Chapter 63
“Ohsung Workshop?”
I asked.
“So, is that run by Ohsung Group or whatever?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Not as big as White Boar, but they’re quite well-known in Korea’s workshop industry. You didn’t know?”
“Ah, well. I’m not really interested in this industry.”
“Hmph, I see.”
Ryu Jinho’s expression twisted slightly.
He probably thought I was posturing.
But I truly didn’t know….
‘Or maybe.’
No matter how hot my workshop had become recently, perhaps what bothered him was that a small-time shop like mine didn’t bow its head at the name of a conglomerate like “Ohsung.”
Whatever.
I asked,
“So, you said something about a building occupancy issue?”
I had a rough guess.
If it was Ohsung Group, then Shin Jongoh was there.
I’d ignored the invitation he’d sent me, so this was their next move.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
However they played it.
This was a fight I couldn’t lose.
No matter how much capital they had, they couldn’t ignore superior skill.
If their weapons were instant coffee, mine was T.O.P.
“……”
After a brief silence, Ryu Jinho got to the point.
“Since last week, Ohsung Workshop has purchased this entire sector. As property owners, you should know what this means.”
“What does it mean?”
Let’s hear it out.
“Simple. Either you accept a rent increase of over ten times under the new contract, or vacate. One of the two. You know GoTo Mall workshops aren’t covered by tenant protection laws, right?”
“Is that so?”
I didn’t know much about the law.
But I knew a lot had been revised since Hunters appeared.
Anyway, in short.
It was the classic “this building’s mine now, so get out” routine.
And I’d only just finished the interior.
It was the kind of landlord abuse I’d only seen in dramas.
“Oh, and the late-night hammering stops too. You’re disturbing the neighbors. Surely you have that much sense?”
Another ridiculous claim.
Most GoTo Mall workshops ran twenty-four hours.
As he spoke, Ryu Jinho smirked smugly.
Right beside him—
Completely unaware of how Ki Soyul’s face had gone cold.
She immediately pulled back her hood.
“You said your name was Ryu Jinho?”
She stared directly at him.
“And you are… huh?”
Seeing her face, Ryu Jinho sucked in a sharp breath.
Recognizing Ki Soyul.
“Sh-Shadow Empress?”
“What is Ohsung Workshop doing here?”
“Ahem, so the Shadow Empress herself is here. I should’ve noticed sooner. My mistake.”
To his credit, he regained his composure quickly.
Well, Ohsung Workshop had come prepared.
He might have suspected the relationship between Ki Soyul and me.
“So Ohsung is one of Korea’s top ten conglomerates, yet this is the kind of petty stunt you’re pulling?”
“Petty? Not at all. This is merely… a corporate matter.”
He tried to look calm.
That alone was impressive.
An ordinary man speaking his mind before the Shadow Empress?
And he went further.
“Surely even you wouldn’t want to make an enemy of Ohsung Group?”
Though she was a Ranker, Ohsung also had Rankers under their belt.
He was asking: would she really sour relations between Parang and Ohsung over one man?
“Hmm.”
But Ki Soyul’s expression didn’t change.
Which made her all the more terrifying.
“On the contrary, let me ask. Is Ohsung Group so desperate to pick a fight with Parang?”
“Th-that’s not it. We’ve never directly touched Parang. This is just a minor dispute between landlord and tenant.”
“Wars often start from minor disputes.”
She drew her dagger.
The very one I’d given her.
And from it emanated a murderous aura.
“Khhk?”
Ryu Jinho flinched, panicked.
“Wh-what are you doing? Are you really going to go against Ohsung Group? Do you think Parang can outmatch Ohsung’s resources?”
“No, why would we need to?”
She looked down at him with pity.
“I could just slit your throat right now, then assassinate Ohsung’s executives. Truthfully, I’ve been meaning to for a while.”
“What?”
His jaw dropped.
“Y-you’re threatening me? If you really did that, even you—”
“You think I’d leave evidence?”
“This… this is insane.”
Finally, he realized something was wrong.
His face drained white, legs trembling, stumbling backward.
‘Tsk.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
The world had long since been ruled by strength.
How could he stand tall before a Ranker?
If it were me, I’d have prostrated on the spot.
“Shadow Empress.”
I called to Ki Soyul.
“Yes?”
The killing aura vanished instantly.
Her control was remarkable.
“This is my problem. I’ll handle it. You only need to step in when I face someone truly beyond me.”
If I fended off every trial with someone else’s help, just like the old man said, I’d become nothing more than a hothouse flower.
I didn’t want that anymore.
I wanted to crush those who challenged me with my own hands.
Ruthlessly, viciously.
That was my creed as a future Ranker.
“This isn’t only your issue. Has Shin Jongoh shown up at your place recently and caused trouble?”
“…What? You knew?”
“I guessed after today. It’s not the first time. Before, it didn’t concern me, so I ignored it. But to think he’d go so far with you.”
“I see.”
So that’s why a chaebol had set his sights on me.
I hadn’t realized there was a backstory like this.
‘Well.’
Ki Soyul’s looks were enough to attract unwanted pests.
Unfortunately, this time it was a particularly vile bug.
“…Donghoon, Ohsung will be hard for you to handle. One of Korea’s top ten conglomerates, recognized globally.”
I knew.
Korea was already the world’s second-strongest Hunter nation.
And one of its top ten corporations would be formidable.
‘Still.’
Honestly, it was laughable.
After facing beings like ancient dragons—
Compared to an immeasurable-tier dungeon, this was child’s play.
But still.
I wouldn’t turn down her offer of help.
Step, step.
Nodding, I walked up to the pale Ryu Jinho.
“Mr. Ryu Jinho?”
“Wh-what is it?”
“Tell your owner this: I’ll vacate. They can keep their property. I don’t need it.”
“What?”
If they thought forcing me to move would hurt me, they were mistaken.
I’d been planning to relocate to a better spot once I saved enough anyway.
“And tell him the gift he sent was well received. I’ll be sure to return it soon.”
Wait for it, Shin Jongoh.
My counterattack starts now.
“……”
Ryu Jinho stayed silent.
The smugness from earlier was gone.
“If you understand, you can leave.”
“Y-yes.”
I watched him retreat, tail tucked.
Secretary from Ohsung Workshop?
Pathetic.
—
“What?”
Slam!
Shin Jongoh slammed his desk.
“She really said that?”
“Y-yes, Director. Her eyes were insane. She said she’d assassinate anyone who crossed her.”
“Damn it. What the hell is Joo Donghoon to her? Is he her secret lover? That Shadow Empress?”
“He did agree to vacate. But honestly, he didn’t look affected at all.”
“Probably got cocky from recent hype. And with the Shadow Empress backing him.”
Shin Jongoh frowned.
It had started from petty jealousy.
Resentment that someone seemingly beneath him had drawn her attention.
That arrogant entitlement of a chaebol.
But now—
It wasn’t just that anymore.
His pride had been wounded.
“That bastard. Just because a Ranker fancies him, he thinks the world is his?”
Fine.
Sending an underling had just been a jab before the real fight.
Clench!
His fist tightened.
“And he said he appreciated my gift? That little punk.”
“Y-yes, exactly! He came off incredibly arrogant and insolent.”
“Good. Let’s show him how big the world really is.”
“How?”
“We’ll come up with a way now.”
An ignorant brat like him—
There were endless ways to crush him.
—
[Account Detail Inquiry]
[Account Holder: Joo Donghoon]
[Hunter Priority Account, Rank E]
[Balance: 385,402,100 won]
Nearly 380 million won saved.
A lot, or a little.
But certainly the most I’d ever had.
‘Still not enough to start a business.’
What I needed was a storefront.
With Dmir’s hammer, I didn’t need the workshop itself.
I had more than enough materials.
All I needed were clerks.
“Haha, master. Why bother hiring?”
Dmir laughed.
“You’ve got summoning for a reason!”
“Oh?”
“Your other underlings don’t have much combat ability anyway!”
“True.”
Each skeleton had the skill “Summon Skeletons” (Lv. MAX).
I could just summon ten each and station them as clerks.
Since the workshop had already gone viral for being eccentric, this would only add to the buzz.
But still.
“The money’s the problem.”
“Hmm, why not sell your mineral stockpile?”
“No way. That’s my lifeline. If anything, I need more.”
“Right. Better to sell weapons than ore.”
“Exactly.”
I stroked my chin.
“Honestly, the best option is a bank loan.”
“Bank?”
“Yeah, a place you borrow money from. Should I try?”
—
Hunter Bank, Gangnam branch.
Team Leader Kim Jina of the loan division was highly capable.
In her late twenties, she had graduated top of her class in economics from Harvard, but had chosen to work at Seoul’s Hunter Bank for one reason.
‘To meet more Hunters.’
She had rejected countless offers from corporations and guilds.
‘None of them appealed to me.’
The competent lacked ambition, and the ambitious lacked humanity.
Sure, some were decent. But nothing more.
She was searching for someone worth giving her all to.
‘But.’
Reality was bitter.
High-ranking Hunters did come, but most clients here were low-rank Hunters, full of inferiority complexes.
“I’m sorry, but under current policy, F-rank Hunters are ineligible for loans.”
“You’re E-rank! Then the maximum is 20 million won. Too little? I’m sorry, those are the rules. What? You’ll pay it back after ranking up? I’m sorry, we can’t help.”
“Sorry, sir. Please understand.”
Her staff worked tirelessly at the counters, and she felt for them.
Politeness was their job, but that meant extra stress.
After a quick break, Kim Jina stretched and sat back down.
With so many clients, speed was important.
“Welcome, sir.”
She greeted the next client with her usual bright smile.
Thunk—
A man placed down his E-rank plaque and asked,
“Hello. Could you tell me the maximum amount I could possibly borrow here?”
“What?”
She looked up.
‘What’s this?’
His plaque said E-rank.
But the confidence in his tone—it was as if he was asking how much *they* could handle lending him.
She read the name engraved.
‘Joo Donghoon?’
It was a name she had recently seen and remembered well.