Blood Demon of the Past Life – Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Recruitment War （2）

Im Chan-yeong’s face was stained with bewilderment.

For the past few years, he had threatened countless times with “contract termination,” but never had he received a reaction like this. Thinking about it, it was only natural. A 13-year-old genius recruited for a whopping 10 billion won. With his limitless potential for future growth, the management always accepted the subordinate position whenever trouble arose.

But now.

The situation had changed.

The bewildered expression quickly turned to anger.

“…Are you kidding me right now? A mere team leader is saying you’ll terminate the contract with me, someone you recruited for 10 billion won?”

He stood up abruptly.

His face flushed red.

Watching Im Chan-yeong’s face unable to suppress his anger, Gu Jun-ho calmly picked up his phone.

“I finished talking with the higher-ups on my way here. 10 billion won, yes. It’s a huge sum. It’s an amount that justifies Daeyang holding onto you, Im Chan-yeong, no matter what. But the problem is that my current top recruitment priority, Kang San-nim, doesn’t have a good relationship with you.”

“Kang San? This absurd situation, is it because of that guy?”

“That’s right. It’s also Daeyang’s negligence in management, but coincidentally, there was a time when you went on a raid with Kang San-nim and others around the time you were recruited. You didn’t hesitate to verbally abuse him then, and there was friction during this test as well, so Kang San-nim would find your presence very irritating. We want to prepare for that in advance. In the management market, you don’t get multiple chances to recruit someone. If the atmosphere sours because of your presence while we’re negotiating terms with Kang San-nim, even if we try to fix things later, we won’t be able to turn the situation around. If we truly want it, we have to make it perfect from the start. If we can say that we’ve already taken care of anyone Kang San-nim might dislike, wouldn’t he see us a little differently?”

“…Crazy. So, you’re saying you’ll abandon me first when the recruitment isn’t even certain? No, who does that bastard think he is? Even if he passed the B-rank test, I’m only in my late teens, and that bastard is in his mid-20s. I have more potential, and you invested 10 billion won in me, it doesn’t make sense to abandon me to recruit him.”

He yelled.

Logically, it didn’t make sense.

However, Im Chan-yeong and Gu Jun-ho had different evaluations of each other’s worth.

Gu Jun-ho said,

“If he were just a B-rank Hunter, that would be the case. The problem is the intangible value we can gain from Master Craftsman Yu Jeong-yeong. If we can just secure his cooperation, it’ll be worth more than 10 billion won, and Kang San-nim has already proven his talent as a Hunter. When I considered who Daeyang needs more between you, Im Chan-yeong, and Kang San-nim, I simply chose Kang San-nim.”

“…Fuck.”

He was speechless.

He had nothing to say.

Regardless of how Im Chan-yeong reacted, Gu Jun-ho continued to express his thoughts.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean we can just terminate the contract with you after spending 10 billion won. There are two options. The first is to find a new home for you that will pay at least part of the 10 billion won as a transfer fee. If they offer satisfactory terms, we’ll gladly terminate the contract immediately. And the second is to spend a meaningless year without Daeyang’s support and then become a free agent when the contract period ends. During this crucial period for growth, the second option wouldn’t be a good choice for you.”

His expression changed.

In a capitalist society, Gu Jun-ho wasn’t a very nice person.

“So, think carefully and make your choice. You’ll have to create your own future from now on, won’t you?”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Kwaang━!

Im Chan-yeong left.

At the sight of him leaving without looking back, a junior who had been observing the situation spoke with a worried expression.

“…Couldn’t we just take him if this opportunity broke his spirit? He’s still Im Chan-yeong.”

“No. We can’t do that.”

Gu Jun-ho shook his head.

The junior’s words were correct.

If Im Chan-yeong became obedient, if it was Im Chan-yeong who was promoted to B-rank in his late teens, he was worth the effort. The problem was that Gu Jun-ho’s recruitment values did not allow this situation.

“I believe that when people are greedy, they lose everything they try to grasp with both hands. The person named Kang San that I’ve experienced so far is more decisive and calculating than I thought. Ordinary people would be tempted by Daeyang and Cheonsang and listen to their offers, but Kang San-nim has never done that. Is it because he has no materialistic desires as a human being? That’s not it either. He didn’t listen to the offers, but he did leave room. And seeing how he keeps Cheonsang and Daeyang at a proper distance so that they are aware of each other’s existence, it means that Kang San-nim knows well that his value increases through competition.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

Gu Jun-ho was worn out from the management field.

Having met countless people, he learned that ‘goodwill’ was truly important when recruiting someone like Kang San.

“There’s no mediocrity in this field. If I desperately want someone, I have to have the best conditions to recruit them. That’s why, when I confirmed that the relationship between Im Chan-yeong and Kang San-nim wasn’t good, I put the two on a scale and judged that Kang San-nim’s value was higher. I planned to minimize the damage by making Im Chan-yeong find another place for himself and create the best conditions to recruit Kang San-nim. Well, even if the recruitment fails, it’s not a loss. As Master Craftsman Yu Jeong-yeong said, just maintaining a good relationship with Kang San-nim would secure some priority.”

Sseuk.

He handed something over.

It was the document that the youngest had brought, which the junior hadn’t seen.

“This is…?”

“See for yourself.”

“Yes.”

He took the document.

After checking the contents, the junior’s eyes widened, and he raised his head.

“Is this true?”

“Yes. As of yesterday, the three people who were with Kang San-nim all passed the promotion test. Jeong Chan-woo and Jo Han-byeol are C-rank, and Yeon Woo-bin is a whopping B-rank. Interestingly, Yeon Woo-bin is the same age as Im Chan-yeong, in his late teens. Now, let me ask you one thing.”

He turned his head.

Facing the junior, Gu Jun-ho showed a big smile on his face.

“If we bring Kang San-nim to Daeyang, where do you think these three people with no affiliation will want to transfer? That’s the reason why I decided I could bet everything on this, even if it meant abandoning Im Chan-yeong.”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

At that time.

Jeong Hye-mi was at a cafe.

She was finally going to meet Kang San, but unlike usual, she seemed a little nervous.

‘As a member of Cheonsang, have I ever been this subservient? I don’t think it’s happened in the last few years at least.’

Yu Jeong-yeong’s statement.

B-rank promotion.

And just a moment ago, she also heard the news of the promotion of three people, including Yeon Woo-bin.

His value jumped once again.

In a situation where competitors were already swarming, Jeong Hye-mi had to actively utilize the privilege of being the first to meet him.

It was then.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just arrived.”

Kang San arrived.

As Kang San sat across from her, Jeong Hye-mi shared a little bit about her current situation and then immediately got to the main point.

“Actually, the reason I wanted to meet you is because I want to bring Kang San-nim to Cheonsang. Originally, I wanted to talk to you right after the Project B team’s match, but in that short time, so many things have happened that the world has changed. Kang San-nim of today cannot simply be defined as a ‘B-rank’ Hunter. The history of direct promotion to B-rank in less than a year from F-rank, the knowledge to lead Project B team to victory, a good external image that was even mentioned in an article by reporter Kim Min-yeong, and finally, the privilege of being a sponsor of craftsman Yu Jeong-yeong. If I were to foolishly present a proposal at the B-rank level here, Cheonsang wouldn’t have been able to claim the title of Korea’s best management company.”

Swish.

She handed him the contract.

The numbers written there had an endless string of zeros, enough to capture one’s attention at once.

“A contract fee of 10 billion won. It’s not an amount to be deducted, but a contract fee in its purest sense, and the detailed conditions are set at the S-rank level. This is the sincerity I can show you. In Cheonsang’s history, no, in the history of Korean management, there has never been a precedent of offering such conditions to a B-rank Hunter.”

“It’s certainly surprising. Isn’t this an unreasonable condition even for Cheonsang?”

“To be honest, it’s clear that it’s a condition that cannot be created simply through external factors. So, in my negotiations with Cheonsang’s Master, I guaranteed that Kang San-nim is a skilled person who will definitely be promoted to A-rank or higher. I can’t say for sure about the transcendent realm like S-rank, but the skills Kang San-nim showed in the B-rank test, they were not lacking at all compared to any A-rank in terms of technical aspects, it just needs time. And more than anything, I like people like Kang San-nim. I hope that the good deeds you have done for people behind the scenes will be rewarded with sufficient value at Cheonsang.”

First and foremost.

She clearly targeted the advantage of being the first.

The contract offered by Jeong Hye-mi was so good that no other place they would meet in the future could offer a better one.

Jeong Hye-mi made eye contact.

“Will you accept Cheonsang’s offer?”

✦✦✦✦✦✦

He paused for a moment.

After taking a few sips of the steaming tea, Kang San put down the cup and met Jeong Hye-mi’s gaze.

“Actually, I’m a bit unfortunate. I’m currently in a good position to receive recruitment offers from large management companies like Cheonsang, but as my history as an F-rank human shield shows, there have been many ups and downs on my way here. I received an F-rank after a late Awakening, struggled as a human shield, lost people who were my comrades at the time, and almost died fighting an F-rank Nol at the age of 25. Do you know what that means?”

“Does it mean you’ve been through a lot?”

“Yes. The fact that someone who has collapsed countless times has reached this point means it’s definitely not a fluke.”

His eyes changed.

Kang San’s atmosphere captivated Jeong Hye-mi’s gaze.

“Team Leader-nim. My words might sound arrogant, but the factors currently used to evaluate me externally are still insufficient. I will definitely continue to improve in the future. Not only will I promote to A-rank, but I might even reach S-rank, which has no precedent for someone from an F-rank background. And above all, any group that has me will gain a reputation that cannot be replaced by anyone else. I will live such a life, and therefore, the offers I’m receiving now are completely meaningless.”

They weren’t empty words.

It wasn’t arrogance.

The trials that lay ahead.

If he overcame them, Kang San would definitely continue to grow.

And the good deeds forced upon him through those trials would surely earn him an irreplaceable reputation, as he had just said.

He spoke the truth.

However.

Unlike the past, where he hid himself, he chose a direction that revealed himself for the future.

“The reason I haven’t even considered the offers so far is that even if you evaluate me highly, it’s still an underestimation in my eyes unless I show you the future I envision. Starting from this moment, I plan to meet with everyone who wants me, one by one. And I plan to make the same offer to them as I’ve made to you here.”

“…What kind of offer is that?”

“For the next six months, I will show you how much I can improve. I will make this contract you’ve presented, which is unprecedented for a B-rank, seem infinitely inadequate for someone with the proper qualifications. And when I’ve sufficiently proven myself, I will decide where I belong based on where my heart leads me.”

He gave them a chance.

Six months later.

When the S-rank Outbreak occurred, Kang San was willing to decide his future as long as he could survive.

That’s why he set the stage.

He maximized his own value.

“That is the conclusion I’ve reached.”