Against the Clock: The Team Leader’s Pursuit of Glory

The decision from Diniger and Sirinnai came faster than Kang Mu-hyuk had anticipated. Before the day had even turned, Diniger found Kang Mu-hyuk.

“I’ll be your witness. But I have a condition.”

“Is it about your family?”

“Yes, the families of both of us and our dead colleagues... … .”

“Hold on. I need to be clear. The only families I can take responsibility for are yours and Sirinnai’s. It’d be impossible to guarantee the safety of every family member from the third expedition team of the Yellow Dragon Guild. Of course, I’ll do my best to help, but I can’t promise anything beyond that.”

Though he rejected his request rather coldly, Diniger nodded.

“Thank you for being honest. If you had agreed too easily, I would have doubted you. We’re not trying to be greedy. We just need you to try your best.”

“Alright. From now on, your only task is to recover as much as possible until the time comes. I’ll contact you when I need you.”

With that, Kang Mu-hyuk finalized his preparations.

Now he thought it was time to negotiate.

'Evidence of the Gate Opener from the White Phantom, testimony from former members of the Yellow Dragon Guild expedition, and the actual opener secured by Kamensky. That’s everything we’ve got. The only thing left is choosing the right negotiating counterpart.' 

Kang Mu-hyuk reached out to White Phantom.

“Please set up a negotiation with the Yellow Dragon Guild.”

-The negotiation location is Sinuiju. Will that work?

“Yes, but I have one more thing.”

- What’s your condition?

“I want to nominate the negotiating counterpart.”

-You’ll name someone specifically? Hmm. Alright, who do you have in mind?

“Guan Hong. Make sure that I negotiate with him, no exceptions.”

Operation: Open the Demonic Realm Gate 

Following the failure of the Yellow Dragon Guild’s so-called ‘Great Demonic Realm Plan,’ Guan Hong’s standing in the guild had plummeted. Unlike other Hunters who'd be killed or expelled from the industry after such a failure, Guan Hong managed to survive thanks to his past achievements.

“What do I live for after being demoted to a low-ranking position? If I had been kicked out entirely, at least I could have fled to another country. This is nothing short of exile.”

Now, Guan Hong found himself stationed alone at a remote Yellow Dragon Guild branch in a coastal city near Namsan Island. The assignment to a branch office with only one person in attendance was a clear warning as he was looking at the worst Hunter prison in China. 

The message was clear: make another mistake, and you’ll end up on Namsan Island.

No Hunter would act rashly knowing this was a possibility—Guan Hong was no exception.

A few days into his new, low-ranking position at the guild, he was abruptly summoned by the guild’s main command center. Anxiety gripped him.

"There’s no way the guild would forgive my sins. They must be calling me to either eliminate me or use me like a disposable card in some plan.”

After much deliberation, Guan Hong concluded it couldn’t be the former. If they intended to kill him, they would’ve done so already. The Yellow Dragon Guild, while ruthless, rarely reversed its decisions. 

This was tied to the concept of saving face, which carried immense weight in China. Countless disputes had escalated into guild wars or even fatal duels among Hunters over perceived humiliation to their honor.

"Then they must have a task for me.”

When he got to that conclusion, he saw this as an opportunity, Guan Hong decided he couldn’t let it slip. His current rank didn’t matter—if he could just return to the main command, he was confident he could climb back up the ladder no matter how long it took.

He hurried to Beijing, where the guild’s headquarters were located. Upon arrival, he was escorted to a large conference room with sweeping views of downtown Beijing. 

A man stood in the middle of the room.

“It’s been a while.”

“Mr. Bi Wen Jun! You’ve been discharged from the hospital. Are you feeling okay?” 

“The internal injuries need a bit more care yet, but I can move around just fine. Please, have a seat.”

Guan Hong swallowed dryly and sat down. Despite having spoken to Bi Wen Jun before, he was nervous.

Once a Strategy Team Leader, he was now in a precarious position, where he had to follow orders from others. They said the position made the man, and without his title, he felt a huge drop in his status.

Plus, one misstep could send him plummeting over a thousand foot cliff since Bi Wen Jun held power over his life and death..

“There’s no other reason I called you here.”

Guan Hong quickly realized Bi Wen Jun was the one who called him here, not the main command. If it were the main command, Bi Wen Jun would have mentioned it outright. 

Guan Hong listened quietly to Bi Wen Jun's subsequent words.

“There’s been a request to set up a negotiation in Korea. The Anti-God Guild arranged it.”

“The Anti-God Guild? Do we really need to listen to them?”

“Yes, they hate us, but for now, we’re allies so we can’t afford to dismiss them. For now, we’ll listen to what they have to say.”

“Then… Is there a reason you specifically called me?” 

“I need you to lead the negotiation.”

It was both the opportunity he had hoped for and a crisis. Guan Hong understood the stakes: ‘success would mean a promotion, but failure could easily get his head cut off.’

But he had no choice but to say yes.

He asked cautiously, “Who am I negotiating with?”

"You’ve already guessed it, haven’t you? Go ahead, tell me. Who do you think it is?"

Guan Hong paused to collect his thoughts. He could answer right away, but he didn’t feel like doing that. He wanted to spice it up a little, so he chose to speak after a moderate pause.

“It can’t be the Korean government—they don’t have the capability or the will to negotiate with us. Neither would it be the Unified Task Force or the Slayer Guild. Sung Seonjae may be an excellent leader, but the raid lacks a unified stance. And, overstepping their authority would invite backlash, and negotiating individually outside of their approved raid duties would undermine the government. That leaves just one person.”

“Interesting, you’re pointing towards a person, not an organization.”

“That person belongs to the Iron Will Guild. Isn’t it Kang Mu-hyuk, their Guild Leader?”

“As expected, Mr. Guan Hong. Correct. Kang Mu-hyuk is leading the negotiations. You’ll have full authority to handle him. But remember—conceal any matters about the Gate Opener and the Demonic Realm Gate.”

“What exactly does ‘full authority’ mean?”

“Financial compensation—you calculate the costs yourself. Beyond that, cooperation and compensation within the range of what the main command will allow, or an agreement where there’s no real loss for us.”

The so-called full authority came with strings attached: close the deal without conceding anything significant. 

A grim condition for any negotiator. But Guan Hong remained composed and spoke without desapir. 

“Then, I’ll personally select the negotiation team members.”

“You’re confident for someone in such a tight spot. Yeah. That’s what we want, Guan Hong. Tell me, who do you want?”

“Xiao Zhan and Wen Hao for minimal escort and as a show of force.”

Bi Wen Jun raised an eyebrow. 

“Interesting choice. Aren’t they both people who’ve had run-ins with Kang Mu-hyuk?”

Indeed, Xiao Zhan was the leader of the Dangong  assault force that had been humiliated at the Yalu River Bridge by Ju Se-ah. Kang Mu-hyuk was the one who sent her here, so it was practically him who actually defeated him.

Wen Hao was the same. He was the one who had gone to seize Sinuiju with the missing Zhang Zhongxun. Since he had failed in Sinuiju due to Kang Mu-hyuk’s interventions, it could be said he held a grudge against Kang Mu-hyuk as well.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Is this some kind of ‘losers’ alliance’?” 

“At the very least, their presence will unsettle the other party. On the outside, it will look like we’re trying to sabotage the negotiations.”

“Let me make this clear: failure is not an option. If the negotiations fall apart, the guild can manage, but our Great Plan will face delays. The Sundown Guild is already showing unusual activity after losing Shimwol. We won’t be able to launch an external offensive attack for the time being. So we’re shifting into a defensive stance.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll stake my life on this and make it a success.”

***

“This isn’t a long, drawn-out negotiation. I wanna wrap this up here if possible.” 

Kang Mu-hyuk declared as soon as he sat down, skipping formalities. He came to the negotiation table with only Ju Se-ah and Jang Deukgoo.

“I couldn’t agree more. This isn’t a negotiation between nations or even large guilds, so there’s no need for excessive picking around,” Guan Hong replied to his opinion in a welcoming tone, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of being cornered. At least on the outside, he had no choice but to keep on a relaxed facade.

'The fact that they came to the negotiations without exposing the switch itself is already good. They’ve also declared interest in entering the Demon Realm indicating they understood that pressuring the Yellow Dragon Guild could sow further discord.’

Guan Hong tried hard to read what Kang Mu-hyuk was thinking. This was his first time meeting Kang Mu-hyuk face-to-face, but he knew what he did at Sinuiju and the Tumen River defense line. He’d also seen footage of Kang addressing the National Assembly hearing for the formation of the Unified Task Force. Though unofficial, he even confirmed his involvement in Russia and Shimwol’s elimination.

So he reached this conclusion about him.

‘A realistic idealist.’

At the same time, he was also an action taker who didn't care about the means to achieve his goals.

'But he seems to have some kind of belief. Or else, this kinda guy would have no limits to what he’d do. Kang Mu-hyuk is a double-edged sword—a treasure when wielded well, but deadly if misused.'

People with opposing tendencies were fascinating. These people could rarely live in peace—they just had to self-destruct. 

Yet Kang Mu-hyuk seemed to have struck a balance, leaning neither too far in one direction nor the other. His existence in itself seemed shocking.

For the first time, Guan Hong felt a pressure unlike any he had faced before. Even when he borrowed and led the S-rank Shimwol for Sundown, his nerves hadn’t been this rattled. He wasn’t sure if it was the high stakes of the situation or Kang Mu-hyuk’s sheer presence that unsettled him. But one thing was certain—failure was not an option in today’s negotiations.

“We’ll start with our terms. Hand over the Gate Opener, all evidence you have, and keep silent forever. It’s a simple request.”

“And the price?”

Guan Hong slid a carefully folded note across the table. 

Kang Mu-hyuk unfolded it slowly, his gaze dropping to the figures scrawled across the paper.

“It's compensation. For Iron Will only.”

Kang scanned the amount, and snorted indifferently. Guan Hong’s eyes narrowed at that.

'That must be a considerable sum though...’' 

Although Iron Will was a guild under the Taesung Group and was not under financial pressure, it was still a sum that was difficult to ignore. Putting aside the guild’s capabilities, this sum was enough to serve as a substantial foundation for Iron Will, who had not yet surpassed its C-class guild status in terms of its scale.

Internally, Kang Mu-hyuk felt the tension despite his outward composure. 

'They’ve done their homework. This amount is perfectly calculated to entice us.'

Iron Will’s pursuit of independence from Taesung was no secret. Gaining that freedom meant they needed money to become financially independent. The Yellow Dragon Guild's offer was hard to ignore.

'If we take this, this money will come with strings attached. Hiding the Demonic Gate incident isn’t just a guild matter—it’s a national issue. If the slightest word gets out, it could be seen as treason.'

If Guan Hong had suggested this while well aware of this possibility, he was practically laughing while giving him poison.

“No thanks to the money. It’s tempting, but it’s not urgent right now.”

“Then perhaps items? Although it won’t be easy for us to hand over unique-grade items.”

“Unique... I’d love a unique item, but items can spark a guild war, can’t it? I already know you wouldn’t hand it over.”

“That leaves inter-guild agreements. Are there any conditions you’d like to propose?”

Kang Mu-hyuk moved his lips and stopped. Then he scratched his head for a moment and said.

“Mr. Guan, it seems you don’t even know how this negotiation was arranged.”

“Huh? What do you mean...?” 

“The two behind you—Hunters Xiao Zhan and Wen Hao. I don’t know whether you’re trying to provoke me or make me uncomfortable, but bringing a negotiation team made up of people with personal grudges against me shows you don’t understand the significance of this meeting.”

At the words of the defeated soldiers, Xiao Zhan and Wen Hao who stood behind Guan Hong  like a screen glared at Kang Mu-hyuk with wide open eyes. But before they could lash out, Ju Se-ah silenced them with a single glare. Xiao Zhan, hardened but seasoned, looked away. Wen Hao, who was two levels below him, also lowered his gaze, not daring to meet the S-rank Hunter’s eyes.

Ju Se-ah’s dominance defused them immediately. 

Kang Mu-hyuk gave her a small nod of gratitude and continued.

“Anyway, since you don’t understand the purpose of this meeting, any suggestion I make will likely go over your head.”

“Why are you just assuming that? Please just tell me. Explain to me what I’m missing here.” 

For a moment, the room fell into silence, both sides engaged in an unspoken battle of wits. Finally, Kang Mu-hyuk, after finishing his calculations, spoke carefully.

“I was the one who nominated you as the negotiator, Mr. Guan.”

“!!”

Just one sentence. 

Only then did Guan Hong realize Kang Mu-hyuk's intentions and let out a gasp.