ANTITOXIN Chapter 17

Before long, the man put on an artificial smile and let out his voice.

“Am I the one who is latest?”

It was a smooth first remark. The person who reacted earliest to that was Executive Director Hwang.

“Oh my, you’ve come.”

Executive Director Hwang, who sprang up from his seat, warmly welcomed the broker. Following that, the other people also rose in a crowd and extended greetings with bowed heads. Seolwon could not help but follow suit.

“Thank you for the undeserved greeting. Sit comfortably, everyone.”

The man, who invited them to sit with a relaxed hand gesture, naturally crossed over to the opposite seat. Located directly across from Executive Director Hwang, he did not sit right away and threw a polite greeting toward the people.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you like this. I am a dealer belonging to Felix …called Happy.”

Huh?

Seolwon’s eyelids twitched as he felt a subtle energy from the seemingly ordinary self-introduction. To be precise, it was an energy that arose from the flash of silence that occurred right before he revealed his name. The man’s energy, which had been placid all along, grew distinctly sharp at that moment. As if he had felt irritation, or an embarrassed emotion. Contextually, it seemed to be because of his name… why?

Ah, come to think of it…

The doubt did not last long. Because the thought occurred that it was a name where it was quite understandable. Happy, of all things. It didn’t seem to be his real name, but even so, it wasn’t a name to be engraved on a business card either. It was a name that someone would have forcibly attached to screw him over. For goodness’ sake, even Seolwon had been confused whether it was a correct human name when he first saw the business card.

At any rate, because of the self-introduction, it became more certain. That man was correct. The weapons broker who was President Kim’s target.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. I am Executive Director Hwang Sanghoon of the K-Defense Business Strategy Team.”

Successively, Executive Director Hwang revealed his name and rank, pulled out a business card from the inside pocket of his suit coat, and handed it over with both hands. However, the broker did not receive Executive Director Hwang’s business card and raised his hand to refuse.

“Put it away for now. Because even if I receive it now, there is no meaning. When a judgment is formed that it would be good for the connection between me and K-Defense to continue, I will request it then.”

The tone was polite, but the content was truly arrogant. In a word, he would openly test the waters, didn’t it mean this.

At the broker’s attitude of drawing a proper line right from the very beginning, Executive Director Hwang’s brow deeply furrowed. Team Leader Go, who saw his boss fail at controlling his expression, quickly stepped in and volunteered to be a mood maker.

“You are absolutely right! If that’s the case, so that the connection can continue, we will serve you properly today.”

The broker laughed lightly and responded to the team leader’s words.

“I will look forward to it.”

Soon, with the broker at the lead, everyone sat down. Team Leader Go tactfully pressed the button beneath the table to call an employee, and as if they had been waiting, food and alcohol came in right away. It did not require that long a time until the wide table was completely filled.

“I will offer a glass first.”

The person who laid a hand on the liquor bottle first was Team Leader Go. He filled the broker’s wine glass earliest. The clear liquid filled the glass while giving off a placid fragrance. Only after filling Executive Director Hwang, Seolwon, and Manager Kim’s wine glasses completely did Team Leader Go, who put down the liquor bottle, hold his own glass high.

“If it wouldn’t be a rudeness, may I request a toast.”

The broker lightly bobbed his head. When permission fell, Team Leader Go led the chant in a thoroughly heightened voice.

“Well, then, for this glorious seat, cheers!”

Not to be outdone, Manager Kim also actively responded, saying “Cheers!” Seolwon, pushed by the momentum, bumped his glass in bewilderment.

Following the toast, the broker and the company people all emptied their glasses at once. Seolwon, who had no intention to drink alcohol at all, merely pretended to drink while reading the room, and then stealthily put down his glass. Fortunately, there was no one who said anything regarding this.

Afterward, along with the full-scale eating and drinking, conversation began.

“Ah, right. I’ve heard a lot of talk. That you hold the Russia and Middle East markets tightly. Are you intending to full-scale expand your steps even to Asia now?”

“Well. I wonder if there is a need to expand further here. Because there are already many quality clients present.”

“My! You already held the Asian side tightly as well. Your capability is truly remarkable. This is embarrassing. Because we are still a startup, our information update is a bit slow. Haha… No, but to think you would be such a young person. Honestly, as soon as I saw you earlier, I was completely startled, you know!”

Executive Director Hwang, who was cursing him with his eyes as a ‘presumptuous bastard’ earlier, flattered flagrantly. As if the effort were commendable, the broker smiled faintly and chimed in.

“It’s an honor that you view me young.”

“It’s not viewing you young, you are young, what. If it’s not rude, how old might you be?”

It was before the broker could even answer.

Sinmi-nyeon, the Year of the Rooster. Then around thirty-four or five.

The broker’s age abruptly floated up into Seolwon’s mind. It was information brought in by his spiritual energy.

And.

“It’s been a while since I passed thirty.”

The broker answered.

It was vague, but it was an answer that coincided with Seolwon’s guess.

“As expected! Oh my, even though you are that young, to already travel across the world and spread renown… It’s been a long while since I passed forty, but really, it’s admirable.”

“You flatter me.”

Tinkle-tinkle.

The sound of a bell rang out. It was a sound coming from Executive Director Hwang. The look in the broker’s eyes as he watched Executive Director Hwang was terribly businesslike. It was a sign that the lip service was not working even a little bit. Seolwon could tell.

“By the way… by any chance, did you check the materials we sent you?”

“Of course.”

“I see. If it wouldn’t be a rudeness, may I ask for your impressions?”

Executive Director Hwang stealthily brought up work as a topic. Along with it, tension gathered in Team Leader Go and Manager Kim’s eyes. The broker, who couldn’t possibly not know the expectation they held, gave his answer after moistening his throat with alcohol.

“It was impressive. Especially, the phrase that it is an enterprise designing the future peace system, rather than a weapon manufacturer, caught my fancy. I could know what kind of directionality your esteemed company is an enterprise with.”

Upon receiving a positive evaluation from the broker, Executive Director Hwang’s expression turned noticeably bright. At this time, Manager Kim, who had merely been observing the conversation until now, broke the silence and came forward to support.

“It doesn’t end there. Our K-Defense is actively designing a defense system that can adapt to the future battlefield, moving simply beyond weapon manufacturing. If I dare to speak, we pride ourselves on possessing the most innovative R&D team in the domestic defense industry.”

Manager Kim poured out a passionate speech in a fast and high pitch as if to prove his passion. At that, Executive Director Hwang extended praise with an eye gesture.

However, lamentably, the broker’s returning answer was chilly.

“Confidence is good. But it is insufficient with just willpower and directionality. What’s important in the market is a product’s performance, price, and reliability. Because a vision does not guarantee victory. Is it not so.”

This time, Team Leader Go joined in with a resolute voice.

“That is why we can speak with even more confidence. Our K-Defense has never once violated a contract due to supply delays or quality problems from foundation until now.”

In the midst of the euphemistic yet direct offenses and defenses continuously going back and forth, Seolwon remained silent alone and concentrated on the broker’s energy. It was in order to read what kind of person he was according to the original purpose.

The problem was that it was an environment difficult to concentrate in. Not to mention the unbroken conversation and the smell of alcohol, the decadent energy unique to an entertainment establishment vibrated inside the room. A mold-like dampness, a murky and fishy stench given off by corrupt things gathering and mixing, to even a subtle chill… Though the space visible to the eyes was bright and neat, Seolwon felt a feeling exactly as if he were trapped in a gloomy space.

The unaccustomed environment induced stress, and stress soon brought in a headache. Originally, he hated places with many people anyway, but because he was in a place overflowing with stimulating energy in a bad way, even his stomach became bloated. It was a space too difficult to concentrate on something.

Even so, it wasn’t that there was no result at all. There was something that appeared to a certain extent as to what kind of person the broker was.