Chapter 39
On the way to the Vice Chairman's office.
Usually, Kim Dong-jun would have been heading there with a pale expression, but today, a bright smile was spreading across his face.
This was inevitable, as Go Tae-hyun had personally summoned him despite directly issuing a disciplinary suspension.
Not understanding the reason, he was initially unable to hide his confusion.
But after racking his brains non-stop, he was finally able to find the reason.
'The Honor Group, it must be Father who made a move.'
Despite not having any outstanding abilities, the fact that he was able to rise to the position of Department Head was solely due to connections.
Among them, it was thanks to the help of his father, Kim Seok-hoon, who was the most important blood relation.
In other words, his father Kim Seok-hoon had such tremendous power that even the Vice Chairman Go Tae-hyun, who was the real power in the Association, couldn't do anything about it.
'After giving up the company shares long ago, he had almost completely stepped away, so I thought he would naturally turn a blind eye to this suspension as well...'
But being one of his few blood relations, his child, it was certain that he couldn't completely abandon him.
This meant that, unlike usual, there was no reason to fear a private meeting with Go Tae-hyun.
Creeak-!
Therefore, even as he entered the Vice Chairman's office, Kim Dong-jun's words and actions were full of composure.
"I heard you were looking for me."
However, this composure of Kim Dong-jun's didn't last long.
This was because he noticed the cold gaze of Vice Chairman Go Tae-hyun sitting on the sofa.
"Our relationship can't be said to be good, so I won't beat around the bush."
Naturally, Kim Dong-jun's gaze began to waver.
Of course, if it had been just the gaze alone, he wouldn't have shown such confusion.
In fact, in the past, when he first took the position of Department Head, he had received a similar gaze.
But this was clearly different from then.
It wasn't that he felt bad because his actions were being forced by the pressure around him.
Although he couldn't understand the situation exactly yet, there was deep anger permeating Go Tae-hyun's words.
As tension built up, Kim Dong-jun's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed dryly.
"..."
"Kim Ki-yeol confessed. He said that Hwanseong commissioned the Shadow Brothers to assassinate Returnee Lee Seong-jun."
For a moment, the conversations they had at Hwanseong Guild flashed through his mind.
After that, the puzzle pieces naturally started to fit together.
'That stupid, villain bastard, what the hell was he thinking...!'
Curses flowed out involuntarily from inside, but now was not the time to express resentment towards the villain.
It was time to suppress his emotions, hide his expression, and continue speaking as if nothing was wrong.
"Is, is that so?"
"Are you thinking of saying you didn't know?"
"I'm not thinking that, I really, really didn't know. Although my second older brother is the Guild Master of Hwanseong, as you know, I left the family. I'm a person with no connection to Hwanseong."
Although he was asserting his innocence with the most aggrieved tone and gestures he could muster, sadly, Go Tae-hyun's anger did not subside.
"No connection, you say... Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"Of, of course!"
The moment Go Tae-hyun nodded.
The secretary, Kim Min-hyuk, who had been quietly standing by, handed an envelope to Kim Dong-jun as if he had been waiting for this moment.
"What's this...?"
"Open it and see."
Kim Dong-jun's face turned pale as he carefully opened the envelope.
This was inevitable because what was contained in the envelope were photos, specifically photos of himself visiting Hwanseong headquarters recently.
"This, this was just me going to have a conversation with family."
As Kim Dong-jun was making excuses, Kim Min-hyuk handed him a second envelope.
The photos inside not only showed him entering and leaving bars with Hwanseong's personnel team, but also clearly captured scenes of him receiving bribes.
"Even you can see that this situation can't be described as just a simple conversation, can you?"
With all the evidence secured, there was no way to make any more excuses.
In the end, Kim Dong-jun bit his lower lip hard and bowed his head.
"I'm, I'm sorry. I'll accept any punishment."
It was frustrating, but for now, bowing down and trying to get through this situation was the best course of action.
However, this judgment was Kim Dong-jun's clear mistake, and a trap set by Go Tae-hyun.
"As the proxy for the Association President, I order this. Kim Dong-jun, Department Head, you are hereby dismissed."
"That, that's too harsh a measure, I think!"
"Do you really think it's too harsh?"
Not only had he committed substantial crimes like accepting bribes and exposing hunters' personal information, but this wasn't even the end of it.
To categorize them briefly, there were countless cases of workplace bullying from subordinates, abuse of power, and dereliction of duty that kept coming in.
It was a situation where it wouldn't have been strange if he had been dismissed long ago. Rather, it could be seen as a miracle that he had been able to keep the position of Department Head until now.
However, there was no wavering in Kim Dong-jun's eyes.
Rather, he boldly asked a question.
"If my father hears about this, the Honor Group will start moving. Can you handle that?"
"Mr. Kim, Department Head, no, Kim Dong-jun, you really are a foolish fellow. If I didn't have confidence in handling it, I wouldn't have started this in the first place."
Go Tae-hyun's eyes narrowed as a relaxed smile played on his lips.
"By the way... You've become quite bold in the time I haven't seen you, directly threatening me like this."
The killing intent that flowed from Go Tae-hyun's body shot towards Kim Dong-jun.
There was no way Kim Dong-jun, who had no abilities and had secured the position of Department Head through nepotism, could withstand Go Tae-hyun's killing intent.
In an instant, Kim Dong-jun's face turned pale.
"As your former superior, let me give you one piece of advice. Not just now, but in the future as well, don't let words you can't handle come out of your mouth."
"..."
There was no response.
But the effect was clear.
Kim Dong-jun, who had been backing away in fear, was hastily leaving the place.
"You, you'll definitely regret this!"
After Kim Dong-jun, who showed a petty attitude until the very end, disappeared, Go Tae-hyun took out an envelope from the drawer under his desk.
'I didn't expect to use this in this way.'
The Association hadn't just been sitting idly by all this time either.
They had been collecting evidence of corruption on Kim Seok-hoon, the chairman of the Honor Group and Kim Dong-jun's father.
Originally prepared by the Association as a last resort and final blow, if this was revealed, they wouldn't be able to move for a while.
This meant that Kim Dong-jun's side could be dealt with for sure.
But it wasn't over yet.
"...Hwanseong."
Having commissioned the assassination to the Shadow Brothers, they absolutely couldn't be left alone.
However, as one of the top 5 guilds, and moreover, with Kim Dong-hyun as the master, this wouldn't be easy either.
But if he hadn't been confident in cornering them securely, he wouldn't have started this affair.
By now, a chilling smile began to spread across Go Tae-hyun's face.
"The price for trying to touch Lee Seong-jun, our Association's treasure... I'll make sure you pay dearly for it."
* * *
Hwanseong, Guild Headquarters.
Uninvited guests, the Hunter Association's Enforcement Division, burst in.
A sudden situation, but Hwanseong wasn't one of Korea's top 5 guilds for nothing.
In an instant, Hwanseong's hunters along with the building's security team converged at the entrance, blocking the personnel trying to barge in as they pleased.
"What brings you here?"
In response to the question from Park Kyung-jun, an S-rank hunter belonging to Hwanseong, Seo Jae-moon, the leader of Enforcement Team 1, thrust out a piece of paper.
"We're here on official business."
Park Kyung-jun's brow furrowed at the contents of the warrant, stamped with the seal of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office.
"Since everyone seems to be gathered, I'll give advance notice. If you interfere, you may all be arrested for obstruction of official duties, so please keep this in mind."
As Seo Jae-moon nodded with a sneer, the staff waiting behind him attempted to enter Hwanseong's building as if they had been waiting for this.
However, unfortunately, they had to stop after just a few steps.
"What do you think you're doing!"
Kim Dong-hyun, Hwanseong's master, who had rushed over after hearing the news, and his royal guards blocked their path.
"How dare you! Do you know where this is! Get out!"
Towards Kim Dong-hyun and his royal guards, who were blocking the staff's entry while emitting an ominous killing intent, Seo Jae-moon stepped forward and once again thrust out the warrant.
"This is a warrant formally issued by the court based on testimonies that Hwanseong committed tax evasion and commissioned an assassination to the Shadow Brothers, A-rank villains. Please step aside."
"...Assassination commission? Who on earth spouted such nonsense?"
"Kim Ki-yeol, one of the Shadow Brothers, confessed directly."
Despite there being a clear witness, there wasn't a trace of wavering in Kim Dong-hyun's expression.
"So in the end, you're moving based on just some nonsensical barking from a villain? Think carefully. This is Hwanseong. One of Korea's top 5 guilds. Can you handle all of this?"
By now, a deep killing intent was flowing from Kim Dong-hyun's body.
However, Seo Jae-moon was also an S-rank hunter, and among the top at that.
There was no way he would back down from mere threats like this.
"I'm just following orders from above. I'll take full responsibility for everything that happens here, so everyone, start the seizure."
At Seo Jae-moon's instruction, the staff who had stopped moving all began to move at once.
However, Kim Dong-hyun's expression showed not a hint of panic.
From the start, Kim Dong-hyun hadn't thought he could send Seo Jae-moon away with just verbal threats.
Kim Dong-hyun, with cold eyes, moved towards the nearby emergency staircase and headed to the underground parking lot.
Then, passing by the line of parked cars, Kim Dong-hyun got into his own vehicle and took out the smartphone he had put in his inside pocket.
Of course, he hadn't just made eloquent statements and avoided the situation.
It was all actions to resolve the current situation.
'...If I contact the Prosecutor General directly and get the warrant cancelled, even Seo Jae-moon will have no choice but to back down.'
While building up Hwanseong into one of the top 5 guilds, he had established connections with numerous chiefs, vice ministers, and members of the National Assembly.
And among them, he was also connected to the Prosecutor General, who had the final approval authority for issuing this warrant.
It meant that overturning a warrant like this was no big deal.
However, contrary to this confidence, he couldn't get in touch with the Prosecutor General.
-The customer cannot take your call at the moment...
Only the message about being connected to voicemail kept repeating.
'Damn... What are you doing at such an important time.'
Repeated calls, time continuing to pass.
Thinking that even at this moment, Hwanseong's interior was being turned upside down in real-time, anger boiled up inside him.
'Damn it.'
Just as Kim Dong-hyun quickly composed and sent a text message asking for immediate contact while touching his smartphone,
Ring ring ring.