Chapter 124: Side Story 2: Don’t Let the Obsession Show

One year later, humanity finally welcomed peace following the total annihilation of the Lamia. In South Korea, the Bureau—which had done nothing but make a mess of things with its erratic decisions—collapsed. In its place, a new government was formed, filled with experts in politics, diplomacy, and economics chosen by the citizens.

However, the atmosphere in Legion’s conference room was anything but peaceful; it was bleak. Hae-jin, sitting arrogantly at the head of the table, scanned the faces of the attendees before speaking.

“Give me another opinion.”

Throughout the meeting, Hae-jin had been nothing but cynical rather than cooperative. At his demand for a “different” opinion, Jae-hyung made a tearful face.

“CEO, the advertisement is something we really should do…”

Hae-jin cut him off immediately. For someone asking for opinions, he was doing all the talking.

“It’s not like our company only survives on combat operations. Even if cars aren’t selling, we have our assets and the renewable energy sector. Do we really need to do a commercial?”

Now that the war was over, many expected that the Awakened system of Espers and Guides would no longer be necessary. Reality, however, was different. Though the Lamia was gone, some gates remained open, and minor monsters occasionally spilled out. They weren’t a major threat to humanity, and since no new gates were appearing, it was a problem expected to be resolved in the near future.

Consequently, Legion had re-registered the guild as a corporation. They were expanding into the renewable energy business, developing vehicles made from durable dungeon byproducts and machines that maximized individual skills like water, fire, wind, and electricity.

“CEO, if you look at the data, we aren’t the only ones developing cars,” Jin-woo argued, gritting his teeth. He knew approval was unlikely, but he couldn’t give up. “Every former guild-turned-company is jumping into this. If we don’t advertise, we’ll obviously fall behind.”

An ad agency had reached out to coincide with the new product launch. They were the industry leader, known for producing top-tier commercials. Usually, companies had to wait months for them, so for the agency to reach out first was a massive opportunity.

The problem was a specific clause in the agency’s conditions: Guide Jung Lee Chae must be the model. Jin-woo’s excitement had turned to immediate despair upon reading that. With Lee Chae’s rising popularity, there was no way the sharp-eyed, possessive Hae-jin would ever sign off on it.

Lee Chae, who had been quietly observing the tension, spoke up with a cautious expression.

“It’s clear that saving on advertising costs would benefit the company. Statistics show that when Frame launched their car, the ‘Fracer,’ they went into the red because of the astronomical ad costs and actor guarantees, didn’t they?”

Hae-jin, who had been slouching, straightened his posture and stared directly at Lee Chae.

“And? Are you telling me to throw my exclusive Guide out there for every random person to gawk at just to save a few pennies?”

“Why do you have to put it like that…”

“Frame? Frame was a broke company to begin with, and their car was shit—that’s why they lost money. Are you seriously comparing our car to theirs right now?”

“Maximizing profit with minimum investment is what a CEO should do for the company and its employees.” Lee Chae continued calmly, long since accustomed to the CEO’s rough language. “Every director here agrees; you’re the only one opposing it. You need a clear reason for the directors to accept your veto.”

Hae-jin stared intensely at Lee Chae. His gaze was so piercing that Seung-yong, sitting next to Lee Chae, flinched. But Lee Chae remained composed.

“As Director Jung Lee Chae said,” Hae-jin began mockingly, “there are cases where using A-list actors results in a loss. But what about using a non-celebrity, a civilian—let alone a company director—as a model? Can you guarantee the effectiveness of the ad?”

Lee Chae smirked confidently. Hae-jin was trying to get under his skin by implying he lacked the talent to be a model, but knowing Hae-jin’s dark inner thoughts, Lee Chae wasn’t affected at all.

“You seem confident? Almost like you’re looking forward to it.”

“CEO, I haven’t even given my answer yet.”

The faces of the people watching the power struggle between the two began to stiffen. The directors who knew their history figured it was just “business as usual,” but the team leaders who only knew Hae-jin’s foul temper swallowed hard, fearing an explosion.

“Is that so? Then I’m curious. Are you confident?”

“As you said, CEO, if our technology is better and our capital is strong, we don’t need an A-list actor, do we? Plus, it cuts costs.”

Hae-jin let out a short sigh and cursed under his breath. The team leaders turned pale, but Hae-jin only grew more heated.

“Jung Lee Chae, are you playing games? Do you really not know why I’m doing this?”

Lee Chae didn’t back down. “What about you, CEO? What are you doing in the middle of a meeting? Do you not know why I’m doing this? This deal is already rumored throughout the business world. If we scrap it now, who is going to compensate for the loss to our corporate image?”

Their eyes locked in a sharp glare. Sensing the atmosphere was about to turn ugly, Jin-woo quietly gestured to the others. The directors sighed and led their team leaders out of the room.

The moment the door closed, Hae-jin stood up and stalked toward Lee Chae. Lee Chae backed away.

“Why are you moving away?”

“You know I don’t like doing this in public spaces.”

“Ha! If that’s the case, you shouldn’t have provoked me. Do you really need to ask? The guy from that ad agency has been telling everyone he’s your fan. He clearly wants an excuse to get close to you by making you the model. You know that, so why are you insisting on doing it?”

Hae-jin leaned over the table, his eyes flashing as if he wanted to devour Lee Chae whole. But Lee Chae had seen this look too many times to be scared. He felt bad that Hae-jin—who was a brilliant strategist when fighting the Bureau—turned into an irrational mess whenever it involved him.

“I feel like being next to you is only becoming a distraction,” Lee Chae said seriously. “A lot of people say things were better before I got here.”

“Who the f*ck said that?”

“The team leaders. They say the CEO has been acting strange lately. When the PR team was excited about my interview request, you refused to sign it. Why?”

“Because I wanted to. So what?”

“A CEO responsible for a whole company just does whatever he wants?”

“Yeah! That’s how I am. What of it?”

Lee Chae sighed deeply. Hae-jin cared for Legion more than anyone, yet he lost all sense of judgment the moment something involved Lee Chae.

“And cursing and using informal speech in meetings? You do that just because you want to, too?”

Hae-jin loosened his tie and walked toward the window. He opened it and habitually reached into his pocket, but there were no cigarettes. After the battle ended, Lee Chae had removed every cigarette from the house and set a rule: five days of no physical contact for every single cigarette smoked.

No conscience at all. Five days for one cigarette…

Was that a rule meant for a human to follow? Telling him not to touch Lee Chae was basically telling him to die. Hae-jin had quit smoking a year ago solely because he couldn’t stand the thought of being banned from touching Lee Chae. But on days like today, when they argued, the craving was unbearable.

“I didn’t think much of it before the meeting either,” Hae-jin admitted. “I figured an ad agency would want to ride your fame. I even had a little desire to have high-quality footage of you myself.”

Lee Chae adjusted his posture, surprised. “Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that bastard’s eyes during the meeting.”

“…?”

“Did you not see the look on his face every time you smiled?”

“Who are you even talking about? The agency CEO? Or the actor I’d be filming with?”

“Shit, both of them are trash.”

“True, neither of them had a very good vibe.”

Lee Chae took Hae-jin’s side, even though he found him annoying in these moments. Hae-jin knew it was a hollow victory, but he loved that Lee Chae would take his side even when he was being unreasonable. Still, thinking about the guys hitting on Lee Chae during the meeting made his blood boil again.

“Lee Chae, I just want you to…”

I want you to stay home and only receive my guiding. Even if you come to the office, I want you stuck in your room working, eating lunch only with me, and seeing no one else until we go home.

He had a thousand things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t let them out.