Chapter 324 – Part 2 – Operation Begins

After work, Choi Seong-min first stopped by a mobile phone store.

Just in case, he needed to prepare an extra phone.

After that, he entered a cafe and killed time drinking coffee.

‘It’s time.’

As the operation time approached, Choi Seong-min got up from his seat.

Before that, he didn’t forget to send a text to Song Chi-hyeon.

[Choi Seong-min: I’ll start getting to work now.]

[Song Chi-hyeon: Okay.]

Since he had decided whose side to take, there was no hesitation.

Taking public transportation to somewhere, Choi Seong-min stopped walking.

On the building he faced, he could see a sign that read Team Crush.

‘First, I need to meet Yang Jo-young according to plan.’

Going to the Association would be faster to meet Yang Jo-young, but he deliberately came here.

Because Choi Seong-min’s role was to lure Yang Jo-young outside the Association.

“Hello.”

When he opened the office door and entered, Do Eun-jeong, who was passing by the entrance, stopped walking and looked at him with surprised rabbit eyes.

“S-Seong-min junior?”

“It’s been a while, senior.”

Actually, since he had been expelled from the team, there was no need to call each other senior and junior, but he played along.

Even deliberately showing a happy smile.

However, Do Eun-jeong didn’t seem in the mood to play along, correcting her words with a stern face.

“You’re not a junior anymore. What brings Mr. Seong-min here?”

Her tone was stiff, so there must be some hurt feelings.

‘Probably because I’ve been ignoring her texts all this time.’

Not only that, but leaving the team without a word probably contributed too.

‘Though it was more like being expelled than leaving voluntarily.’

Then someone walked up from behind Do Eun-jeong.

It was Eom Jeong-sik.

“Oh? The newbie?”

“Hello, Senior Eom.”

“What? Who came?”

Sim Seong-jin and team leader Bang Tae-man also approached after hearing the commotion.

‘Everyone was in the office.’

He had hoped only minimal people would be there since he didn’t want to involve others if possible.

‘I guess hopes are just hopes?’

Since it had come to this, there was nothing he could do.

When their eyes met, Choi Seong-min bowed in greeting.

“Senior Sim, Team Leader Bang. Hello.”

“Look who it is? Choi Seong-min, who abandoned loyalty and became a direct subordinate of the Great Hero?”

Feeling the barbs in the team leader’s words, Choi Seong-min smiled awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, Team Leader Bang. I had no other choice.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. We would have gone under the Great Hero too if we were in that situation.”

“Right. Honestly speaking, the captain isn’t at a level to compete with the Great Hero.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

But the team members’ words weren’t finished yet.

“But even so, you could have at least said goodbye before leaving, right?”

“Yeah, if you had said farewell, we would have congratulated you.”

No matter how much he was expelled, they seemed hurt that he didn’t say goodbye.

‘I didn’t think we had become close enough to say goodbye to each other…’

But it seemed different to the team members.

‘Did we bond during the month we hunted together?’

Thinking he would never see them again, he had cut off the relationship without a word, and now things had turned out like this.

“I’m sorry for leaving without a word. It might sound like an excuse, but I had to report to work the next day so I was busy. I was also embarrassed about suddenly leaving.”

“Still, you could have made time to stop by the office once.”

“Do you know how hurt we were when you left without saying a word?”

“Not me. I was so comfortable and happy without you.”

Eom Jeong-sik was being sarcastic, but Choi Seong-min wasn’t affected at all.

It wasn’t surprising that a guy who liked Do Eun-jeong would be wary of him.

“I’m sorry, everyone.”

But for the plan, Choi Seong-min deliberately pretended to be repentant and bowed his head.

Deceiving people was nothing to him.

“Ahem, you don’t need to be that sorry…”

“We just said that because we felt hurt.”

“Yeah, we’re not in a position to tell you what to do.”

Choi Seong-min’s sincere apology seemed to somewhat ease the team members’ feelings.

But Do Eun-jeong’s expression was still cold.

“Mr. Seong-min. Why did you ignore my texts? You didn’t answer my calls either. Were you doing it on purpose?”

“Huh? You sent texts? And called?”

When Choi Seong-min pretended not to know, Do Eun-jeong’s eyebrows twitched.

“You didn’t know?”

“No… I changed my phone after that. The Great Hero said it would be better to get a new one…”

“…”

The excuse of changing his number was simple yet definitely effective.

Confusion appeared on Do Eun-jeong’s ice-cold expression.

“Then you should have contacted me first to say your number changed.”

“I’m sorry, Senior Eun-jeong. When I changed phones, I forgot to transfer my contacts.”

“Then you don’t have my number saved right now?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ll give you my number so save it quickly! And give me your new number too so I can save it!”

Seeming intent on continuing contact, Do Eun-jeong was fired up about exchanging numbers.

‘She’s persistent, really.’

Choi Seong-min took out the phone he had prepared for times like this and gave her his number.

‘It would have been troublesome if I didn’t have two phones.’

While exchanging numbers under Eom Jeong-sik’s sharp gaze, Team Leader Bang asked.

“So Seong-min, you commute to the Association now?”

“Yes.”

“I’m envious. To think you caught the Great Hero’s eye. But why did you suddenly come to the office? You’re not here to give the greeting you couldn’t before, are you?”

Everyone seemed curious about the reason as they silently focused on Choi Seong-min.

“Well… I wanted to meet Hunter Yang Jo-young.”

“The captain?”

“The captain isn’t here, but why? What do you want to talk about?”

“I can’t say the details. It’s something I need to discuss with Hunter Yang Jo-young alone.”

At those words, Eom Jeong-sik snickered.

“Hey, do you think our captain is as idle as you? Why would he meet an expelled D-rank hunter?”

He mocked him for being D-rank, but Choi Seong-min was already B-rank.

They probably couldn’t imagine he had become the same rank as Yang Jo-young.

“Yang Jo-young will meet me.”

“On what basis?”

The corner of Choi Seong-min’s mouth slightly rose.

“Because I’m thinking of rejoining Team Crush.”

* * *

One hour before Choi Seong-min came to Team Crush.

Yang Jo-young was waiting for someone at a cafe.

None other than his second older brother Yang Jo-wi.

“Hyung, you’re here?”

“Have you been well, Jo-young?”

“Of course, I’ve been well.”

The two people who exchanged friendly greetings ordered coffee and sat down.

“It’s been a while since we had coffee together like this, just the two of us. Has it been about a year?”

“Has it been that long?”

“Yeah. We contacted each other often, but it’s been about that long since we saw each other face to face.”

Yang Jo-young was an illegitimate child and they were half-brothers, but that didn’t mean they had a bad relationship.

Rather, they maintained an intimate relationship, keeping in touch.

“What have you been up to lately?”

“Me? I’ve been overseeing the training camp and going in and out of the Association.”

“You used to say you were tired of work and wanted to hunt, but it’s the same even after the dungeons opened?”

“Sigh, this is my situation. Even if I want to hunt and grow, they don’t give me the opportunity.”

Yang Jo-young let out a long sigh, but to Yang Jo-wi’s eyes as a civilian, it sounded like complaining while well-fed.

“What more wealth and glory are you trying to achieve by growing further? B-rank is pretty good, isn’t it?”

“Does the current me look okay to hyung?”

Yang Jo-young suddenly made a serious expression.

“I lived my whole life not knowing who my father was, and only found out when my mother passed away from a chronic illness. Then I thought I was lucky to awaken as a hunter and only success awaited me. But how is it now?”

“…”

“It’s been over 10 years since I became a B-rank hunter, but the label of illegitimate child still torments me. My father avoids me like I’m some trash, and recently a Great Hero mocked me for being illegitimate.”

“A Great Hero? Who?”

“Who else but Song Chi-hyeon?”

Just thinking about that humiliation made Yang Jo-young unable to contain his anger, grinding his teeth.

“Now there’s no one in the Association who doesn’t know I’m the Secretary’s illegitimate child. Even if they don’t say it outwardly, they’re probably laughing at me inside.”

“No. That’s not…”

“What would hyung know? Hyung, who’s still living comfortably under father, do you understand my feelings of being mocked for over 10 years?”

“…”

Since there was nothing wrong with what he said, Yang Jo-wi had no choice but to remain silent.

“Do you know why this is all happening? Because I lack power.”

“Hey, B-rank is pretty strong. Do you know how many tens of thousands of hunters are below you…”

“That’s not enough. I need to have power so overwhelming that they can’t even dare to look at me. Power so great that the word ‘illegitimate’ would disappear.”

Yang Jo-young had no intention of being content with his current position.

He yearned to climb to higher places, even if it meant trampling on others.

“Hyung knows, right? That I want to be acknowledged by father.”

“Yeah, you mentioned it before.”

“Surely if I become stronger than now, father will acknowledge me too.”

“But you said you don’t have time to hunt because you’re swamped with work?”

“That’s right. So I have a small business I’m doing.”

“Business?”

“I might have mentioned it before. That I have a team I’m raising.”

“Oh, right. Was the name Team Crush?”

“Right. Do you know why I created that team?”

“Didn’t you make it to earn money stably? You take a cut from what they earn, right?”

“No.”

Yang Jo-young shook his head and smiled coldly.

“I’m going to raise that team to B-rank and offer them to the Association President.”

“To Great Hero Kwak Min-cheol?”

“Yeah. I heard the Association President has a hobby of collecting skilled B-rank hunters.”

“So you’re going to offer the team you created as a bribe? Like an offering on an altar?”

“Yes. I’m carefully raising them like tending a garden until they become B-rank. Only for the Association President.”

“…”

“Then wouldn’t he pay more attention to me for my devotion? For example, giving me full support to hunt and grow, or taking me as a direct subordinate.”

“I understand wanting to look good to the Association President, but… is this agreed upon with the Team Crush kids?”

Yang Jo-young shook his head and said indifferently.

“Their opinions don’t matter, do they?”

“Still, they should know what will happen to them later…”

“If they knew? Would they happily stay on our team?”

“Of course they’d stay. Wouldn’t it be better to go under the Association President?”

Yang Jo-young let out a snickering laugh.

“When did I say they’d go under him? I just said the Association President has a hobby of collecting hunters.”

“Isn’t that the same thing? Or don’t tell me…”

“Hehe. As expected, hyung doesn’t know anything about the Association President.”

Something smelled fishy, but as a civilian, Yang Jo-wi couldn’t know about the Association President’s hobbies.

“Then tell me. What’s the reason the Association President collects B-rank hunters?”

“I don’t know the details either. All I know is that bad things might happen to those sold to the Association President.”

“You know that but you’re still going to sell them?”

“I don’t care what happens to those guys.”

Yang Jo-wi shook his head in disgust at Yang Jo-young’s cold tone.

“When I see you like this, you’re exactly like father.”

“Of course, since I’m his son.”

“Jo-geon hyung wouldn’t think like that.”

When the topic of eldest brother Yang Jo-geon came up, Yang Jo-young’s expression hardened.

Unlike second brother Yang Jo-wi, he hated Yang Jo-young to death.

“Does Jo-geon hyung still hate me?”

“Still. Haven’t you contacted him recently?”

“What contact? It’s been over 5 years since we’ve spoken a word.”

“Even when I try to reconcile you two, it’s useless. He won’t even say why.”

“…”

Yang Jo-young also didn’t know why his eldest brother disliked him so much.

‘I want to get along well with my brothers…’

He could only guess it was because he was illegitimate.

“Jo-young, you want to reconcile with big brother too, right?”

“Of course. My heart is always open to my brothers.”

“Then we’re having a family dinner today, won’t you come?”

At his second brother’s suggestion, Yang Jo-young’s eyes widened then narrowed again.

“Tch, you made plans among yourselves again, leaving only me out?”

He was clearly family too, but his treatment was no different from an outsider.

Of course, this wasn’t the first or second time, so there was no need to be newly hurt.

“Forget it, you brothers go. Father only called you brothers. I can’t butt in uninvited and disturb you.”

“Still, if you keep showing your face, won’t father open his heart eventually?”

“No. To open father’s heart, I have no choice but to rise to a higher position.”

“Sigh…”

Seeing Yang Jo-young who only looked at power, Yang Jo-wi as his brother couldn’t help but feel sorry.

Then a text came to Yang Jo-wi’s phone.

“Huh? It’s a call from father.”

“Father called you?”

“Yeah. He’s suddenly telling me to come to the Association.”

Yang Jo-young sighed looking at his own quiet phone, unlike his brother.

“Seeing that I didn’t get a text, he didn’t call me, right?”

“Th-that’s probably right.”

With a somehow apologetic expression, Yang Jo-wi stood up.

“I have to go first because of father’s call.”

“Alright. See you next time, hyung.”

After sending off his brother, he was slumped with a disappointed expression when.

Ring ring- Ring ring-

A call came to Yang Jo-young’s phone.

‘Could it be?’

He answered the phone with delight, but as soon as he saw the caller, his energy drained.

Because it was a call from Team Crush leader Bang Tae-man.

“What is it?”

-Well, Captain. There’s someone here who wants to see you…

“Who?”

Yang Jo-young, who had been maintaining an indifferent expression, soon had to be surprised.

“Choi Seong-min?”

Because the guy he had expelled from the team had come on his own.

And with the reason that he wanted to rejoin the team.

“Got it. I’ll go now, so tell him to stay put there.”

Yang Jo-young readily agreed to meet Choi Seong-min.

‘Fucking bastard with thick skin. You’re dead.’

He was already gloomy, and now a target for venting his anger had appeared.