No. 94
The Sung-wook Building had a rooftop balcony. During the day, any occupant could go up with a cup of coffee and enjoy the view.
However, it had a better view during the night. Only Sung-wook and a few close friends could go up at that time.
After dinner, Yoo-seong went up to the balcony with a cup of coffee. He sighed as he looked at the view. This was something he had missed while he was in China.
“I think you really like that coffee,” a voice from behind him said.
“Well, it was the cheapest I could find, so I ordered it often,” he replied as he turned around.
Seoyu had followed him to the balcony.
“The food was great. Did you learn how to cook Korean food when you came here?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Seoyu nodded.
She seemed to hesitate. Then she spoke again.
“I should have said this before… but I wanted to say thank you.”
Yoo-seong was confused. “What did I do?”
He was the first person who had acknowledged her abilities. More than that, he gave her an opportunity to live a second life in Korea.
However, Seoyu found it hard to say it in words.
“Here.” She gave him a manila envelope instead.
Yoo-seong opened it. The documents inside held numerous administrative tasks that he had to complete.
However, Seoyu had fully completed them. They only needed Yoo-seong’s signature.
“It’s okay if you don’t hire me,” Seoyu explained. “I’d like to help you in any way in the future.”
“What are you saying?” Yoo-seong asked him. “Would you just do this work for me without getting paid?”
“It does not matter,” Seoyu bit her lips.
Yoo-seong thought her eyes looked different from when he last saw her six months ago.
“It’s because this is no different from the life I’ve lived until now, anyway,” she added.
From the day she had been born, she had been serving Jin Wei-baek and Tenz.
“The only difference now is that I chose this with my own will.”
She felt infinite gratitude and respect for Yoo-seong, which was the same feeling she had felt for Jin Wei-baek before.
Seoyu lowered her body. She felt her knees touch the cold rooftop floor.
“Now my life is yours. Whatever you ask, I will do with all my heart. I don’t want any rewards.”
Her heart and gift already belonged to Sung-wook.
However, with her head and the rest of her body, she would serve Yoo-seong as much as possible.
She bowed her head deeply.
At this, Yoo-seong said nothing.
All Seoyu heard was the sound of paper fluttering in the wind. Finally, she heard him speak.
“It’s all good… but you missed something here.”
Seoyu raised her head. “Yeah?”
Yoo-seong was riffling through the documents. “What is this? How could you make such a mistake?”
Seoyu turned pale. More than any rejection, the fact that she had missed something embarrassed her.
“Oh my… what could…” she mumbled.
“Think about it!” Yoo-seong raised his voice, alarming her further.
Her brain was spinning faster than ever. She had checked the documents several times before going to the rooftop. It was impossible that she had missed anything.
“I’m sorry, I really can’t think of it,” she said, bowing deeply once more.
Yoo-seong stared at her for a while.
Seoyu couldn’t even dare look at him. Finally, Yoo-seong spoke.
“I left you a note before I went to the Dive. What did it say?”
“Err… that if I wanted to go to Korea…”
“With what?”
“Oh.” Seoyu realized it. “Resume.”
Yoo-seong placed the documents back into the envelope.
“I have no intention of exploiting labor,” he said. “Everyone’s eyes are on me right now. If rumors come out about it, it would only take an instant to be broadcast.”
He handed her back the envelope. Seoyu had an ecstatic expression.
“Honestly, if you weren’t my best friend’s girlfriend, I would have bought you a drink. Just work hard, and I will pay you the right salary without delay.”
Seoyu was speechless.
“So, never talk about serving me without pay. If Sung-wook hears about it, he will be very disappointed.”
“No… I got permission…”
“Even so. I don’t feel so good that he would have allowed you to work for me without pay…” Yoo-seong sighed.
Seoyu kept her eyes on the ground. She didn’t know what to say.
“Well?” Yoo-seong prompted her. “Aren’t you going to say ‘thank you for hiring me’?” He smiled.
Yoo-seong felt glad. There was nothing more he could ask for.
Sung-wook had been fully healed, and now, he had no more debts to repay.
“If you bring your resume and a contract by lunch tomorrow, I will sign them along with these documents,” he told her.
“I really don’t know what to say,” Seoyu said. “Thank you very much for hiring…”
“Welcome. Work hard,” Yoo-seong said and held out a hand to her.
After hesitating for a moment, Seoyu took his hand. They shook several times.
Suddenly, Yoo-seong’s eyebrows furrowed, and he turned toward the railings.
Tadadak-!
The sound of footsteps against the building’s walls could be heard above the wind. Before long, two men landed on the railings.
Yoo-seong felt Seoyu’s hand tremble.
“Oh Yoo-seong,” one of the men said. “We are here to receive the requested item.”
He looked to be over forty years old.
He was thin, with sharp features, giving a wolf-like impression.
“My name is Ho Hol-cheon,” he added, “and this one is Liang Yong.”
“As expected, the turncoat is here,” the other man said, looking at Seoyu.
The man was a skinhead with a body like that of a weightlifter and scars all over.
Yoo-seong recognized them.
Hol-cheon was in fifth place in the current Ship Zone. Liang Yoong was ranked ninth.
“I feel like I want to beat her up,” the big man said out loud.
“Stop.” Hol-cheon raised his hand, but his eyes also burned with contempt as he looked at Seoyu. Then he turned to Yoo-seong.
“Congratulations on your return. Did you bring the item we requested?”
Yoo-seong shrugged. “My deal was not with you but with Jin Wei-baek.”
The two men flinched upon hearing Jin Wei-baek’s name spoken so casually.
“I do have the item we spoke about. If the conditions are right, I can give it to him anytime,” Yoo-seong added. At this, Hol-cheon smiled and nodded, satisfied.
“You must have suffered a lot. The CEO ordered me to thank you for your hard work, and…”
“Was I not clear enough?” Yoo-seong cut him off.
Hol-cheon and Liang Yong’s expressions hardened.
“You’re right. I apologize,” Hol-cheon said. Then he motioned towards Seoyu. “But you have already taken that girl. There is no reason for you to need the Golden Pill.”
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
“If you continue to disrespect this woman… you will have to face the consequences,” Yoo-seong warned. “Besides, this conversation is over. I won’t turn over the item to you,” he added.
“Once you have provided…” Hol-cheon tried to reason out, but Yoo-seong cut him off.
“No.”
His voice was firm.
“I made a deal with Jin Wei-baek. What I want is what we agreed to. If he wants to change the agreement, then he must at least show himself to me and apologize.”
Hol-cheon couldn’t believe what he heard.
“Your arrogance… has exceeded my expectations,” he seethed. “Liang Yong. This doesn’t make sense anymore.”
As he spoke, Liang Yong clenched his fists.
Unlike before, Hol-cheon did not stop him.
“Don’t think we can’t do anything to you because this is your country. In the last six months, we’ve gained quite a lot of influence here. Your hunters… in order to learn very simple Techs, they sold their loyalty.”
Yoo-seong did not respond.
“So let’s finish this. The item we brought you to exchange is not of lesser value than the Golden Pill. We have simply changed the payoff, not canceled it. If you refuse… you have to face the consequences,” Hol-cheon continued.
“Please choose. Take the appropriate compensation, or be too greedy and insist on the Golden Pill.” Hol-cheon paused before pointing at Seoyu.
“Even if you have that person already,” he added.
Yoo-seong had a habit he’d learned from the world beyond the crack.
When he stayed in one place for a certain period of time, not only when he was sleeping, he always surrounded himself with loose Spider Webs.
Now…
“This…”
He pulled the threads tight.
“I warned you bastards,” Yoo-seong growled.
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