SCRAPE. SCRAPE.
Beneath a dim light, a middle-aged man was pouring his heart into carving a bone.
Contrary to the rough impression given by his thick fingers, the places touched by the blade and the points being cut away were endlessly delicate, and soon the once-smooth surface began to transform into scales full of lifelike texture.
The man doing the carving had a strong, angular jaw, and a clear, keen light dwelled in his eyes.
After working with such care for a long while, the man suddenly looked at his sculpture for a moment.
CRUMBLE!
Then, without warning, he clenched it in his hand and crushed it.
Amid the bone powder scattering into the air, the man’s voice flowed out.
“What happened?”
At that, the young man in his mid-twenties who had been kneeling respectfully before him cautiously opened his mouth.
“Public opinion is intensifying because of Seung-jin’s mistake. The prevailing reaction is that Songgwang Guild must be held responsible.”
His name was Chae Mu-hyeon.
He was known as the youngest brother of the Tyrant Fist Chae Mu-sik.
To that Chae Mu-hyeon, the Tyrant Fist Chae Mu-sik asked, “What about Seung-jin?”
“They say his fractures can be healed, but I heard that he has nightmares every night. They say he calls out Jeong Hyeon-su’s name especially often.”
“Tell them to use an Elixir.”
An Elixir was an item with the greatest effect among healing-type items.
It was an extremely expensive item, and even the Ten Great Guilds had only a few in stock, making its price whatever the seller demanded.
Seeing him order such a thing to be used immediately, perhaps even he was still a father.
“Yes.”
Chae Mu-sik asked his youngest brother, who had answered him, “What do you think we should do next?”
“Unless there are clear grounds for suspicion, we must not let him be placed before the press cameras and soil Songgwang’s name. I believe it would be better to send him to the South America or Africa branch and highlight him as someone taking responsibility by working on the front lines.”
“Not bad. Tell them to send him to the Amazon.”
Africa and Central and South America had been underdeveloped even before the Gates, and now they had become hell.
Because they had failed to clear Gates and could not climb the Tower, they had effectively transformed into a living hell.
It was practically a decision to send his eldest son to a place of death, beyond a mere demotion, but there was no emotional disturbance on Chae Mu-hyeon’s face.
“He was born as my eldest son and received many opportunities until the very end, yet he squandered them. Now he must bear the consequences. Mu-hyeon.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“There is no one else here. Call me Father.”
“Yes, Father.”
Surprisingly, Chae Mu-hyeon was the first legitimate eldest son he had actually fathered.
However, Chae Mu-sik, who had been aiming for the guild master’s seat, had thoroughly hidden that fact. The previous chairman had also helped him, and Chae Mu-sik succeeded in a political marriage with one of the other Ten Great Guilds, establishing the present Songgwang.
“What do you think we should do about our relationship with Garam?”
The master of Songgwang constantly questioned his successors, and for Chae Mu-hyeon, who had been treated as an unrecognized illegitimate child, this question meant opportunity.
Qualification.
That qualification included the insight to read the current of the times, judgment, and martial strength.
And Chae Seung-jin had completely lost his trust this time.
The master of Songgwang had no interest in an eldest son who had even acquired a sickness of the heart.
The same was true for Chae Mu-hyeon.
The fall of the heir was an opportunity for him.
“Garam’s underlying strength cannot be ignored. They are certainly a target we must swallow someday, but since we have even given the other side justification, taking a hard line now would only backfire.”
“The timing for swallowing Garam is being adjusted. But it is not now.”
“Of course. If this becomes an official problem, it will become troublesome in many ways, and the other Ten Great Guilds may find a way to exploit it.”
Chae Mu-sik looked at his son, who was trying to seize the opportunity that had come to him.
“I hear that the time is coming for the rookies trained by five of the Ten Great Guilds to set foot in the Tower for the first time.”
“Do you intend to participate as well?”
“If you permit it, I will.”
“Mu-hyeon.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Do you know why I carve every day?”
Chae Mu-hyeon held his tongue.
Before that son, Chae Mu-sik’s chest suddenly swelled, then burst open.
An unhealed scar crossing his chest revealed itself.
“So I do not forget. That Black Dragon. The monster that drove Songgwang to the verge of destruction, along with your grandfather. You must keep these words in mind.”
Songgwang did not forget revenge.
At Chae Mu-sik’s words, which referred to the driving force they always craved, Chae Mu-hyeon merely bowed his head.
***
After Chae Gwang-seop left, Jeong Hyeon-su, who had been dragged into the guild master’s office, was not even allowed to sit down.
“Explain.”
“…I saw that they were trying to use me to screw over Garam, so I played along and dealt with it accordingly.”
Watching his son answer so calmly, Jeong Cheol’s thoughts became complicated in many ways.
‘He changed.’
His son had definitely changed.
“…The words and conduct that come out of one’s mouth are no different from a mirror reflecting that person.”
“I am sorry.”
It had become a habit.
His mouth had grown rough from fighting to the death in a ruined world, in the very abyss of the hunter world, where he had risen to become a black-warrant criminal.
Even though he tried to filter himself in his own way, the harsh words that slipped out unconsciously were honestly unavoidable.
Jeong Cheol had pointed out his manner of speech, but he could see a depth of calculation that his previous son could never have possessed.
“A report just came in saying that you broke all four of his limbs and even damaged his spine. Why did you use such vicious methods when you could have stopped at an appropriate point?”
“Is it not obvious? He brought up Hyeon-a, threatened her, and insulted Garam. Was I supposed to endure that?”
“This is unbelievable. Since when did you think that way?”
Jeong Hyeon-a, who had been called in as someone involved, felt goosebumps rise at her blood relative’s words.
Of course, at Jeong Cheol’s displeased gaze, she pressed her lips tightly shut.
After briefly warning his daughter, Jeong Cheol looked at Jeong Hyeon-su again.
“I know that you suddenly achieved something in a short period of time and became stronger. However, even so, there is clearly room for trouble in escalating something that could have ended at a reasonable line.”
“What room for trouble? If the other side has drawn a blade, should they not be completely crushed so there are no aftereffects?”
“If you had secured every part of the video to begin with, there was no need to go that far. I am not asking you to walk the path of a saint. However, there was no reason to do that to Songgwang’s eldest son, or to the children of the other small and medium-sized guilds who followed him.”
Jeong Hyeon-su had lived as a black-warrant criminal.
It had been a rough world where, if one did not kill, one died. Jeong Hyeon-su, accustomed to that life, could not agree with Jeong Cheol’s values.
But he did not argue.
Setting aside courtesy toward his father, this was ultimately a person’s set of values.
It was true that problems had arisen for the guild because of Jeong Hyeon-su.
Whether he had resolved them well or not, Jeong Cheol, as Garam’s guild master, had a direction he wanted for his guild.
“This time, things ended dramatically, but if something like this happens again, be sure to discuss it with your father. At the very least, if it concerns the guild, then I, as guild master, should know about it. Am I wrong?”
“Yes, I understand.”
Jeong Hyeon-su answered with surprising brevity.
Because he knew that, when a matter arose, discussion was certainly necessary.
Seeing his son accept it so obediently, Jeong Cheol asked indirectly,
“What do you think will happen now?”
“What do you mean?”
“This is an incident you caused. Should you not naturally make a prediction about it?”
Jeong Hyeon-su smacked his lips slightly.
“To begin with, whether we call it prediction or anything else, will this really turn into a major problem at the guild level? They will dismiss it as an individual deviation, and we will end it by receiving an apology and roughly extracting some benefits. If they hand over a few profitable Gates, including Songgwang’s priority rights to raid certain Gates, will that not be the end of it?”
“Do you think it will end there?”
“…The public matter and the private emotional rift are different things. Human will and greed are different as well.”
Officially, this incident would be smoothed over in such a manner, but Songgwang would remember it for a long time, and this incident had proven that they were clearly aiming for Garam.
Honestly, it was a startlingly accurate insight.
It was such a realistic conclusion that it made one wonder whether this was truly the same son who had locked himself in his room, lamented his lack of innate talent, envied his younger sister, and wasted his time embracing a girl’s photograph.
There was nothing more to add.
“Understood. You may leave for today. Hyeon-a, you too.”
“Yes.”
As the siblings were about to leave, Jeong Cheol added one sentence behind their backs.
“Continue to protect your younger sister well.”
“Urgh?”
Jeong Hyeon-a recoiled, while Jeong Hyeon-su wore a sullen expression.
“She should still protect herself. Train hard. Do not be intimidated by someone like Chae Seung-jin.”
“Ah, what are you talking about? Do you want to fight?”
The night deepened.
***
In the passage leading back to the mansion after leaving the guild master’s office, Jeong Hyeon-a looked at her blood relative walking ahead in a rough, unstylish way.
“Still, thank you.”
Jeong Hyeon-su stopped walking and turned his head.
“For what?”
“In any case, you helped me.”
“I only cleaned up something I had caused.”
“But how did you do it?”
He had explained briefly to their father, but the method by which he had secured that video was something Jeong Hyeon-a was extremely curious about.
“It was nothing. I brought out the original from that bastard’s villa and handed it to the press.”
“No, I am asking how that was possible.”
Jeong Hyeon-su had been acknowledged by their father as having reached 7-Star in Illusory Heaven True Energy.
But acquiring the object, then beating down Songgwang Guild’s influence and countering them in a media battle was a different matter altogether, was it not?
“Reporters live on money and scoops. Is Songgwang the only one of the Ten Great Guilds? Garam is also one of the Ten Great Guilds. Since they wagged their tails first this time, they will soon come to the public relations office asking for feed, and we only have to transfer the money.”
“Wow… Are you sure you are not part of the Strategic Planning Office?”
“You should learn about that kind of thing too.”
“What?”
“If you are the successor, you need to pay attention to management as well.”
Jeong Hyeon-a’s face went slightly blank.
For some time now, Jeong Hyeon-su had shown a strong sense of inferiority toward Jeong Hyeon-a, who was surging ahead.
Had the source of that anger not ultimately been his desire to become Garam’s successor?
“…Me?”
“Yes, you. So when Cradle’s practical exam is over this time, focus on management classes too. Naturally, train as if you are gritting your teeth for your life as well. This is the only time you are allowed to fall behind the other Ten Great Guilds after learning the Five Kings’ Martial Arts.”
Then her blood relative turned away cynically and strode off.
“Did he… eat something wrong?”
After Jeong Hyeon-su disappeared, the scene of him easily demolishing Chae Seung-jin and his group flashed through Jeong Hyeon-a’s vision.
It was a sight she had never even expected.
She had thought he was simply committing reckless acts with brute force, but that had not been the case either.
Jeong Hyeon-su had handled the matter perfectly, saved Garam, and even extracted benefits from Songgwang instead.
Instead of returning to her room, Jeong Hyeon-a headed straight to her personal training room.
And just then, she spotted another training room whose lights had come on.
It was Jeong Hyeon-su’s personal training room, where the lights had never once been turned on after sunset.
‘I cannot lose either.’
With an inexplicable competitive spirit welling up inside her, Jeong Hyeon-a began adding weight to the empty bar on the squat rack.