If every powerful figure started looking for the Alchemist, not only would the Alchemist himself be in danger, but so would Kyung Yoon-seul.
“Fortunately, I’m the only one who knows you’re the middleman. So don’t worry too much,”
Kyung Taeyoung said as if to reassure her.
Although his voice held concern, his gaze was resolute.
“But we still have to be careful. You never know what could happen.”
“I understand, oppa.”
Kyung Yoon-seul nodded.
“But… there must be a reason why you suddenly brought this up. Surely, you’re not talking about scouting the Alchemist…”
Yoon-seul asked cautiously, her eyes fixed on Taeyoung.
His gaze shimmered with a subtle gleam.
Taeyoung smiled wryly.
“You’re sharp as always. That’s right. We want to scout the Alchemist for our guild. Having him with us will keep him much safer. We won’t spare any support to make sure of it.”
His voice carried the weight of determination.
“So, since you’re the only one who knows him, I think I have to entrust this task to you.”
At Taeyoung’s words, Yoon-seul’s expression turned conflicted.
Her eyes flickered with subtle unease.
Noticing this, Taeyoung asked,
“Why? Is it because of the conditions? Whatever you want, I’ll agree to it.”
He showed signs of impatience.
“No, oppa. It’s not the conditions…”
Yoon-seul hesitated slightly.
Her gaze drifted into the distance.
“It’s just… somehow, I feel like he’d refuse.”
Her voice wavered with uncertainty.
Taeyoung narrowed his eyes sharply.
A look of disbelief crossed his face.
“Refuse? Do you not understand the stakes here?”
His voice sharpened.
“If he gets caught, he might be imprisoned for life, forced to make Detoxification Potions forever. In the worst case, they could steal his recipes and kill him.”
Though his voice was low, his eyes showed genuine worry.
“No, oppa. I’m against it.”
Yoon-seul shook her head firmly.
Her eyes were filled with conviction.
She looked directly at Taeyoung.
“The person I met… how should I put it? He seemed incredibly experienced. Like someone who’s been around the block, maybe even a little jaded. More so than any Hunter I’ve ever met. He knows exactly what could happen with the Detoxification Potion.”
Yoon-seul closed her eyes briefly as if recalling her meeting with Sang-woong.
In that short moment, her mind vividly pictured Sang-woong’s confident demeanor.
“Then shouldn’t we be even more determined to have her accept our scout proposal?”
Taeyoung still looked confused.
He frowned.
“Even for his own safety, joining our guild is the best option.”
He couldn’t understand.
“I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling he might easily get swayed. Anyway, what I’m saying is we need a backup plan if the scout fails.”
Yoon-seul crossed her arms and spoke cautiously.
She was already thinking of another possibility.
“What kind of backup plan?”
Taeyoung asked seriously.
He straightened his back and focused on her.
He knew he couldn’t ignore the opinion of his younger sister.
She was someone who had secured a firm position in that dangerous Underground Market.
“How much do you think that Detoxification Potion is worth? I need to know to figure out a backup.”
Yoon-seul hit the core.
The value was indeed immense.
Talented Hunters had kept going because of it.
For them, the Detoxification Potion was a lifeline.
Thanks to it, their guild had become much stronger.
After hearing Taeyoung’s words, Yoon-seul pondered briefly and then spoke with determination.
“Alright, oppa. I’ll do my best to bring back good results. But don’t expect too much. And even if it doesn’t work out, don’t be too disappointed.”
“You’re the best, my little sister.”
Taeyoung smiled brightly and gently patted her shoulder.
“I trust your instincts. You’ll do well.”
***
A few days later, after the stormy lunchtime had passed, Sang-woong was taking a break like usual and opened his laptop to browse the news.
When a notification popped up showing a new email, he opened his inbox to check.
The sender was none other than Kyung Yoon-seul.
Normally, Yoon-seul would only send a confirmation email about an appointment days later.
Getting a sudden contact like this was highly unusual.
“What’s this about?”
Sang-woong frowned slightly.
He was about to call her to confirm but changed his mind.
If it could be resolved over the phone, she wouldn’t have insisted on meeting in person.
He immediately sent a message agreeing to meet.
That evening, Sang-woong headed to the restaurant where he had first met her.
As he entered the private room, Yoon-seul stood to greet him.
“Thank you for making time despite the sudden contact.”
“No problem at all. It’s a precious matter, so making time is only natural. But what’s the reason for meeting?”
Sang-woong sat down.
“Is there a problem with the Detoxification Potion?”
“No, it’s not about the potion…”
She took a breath and looked Sang-woong straight in the eyes.
“Actually, I contacted you urgently today for a different reason. Are you familiar with the Taeseong Guild?”
“Taeseong Guild? Of course I know them.”
Sang-woong couldn’t be unaware of Taeseong Guild.
Though mostly from rumors and news, the image he had of the guild wasn’t negative.
“The guild leader of Taeseong Guild is my oppa. To be exact, my half-brother.”
At Yoon-seul’s unexpected revelation, Sang-woong’s eyes widened.
He had suspected that when they first met, her offer to contact her if anything happened wasn’t just a courtesy, but he was surprised by the deeper background.
What really shocked Sang-woong was something else.
Yoon-seul was an Underground Market merchant.
That clearly meant she was involved in illegal activities.
If this information became public, Taeseong Guild’s reputation would suffer a severe blow.
Not only that.
Since Taeseong Group was a conglomerate, it would also affect their affiliated companies.
And the provocative fact that she was his half-sister would attract every media outlet, turning the situation into a feeding frenzy.
Revealing her identity despite such risks meant what came next was extremely important.
“The Detoxification Potions made by Parsi are all supplied exclusively to Taeseong Guild.”
Sang-woong found it odd because Yoon-seul’s site didn’t sell Detoxification Potions.
But he didn’t question it much.
He had been paid, and beyond that, how she managed it was her own concern.
Moreover, Yoon-seul had not hidden the crucial information that the potion was effective even for Hunters with over 80% contamination, and she had proposed a price increase accordingly.
Sang-woong had no complaints.
If anything, he felt good that she properly acknowledged the potion’s value.
“Thanks to it, not only Hunters forced to quit due to contamination benefit, but Taeseong Guild also gains a huge advantage. However, a problem has arisen. We’ve been hiding it, but the potion’s effectiveness is so outstanding that rumors are spreading. I think many people are now searching for Parsi.”
Yoon-seul looked at Sang-woong with worried eyes.
He listened quietly.
Though calm, the faint tension felt in his fingertips gently stroking his chin was palpable.
After a moment, Sang-woong finally spoke.
“Rumors… to what extent have they spread?”
His voice carried a mix of curiosity and caution.
“I can’t say exactly, but recently there have been a lot more inquiries about Detoxification Potion coming to our guild. At this rate, anyone who needs to know probably does.”
Yoon-seul explained the situation as concretely as possible.
Sang-woong closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them slowly.
His gaze sharpened.
“That’s what I expected. With that level of effectiveness, it would be stranger if rumors didn’t spread.”
He spoke plainly.
When he first heard that the potion was effective even on Hunters with contamination over 80%, he had already anticipated this.
A Detoxification Potion that powerful wouldn’t be ignored by fools.
From those offering deals to those trying to muscle in, all sorts of people would come crawling.
Of course, he trusted that Parsi had her own countermeasures.
Yoon-seul spoke carefully.
“But protection from an organized force like Taeseong Guild is completely different. If you join Taeseong Guild, any conditions you want will be granted.”
She looked at Sang-woong with imploring eyes.
While Sang-woong was indeed vital to Taeseong Guild, Yoon-seul’s words came from a genuine place of concern for his safety.
Sang-woong lowered his gaze briefly at her earnest worry.
A faint smile played on his lips, but his eyes remained firm.
Slowly, he lifted his head and met Yoon-seul’s gaze.
“Thank you for your concern, but I have to decline your offer.”
His refusal was clean, with no hesitation.
He had no intention of giving up his current peaceful life.
Yoon-seul wasn’t overly disappointed by his refusal.
She had somewhat expected the outcome.
“Then how about this? How about a partnership with Taeseong Guild? The guild truly values your abilities. While you won’t be an official member, we’ll provide all the support you need. We won’t spare any assistance.”
Sang-woong felt the sincerity in her eyes.
Her proposal, unlike the earlier scout offer, was a good plan that didn’t severely restrict his freedom but still allowed him necessary help.
Working with a strong guild instead of facing all dangers alone might be the wiser choice.
Her genuine heart moved him.
After a moment of thought, Sang-woong spoke slowly.
“A partnership… you mean?”
His voice carried softness and caution, replacing his previous firmness.
“Yes, if you want.”
Yoon-seul nodded, faintly hopeful.
“You won’t become a Taeseong Guild member, but we’ll support you in utilizing the guild’s infrastructure and information. Of course, we’ll also agree to a reasonable compensation for supplying us with the Detoxification Potion. I want us to build a win-win relationship.”
She looked into his eyes and spoke with conviction.
Inside Sang-woong’s mind, many thoughts raced and intersected.