EPISODE 121

It was ridiculous, but at that moment, all Yoo-seong could think was…

‘This is… I wonder what kind of flower it is.’

It might have been because Yoo-seong was embarrassed; that was why his brain kept focusing on other, unimportant things.

‘I can’t figure it out…’

From where her face was almost buried in Yoo-seong’s chest, Yang Biyeon looked up.

She looked quite desperate. Words flew from her lips.

“I missed you. I really did.”

Yoo-seong could hear every word clearly.

‘Her pronunciation has improved incredibly compared to the last time we met.’

However, it was not all about the clarity of pronunciation. Her words could now also convey her emotions well.

“Ah!” Surprise flashed over Yang Biyeon’s face, and she staggered backward, off Yoo-seong’s body. There was no way an experienced hunter would lose her balance.

‘It must be because I was embarrassed,’ Yang Biyeon shyly admitted to herself. Her hugging Yoo-seong was something she’d done without thinking.

“Biyeon, how did you get here?” Yoo-seong asked.

“B-broadcast. Yesterday morning. I saw it.” Yang Biyeon was barely managing to keep herself from trembling. “So I came right here. I am worried. It may be difficult. I do not know. I think.”

“I see.” Yoo-seong understood.

It was a matter of fact for people who didn’t know much about international relations or related laws.

‘I knew you weren’t comfortable since yesterday. I was worried,’ Yang Biyeon wanted to say.

‘Worrying about me and actually coming here are different matters,’ Yoo-seong thought as he looked at Yang Biyeon’s face.

‘It would be a lie to say your heart didn’t skip a beat,’ he thought.

On the other hand, he felt a strange bitterness in his mouth. It was obvious that Yang Biyeon was more than eager for Yoo-seong to say something more.

“Ambassador Joo Young-jin!”

The Ambassador entered the room obliviously but retreated outside upon seeing the situation.

Yoo-seong turned his head and shouted into the hallway.

“It’s not a big deal, so you can come in. This is my guest.”

After a moment, hesitantly, Ambassador Joo Young-jin entered the room.

“This is Yang Biyeon of the Red Dragon Society.”

“Huh, huh?!”

Ambassador Joo Young-jin’s shocked eyes turned to Yang Biyeon.

He did not exactly know what Yang Biyeon looked like, but he knew the name well. How could he not know?

Yang Biyeon.

She was currently ranked seventh in the Ship Zone. The hottest hunter in China right now.

….

It wasn’t a sudden success.

Even before Yoo-seong came to China, Yang Biyeon was already a likely candidate to be part of the Ship Zone.

Her father had ranked second in the Ship Zone in the past. Besides, she was the head of the famous Red Dragon Society.

What was holding her back was her lack of experience and personal achievements.

Then there was the last dive. Three Ship Zone hunters and Oh Yoo-seong, who was at their level, failed to return.

However, Yang Biyeon came back.

With the amount of data and footage she brought back from inside the crack, it was inevitable that her value would rise.

Due to the various happenings in Shanghai, Yang Biyeon started gaining a reputation.

The public support she received was more than that of Oh Yoo-seong. Unlike Yoo-seong, who was a foreigner, Yang Biyeon was the successor of the Red Dragon Society.

She was among the prestigious purebloods. And right then, all the spotlights in China were aimed at her group.

After returning from the dive, Yang Biyeon went straight to her father, Yang Jeong-cheon. She told him everything that had happened inside the crack.

As she explained, without adding or removing any detail, Yang Jeong-cheon sat still and just nodded occasionally. Finally, when she was done, Yang Jeong-cheon silently reached out and held her hand.

Then he placed the remaining Red Dragon Twin sword upon it.

Three weeks later…

Yang Jeong-cheon turned the industry upside down.

***

Even if he had lost an arm in an accident, Yang Jeong-cheon was still a powerful figure in China. His position and connections as a former Ship Zone were incomparable.

The Goryong Company was facing a real disaster. They’d lost Lee Hwi-min and two of his strongest subordinates. Without him, the company was losing its direction, and its stock price hit rock bottom.

It was at that point that the dragon swooped in.

In China, where the government held a certain distance and did not interfere with hunters, Yang Jeong-cheon had more than enough political capacity to handle the broken Goryong Company.

It only took three weeks of turmoil.

When Yang Jeong-cheon finished his expedition, he brought countless contracts and assets from the Goryong Company back with him.

Like a hungry wolf, the Red Dragon Society entirely consumed Goryong. In doing so, a giant new powerhouse encompassing Southeast China was born.

***

Yoo-seong had immediately checked on Yang Biyeon through the internet right after he returned from the alien world.

He had worried about her even while he was inside the crack.

‘I owe a lot to her and the Red Dragon Society.’

If something bad happened to her, it would be difficult for Yoo-seong to set things right. However, upon his return, he saw that Yang Biyeon was now a big shot.

‘That’s why… she shouldn’t be here,’ he thought.

“Biyeon,” Yoo-seong said gently, “did you come here using your real name?”

They were sitting around the Ambassador’s table, with three steaming cups of tea before them.

“No.” Biyeon shook her head.

As much as possible, the Chinese government did not interfere with their hunters.

However, overseas activities were a different thing. The Chinese government was very sensitive about sending hunters overseas.

“What?! Did you get permission? The head of a Red Dragon Society just entering Japan?” Yoo-seong doubted it.

Yang Biyeon had gone through illegal channels to come to Japan.

She’d canceled her schedule and taken the risk of being caught by the Chinese government. All for the purpose of seeing Yoo-seong.

“You hid your identity and broke into a foreign embassy. You must have a good reason. I want to hear it.” Yoo-seong felt upset but managed to keep his voice calm.

Yang Biyeon widened her eyes at him as if she couldn’t believe what he was saying. ‘Really? You don’t know?’ she seemed to say.

Yoo-seong kept shaking his head. “It would have been better if the Director was here. Still, thank you very much, Ambassador. Please, help us with this matter.”

“Leave it to me.” Ambassador Joo Young-jin’s face was determined.

For him, who did not know the circumstances, Yang Biyeon had come to represent China.

“I understand you’re here to present a diplomatic deal,” the Ambassador said, turning to Biyeon. It was how he had interpreted the conversation between Biyeon and Yoo-seong so far.

Yoo-seong clasped his hands in front of Biyeon, almost as if he were praying to her.

‘Please,’ he wanted to say, ‘don’t tell him you came here to see me.’

Yoo-seong wasn’t an idiot. He knew why Biyeon had come here.

However, he had to do this for Biyeon’s sake. If the Chinese government and the Special Defense Agency caught a whiff of this meeting, it would become a great scandal. Yoo-seong had nothing to lose, but Yang Biyeon’s reputation could be damaged.

The Chinese public and its government were not that forgiving.

‘Do it for you and me,’ Yoo-seong pleaded with his eyes.

As far as he was concerned, what Yang Biyeon needed right now was not his appreciation and comfort. She needed to return to China as quickly as possible, without anyone knowing. She needed to go back and return to her duties. It didn’t matter if he looked like a shameless bastard to her.

What was important was that she got out of this situation unharmed.

“Please, speak,” Ambassador Joo Young-jin prompted her.

“What?” Yang Biyeon spat out in Chinese with her head down. “Do you think you’re being cool right now?”

Both Yoo-seong and the Ambassador were confused. They didn’t understand what she was saying.

Then Yang Biyeon raised her head. Her eyes were full of tears. Her face was flushed, but it was not because she was embarrassed.

She was furious.

Sensing a storm was about to erupt, Yoo-seong unconsciously pressed his button. Auto-Hunt’s first action was to take his phone out and open the translator app.

The very next moment…

“You’re really mean to me! You’re a bad guy!” Yang Biyeon began ranting at him in rapid Chinese. The translator app displayed her angry words.

“You keep treating me like a child! Do I look like a child to you? Am I that stupid? I don’t think I’ve ever done anything wrong to you. Can’t I do what I want? Can’t I come here and meet the person I like?”

Ambassador Joo Young-jin, who was looking at Yoo-seong’s screen, dropped his mouth wide open in surprise.

“Always. I have always accepted reality. This is this. That is that. But is this too much to ask of you?”

Biyeon continued between sobs.

“If it weren’t for me, you would have been in trouble. What is wrong with you? Why do you have to be mean to me? I’m just… I don’t expect much, but…”

“Uh… uh…” Yoo-seong couldn’t say anything.

Other than using the translator app, Auto-Hunt didn’t have any suggestions, either.

Yoo-seong had no idea what to do in the current situation.

‘Maybe she would feel better if she could slap me in the face right now,’ Yoo-seong thought. He raised the button.

However, before he could tell Yang Biyeon anything, she turned her head towards Ambassador Joo Young-jin and spoke in Korean.

“You wanted me to talk. Well, I have something to tell you.”

She had the same tearful look. And, in the same broken Korean, Biyeon continued.

“I want to be a Korean citizen.”

“What?!” Yoo-seong felt as if he had been hit on the back of his head.

Yang Biyeon turned to him with her swollen eyes. Then she spoke with more conviction than ever. “I got permission from Father. I know what you’re thinking, and I know that you do not approve. I don’t care. This is what I want to do now. So, I will do it.”

Yang Biyeon was literally doing whatever she could to pursue Yoo-seong.

‘Even if my relationship with Yoo-seong does not work out, what else is there any way?’ she questioned herself. Although Yoo-seong had the right to reject her, he did not have the right to stop her.

Watching Yoo-seong’s stumped reaction, Yang Biyeon wiped the tears off her face and turned to Ambassador Joo Young-jin.

“I’m tired. I haven’t slept for two days. Do you have a guest room I could use?”

The Ambassador immediately called for someone to assist Yang Biyeon and prepare a room for her. And then she left, leaving the two men alone.

Both Yoo-seong and Ambassador Joo Young-jin felt as if a storm had just ravaged them.

“So that’s why she came here…” the Ambassador said thoughtfully. Then, after a few moments of silence, he turned to Yoo-seong with a smile on his face. “Well, I don’t intend to meddle in your personal affairs… but based on what I have heard, I think you were definitely in the wrong.”

Yoo-seong kept his head down.

“I also dated quite a few girls when I was younger,” the Ambassador continued. “So I have seen this before. Be careful. She seems to be a strong-willed one.”

“She is.” It was all Yoo-seong could say. “I know.”

“Then,” the Ambassador’s smile grew playful, “you shouldn’t be wasting your time here.”

“What do you mean?” Yoo-seong raised his head, confused.

“Ahh!” Ambassador Joo Young-jin’s exasperated sigh filled the room. “For such a great man, you don’t seem to know anything about women!”

The next moment, Yoo-seong found himself being pushed out of the room.

“Come on!” Ambassador Joo Young-jin told him Biyeon’s room number. “Go get her!”

Then…

Bang-!

The door slammed behind Yoo-seong.

He was left standing dumbfounded in the silent embassy corridor. After quite some time, he shook his head.

He couldn’t help but feel half-amused at his situation. Then he began heading to where he had to go.