Ryu Seo-ha slightly lowered his eyes, hiding his embarrassment. If he answered that he didn’t know here, it would make Choi Gang-hu, who had specifically asked him the question, look bad.

“…As everyone knows well, shouldn’t we focus on securing friendly stakes?”

When he carefully gave a safe and standard answer, people’s questioning gazes shifted back to Choi Gang-hu. As if asking why he had bothered to encourage participation by mentioning “my person” just to hear such a generic answer that anyone could give.

It was strange to begin with that he had brought a guild healer instead of his personal secretary to this important meeting. At first, he thought he had just brought him along to keep an eye on him… Was there some other intention?

“Even if we combine all the shares of myself, the chairman, Gangseong Trading’s representative director and key executives, it doesn’t exceed 40%. Should we ask for cooperation from the chairman of the Gangseong Cultural Foundation and Guild Master Choi Junwan?”

Choi Gang-hu calmly mentioned his competitor in the midst of an underground battle and his mother. While looking around at the executives showing various expressions.

Ryu Seo-ha could finally understand Choi Gang-hu’s seemingly meaningless actions. He was now confirming the authenticity of the book titled ‘Future Event Journal’.

That book also contained information on the tendencies of surrounding figures and group power dynamics. He must be comparing its contents with the real-time reactions of executives siding with Choi Junwan.

“It’s not just any matter, but defending management rights from speculative forces, so they will surely cooperate.”

“Hmm… I wonder…”

“It should be fine since the chairman is still healthy.”

“For now, we should gather as many stocks as possible during market hours…”

Those naively asserting, those worrying while anticipating difficulties, those trying hard to manage their expressions, those glancing around to gauge the atmosphere. Knowing in advance, it quickly became apparent who was neutral and who was an enemy.

“Um… If I may say so…”

At that moment, one of the executives who had been agonizing with his head in his hands spoke up painfully while watching Choi Gang-hu’s reaction.

“If problems like today occur again, it becomes quite difficult to predict the average price of stocks to purchase. If you could please refrain…”

“Problems like today?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

But the courage squeezed from his lungs disappeared without a trace the moment it faced Choi Gang-hu’s question. Ryu Seo-ha tried hard to swallow a sigh that was about to burst out. Honestly, he felt the same way.

Early this morning, false news reporting Choi Gang-hu’s indiscriminate massacres blared from all speakers across the country. It was a massive hacking incident.

Of course, as soon as the stock market opened, the stock prices of companies associated with From Hell Guild fluctuated wildly. The domestic stock market was greatly shaken by one staged act to lure Ryu Seo-ha.

“Are you talking about the news of unknown origin that tried to slander me?”

Choi Gang-hu lied nonchalantly as if he had put on an iron mask. It was a strategy to cover up the incident he had caused without much fuss and make the arrow of suspicion point towards Choi Junwan.

“Yes, yes. Of course we need to uncover the hacking forces, but if you could just pay a little attention to stabilizing the stock price…”

The executive who had been trying to point out his actions so far and make a request couldn’t finish his words and bowed his head, sweating profusely. He couldn’t withstand the pressure of the cold gaze.

The emergency board meeting ended like that without a clear answer. They only decided to focus on scraping together Gangseong Trading’s stocks even if it meant buying at prices higher than market value.

“Ryu Seo-ha.”

In the car moving to the guild headquarters. Choi Gang-hu, who had been caressing the faint binding marks on the inside of Ryu Seo-ha’s wrists, called him in an implicit voice.

Their gazes, looking down at the reddish traces left on white skin with different meanings, intertwined in midair. The black eyes curved gently.

“What do you think I should do from now on?”

Ryu Seo-ha gauged Choi Gang-hu’s intentions in asking like that. The ‘Future Event Journal’ also contained guidelines necessary for defending Gangseong Trading’s management rights.

The key was to check that Choi Junwan and his mother’s stakes couldn’t remain in an aggressive position, and to make the hidden major shareholder a friendly force.

For the latter, negotiations were needed with the counterpart hiding slush funds using thousands of borrowed-name accounts. The person who had secured that list was Director Hwang Munseok.

In the original work, Choi Gang-hu gains the favor of Kwon Se-jeong, Hwang Munseok’s only weakness, obtains the list of borrowed-name accounts, and succeeds in defending management rights.

The problem was that they were all missing – those who would be the key to the solution. Was he asking if there was any rescue method in mind?

“We should take advantage of the opponent’s purpose. There’s a high chance the Order is aiming for me.”

Choi Gang-hu briefly raised one eyebrow as if hearing an unexpected answer. He looked like someone who was about to talk about a completely different topic.

“My thoughts are a bit different.”

A subtle smile hung on his well-shaped lips. It was a smile that gave an inexplicable sense of unease.

❖ ❖ ❖

Once again, Ryu Seo-ha’s anxiety became reality without fail.

“Uh, so, what am I supposed to look at…?”

Dr. Han Gang-seok, who had been called to the guild master’s office as soon as he arrived at work, asked back, stumbling over his words uncharacteristically.

“A kiss.”

Ryu Seo-ha was lightly perched on Choi Gang-hu’s firm thighs like a child as he answered nonchalantly. With his lips curled in from shame.

“Ha, haha, a kiss… yes… hahaha.”

Han Gang-seok’s trembling mouth corners spilled awkward laughter. It was the first request of its kind he had ever received in his entire life as a scientist who started earlier than others and as a search-type hunter living with the [Analysis] characteristic.

“…No matter how many times I think about it, this doesn’t seem right.”

Ryu Seo-ha shook his head with a pale face.

“Shh.”

Choi Gang-hu made a sound as if soothing a terrified pet and tightly bound Ryu Seo-ha’s body trying to escape from him.

“Don’t you want to know the exact mechanism?”

Of course he wanted to know the principle behind the increase in remaining lifespan on the status window. But even so…

“Experiments should be conducted safely under expert control.”

This really wasn’t right. Ryu Seo-ha bit his lip as he looked back at Choi Gang-hu, who wore a smile that seemed slightly mischievous. Han Gang-seok’s subtly curious gaze made his ears turn red.

Demonstrating a kiss in front of others, it was absurd. He felt like he would die of shame even before his remaining lifespan ran out. He looked up at Choi Gang-hu with pleading eyes. Hoping he would say it was a joke.

“Can you use the ability without contacting the target?”

But unfortunately, Choi Gang-hu didn’t seem to have called in an expert just to tease him.

“Of course. Though the effect is a bit lower…”

Just looking at his expression furrowing his brow while listening to Han Gang-seok’s words showed his serious attitude. Well, there was no one more suitable for this than Han Gang-seok. Though he was only D-rank as a hunter, he was a talent who demonstrated foresight and insight as a scientist that overwhelmed even decent S-rank search types.

“Come closer and touch my shoulder.”

“Pardon?”

Choi Gang-hu, who had been pondering for a moment, beckoned to Han Gang-seok. Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes widened at the unexpected order. It was an unimaginable proposal for Choi Gang-hu to let someone else observe his body.

“Does bare skin need to touch?”

“No, that doesn’t matter.”

“Move quickly before I change my mind.”

At the implicit urging resembling a threat, Han Gang-seok approached the two while scratching the back of his head.

“No, wait a moment.”

Ryu Seo-ha, who had been blankly nestled in the broad embrace, belatedly waved his hands and showed his embarrassment.

“I’d prefer if we just collected saliva samples and submitted them. While we’re at it, it might be good to analyze other body fluids like tears, sweat, and blood.”

“Uh…”

Han Gang-seok hesitated, watching the reaction of the highest authority.

“What observation could be more definitive than an on-site reaction?”

As expected, Choi Gang-hu narrowed his eyes as if displeased.

“We don’t have time for this right now. We barely have enough time to set up a rescue operation…”

“We have about ten days left to prepare for that side.”

A public purchase can proceed only after 10 days have passed since submitting a report to the Securities and Exchange Commission. He seemed to judge that time was sufficient to rescue Hwang Munseok, receive the list of borrowed-name accounts, and negotiate with the hidden major shareholder.

“But Ryu Seo-ha is different, isn’t he?”

The deep gaze fixed on the moist, red lips after traveling down the soft bridge of the nose extending from the white, round forehead. It was a hot gaze that felt like desire boiling up from the pit of his stomach.

“How many days are left? One? Two?”

“…”

“What are you worrying about in this situation?”

His voice, softly reproaching why he was concerned about other issues while setting aside a matter of his own life, was sweet. He almost fell for it and agreed to the unprecedented madness of demonstrating a kiss.

“…then it’s fine.”

“Hm?”

Ryu Seo-ha, who had been hesitating while chewing his lips, whispered something in a mumble. It was such a small voice that even Choi Gang-hu, with his terrifyingly developed hearing, barely missed it.

“…If Choi Gang-hu does it every day…”

Finally unable to finish his words, Ryu Seo-ha covered his face with both hands. Choi Gang-hu, who had been staring at him as if enchanted, forcibly removed those hands. Inwardly repeating that he wanted to bite that face red like an autumn persimmon.

“What?”

“…”

“You have to say it properly. What would you like me to do?”

It was an urging that felt like he was determined to hear the omitted words from his own mouth.

“…A kiss.”

After finally spitting out the answer after a long while, Choi Gang-hu grinned and grasped his delicate chin, lifting the deeply bowed face.

Ryu Seo-ha, who had been reflexively rolling his eyes looking for a place to avoid, met eyes with Han Gang-seok, who was watching with interest. His fingertips trembled slightly from embarrassment.