REAPER SCANS
Legendary Returner’s Survival Guide
[Translator – TinTin ]
[Proofreader – Harley ]
Chapter 38
“Let’s be clear, the Salvation Guild has been the one granting you courtesy. Let’s keep this clean and straightforward, no bribes, shady deals, none of that.”
“…Please continue.”
“The Salvation Guild will operate out of Seoul from now on. We will also have priority clearing rights for any SS Rank or higher gates that appear in all of South Korea. There will be bidding, don’t worry. We aren’t so inflexible as to monopolize said gates. Other guilds can formally request to join our efforts, and we will allow select guilds to tag along.”
“That’s a bit—”
“Also…” Youngsu interrupted the prime minister again while crossing his legs.
He was already done laying out the terms. This wasn’t a negotiation for him.
“Mr. Prime Minister, I have no personal quarrel with you, but I do need to ask this. Why are you here?” Youngsu asked.
“......Excuse me?”
“Why is it that you are the one here?”
Youngsu's presence alone was enough to intimidate Gilsu, a politician who had clawed his way to the prime minister’s office through political maneuvering.
“Why did someone with no authority show up, wasting my time? Or did you think I was making a polite request?”
“......”
“The president must be quite comfortable. Even though he’s about to become a lame duck, he seems oblivious to the current situation.”
Youngsu, grim-faced, took a drag of his cigarette before continuing, “Relay my message to the president verbatim. Don't be impertinent and send an intermediary with no authority. Come here yourself.”
Gilsu’s face flushed crimson—a display of anger a seasoned politician should never reveal. That was how furious he was. However, he remained silent.
One phrase resonated in his mind.
Someone with no authority.
‘Son a bitch. How dare he,’ Gilsu thought, his fists clenched.
But that tiny display of rage was all he could do.
“I almost forgot to mention. You have thirty minutes. If the President isn't here within thirty minutes, things will escalate. You’re dismissed, Mr. Prime Minister.”
Youngsu's deliberate mix of formality and disrespect left Gilsu speechless.
That was how powerful the Salvation Guild was. And Gilsu realized, with chilling certainty, that they were now fully prepared to bare their fangs.
Arguing was futile. Gilsu accessed this with stark clarity.
As Gilsu left, another man entered.
“Wow, bro. You're really showing your fangs, huh?”
It was Hong Hyeon, the SSS Rank Awakener and second strongest member of the Salvation Guild.
“We’ve been far too lenient for far too long,” Youngsu replied. “You know that Master Jin has never been one for greed.”
“True.”
“Her lack of greed is unsurprising. Even now, she's one of the strongest, not just in Korea, but globally. Unfortunately, it’s come to light that there is a world in which even she can’t do much in.”
Hyeon crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. “Are these Apostles really that powerful?”
“Yeah. You and Master Jin might manage one together, but that 99th one in Texas… even the two of you combined likely would have lost.”
Youngsu was perceptive. He hadn't witnessed Karma firsthand, but he’d analyzed the recordings from Song-yi's watch.
The power Karma displayed was undeniable.
A small smile played on Hyeon’s lips, “Interesting.”
“Interesting for you, maybe.”
Youngsu pushed the glass with the cigarette aside and grabbed the bottle of liquor, taking a long swig.
“Master Jin needs to grow even stronger. A Unique Awakener with limitless potential, stuck in Pangyo clearing low-level gates? It’s absurd.”
“I agree.”
“Sure, Master Jin’s conceding again and again has allowed the standard of Korean Awakeners to go up. However, after seeing the footage, I realized something. We can’t win with numbers. We need quality over quantity, Hyeon.”
“Why?”
“You need to become SSS+ ASAP. Things will get hectic starting next week, so brace yourself.”
“Wow. You’re even worrying about me?”
Youngsu couldn’t help it. Hyeon was one of their greatest assets.
He might not be a Unique Awakener, but an SSS Rank Awakener was a rarity, even globally.
“By the way, pay the Conqueror Guild a visit with the 2nd Strike Team Captain. Give Lee Seongjae a warning. Tell him to fall in line.”
Lee Seongjae was an Awakener that ran the Conqueror Guild.
After the Great Calamity, Awakeners formed legal entities for gate clearing, commonly called guilds.
Though called guilds, they were essentially companies.
Guilds could engage in anything from production to distribution and even entertainment—whatever activities they desired.
Conqueror, based in Seoul, was a massive corporation nearing a trillion-dollar market cap.
Seongjae, the Guild Master and CEO, had a long-standing feud with Song-yi and the Salvation Guild.
It stemmed from a past incident, a grudge that festered to this day.
After Song-yi made her decision, Youngsu immediately mobilized the media, announcing Salvation Guild’s relocation to Seoul.
Instantly, absurd counter-articles started flowing out. Articles about how the Salvation Guild was breaking promises with the US, that this was because of a feud with the Conqueror Guild, that the public thought Song-yi only coming to Seoul when necessary was more ideal.
Behind those articles was the handiwork of the Conqueror Guild.
Furthermore, Shi-hu had recently clashed with Mr. National Guild, a subsidiary guild of Conqueror. All records, including security footage, had vanished, causing an uproar.
They kept clashing with Conqueror, so it was time to send a clear message.
That was why Youngsu ordered Hyeon to go.
However, Hyeon’s response to the order was shocking, “Can I kill him?”
Youngsu’s response was even more surprising, “If he can’t be reasoned with, kill him.”
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – TinTin ]
[Proofreader – Harley ]
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://dsc.gg/reapercomics
* * *
Seongjae rose from his seat, his face flushed with anger.
But he had every right to be.
“What did you say?” Seongjae asked.
“Our Chief Secretary wanted me to relay this to you. Stop acting out of pocket.”
“…Are you motherfuckers insane? Did you collectively hit your head and lose all your brain cells or something?”
Hyeon, his face obscured by a hood, remained calm, unlike the enraged Seongjae.
He crossed his legs casually, then sighed, “Let’s be honest with ourselves here. You’ve been pushing your luck lately.”
“You little—!”
“Easy. You should know your limits. You should be thankful that we’ve let things slide for so long enough. Isn’t that enough? Or do you want to keep acting out? Because if you keep acting out, we’ll have to put you on Broadway or something.”
Seongjae slammed his fist on the desk, shattering it.
Kim Seon-jae, the Vice Guild Master who was standing in the corner watching with his hands behind his back, flinched.
‘He broke it again. Even though that desk is hard to replace.’ Seon-jae sighed internally.
Seongjae scoffed. “You want to come to Seoul that badly? You think it'll be that easy?”
“It was never difficult. Our Guild Master simply wasn’t interested. It’s a cakewalk, in fact.”
“…You’re all delusional. What about relations with the US? The political pressure? Public opinion? You’ll ignore all of that? As if. Stay holed up in Pangyo. That’s where you guys belong—”
“Let’s set the facts straight. It’s not relations with the US. It’s relations with Jamie Wilson. And I think we’ve played along long enough.”
“You’ve played along?”
“This ridiculous agreement ends now. If Jamie wants to challenge this, things will get ugly. The US might fracture.”
“You’re nuts.”
“Seongjae, even Piggy, our guild dog, knows he's a monster.”
'Piggy' was the Doberman raised by the Salvation Guild’s reserve strike team, a Grand Champion at dog shows. Side note, the Doberman Shi-hu’s doppelganger was raising was from Piggy's lineage.
Hyeon continued, “But our Master Jin is just as monstrous. And while we respect the US, you know for a fact I could wipe out every American Awakener who follows him in a single day.”
This was not a bluff. Hyeon was certainly capable of such a feat.
“Of course, the most important thing here is your position. If it comes to that, you’ll be long gone. Whether by my hand or Master Jin's up in the air, but you will die. Chance of survival? Zero. Also…”
The more Hyeon thought about it, the more laughable this all was.
He chuckled, “Don’t worry about the politicians. Unlike what you think, they will all be handled by today. Public opinion? Why are you acting like an amateur? Anyone with any logical cognitive function wouldn’t oppose this.”
“So you’ll ignore anyone who disagrees? I didn’t know the Salvation Guild was so reckless. Oh, wait, my mistake. I forgot the Salvation Guild has always been a gang of thugs.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Did you forget the incident eight years ago? Your memory must be failing you.”
Hyeon smirked. It was hard not to laugh.
The bad blood between Seongjae and Song-yi began eight years ago with ‘that incident’.
The incident referred to a clash between Song-yi and the Conqueror Guild members at an A Rank Gate eight years prior.
It didn’t matter who started the conflict. The only one that returned alive from the gate was Song-yi.
“Our master said the Conqueror Guild members started the fight.”
“......”
“If it was just a little bit of beef, she would have let it go. Awakeners have their disagreements, and a small bit of conflict can be healthy. But attacking our master from behind while she fought the boss monster? That’s unforgivable, which is why she killed them all. Sounds like self-defense, wouldn’t you say?”
“The skin is nearer than the shirt, you know.”
“Let me return those words right back at you. The skin is indeed nearer than the shirt.”
Seongjae approached Hyeon, leaning down to glare at him. Hyeon smiled, meeting his gaze.
“This is your final warning. The Salvation Guild is not coming to Seoul. So pack your bags and scram to Pangyo,” Seongjae threatened.
Hyeon sighed deeply, “You still don’t understand, do you, Seongjae? We’re the ones giving the warning, not you.”
“…What?”
“You have exactly one day. Retract all the articles and don’t ever interfere with the Salvation Guild from now on. Fail to comply with either and you’re dead.”
Seongjae’s eyes turned bloodshot with rage.
“Originally, our Chief Secretary said to just kill you outright if you wouldn’t listen, but I’m a sentimental guy. I’ll give you a day, for old times’ sake.”
Hyeon stood and gestured to Yoon Jihoo, the 2nd Strike Team Captain, who had been standing in the corner with his arms crossed the entire time. His motion signaled their exit.
Jihoo shrugged and opened the door, stepping out. As Hyeon followed, Seongjae spoke.
“You’ve grown a lot for a little brat who used to follow me around.”
Hyeon turned his head back, “That’s why I said, ‘for old times’ sake.’”
“......”
“Think carefully. Why did I come instead of our Chief Secretary or Master Jin? We believe in fairness. That’s the kind of guild we are. But if that proves impossible, we have no choice. Because this time, we can’t back down.”
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