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

Kang Mu-hyuk had been preparing for this moment—all the ways he could attack the White Tiger Guild.  

“I’d love to try everything but cleaning up the aftermath would be a hassle. So, I narrowed it down. After all, I needed to have a clear scenario in mind to help reduce the confusion.”  

“I don’t want to hear it. If I do, I feel like I’ll never be the same again. Guild Leader Kang Mu-hyuk, your plans are like junk food—I can’t stop thinking about them.”  

“They’re not like junk food. They’re good for me and bad for my enemies.”  

“The addiction’s the same.” 

“It’s too late for this now. You already put me in charge. Just give in and listen. The Guild Master will handle the most important part.”  

“This must be what temptation from the devil feels like. I don’t want to listen to you, but I can’t stop myself. What should I do?”  

“First, at the press conference, you’ll announce that you’ve become an S-rank. Then…”  

***

“Hello, I’m Ju Se-ah, Guild Master of Iron Will Guild. I’ve called this press conference to announce a significant shift in South Korea’s Hunter World as of today.  

“I, Ju Se-ah, have joined the lineage of South Korea’s S-rank Hunters—a rank that has remained empty since the Great War.”

“As the only S-rank Hunter in the Republic of Korea, I pledge to defend this country from the threat of monsters, protect its people, and stand as a frontline guardian of your homes.  “

“I will actively confront all threats to the peace of this land—whether they come from monsters, villains, or third parties.”

“As my first measure, I intend to root out the malignant forces hidden within the Korean Peninsula. Though we cannot reveal specific details yet, the groups responsible for the recent Tumen River incident, which brought our nation to the brink of crisis, are still at large within the country.”

“To them, I’d say run. Run before I catch you.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ju Se-ah’s chilling gaze, captured perfectly by the cameras, was broadcasted nationwide.

At the North Pocheon headquarters, Kang Mu-hyuk watched the press conference from his office for the first time in a while. He picked up the remote and turned off the screen. Next to him, Mr. Cho sat, staring at the blank TV with her mouth agape.  

“S-rank… Is this real?”  

“Now you see where the tide is turning?” 

“What can I do for you, Guild Leader Kang Mu-hyuk?”  

“As I expected, Mr. Cho. So, is your vacation over now?”  

“My vacation? When did I ever take one? I’m available 365 days a year!”  

“Really? The same person who’s been dodging calls all this time?”  

“I lost my smartphone.”  

“Lost it? Funny how you don’t use mobile banking but somehow you showed up running the last time I didn’t deposit your payment.”  

“I always use bank tellers. I don’t even trust ATMs—I don’t feel comfortable with machines.”

“Let’s put that aside and get to work.”  

“Um, about that deposit…”  

Kang Mu-hyuk clicked his computer mouse a few times, and the sound of a notification came from Mr. Cho’s pocket.  

Mr. Cho pulled out her phone and checked it, her face breaking into a wide grin.  

“Using mobile banking now, are we?”  

“It’s still uncomfortable. But I’m thinking about using it now. After all, I’m a ‘CEO’ with people to take care of. I can’t afford to be stubborn in business. Haha!”  

“Good to hear that. Now, let’s look at the materials you’ve prepared, Mr. CEO.”  

With a sudden shift to seriousness, Mr. Cho handed over a thick envelope, her earlier smile replaced by a focused expression.  

Kang Mu-hyuk pulled out the documents and quickly flipped through the pages.  

Across the desk, Mr. Cho sat explaining the materials, “I couldn’t get a full look inside the White Tiger Guild headquarters since it’s a Tier guild. Even when I went in after transforming to a regular employee, I could only access the office floors. The upper floors, where the guild leaders and elites operate, and the basement with the training rooms and item vault, were completely off-limits. But I did manage to gather some information about their external security.”  

“How is their external security structured?”  

“They’ve set up disguised offices on the lower floors of nearby buildings. The outermost unit is a pair with detection skills, the inside unit is a combat party, and five fully armed parties surround the headquarters. Usually, only a few of these are active at a time, but recently, all the outposts have been fully manned.”  

“So, they’re preparing for the worst-case scenario.” 

“A large shipment of ampoule kits was delivered recently, and they’ve also been setting up booby traps.”

“Booby traps? That’s unusual. And if you found out about them so easily, isn’t that suspicious? Could it be a trap?”  

“I thought the same at first. But after observing closely, it didn’t feel like a setup. It seemed rushed, like they were scrambling.”  

Kang Mu-hyuk felt a pang of intuition—one of his plans must have hit its mark.  

‘I wonder if the story Guan Hong leaked was exaggerated. I only told him to scare them, but it seems like they pushed it so far that the White Tiger Guild feels their lives are at risk.’

From the White Tiger Guild’s perspective, it must have looked like Iron Will and Yellow Dragon had joined forces. Predictably, while they might reduce their external activities to protect themselves, they would also tighten their defenses.  

“Now that they’ve heard Guild Master Ju Se-ah is an S-rank, their defenses will likely get even stronger. Well, it wouldn’t matter much if Guild Master Ju Se-ah steps forward, but it’s going to be hard to end things quietly.”  

“Of course, you can’t wage a war in the middle of the city.”  

“Then why did you ask me to gather all this information if we’re not planning to fight?”  

“Who said we’re not fighting?”  

“Huh? You just said there wouldn’t be a war!”  

“There are many ways to fight. Just because it’s not a war doesn’t mean there won’t be any fighting.”  

“What kind of nonsense is that?”  

Mr. Cho pressed Kang Mu-hyuk for more details about his plan, but Kang Mu-hyuk didn’t answer. Instead, he changed the topic to another request he had made.  

“By the way, how’s that side job going?”  

“Side job? Oh, you mean the thing I mentioned to Chief Man? Surprisingly, it’s been quite profitable. Just like you said, inquiries have skyrocketed since Dragon ran wild. They even had to hire a part-timer just to handle phone calls.”

While Mr. Cho was away, Kang Mu-hyuk had pitched several business ideas through his subordinate, Man Suro. One of them was a business to arrange escape routes for wealthy individuals looking to flee abroad. If Zmei Gorynych were to move south toward the Korean Peninsula, it was inevitable that the wealthy and powerful would try to escape. But by the time they realized the dragon’s movements, the country would likely be in a state of war, and airports would be shut down. Naturally, they would turn to illegal means to escape.

“As you requested, we’re also offering smuggling services to criminals. The WIG craft that you provided is performing remarkably well. It’s already becoming the most preferred after making an appearance like a comet in the industry.”

“Is there a survey on smuggler business preferences too?”

“I’m just saying. That’s what they’re saying.”

“Ah, just rumors?”

“Pretty much. Anyway, the word is out, and since business is going pretty well, the rest depends on you. You gotta do a good job now for the customers to come.”

Kang Mu-hyuk, organizing the documents on his desk, placed them neatly.  

“Just make sure the trap is tightly woven. Without any gaps.”  

***

“The first task of the Sinuiju Union, which hasn’t even been officially established yet, is to expel the White Tiger Guild…” Sung Seonjae mused aloud, calculating the pros and cons of Kang Mu-hyuk’s proposal.  

The answer came quickly. 

“There won’t be much bloodshed with Ju Se-ah involved. But since they’re trying to mobilize other Tier guilds, do we need to make a show of force?”  

“Yes, if we demonstrate a clear power advantage, the White Tiger Guild won’t stand a chance, even as a high-tier guild.”  

“Do you think they’ll back down without a fight?”  

“People dismiss the White Tiger Guild as shallow, but they’ve been around as long as the Dragon Slayer Guild or the Slayer Guild. The fact that they’ve maintained their Tier Guild status without significant achievements means, conversely, that they’ve avoided any catastrophic failures. What defines the White Tiger Guild? Let’s call it patience.”  

“Or shallowness?”  

“That’s a more accurate description. They never take risky gambles. If they sense danger, they won’t hesitate to kneel and bow their heads. Pride is everything to them as a Tier Guild—until their lives are at stake. When it’s a question of survival, they’ll always prioritize staying alive.”

Kang Mu-hyuk reflected on the history of the White Tiger Guild, informed by Mr. Cho’s investigation.  

Interestingly, leadership in the White Tiger Guild wasn’t based on power or charisma. Instead, the previous Guild Masters selected someone from the younger generation who was most skilled in careful, secretive work.  

The current Guild Master, Son Joongbeom, was renowned for his cautious nature and recognized as one of the most talented and charismatic figures in the guild. Under his leadership, the White Tiger Guild flourished, earning him widespread respect in the industry.

“Perhaps it’s because Son Joongbeom is so competent and ambitious that the White Tiger Guild is now in such a tight spot. If he were less capable and ambitious, we wouldn’t have had this opportunity. Now, with his back against the wall, what remains is the survival instinct that has defined White Tiger Guild leaders for generations. He won’t reject even somewhat unreasonable demands without considering them first.”

“And if they decide to fight?” 

“Then they’ll get a firsthand experience of our Guild Master’s fist.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s a particularly wise move.”

Having finished his calculations, Sung Seonjae outlined a few conditions for Kang Mu-hyuk’s proposal.

“Expelling the White Tiger Guild means disbanding the guild. Naturally, the spoils of war left by the loser should go to the winner. How much are you planning to take? By the way, Tier guilds tend to be quite greedy.”

“That includes the Slayer Guild, right?” 

“I won’t deny it. There’s no reason to turn down a delicious piece of meat.”

“Since you’re being honest, I’ll do the same. Iron Will will not touch the White Tiger Guild’s legacy. The guild’s domestic accounts will be frozen and seized by the government, but the headquarters’ assets will go to others. Team Leader Sung, use that to persuade the Tier guilds.”

Kang Mu-hyuk’s declaration was nothing short of a grand concession.  

Guild assets were typically divided into three categories: Hunters, funds, and items. Of these, the most valuable are the Hunters. The stronger the Hunters, the stronger the guild.  

Next, of course, were the items. Sometimes, items were valued even higher than Hunters, especially if they were of a unique grade or higher. Most of these prized possessions are stored in secure vaults in the headquarters’ basement.  

By choosing to relinquish the White Tiger Guild’s headquarters, Kang Mu-hyuk was effectively giving up these prized items. Even though the Slayer Guild was already a high-tier guild, it couldn’t help but covet the treasures of another high-tier guild—especially one with a history as long as the White Tiger Guild’s. Their stockpile was sure to contain items of exceptional quality.  

This made persuading the coalition much easier.  

So now, the only thing left was—  

“I see you’re planning to set the stage. An excuse for us to feast without trouble.” 

“It’s my specialty. I’ll set the table; all you need to do is deal the cards, Team Leader Sung Seonjae.”  

***

“Your friends being held captive in our guild—I’ll let them go, so let’s meet up.”  

When Kang Mu-hyuk first contacted her, Eum Youngjin was momentarily confused about whom he was referring to.  

After all, the people being held captive by Iron Will were the assassins caught trying to kill Lee Sookyoung.  

‘Why would he care about them now?’

He just had to bury his head in the sand anyway. Even though everyone knew the assassins were connected to the Yellow Dragon Guild and that the White Tiger Guild had assisted them in their operations in Korea, there was no concrete evidence.  

Even if the assassins confessed, it wouldn’t matter much. Compared to incidents like those in Sinuiju or Demonic Realm, attempting to kill a North Korean Hunter was relatively minor.  

Eum Youngjin couldn’t hide his astonishment at Kang Mu-hyuk’s seemingly kind gesture of releasing individuals who posed no threat to either side. But soon, his sharp instincts as a White Tiger Guild member kicked in, and he recognized his true intentions.  

“How should I interpret this? Are you suggesting we smooth things over and have a chat?”  

“Of course, I wanted us to meet and share some good news.”  

His tone was almost too friendly, like a cult preacher, but Eum Youngjin couldn’t bring herself to refuse.  

“Alright, let’s meet. Where should we go?”  

“Let’s meet at the White Tiger Guild headquarters.”

After finalizing the meeting, Eum Youngjin let out a hollow laugh.  

‘He’s got guts. You think you can enter a tiger’s den, and be fine as long as you have your wits about you. But that only applies to a sleeping tiger. Let’s see if you can do that in front of a hungry tiger.’

A Few Hours Later

After Ju Se-ah’s press conference, Eum Youngjin found himself face-to-face with the tiger.