Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: The World Government
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“Please, have a seat.”
Gregory smiled and guided Min Ha-na to her seat. A flight attendant then placed a plate of refreshments and a cup of tea before her.
“Now that our new member has arrived, let's have formal introductions.”
Decan, a man in his early fifties with a neatly trimmed white beard, stood up, holding his teacup.
“My name is Decan. People call me the White-Bearded Gorilla.”
His joke, delivered in a deep, resonant voice, eased the atmosphere considerably.
“Welcome, new member. Here, we do not distinguish between country, age, or race. Within these walls, everyone is equal.”
“It seems there are qualifications for entry, though?”
“Indeed. That is the very core of it. And you, Ms. Min Ha-na, are qualified.”
Like an actor after a curtain call, Decan gave a slight bow and then gently offered his tea.
When Min Ha-na responded in kind, he lightly wet his lips with the tea before sitting down.
After him, the two Chinese hunters stood up, showing no emotion regarding their previous encounter.
This was rather strange, as the Russian hunter, Gregory, also seemed to hold no major grudges.
Following them, Gregory introduced himself, revealing his characteristically sly personality.
“Tell me, Decan. Is proposing here also against the rules?”
“There is no such rule.”
“In that case!”
Gregory pulled a single rose from his inner pocket and offered it to Min Ha-na.
“I'll save my confession of love for when we're alone.”
“I'll look forward to it.”
As Min Ha-na played along smoothly, a lean man with sharp eyes stood up.
The man known as the Wild Stallion of Mexico.
It was Carlos.
His history was unique; he was the boss of Mexico's largest drug cartel.
The people of Mexico and neighboring countries sometimes called him God's mistake.
In any case, he was known to wield more power within Mexico than the president himself.
He was always depicted as a devil on television, and in person, he possessed an aura that created a palpable tension.
“A pleasure, lady. Be sure to call when you come to Mexico. I'll come to greet you personally.”
He said this while lightly touching his index finger to his eyebrow in a salute.
The last was the English gentleman, Evan.
“A pleasure to meet you.”
He made a good first impression with a polite bow rather than words.
After the lengthy introductions were over, it was Min Ha-na's turn.
“I'm Min Ha-na. Meeting all the people I've wanted to see at once makes becoming an S-rank feel worthwhile.”
The gazes on her as she bowed and sat down were quite favorable.
Finally seated, Min Ha-na found the current atmosphere surprising.
*'They seem like completely different people.'*
Decan was known for his generous character, so that was understandable, but Carlos and the two Chinese men were far more polite and relaxed than she had heard or seen.
The title of 'Drug Lord', the world's top criminal, seemed out of place as he was full of laughter and excitement, reacting enthusiastically to others' stories.
Even the two Chinese men, who had seemed cold and stubborn, were informal and frank here, as if with old friends.
*'Is this Decan's influence?'*
As she was thinking this, a flight attendant approached.
“We will be taking off shortly.”
“Ms. Min Ha-na, we'll be flying for about two hours. Is that all right?”
“Will you be taking me back?”
“Of course.”
Decan nodded, the attendant left, and the plane soon took off.
Ordinary people would have needed to fasten their seatbelts and follow other procedures, but the seven people there made no such preparations.
The plane rose into the sky, quickly leaving South Korean airspace, and the attendant brought out drinks suited to each person's taste.
“Ms. Min Ha-na, would you please tell us your preference? We were unable to find any information on your taste in alcohol.”
“I'll have a beer.”
“Right away.”
Once the beer was served, Decan was the first to raise his glass.
“Now that we have left national airspace, nothing said here is subject to the laws of any country. This means you can set down your burdens and relax for a while.”
“That sounds nice. I'll do that.”
They didn't have a specific location as their base. As they were all busy individuals, they conversed like this, flying through the sky on a plane.
Inside, there was no risk of being wiretapped, nor any need to worry about prying eyes.
*'So it's not because of Decan.'*
Everyone becomes honest here.
The seven strongest people on Earth.
That's why they had no need to put on a facade.
Letting go of their ties to nations, guilds, and personal connections, they could purely enjoy themselves.
But as time passed, she realized this was a huge misunderstanding.
“Smith made a reckless move this time.”
The drug lord Carlos said, sipping a strong whiskey.
“You can rest assured that no American hunter will cross the Mexican border. However, the new drug you've developed has the potential to cause problems.”
“I did make it a bit too potent.”
“Please control the amount coming into the United States.”
“I'll keep it at thirty percent of the current level until the current president's term is over. But you won't take issue with me supplying it to other countries.”
“The president will be satisfied with that.”
They handled the sensitive dispute between the U.S. and Mexico as if it were a simple classroom squabble.
“The Western nations are greatly concerned about the recent conflict between China and India. If Awakened beings get involved, it could become irreversible.”
“I can control that. You can rest assured that no Chinese hunters will become Evildoers. But to handle the matter smoothly, I'll need a carrot.”
“How about we clear the Seohwang Corporation of the espionage charges that came to light a month ago?”
“That's acceptable. Let's proceed with that. In return, China can release the U.S. intelligence agent captured three months ago.”
The conversations taking place here were beyond anything Min Ha-na could have imagined.
As if sensing her feelings, Gregory gave her a slight wink.
“I'm going on a little date for a moment.”
Gregory stood up, and Min Ha-na followed.
“It must be hard to adjust.”
“It is.”
Min Ha-na frowned as they entered a room in the back. Gregory then summed it up for her.
“The world government has already been established. This right here is the world government.”
“I had no intention of being part of that.”
“I don't like this either. But I'm here. Why do you think that is?”
Min Ha-na knew the answer.
“Because you need to know what happens here?”
“Exactly. This is a place you can't leave, even if you hate it. Once you know what kind of conversations happen here, you can't afford not to listen.”
“So that's why there's no coercion.”
“There's no need to force anyone. No one can be the first to leave.”
Min Ha-na understood many things.
S-rank hunter.
It wasn't just a title for someone with outstanding combat abilities.
While Min Ha-na wasn't like that, the other S-rank hunters already possessed power comparable to presidents.
Moreover, S-rank hunters are rarer than all the world's presidents.
What would a group formed by such people be like?
“Talk of multinational guilds or national affiliations seems ridiculous now.”
“Indeed. Ultimately, all decisions will be made here. For now, we're merely coordinating with presidents to mediate disputes between countries, but it's obvious where this will lead if it continues.”
“It won't take long.”
“If we put our minds to it, we could already isolate a small country instantly.”
This was the true status of an S-rank hunter.
“And they called it a social club.”
On the surface, it was.
There was no coercion, no rules.
But the conversations held here affected the entire world.
*'Are they the masterminds?'*
The term came to Min Ha-na's mind.
“So, when you become an S-rank hunter, you naturally end up here. That's even scarier. Their power will only grow. Decan has created a system that naturally makes them rulers.”
“No one can refuse. Of course, that's not to say no one has.”
“Someone refused? Is there an S-rank we don't know about?”
“Not an S-rank. But he is a hunter acknowledged even by S-ranks.”
“Ah...”
Even without hearing a name, one person came to mind.
“So Wang-sik was invited too.”
“He even came here, in fact.”
“I wonder what he did.”
“He said he wasn't interested in childish gangster games.”
“Pfft!”
Min Ha-na couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Calling a place like this 'childish gangster games'.
*That's so like Wang-sik,* she thought.
“Surely you're not thinking of leaving too, Ha-na?”
“You know I'm close with Wang-sik.”
“Someone has to know what's being said. This place is at least valuable for that.”
“I think so too. I'll need some time to think. I'm not interested in politics.”
Gregory respected her opinion.
“Still, enjoy yourself today.”
“I will.”
“And when you see Wang-sik, could you tell him the Russian intelligence agency is desperately looking for him? They're having trouble because he's unreachable.”
“I'll do that.”
Min Ha-na smiled and returned to her seat.
Half of the two-hour conversation was small talk, while the rest was a discussion on the state of affairs in various countries.
In any case, for now, they concluded on a course of maintaining peace by mediating disputes.
*'That's power.'*
It may look like good intentions on the surface, but ultimately, this becomes power.
A group that protects world peace.
It was a process of building justification.
When this process is complete, they will reign as rulers.
“By the way, Ms. Min Ha-na, are you not interested in the state of affairs in Korea?”
Decan asked Min Ha-na, who had been listening quietly.
“I'm too busy.”
“The Hunter Management Bureau can't be that busy. For Korea's sake, shouldn't you be taking on a larger role, Ms. Min Ha-na?”
E Suo-lin interjected.
She was questioning why someone of S-rank status would remain an ordinary agent of the Hunter Management Bureau.
The others shared this thought.
“Well, to be honest, politics is a hassle. It's not fun either.”
“But the public must have certain expectations of you.”
“I can't deny that. I gain a lot from it, too. I plan to repay them in the near future.”
Min Ha-na didn't mention the Earth Defense Force, but she said this much to feel more confident in her own stance.
However, the others seemed to misunderstand her words. They thought she, too, would soon step forward as a figure of power.
Since the conversations here maintained an atmosphere of mutual respect without pressing one another, Min Ha-na was able to deflect the topic at this point.
Time passed, and the plane landed at Incheon Airport once again.
“It was an enjoyable time.”
“I hope to see you again.”
Even though Min Ha-na hadn't given a definite answer, Decan smiled and extended his hand.
As they shook hands lightly, Decan said with a smile.
“I've prepared a small gift for you. I hope you like it.”
She found out what the gift was right after leaving the airport.
A man in a black suit approached her at Incheon Airport and held out a small box.
“Is it a bomb?”
“It might be just as shocking. Well then.”
The man, in his late thirties, bowed and turned away.
Min Ha-na checked the contents in her car, which was parked in the lot.
“Huh?”
It was a bracelet with a red gem coiled like a snake around a gold band.
“The Bracelet of Hellfire.”
It was an item every flame mage dreamed of.
An S-rank item, it was known to be stored in America's White Dome.
And that very item was now sitting in front of Min Ha-na.
For a flame mage, it was one of the ultimate items, something that couldn't be bought even with money.
In fact, there was a rumor that a powerful figure in the U.S. had tried to acquire it using connections and money but had failed.
“They certainly know how to bribe you.”
With this, Decan had shown just how much power he possessed.
“My item acquisition has been sluggish lately. Did he know that, too?”
Back when she obtained the Flame of the Chilling Soul in the Decartes Mountains and became an S-rank, she had expected to gear herself with the best items right away.
But despite the dedicated team from Guseong Group actively searching, acquiring items was not easy.
This wasn't just the case for Min Ha-na, but for Sa Seon-gi as well. Han Young-im was under immense stress because of it.
And in this situation, a custom-fit S-rank item had appeared.
“What a bold way to threaten someone.”
It meant they were a group that could do anything, at least on Earth.
Min Ha-na was tempted, but she didn't put it on yet.
“I need to see Wang-sik. Something about this feels off.”
Thinking of Wang-sik, she looked at the gift box and a laugh escaped her.
“It's obvious what Wang-sik would say if he saw this.”
Wang-sik's voice played in her head.
—Still just junk.
Min Ha-na closed the box containing the junk item.