BRDM 69

chapter 69

The lethargic yet decadent eyes of Mojung-kyun widened slightly.

A face of sheer incredulity.

Even Im Won-young, who had brought Lee Hyun here, looked considerably taken aback.

At that moment,

Fwaaaaah—

[Legacy, “People in the Mirror” fix their gaze on you as a group!]
[Legacy, “Brothers in Clown Masks” imbue power into millet!]
[Legacy, “The Tomb Searching for Legs” prepares to bite you…]

…

The team leaders revealed their full combat aura at once, as if ready to devour Lee Hyun.

“No matter how reckless someone is shortly after entering…”
“And yet they dare speak such nonsense to the Guild Master.”
“Just because one has achieved something doesn’t mean they can blurt out anything!”

Sun Wukong observed the team leaders with an intrigued expression, and in an instant, the mansion became utter chaos.

But Lee Hyun remained straight and composed, giving them no attention whatsoever.

Then,

“Puhuh!”
“Kukuk!”
“Old fool… kuh! Hahaha!”
“This feels so satisfying… khrghh!”

The executive members’ faces flushed crimson almost immediately.

They struggled to suppress laughter, but a few couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs.

For a moment, the expressions of the team leaders shifted strangely.

The Guild Master was being insulted—why are these elders laughing like that…?

Then,

Thwack! Crack!!

“Argh!”
“Ugh!”

Mojung-kyun’s staff ruthlessly smashed through the heads of the executives with indifferent speed, leaving them no chance to react.

Each executive collapsed to the floor, their heads swollen from the impact.

“You lot have shrunk a bit with age, haven’t you? Shall I trim each of you neatly by ten centimeters?”

Mojung-kyun glared at the evasive executives with a sullen expression, then put the staff back in her mouth.

“Old fool, huh…”

Fwooo—

White smoke billowed.

Her previously lethargic eyes curved slightly, like a feral tiger’s.

“You must have a reason for thinking so, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Speak freely. But if you spout nonsense, know that your height will be reduced by twenty centimeters.”

Mojung-kyun’s aura was still impossibly high, like the sky—endless.

Lee Hyun slowly spoke.

“Otherwise, it’s hard to understand why you’d allow the parasites corroding the guild to continue.”

“By parasites, you mean Executive Director Jung?”

Mojung-kyun twisted one side of her mouth.

Lee Hyun nodded.

“You believed that the stronger Executive Director Jung became, the stronger the guild would become as well.”

“Correct. That has always been my method of running the guild since long ago.”

“That is a flawed way of thinking.”

“Are you now trying to interfere with my management methods?”
“It’s not interference—it’s fact.”

Mojung-kyun’s face turned into a smile.

But Lee Hyun felt an even greater threat—like walking a razor’s edge.

“If you give freedom to senior members based on meritocracy, the competition among them will naturally grow the guild. And indeed, the guild did grow that way.”

From the moment Lee Hyun entered the mansion, she felt certain.

No matter how massive the Central Heroes Committee’s support from the Chinese government, or how many millions of hunters they had,

No matter how formidable their global power was,

They could not possibly take White Burn.

White Burn did not only consist of Mojung-kyun. The executive team was already a monstrous collective, and each of the team leaders alone was akin to a legion.

Even those present were just the tip of the iceberg.

Most were in seclusion or dispatched globally. If they all gathered…

If Mojung-kyun revealed even the hidden assets she kept…

White Burn, though small in size, was already a force comparable to the Committee itself.

Even in the military, White Burn was always a key observation target, but they had never accurately grasped its full scope.

So it was hardly surprising that a guild born in this small country could rival the world.

And… White Burn’s growth was founded on its founder, Mojung-kyun’s ingenuity.

Favoring capable members, granting legacies, making bold investments—all of this had built the fortress, or rather, the labyrinth, that existed now.

But such methods only worked during the growth phase.

At the current mature stage, even considering future generations, such management methods were wholly inappropriate.

And,

“But what the Guild Master is doing now is not giving freedom.”

Lee Hyun, sitting in the heart of the debate, looked at Mojung-kyun and realized she had already foreseen Executive Director Jung’s actions long ago.

“If this is not freedom, then what is it?”
“Neglect.”

Lee Hyun spoke firmly.

“Neglect?”
“Yes. The Guild Master’s neglect is ruining the guild.”

“I feel like a tiger being scolded by a mere puppy on how to live.”

Mojung-kyun’s gaze shifted to Im Won-young beside her.

“What are you doing? Standing idle while your granddaughter is being insulted?”

Im Won-young felt as if he were being pierced, but straightened his back and replied,

“Am I… supposed to let Executive Director Jung go unchecked?”

He recalled what Lee Hyun had told him.

At first, it seemed unbelievable.

But now, he knew Lee Hyun was right.

Vroom!

Lee Hyun took a round crystal orb from her inventory.

“This is video evidence related to Executive Director Jung.”

“You have that? Good. Play it.”

The executives and team leaders, intrigued or openly hostile, all focused their attention.

The orb, imbued with magic, floated and then exploded into rays of light in all directions.

Flash!

[Essence of Shattered Time]
According to ancient Celtic druidic traditions, “Time is circular, and memory flows in the wind.” This orb takes part of that wind and circulates it.

Caution: prolonged viewing may trap one within memories.

• Type: Item, Storage Medium

• Origin: Legacy, “Druidic Oral Legend”

[Replaying stored memory]
[Be careful not to conflict with your own memory]

A man, tattered and bound to a chair, appeared.

Half of his face was burned, the other half frozen.

“That man is…”
“Maryong?”
“Did he really subdue Maryong?”

Team leaders recognized him, eyes wide, turning to Lee Hyun.

If we testify properly… then really…
If we keep asking unnecessary things, won’t it only harm you?
Fine! Testify! I’ll testify properly, so please…!

Lee Hyun’s voice played in the video, and Maryong’s face showed fear.

The team leaders doubted if they were really watching the correct footage.

We… based on Executive Director Jung’s support… advanced into Korea…

And each testimony revealed shocking truths:

They took Korea’s homeless and orphans as test subjects…
Attempted indoctrination through research and educational institutions…
Locations of each research center…

The courtyard fell into deep silence.

Lee Hyun’s voice continued:

Why project so much influence in Korea?
Not just Korea, but other countries as well… But Korea was emphasized to find something.

Find what?
That’s classified… I only know it’s extremely important.

Maryong knew of Bungmawang’s existence, but Lee Hyun’s new prohibition prevented mention in the recording.

Then what exactly were they trying to do?
Ulleungdo… a Dungeon Break will occur there soon. I guarantee this time you cannot stop it… krah!

Maryong’s scream jolted the executives and team leaders awake.

“What… Dungeon Break?”
“I didn’t mishear, did I?”
“Insane bastards…!”

Because it meant terror.

Scale of the Break?
Hahaha… you’ll see. Not comparable to four years ago… You have no idea what’s inside…

The team leaders’ eyes reddened with rising tension.

And after the Break?
We planned to actively use the test subjects. Once the Break occurs and chaos spreads, Korea’s infrastructure collapses…
Then our homeland and the Committee intervene… we would appear as saviors. Naturally,
A pro-China regime could be established?
Exactly.

Maryong laughed weakly.

The plan was perfect. But you ruined it. You…

The video cut, then resumed.

The team leaders pressed their lips tight.

The executives remained silent.

A heavy quiet ensued.

Next question: How did you plan all this without being discovered? You must have had collaborators…
Korea’s citizens may unite well, but the rulers are corrupt. Give them some money and they’ll lick your feet. Do you think you’re different?

The interrogation continued, but no one truly absorbed it.

A Break rivaling the Gangneung incident.

Subsequent chaos nationwide.

Collapsing infrastructure and government appeals.

And the eagerly waiting Central Heroes Committee.

Just realizing the grand plan to reshape Korea’s politics and media was dizzying.

What might sound like a conspiracy to outsiders was feasible to these executives and team leaders.

With the right partner.

The partner they can absolutely trust.

Then the final question:

Maryong, face red, raised his head.

The partner aiding you—is it Executive Director Jung?

Maryong bit his lips and ground out,

Yes.

The video ended abruptly.

“End of footage.”

“….”
“….”
“Damn. What did I just see?”

“Team Leader Park, weren’t you close to Executive Director Jung? You ate together recently, right?”
“No! I didn’t know he was like this! If I knew, would I have joined him?! There are families involved! I wouldn’t…!”

“Team Leader Cheon, you?”

What followed was an intense aftershock.

Team leaders previously close to Jung turned pale, offering excuses, yet doubt and hostility among peers did not vanish easily.

“Hey, you!”

Team B’s Park grabbed Lee Hyun’s collar frantically.

Once known as Jung’s close ally, he now looked pale.

“Doing this without proof… How do you even know that’s really Maryong? How could someone like you…!”

“If you want proof, there’s more than enough.”

“What…!?”

“The military is already in motion. Awakening special forces are likely clearing secret research facilities and Committee sites now. You can verify.”

“…!”

The team leaders hurriedly left, calling contacts and units.

Most failed, but a few succeeded, their faces drained of color.

“It really seems to be true, Guild Master.”
“Helicopters have already been dispatched to Ulleungdo.”

Lee Hyun gently pushed back Park’s trembling hand.

He collapsed.

Lee Hyun continued:

“When domestic chaos erupts, Executive Director Jung would appear as a savior, seemingly controlling Maryong and others to stabilize the situation.”
“….”
“Naturally, Jung’s influence would grow. And…”
“So White Burn was to fall into his hands as planned?”

Mojung-kyun’s gaze pierced Lee Hyun once more.

“Yes.”

Lee Hyun nodded.

“Hahaha. Truly an interesting scenario.”

Mojung-kyun smiled.

But Lee Hyun did not.

“Still won’t admit it? The catastrophe born of the Guild Master’s neglect.”

Mojung-kyun only gave a strange smile.

Then, Im Won-young stepped forward, handing over a thick stack of documents.

“Records of Jung’s contact with the Committee, and the corruption committed through those dealings.”

Secretly collected to monitor Jung.

A bomb capable of ousting Jung, now timed with Lee Hyun’s signal.

Yet Mojung-kyun took the papers casually, tossing them aside.

Flare!

The documents were instantly engulfed in flames, reduced to ashes.

Im Won-young screamed,

“Guild Master!!”

“I do not care about such things.”

The feral, tiger-like gaze now turned on Im Won-young.

Lee Hyun thought it resembled the first time she had met Mojung-kyun.

“The important thing is your attitude.”

Mojung-kyun tilted her chin, twisting one side of her mouth.

“Now that matters have reached this point, I’ll ask you. Can you personally capture that beast, Executive Director Jung?”

At that moment, Lee Hyun realized.

Mojung-kyun had not intended to condone or neglect Jung.

This was all merely a test to assess Im Won-young’s abilities.

[The Mountain God sees through everything!]