Episode 624. How to Negotiate

After destroying the black pillar on the outskirts of the abandoned factory, Lee Hoyeon returned to his lodging.

Although he couldn’t obtain any particularly useful information, he managed to grab a suspicious ledger.

“Haa… I’m fucking tired.”

Lee Hoyeon slumped onto the sofa while slurping down his coffee.

As the cool coffee flowed in, his head felt a little cooler.

If it were up to him, he’d want to take a nap right here, but he still had things to do.

Yawning, he opened the ledger he’d picked up from the abandoned factory outskirts.

In the ledger were famous names he’d heard somewhere.

• American Hunter Association, Chairman Ackerman.

• Angela Guild, Guild Leader Angela.

.

.

.

Sssrk- Sssrk-

As he turned the pages of the ledger, when they had contacted demons, and what rewards they received for cooperating with Pandemic were all written down.

Just looking at this much, he could guess what this ledger was for.

“So these are the VIPs the demons were talking about?”

Famous figures who contacted Pandemic and gained benefits.

This was a ledger listing their names.

“I went just in case, but I didn’t expect to pick something like this up.”

It was strange that such a ledger was held by insignificant demons, but recalling their conversation, it made sense.

They were organizing the luggage left behind by an executive.

It was probably a ledger kept by one of the executives.

“Wow. Why is this stuff written here?”

On the back of the ledger were the criminal records of the VIPs.

Starting from tax evasion to crimes that made one frown.

The detailed information was organized, as if they had spilled it all out themselves.

“The VIPs must be under mind control.”

“Therefore, it’s probably not a weakness prepared for betrayal, but likely something to use when cutting ties.”

“…Releasing these people from mind control might be helpful.”

Currently, Lee Hoyeon’s reputation was completely in the gutter.

This was because the powerful figures were caught in Maestro’s mind control.

Even if it wasn’t just about his reputation, if these people later listened well to Lee Hoyeon, they would definitely be helpful.

“Since I had nothing else to do anyway, this worked out perfectly.”

Chairman Arthur said that mass-producing the magic tools would take a few days.

The original plan was to spend a few days researching magic and smashing black pillars.

But now that he had something to do, he had to get moving again.

Lee Hoyeon operated his smartwatch and made a call.

“Yes, yes. Sorry to bother you when you must be busy, Chairman-nim.”

Lee Hoyeon looked at the ledger.

He didn’t intend to meet all of them.

He needed to pick out the important ones and deal with them quickly.

“I was wondering if you could arrange meetings with the people I mention.”

*

The American Hunter Association’s Chairman’s office.

Sunlight streaming from one wall brightly illuminated the room.

The middle-aged man sitting in the chairman’s office, Chairman Ackerman, glanced at his watch, confirming that the appointment time was drawing near.

He asked the secretary standing behind him.

“Is Mage Lee Hoyeon coming up?”

“Yes. Chairman-nim. He just passed the lobby.”

“The purpose of his visit is still unknown? Hmph. What suddenly possessed that Arthur fellow to introduce Lee Hoyeon?”

“There’s nothing certain. However, he didn’t seem hostile.”

“Understood. Just in case, remain on standby.”

“Yes.”

Sssrk-

The secretary disappeared like smoke, leaving only Ackerman alone in the chairman’s office.

He continued to ponder, with his arms crossed.

“Mage Lee Hoyeon, the genius…”

Ackerman thought about the young East Asian man who was coming up to the chairman’s office now.

Lee Hoyeon, despite his age, is known as a righteous person.

He knows how to sacrifice himself for others, and with his overwhelming magical talent, he has the support of mages.

Especially thanks to his likable appearance, he was also popular among ordinary people.

‘His reputation seems to have dropped quite a bit recently… Is he thinking of getting help related to that?’

What was the cause of his reputation drop?

“Ah, right. The black pillars.”

“Kkeuup….”

The feeling of his vision going black.

Ackerman shook his head, shaking off the headache.

It was a headache that visited occasionally.

The headache, whose cause even doctors couldn’t identify, always came whenever he pondered.

That might mean he’s getting old.

‘What was I just thinking?’

It came back to him.

Mage Lee Hoyeon.

“Since he has an honest personality, it’s better not to engage in pointless persuasion.”

“Today’s meeting should focus first on building rapport, shouldn’t it?”

Ackerman nodded, and a moment later, a knock was heard.

Knock knock-

“Come in.”

Lee Hoyeon, who entered after opening the door, gave a slight bow to Ackerman.

Ackerman, who stood up to greet him, sat down at the reception table, and Lee Hoyeon took a seat opposite him.

“I am Chairman Ackerman of the Hunter Association. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s my first time meeting you. I am Mage Lee Hoyeon.”

Lee Hoyeon looked at the man before him.

He seemed to be around 60 years old, but the man maintained a middle-aged appearance through his magic.

From Chairman Ackerman, who was looking at him with a dignified expression, Lee Hoyeon felt a familiar magical energy.

“…Is it Maestro’s mind control?”

The position of Chairman of the Hunter Association was an important one.

The mind control must be deeper than with other demons.

That’s why he could feel the magic.

“If I had known this, I wouldn’t have needed to check Chairman Arthur’s pulse.”

“I heard from Chairman Arthur. You really wanted to meet me?”

“Yes. To cooperate with the American Hunter Association, I have something important to say.”

Lee Hoyeon began speaking what he had prepared, and looked around.

Right now, he wanted to break Ackerman’s mind control, but there were too many watchers around.

He could do it now, but it would be extremely bothersome.

“Before that… I’d prefer it if there were no listening ears.”

“…”

“As someone introduced by Chairman Arthur, would I possibly harm you, Chairman? It’s an important matter, so please trust me and let them go.”

“…Understood.”

As Chairman Ackerman subtly waved his hand, all presence around them vanished.

They didn’t just pretend to disappear; they truly vanished.

VIPs making such requests wasn’t uncommon, so they moved with practiced ease.

Lee Hoyeon, confirming the disappearance of the presence, finally felt relieved and cast a rune barrier.

Once the barrier was up, the opponent’s magic felt even more distinct.

Ackerman looked at him and smiled kindly.

“Shall we start the conversation now? Mage Lee Hoyeon. What kind of important story requires even a barrier to be cast… Kkeu, Kkeuup…?!”

“I cast the barrier simply because it was bothersome. Capturing them along with the others isn’t difficult, but… I have a busy schedule today, so I want to conserve my magic.”

“H-how dare you. You bastard… Ah, ugh…!”

Chairman Ackerman’s body froze like a paused screen.

He wasn’t a weak hunter either, but the moment he entered Lee Hoyeon’s barrier, he couldn’t resist.

“Please wait a moment, Chairman-nim.”

“Keu, Keua. Augh….”

Lee Hoyeon, placing his hand on Chairman Ackerman’s head, forcefully injected his magic.

To forcibly break such deep mind control puts some strain on the body.

“Aaaagh… Ah, keuup….”

The magic flowing out of Chairman Ackerman’s body coalesced into a small sphere, and then fell onto Lee Hoyeon’s hand.

As he burned the magic sphere, Chairman Ackerman’s eyes snapped open.

But then, he collapsed with a thud.

Since the mind control was forcibly extracted from his resisting body, it must have put some strain on him.

Of course, it was none of Lee Hoyeon’s business.

“Chairman-nim. Are you alright?”

“Kkeuk. Ugh… You are…?”

Just as his mind control was released and his memory was still hazy, Lee Hoyeon helped Chairman Ackerman up and seated him.

Ackerman still seemed flustered, looking around.

Lee Hoyeon pressed on with his words before he could fully recall.

“I am Mage Lee Hoyeon. I came because I had something important to tell you, Chairman, but you suddenly collapsed, so I helped you. Don’t you remember?”

“Ah, ah… That’s right. It was.”

Seeing the hazy Ackerman nod, Lee Hoyeon continued.

“I came to find proof that you met with demons and verify its authenticity.”

Just because one is under Maestro’s mind control doesn’t mean they become a puppet without will.

Whatever action they take, they simply don’t feel anything strange about it.

“For example, contacting demons in the current situation.”

As the Chairman of the Hunter Association, it’s something he absolutely shouldn’t do, but being under mind control, he didn’t notice the unnaturalness.

However, the memory of meeting demons remains.

Rebecca was like that.

As soon as she realized she had been involved in murder, she vomited everything she had inside.

Chairman Ackerman is the same.

The memories from when he was under mind control, even if he couldn’t understand them, would still remain in his head.

“Th-this…”

Ackerman trembled slightly and looked at the ledger Lee Hoyeon had brought.

At first, he wondered what it meant, but the memory remained in his own head.

Even if he couldn’t understand why he had acted that way, he had no choice but to admit it.

He had met demons and made deals with them.

“If this fact were to become known…”

“…No, it’s not too late. I just need to deal with Mage Lee Hoyeon right in front of me.”

Ackerman carefully raised his head and looked at Lee Hoyeon.

His kind appearance and eyes that seemed to inspire trust in anyone.

“This idiot came alone, even with such important information.”

“Even if he’s a genius mage, he’s still just a kid.”

‘I need to contact the guards somehow…’

Ackerman cautiously reached his hand under the table.

“Ugh, sst…!”

Tak-

Lee Hoyeon, grabbing Chairman Ackerman’s hand, subtly raised the corner of his mouth as if he knew this would happen.

“Chairman-nim. Why would I, carrying this information, come directly to you? I am naturally on your side. People make mistakes in life.”

Lee Hoyeon’s magic filled the room.

The pressure, enough to make one’s skin crawl, made Chairman Ackerman like prey facing a predator.

Chairman Ackerman only then trembled with his lips and looked at Lee Hoyeon.

The young man before him was neither an idiot nor a kid.

He was a predator that devoured prey.

“Help me, Chairman-nim. Then this matter will not be revealed anywhere.”

“Ah, alright. I’ll help with anything. First, this magic… Kkeuh… Puhah, hah. Hah….”

As Lee Hoyeon slightly eased the pressure, Ackerman finally took a deep breath.

“Now you’re talking.”

“Yes. Mage Lee Hoyeon. Tell me what you need. Anything I can do…”

“Yes. But before that… I think I need to set up a safety measure.”

Lee Hoyeon gathered magic at his fingertips.

And he brought his hand towards Chairman Ackerman’s chest.

Chairman Ackerman flinched in surprise and pulled back, but Lee Hoyeon’s finger touching his chest was faster.

“Wait, just a moment. I absolutely won’t say anything… Kkeuh! Aaaagh….”

Ackerman looked down at his chest, groaning.

After Lee Hoyeon’s magic penetrated his body, something like ropes was tightening around his heart.

Although not visible externally, his magic was clearly present within his heart.

“Th-this is…”

“I’ve placed a safety device on your heart, Chairman. If you do anything harmful to me, I intend to move the magic. Ah, and if I die, that magic will automatically detonate. You must protect me. Unless you’re someone like Mage Im Sol, just touching the magic will shatter your heart, so don’t even think about telling anyone.”

“Wait, just a moment. Mage Lee Hoyeon. Why are you doing this to me? I intended to cooperate with you…!”

“Remember the actions you took against me, Chairman.”

“Wh-when did I do such a thing…”

“About the black pillars. Still doesn’t ring a bell?”

“The black pillars… Uh, uh…?”

One by one.

The memories of what he had done surfaced.

Regarding Lee Hoyeon destroying the black pillars, he gave negative interviews and issued statements.

“Why on earth, over black pillars, did I do this?”

‘Emotion Amplification.’

Lee Hoyeon slowly moved his magic.

The emotion to amplify was fear.

Ackerman’s expression gradually contorted, and the corners of his eyes trembled as he looked at Lee Hoyeon.

“I’m not accusing you of what you did. As I said, people always make mistakes. But if you ever do something like that again…”

Dugeun-

Ackerman, trembling violently, clutched his chest.

Even after the amplified emotion fades, every time he feels the magic in his heart, he’ll remember today.

‘…Of course, such magic doesn’t exist.’

I could create it if I wanted to.

I just don’t intend to waste time on it.

Still, if one threat like this adds one ally to my side, I should put on this much of a show.

“Ah, alright. I promise I’ll never do anything to harm you, so please….”

“Don’t worry. If you behave yourself, Chairman, that magic won’t be activated.”

“Ahh….”

Lee Hoyeon, having sorted out the situation, cleaned up the remaining magic in the room, gave a final warning, and then left.

As people get older, they tend to cherish their lives dearly.

He wouldn’t be able to betray him now, would he?

‘I guess it was a bit much…’

Since he was under mind control, it couldn’t be helped.

he could think that, but just looking at the crimes of the VIPs in the ledger, he deserved this level of intimidation.

At least the Chairman’s offense was only tax evasion, so he went easy on him.

“Next up, is it the Angela Guild?”

“Things like this, while I’m still in America, I need to finish them quickly.”

Lee Hoyeon quickly moved his feet.