Chapter 19
After all, to succeed in negotiation, one must understand what the other party desires most and give it to them.
'Returnee Lee Seongjun is a clever person.'
He had the ability to accurately judge his own capabilities and value.
At the same time, he was a person with limitless potential.
Such an individual would not be tempted by the offerings immediately visible before him.
'...One must look to the future, not just the present.'
Keeping this actively in mind, Jo Ganghyun thought about what Returnee Lee Seongjun would desire most.
And after much consideration, he succeeded in deducing it.
That's why Jo Ganghyun could now speak with a confident expression.
"First of all, our Hunter Association promises Returnee Lee Seongjun the maximum freedom possible."
At Jo Ganghyun's words, Lee Seongjun looked at him silently with his usual somewhat impassive expression.
Maximum freedom.
It's a phrase that gives quite a grand impression, but in the end, due to internal circumstances of the Hunter Association, it could amount to nothing special.
"That seems to need a more detailed explanation."
In response to Lee Seongjun's unyielding reply, Jo Ganghyun, who had already anticipated this, continued speaking with a smile on his lips.
"Do you know about the duties required as a member of the Hunter Association?"
"I know the basics."
Basically, as they're classified as public servants, one must arrive at work at 9 AM and leave at 6 PM.
After that, it would depend on the assigned tasks, but generally, hunters capable of hunting would have to continuously respond to gate processing requests.
"We'll exempt you from all of that. You'll only need to clear a dungeon once a month in the name of the Hunter Association."
"Is that all?"
"Yes. I wanted to exempt you from this as well, but unfortunately we couldn't completely eliminate it. Since you'll be acting as an employee of the Hunter Association, we had to attach at least one condition..."
Lee Seongjun nodded his head.
Since he would be formally affiliated with the Association, they would have had to attach at least one condition.
'If I had to put it in words, it's like asking me to come to work just once a month...'
Since he would be going out hunting in gates anyway, this part wasn't a problem at all.
It meant there were no real special restrictions to speak of.
'I like this so far.'
As someone who had lived as a Blood Demon and ruled as a Demon God, it was unlikely that being affiliated somewhere and forcibly doing what others told him to do would suit Lee Seongjun's temperament.
"In addition, we'll allow you to renegotiate the contract every time you grow stronger. This means you can negotiate your salary as an Association employee not just annually, but whenever the time comes."
Lee Seongjun's eyebrows raised.
'They've prepared more than I expected. Since they can't give a lot of money right away, is this their way of being clever?'
After confirming Lee Seongjun's interested expression through the rearview mirror, Jo Ganghyun spoke again.
"And if you wish, just like today, you won't need to visit the Association directly to process byproducts. We'll assign a dedicated team just for Returnee Lee Seongjun to process byproducts immediately."
"Not bad."
"And lastly, this proposal was really difficult to obtain. We'll arrange for a 10% tax reduction. Like the contract, this part can also be additionally reduced later depending on Returnee Lee Seongjun's growth."
This meant he wouldn't need to waste precious time processing byproducts like today.
A satisfied smile spread across Lee Seongjun's lips.
'Excellent.'
Despite being affiliated with the Association, there were virtually no restrictions on his actions.
But compared to that, the benefits he gained were considerable.
Especially the tax reduction part was quite appealing.
'Anyway, the current income is just the tip of the iceberg.'
He was confident that once he regained his power, he could earn an enormous amount of money.
Probably even the 20% tax deduction alone would amount to an astronomical sum.
'The signing bonuses offered by guilds or unions now will seem laughable.'
That's why Lee Seongjun was prioritizing not the current benefits before his eyes, but the benefits he could gain in the near future.
And Jo Ganghyun and the Association had accurately pinpointed this and presented it as a condition.
Lee Seongjun, who had been slowly organizing his thoughts, swallowed a smile inwardly.
'I can handle the contract quietly, more easily than I thought.'
Since he had shown results beyond expectations, guilds and unions would now be eyeing him.
Not all of them, but among them would be shameless or narrow-minded villains.
'If they can't have me for themselves, some might try to destroy me.'
If he had his original power as the so-called Demon God, he could have easily crushed them, but at this point when he had lost all his power, it was somewhat burdensome to clash with them.
'...I'd be fine on my own, but.'
In the worst case, his family could be threatened.
Being able to quietly make a contract like this before such a worst-case scenario occurred was a considerable advantage in itself.
'And in the unlikely event, I could use the Association as a shield if necessary.'
The Hunter Association, being an organization with powerful public authority, had many uses, so the contract itself could be said to have significant merit.
Of course, that's not to say the contract conditions were perfectly satisfactory.
Compared to what he could get immediately from guilds or returnee unions, it was bound to be somewhat lacking.
But he was able to secure the most important things.
'I can definitely guarantee my own time.'
The reason he wished to return to Earth.
It meant he could spend happy times with his parents and his only younger sister, Lee Seoyun.
As Lee Seongjun was organizing his thoughts, the vehicle that had been racing down the road came to a stop, signaling they had arrived at their destination.
Naturally, Jo Ganghyun's gaze fixed on Lee Seongjun's face, which was sporting a relaxed smile.
'It seems he's made his decision.'
Although he had prepared his best, there wasn't enough data on Lee Seongjun as an individual, so he couldn't be certain.
'Please, hopefully...!'
At the moment when sweat was forming on Jo Ganghyun's palms from the rising tension, Lee Seongjun opened his mouth.
"I'll accept."
A bright smile bloomed on Jo Ganghyun's face.
"Thank you! Thank you!"
"We'll go to write up the contract later."
"No! If you leave your contact information, I'll bring it to you at whatever time you prefer!"
"Good, then I'll see you later."
Having finished his reply with a ready nod, Lee Seongjun got out of the car.
Thud-!
'Great...! I did it!'
Jo Ganghyun, inwardly shouting with joy, immediately moved to pick up his smartphone to report to Vice President Go Taehyun.
But Jo Ganghyun had to stop his action before long.
It was because Returnee Lee Seongjun, who had gotten out of the car, was standing still in place, staring at one spot.
Jo Ganghyun tilted his head and lowered the window to ask a question.
"Is something wrong?"
"Someone's been following us since the underground parking lot. It seems they've realized they've been noticed and left quickly, but you should be careful."
Jo Ganghyun's eyes widened.
'He detected a presence that even I, an A-rank hunter, couldn't sense...?'
However, having already experienced it directly, Returnee Lee Seongjun was not the kind of person to speak carelessly.
'Just how many abilities does he have?'
The more he learned, the more he couldn't help but be amazed in one corner of his heart.
"Thank you for the advice, I'll be careful."
"Yes, I'll be heading in now."
"Please do."
In the place Lee Seongjun had left, lost in thought, one person suddenly flashed through Jo Ganghyun's mind.
'Kim Dongjun, the Director.'
He had tried to have people monitor him several times before, but since there was nothing particularly to hide, he had let it be despite knowing.
But this time was different.
He had assigned people even after being informed that he was acting on the Vice President's orders.
'I can't just sit back and take this.'
Jo Ganghyun, his expression hardening, picked up the smartphone he had set aside in the car.
* * *
In an alley of an orange-tinted villa neighborhood where light barely penetrated.
The eyes of the man who emerged from the darkness, Yoon Gisung, were shaking violently as if an earthquake had struck.
'...What on earth was that?'
A simple assignment to investigate just two hunters, one A-rank and one F-rank.
It was such a trivial job that he normally wouldn't have even accepted it.
But what was that situation just now?
'He clearly saw me.'
Lee Seongjun, who was listed as merely F-rank on the request form, at first he thought he was just staring into space.
But the moment their eyes met in that empty space, his whole body broke out in goosebumps.
At the same time, he could clearly perceive reality.
'This is an F-rank?'
He had prided himself on being able to move stealthily without being detected even by A-rank hunters, but his position was instantly discovered.
Although he had been somewhat careless because the assignment seemed too easy, being detected so easily was unthinkable.
'At least B-rank or higher.'
Moreover, the sense of pressure he felt for a moment could be said to be more threatening than even A-rank hunters.
It wasn't just a simple misperception.
'My instincts are sending strong signals.'
The arrest rate for villains in South Korea was over 90%, with most being caught within 5 years.
But Yoon Gisung had been active for over 20 years without being caught.
It wasn't due to overwhelming skill or mere luck.
It was thanks to his intense intuition, a skill he gained upon awakening.
Despite not providing any direct combat ability, intense intuition was a skill that received the SS rank, capable of sending strong signals throughout the body before dangerous situations arose.
That's why Yoon Gisung had no choice but to absolutely believe in his instincts.
'Come to think of it, this Lee Seongjun guy was extraordinary from the start.'
Despite noticing he was being followed, he showed no signs of panic or surprise.
No, rather, it was himself, Yoon Gisung, who was overwhelmed and surprised.
The moment he met Lee Seongjun's eyes, he felt as if his whole body froze like prey before a predator.
Just imagining that moment sent chills down his spine.
'...If I get too deeply involved, I'll definitely end up bleeding.'
He needed to pull out as soon as possible before it was too late.
Finally, having made his decision, Yoon Gisung picked up his smartphone and composed and sent a message to Kim Dongjun.