534

 [Chapter 145]

[Things Money Can't Buy (5)]

Hannam-dong, KK Group's main house.

KK Group Chairman Kim Geon stared endlessly at the spot where Eunha had left.

"That insolent brat..."

The more he thought about it, the more vexing it was.

How dare he speak such words in front of him.

He shouldn't have spoken that way when he showed sincerity and offered to give even the entire group.

Kim Geon swallowed the medicine brought by his secretary earlier with a reddening face.

"He seems to have no manners, probably because he's young."

He's displeased.

He wants to make him disappear from this world if he could.

But he knew that was impossible.

And he knew how valuable Noh Eunha was, regardless of his personality and attitude.

"...He'll probably become great."

Looking at Noh Eunha's actions, they were extraordinarily strange.

They were actions that made one ask if it was really possible at that age.

But results don't lie, and one thing that can be known through the results is:

That Noh Eunha will become a great figure someday.

Not just becoming great.

Noh Eunha, he─

─Though I don't like him, he's someone I need to recruit under me somehow.

Noh Eunha.

A promising talent with no lack to be called a future Twelve Seats.

No, people who knew his actions in detail knew how much such an expression underestimated him.

He's not just a future Twelve Seats.

Like living legends,

It wouldn't be strange even if he was evaluated as an existence worthy of entering the ranks of 'legends'.

Therefore, if Noh Eunha came out to the world, history would surely be reorganized around him.

"The person who gets him in their hands will grasp the world..."

So KK Group Chairman Kim Geon, who had ambitions to put this country under his feet, wanted to somehow put Noh Eunha under him.

"Hmm..."

He fell into thought.

Soon he burst into laughter, shaking his aged body.

"If I can't do anything to him, I can just use the people around him."

According to information,

Noh Eunha seemed to take terribly good care of the people around him.

Also, he tries to protect people he believes have become his allies without regard for water or fire.

Then there was one thing Kim Geon had to do.

Target Noh Eunha's surroundings.

And make Noh Eunha come under him.

─There was something suitable just now.

Kim Geon was satisfied.

Originally, Kim Geon planned to give Noh Eunha shares in the group to draw him in, while having him take his beloved granddaughter as a partner.

Whether he already had a partner or not.

He was confident his granddaughter could steal his heart.

But since the plan went awry, Kim Geon decided to choose another method.

"─Jin... Seo-na, was it?"

KK Pharmaceuticals' direct descendant Jin Seo-na.

He recalled the news that just 2 years ago, some Ayin girl had become KK Pharmaceuticals' direct descendant.

At that time, Alice Group's trick was obvious and he frowned naturally.

But that became an appropriate strategy.

It'll end easily if I adopt that child.

Jin Seo-na, make her a direct descendant.

It's not impossible.

Making a collateral line into a direct line is surprisingly simple.

He just needs to have one of his suitable children adopt her.

Make her a direct descendant like that, and take her as a definite hostage.

"Then that guy will have no choice."

This is just a family matter.

It's definitely not an incident Noh Eunha can interfere in.

Even his power can't do anything about it.

So Kim Geon himself will subjugate Noh Eunha using her as a hostage.

And completely capture him.

Make Noh Eunha and Jin Seo-na get together, and make him completely his own.

"Not bad."

Not bad.

Just as he thought that,

Ring ring

The phone rang.

Kim Geon reached out and picked up the receiver without thinking.

"Yes, what is it?"

It must be a subordinate calling about some business.

He answered the phone curtly.

Then from the other end of the receiver─

[─It's me, Min Jun-sik.]

"..."

Alice Group's 'former' Chairman Min Jun-sik.

One of the people who created the current era together with Kim Geon in the destroyed world.

He felt camaraderie towards his friend calling after a long time, but also─

[─I heard our grandson-in-law visited you earlier... Well, did he greet you properly?]

"..."

[Why are you silent?]

Kim Geon tensed up without realizing.

Old memories came flooding back.

The founding chairmen who laid the foundations for the current top 10 groups all treated each other informally.

They interacted with each other that much, and also stabbed each other in the back.

And Kim Geon─

"─No. It's been a while."

Though it wasn't known to the public,

He had been stabbed in the back by Min Jun-sik several times in the past.

So even after several decades, he couldn't forget the memories of being thoroughly beaten by Min Jun-sik.

In other words, fear ingrained over time.

The man, no, the old man once called a fierce tiger─

"─Have you been well?"

[I was doing well. Until I received a call from my granddaughter just now.]

"..."

The old man felt like he was infinitely shrinking in front of one rabbit.

But it couldn't be helped.

Because the opponent wasn't just any rabbit.

[Well, how was my grandson-in-law?]

"...He was a good kid."

[I know that kid's temperament, you're lying quite well. You probably didn't gain anything, right?]

"Ugh..."

The opponent on the phone is a max level rabbit.

An ecosystem-disturbing species that can just send tigers to their graves in one go.

The world might think he's a rare book maniac who collects books even after squandering his fortune.

But people like Kim Geon who spent their prime with him knew well how troublesome it becomes if you make him your enemy.

Moreover, Kim Geon had never beaten Min Jun-sik even once until now.

─I didn't think Min Jun-sik would interfere in such a trivial matter...

However,

He's just a back room old man now.

So Kim Geon was planning to secretly persuade Noh Eunha with peace of mind.

But Min Jun-sik suddenly called.

Kim Geon swallowed.

Meanwhile, Min Jun-sik continued speaking nonchalantly.

[I'm telling you just in case, it would be better not to think about touching those around that kid.]

"...Hmph. Do I look like someone with nothing to do like you?" [And I'm saying this out of concern, it would be better not to think about using the child at KK Pharmaceuticals.]

"...Wh-why would I do that."

Kim Geon flinched for a moment.

He replied lowering his tone.

Old memories move his body.

He tried to please Min Jun-sik by showing a submissive attitude over the phone.

[Tsk... Alright if you know. Listen, Kim Geon.]

"Y-yes."

[We've gotten old now too. How about you step down too?]

"...I'm still fine."

[What's the use of crouching for a hundred days waiting for your era to come? If you just stayed cautious even when the right opportunity came and only had it stolen by others, isn't it time to give up now?] "..."

[Your dreams are just too big, tsk tsk...]

This is all because of who.

Kim Geon bit his lip.

Just when it seemed like favorable winds were blowing for KK Group, Donghae Group would snatch it away pettily, or Alice Group would take it all.

Other groups were the same too.

Kim Geon just wanted to shout out loud.

But he couldn't shout at Min Jun-sik.

"...The time will come someday. Then... even you won't be able to ignore me."

He could only promise for the future.

Kim Geon gritted his teeth.

Min Jun-sik clicked his tongue.

[─That's your problem. You grovel to those stronger than you, and become arrogant to those weaker than you. Caution may be a virtue, but caution without results is no different from being indecisive and scared. You never know how to take risks. Tsk tsk...]

Saying he's a tiger who thinks the mountain he lives on is everything,

Min Jun-sik kept insulting him.

Kim Geon's face turned red, but he just silently listened to the phone.

He shouldn't get excited.

When dealing with Min Jun-sik, he must be 'cautious' somehow.

He must 'crouch'.

[─That's why you'll never be able to beat me no matter when.]

"...!"

[Our era is already over, so you should step down too. How about reading books with me?]

"...I can't... do that."

[Haha, you're still as stubborn as ever.]

"I will... keep waiting."

[Alright, keep waiting then. But if you touch my granddaughter, grandson-in-law, or the people around them, you know what'll happen. I won't even leave your skin when I crush you then, so keep that in mind.]

"...Your words are harsh. That won't happen."

[I'm glad if you understand quickly. I'll hang up, keep in touch often.]

Crouching Tiger, Kim Geon.

The world, no, KK Group's people called him by such a modifier.

But the evil friends who lived in the same generation as him called him by a different name.

[Ah, maybe it's not so bad to keep 'sulking' like that.]

A sulking lynx, they called him.

☆

A week had already passed since the Academy Dungeon incident occurred.

Thanks to Noh Eunha's activities, the neutralizing agent was quickly made.

The students who had eggs injected into their bellies by the 4th tier monster Kakgunbong were showing some improvement.

They say some students who hadn't been injected with eggs for long had already been discharged.

Exceptionally, Lee Cheon-seo, who was thought to have been injected with eggs first by Kakgunbong, was discharged quickly.

"What floor did they say I-byeol was on? Was it the 6th floor? Ah, it's the 7th floor."

But even so, many students were still hospitalized,

Among them were students hospitalized due to other injuries.

Yoon I-byeol was like that too.

Yoon I-byeol, who complained of PTSD after being shocked by being captured by monsters.

Yoon I-byeol was hospitalized after being evaluated as having a very unstable mental state currently.

"Ta-da! With this, I-byeol won't be surprised to see me."

And so at Alice Hospital,

Ariel went straight to visit Yoon I-byeol on the weekend.

Keeping it a secret from Yoon I-byeol, Ariel put on sunglasses she had prepared in the bathroom on the floor where Yoon I-byeol's room was.

"Yes, perfect, the best, I'm a genius."

Self-praise.

Ariel was satisfied looking in the mirror.

With sunglasses on, I-byeol won't be scared like last time.

Ariel thought that and found her hospital room.

"I-byeol, hello!? Were you really bored being alone? It's okay! I'm here now!"

"...Ariel?"

Taking a deep breath in front of the hospital room,

Ariel opened the door wide, pretending to be excessively bright.

It was a private room.

Yoon I-byeol inside looked startled to see her.

Regardless, Ariel treated her as normally as possible.

"...Hm? Sunglasses?"

"How is it? Not scary at all like this, right?" "...Yeah. Thanks for being considerate."

"It's nothing! Ah, are you feeling better now? I was so bored without you, you know?"

"...I see."

As if they hadn't argued in the Academy Dungeon.

As if she hadn't trembled in fear seeing her from the beginning.

Just, pretending nothing happened.

Naturally, like before.

Ariel tried to treat her.

Because Yoon I-byeol was the friend she spent the most time with since entering the High Academy.

"So you know, Pa-rang oppa..." "...Yeah, I see."

"..."

But there's a wall.

Ariel felt like she was talking to a wall.

The words coming back had no soul.

"It's not just 'yeah, I see'..."

"...Yeah, sorry." "..."

Even if she keeps pretending not to know while knowing, she can't go back to that time now.

Ariel soon lowered her head.

When she stopped talking, Yoon I-byeol was also silent.

Finally Ariel─

"─Do you dislike me?"

Though she tried to pretend not to know,

She couldn't endure and asked in the end.

Ariel bit her lip and looked at her.

"Ah..."

And realized.

While wearing sunglasses,

Ariel hadn't noticed because she was trying not to make eye contact as much as possible to be considerate of her.

She wasn't looking at her.

She was avoiding making eye contact with her.

"...I'm really sorry."

After an awkward silence,

Yoon I-byeol opened her mouth in an apologetic tone.

"I know it's not your fault, Riel. I know, but... I'm still scared." "...What are you scared of?"

Her voice was mixed with sobs.

Ariel held back tears and waited for Yoon I-byeol's answer.

Eventually Yoon I-byeol─

"─Your ears." "..."

"They're not human ears." "..."

"They look like a monster's... I'm scared." "...I see. Then if I cover them with a hat, you won't be scared?" "..." "Why, what else are you scared of!?"

"Kyaaah!" "..."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was wrong..."

Almost angrily,

Ariel jumped up from her seat and shouted.

Then Yoon I-byeol let out a "heek" sound and hugged herself.

Ariel froze on the spot.

"Just, I'm scared. What do you want me to do about being scared?" "..." "So... I hope you won't come to me for a while." "..." "Thanks for visiting. Thanks for the flowers too. ...Goodbye."

Telling her to leave.

Ariel turned around dejectedly.

As soon as she left the hospital room, she crouched down in front of the door.

Whether people passing by saw or not,

Ariel hugged her legs.

"...Dew."

Rubbing her eyes filled with tears,

Ariel muttered as if possessed by something.

"─I want to eat dew."