Chapter 61

Chapter 61
## Chapter 61: Ramen with the Chairman

—

The moment I concluded my lighthearted exchange with the press and exited the facility, I was greeted by a solitary black sedan and a small group of men dressed in dark suits.

“Are you Hunter Yoo Chan-seok?” one of them inquired.

I cast a brief look back at the building before offering a response.

“Considering the hunters currently inside, who else would be walking out right now besides me or Hunter Han Sang-ah?”

I figured that served as a sufficient confirmation.

“This vehicle was dispatched by the chairman of the Geumyang Group. We are here to transport you to Seoul.”

I shifted my attention toward Han Sang-ah.

“Your grandfather certainly doesn’t waste any time,” I noted.

To have a car waiting the exact second we touched down in Donghae meant he hadn’t just sent it; he’d been tracking our arrival with precision.

“Efficiency is why he excels in the corporate world,” Han Sang-ah replied dryly.

I followed up with one more curiosity.

“And what is he like as a person?”

“Atrocious.”

The men in suits visibly winced at her blunt evaluation.

“Miss Han Sang-ah,” one cautioned.

“He actually called you ‘miss,'” I remarked, looking at her with genuine surprise. For a moment, she actually seemed like the wealthy heiress she was. Turning back to the drivers, I asked, “So, did he instruct you to bring me in with a polite bow, or was I supposed to be roughed up first?”

“The instructions were to escort you with the utmost courtesy.”

In that case, there was no reason to decline. Han Sang-ah and I entered the Geumyang Group vehicle and began the drive toward the capital.

The titan at the helm of the Geumyang empire was summoning me.

Back in Siberia, traveling from one border point to another could take days of grueling transit. Korea was a different story altogether. We transitioned from Donghae City to the heart of Seoul in just a few short hours.

“The Chairman is expecting you.”

Our destination was Artea Seoul, a prominent subsidiary of the Geumyang Group. To put it plainly, it was a massive, opulent hotel owned entirely by their conglomerate.

“You may proceed inside.”

Instead of the lobby, Han Sang-ah and I were directed toward the lower levels.

“The basement?” I muttered.

I was aware a high-end club operated down here. We moved past a dance floor vibrating with heavy bass and a crowd of swaying bodies until we reached a sprawling, high-security private lounge.

“Enter. Your reputation precedes you. I am Han Sang-cheol, the chairman of Geumyang.”

Han Sang-cheol was not an imposing figure physically. In fact, he looked quite brittle. He leaned heavily on a cane, appearing so frail that one might wonder if he could stand without it.

He possessed the kind of aged physique that made you doubt he could wield a blade effectively against anyone. However, that cane was infused with the potent sorcery of capital—if he swung it correctly, he could dismantle entire sovereign nations.

The scene inside was quite the spectacle. My eyes first landed on a young man and woman in their late twenties, lounging comfortably on the large sofas flanking the chairman.

Then, I noticed at least ten women dressed in revealing “hallbok” outfits scattered around the room. It wasn’t just me present; Han Sang-ah, the chairman’s own granddaughter, was standing right there.

What was the point of creating this specific “hostess bar” atmosphere?

“Why stop at these outfits? You might as well have them wait for us completely exposed. There’s barely a difference anyway,” I remarked directly to the old man, Han Sang-cheol.

“Regardless, I’m Yoo Chan-seok.”

Han Sang-cheol’s eyes locked onto mine.

Listen, old man, I’ve navigated rooms filled with every type of power player imaginable. I’ve survived scenarios far more intimidating than this.

I’ve stood before the knight commander who held a perfect record across 57 wars. I’ve faced the emperor who drowned his own court in blood to solidify his absolute rule.

I’ve dealt with the duke who shattered the boundaries of human limitation to seize a throne by the throat.

I’ve even known the woman who manipulated twenty-five high-ranking nobles, draining their coffers and influence until she sat upon the throne as queen.

“Should I take a seat and let these people serve me? Actually, I like that girl over there. Do you mind if I sit?”

If he was trying to unsettle me with a jarring environment, it was a valiant effort, but it wasn’t going to work.

“Fill his glass,” Han Sang-cheol ordered.

I took a seat, extended my glass to the side, and watched as it was filled. Without breaking eye contact with the chairman, I drained the crystal glass in one go.

As I set the empty glass back on the table, Han Sang-cheol watched me intently before whispering to himself.

“This kid… look at that audacity.”

He tapped his cane against the floor a single time.

“Remove the scenery,” he commanded.

The women, who were momentarily confused, caught the hint and stood up to exit the room.

“Let’s start over. This is Han Hoon, my grandson. And that is my granddaughter, Han Su-hee.”

I watched them. The two grandchildren were clearly desperate to stay in the old man’s good graces to secure their inheritance. It was a fascinating dynamic. I wondered where their parents were, allowing the children to squabble over the succession like this.

And where were the other heirs? The questions were starting to pile up regarding this family.

“It’s a pleasure. I’m Han Hoon,” the man said.

“I’m Han Su-hee. The stories didn’t lie—you really are quite handsome,” the woman added.

Han Su-hee looked at me as if she were calculating my market value, while Han Hoon simply looked down his nose at me. It didn’t matter. These entitled kids weren’t the ones I was here to negotiate with.

“The reports about you are quite something, Hunter Yoo. They say you’ve achieved results faster than anyone else in the business.”

“When you pair natural talent with a bit of luck, things tend to move quickly,” I replied.

Han Sang-cheol rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Well, we should probably eat first.”

The “feast” turned out to be instant tteok ramen and tuna kimbap. A very strange choice for a billionaire.

“It all ends up the same way once you digest it, doesn’t it?” I asked.

“People spend so much energy just to produce expensive waste,” Han Sang-cheol chuckled, nodding at my observation.

“True. Expensive waste.”

“Even so, you should at least provide some kimchi.”

He gave another nod, and a side of kimchi was brought out. Han Hoon and Han Su-hee were clearly struggling to maintain their composure—they obviously found the meal beneath them.

Yet, their desire to stay in their grandfather’s favor was so strong they forced themselves to endure it. It was almost pathetic. Han Sang-cheol picked up his utensils and spoke again.

“Anyway, Sang-ah, I heard you performed exceptionally well during this latest venture.”

“Yes, I put in a significant amount of effort,” she answered plainly.

She wasn’t looking for a pat on the head. She had simply done the work, so she confirmed it.

“She’s always been like that,” I added.

The meal proceeded in silence. To anyone else, it would have been a nerve-wracking dinner—nothing but the sound of metal clicking against ceramic.

I took a bite of the ramen and glanced at Han Sang-cheol with a bit of skepticism. Was this old man actually enjoying this? Our tastes were definitely going to clash.

“Finish up your food. I’m going to step out for a moment,” Han Sang-cheol said, standing up and leaving the room.

The second the door closed, Han Hoon spoke.

“Han Sang-ah.”

“What is it?” she replied, twirling noodles around her chopsticks.

“Why are you suddenly interfering? You claimed you had no interest in the business.”

“You actually believe everything people tell you? Really, brother?”

Han Su-hee chimed in, echoing Han Hoon’s frustration.

“You said you just wanted to be a hunter, and now here you are.”

“And what’s the deal with this guy the Chairman personally invited?” Han Hoon added, gesturing toward me.

I raised my water glass and cut in.

“This ‘guy’ just worked his tail off abroad and returned to Korea as a world-class hunter.”

Han Hoon glared at me. I maintained eye contact and took a slow sip of water.

“And? You’re just a mercenary dog roaming the wilderness for a paycheck…”

I slammed the glass onto the table. It shattered instantly under the force of my hand. The shards didn’t pierce my skin, but water splashed across the wood and my palm.

I shook the moisture from my hand, stood up, and flashed a grin at Han Hoon.

“You ever been bitten by a dog before?”

“You arrogant brat, do you think you’re important just because the Chairman sent for you?”

I flicked a chopstick; it hissed through the air, grazing his ear before thudding deep into the wall behind him.

“You’ve got the logic backward. I was already important—that’s exactly why the Chairman sent for me.”

“You think this temporary fame makes you untouchable? You’ll regret this insolence. We aren’t pushovers,” Han Su-hee warned as she watched the tension escalate.

I looked at Han Sang-ah with a look of pure exhaustion.

“Han Sang-ah, did you inherit all the functional genes in this family tree?”

“Why are you asking me that? I told you to speak plainly. I don’t follow your metaphors.”

Han Sang-ah continued to eat her kimbap, completely detached from the argument.

“Do you really want to make an enemy out of the Geumyang Group?” Han Hoon demanded.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

“What are you even saying? Since when were you the Geumyang Group? Remind me, who holds the Chairman title?”

“The Group belongs to Grandfather,” Han Sang-ah noted indifferently between bites of kimbap and sips of broth.

Han Su-hee then turned to Han Hoon.

“Grandfather isn’t here. Let’s not cause a scene, Executive Director Han.”

Han Hoon looked at her sharply.

“You think you have a chance at this?”

Han Su-hee picked up a single noodle, looked at it with visible revulsion, and dropped it back into the bowl.

“I’m sitting here eating this garbage because I think I do.”

She then turned her focus toward Han Sang-ah.

“While you were busy in the UK, their government reached out to us. They were interested in a housing development project utilizing 3D printing technology.”

I leaned back, rubbing my temples as she continued.

“Our data suggested that the deal went through largely because of you and… Yoo Han-seok? The hunter you were with.”

“Yoo Chan-seok,” I corrected. “It’s Chan-seok. You have a great memory for hotel management, I see.”

“So essentially, Han Sang-ah indirectly lined the Chairman’s pockets,” I concluded.

Han Su-hee gave a theatrical gasp and laughed.

“You’re quite sharp. To be honest, the Chairman couldn’t really measure how much your hunter activities were worth to the company. But now, look.”

She gestured broadly with her hands.

“Escorting aid across Siberia, defending the Dover shield generator—both of you were right in the middle of it. And you were the ones who finally resolved the Dover crisis.”

That success had provided the leverage needed for the housing contract.

“The British officials had a poor opinion of Geumyang initially. That’s why they were dragging their feet on further deals…”

But Han Sang-ah had inadvertently smoothed the path. Since they needed the technology anyway, the positive PR from the hunters allowed them to sign the deal with a smile.

“So, how do you think that makes me and my brother feel? Good or bad?”

“You should feel great. More money is coming into your company. Congratulations,” I said.

Han Su-hee let out a mocking snort.

“Men like you usually shut up once they’ve been properly restrained and disciplined.”

“Women like you tend to settle down after a similar treatment,” I countered.

Everyone listens better after a beating, after all. Han Su-hee turned back to Han Sang-ah.

“Sang-ah, if you’re not planning on keeping him, why not hand him over to me?”

“I’d prefer to keep my ribs intact, sister,” Sang-ah replied.

Finally, the picture was clear. Han Sang-ah had stepped out of the corporate race, but her work as a hunter was accidentally making the company a fortune.

This gave Chairman Han Sang-cheol the concrete financial proof he needed to value her contribution. And now, these two siblings were viewing her as a threat once again.

“What a hassle. Am I expected to navigate your family feuds while I’m on the clock?”

“You should—this ‘family’ is the owner of the Geumyang Group,” Han Hoon stated firmly.

I made a face, downed a glass of cold water, and gave my final thoughts.

“Go find something else to do.”

I had enough problems without having to play babysitter for a bunch of rich heirs.