Chapter : 103
A Tycoon’s Request (4)
Suhyun, born and raised in Cameron, had hardly ever set foot on Earth. Neither in the past nor now. So when Chairman Charles said he wanted to meet him, Suhyun thought, maybe this time he’d finally step on Earth again.
But Chairman Charles wasn’t on Earth. He was staying at his villa in Little Washington, the American city of Cameron.
“Well, at least it saves me some time.”
Wearing a suit after a long time, the tie felt tight around his neck. These days, Suhyun didn’t even bother dressing up when meeting government officials. Wearing this outfit was entirely the result of Robert and Scott’s scheming.
Scott had held Suhyun back, insisting he change his clothes. Eventually, tired of wasting time on such matters, Suhyun surrendered.
“You look good in it.”
“Are you rubbing it in after forcing me into this?”
“…Charles does pay attention to things like this…”
Robert thought to himself that Suhyun was probably the only one who would get scolded despite being dressed head-to-toe in luxury brands others could only dream of.
It wasn’t just mercenaries and traders hoping to make a fortune who came to Cameron. That was in the early days. Once the city was built and law and order established, many people came for tourism and leisure as well.
“The air here is much better for my health than the filthy air on Earth.”
“Is that so?”
The first time Suhyun met Charles Carlos, he left a strong impression. It was hard to believe that this man, who looked no older than forty, had lived for a century and a half. He looked at Suhyun with a firm posture and a solid body, his gaze burning with passion.
The room was a typical Cameron billionaire’s suite—artifacts from different species, mounted monster heads, a bizarre fusion of American style and Cameron aesthetics.
“Who on earth did this interior design?”
“Interested in the mounts?”
“No. My profession doesn’t make me care about dead monsters. I’m interested in living ones.”
Charles laughed heartily at Suhyun’s words. In his hand was the artifact Suhyun had brought. Tapping the floor lightly with his staff, he said,
“Robert must have told you, but thanks for this artifact. I think I can finally discard this staff.”
“From the looks of it, you could manage fine even without the artifact.”
“I appreciate the compliment, but it’s not like that. Each day feels different now. I envy your youth.”
At Charles’s level, he surely had undergone physical enhancement surgeries and had every health treatment imaginable, yet he still spoke like this. Suhyun realized his age all over again—after all, this was a man who had witnessed the discovery of the Gate and Cameron’s development firsthand.
“I brought some food.”
“?”
Suhyun looked at Charles in surprise. This wasn’t a dining area. Of course, there were plenty of spaces for meals, but someone of Charles’s stature wouldn’t force himself to eat here.
“Ah, sorry. If you haven’t eaten, we can step out and eat together.”
“No, I’m not hungry. I’m just a bit surprised that you would eat here.”
“It’s not really a meal. At my age, even going down for a snack feels like a chore.”
A maid opened the door and greeted them politely. She pushed in a cart, and when she removed the silver cover, the dishes inside were revealed—a modest single-dish meal compared to Charles’s wealth.
“What’s this?”
Suhyun didn’t ask out of ignorance; he recognized the dish. This was…
“Red Boar Mushrooms. They’re good for your health. Tasty too, so I take them as a tonic. Want some?”
“No, thank you.”
‘Now that I think about it…’
If a health-conscious chairman went out of his way to get these, it was probably just before they became scarce. Suhyun recalled the Red Boar Mushrooms he had forgotten; they were likely stored safely in the warehouse now.
“Do you know why I called you here?”
“To say thank you, isn’t it?”
Charles wiped his mouth and smiled gently.
“If I wanted to express thanks, would I have bothered calling you here? Old men like me like face-to-face gratitude, but young people nowadays don’t. Just sending a technician would’ve been easier for you, with a little money on top too.”
“You know your business well. Then why bother personally?”
“Krhahhahaha!”
Charles laughed again at the unexpected response, clearly delighted. He laughed until tears nearly formed, then waved his hand.
He couldn’t even remember the last time someone approached him like this. People always cowered before him, like handling fragile antique porcelain.
“Sorry. I didn’t expect it to be like this, though Robert told me a lot.” He blew his nose and continued.
“Robert and Bluebear are too cautious. They can’t even joke with me. I understand, but honestly, it’s boring. Jennifer’s about the only one who can keep up with me.”
“That’s because of your status as chairman. Complaining about that—imagine how much harder it must be for the others.”
Suhyun delivered his point bluntly, without pause. Yet Charles seemed unbothered—if anything, he seemed to enjoy it.
“I know. So I don’t complain. I know it’d be more uncomfortable if I tried to tell them to relax.”
“Then what’s the complaint?”
Charles shook his head when he realized Suhyun had read his thoughts. He had expected a tough person, but this man exceeded expectations.
“We haven’t known each other long, yet you’re already tempting me. Any plans to come to America?”
Suhyun shrugged in response.
“If you ever change your mind, let me know. As for my complaint… it might sound like a privileged one. You know Bluebear has grown with me, right?”
“Robert told me.”
“They still invest a lot. Rarely do investors like me exist—we give money freely without demanding results.”
“But you ask them to acquire other things.”
“That’s reasonable. People can’t survive on freebies. Anyway, Bluebear is a solid company. One of the top mercenary companies in the U.S., stable. But… I feel they’ve grown complacent.”
“?”
“The reason I gave Bluebear such unconditional investment is one: to discover Cameron’s rare treasures. But lately, they only chase safe, guaranteed opportunities. If I hadn’t intervened, they’d have passed on the recent artifact too.”
Although Euterpe was profitable, Cameron was vast, with room to explore further. Charles was dissatisfied with Bluebear’s caution.
“Well… that’s inevitable. It’s not the early days anymore. A large mercenary company can’t risk their lives every time—they’d soon self-destruct.”
Suhyun thought it was a rational choice. While outsiders might see his own actions as reckless gambles, Suhyun only undertook risks he deemed calculable. One without knowledge of the future would naturally choose safety. Bluebear had previously faced hardship in the Kakrita Valley; it wasn’t that far in the past.
“The problem is I don’t want them to settle for safety. I want Bluebear to act boldly, even if slightly risky.”
“Can money alone persuade them to risk their lives?”
“No. And Bluebear has grown too large for me to command. Too much interference would just cause tension.”
“Then why are you telling me this?”
Suhyun realized Charles was far from senile or muddled. He fully grasped the current situation and dynamics. Asking Bluebear for such things would fail; the relationship could break. So why complain to Suhyun?
“Quick-witted, yet blind to this. Pretending not to notice?”
“?”
“I want to back you—Uncle Joe Company, specifically you.”
“Back me?”
“Full support. Total support.”
Suhyun paused, assessing Charles’s proposal. After a moment, he spoke.
“I’m not very interested.”
“Reason?”
Even when rejected, Charles didn’t show anger or surprise. He was confident, as if he could still persuade Suhyun.
“First, both Uncle Joe Company and I aren’t exactly desperate for money. Compared to your fortune, Chairman, it’s pocket change.”
“More money is always better.”
“Of course. But your offer isn’t purely sponsorship. Accepting it would mean we’d go into uncharted territory instead of Bluebear.”
“I’m not forcing you.”
“Nothing in this world is free. Accept, and you end up doing the work. That’s my principle.”
“Hmm…”
“Better to approach explorers. Skilled ones will risk their lives for loyal sponsors.”
“Already tried.”
‘Tried?!’
“Explorers are good at discovering uncharted lands and returning safely, but terrible at going into danger to retrieve something.”
“That’s why mercenaries, with stronger abilities, are better for that—more stable and profitable.”
“Hmph, these young ones…”
“Chairman, why not go yourself?”
“Ah, I’ve got plenty of regrets. I plan to live another century.”
Despite the sharp banter, the atmosphere remained friendly.
“Lastly, Bluebear might be upset if their sponsor is poached. Even they couldn’t overlook it.”
“I’ll handle it; what can they do?”
“Life doesn’t work that way. They’ll resent us as an easy target.”
Suhyun wasn’t afraid, but the reasoning made sense. He had no intention of taking unnecessary money and getting tied down.
“I understand your point.”
“Shall we part warmly with the technician, then?”
“Wait, I have a counterpoint.”
“…”
“First, no need to worry about Bluebear. Their support remains. Yours will be separate.”
Suhyun admired wealthy minds again; the amount wasn’t small, yet he spoke casually.
“And if you take it, the work you do can be flexible, as you wish.”
“?”
“No contracts—just sponsorship. You get the money and return the favor when you choose.”
It felt like a dream. Suhyun smirked internally, analyzing why this proposal was made.
‘They must have done a background check.’
Suhyun wasn’t widely famous, despite his skills and achievements—partly by his own design. Being low-profile had its advantages.
If Charles personally investigated and received reports from Bluebear, he could be confident in Suhyun’s capabilities. Few young people in Cameron grew so fast.
For Charles, this money was trivial, and investing it in Suhyun wouldn’t sway him. Even with just one artifact successfully retrieved, Charles would have recouped his investment. What he needed wasn’t money—it was artifacts.
‘The American tech line… is tempting.’
Suhyun coveted the American tech more than money. Artifact laundering was part of it. With Charles’s sponsorship, he could access that tech. Only a tycoon like Charles could reach such cutting-edge technology.
“I’m being quite shameless.”
“Hmm, but I trust you have at least a shred of conscience.”
The two men smiled and shook hands—a pleasant conversation with aligned interests.
