Chapter 62

Chapter 62
## Chapter 62: Standing Firm Against Threats

The expressions of Han Hoon and Han Soo-hee turned stony the moment they heard my retort.

“It might be uncomfortable to hear, but you should really mind your tone when addressing people of our standing,” Han Hoon remarked sharply.

I didn’t miss a beat. Glancing toward the entrance, I asked, “Does Chairman Han have some kind of bladder issue?”

The old man had claimed he needed to step away for just a second, yet he’d been gone an eternity. Is he off somewhere enjoying a bowl of noodles while intentionally leaving us here to rot?

“My, was the conversation lively while I was out?”

The door finally swung open to reveal Chairman Han. Han Hoon and Han Soo-hee snapped into their seats instantly. Han Sang-ah hadn’t bothered to stand in the first place, so she remained as she was.

“What was the topic?”

“It seems my siblings are terrified that I’m plotting to steal Grandpa’s throne,” Han Sang-ah answered plainly.

That’s Han Sang-ah for you—dropping verbal grenades with such nonchalance that she leaves everyone else’s mental state in ruins.

Chairman Han Sang-cheol let out a dry chuckle at her bluntness.

“I truly wonder how a child like you was ever born into the Han family bloodline.”

He gave a solitary clap and shifted his gaze toward me.

“Regardless, Hunter Yoo, I trust the cuisine was to your liking?”

“Oh, it was fantastic. Though for a moment there, I started wondering if I was the guest of honor or just the main course being prepped for the carving knife.”

Was I invited here to eat, or was I the steak they planned to slice up? This didn’t feel like a social call.

“Let’s stop wasting time and get to the point.”

At my prompt, Han Sang-cheol let out a heavy grunt as he settled in. “That interview you gave in Donghae City—was any of that the truth?”

I gave a firm nod.

“Why would I bother lying in front of a crowd like that? Please.”

“Eighty percent of what gets said at those press events is total garbage anyway,” he countered.

I pulled a face and shot back, “That depends entirely on the integrity of the speaker. The press room itself isn’t a factory for lies; the people are.”

“Your conduct from the moment you walked in until now—you really are remarkably classless, aren’t you?”

I simply nodded.

“Maybe once the chaos I’ve stirred up in Korea settles down I’ll care, but right now? Even the chairman of Geumyang Group is someone I can afford to play chicken with.”

Han Sang-cheol slammed his palm against the table, glaring intensely.

“You think you can mess with me? It sounds like you have no intention of ever working in Korea again, Hunter Yoo.”

I met his gaze calmly.

“Do what you want. Korea will just have to deal with another Viktor Ahn situation.”

“What did you just call me, you little brat?”

His eyebrows were twitching violently. Whether this was a calculated performance or genuine rage made no difference to me.

“Where would I go? If I announced I was leaving right now, there would be a line of countries halfway around the globe begging me to sign with them.”

Swapping my citizenship? Given a little bit of flair, I could have the paperwork finished in fifteen minutes.

“You’re speaking like a complete traitor.”

“I’m not the one walking away; you’re the one trying to show me the door. Why frame it like I’m the problem?”

As I spoke, I casually reached out to the side. A bottle of liquor from the table glided through the air and landed perfectly in my palm. The three members of the Han family looked on in visible shock.

I poured a drink and continued.

“I realize you want to establish dominance before we actually negotiate. It’s a classic move for someone with your resources.”

I tossed back the drink, dabbed my mouth with a napkin, and kept going.

“But isn’t this a bit aggressive toward someone who’s just started their hunting career? I still haven’t even heard the real reason you summoned me.”

If the plan is just to keep leaning on me, what is it you actually want? Were you just testing my breaking point? I have zero patience for those games.

That’s the kind of nonsense used to swindle strangers.

“I respect the effort hunters put in. However, because you operate as an independent, you frequently find yourself at odds with the goals of Geumyang Group.”

I scowled immediately. I saw exactly where this was going. He wants a private army of hunters under his thumb.

“So, you’re looking to establish a hunter division within the corporation?”

“In a sense. We’ll call it the Security Command Team. The primary focus will be safeguarding company assets and securing our various locations. Every branch will bring on hunters as part of their security detail.”

And naturally, every one of those teams would report directly to the central Security Command Team at the top of Geumyang Group.

“There are plenty of veterans out there. If the pay is right, they’ll be lining up to join.”

It’s all about stability. Hunters who value a steady paycheck over risk would flock to a corporate gig.

“I want you and Sang-ah to lead that Security Command Team. Hunters are a proud lot; they won’t take orders from just any random executive.”

“The cameras at my press conference haven’t even cooled down yet, and you’re asking me to betray everything I just said?”

Han Sang-cheol looked me in the eye.

“Playing a part for the public while running a different game behind the scenes? That’s easy. I’m not saying you have to do it today. Just maintain the facade for a year or two, and then quietly transition in.”

“Grandpa.”

Han Sang-ah finally spoke up.

“What about the situation with Israel’s Club Shaday?”

Han Sang-cheol turned toward her.

“That Erosion Core in Israel? Listen, child, don’t let a grudge consume you. If you have enough capital, you can settle scores without ever having to lift a finger yourself.”

Han Sang-ah bolted upright, staring him down with cold eyes.

“How much would I have to pay to have your head removed and mounted over the main gate of Geumyang Group headquarters?”

“Sang-ah!” Han Soo-hee shrieked in terror at the remark.

I looked over at Han Sang-ah. She’s genuinely livid, isn’t she? Even for her, this was something else.

“Probably an amount equal to the total market value of Geumyang Group,” Han Sang-cheol replied, completely unfazed by the threat. In a flash, Han Sang-ah’s face reverted to its usual blank mask.

After a moment of silence, I let out a strained laugh.

“I don’t think wiping out Club Shaday would give us nearly enough lunch money for that.”

“No, we’d be quite short,” she agreed.

Watching them trade barbs, I decided to play along with Han Sang-ah’s dark humor.

“What if we join this Security Command whatever? We can act like we’re following Grandpa’s orders while we slowly lace his meals with paralytics.”

Han Sang-ah nodded at me. “The rice would hide the taste if it’s sweet.”

“How about the coffee?”

“He doesn’t touch the stuff. He drinks Bacchus constantly, so we could just use a syringe to inject it through the cap.”

The dialogue between the two of us was becoming increasingly surreal.

“Wouldn’t an autopsy ruin the plan? We couldn’t display the head at HQ if the coroners take it,” Han Sang-ah asked with total sincerity.

I erupted into laughter at her deadpan delivery.

“You’re a total psycho.”

After that blunt remark, I laughed until I had to wipe tears from my eyes. Then I composed myself and continued.

“Look, I appreciate the gesture, but I’m going to have to pass.”

I stood up to leave.

“The noodles were great. Next time, don’t play these games if you don’t actually intend to let me eat. It clearly doesn’t fit the ‘refined’ atmosphere you’re trying to cultivate anyway.”

Neither Han Sang-cheol nor his two other grandchildren had touched a single bite of the food.

“Ending a single person’s career is a trivial matter for an entity like Geumyang Group…”

Before he could finish, I slammed a pair of chopsticks into the table with enough force that they acted like a wedge. The table split cleanly down the middle.

Dishes and glassware crashed to the floor, sending food and water flying everywhere. I walked over and drove the chopsticks into the surface right next to where Han Sang-cheol was sitting.

“Grandpa, pay attention. I don’t resort to threats unless things have gone completely off the rails.”

I couldn’t claim to be a saint. I still had that business from Europe hanging over me.

I reached out and grabbed the wall. My fingers sank into the solid marble as if it were soft bread dough. I tore a massive chunk of stone right out of the structure.

“But when you start the threats? That tells me you have no interest in solving this like adults. I always try to use my words first if the other person is willing, but if you want to skip that part, I stop being a gentleman.”

The heavy piece of marble hit the floor with a dull thud.

“If a bear is charging at you, you don’t call for a debate; you reach for a shotgun.”

I stepped on the fallen stone, crushing it into fine powder.

“A man in your position must have heard what I did to those warlords in Europe. If Han Sang-ah is a crazy bitch, then I’m a crazy bastard.”

That’s exactly why we make such a great team. Suddenly, the doors burst open, and the personal hunter bodyguards flooded into the room.

“Halt! Stand down!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, who are these clowns?”

The ring on my finger began to glow, and the guards were instantly paralyzed, their limbs locking up. All ten of them were neutralized before they could even finish their charge.

“Do you all want to die today? Do I look like some law-abiding citizen to you right now?”

I clicked my tongue and turned back to the old man.

“The person standing in front of you right now is a predator that survives on the breath of death—his own, his friends’, and his enemies’. People are so terrified of that beast that it wears a muzzle just to make them feel safe.”

I leaned in until I was inches away from Han Sang-cheol’s face.

“Don’t you ever threaten me again. The second I take this muzzle off, things like power, money, age, and social standing cease to exist.”

I paused, flicked my own forehead, and gave a short laugh.

“Is that too much to process? I guess at your age, complex metaphors are tough.”

I reached out and patted Han Sang-cheol on the head.

“Try me one more time. I’ll kill you myself and let the world deal with the chaos. To be honest…”

I made a flicking motion with my fingers and then punched the wall. Cracks webbed out across the surface, and a rain of marble dust coated the floor.

“It wouldn’t take much effort at all to crack open the skull of a dying old man.”

I turned my back on him and looked at Han Sang-ah.

“I’m sure it was lovely seeing your grandfather after all this time. Let’s get out of here and get back to work.”

Han Sang-ah stood up and gave a polite bow toward Han Sang-cheol.

“It was good to see your face. I’ll come by to say hello again later. Do try to stay healthy.”

As we walked away, I realized I hadn’t even had a proper meal. What a complete waste of time.

“Are you planning to pick a fight with Taebaek after Geumyang? You’re collecting enemies like trading cards.”

“There were really only two paths back there.”

Either I could cause a scene and walk out, or I could have accepted the offer from her grandfather.

Did I survive the literal depths of hell just to end up as a corporate watchdog for their Security Command Team?

“You didn’t think they’d just let you walk away if you said no politely, did you?”

“No.”

“So, if they tried to block you, what was the plan?”

“I’d just walk through them. Grandpa would have made the same threats either way.”

The result was inevitable.

“I’m not some sociopath who gets a kick out of bullying the elderly.”

“You realize he could sue you for those threats?”

“He didn’t exactly make a fair deal.”

Trying to force me to rip up a public promise I made just hours ago isn’t exactly ‘clean’ business.

“Geumyang has a reputation for destroying anyone in their way.”

“Destroying a hunter is a different story. Especially one who just cleared a Rank-1 Erosion Core solo and has the entire media eating out of his hand. It’s practically impossible for them.”

I stared out at the street as the sun began to dip below the horizon.

“I won’t be anyone’s puppet, so I’m not going to start now.”

We hadn’t been back in Korea very long after our trek through Siberia. Han Sang-ah didn’t yet realize how the public perceived us or the weight our names carried here.

But I knew. Suddenly, Han Sang-ah’s phone chimed with a notification.

“What is it? Did Grandpa decide to cut off your supply of elixirs?”

She shook her head, looking at the screen.

“No… it’s a message telling me to make sure I take my medicine.”

What? Even after that display, he’s still sending the meds?