Chapter 102
“Once you see this, you’ll probably change your mind.”
The two of them left the office and stood before the elevator again, but this time, something felt different. Yoon Byeong-cheol placed his palm on the panel, and the green light quickly scanned his hand.
[User Confirmed]
The elevator that arrived now was markedly different from the ones they had ridden before. While the previous elevators had been designed with considerable attention to detail, this one revealed bare metal plates.
“Let’s go.”
The elevator had only one button.
[X]
What the X-floor represented was unclear, but it was certain that even for authorized users, there were security measures in place to restrict access.
“Is there anything else you’re curious about regarding our company?”
“You’re asking like I already have questions.”
Ise-ah responded curtly.
At some point, she had stopped addressing him formally, but Yoon Byeong-cheol didn’t seem to mind at all.
“Well, didn’t you ask that very question right at the start of the tour?”
The elevator began to move.
But the motion felt off. It seemed to go down, then up, and even moved horizontally several times.
“How did a company like ours, a startup, manage to recruit such excellent talents?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Ise-ah twisted her hair around her finger.
“I’m sorry to say, but the question itself was wrong from the start.”
“What do you mean?”
Ding-!
With the sound signaling arrival, the elevator doors slowly opened.
“It’s not ‘how did you recruit an excellent talent,’ but rather, ‘how did you create one?'”
Ise-ah furrowed her brow at the unpleasant smell wafting from beyond the door.
“See this! These are the new-generation hunters brought to you by our Winners!”
Right after that, a horrifying sight unfolded before Ise-ah.
‘A slaughterhouse?’
That was Ise-ah’s impression.
Around her were large cages, the kind one might see in a zoo. But instead of animals, those trapped inside were beings resembling animals.
“Graaaah!”
“Hehehe, keh, kaaack…!”
A man desperately scratched at his own neck in agony. A woman laughed madly, slamming her head against the bars of the cage.
The people trapped inside the cages all wore collars and handcuffs.
“What is this…?”
Ise-ah’s expression tightened.
Some people in protective suits were injecting a purple liquid into the people trapped inside the cages.
“Look over there.”
At that moment, Yoon Byeong-cheol gestured with his chin.
There, a man who had just been injected with the liquid was being shoved into a room in the center.
Thanks to the room’s walls being made of reinforced glass, everything inside was clearly visible.
【Experiment Number K7002. The test will commence now.】
Following the announcement, a part of the wall opposite the man—K7002—split open, revealing a monstrous figure.
‘Chimera.’
A lion’s head, a goat’s head growing from the torso, and a wriggling snake tail. A monstrous creature classified as B to B+ grade, capable of standing alone.
“Grraaah!”
The chimera, chained at the ankles, bared its teeth as if ready to pounce at any moment.
“His name is Park Byung-min. Originally classified as a D-rank hunter, a useless piece of trash
Yoon Byeong-cheol spoke with a faint smile.
“And the opponent is a chimera that has been starving for days. What do you think, Se-ah? Who will win?”
“That’s a foolish question. Of course, the chimera.”
Yoon Byeong-cheol nodded.
“Normally, that would be true. But not now.”
At that moment.
【Experiment begins.】
With the speaker’s voice, the chimera was released.
“Grraaah!”
Freed, the chimera charged toward its prey without hesitation. Just as its sharp fangs were about to pierce Park Byung-min, K7002.
“Grm?”
K7002 swiftly grabbed the chimera’s torso and lifted it.
Shaaak-!
Using only sheer strength, K7002 tore the chimera in half. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the walls a bright red.
“Ta-da.”
As if showing off an incredible show, Yoon Byeong-cheol stretched out his arm. Ise-ah, seeing that, finally nodded in understanding.
“So this is how you ‘created’ excellent hunters, huh?”
“Correct.”
Yoon Byeong-cheol clapped for Ise-ah, who had answered correctly.
“Would you be interested in investing in this amazing miracle? I could procure this product exclusively for you, Se-ah.”
However, Ise-ah’s answer had already been decided. Anyone would have likely said the same thing at first.
“Are you insane? You want to commercialize an untested drug like this?”
This was something humans should not tamper with. Regardless of its effects, the side effects were too obvious.
“Uaaaah!!”
Even though the experiment had ended, K7002 continued to mutilate the chimera’s corpse. He didn’t stop there—he even tore out its organs and bit into them. His eyes were unfocused, and purple blood dripped from his nose.
“What he received was a rough version. You mentioned commercializing this, but I’m sorry to say it’s already on the market. The versions available to the public have fewer severe side effects, though the doping effect is not as pronounced. However, this is something we can improve over time.”
This was the secret of Winners Company.
By deploying drugged hunters onto battlefields, they amassed a fortune, which laid the foundation for the current Winners Company.
“If this gets out, it won’t end well.”
“Of course, if it were known right now, it would be a problem. But we’ve turned the tide in many unfavorable battles. After such events happen repeatedly, once the existence of the drug is revealed, people will praise it as a miracle drug from the gods.”
It was as if Yoon Byeong-cheol had anticipated all counterarguments.
“If you’re worried about internal leaks, you can rest easy. This drug is highly addictive, and once someone takes it, they won’t forget the sensation until the day they die. And I’m the only one who can reliably provide it. So, who would dare report it?”
From the beginning, Yoon Byeong-cheol had intended to involve Ise-ah. He had considered every possible counterargument.
In fact, Yoon Byeong-cheol’s words carried a fair amount of persuasion.
“One more thing.”
Yoon Byeong-cheol approached Ise-ah from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. Lowering his head, he made eye contact with her and whispered just quietly enough for only the two of them to hear.
“Regretting when your siblings overtake you in the succession rights will be pointless. You’re already quite pressed for time, aren’t you?”
“…”
For the first time today, Ise-ah was left speechless. Whenever the topic of succession came up, her mind always seemed to freeze. Yoon Byeong-cheol continued his devilish whisper.
“I’m sure the Chairman said that one of the succession conditions was to build good connections, right? The rising star, the savior of humanity—CEO of Winners Company—sounds like quite a good connection, doesn’t it?”
“……”
Ise-ah swallowed hard.
It sounded insane, but Yoon Byeong-cheol’s words were logical and persuasive.
In reality, Winners Company was growing at a rapid pace. If she could secure the exclusive distribution rights for this drug, it would definitely give her a better position in the competition for succession compared to her siblings.
‘It’s done.’
Yoon Byeong-cheol was confident that Ise-ah was almost swayed by his rhetoric.
‘As expected, what the young lady said was right.’
Yoon Byeong-cheol knew that despite being the eldest daughter, Ise-ah was falling behind in the battle for succession.
So, all he needed to do was play on that insecurity. After all, when a mouse is chased by a cat, it will hide in any available hole.
“What do you think?”
“It’s interesting. The version being commercialized doesn’t seem to have severe side effects, and depending on when the information about the side effects is released, it could easily be buried.”
“Exactly. You’re quick to understand.”
Yoon Byeong-cheol licked his lips. The hand he had placed on Ise-ah’s shoulder slowly slid towards her chest.
“But I’m not interested.”
“Pardon?”
Ise-ah sharply swatted away Yoon Byeong-cheol’s hand. He was momentarily stunned by the abrupt rejection.
“Why not? You haven’t even heard the conditions on my side. I’m not asking for anything big.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Ise-ah waved her hand.
“Clearly, if I teamed up with you, the succession would be guaranteed.”
“Then why—?”
“Just because.”
The suddenness of her response made Yoon Byeong-cheol narrow his eyes.
“What do you mean by that?”
“I said, I just don’t want to.”
Ise-ah rolled her eyes.
Perhaps realizing an explanation was needed, she added one more sentence at the end.
“Someone told me. No matter what proposal you make, I should never accept it.”
“For such a trivial reason?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
The words of someone who had told her never to accept Yoon Byeong-cheol’s offer resurfaced in her mind.
‘Just how far ahead did he foresee this?’
That meant he had expected this situation from the start.
“I can’t stand seeing that guy smugly saying, ‘See? I told you so.'”
“……But they were sure you’d accept.”
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing.”
At Ise-ah’s words, Yoon Byeong-cheol lowered his head deeply.
“Then send me back to where I was. I don’t want to stay in this uncivilized place any longer.”
Ise-ah waved her hand dismissively and turned toward the elevator.
“……Understood.”
His response was just a pretense. As soon as Ise-ah turned her back, Yoon Byeong-cheol retrieved a syringe filled with the drug from his suit pocket.
This was his final contingency plan in case his proposal was rejected.
Just a single injection would make a person a prisoner to the drug. Yoon Byeong-cheol had intended to make Ise-ah addicted to the substance and turn her into his slave.
‘This ends now…!’
At the moment the syringe was about to pierce the vulnerable spot at Ise-ah’s neck…
Swoosh!
A stream of water shot from the ceiling, piercing Yoon Byeong-cheol’s hand that was holding the syringe.
“What the—”
Caught off guard, Yoon Byeong-cheol looked up.
“You perverted bastard!!”
“Ugh!”
A high kick came flying from the ceiling, and Yoon Byeong-cheol took a flaming kick to the face, crashing to the ground.
“Nice one, Shin Seo-ha.”
Descending from the ceiling was none other than the person who had warned Ise-ah to reject Yoon Byeong-cheol’s proposal.
“Seriously, you’re really late.”
Ise-ah grumbled, and Seol Ha-baek shrugged his shoulders.
“Sorry, Shin Seo-ha kept dragging her feet.”
“What? When did I ever!”
Seol Ha-baek sneered at Yoon Byeong-cheol, who was just trying to rise.
“Shall we continue the tour, Mr. CEO?”
There was no mercy in his gaze.