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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Potion Auction Sabotage
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Yeon Sung-hun shared the details of the recent events with Han So-yul as well.
She might still be young, but she was an active A-Rank Hunter nonetheless.
If he wanted her help, there was plenty she could offer.
But just as he hadn't with Choi Yeon-ah, Yeon Sung-hun had no intention of asking her for any specific favors.
Unlike Seong A-reum, the guild she belonged to, Hwarang, was just a mid-sized outfit.
Compared to Woori Group, the difference in scale was too vast.
From the start, they would likely feel burdened and refuse to get involved.
Han So-yul might be a high school hunter who often appeared on TV, but her influence within Hwarang was nowhere near Seong A-reum's.
So instead of asking her for anything, Yeon Sung-hun simply gave her a rundown of the current situation.
He figured she'd hear about it from Seong A-reum or Choi Yeon-ah one way or another anyway.
Having heard the story, Han So-yul slowly nodded her head.
She might seem pure in a way uncharacteristic of a high-rank hunter, but she wasn't naïvely innocent.
In fact, she had sharper instincts than most.
After a brief silence, Han So-yul smiled faintly and spoke up.
"Um, can I crash at your place for a few days, oppa?"
It was a completely out-of-left-field question.
Depending on how you heard it, it could even sound a bit suggestive, but Yeon Sung-hun didn't misunderstand.
On the contrary, he could vaguely guess the hidden meaning behind it.
"You don't have to go that far. I've already arranged for people to watch over things."
"Are they the same as me? Besides, wouldn't it be better to have at least one more person watching closely?"
"Aren't you busy?"
"I'm actually on vacation for a while anyway."
Yeon Sung-hun pondered as he watched Han So-yul shrug casually, then nodded.
"Thanks for caring."
"No need to thank me! I just want to hang out with Mom and Hae-eun! You're the one doing me a favor by letting me stay a few days!"
Yeon Sung-hun couldn't help but smile warmly at Han So-yul's adorable grin and ended up ruffling her hair repeatedly.
Whoever her parents were, they'd raised her right.
"I should give a potion to So-yul for doing such a good deed. What kind do you want? Any requests?"
"The explosion potion from last time! That thing was seriously awesome! Hey, pet me gently, oppa! It hurts!"
A special auction was held at the Black Market.
Unlike before, when they'd announced it well in advance to give participants time to prepare, this one was a surprise, notified unilaterally just a few hours prior.
Normally, no one would show up properly in such circumstances, but this auction was different.
Even with the sudden notice, a huge crowd turned out—because the items up for bid were potions made by none other than the enigmatic alchemist F, Yeon Sung-hun.
There were no other goods; just potions. Yet that alone drew an overflow of bidders.
The effects of Yeon Sung-hun's potions had already become the stuff of legend through word of mouth.
Plus, the variety on offer this time was impressively diverse.
Above all, the ones generating the most buzz were the mana recovery potions and the throwable potions.
Both were entirely new types never seen before. If the Black Market's pre-shared info was accurate, these could revolutionize the hunter world.
Anticipating that ripple effect, crowds flocked to the Black Market.
Among them was Jin Seong-jun from Woori Chemical.
Unlike last time, the auction was held in a massive banquet hall, not a private room.
As he waited for it to start, Jin Seong-jun quietly frowned.
He was suddenly reminded of Oh Young-gyu's tirade before he'd come here.
'How the hell did you screw up so badly that this happened?!'
There'd been no physical violence, but Jin Seong-jun had endured a torrent of the man's signature vicious abuse for quite a while.
"...I thought he was sharp. Didn't expect him to pull something this ridiculous."
Asking for a few days to think it over, only to orchestrate this stunt behind the scenes—who could've predicted it?
Jin Seong-jun clicked his tongue sharply as Yeon Sung-hun's face came to mind.
"...Way more cunning than I gave him credit for."
His boss, Oh Young-gyu, might not have seen it coming, but Jin Seong-jun could gauge the fallout to some extent.
This would only amplify the rumors about Yeon Sung-hun's potions that were already spreading quietly.
At first, people buying them for the same reasons as Woori Chemical would soon realize they couldn't be replicated in any way.
That would naturally boost Yeon Sung-hun's influence.
Everyone who recognized the potions' value would want him on their side.
They'd planned to secure him early to prevent that...
"...Looks like I played it too gentlemanly."
Maybe he needed to apply a bit more pressure to shut down those naive thoughts.
"..."
Suddenly, the chilling image of Yeon Sung-hun from their last meeting flashed in Jin Seong-jun's mind, but he shook his head to dispel it.
First things first: prevent others from buying potions at this auction.
He couldn't stop the rumors entirely, but he could at least delay them.
In the meantime, he and Woori Group needed to fully recruit Yeon Sung-hun as quickly as possible.
A few shady dealings might crop up along the way, but Jin Seong-jun didn't mind.
It wouldn't be the first time.
'Good thing we have plenty of ammo.'
With a decent volume up for grabs today, prices wouldn't skyrocket like last time.
The issue was the open banquet hall setting—everything in plain view.
If he kept winning bids, anyone would notice something fishy.
"Did they plan the venue this way on purpose, knowing that?"
Whoever decided it, it wasn't welcome news for Jin Seong-jun.
"...Guess I'll have to let a few slip away."
He aimed to snag everything, but he had to factor in letting some go depending on the situation.
They'd need time to research the potions anyway, giving him a window to lock in Yeon Sung-hun.
Worse case, he could ally secretly with buyers to keep Yeon Sung-hun exclusive among them...
"Hello?"
Jin Seong-jun turned at the sudden voice interrupting his thoughts.
A stunning beauty stood before him, jaw-dropping enough to leave him gaping.
"S-Seong A-reum, the hunter?!"
His startled exclamation drew eyes from across the hall.
The others looked just as shocked as he was.
Seong A-reum wielded influence in Dawn Guild second only to the guild master.
No one else here matched her fame or clout.
'Is Dawn making a real move now? Why her in person...? She didn't do this last time...'
Jin Seong-jun racked his brain at the unexpected heavyweight's arrival.
Seeing this, Seong A-reum smiled subtly and continued calmly.
"You're from Woori Group, right?"
"...I'm Jin Seong-jun of Woori Chemical. It's an honor to meet you like this, Hunter Seong A-reum."
After a brief fluster, he masked his emotions with practiced composure and carefully handed her his business card.
Her agenda mattered, but building ties with someone like her was even more valuable.
She glanced at the card and smiled brightly.
"I don't have a card, so nothing to give in return."
"No need. For someone like you, Hunter Seong A-reum, your face is the card."
"Oh my. Thank you for the kind words."
Jin Seong-jun smiled back, mirroring her grin.
The vibe was pretty good.
If he could leverage this into a solid rapport with Seong A-reum...
Lost in thought, Jin Seong-jun overlooked something crucial.
In his surprise at the encounter, he failed to register that she had approached him first.
Seong A-reum herself initiating contact with a mere secretary like him—there had to be a reason, especially since he wasn't even from the owner's family.
As the two chatted briefly, the auction began.
The moment the auctioneer introduced the first item, Jin Seong-jun called out a high bid.
A substantial amount that made others hesitate, yet reasonable enough to avoid losses.
Even a small loss was fine.
He'd make it up through Yeon Sung-hun later.
'Any losses today, you'll pay back with your body.'
No one else raised a hand.
At that steep price, they were probably eyeing later items.
But Jin Seong-jun had no intention of handing them over easily.
His smug expression faltered at a quiet voice from beside him.
Seong A-reum had bid—higher.
"...Hunter Seong A-reum? Why...?"
Wasn't the atmosphere great just now?
He hadn't built deep ties, but he'd assumed at least an informal alliance for this auction...
Seong A-reum flashed him a bright smile as he stared in quiet dismay.
Her beauty had a disarming charm that put people at ease.
Jin Seong-jun felt his tension melt, managing an awkward grin despite his unease.
'Fine... one potion's no big deal. I can negotiate a deal later.'
Dawn Guild had more than enough resources to partner up.
It might even bolster his boss Oh Young-gyu's succession plans.
And for his merits, he could snag a decent affiliate presidency down the line.
Daydreaming of a rosy future without a care, Jin Seong-jun consoled himself that he'd "yielded" to her.
He waited for the next item.
Naturally, that potion went to Seong A-reum.
And the one after...
"S-Seong A-reum?"
She just smiled quietly at him again.
In the end, Jin Seong-jun "yielded" this one too.
The pattern continued.
Every time he bid, Seong A-reum swiftly outbid him.
At this point, even Jin Seong-jun sensed something off.
His face rigid unlike before, he glared at Seong A-reum.
Her smile no longer fazed him.
"...What the hell is this?"
"What do you mean? I just won what I wanted fair and square by the rules."
She tilted her head innocently, feigning ignorance.
Her infuriating act crumpled his face.
"...Playing it like this, huh?"
"I really have no idea what you're talking about."
Gritting his teeth at her persistent denial, Jin Seong-jun seethed.
To think he'd fall for such a honey trap.
Fuming, he whipped his head away.
No more "yielding."
Seong A-reum was blatantly interfering, but the bids so far had been hefty—even she must be feeling the pinch.
He, having won none yet, still had ample funds.
'Daring to seduce me with your looks... just you wait.'
Vowing to claim the next ones no matter what, he stewed alone.
Seong A-reum merely smiled quietly at his display.
To Jin Seong-jun's misfortune, the rest of the auction didn't go as he'd hoped.
Seong A-reum stayed quiet, but others pounced relentlessly.
Maybe because they'd gotten nothing earlier?
As if waiting, they jacked up bids on subsequent items.
Even when Jin Seong-jun threw out hefty sums backed by deep pockets, they didn't budge.
It turned into a full bidding war, like a competition.
Only after prices hit levels like the previous auction did he finally concede.
Targeting the next chance instead.
'...It's fine. Plenty left.'
But this wasn't the end.
The next was the same—not the prior rival, but another group.
Again, soaring bids forced him to fold, and it repeated: next, then the one after.
The moment Seong A-reum went quiet, others raised bids like clockwork.
Not all at once, but taking turns, as if coordinated.
Jin Seong-jun couldn't ignore it anymore.
Only one person here could pull this off.
He glared at Seong A-reum, eyes bulging.
"Pulling stunts like this!"
"Stunt? What are you talking about?"
"Still pretending you don't know after all this? This auction's invalid!"
His outburst drew every eye.
Some looked puzzled or annoyed, but others smirked knowingly.
Ignoring the stares, Jin Seong-jun kept glaring.
Seong A-reum's smile finally faded, replaced by icy impassivity.
Meeting his hostile glare, she quietly unleashed her presence.
"You're getting a bit arrogant."
The subtle pressure made even his rage falter as realization hit.
He'd forgotten in his anger: before him was one of Korea's top S-Rank hunters, Seong A-reum.
Someone he shouldn't even dream of angering, let alone glare at.
'No matter what tricks she pulled, I should've played dumb and groveled...!'
Too late, he shuddered.
"I... uh... th-that is..."
Seong A-reum sighed softly at his belated panic.
Her aura vanished.
She gave a light apologetic bow to the onlookers before speaking.
"Let's leave it here. I had no intention of causing a scene. But this matter won't end like this."
Her quiet words drained the color from Jin Seong-jun's face.
A warning from Seong A-reum herself.
Not something to brush off.
Rumors painted her as someone who always retaliated.
The scary part? Her payback might target not just him, but Woori Chemical—Woori Group entirely.
Given his role representing them today, it was inevitable.
The grim future crystallized in his mind, turning his face ashen.
"S-Sorry! I was short-sighted...! P-Please forgive..."
"Enough. I don't want to hear it."
Dismissing his apology coldly, she turned away, signaling utter disinterest.
Frozen in terror, Jin Seong-jun was speechless.
Thoughts of her manipulations had already evaporated.
Seong A-reum let out a quiet, unseen chuckle at his dazed state.
As Jin Seong-jun suspected, this was all her doing.
Upon learning of the auction days ago, she'd coordinated with select contacts to block Woori Group from acquiring potions.
Not at Yeon Sung-hun's request—this was purely her goodwill.
She knew his value better than anyone and saw this as a chance to earn his favor.
'If I want to stick with him—not just now, but long-term—it takes effort like this.'
In her judgment, he deserved such treatment.
She'd taken losses too, but gaining his goodwill made it a bargain.
And she wasn't alone.
Impressive as her network was, it had limits.
Enter Choi Yeon-ah, who helped line up prior agreements.
Retired for a year or so, but her old connections hadn't vanished.
Some had died or retired, but plenty remained active—even guild heavyweights and leaders.
Despite no plea from Yeon Sung-hun, Choi Yeon-ah moved on her own to aid him.
Combining their networks created this outcome.
Seong A-reum sneaked a smile watching Jin Seong-jun flounder through the remaining auction, unable to focus.
Word was Yeon Sung-hun held plenty of grudges against him...
This should hit just right, no?
"Hm hm~."
Feeling inexplicably cheerful, Seong A-reum hummed softly to herself.
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