“What kind of person is the team leader? I’ve never met him. Is he from the Intelligence Bureau too?”
“No, the team leader came from the private sector. He is a former officer, but practically speaking, you should see him as a civilian.”
“I thought only people from intelligence agencies went to the Mercenary Agency?”
“Come on, their proportion is very high, but it’s not to that extent. If they were really all Intelligence Bureau agents, that would be the Intelligence Bureau, not the Mercenary Agency, wouldn’t it?”
“Hm.”
“But the stray cat is from the Intelligence Bureau. I brought it along, you see. If I had my way, I would’ve liked to raise it at the office….”
***
Team Leader Park Yeongjun, a man from the private sector who had been scouted into a public institution with the promise of an enormous salary, stepped on the accelerator.
On his right foot was a brown dress shoe, and on the other was a black one.
The fingers gripping the steering wheel twitched frantically.
It was because the shock of the video Assistant Manager Lee Minyeong had just sent him had yet to fade.
A video of Lee Minyeong, rifle in hand, sniping Haiseon.
That alone was enough to make Park Yeongjun’s jaw drop, but the video had not ended there.
Amid gunshots that seemed to tear through the ears and shell casings flying through the air, Haiseon had merely yawned as if bored.
It was clearly the effect of an artifact.
But with the Claymore Mercenary Corps’ current capabilities, there was no way they could obtain an artifact.
Given their personalities, they wouldn’t have had connections with Hunters either.
Even if they did, there was no way they would consume a precious artifact like a toy.
How on earth….
— The deputy commander says he made it himself.
— What? That doesn’t even make sense…!
— I was shocked at first too.
— Ha, Assistant Manager Minyeong, if this is a joke, tell me now. I’ll forgive you.
— Team Leader, I’m reporting this officially.
— Then why would he give that to you….
— He wants to make a deal with the government.
Park Yeongjun, who had left work on the dot for once and had been scratching his belly while watching baseball, leapt to his feet.
Naturally, he had immediately begun driving toward Gyeongju.
“A deal…. Just what have you gotten yourself into, Minyeong?”
Park Yeongjun was prickly and negative by nature.
As he sped down the highway, all sorts of bad-ending scenarios surfaced in his mind.
‘Is he going to make unacceptable demands, then try to ship it overseas if we refuse?’
This was the case the government had suffered through the most while negotiating with Hunters.
If the Hunters added media manipulation on top of that, it was all too common for the press and public opinion to rain down fire.
‘In the end, we had to sign contracts on terms even more unfavorable than the initial ones.’
They were memories that made any civil servant with a few years under their belt shudder just imagining them.
But to Lee Minyeong, a ninth-grade civil servant who simply found the world delightful, they would only be stories from ancient times.
Minyeong, please, just don’t have given him a definite answer.
Praying desperately, again and again, Park Yeongjun arrived at the illegal structure in Gyeongju.
He saw Lee Minyeong sitting on a table, swinging her legs, and Haiseon leaning back in a chair.
Upon confirming Park Yeongjun’s arrival, they approached.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Haiseon, deputy commander of Claymore.”
“I’m Park Yeongjun, head of the Communications Team at the Mercenary Agency. I’ve heard a lot about you through Commander Pyo.”
“I hope she wasn’t cursing me out.”
“Hahaha.”
His first impression was not bad. Contrary to Pyo Yeojeong’s jokes, he did not seem that abnormal of a person.
After a few formal greetings, they settled into the real meeting.
He must not let his guard down.
The thing he needed to be most wary of was this man’s true intention. He had to catch the moment he revealed his intent to take advantage of them.
“My conditions are simple. About this much.”
A single sheet of paper was held out.
The first item concerned a ghost company.
It was not much different from what he had heard from Lee Minyeong.
“I don’t care whether you say a KAIST research team developed it, disguise it as the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, or call it a new startup. As long as you can hide my identity.”
It was not an ordinary proposal, but it was not one they could not accept either.
Next was the expected supply price.
“Per ring…. One, one hundred won?”
Park Yeongjun widened his eyes and checked again.
Not one million won, not ten billion won, but one hundred won.
‘Only?’
Assuming a person lived seventy years, how many times would they get caught up in a firearm accident, a robbery, or an attack by wild magical beasts?
At least three.
At least once, they would likely find themselves in a situation where their life was in danger.
That was simply the kind of world this was.
In a situation like this, he was saying he would hand over an item that could buy one life for a mere one hundred won?
“Instead, just give me a small percentage of the profits. We can discuss the specifics later.”
“Even so, with conditions like these….”
“You think I’m a pushover?”
“Yes, no, I mean, no. I don’t.”
“I’m not that ungreedy a person. I told you. Give me a percentage.”
“R-right…. Yes.”
“There are a lot of things I’ll be releasing in the future, so think of it as an early-bird benefit.”
“Pardon? By things to be released in the future….”
“For today, let’s just talk about the rings.”
“…….”
For an instant, he felt as though Haiseon had swept him along.
His head was a mess. It did not make sense.
If he had the ability to create artifacts as he pleased, he could just climb the Tower himself.
Or he could establish a factory on his own.
At the very least, he could deal with Hunters.
No matter what he chose, he could earn far more than this.
Was there any need for Deputy Commander Haiseon to make a deal with the government?
What kind of trust had they given him….
Or could even this be part of a larger plan?
“Why is he dealing with us? That’s what you’re thinking, right?”
“…….”
“To be honest, setting up a company with the kids in our mercenary corps would be the most convenient. But I wasn’t sure whether those guys would obediently follow along.”
Haiseon said with a light laugh.
“It also felt like it might become dangerous. We’re just ordinary people who can shoot guns a little, aren’t we? Who knows what would happen if we got on those people’s nerves and started making a fuss.”
“Huh.”
“That’s why I looked for reliable backing. I do feel a little sorry. Asking you to take on something dangerous.”
Certainly….
If defensive artifacts were released to civilians, the presence of Hunters would inevitably weaken.
If the creator was identified, they might retaliate from the shadows.
On the other hand, if the government stepped forward, even Hunters could not recklessly attack.
“At first, I did bring it up by saying I wanted to make a deal.”
“…….”
“But really, I’m saying we should do something together.”
It was a proposal closer to a partnership than a transaction.
But the Mercenary Agency was a public institution.
There was no justification for joining hands with a civilian just for money.
“In the end, the Mercenary Agency’s goal is the same as ours, isn’t it?”
“The same goal?”
“To return to the way things were before the Tower appeared.”
“…!”
“Judging by your age, Team Leader, you seem like you would know what life was like before the Tower.”
“…I do.”
He searched his memories.
Distant memories from before he had even graduated middle school.
Half of them had already evaporated and disappeared. All that remained was the vague feeling that it had been beautiful.
It was a time when teachers carrying guns and blades were something seen only in history books.
It had been hopeful and green.
“Return. Return, huh….”
“And while we’re at it, let’s screw over those Hunter bastards too.”
“Haha….”
“If it’s too much pressure, you don’t have to do it. This isn’t the only place I can ask.”
“…Let’s do it! It’s not something I can decide on my own, but I’ll make sure to convey it properly and get it approved!”
As if possessed by a ghost, he had given a definite answer.
He could not bring himself to look at Assistant Manager Lee Minyeong, who was smiling faintly.
“Team Leader, you’re always scolding me for this.”
“What do you want me to do about it?”
At times like this, it was better to brazen it out.
For the sake of a superior’s authority.
In any case.
After that, various miscellaneous discussions followed.
“How much can you supply?”
“To be honest, as you can see, I’m working alone. I can’t increase the staff either. I can make five or six per hour, so I won’t be able to produce that many.”
“How about a technology partnership instead?”
“Even if I taught you, you wouldn’t be able to do it. First, you need to be able to use mana…. No, wait. I’ll teach you, so try following along.”
At those words, Lee Minyeong and Haiseon began hammering together.
Though Lee Minyeong looked awkward, she followed Haiseon’s tempo in a fairly convincing manner.
“Huu, doing this makes it feel like we’re making couple rings, doesn’t it?”
“Ah, yes, well….”
Two rings were quickly made.
To Park Yeongjun’s eyes, there had been no difference or trick in the process.
But the results were different.
Ting—
Bang—!!
Unlike Haiseon’s ring, which created a barrier and protected him, the one Lee Minyeong made was smashed miserably.
“That’s why, for the time being, only small-scale production is possible. If I get busy, the amount may decrease too.”
“It’s still better than not doing it!”
“We’ll need to control the supply.”
The next issue was to whom, how much, and in what manner they should release them.
“The important part is that they must be delivered to the people who need them most desperately.”
“That’s right. Otherwise, scalpers will run wild. They might also flow into criminal organizations.”
“Let’s allocate part of the supply to mercenaries and children and adolescents. Do you agree?”
He nodded.
Mercenaries who lived with their lives on the line, and children and adolescents, the age group with the highest firearm-accident mortality rate.
If they had rings, they would treasure them like their own lives.
“We’ll have to make profits from the remaining supply.”
“Haha, would I be able to interfere that far?”
If the original purpose of the business was maintained, the rings would be supplied to them as part of a support project.
But it did not matter.
Even if they distributed 90% of the supply for free, it was fine.
Because there would still be rings released through the market. Even if only a tiny number of rings circulated, they would generate tremendous profits.
A business that secured both profit and public benefit.
“You two are both going to get promoted.”
At that fact, the Mercenary Agency duo’s eyes flashed.
***
It was not until dawn that the basic coordination was finished.
Time had flown by as they refined the plan and added ideas.
Using my head for the first time in a while is tiring.
“We’ll be going now.”
“Should I book you a hotel in the Bomun Complex? Separate rooms.”
“We have to return to Sejong. How could we laze around when work like this has dropped on us? I’ll get results as quickly as possible and let you know.”
“You go, Team Leader. I’ll stay here.”
“Assistant Manager Minyeong, quit screwing around and let’s go.”
“Hiiiing.”
The two of them moved away from the smithy like that.
I watched them until the very end.
When Lee Minyeong and Park Yeongjun reached their car, Park Yeongjun stopped Lee Minyeong.
What? Are they about to kiss?
Unfortunately, my prediction was wrong.
“Assistant Manager Minyeong! It really is you!”
Team Leader Park Yeongjun heartily held out his hand.
Minyeong puffed out her chest and proudly clasped his hand in a handshake.
“I told you to trust me, didn’t I?”
Anyway, they looked happy, so that was fine.
***
A few days later.
“Who is—”
“It’s me.”
Pyo Yeojeong barged into my workshop.