Chapter 44

Chapter 44
## Chapter 44: Heads on Display

Lee Se-eun was drowning in sheer fatigue. A massive, unruly tide of people had descended upon the location where the vital relief supplies were being handed out.

The scene was chaotic: individuals who had already grabbed their portions were circling back for seconds, others were shoving their way to the front, and violent brawls were erupting with lethal intent.

In the middle of this desperation, the South Korean military personnel responsible for protecting the cargo were forced to deploy salt rounds against the frantic civilians.

While these were technically non-lethal projectiles intended to cause minimal lasting damage, they were still devastating to a population already wasted away by starvation. For those on the brink, such a shock could easily result in a medical emergency—or a cold grave.

“We have thirty-seven wounded and eight deaths confirmed.”

Lives were being snuffed out, either through internal infighting or the harsh measures taken to maintain order.

“Our team has already flagged twenty-four instances of counterfeit aid vouchers.”

The plight of the destitute was heartbreaking, but Lee Se-eun knew all too well that being a victim didn’t automatically make someone a saint.

“The personnel managing the distribution are reaching their breaking point.”

It wasn’t hard to see why. Parents would wail, begging for a single exception for their fading children, only to scream “murderer” at the staff the moment the child took their last breath.

Some went as far as dragging the small corpses of their children to the front lines. They would collapse, clutching at the legs of the workers, sobbing and thrashing in a desperate bid to extort even a few extra grains of food.

“Sympathy cannot be allowed to override the distribution protocols.”

She was painfully aware of the mental toll on her team. Suddenly, a voice broke through the tension: “We’ve been contacted by the Kaiser Warlord.” Every head in the command center snapped toward Lee Se-eun.

“Connect them.”

Hearing from the Kaiser Warlord provided a flicker of relief. For the first time in what felt like ages, the hard lines of Lee Se-eun’s face softened slightly.

Yoo Chan-seok had managed to wedge the door open for negotiations. His tactics were likely drenched in extreme violence, but at this stage, she wasn’t in a position to be picky about optics.

—This is Daniel, representing the Kaiser Warlord. I’m calling to discuss terms regarding the transit of the shield generator.

“This is Lee Se-eun of Zanabi LLC. I appreciate you taking the initiative to reach out.”

She opened with a standard professional courtesy.

“I am aware that Hunter Yoo Chan-seok likely caused significant friction on your end. You have my condolences for that.”

—So you’re saying he was acting on his own?

“Precisely. I gave no such orders. However, I can’t deny that his actions proved beneficial in the long run.”

Lee Se-eun answered Daniel’s assessment with blunt honesty. Regardless of the havoc Yoo Chan-seok had wreaked in Hamburg, it was a rogue operation.

—I suppose even the renowned Candy Lady has trouble keeping a leash on every hunter.

“If they were under the Zanabi banner, perhaps. But I have never made it my practice to use status or coercion to control hunters outside my firm.”

She saw no reason to shoulder the blame for the collateral damage Yoo Chan-seok had caused Daniel’s group.

“Let’s move past that. Shall we focus on the logistics of moving the shield generator?”

—…Very well. Since we’ve reached this impasse, we will cooperate, but it’s going to cost you.

As Daniel spoke, Lee Se-eun looked toward the representatives of the Embargo Tower, including the individual in the amethyst garb. She had the floor, but their perspective was vital.

“We grant Hunter Lee Se-eun full power of attorney for this negotiation, provided the interests of Embargo Tower remain uncompromised.”

With their blessing, Lee Se-eun gave a sharp nod and returned to the call.

“Our itinerary has us finishing the Warsaw relief effort in two days. From there, we transit through Berlin and Hamburg before our final departure from the Netherlands.”

She laid out the specific aid quantities earmarked for Berlin and Hamburg, along with the projected timelines, for Daniel’s review.

—As payment for our assistance, the Kaiser Warlord requires a contract for the dispatch of Zanabi hunters.

Lee Se-eun gave a quiet click of her tongue and reached for a stack of personnel files.

“The team of seven hunters we sent to Bahia Blanca, Argentina, are due back shortly after neutralizing a Rank-2 Erosion Core.”

—Only seven? …We would be much more comfortable with a larger number.

Lee Se-eun didn’t hesitate.

“Seven is our limit. However, as an alternative, I can provide introductions to other reputable hunter agencies.”

A recommendation from Zanabi was golden; few companies would pass up the chance if the pay was right.

Daniel’s primary goal was simply beefing up his border security—this compromise was more than fair.

—I’ll accept that as a gesture of goodwill, then.

Daniel was essentially asking her to facilitate a mercenary surge since he couldn’t secure the generator for himself. Lee Se-eun tied up the loose ends efficiently.

“See? We could have reached this mutually beneficial arrangement much sooner if we’d just started with a conversation.”

Daniel’s voice came back through the line.

—Don’t kid yourself. You’re the only one getting exactly what you wanted.

Deep down, Daniel still lusted after that shield generator. With it, his territory would be a fortress against the monsters, and he could have squeezed a fortune out of anyone needing protection.

But given the reality of the situation, it was better to take the offered scraps than to start a war he might lose. That was the logic behind his surrender.

“Regardless, I look forward to your full support.”

Lee Se-eun hung up. She wasn’t required to pay anything out of pocket yet anyway.

It was up to Daniel to do the legwork of finalizing contracts with Zanabi and the other firms she would suggest.

“What’s the status on the supplies?”

“We’re at 70% completion. If we maintain this pace, we’ll clear the window provided by the Kaiser Warlord with time to spare.”

“Hunter Yoo Chan-seok really pulled through for us.”

The atmosphere in the room had turned optimistic, but that warmth was instantly killed by an incoming high-priority report.

“Zamkovi Square… Hunter Lee Se-eun, you need to look at this right now.”

Lee Se-eun let out an inquisitive “Hm?” and looked up as an image flickered onto the main screen: Zamkovi Square, the heart of Warsaw.

“Hwah…”

A sound escaped her—a mix of a weary sigh and genuine shock.

In the center of the square, eight human heads had been lined up for all to see. Beneath the grisly display, a sign written in Polish proclaimed:

**Crime: Theft and black-market trafficking of relief goods**

**Executioner: Han Sang-ah**

A cold shiver ran down Lee Se-eun’s spine. She found her voice and spoke with steel in her tone.

“Hunter Han Sang-ah—get her back here this instant.”

Decapitations? Her order was razor-sharp. The team contacted Han Sang-ah immediately.

“You sent for me?”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Lee Se-eun’s voice was thick with freezing rage. She projected an aura of intimidation so intense it would have made a normal person lose control of their bladder on the spot. But Han Sang-ah stood her ground, completely unfazed.

“While on my patrol route, I discovered a hidden alleyway where our supplies were being fenced on the black market.”

She explained how she had seized the goods and tracked them back to their source through the vendors.

“Oh, and I had to sever the sellers’ Achilles tendons to ensure they’d lead me to their hideout.”

“That’s…!”

Before Lee Se-eun could explode, Han Sang-ah cut her off with calm logic.

“Relief aid is intended for the suffering masses. We didn’t transport this cargo all the way from Vladivostok to Warsaw just so a handful of criminals could hoard it for profit.”

The logic was sound, but that wasn’t the point of contention.

“Eight lives, Hunter Han Sang-ah. Eight! We are hunters. Our job is to take the heads of monsters, not human beings.”

Han Sang-ah simply shook her head.

“That is your moral code, Hunter Lee Se-eun. I have my own.”

The entire room fell into a stunned silence. No one ever spoke to Lee Se-eun with that kind of defiance.

But Han Sang-ah wasn’t finished. She gestured toward the screen showing the square.

“Furthermore, there was another crime involved that I chose not to list on that sign.”

“Which was?”

Without a word, Han Sang-ah pulled out her phone and played a video she had recorded.

“They were coerced minors into sexual acts, using food rations as the trade.”

Lee Se-eun had to look away. The audio and the glimpses of the footage made it sickeningly obvious that this was a routine operation for those men.

They deserved death. While no one had the legal right to play judge, jury, and executioner… in a case like this? It was hard to argue.

The fire of Lee Se-eun’s anger cooled into a dull ache.

“I understand the motive. But why leave that specific crime off the public display?”

Han Sang-ah had said it was intentional; there had to be a strategy.

“I wanted the public message to be singular: If you touch the relief supplies or sell them for profit, you die.”

Han Sang-ah slid her phone back into her pocket.

“A slaughter of one to terrify a hundred. We can’t monitor every single truck that heads into the outskirts. To these people, we are just outsiders.”

Outsiders cutting off heads over food could easily be seen as a brutal display of foreign power.

“Do you not realize? Their resentment toward you might actually be stronger than their hatred for the men who were abusing those children.”

Human nature often led people to hate a judgmental outsider more than a local predator.

“I’m aware. But I can bear that burden, so it doesn’t matter to me.”

“Bear it? What does that even mean?”

Han Sang-ah made a declaration so audacious it bordered on the surreal.

“If today’s actions cause a diplomatic or legal fallout, Geumyang Group will handle it.”

She said it with total confidence, leaning entirely on the weight of her family name.

“You can’t just expect—”

“I don’t believe I’ve done anything incorrect.”

Incorrect? Perhaps not. Geumyang Group was the undisputed titan of the Korean corporate world.

Before a single Polish official could even begin to process the fact that Han Sang-ah had executed eight people, the media, the government, and every relevant power structure would be moving to sweep it under the rug.

“Don’t you think you’re being a bit arrogant?”

Han Sang-ah looked genuinely confused by the question.

“Natural talent and family backing. Both are things a person is simply born with. Look at Yoo Chan-seok, for example.”

In truth, Yoo Chan-seok’s power was forged through grueling experience—but she had no way of knowing that.

“If he was gifted with incredible talent, I was gifted with incredible resources.”

She paused to briefly scratch her head.

“Is this really any different from the way other chaebol heirs use their status to abuse their drivers, assault employees, harass staff, or dodge drug charges?”

“There is a massive difference!”

Lee Se-eun retorted. Unlike those spoiled heirs, Han Sang-ah was leveraging her immunity to perform a service for the common good.

“Is there?”

Lee Se-eun stared at her, wondering what kind of internal logic was driving this girl.

“So, you’re certain you can resolve the fallout?”

“Yes. Geumyang is desperate to keep top-tier hunters in their orbit, and I’ve already officially withdrawn from the family succession race. Short of bombing the presidential residence, I’m untouchable.”

Just like that, the tension over the Zamkovi Square incident began to dissipate.

“To be honest, she’s not entirely wrong.”

After Han Sang-ah had bowed and exited, Lee Se-eun sat with her chin in her hand, thinking it through.

Privilege was that unseen force that allowed you to navigate the world without consequence.

Most people used that power for their own comfort. But what if someone used it like Han Sang-ah did?

For instance, corporate power could allow someone to beat a driver senseless and walk away free.

If you had the power to hit someone without going to prison, why not use that power to hunt down the truly vile instead?

“Great, now I’m starting to sound as crazy as she is,” Lee Se-eun muttered to herself, scratching her head in frustration before collapsing onto her bed.