Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

Chapter 16 No Hope

Kang Mu-hyuk gazed steadily at Ju Se-ah. Ju Se-ah returned the gaze, her arms folded as if she was displeased, her legs crossed.

In contrast, Kang Mu-hyuk looked around the room leisurely, a cup of coffee held to his lips.

His composed demeanor somehow made Ju Se-ah furrow her brows, a vain attempt to hide her unease. She was about to make a comment, but stopped.

'What a ridiculous situation. How can he be so relaxed when he hasn't even died yet? And sending a resume through the guild app isn't a joke, is it a bait or something?'

Seeing no progress in what was supposed to be an interview, Kang Mu-hyuk spoke first.

“The building is quite nice. It's not inferior to an A-rank guild in scale.”

“Well, despite the guild being a mess, we do have the name of a large corporation behind us. So we use the building that's left empty.”

“However, the location here isn't good. How about relocating?”

“Relocate?”

“Yes, the Feng Shui here isn't favorable.”

“Feng Shui~?”

Ju Se-ah furrowed her brows at his absurdity.

The man who reappeared after six months, claiming he would become a Vice Guild Master, was suddenly suggesting to relocate.

And he wasn't even a Vice Guild Master yet.

Even if he were to become a Vice Guild Master, suggesting a guild relocation was crossing a line.

It was as if he didn't understand how this industry worked, how hard it was to enter Seoul, or how tough provincial taxes were. His blabbering didn't sit well with her.

Kang Mu-hyuk ignored Ju Se-ah's discomfort and continued, “First of all, being located in downtown Seoul is a weakness. Competing with the top guilds in Seoul at your current level is challenging. Even Titan experienced the same, if you want to set up a proper foundation from the start, it's better to be in the provinces. But moving out completely makes it hard to come back, how about just moving to the metropolitan area?”

“You talk as if it's easy to reenter Seoul, do you not understand why guilds of a certain scale can't 'be in Seoul?’ Especially if a new pro team were to enter Seoul, it would cause a stir. You, of all people, should know better. And that's not even related to Feng Shui.”

“Returning to that point, this place is too close to the group's headquarters. There would be a lot of interference in the guild's operations. Isn't the problem you want to solve most about gaining complete control of the guild?”

“Well, that's true, but... By any chance, have you been training in the mountains or something?”

Kang Mu-hyuk asked back as the conversation took an unexpected turn.

“What are you talking about?”

“People with incurable diseases do that. They go to the mountains and get healed by nature's energy as a last resort. They gain enlightenment, learn secret martial arts. Like spending ten years in Mt. Jiri, then another ten in Mt. Gyeryong… I'm asking if you've been there.”

“Ah! No, not like that. These are things that come up with a few searches on the news or Hunter community. And don't worry about the disease. I won't be dying for a while. You can put your worries aside.”

He definitely looked healthier.

Except for being more curt than before, there seemed to be no health issues at all.

Ju Se-ah looked at him, surprised.

"Was it not terminal? Weren't you supposed to be on borrowed time?"

"Turns out there's no definite law for a man to die. That issue has been more or less resolved."

"Are you really alright?"

"If I were ill, I wouldn't be submitting a resume. Being sick in this role is a nuisance in itself, isn't it?"

"Yes, you're right about that."

Kang Mu-hyuk reoriented the conversation that had strayed.

"Now, returning to the main point. The guild's name also needs to be changed. It has nothing to do with Taesung..."

"Wait a minute. Aren't we in an interview right now?"

"Yes, we are."

"But why are you asking the questions? You haven't even passed yet, why are you saying things so freely?"

"Is there a more definitive appeal than an interviewee identifying the problems of a guild and proposing solutions?"

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Ju Se-ah was left speechless. Although he was right, it was a subtle sentiment that couldn't be agreed upon. She felt irked, as if her authority had been usurped, yet she found herself wanting to hear more. She had a conflicting desire to hear the rest of the story.

Kang Mu-hyuk preempted her once again.

"Go ahead, ask a question."

"Well, um...what motivated you to apply to our guild...? Ah, never mind! Just continue what you were saying. About changing the guild's name? I don't think that's feasible. It probably won't work?"

"Why not change the guild's name? Is it prohibited? Is it in the guild's regulations?"

"It's not that, but for group promotions... Anyway, there's a lot of equity and financial support from their side, they probably won't like removing 'Taesung' from the name?"

"Have you tried it?"

"What?"

"You haven't even attempted it, right? So, you never even thought about it."

"..."

This time, Kang Mu-hyuk leaned back on the sofa, crossing his arms. His posture was in stark contrast to Ju Se-ah, who was leaning forward in her seat.

He nodded to himself, then slowly began to speak.

"It's quite clear now."

"What is?"

"As long as you are the Guild Master, even after several years, Taesung Guild will remain as it is. It's hopeless."

"Hey!"

"But that doesn't mean there are no solutions. If you wish, I can start explaining them from now."

…

"What's there to worry about? If you don't hire him, that's it. I didn't see Kang Mu-hyuk in that light, but he truly is without hope. His suggestion is like giving away all the Guild Master's authority. He's really pushing his luck. No wonder he was the Strategy and Tactics Team Leader."

Jang Deuk-goo shook his head and clicked his tongue upon hearing the details of the interview with Kang Mu-hyuk.

Ju Se-ah, pondering deeply, seated on her desk, finally spoke.

"But did I ever have any authority to give away?"

"What?"

"I couldn't make proper use of it anyway. In the end, I even received a final recommendation from the chairman. I was told to normalize the guild within half a year. If not, I have to leave."

"As a Hunter on the brink of S-rank, you can go wherever you want. You might not be officially recognized yet, but in some ways, you're already at S-rank. Even if you fail in guild management, it's not the end."

"Really, would that be so? I cut ties with the Slayer Guild despite all the commotion. It's difficult to turn back. Honestly, I didn't really fit with them anyway. I wonder how I held out for ten years?"

Ju Se-ah scrunched up her face as if she were gnashing her teeth and continued her train of thought.

"Even if I move to another guild, I won't be able to lead the guild in the direction I want. For them, the guild's profits come first. I left the Tier-ed Guild because I didn't want to see all that. I turned down all the recruitment offers. I guess there isn't a guild in Korea, or even foreign ones, that would accept me with my demands?"

Jang Deuk-goo, who seemed to understand Ju Se-ah's circumstances, knew these facts well.

Where could she not go if she were to put her head down and work hard?

There was no need for her, a promising near S-rank and a 20-year-old with a high chance of becoming S-rank, to concede.

However, the industry worked such that the ability to kill monsters and the ability to grow a guild were distinctly different.

To create the picture Ju Se-ah wanted, she could never achieve it within the existing guild structure.

Starting from scratch presented clear limitations. It took too long to break through the suppression of the Tier-ed Guilds.

With no other choice, Ju Se-ah, despite her distaste, bowed her head to her father and took over the Taesung Guild.

Using the group's infrastructure and funding, she calculated she could quickly settle in.

'That is, when fully supported from within the group. But she never considered the hindrances from the chairman who just used the guild as bait to get her into the family, or the siblings worrying about succession issues and the possibility of their inheritance diminishing.'

Jang Deuk-goo, considering the current situation, mulled over Kang Mu-hyuk's interview but couldn't find an answer.

Consequently, he couldn't help but keep returning to Kang Mu-hyuk's proposal.

Perhaps Ju Se-ah had left the decision up to Jang Deuk-goo without even realizing it.

'Conflict is inevitable. Both logically and emotionally, I keep leaning towards his proposal. But she's too stubborn. That stubbornness got her through the tough life of a Hunter. From one perspective, it's a matter of pride. Not like it's an irrevocable decision, damn it.'

Jang Deuk-goo knew the answer that would relieve her burden.

"Accepting Mr. Kang Mu-hyuk's proposal would indeed be difficult to accept as a Hunter."

"So it would be, right?"

"Nevertheless, what harm could come from trying? It's not like there's anything more to lose."

"Really… Would that be so?"

"Do as you please, Guild Master. That's your right, isn't it? If you won't be able to exercise that authority in the future, then use your last authority as you wish."

Ju Se-ah's eyes sparkled. Jang Deuk-goo warned her to not get carried away.

"But keep one thing in mind. The moment you accept Mr. Kang Mu-hyuk's proposal, many people, both inside and outside the guild, will oppose and confront you. You should be prepared to fight them all."

Ju Se-ah, who had been hesitant just moments ago, now spoke with conviction.

"Don't worry about that. I haven't heard anyone say I can't handle a fight. However, I'll leave the intellectual battles to Mr. Kang Mu-hyuk. It seems like he won't easily back down, either."

…

"Is that so? You've made your decision then. Yes, understood. Please send the information I requested via email now. Then, I'll start working tomorrow."

Kang Mu-hyuk, after setting his smartphone on his desk, quickly typed a few more characters into his laptop to wrap up his work.

After saving the file to the cloud, he stretched and rose from his chair.

Just at that moment, Kang Chang-soo entered the room.

"So, you're starting at that guild from tomorrow?"

"Yes, that's the plan. I thought it might happen."

"Did you prepare well? It's not an easy place, you've been preparing for a while, haven't you?"

"I've done as much research as I could. I don't think there's absolutely no chance of success, so I'm joining. There's no other alternative."

Trying to carry on a normal conversation that neither of them had ever had, Kang Chang-soo quickly ran out of things to say.

The only topic they had in common was the illness.

"How about the medication?"

"I've been taking it regularly. I have to take it regularly if I want to live."

"I'll say it again, it's not a cure. You have to take the medication and injections on a strict schedule."

"It's inconvenient, but what does it matter? I consider it like diabetes. It needs careful management."

"This medication could build up resistance at any time. Before that happens, I'll somehow perfect a procedure that suits your body."

"Next time, run some tests in advance. Thinking back to that first procedure, I nearly died. Umm... It was the first time in my life I've been in such pain."

"It's difficult to find test subjects. No, it's impossible. How could I have known what it would be like when it was my first attempt? It might have been different if you were a Hunter, but I only realized then that you couldn't withstand the procedure with a normal human body."

"So, for about a month, I was teetering between life and death. Rehabilitation took a long time too. Anyway, thank you for saving me. I hope you'll find a cure in the future. Now, I have a lot of preparation to do, so I need to go home."

"Alright. Don't forget your next examination."

As Kang Mu-hyuk left, Yoon Ildo approached and started talking.

"Big brother, he's become colder after that procedure."

"That's a side effect, you know."

"It's just like him to get that kind of side effect. Honestly, isn't it strange to call that a side effect?"

"It is. Reduced emotional fluctuations and excessively active brain activity are definitely advantageous. Of course, they come with downsides like headaches."

Sharper insight, stronger observational skills, and the cunningness to read and use others' emotions were more pronounced in Kang Mu-hyuk than before.

Despite all of that, the current Kang Mu-hyuk seemed more like a machine than a human.

What worried Kang Chang-soo most were his eyes when he looked at people.

Sometimes, his unfamiliar gaze would wrap around him, making him wonder if this was really his son.

It was as if his gaze was scanning him.

Even though the MRI showed no significant changes, he couldn't help but suspect that this procedure might have affected his brain.

The brain was still a largely unknown area, and mana was an enigma. So, they couldn't be sure about the changes Kang Mu-hyuk was experiencing.

There was a lot more research to be done in this area moving forward.

"First, let's be thankful that my son is alive. I'm relieved that my research wasn't in vain."

…

The next morning.

Kang Mu-hyuk reported to work at the Taesung Guild headquarters in Aksu-dong.

The 29-story building flaunted its grandeur, second to none when compared to other large guilds.

To park his car, Kang Mu-hyuk drove into the underground parking lot, which was expansive, befitting the guild's size.

However, finding a parking space was a challenge.

Cars were parked haphazardly, with lines blurred.

Some cars even dominated enough space to park three vehicles.

All of them were imported cars, each worth hundreds of millions of won.

"What a mess."

Having finally found a spot and parked, he was abruptly honked at.

Looking ahead, a car worthy of being called a supercar was flashing its headlights at him.

Kang Mu-hyuk got out of his car, shielding his eyes with his hand from the blinding light.

"Aren't you going to move? Move your car!"

Kang Mu-hyuk opened his window to look at the woman shouting at him, then glanced around at the parking space.

"There's an empty spot next to you."

"Like I wouldn't know that?"

"Do you need help parking?"

"Are you deaf? Those two spots are mine."

When Kang Mu-hyuk didn't respond and just stared at her, the woman got out of her car.

Her arrogant gait, well-sculpted physique, and unique atmosphere were telltale signs.

He recognized instantly that she was a Hunter.

The woman stood in front of Kang Mu-hyuk, scanning him from head to toe before speaking.

"You're clearly not from the guild. Not a Hunter either. A new employee? Hmm, probably not. You seem a little too seasoned for a newbie. A mid-career recruit, perhaps? Or a guest?"

"Whether I'm an employee or not, does it influence the parking situation? I don't see any signage specifying employee-only parking."

"If it's your first time, you might not be aware. Parking spaces follow our guild's unique rule."

"Is this rule that Hunters can arbitrarily use two or three spots?"

"It depends on rank. It's the same rule at any guild. It seems you, as a non-Hunter, aren't aware."

"Rank, huh. If we're going by that, even these two spots would be a stretch for Hunter Choi."

"What did you say?!"

"Choi Mi-ran, Hunter. Age 27. Rank C+. Support. Nickname is Crazy... Hmm, let's leave that for later."

"Hold on. You know me? Who are you?"

"We just met, so let's stop the personal information at that. Even though Taesung Guild is scraping the bottom, a C+ taking up two parking spots is overkill."

"But, but I'm a solid C+!"

"Yes, a solid C+. When you become a not-so-solid B-, let's revisit the parking issue."

"Hey, where are you going? Just... What? That brat, did he just ignore me and walk away?"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Who did he think he was, a non-Hunter evaluating a Hunter?

Her old traumas came to mind.

The draft, recruitment negotiations, salary adjustments.

Rank, the perpetual stumbling block during crucial moments in her hunting career.

Remembering the pain of not being able to advance for a long time, a sudden bout of rage swept over her.

"Good for you, I'll show you why they call me 'crazy'."