Chapter 69
He tried to respect and endure as much as possible, since it was related to his father Lee Su-hyeok's social life.
But he had no intention of standing by while such blatant killing intent was being directed.
"..."
The moment Lee Seong-jun's cold gaze touched Choi Seung-hoon, an invisible force shot out.
The presence of a Blood Demon and Demon God who had reigned as a ruler,
An overwhelming presence that words could not describe, instantly constricted Choi Seung-hoon's breath.
Eventually, red blood burst out of Choi Seung-hoon's mouth like a fountain.
"Kuhk-!"
Choi Seung-hoon's eyes widened as he fell to his knees and collapsed on the ground with his head down.
Of course, it wasn't simply because he had been injured.
"Y-You are...!"
The one who continued Choi Seung-hoon's words, who couldn't hide his surprise, was Hwang Jeong-jin, who had been observing the situation.
"Lee Seong-jun...?"
It was impossible not to recognize him.
Inevitably so, as Lee Seong-jun is currently the hottest topic in South Korea, being the super rookie of the White Tiger Guild who took down SS-rank villain Jo Se-hyeok.
Naturally, questions began to arise in his mind.
'...Since when has he been here?'
Various hypotheses came to mind, but what was important now wasn't when Lee Seong-jun had been there.
"H-Hunter, why...?"
Hwang Jeong-jin's gaze moved busily as he spoke, checking the reactions around him.
Despite Lee Seong-jun's sudden appearance, Lee Su-hyeok's family members only showed signs of bewilderment, not great surprise.
It was as if they had known Lee Seong-jun was here from the beginning.
'...No way?'
It didn't take long for the ominous prediction that suddenly crossed his mind to become reality.
"S-Son..."
"Oppa, calm down."
As the worst possible scenario became reality, Hwang Jeong-jin's face turned pale.
"..."
He had heard news that one of Team Leader Lee Su-hyeok's family members had gone missing and returned recently.
But he had never thought it would be Lee Seong-jun, a returnee from another world, and moreover, the hottest topic in the hunter world lately.
In the first place, how could he think that someone with such an outstanding son would be working and struggling like this?
'Talk about rotten luck.'
The main source of income for Hwang Jeong-jin's company, Yuma Mining, is the distribution of mana stones.
For a stable supply of mana stones, there was nothing to gain by antagonizing ordinary hunters of C or B rank, but Lee Seong-jun was a super rookie of the White Tiger Guild, one of the top 5 guilds, and was also working as a joint member of the Hunter Association.
'Considering the tremendous reputation and name value Lee Seong-jun has built up so far...'
One word from Lee Seong-jun could deal a significant blow to the business.
No, in the worst case, the company Yuma Mining, which he had built up over a lifetime, could go bankrupt.
'...That absolutely must not happen.'
This was no time to be standing on useless pride.
Hwang Jeong-jin immediately bent his waist at a right angle towards Lee Seong-jun and shouted.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't know you were the Hunter's family and committed a great rudeness."
Although Hwang Jeong-jin kept bowing his head and apologizing, Lee Seong-jun's expression remained as hard as a stone statue.
Of course it was, as the target of Hwang Jeong-jin's apology was wrong from the start.
"I don't think I'm the one you should be apologizing to."
At Lee Seong-jun's words, Hwang Jeong-jin, who had finally come to his senses, rushed to Lee Su-hyeok's front, knelt down and pleaded.
"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I must have been out of my mind for a moment. I'll never make such a mistake again, please forgive me just this once!"
Hwang Jeong-jin kept bowing his head and shouting towards Lee Su-hyeok several times.
"I'm really begging you like this. If you forgive me just this once, I'll make sure this never happens again. Team Leader Lee, we've known each other for over 5 years, there's some affection between us, right?"
Given his gentle nature and abundance of affection, the usual Lee Su-hyeok would have shown considerable wavering.
But despite Hwang Jeong-jin's continued apologies, Lee Su-hyeok's expression showed no change.
He was just suppressing his rising anger while tightly clenching his fist.
"I've endured and let go of everything President Hwang has said to me until now..."
It's been a full 5 years.
As a parent, as the head of the household, he couldn't show it, but every time he met President Hwang Jeong-jin, he had to listen to insulting remarks.
It wasn't because of any special incident that made him hated.
Simply because he had no money and was of lower rank, he was looked down upon and disrespected.
His pride was crushed and his self-esteem hit rock bottom, but he endured.
He knew that if he couldn't endure, the cruel reality of his hard-kept family falling apart would come, so he forcibly stitched up wounds that were about to burst open and pulled himself together.
Because he was a parent.
Because he was a father.
Because he had a family to protect.
"That's what social life is, so I was going to do that this time too, but... I absolutely cannot tolerate anyone trying to lay hands on my children."
Lee Su-hyeok, with cold anger in his eyes, speaks in a firm tone.
"Do as you please, whether you tell our company to fire me or not. I don't want to be involved anymore, even for work, with someone who tries to lay hands on my daughter."
Having said his piece, Lee Su-hyeok passed by Hwang Jeong-jin without hesitation, but Lee Seong-jun was still staring at Hwang Jeong-jin with cold eyes.
"I-If you wish, I will continue to apologize as much as needed until Team Leader Lee's heart is soothed, so please, can you pretend today's incident never happened...?"
Hwang Jeong-jin, who had long since thrown his pride to the ground, was begging on his knees even in front of Lee Seong-jun.
But there was no answer from Lee Seong-jun.
"..."
Like Lee Su-hyeok before him, he indifferently passed by, only taking out the smartphone he had put in his pocket and holding it to his ear.
"Hello, Vice President. Yes, I've been well. I'm calling because there are a few things I'd like you to check..."
* * *
Originally, the call to Vice President Go Tae-hyun was made to create trouble through a tax investigation by picking on tax-related issues, which are chronic problems for small and medium-sized businesses.
However, upon hearing the news, Go Tae-hyun went berserk and immediately began investigating the company called Yuma Mining. In no time, he discovered that Yuma Mining's mana stone distribution was linked to the Hunter Association and promptly withdrew related contracts.
Along with the tax investigation, with the main source of income, mana stone distribution, being blocked, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Yuma Mining's business was on a downward slope.
Naturally, the future of Hwang Jeong-jin, who was the president, couldn't be said to be bright either.
With this, the brief commotion was settled, but it couldn't be said that all problems were resolved.
"..."
Lee Su-hyeok, who had left first, was sitting with his head down on a bench in front of the Korean restaurant.
It was an unfamiliar sight, as he had never shown any signs of struggle at home.
As all family members didn't know what to do and were just watching from around, it was then.
"I'll stay here, so please go in first."
Lee Seong-jun, who volunteered to stay, guided Kim Ji-young and Lee Seo-yun into the Korean restaurant.
Right after, as Lee Seong-jun moved his steps and approached Lee Su-hyeok, it was then.
"I'm sorry... I must have looked so pathetic, right?"
At Lee Su-hyeok's self-deprecating words, Lee Seong-jun shakes his head vigorously.
"Pathetic? Please don't say such things."
The company where father Lee Su-hyeok is currently working is a place he has worked for decades.
Being fired from such a company means losing all the career and connections he had built up with great difficulty.
It means that more than half of his life would go to waste.
Nevertheless, there was no hesitation in Lee Su-hyeok's actions.
He was willing to throw away everything to protect his family.
How could such a father's appearance be considered pathetic?
"...Rather, you looked incredibly cool."
Despite the sincere words of encouragement, Lee Su-hyeok's drooping shoulders still wouldn't straighten.
His face was still full of dark shadows.
"I'm trying my best in my own way because I don't want to be a burden to you who is growing day by day, but it's not as easy as I'd like it to be."
Rather, with each word he utters, the shadow cast on Lee Su-hyeok's face grows deeper.
"...I'm ashamed to face you because I feel like I'm only holding you back, Seong-jun, by receiving your help every time."
"Father..."
Certainly, he had made many contributions to the family's big and small affairs recently.
But all of this was possible because of the efforts of his father, Lee Su-hyeok, who had sacrificed for the family for decades.
'...Father has always done his best for the family.'
He was a father who could be said to be more family-oriented than anyone.
He usually took care of household chores himself and always smiled brightly.
Even when his unworthy son spoke words of resentment, he never frowned once.
Rather, he often went out for manual labor in the early dawn to contribute even a little more to the family while blaming himself for his shortcomings.
Nevertheless, father Lee Su-hyeok never showed any signs of struggle outwardly.
He just silently did his job and became a strong pillar supporting the family.
Therefore, he could say with certainty.
"If it weren't for father's sacrifices and efforts, the current me, Lee Seong-jun, wouldn't exist either. So please don't think that you're holding me back. What I do is just my way of repaying and giving a gift to my father who devoted himself and sacrificed for me."
Was it because he had been thinking about this all along?
There was no hesitation in his words.
At this appearance of Lee Seong-jun, the shadow that had been cast on Lee Su-hyeok's face begins to disappear little by little.
"...I thought you'd be a child I'd have to take care of for life, but you've become incredibly dependable."
At the same time, Lee Su-hyeok's gaze, filled with complex emotions of warmth and apology, turns towards Lee Seong-jun.
"But how can parents live just receiving from their child..."
As Lee Su-hyeok trailed off, Lee Seong-jun quickly cut in.
He didn't want to see his father blaming himself anymore.
"Then please think of it as walking together with father. Is that okay?"
There's a somewhat playful expression on Lee Seong-jun's face that can't usually be seen.
But at the great consideration contained within it, a smile slowly begins to bloom on Lee Su-hyeok's lips as well.
"Walking together... To think you can now consider dad's position too, you've really become an adult."
"I learned in the world I lived in before..."
Lee Seong-jun, recalling the achingly lonely days in the Thousand Continent, slowly moves his lips.
"That this happiness of being able to spend time with family today... is too precious to exchange for anything in the world."
"Thank you for growing up so well, thank you so much. Son."
By now, a brighter smile than ever was on Lee Su-hyeok's lips as he spoke.