street.”
A busy street was the optimal location for an assassin. Assuming, of course, they were confident they could escape without being caught.
“So you're saying we just need to make Lilia leave the Magic Tower?”
Once she left the tower and came down to Magit, she would have to move somewhere, whether she wanted to or not.
“If you can make that happen, I can definitely take care of her.”
“Alright. Then our goal is to get Lilia out of the Magic Tower.”
They tackled the problem one step at a time.
“Now all that's left is figuring out how to draw Lilia out.”
In truth, this was the biggest problem.
The meeting resumed, and various opinions were exchanged, but there was no certain method.
But then Han Young-im, who had been listening quietly, spoke up as if asking a question.
“Are boss monsters common on the Azelan Continent?”
“Not exactly common, but there are a lot of them.”
“Enough for the Magic Tower to easily prepare 200 of them?”
Most of the monsters in the recent invasion had been boss monsters.
This was what Han Young-im was asking about.
“Simply capturing them isn't easy. However, there's a place where they primarily capture them. It's called the Dark Spirit Mountains, an area where the Magic Tower deliberately maintains the ecosystem and manages it thoroughly. They invest an enormous amount of manpower and money into it.”
As Wang-sik answered, he realized what Han Young-im was getting at. Still, he intentionally waited for her to say it herself.
“If we can't interfere with the gate, what about interfering with the monsters? If a dispute arises in their capture zone, I doubt that mage could simply ignore it.”
From the perspective of the person in charge, all conditions had to be met.
Everyone was focused on Lilia and the gate, but Han Young-im saw the other elements that made the gate invasion possible.
The most crucial of them was the monsters.
Boss monsters would be even more valuable, and securing them would be a critical issue for the person responsible for the gate's construction.
“There's that method.”
A plan naturally formed in Wang-sik's mind.
***
After the meeting, Han Young-im gazed out the window of her moving car as she headed back to her company.
“Ma'am, why didn't you request their support?”
“They're trying so hard to protect the Earth. Let's allow them to focus.”
“We invest more than half of our profits in Mad Castle. For the sake of their activities, our revenue must be secured.”
Secretary Kim, sitting in the passenger seat, didn't usually question Han Young-im's decisions.
For him to speak so strongly meant the matter was of great importance.
“The Invest Exchange's market share has surpassed 55 percent. In contrast, ours has fallen from a peak of 25 percent to 20 percent. Now, the gap between us and the third-place exchange is a mere 1 percent.”
Secretary Kim deliberately recited facts he knew she was aware of. It was a painful subject for Han Young-im.
The problem was that the Royal Club had entered this battle for market share.
They had signed an agreement with the Invest Exchange.
“Ma'am, you must request that Mad Castle change its policy, even if it's now. You know the Royal Club is systematically targeting our businesses, don't you?”
The Gate Exchange was merely a symbol for the future; the real business driving the Guseong Group was still distribution.
But the Royal Club was blatantly collaborating with competitors to steal market share.
Thanks to the substantial profits from gate trade, their financial resources were sufficient, but if this situation continued, it wouldn't be surprising if a crisis struck at any moment.
“Mad Castle needs to engage in more official activities.”
From Secretary Kim's perspective, it was frustrating that Mad Castle, which received over half of the company's profits, was just lying low.
“Secretary Kim, don't be hasty. What the Royal Club is building right now is a sandcastle.”
“This isn't a problem you can take so lightly...”
Secretary Kim was about to speak strongly again but stopped.
Han Young-im was smiling, and it didn't seem forced.
“Look at what just happened. The Royal Club revealed a weakness in gate defense. They showed that they won't risk their lives in a crisis.”
“But the media is portraying the Royal Club as if they saved the Earth.”
“How long do you think that will last?”
Han Young-im handed her tablet to Secretary Kim.
It was the most popular video channel, and what Han Young-im had been watching was a video of a young African man speaking passionately.
The young man, speaking fluent English, showed the disastrous scene caused by the Royal Club's hypocrisy and reported that a Mad Castle member had saved them.
“It's information you can easily find just by searching for the countries where Mad Castle was deployed. The era of media control is over.”
Secretary Kim had to agree to some extent.
For now, it was a story no one was paying attention to.
“As crises repeat, suspicion will continue to build. And that suspicion will turn into certainty. When that happens, all their past investments and collaborations will become a poison.”
Han Young-im continued, gazing out the window.
“When the waves crash, the sandcastle collapses. This is a battle we win by building a sturdy house and waiting.”
“My thinking was short-sighted. I apologize.”
“No, it's fine. Please, keep questioning me like that. It makes me prepare more thoroughly. So that when the opportunity comes, we can devour them.”
Han Young-im's smile deepened.
The Blue House meeting room.
The director of the Korean branch of Asia's largest multinational guild was waiting for the president.
Maeng Do-sik of the Inverter Guild.
Their negotiations should have been over by now.
After a month-long tug-of-war, the Inverter Guild had secured most of what it wanted. But the emergence of the new gate incident had postponed their final meeting.
Now that the situation was under control, they were scheduled to meet with the president again. However, the atmosphere was different from before.
“Another video has been uploaded.”
In three days, he had seen over twenty such videos.
They were videos of the monster intrusion that occurred in Busan.
While C-rank and lower agents from the Hunter Management Bureau risked their lives to rescue citizens, the agents dispatched from the Inverter Guild did nothing but back away.
At first, they had managed to block and suppress the videos, but now they were spreading uncontrollably.
“It looks like it will be reported on the evening news tonight.”
“We have to get the deal stamped and announced before then, no matter what. Everyone, stay sharp.”
Just as Maeng Do-sik was cautioning his entourage, the meeting room door opened.
He rose from his seat, outwardly showing respect to the president he usually disregarded, but an ominous feeling washed over him when he saw who entered.
“It's been a while, Branch Director.”
The person he wanted to deal with the least.
Mad Castle's Commander, Kang Il-seop, was standing before him. And unfortunately, the Chief of Staff was also present at today's meeting.
The Chief of Staff's presence eliminated Kang Il-seop's only weakness.
“This isn't a place for you.”
“I didn't want to see your face either. But what can you do? The Korean government and we also have a defense pact, so a three-party meeting became necessary.”
The Chief of Staff spoke up, pointing out a clause in the defense treaty between the Korean government and Mad Castle.
—Mad Castle shall actively engage in the defense of South Korea's gates and may exercise operational command as necessary.
It was a common clause.
“Why is this a problem?”
“Your guild refused to follow orders. They refused the command to rescue citizens, and one of them even fled.”
There was evidence for this, too.
In Korea, with its CCTVs, dash cams, and citizens filming with their phones, it was safe to say there were no blind spots in a populated area.
“At that time, we had operational command of the defense, and I'm here now in my capacity as Commander to hold you accountable. Do you understand why I need to be here now?”
Maeng Do-sik swallowed hard.
“Judging by your expression, I'd say you understand. I don't care how much of a 'donation' you're extorting from the Korean government. But I am curious. Will they give money to a defense force that abandons its people? Especially when footage of it will be broadcast nationwide tonight.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with the Royal Club?”
“Stop with the childish threats. You know how the Royal Club operates, don't you? You'll be forced to take full responsibility and step down. A vice-director position in some quiet country would be fitting.”
“What are you...”
“You have to negotiate with us until this evening anyway, so let's take our time.”
Maeng Do-sik wanted to snap Kang Il-seop's neck, but this wasn't a place where he could use force.
Seeing Maeng Do-sik grinding his teeth, Kang Il-seop let out a smirk and mentioned a name.
“Hunter Min Ha-na sends her regards.”
Maeng Do-sik didn't want to hear it, but he hadn't learned a skill to block his ears.
“She was wondering if you're still living like that.”
The words were vague, which only made him angrier. But Kang Il-seop wasn't finished.
“I'll have to tell her when I get back. That you're still living just like that.”
Maeng Do-sik clenched his fists, his body trembling, but there was nothing he could do.
But it didn't end there.
“I wonder if her interview in the U.S. is going well. I heard she has something to say to Decan.”
Right now, the most criticized person in the world was America's S-rank hunter, Decan. In contrast, the one who stopped the tragedy in New York was Mad Castle's Min Ha-na.
Decan hadn't even shown his face.
—The one who risked her life for the American people was Mad Castle's Min Ha-na. Meanwhile, no one knows what America's hero was doing.
News like this was plastering the media.
The level of criticism against Decan had reached its peak, to the point where even media friendly to the Royal Club couldn't publish any counter-articles.
“Aren't you excited to hear what Min Ha-na will say? Let's watch this first and then continue our talk.”
At Kang Il-seop's smile, Maeng Do-sik's expression hardened even further.