Chapter 311

Ha Dae-Chul sat alone in his office, talking with someone on the phone. “I’ve spoken to City Hall, so make sure everything goes smoothly. If anyone stirs up trouble again, report to me immediately.”

Ha Dae-Chul ended the call with Shark Guild’s guild master and roughly tossed his smartphone onto the desk. He leaned back in his chair, propping his legs up on the desk, and glanced at the calendar. Tomorrow’s date had “9 AM, Hotel Grand” scribbled in ink.

***

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Do-Jun paid the taxi fare and then helped Cheol-Soo out of the vehicle. Supporting the intoxicated man, he guided him to his apartment door. Cheol-Soo, too drunk to stand properly, slumped against the wall next to the entrance.

Do-Jun pressed the intercom button, then, without waiting for the door to open, he descended the nearby stairs and sat on a bench outside the building. Taking out his smartphone, he tapped on a file

REC001

in his message inbox and played the audio recording.

—I’m not sure I follow.

—You don’t follow, huh?

—As you mentioned, sir, there can be cases where people file unjust complaints. However....

Listening to the recording, Do-Jun recalled the Fissure entry logs he had reviewed earlier that day.

—But demoting a civil servant? That’s easy.

—Excuse me? With all due respect, sir, I think you’re crossing a line.

—Think I can’t do it?

—Go ahead, report me if you want. Tell them Ha Dae-Chul runs a shady operation using guilds as his personal cash cows. Come at me. I’ll take you on any time. Why don’t you call a news outlet right now? See what happens.

The fact that politicians used Hunters to operate illegal work sites as funding sources was an open secret within the industry, at least among those who had been around long enough. Most were careful, ensuring they left no evidence behind.

Yet, the voice in the recording was brazen, brimming with confidence, like someone who believed silencing a City Hall Section Chief like Cheol-Soo was nothing more than a trivial task. Even if the media caught wind of it, Ha Dae-Chul would undoubtedly feign ignorance.

Cheol-Soo must have understood this reality as well. That was why he had prepared the recording, just in case. But in the end, he had still tried to delete it.

The intimidation of a heavyweight politician inevitably drove fear into Cheol-Soo’s mind, and understandably so. With just a word from Ha Dae-Chul, Cheol-Soo could be demoted overnight. Such was the extent of the assemblyman’s influence.

He probably thinks the world belongs to him

, Do-Jun thought calmly

.

A graduate of Seoul National University’s law school, a prosecutor who passed the national bar exam, and a political figure who had smoothly transitioned from the Presidential Secretariat into the National Assembly. His rise seemed to have no end. Ha Dae-Chul had never known failure. And he likely believed he never would.

***

The political landscape of 21st-century South Korea was divided into two eras: before and after the emergence of Fissures. Politicians had scrambled to adapt, knowing that their survival depended on aligning with the right “factions.” As of now, two factions stood above the rest, their power undeniable.

Bowing slightly, Ha Dae-Chul’s personal secretary greeted him as he exited his residence. A sleek black luxury sedan waited at the curb. The secretary opened the car door, and Ha Dae-Chul slid into the back seat without hesitation.

“Go.”

Although the pickup was scheduled for 8 AM, the secretary arrived thirty minutes early and waited patiently.

Lighting a cigarette, Ha Dae-Chul tapped the ash into the car’s built-in ashtray.

“How long have you been working for me now?” he asked the secretary.

“About a year, sir.”

“Keep working hard. You’ll never be like me, but with the right guidance, you’ve got the potential to climb very fast. You have a good attitude.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Despite the thick haze of cigarette smoke filling the car, the secretary didn’t so much as frown.

Ha Dae-Chul glanced at the towering skyscrapers of Seoul, a smirk forming on his lips.

“Sometimes, I think life is just too easy,” he muttered. “Lately, I’ve been having dreams of becoming president. You know, walking through the gates of the Blue House[1] and all that.”

“It will become a reality, sir.”

“To make that happen, I’ll need to deal with two slippery snakes first.”

The secretary knew exactly who those “snakes” were. After all, a personal secretary was like a politician’s shadow—always by their side, managing schedules and observing everything closely. Naturally, this proximity granted access to a wealth of information.

“Do you know who truly holds the reins of South Korea right now?” Ha Dae-Chul asked after a pause.

“The Chief of the Hunter’s Bureau and the Chairman of SG Group, sir.”

It wasn’t the first time Ha Dae-Chul had asked that question. He seemed to take extra pride in his connections with those two individuals, relationships that, even in the ever-changing world of politics, always seemed positive, even in the eyes of the secretary.

Ha Dae-Chul said, “They say the president is chosen by the people. But the reality is different. All that nonsense about factions and ideologies; it’s just noise. They’re all missing the bigger picture.”

The roads were unusually clear that morning. Normally, rush hour meant bumper-to-bumper traffic, but today, the car sped down the road without a single slowdown. Even the traffic lights seemed to favor them, turning yellow only after they had passed.

“Good... very good.” Feeling pleased, Ha Dae-Chul chuckled softly. The smooth drive felt like an omen, a sign that his path forward would be equally unimpeded.

***

Do-Jun arrived at work early that morning.

Cheol-Soo arrived at the office around 8 AM, his face still showing signs of a hangover. Clutching his throbbing forehead, he sank into his chair. Without saying a word, Do-Jun poured a glass of water and set it on Cheol-Soo’s desk.

“Thanks. Did you get home all right last night? I don’t remember a thing.”

“I made sure you got home safely and then headed straight home myself,” Do-Jun replied.

“Ah, r-right... Sorry about that. Here, this should cover last night’s drinks and the taxi fare,” Cheol-Soo said as he handed Do-Jun two crisp 50,000-won bills.

“It’s fine, really.”

“Take it, man. If you don’t, I’ll sulk. And I’ll do it shamelessly.”

Smiling faintly, Do-Jun accepted the money. It wasn’t much, but it would’ve been rude to refuse. Satisfied, Cheol-Soo downed the glass of water in one gulp.

“Hey, Do-Jun,” he called out.

“Yes, Chief?”

“I didn’t say anything weird last night, did I?”

“You did.”

“W-what did I say?”

“You mentioned investing in stocks without telling your wife and losing three million won.”

Cheol-Soo blinked in surprise, then let out a relieved sigh, laughing awkwardly. “O-oh, oh! Yeah, man... That’s a secret, alright?

Haha

.”

“Understood.”

Thankfully, it seemed he hadn’t blurted out anything about his encounter with Ha Dae-Chul. As Do-Jun returned to his seat, Cheol-Soo took out his smartphone and checked his recording folder. He could have sworn he had deleted the file last night, yet the recording of his conversation with the assemblyman was still there.

I should delete it. But it won’t end with just me.

Getting demoted alone wouldn’t be a big deal. However, will his subordinates escape unscathed?

Cheol-Soo glanced at Do-Jun and Hyuk-Soo, who were chatting nearby. He knew that his innocent subordinates would inevitably get caught up in the fallout, and that was something he couldn’t allow to happen. Personal beliefs might uphold one’s dignity, but they didn’t put food on the table. Reality was always harsher.

He decisively deleted the recording, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. It felt as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He even gave himself a silent pat on the back for doing the right thing. Yet, the bitterness lingering in his chest was undeniable.

“Chief.”

Opening his eyes, Cheol-Soo looked toward the voice. “Huh? What is it, Do-Jun?”

“I need to go on a business trip.”

“Where to?”

“There’s something I need to take care of.”

“Is it something difficult? Want me to come with you?”

“It’s alright. I can handle it on my own,” Do-Jun reassured him with a smile.

***

It was just past 8:30 AM when Ha Dae-Chul arrived at the Grand Hotel. The hotel was impressively large. After passing the small fountain in the lobby, he approached the front desk. Recognizing him immediately, the hotel manager stepped forward and bowed.

“Good morning, sir. Please follow me. This way.”

With a nod, Ha Dae-Chul followed the manager into the elevator. The manager pressed the button for the thirtieth floor. As the elevator ascended, Ha Dae-Chul watched the numbers light up one by one.

Located in Gangnam, the Grand Hotel was one of the numerous subsidiaries under SG Group’s umbrella.

“I have to let you know, sir. There’s already a guest waiting for you,” the manager informed him.

“A guest?”

“Yes, sir. They said they are from City Hall...”

Ha Dae-Chul frowned. “I wasn’t informed about this.”

Today’s meeting was supposed to include only three people: Young-Chul, Gwang-Ho, and himself.

Then, the elevator dinged as it arrived on the thirtieth floor. Following the manager, Ha Dae-Chul stepped out. This floor had its own dedicated front desk, where a female receptionist stood up and bowed in greeting. However, preoccupied with the unexpected guest, Ha Dae-Chul barely glanced at her as he walked past.

Four chairs were arranged at the marble conference table. A young man, seemingly in his late twenties, sat in one of the chairs. Even when their eyes met, he showed no reaction.

Who the hell is this?

Perplexed, Ha Dae-Chul shot a look at the manager as if asking what the hell was going on.

“I’ll leave you to your meeting, sir.”

With a polite bow, the manager exited the room, leaving the two men alone.

With only two people occupying a space of at least two hundred square meters, the room felt unnervingly silent.

The young man finally smiled and greeted him, “Pleasure to meet you, Assemblyman Ha Dae-Chul.”

Ha Dae-Chul slowly took a seat opposite him, eyes narrowing as he studied the stranger.

“And you are?” he asked.

The man wore a city government employee badge around his neck, but it only showed a photo with no name visible.

“My name is Lee Do-Jun. I am a Supervisor in the Fissure Management Division at Seoul City Hall.”

“What...?” Ha Dae-Chul was visibly taken aback.

Did this kid have any idea what kind of meeting this was supposed to be? He let out a breathy chuckle, scoffing in disbelief.

And he’s from the Fissure Management Division, of all places.

“You damned Fissure Management bastards really don’t know your place, huh? Always sticking your noses where they don’t belong.”

This meeting had been strictly confidential. Very few people even knew it was happening. How the hell did he find out?

Did Jung Young-Chul or Moon Gwang-Ho invite him? No... That’s impossible. Then how?

It was inconceivable that either of them would have any connection with a low-level public servant.

While Ha Dae-Chul was busy trying to piece things together, Do-Jun watched him calmly before speaking up.

“You’ve had quite a smooth career in politics, Assemblyman. No criminal record—something every assemblyman wants to claim. A solid reputation for contributing to the local community. A distinguished career that’s unmatched. With a profile like this, it wouldn’t be surprising if your party supported you as a candidate for the next presidential election.”

Do-Jun held a single sheet of paper—a neatly summarized list of Ha Dae-Chul’s political achievements.

Ha Dae-Chul’s brow twitched slightly. The way this young man spoke, as if fully aware of the significance of today’s meeting, was oddly unsettling.

“But, ah. What a bummer.” Smiling faintly, Do-Jun tilted his head. “Looks like your political career ends here, Assemblyman.”

1. Cheong Wa Dae, literally Cyan-tile Pavilion, also known as the Blue House, was the former executive office and residence of the President of South Korea. In 2022, it was opened to the public as a museum and an urban park. It is expected to become the presidential residence again in 2025. ☜