Chapter 97: Season of the Harvest (3)

Sang-Hoon’s father had generated upward of three billion won in debt to a dangerous loan shark. Sang-hoon’s rapid ascension to the third circle, however, seemed to provide something resembling a solution. His talent could be monetized, but that came at a cost of its own.

Sang-hoon knew that Park Moo-cheol wouldn’t let him go. As soon as he saw that Sang-hoon was a goose that laid golden eggs, he would find a way to increase the debt. He had laughed a greedy laugh when the prospect was verbalized.

Although he knew Moo-cheol’s motives, Sang-Hoon had no other choice…he had to protect his father, and so sent Park Moo-cheol and his gang back home with a deal in hand.

The priority was time. Yes, moneylenders were generally predatory, black-hearted individuals, but his father had borrowed money, and the massive interest they attached to the payment wasn’t illegal. They were exercising their rights. Sang-hoon would remedy his father’s mistake, but his timely liberation from the ties with Moo-cheol had to be attained, also.

Sang-hoon went straight to the office of the head of the Department of Magic.

“Sang-hoon! What is it?” Choi Byeong-ho’s face was inquisitive.

“I have something to tell you.” He took a deep breath that rippled through his lungs. Choi Byeong-ho was a man who pursued his interests, so he could be useful in what we might call…extra-curricular activities.

“I’ll be honest and try to keep it brief. My dad borrowed a bond and now owes a huge amount of money. You might know the loan-shark. His name is Park Moo-cheol, the owner of Hunter Cash, and he’s made a reputation for himself…I have something to ask.”

“A request?”

Choi Byeong-ho looked hesitant. He couldn’t possibly afford to pay off such a huge debt. It was true that he earned enough money as head of the department to be considered a wealthy man, but that didn’t mean he could pay a sum so significant out of his pocket on request. He almost immediately refused, but Sang-hoon continued to speak, and his interest was piqued. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I want to tell you that I’ve formed the third circle.”

“What?!”

Choi Byeong-ho jumped up from his seat. The third circle at seventeen years old?! Choi Byeong-ho’s perspective of Sang-hoon altered dramatically at that moment.

* * *

Jeong Sang-hoon had listened attentively to Kang Min-hyuk’s plans for building his tower. He was impressed that somebody of his age had such high aspirations, and he believed in Kang Min-hyuk’s ability to accomplish anything he set his mind to.

If Min-hyuk rose in postion, Sang-hoon would be the first student; for that reason, he worked harder to avoid damaging Kang Min-hyuk’s reputation.

“I want you to be the face of the tower. It will be an object of envy, but its roots are the wizards who learn magic under it. I want you to be at its center. Unleash your abilities to your heart’s content while attending the Department of Magic: make people curious about you.”

He was to be the face of the tower, to play the role of a realistic idol, offering hope to the disciples. He would be famous through Kang Min-hyuk’s renown. Until his father’s dilemma, he had focused solely on training to form the third circle. Still, his current challenges were a good opportunity to engage in Kang Min-hyuk’s plan more intricately.

“I’m not asking you to repay the debt for me. I’d never ask that of anybody – my father’s fault is a burden I must bear. I’m hoping, though, that you might play the role of a bridge, connecting the deal with Park Moo-cheol to the department of magic. All that I want is for the process to be clean and fair to ensure that Moo-cheol doesn’t tamper with our agreement’s conditions. That’s all I ask.”

“Hmm…”

Choi Byeong-ho’s initial reluctance melted into a state of intrigue.

Sang-hoon’s request was realistic, and he understood why he felt the need to appeal to him. But…

“What will I gain from this? This is an extremely personal matter – I’m no longer just your professor; we’re now engaging in a deal of our own. In my position, I’m duty-bound to want the best for my students. What happens outside of the academy is different from what goes on inside. Like I said: what’s in it for me?”

Sang-hoon had expected the Dean’s response. He wanted a deal, just as he did with Kang Min-hyuk – over time, as Min-hyuk proved himself more than worthy of their alliance, he formed a deep friendship and affection for him.

“I’ll compete in all magic competitions under the name of the magic department. My skills mean that victory is certain – I’ll raise the department’s name and mention it numerous times in my interviews. The only reason I was able to win was due to the high quality of classes taught at the academy, blah blah, the full support of the head of the department was invaluable, blah blah. That’s all that I can do.”

“Look at this guy!”

Choi Byeong-ho laughed. Sang-hoon knew exactly what to offer. Byeong-ho valued his honor, and Sang-hoon appealed to that. With the Hunter Academy’s involvement, Moo-cheol wouldn’t dare to overstep the mark with Sang-hoon – he’d be forced to stick to the conditions.

Sang-hoon had fed into Kang Min-hyuk’s plan by taking steps to raise his reputation – he had found a strong friend to mediate the debt settlement. Unexpectedly, Sang-hoon took a negative situation and spun it into a solution that everybody was satisfied with.

He could have requested help from Kang Min-hyuk; his background was powerful enough to assist, but he had already received a lot from him, and he thought it best to take responsibility himself.

Choi Byeong-ho said, “Before accepting the offer, let’s set a condition.

Tomorrow, a small magic contest will be held in Seongdong-gu. It’s a competition that attracts broadcasters’ attention, so if a student in the Department wins, people will know about it even more so if the winning wizard formed the third circle at seventeen. If you win, I will accept your offer and be happy to act as a bridge.”

“Okay.”

The deal was closed.

Sang-hoon smiled wide and expressed his sincere gratitude.

The next day, Sang-hoon confidently raised the championship trophy and secured a solid bond with Choi Byeong-ho.

* * *

“That little rat!”

Park Moo-cheol struck the desk; it split into two fragments beneath his refined strength. The blow did nothing to subdue his rage, however.

“He went running to Choi Byeong-ho! Can you believe it?!”

After ending the deal with Sang-hoon, he felt great. He could have earned way over a million dollars with a young, exceptional mage on his side. He had fallen into happy imaginings of how he would use Sang-hoon, and the next day – pow! – he got a call from Choi Byeong-ho! It was ludicrous.

“I’m Choi Byung-ho, head of the Magic Department of Hunter Academy. My pupil seems to be indebted to you, and I have decided to act as a mediator, so I hope that there will be no bother in the process of paying off the debt. As long as you stick to your side of the deal, I see no reason for me to become more involved.”

The happy imaginings collapsed as though hit by a grenade. He had intended to consume the Jeong family utterly, but that was impossible with a powerful mediator.

“Fuck!”

The Hunter Academy was a stronghold that couldn’t be challenged by individual forces; it boasted tremendous power, at least in Korea. Their links with the government meant that they should be avoided as much as possible. He knew that it was time to withdraw, but when he remembered the face of Sang-hoon, fire blazed within him.

“I was surprised by his confidence to lead the deal with me.”

He was a clever guy. To prevent him from putting mandatory provisions in the contract, Sang-Hoon Sang feigned obedience and accepted the reality of the situation much sooner than expected. His suggestion of a deal was indicative of realism beyond his years. There would be no way to use his hand as long as Choi Byung-ho came forward, but the retreat was bitter.

“Boss, a customer is here. They say they’re related to Sang-Hoon. Shall we let them in?”

Park Moo-cheol’s expression was distorted. He sighed as he spoke,

“Right then! Let’s see what they’ve got to say.’

He checked the placement of the dagger in his grasp and said in a stiff voice, “Come in.”

The door opened. A familiar face entered the room.

“…You?”

There was no personal relationship, but of course, he recognized the man who stood before him. He became an international superstar due to the magical revolution.

“My name is Kang Min-hyuk.”

He had returned to the world after five months in the mountains.

* * *

Kang Min-hyuk sat on the sofa. Although it was Park Moo-cheol’s lair, Kang Min-hyuk did not show any signs of tension.

Park Moo-cheol’s men looked down at Kang Min-hyuk with harsh expressions. The tension was rising: Park Moo-cheol calmed the tremor in his voice as he spoke.

“What is going on here? A precious person like you; there’s no reason for you to be here.”

“I heard that Sang-hoon owed you a debt. I want to buy it. If you want to collect the principal and interest, I will pay it off in a lump sum right now.”

Park Moo-cheol’s expression hardened. His lips twisted; he was annoyed by Sang-hoon’s actions, but the appearance of Kang Min-hyuk was like pouring oil into a blazing fire.

“I don’t know what your relationship is with Sang-Hoon, but I hate it. Why should I do that?”

“Then we can call Sang-hoon to pay off the debt.”

Kang Min-hyuk knew their relationship between Sang-hoon and Moo-cheol. Go Young-cheol’s intelligence had revealed a lot. Kang Min-hyuk had known what was happening around Sang-Hoon for a long time. He had waited for the right moment to return, though.

Park Moo-cheol rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to sell the debt. Knowing Jeong Sang-hoon’s value, he wanted to hold onto it and utilize it as much as he could.

“You said you want to buy my debt now. If so, it doesn’t mean that you pay the debt; it means you want the right to debt. Then the story is a little different. If you want such a complicated process, I have the right to ask for more than twice the amount. Isn’t Jeong Sang-hoon very attractive prey?”

He laughed. “Six billion. I’ll withdraw for six billion.”

As long as the Hunter Academy intervenes with the mediation, it was virtually impossible to see enormous gains anyway.

Kang Min-hyuk’s expression did not change as he spoke.

“You’ll regret it. Do you want that?”

“What regret are you talking about?”

“I gave you a chance – an opportunity to do business with me. If you reject this, there will be no more chances for you.”

“I know what kind of person you are: a great wizard who made a magical revolution. I don’t know how your bonds with the suho gate have changed, but that can’t hold me down. I’m Park Moo-cheol from Hunter Cash. Worn and worn on this floor, do you think I’ll be willing to bow to your threats?”

He spread his shoulders as though they were a peacock’s tail, flaunting his pride. He thought he controlled the transaction.

“Okay…”

Kang Min-hyuk fell quiet. Then, he picked up his phone and smiled into Park Moo-cheol’s eyes as he said,

“Get started.”

He hung up the phone and waited without another word. Soon after, Park Moo-cheol’s phone started ringing loudly.