81. The Price of Discontent (3)
Time passed.
And the scenery of Yoobaek City was utterly peaceful.
Clang, clang!
Rune Dwarf cheerfully bringing down his hammer to make runes for the Big 3!
—Move! There is no such thing as chance in progress! A thousand days of practice is called ‘dan’, and ten thousand days of practice is called ‘tan’! Keep moving without rest and seize victory!
Training Instructor taking command at the forefront while throwing out serious words of wisdom to the summons!
But.
‘I feel like I’ve heard that quote somewhere before…..’
Wasn’t that something said by the legendary Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi?
—That’s right! Exactly that! Hehehe!
Seeing Lamba nodding with a satisfied expression as she listened to what HunGyo was saying, the answer was obvious.
Lamba had clearly learned it from somewhere and passed it along.
They really are something else.
Baek Jinwoo let out a small chuckle and was loosening up his body when it happened.
“Mr. Jinwoo.”
Yoo Jia came looking for him.
“You have visitors.”
“Visitors?”
“Yes, executives from Baekho.”
* * *
Park Hoe.
And Kang Geonho.
Executives sharing the Ho syllable in their names.
Their demand was just one thing.
Let our Baekho rankers train at Yoobaek’s training hall too!
Baek Jinwoo found the demand utterly absurd.
“Me?”
Why would I?
Anyone looking at this would think they’d prepaid private tutoring fees or something.
“Isn’t this unfair? You’re teaching only one side even though they’re all on the national team.”
Now that’s rich.
I’m teaching my disciples as payment for them fighting gangsters and protecting my family.
No, and besides. Honestly, whether I favor one side or not, what does that have to do with you?
“You disappoint us. As captain of the national team, the amount you received was no less than 2 trillion. That is clearly not a small amount of money, so for at least six months, shouldn’t you be giving proper attention to everyone?”
At Park Hoe’s words, Kang Geonho quietly nodded as well.
Then he looked at Baek Jinwoo with an expression that seemed quite earnest.
“We also didn’t want to go this far if possible. But we’re national representatives too. If South Korea is going to achieve good results in this World League, shouldn’t we all combine our strength?”
Hmm.
That was true.
But there was one thing they were mistaken about too.
Baek Jinwoo had, in fact, been properly paying attention to them this whole time.
“As promised, I’m consulting ten hours a week and doing my best. Everyone is following along well. If things continue like this, you’ll all soon rise to the level of the giants called world rankers. Naturally, before long, South Korea will also be able to rise as a major power.”
He genuinely meant that.
Baek Jinwoo wasn’t some scumbag either, so he was making sure to deliver at least 1 trillion worth of value.
Hadn’t that money helped him obtain an Omnipotent Rune, after all?
Baek Jinwoo smiled lightly.
“Since you brought up money, I’ll say this. I clearly believe I’m providing value for what I received.”
“That’s not what matters.”
Park Hoe shot back with a displeased expression.
“Sure, I’ll acknowledge that. It’s true we’re improving. The problem is Hong Ari, Gi Jaehyuk, and Kang Jihoe. The speed of improvement those three are showing is on a completely different level, so what meaning does that have for us?”
Ah.
‘Now I finally understand what they mean.’
At the very least, Baekho didn’t want guilds like Arirang, Ilwol, or Carpe Diem to steal their place.
‘I can understand that.’
Would these people be the country’s top players for no reason?
They held those positions because they had that level of competitive spirit and guts.
That much, he understood.
“Fine. I’ll speak frankly.”
So he briefly explained how he had ended up taking disciples.
“They became my disciples. Also, in return, they signed a contract to obey my orders unconditionally, and we established an alliance in which mutual betrayal is impossible.”
“......”
What the hell!
Park Hoe wore an expression of utter disbelief.
‘What is this?’
It sounded simple enough when put into words.
But hadn’t they basically just handed their guilds over to Yoobaek?
“Is that true?”
“Do I have any reason to lie?”
“Oh, there would be reasons. It could be that you’re just trying to sweet-talk us and bind Baekho under your control with a contract…..”
“Hahaha, me?”
Would you look at these bastards?
Baek Jinwoo finally burst out laughing.
The contract was merely to prevent betrayal.
From Baek Jinwoo’s point of view, South Korea’s Big 3?
They were all just about the same level of beginners.
“Sorry, but Baekho? I wouldn’t take it even if you gave it to me.”
Normally, he would’ve kept words like that to himself. But Baek Jinwoo was starting to get annoyed.
Not only were they not even bothering to hide what they really thought, but first of all, these guys didn’t even have the attitude of people who came to learn.
Their attitude was completely different from his disciples.
Basically, they had no manners. And above all else.
Ding!
The irritation inside him exploded because of the text message Yoo Jia had just sent.
[Yoo Jia: Ilwol sent over an official statement. They said Baekho is about to make some kind of demand, and they want it made clear that Ilwol had absolutely nothing to do with it and has no dissatisfaction with the current arrangement.]
Ha.
Would you look at these assholes.
So they’d already been grumbling and scheming behind the scenes before they even came here?
“.....What exactly do you mean by that?”
“I mean exactly what I said. Neither Baekho’s guild master nor vice guild master is any match for me, and the same goes for the rankers below them too. So what meaning does Baekho even have to me—”
“.......”
It wasn’t wrong.
But since it was such an openly dismissive remark, Park Hoe was offended.
“We only came here to speak about something we considered unfair, but your way of speaking is a bit much.”
Park Hoe had just said that when—
Ding!
Baek Jinwoo’s phone rang again.
[Yoo Jia: Mr. Jinwoo, they’re lying.]
What?
Lying?
[Yoo Jia: I had Mind-Reading Eagle activated behind the scenes just now.]
Ah!
Mind-Reading Eagle!
The bird Baek Jinwoo had gifted her that could read people’s hearts.
An A-grade rare, ridiculously overpowered bird that could only be used once a day.
He had tested it a few times before.
Not only did it tell you whether someone was lying, but it would also perceive the true intent behind what they said and explain it like a parrot for exactly ten seconds.
[Yoo Jia: They came here to threaten you, Mr. Jinwoo. They were planning to use all their influence to pressure Yoobaek if you refused. Wow, aren’t those bastards complete pieces of shit—]
Yeah.
They really were pieces of shit.
Even if he was only a ten-hours-a-week instructor, he had still helped them with genuine sincerity to a fair extent, and now they were planning to stab him in the back just because they felt wronged?
Baek Jinwoo no longer felt any need to treat them with courtesy.
“So I guess Baekho’s guild master must think I’m pretty laughable?”
“Excuse me?”
“You said I was unfair, right? Okay. I’ll admit it. I am unfair. So what?”
There’s something some people get wrong. They think this world, this society, is somehow clean by default.
Sorry, but every society in human history has rotted with corruption and misconduct.
The present is no different.
Where exactly in this society is there anything rational?
“...W-what are you.”
“Yes. Since you’ve gone so far as to say that, I suppose I should become even more unfair. From now on, Baekho Guild doesn’t need to participate in consulting hours. And even if you do participate, I won’t teach you anything.”
Smile.
As Baek Jinwoo smiled,
“.......”
Park Hoe frowned.
Because he thought the other party’s behavior had gone far too far.
“Can you take responsibility for those words?”
“That’s not even worth answering. If anything, I’ll say this instead. Mr. Park Hoe, and Mr. Kang Geonho, you two will have to take responsibility for what you said to me today.”
“.......”
“Well then, goodbye.”
Whoosh!
Baek Jinwoo turned his back, and soon disappeared.
It was a clear order to leave, and a sign that he no longer wished to exchange another word with them.
“Brother, what do we do?”
Kang Geonho asked with a tearful face.
He had gone along with Park Hoe’s words and egged things on, but even he had not wanted things to become this tense.
But Park Hoe’s face was twisted like that of a vicious demon.
“What do you mean, what do we do? We see this through to the end.”
Creak!
His teeth ground together.
* * *
“They’re seriously ridiculous.”
Yoo Jia growled.
“How dare they threaten Yoobaek!”
She knew perfectly well that Baekho had powerful backers.
MK Group?
Mirae Group?
They’re all beneath Daeseong anyway.
No matter what anyone said, the number one business conglomerate in South Korea was Daeseong.
And the granddaughter of the man who built that group was right here.
And they still thought they could make a move?
That meant war.
“For starters, it’s obvious they’re going to make an issue out of the extra 1 trillion you received. They’ll stir up public opinion, saying things like you took consulting fees and ran.”
“Just leave them alone.”
“......Excuse me?”
“If you just leave them alone, everything will resolve itself.”
“......What do you mean by that?”
“I don’t think the government is that stupid.”
Everyone looks down on them, but the South Korean government has accomplished unbelievable things.
From the First Republic to the Sixth Republic.
There had been plenty of controversies and problems, but they still grew the country into one of the world’s top ten economic powers.
And in the middle of all that, the country had become a backward nation in summoning, and now the people knew who their hope was. Even little kids in the neighborhood knew.
Would South Korea really be able to throw away God Ji-nu?
He might even naturalize elsewhere.
“Rather, Park Hoe is the stupid one.”
If it were Baek Jinwoo, he would have bowed his head and stayed low.
Without rushing, he would have slowly gotten closer while constantly proving himself to be trustworthy and loyal.
Then maybe, just maybe, he might have been accepted as a disciple.
‘But it’s already too late.’
Baekho had already proven what they were.
Rather than repaying kindness, they were the kind of people who would stab their benefactor in the back at any time, so long as it protected their own position.
“Mr. Jinwoo.”
“Yes?”
“Park Hoe may be stupid, but South Korea isn’t always that smart either.”
“…….”
“Do you know how my grandfather built Daeseong over all those years? By mercilessly crushing the ones who dared to draw blades in front of him. Just like how you crushed the gang that touched your family.”
The fact that Yoo Jia’s eyes were burning with that much fury—
“Mr. Jinwoo, you just keep training like you are now. I’ll take care of everything that happens after this.”
Heh.
Heheheh.
Well now.
Baekho Guild….
Looks like they really went and yanked on the whiskers of a sleeping tiger.
“All right then.”
Works for me.
She says she’ll handle it herself.
* * *
The next day.
The summons arrived.
—Kiiiiirururururu…..
An A-grade summon, Ice Heron, gracefully spreading its icy wings and radiating cold in every direction.
—Kaaaaargh!
A B-grade Lich breathing eerie mist from its mouth!
—Meow!
One C-grade Frost Cat, and—
—Giaaah…..
—Giaaaahhh!
Even two Ghost-type Ice Ghosts (B-grade)!
For reference, Ice Ghosts are the best close-range dealers among Ice-element summons.
‘It’s been a while.’
At one point, this set had conquered the middle floors of the Tower of Trials and even Top-grade normal dungeons.
How much did it cost to gather these summons?
Ice Heron (A-grade), 12 billion won.
Lich (B-grade), 300 million won.
Ice Ghost (B-grade), 200 million won.
Ice Ghost (B-grade), 200 million won.
Frost Cat (C-grade), 300 million won.
A total of 13 billion won!
Frost Cat in particular had become even more expensive after Yoobaek’s video was released.
Supply simply could not keep up with demand.
Summons of A-grade and above were originally priced however the seller wanted, but in Ice Heron’s case, it was a summon with obvious limitations, so there were still some on the market.
“HunGyo.”
—Yes, my lord.
“Where’s Hwang Jiwoo?”
—She has been running in the training ground for 1 hour and 20 minutes. She runs quite well now.
“Really?”
How admirable.
He had ordered one hour, but she was running even longer by her own will.
Because she wanted to improve.
The corners of Baek Jinwoo’s mouth rose in satisfaction.
“Tell her to come here.”
Now then.
Let’s see what kind of expression she makes when I hand this over.
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