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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The top floor of the Myungye Group headquarters.
As the office of Chairman Kim Seok-hoon, who had amassed a fortune of hundreds of trillions, it boasted the highest level of security in South Korea. Ten guards stood at the entrance, four of them A-rank Hunters, and one an S-rank Hunter.
Normally, he’d be able to work without a care in the world, thanks to this impenetrable security. But today was different. Oh Kyung-hyun, one of Korea’s top Hunters, was here, radiating a palpable aura of rage.
“Without a prior appointment, you cannot see the Chairman.”
“Please leave.”
Despite their stern words, the guards were cautious. Oh Kyung-hyun was an SS+-rank Hunter, one of the strongest in Korea. If he were to become hostile, they wouldn’t stand a chance. They tried to reason with him calmly and politely.
“P-Please calm down.”
“If you wait a moment, we’ll ask the Chairman for permission.”
They spoke hurriedly, trying to appease him, but his anger didn’t subside.
“I understand your position, but… I’m not in the mood to wait.”
Oh Kyung-hyun’s eyes were cold as he started walking forward. The guards paled. They couldn’t stop him, nor could they let him pass. Just then, Chairman Kim Seok-hoon’s voice boomed from behind the door.
“Let him in!”
The guards immediately stepped aside. Oh Kyung-hyun strode into the office, where Chairman Kim Seok-hoon greeted him with a stern expression.
“You’ve caused quite a stir at Myungye Trading.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. Myungye Trading was in chaos. Park Seong-hoon, the mastermind behind the attack, and all the executives involved were hospitalized with serious injuries. While it was a devastating blow to Chairman Kim Seok-hoon, his expression remained unchanged. He simply nodded calmly.
“I apologize for the incident involving Hunter Lee Seong-jun. However, as announced to the press, it was solely Park Seong-hoon’s doing. I had no knowledge of it.”
It was a blatant lie, but without concrete evidence, he couldn’t act against him like he had with the other villains. But he wasn’t going to back down either. He wouldn’t have come here if he intended to.
“I won’t waste my breath arguing with you. But remember this. If you ever target Hunter Lee Seong-jun again, it won’t just be one subsidiary; I’ll bring down the entire Myungye Group.”
It wasn’t an empty threat. A chilling aura emanated from Oh Kyung-hyun, suffocating Kim Seok-hoon.
“Cough-! Cough.”
Oh Kyung-hyun watched him coldly.
“…If you want to live out the rest of your days in peace, I suggest you behave yourself.”
He turned and left without another word.
Slam!
The office door slammed shut, leaving Kim Seok-hoon alone. His face hardened.
‘That damn bastard… how dare he…’
A mere Guild Master had barged into his office, caused a scene, and threatened him. He wanted to tear him limb from limb. Under normal circumstances, he would have. But he couldn’t afford to antagonize the Baekho Guild right now.
Ko Tae-hyun, the Vice President of the Hunter Association, was meeting with politicians and business leaders who opposed the Myungye Group, attempting to form an alliance. Individually, they weren’t a threat, but together, they’d be a nuisance.
‘I need to deal with Ko Tae-hyun first…’
He had to leave Oh Kyung-hyun alone, for now. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in such a frustrating situation. Rage boiled within him. His face contorted.
‘That damn Lee Seong-jun, that brat… he’s the reason everything’s going wrong…!’
He’d underestimated him. Not only had he gotten Oh Kyung-hyun involved, but now Ko Tae-hyun, who’d been quiet until now, was also making his move. He couldn’t understand it, but he had no time to dwell on Lee Seong-jun.
‘First… I have to clean up this Cho Se-hyeok mess.’
He’d cut ties with Park Seong-hoon, but he wasn’t completely in the clear yet. While he hadn’t directly interacted with Cho Se-hyeok, having used Park Seong-hoon as an intermediary, Ko Tae-hyun wouldn’t let this go. He’d find something, anything, to use against him.
Normally, he wouldn’t care, but the recent tax evasion scandal had caused internal turmoil within the group. Even a minor issue could become a major problem. It was a headache, but it wouldn’t be enough to bring down the Myungye Group.
‘…The reputation I’ve built isn’t that fragile.’
With a little time, he could regain his power and influence. He just needed to bide his time and regroup. But he wouldn’t forget.
“Oh Kyung-hyun, and… Lee Seong-jun, you bastards… I’ll tear you apart.”
He gritted his teeth, etching their names into his memory, vowing revenge.
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The capture of the SS-rank villain, the Rookie Slayer Cho Se-hyeok, who was thought to have disappeared completely, was a major news story. And the fact that he was captured by Lee Seong-jun, the newly crowned Super Rookie, made it even more sensational.
The media went into a frenzy.
Breaking News
- Super Rookie Lee Seong-jun single-handedly captures the Rookie Slayer, SS-rank villain Cho Se-hyeok!
- The reign of terror of the SS-rank villain, the Rookie Slayer, has come to an end. Cho Se-hyeok finally captured.
- Hunter Lee Seong-jun rises from Super Rookie to Superstar!
Even the general public, unfamiliar with the Hunter world, found it unbelievable. The comments online reflected their shock.
Breaking News
Super Rookie Lee Seong-jun single-handedly captures the Rookie Slayer, SS-rank villain Cho Se-hyeok!
└ Is Lee Seong-jun a god? The Rookie who captured the Rookie Slayer? This is epic.
└ Wait, he captured an SS-rank, and he’s still called a rookie?
└ I don’t believe it. The Association is clearly manipulating things to promote Lee Seong-jun.
└ There’s CCTV footage of him going to fight Cho Se-hyeok one-on-one. What doubt is there? Lee Seong-jun is the future of Korea!
But the most shocked person was Yoon Gi-seong, the S-rank villain.
‘…Cho Se-hyeok actually lost?’
Everyone had expected Lee Seong-jun to lose. He’d assumed the forced subjugation contract would be broken soon, a minor inconvenience. But he was wrong. The contract would remain.
‘Damn it!’
His plan to rule the underworld was crumbling.
‘Is there… a way out of this?’
As he racked his brain, a thought struck him.
‘Is this really a bad situation…?’
He’d been resentful of the forced contract, but perhaps things had actually improved. The Association was arresting all the villains associated with Cho Se-hyeok.
‘And they’re not just making empty threats for publicity this time.’
He didn’t know where they’d gotten their information, but they were raiding key villain hideouts and making arrests. Countless villains had been captured in a single night. The PSS was moving swiftly and decisively.
But Yoon Gi-seong and his Scavenger Crew remained untouched, thanks to Lee Seong-jun’s warning. Unlike other crews, they were still at full strength. He’d achieved his goal, and then some.
‘The stage is set for the Scavenger Crew to rule the underworld.’
There were still some obstacles, but they wouldn’t be a problem.
‘I have Lee Seong-jun backing me now.’
The one who defeated the SS-rank monster, Cho Se-hyeok. In the villain world, where strength was law, the name “Lee Seong-jun” would be a powerful deterrent. Minor obstacles would be easily overcome.
‘As long as the contract remains, I might not be the king…’
But he could act like one. Lee Seong-jun, a man of the light, wouldn’t directly control the underworld.
‘I can rule as the regent.’
He could finally amass power and wealth beyond his wildest dreams.
“Heh heh…” He smirked, starting to formulate his plan for domination.
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