Chapter 83: HFS (3)

Chapter 83: HFS (3) "I believe there are two ways to divert people's attention." Crunch, crunch. "We can either completely block out all information or create a flashy distraction so big that no one has the chance to look elsewhere." Munch, munch. "That's why I contacted the reporters and told them we're throwing a party. We also extended invitations to quite a few high-profile guests." Kim Ki-Rok continued his explanation without missing a beat, despite Kim Ji-Hee constantly interrupting as she sat at the table while nibbling on her cookie. Lee Ji-Yeon's gaze drifted to the view outside the window. A party was going to take place in preparation for the criminal attack happening at dawn the day after. *** Earlier today, Lee Ji-Yeon had awoken from a deep sleep and decided to head down to the convenience store. Right as the elevator doors opened, however, she had almost keeled over in shock at the numerous reporters waiting outside the building, taking her picture. Ugh... I literally just rolled out of bed. Didn't even do my makeup... My hair's practically sticking up... And so, she had run straight to the Guildmaster's office, wondering what was going on. Just as she had expected, he had been the cause of all the ruckus. *** "So, you reached out to those reporters?" she asked. "That's correct," Kim Ki-Rok confirmed. "And you even rolled out a red carpet?" A red carpet stretched between the building entrance and the high walls surrounding it, lined on both sides by journalists. The reporters lying in wait had ambushed Lee Ji-Yeon the second she stepped out. "At this rate, the Awakened criminals who are keeping tabs on DG Guild will just assume we're hosting a party. Right?" Kim Ki-Rok explained. From the start, Lee Ji-Yeon had always thought he was a bizarre one, but by now, she had simply given up on trying to follow his logic. In an attempt to escape from reality, she turned to Kim Ji-Hee, still munching on cookies in her pure white dress. Ah, what a comforting sight it was. "Ji-Hee, you look really pretty today." "Unnie looks pretty, too." "Right? I'm such a knockout that even when I wake up half-asleep with my hair sticking out all over and not a speck of makeup, I'm still unbelievably gorgeous," Lee Ji-Yeon muttered sarcastically. Only then did she recall the state she was in and, in a panic, lifted both hands to frantically fix her hair. Bang! Kim Ki-Rok sighed as he looked at the shaking door with its hinges on life support. "Hmm! Looks like the door is broken again... I'm impressed, in a different sense..." A woman with short hair and a roundish face frowned deeply as she replied to Kim Ki-Rok. "What'd you say?" "Ah! Ms. Seh-Eun?" "Yes." "Did you eat ramen before bed?" "Uh... yes?" "How many packs?" "Two..." Yoo Seh-Eun murmured. "Impressive—" Kim Ki-Rok suddenly stopped mid-jest. He looked alternately at Lee Ji-Yeon and Yoo Seh-Eun and soon grasped the seriousness of the situation. "Uh, Ms. Seh-Eun?" "Yes." "Did you visit the first floor?" "Why else would I be visiting the Guildmaster's office?" "That's... true." The situation was more serious than he had thought. Suddenly, the savage look on Seh-Eun's face all made sense. Any more jokes would push her over the edge. He carefully asked, "Were you photographed?" "Yes." "Haaaah... All right. I'll do everything in my power to negotiate with the reporters." "Why were those reporters all over the building entrance in the first place?" Yoo Seh-Eun pressed for an explanation. "I was just explaining the situation to Miss Ji-Yeon. It's to divert people's attention," Kim Ki-Rok said. Yoo Seh-Eun stopped momentarily as if her brain had frozen for a second. After barely regaining her composure, she asked, "Are you talking about the criminals?" "Indeed. We plan on receiving a visit from certain Awakened criminals lurking about. By inviting a horde of reporters, we make them believe we're only putting on a party. And since the party starts in three hours... if we take care of those under-eye bags from your midnight ramen, you'll be back to being 'Pre-Ramen Seh-Eun' in no time." "Damn it!" Upon realizing the situation, Yoo Seh-Eun tried to leave the office but Kim Ki-Rok called out to stop her. "Ms. Seh-Eun?" "What?!" Yoo Seh-Eun shouted, slightly annoyed. "So, what do you want me to do?" "About what." "The photos." There was a brief pause before her tone softened. "Please take care of them." *** News of the DG Guild Christmas party had been courteously distributed to each media outlet. Naturally, all the reporters who specialized in Hunter and Gate-related stories came flocking over with their cameras. They arrived to find a bright red carpet laid out from the entrance, complete with a designated photo line for them. It looked a bit slapdash, but there was just enough organization to appear well-prepared. Arriving somewhat late, reporter Lee Bo-Ram from K Daily's Hunter Department surveyed the scene and approached an acquaintance, journalist Kang Seok-Hyun. "So, who's supposed to come?" Lee Bo-Ram asked. "Shine Guild." Kang Seok-Hyun answered. "A large guild. Who else?" "Did you even check the list before coming here?" "I just got the tip while I was out on another assignment," Lee Bo-Ram grumbled. "You owe me for this one, then." "All right, I'll treat you to a meal." "A coffee as well." "Okay, okay. But more importantly, do you think we'll be able to get pictures of Ji-Hee?" DG Guild's mascot was always in high demand. This demand was further increased because of a strange competition among newspapers, who chose not to upload photos of Kim Ji-Hee unless they were of exceptional quality. "I don't know. I did take a picture of her going to the convenience store," Kang Seok-Hyun said. "What! Send that to me!" Lee Bo-Ram shouted. "Are you crazy?" "I won't use it for an article. Just share it with me." Ah, she had always been like this. Kang Seok-Hyun sighed and handed Lee Bo-Ram his tablet. "Wowww, she's adorable!" In the photo, Kim Ji-Hee in a pristine white dress was dashing across the guild lobby, arms flung wide. "Hey, share this with me, please. Pretty please?" "Tsk!" It seemed as if Lee Bo-Ram was seconds away from rubbing her face into the tablet, so Kang Seok-Hyun snatched it back. "All right, already. Fine." He was about to transfer the file to her when the roar of an engine made everyone pause. The reporters swiftly stopped chatting and readied their cameras. A black car pulled up at the entrance, and a man in black gloves and a black suit emerged from the passenger side. "It's Shine Guild!" At the shout of a reporter, dozens of camera flashes erupted in quick succession. Shine Guild's second-in-command, Kang Ho, slowly opened the rear door. "Wow! Ms. Yeon-Hwa is also attending this party?" Lee Bo-Ram said. Her overexcited bump to his shoulder messed up his aim, leaving him worried about how his photos would turn out. "You really came here without knowing anything..." Kang Seok-Hyun muttered, shaking his head. "There's Shine Guild, Sky Wings, Golden Lion, even the Hunters Association." "The unnies from Sky Wings are attending as well?!" Kang Seok-Hyun was taking pictures in rapid succession but then turned his head upon hearing her strange choice of word. "Unnies? Aren't you older than the Hunters of Sky Wings?" "You've never fangirled before?" "Hey," he said with a serious voice. "What..." "You're a reporter, not a fan. Anyway, weren't you more interested in the entertainment industry than the Hunter world?" "There are many pretty and handsome people on the Hunter side, too." "Is that so?" Lee Bo-Ram was a reporter who couldn't give up going after attractive people. Hearing her answer, Kang Seok-Hyun understood why she had changed departments. As he stood there quietly, emailing the photos from his tablet to his junior waiting back at the office, the sound of another vehicle approaching the entrance caught his attention. Earlier, it had been a black limousine; this time, it was a large van. Once the door had been opened for them, female Hunters in flashy outfits stepped out of the van. These women, now at the center of attention, were the Hunters of Sky Wings Guild. "Kyaaa! Unnies!" Kang Seok-Hyun wondered if his colleague was here to work or fangirl. Well, she wasn't from his company, so he didn't need to know. Still frowning, he picked up his camera once more. Soon after, the Golden Lion Guild arrived. He enthusiastically took more photos, enjoying the rare opportunity to publish some interesting news after what had been a long slump. And then came the Hunters Association's arrival, which truly astonished him. "Huh?" It was none other than Association President Kang Man-Ki. Not only that, but he was accompanied by the leader of one of their Hunter teams, Ji Cheol-Hyun, as well as the leader of their Awakened Criminal Pursuit Team, Min Gwang-Cheol. "I knew Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok had a vast network, but this..." He hadn't imagined it was extensive enough to draw out Kang Man-Ki, a person who would rather squeeze in another bench press session than attend a party. "Who is that?" Lee Bo-Ram asked, poking Kang Seok-Hyun in the ribs. "Aren't you a reporter for the Hunter Department? You don't even recognize the president of the Hunters Association?" "No, I recognize him. I'm talking about the men behind him." "That's Ji Cheol-Hyun, leader of a Hunter team involved with Gates, and Min Gwang-Cheol, leader of the Criminal Pursuit Team. They are the Association President's most trusted aides." "They're handsome. One has a wild look, and the other one's all solid and dependable." This superficial girl... Still, she wasn't wrong. Ji Cheol-Hyun's skill, "Transparent Shield," let him protect the other Hunters at the very front line, so he had more than his share of injuries, including a large scar on his face. Rather than looking disfigured, though, he was striking enough that it gave him a wild, masculine edge. Thus, he had built up quite a fan base. Meanwhile, Min Gwang-Cheol, who mainly hunted Awakened criminals, was a head taller and broader than most men—reminiscent of a giant bear. Kang Seok-Hyun turned to Lee Bo-Ram and began to ask, "Hey..." "Huh?" "'Wild and Dependable.' Can I use that for my headline?" "Oh, sure, no problem. I'm still a rookie, so I don't get to write my own pieces anyway." "All right. Then we'll call it even for me sending you those shots of Ji-Hee earlier." "Deal." Such was the plight of working for a big corporation. Relieved to have secured a catchy headline, Kang Seok-Hyun resumed taking photos in earnest. Soon after, another black limousine approached the entrance at that moment. "Hmm?" He had never seen this man before. Who is he? Judging by the limousine, he must be from a large, if not medium-sized, guild. He racked his brain but couldn't recall who this man was. Kang Seok-Hyun's gaze shifted to the back seat. He would understand once he saw the main attendee. The suited man walked over and opened the rear door, and an elderly figure looking to be in his seventies stepped out. A retired Hunter, maybe? As these thoughts ran through his mind, a journalist nearby froze while checking the face they'd captured on camera, then suddenly gasped aloud. Despite knowing how crucial exclusive information was as a reporter, the reporter had been so surprised that he blurted out his thoughts. "H-Holy." "Why is the chairman of the UK Group here at this party..." another reporter mumbled. A few other reporters turned their heads, and some of them hastily browsed the web on their tablets. Finally, a name escaped one of the reporters' mouth, "Honorary Chairman Yoo Jin-Man." This was the chairman of the UK Group, the businessman who had grown his company into the second-biggest conglomerate in South Korea. Having realized his identity, the flustered reporters quickly raised their cameras. Lee Bo-Ram had been snapping photos alongside her colleague, and as soon as the people from UK Group had gone inside, she called out, "Seok-Hyun. Seok-Hyun." "Huh? Wh-what?" "Why are people so surprised?" she asked, perplexed. "Because Honorary Chairman Yoo Jin-Man has attended the party." "The Chairman of Il-Sung Group attended as well, no?" "It's a bit different from having Chairman Cha Min-Sung." "Different?" "Honorary Chairman Yoo Jin-Man is retired and isn't the type to appear in events. And now, he has appeared at an official event, a party hosted by the DG Guild no less." This piece of news definitely had the potential to become viral. "On top of that, the appearance of Il-Sung Group was expected. Cha Min-Sung is the husband of Lee Yeon-Hwa, the Guildmaster of the Shine Guild. But the UK Group doesn't have any particular connection to DG Guild..." Why on earth would such a big shot show up to this party? Kang Seok-Hyun found himself gazing at DG Guild's lobby with renewed astonishment.