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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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To succeed in a negotiation, one had to understand and provide what the other party desired most.
‘Returnee Lee Seong-jun is a clever man.’
He possessed the ability to accurately assess his own capabilities and worth.
At the same time, he was a man of boundless potential.
Such a person wouldn’t be tempted by immediate, superficial offerings.
‘…He must be looking towards the future, not the present.’
Jo Kang-hyun kept this in mind as he considered what Returnee Lee Seong-jun would desire most.
After much deliberation, he successfully deduced it.
That’s why Jo Kang-hyun could speak with such confidence.
“First and foremost, our Hunter Association promises Returnee Lee Seong-jun maximum freedom.”
Lee Seong-jun, with his usual indifferent expression, remained silent and looked at him in response to Jo Kang-hyun’s words.
Maximum freedom.
While it sounded grand, it could end up being insignificant due to the internal circumstances of the Hunter Association.
“That sounds like it requires further explanation.”
Jo Kang-hyun, having anticipated Lee Seong-jun’s cautious reply, continued with a smile.
“Are you aware of the duties required as a member of the Hunter Association?”
“I know roughly.”
As essentially classified as civil servants, they had to work from 9 AM to 6 PM.
After that, it depended on the assigned tasks, but Hunters capable of hunting were constantly bombarded with Gate clearing requests.
“We will exempt you from all of that. You just need to clear a dungeon once a month in the name of the Hunter Association.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes, I wanted to exempt you from even this, but unfortunately, I couldn’t completely eliminate it. Since you’ll be working as a Hunter Association employee, I had to add one condition…”
Lee Seong-jun nodded.
Since he was formally joining the association, they would have to attach some kind of condition.
‘Essentially, it’s like telling me to come to work once a month…’
Since he would be continuously hunting in Gates anyway, this wasn’t a problem at all.
It was safe to say there were no significant restrictions.
‘So far, I like it.’
Having lived as the Blood Demon and Demon God, it was impossible for Lee Seong-jun to be suited for being a subordinate and following someone else’s orders.
“In addition, we will allow you to renew your contract every time Returnee Lee Seong-jun grows stronger. This means that salary negotiations as an association employee can be conducted whenever necessary, not just annually.”
Lee Seong-jun’s eyebrows rose.
‘They’ve prepared more than I thought. Is this their way of using their brains since they can’t offer a lot of money upfront?’
Seeing Lee Seong-jun’s interest through the rearview mirror, Jo Kang-hyun continued.
“And if you wish, we will assign a dedicated team specifically for you to process your loot immediately, so you won’t have to come to the association yourself like today.”
“Not bad.”
“And lastly, this offer was really difficult to obtain. We will reduce your taxes by 10%. Like the contract, this can also be further reduced depending on Returnee Lee Seong-jun’s growth.”
This meant he wouldn’t have to waste time processing loot like today.
A satisfied smile spread across Lee Seong-jun’s face.
‘Excellent.’
Despite belonging to the association, there were practically no restrictions on his actions.
However, the benefits he received in return were considerable.
He especially liked the tax reduction.
‘My current income is just the tip of the iceberg anyway.’
He was confident that he could earn a tremendous amount of money once he regained his strength.
The 20% tax alone would likely amount to an astronomical sum.
‘The signing bonuses currently offered by guilds and alliances will become laughable.’
Therefore, Lee Seong-jun prioritized the future gains he could obtain in the near future, rather than the current benefits before him.
And Jo Kang-hyun, and the association, had accurately pinpointed this and presented it as a condition.
Lee Seong-jun, slowly organizing his thoughts, smiled inwardly.
‘I’ll be able to handle the contract more quietly than I thought.’
Having shown better-than-expected results, guilds and alliances would now be eyeing him.
Not everyone, but some among them would be unscrupulous or petty villains.
‘If they can’t have me, some will try to destroy me.’
If he had his original power as the Demon God, he could easily crush them, but at this point, where he had lost all his power, confronting them would be somewhat burdensome.
‘…I’ll be fine, but…’
In the worst-case scenario, his family could be threatened.
Being able to quietly sign the contract before such a worst-case scenario occurred was a significant advantage.
‘And just in case, I can use the association as a shield if necessary.’
As a powerful organization with public authority, the Hunter Association could be useful in many ways, so the contract itself had considerable merit.
Of course, it didn’t mean he was completely satisfied with the contract terms.
Compared to the guilds and returnee alliances he could join immediately, it was inevitably lacking.
However, he could secure the most important things.
‘My time will be guaranteed.’
The reason he had wished to return to Earth.
It was to spend happy times with his parents and his only younger sister, Lee Seo-yoon.
Just as Lee Seong-jun was finishing his thoughts, the car stopped on the road, signaling their arrival at the destination.
Jo Kang-hyun’s gaze naturally shifted to Lee Seong-jun’s face, which now wore a relaxed smile.
‘It seems you’ve made your decision.’
Although he had prepared to the best of his ability, he lacked sufficient data on Lee Seong-jun, so he couldn’t be certain.
‘Please, I hope…!’
As tension mounted and sweat formed on Jo Kang-hyun’s palms, Lee Seong-jun spoke.
“I accept.”
A bright smile bloomed on Jo Kang-hyun’s face.
“Thank you! Thank you!”
“I’ll come by later to sign the contract.”
“No! Just let me know, and I’ll bring it to you whenever you’re available!”
“Sounds good. Then I’ll see you later.”
Lee Seong-jun, nodding in agreement, got out of the car.
Thud!
‘Alright…! I did it!’
Jo Kang-hyun, inwardly cheering, was about to pick up his smartphone to report to Vice President Go Tae-hyun.
But he couldn’t help but stop after a few steps.
Returnee Lee Seong-jun, who had gotten out of the car, was standing still, staring at one spot.
Jo Kang-hyun, tilting his head, rolled down the window and asked,
“Is something the matter?”
“There’s someone who’s been following us from the underground parking lot. They disappeared after being spotted, but you should be careful.”
Jo Kang-hyun’s eyes widened.
‘He detected a presence that even I, an A-rank Hunter, couldn’t sense…?’
However, having already experienced it firsthand, Returnee Lee Seong-jun wasn’t someone to speak carelessly.
‘Just how many abilities do you possess?’
The more he learned, the more surprised he became.
“Thank you for the advice. I’ll be careful.”
“Yes, I’ll be going in now.”
“Go ahead.”
As Lee Seong-jun left, a figure suddenly flashed through Jo Kang-hyun’s mind as he stood lost in thought.
‘Director Kim Dong-jun.’
Kim Dong-jun had tried to have him followed and monitored several times before, but since Jo Kang-hyun had nothing to hide, he had knowingly ignored it.
However, this time was different.
Kim Dong-jun had sent someone even after being informed that Jo Kang-hyun was acting under the Vice President’s orders.
‘I can’t just let him get away with this.’
Jo Kang-hyun, his expression hardening, picked up his smartphone from the side of the car.
A dimly lit alleyway in an orange-hued villa district.
The man who emerged from the darkness, Yoon Gi-seong, his eyes shaking like there was an earthquake.
‘…What the hell was that?’
It was a simple request to investigate two Hunters, an A-rank and an F-rank.
Normally, it was such a trivial task he wouldn’t even accept it.
But what was that situation just now?
‘He definitely saw me.’
Since Lee Seong-jun was listed as a mere F-rank on the request form, he initially thought Lee Seong-jun was just staring into space.
But the moment their eyes met in the void, goosebumps erupted all over his body.
At the same time, he clearly recognized reality.
‘This is an F-rank?’
He was confident he could move stealthily without being detected even by A-rank Hunters, but his position had been discovered instantly.
Although he had been somewhat careless due to the seemingly easy request, it was absurd that his location was discovered so easily.
‘He’s at least B-rank or higher.’
Moreover, the pressure he felt for a moment was arguably more threatening than that of A-rank Hunters.
It wasn’t just a simple illusion.
‘My instincts are sending me strong signals.’
The villain apprehension rate in South Korea was over 90%, and most were apprehended within five years.
But Yoon Gi-seong had been active for over 20 years without being caught.
It wasn’t due to overwhelming skill or simple luck.
It was thanks to his strong intuition, a skill he had acquired upon becoming an Awakened.
Despite lacking direct combat abilities, Strong Intuition was a skill ranked SS, capable of sending strong signals throughout his body before dangerous situations arose.
Therefore, Yoon Gi-seong couldn’t help but absolutely trust his senses.
‘Come to think of it, that Lee Seong-jun guy was unusual from the start.’
Despite noticing the tail, he hadn’t shown any signs of surprise or panic.
No, rather, it was he, Yoon Gi-seong, who was overwhelmed and surprised.
The moment he met Lee Seong-jun’s eyes, he felt like prey frozen before a predator.
Just imagining that moment sent shivers down his spine.
‘…If I get too involved, I’ll definitely get hurt.’
He had to get out as soon as possible before it was too late.
Finally making up his mind, Yoon Gi-seong picked up his smartphone and typed a message to Kim Dong-jun, sending it off.
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Smart guy