As Sayoon eyed him suspiciously, Geonju rotated his slender wrist. His long, pale fingers covered the red marks left by the restraints. Their gazes locked—black eyes meeting his.
"…What do you want?"
Still composed.
He didn't seem the type to lose his temper easily, and he was sharp. Sayoon gave him points for cutting straight to the point. With a careless shrug, he answered lightly.
"Recruiting talent?"
"By kidnapping? What, are you some kind of gangster guild?"
His tone was smooth but laced with sarcasm. It could've been taken as mocking, but Sayoon didn't react with anger.
Bamjwi wasn't all that different from a gangster guild, and Geonju's suspicion was justified.
What kind of normal organization kidnaps someone off the street, locks them up, and threatens to kill them if they refuse to join?
The thought made Sayoon reflect on just what kind of guild he ran—and it also made him realize how normal Han Geonju was in comparison.
None of the other guild members he'd recruited had ever questioned things like this. They'd only asked things like "How many people can I kill?", "Do you really want the world to end?", or "When do you think society will collapse?"—basically just checking if Bamjwi was truly as "evil-aligned" as rumored. Looking back, he'd basically been gathering the most unhinged of the unhinged.
"You've got good instincts."
Though meant as praise, Geonju's eyes twitched slightly, as if he'd failed at being sarcastic. Amused, Sayoon smirked.
"He said he's twenty-two, right?"
Maybe it was his youth. Geonju probably thought he was being slick, but to someone like Sayoon who'd seen everything he just looked like a newborn snake. The way he squirmed was almost cute.
Glancing at Jongsik, Sayoon compared the two. Jongsik, built like a bear, and Geonju, lean but toned the difference was stark.
"Pretty is good, but he looks too fragile. If he joins, we'll have to toughen him up first."
He looked like he'd break if poked too hard.
"You said I'd die if I didn't join the guild?"
"Try refusing if you're curious."
"…You look at least A-rank. What could I even do to refuse?"
"Oh?"
His way of speaking was intriguing—half reproach, half resignation. Sayoon studied him before chuckling.
"You're sharp too."
"Fine, I'll do it."
"What?"
"I don't know what kind of guild it is, but I'll join."
"..."
The complete lack of hesitation in his answer caught Sayoon off guard.
"Do you even know what kind of guild we are?"
"You said you'd kill me if I didn't join."
"Even so—"
"Is this guy some kind of pushover? Did I kidnap an idiot?"
No resistance, no bargaining just immediate acceptance. For someone like Sayoon, who'd dealt with dozens, if not hundreds, of scammers, this was unheard of.
"Didn't anyone teach him not to follow strangers who promise to spare his life? What's he thinking, jumping in headfirst?"
Even if he was going to join, he should've at least asked a few more questions to gauge the situation.
Things were going too smoothly. It was unsatisfying.
Normally, when a new Bamjwi member was untied, they'd either lunge at him to prove themselves or get stabbed in the gut as part of the initiation bonding through blood. But Geonju did nothing. No resistance, no curses just quiet compliance.
The fact that it was going too well was the problem.
"I wanted to test his skills."
If he'd charged at him like a madman, Sayoon could've established hierarchy and gauged his strength. But since he didn't, it felt like skipping a crucial step.
"…You'll regret it later."
"Is regret worth my life?"
Even in this situation, Geonju managed a faint smile. The audacity was almost impressive. His nerves seemed steady, so Sayoon checked the quest window just in case.
[Current Relationship: Distrust & Interest]
The "Hostility" had completely disappeared. Intrigued, Sayoon studied Geonju again. His dark eyes, which had been full of tension earlier, now looked completely at ease.
"What changed him so much?"
There had to be a reason. His "Adaptability" skill being S-rank alone didn't explain such a drastic shift in attitude in just a few dozen minutes.
"Why are you staring? It's embarrassing."
Lost in thought, Sayoon was startled when Geonju spoke up. Most people would've picked a fight by now and gotten beaten to a pulp, but Geonju was completely unharmed—and even initiating conversation.
"He's different."
Remembering the presence Geonju had when he first woke up, Sayoon let his suspicion show.
"…Are you the same person from before?"
"You said my life depends on joining the guild. So, shouldn't I try to make a good impression? Or was I wrong? Is he the guild leader?"
He jerked his chin toward Jongsik. When Jongsik shook his head with a "What nonsense?" expression, Geonju relaxed.
"Then it's settled."
"Why is it this easy?"
"Guess you don't like easy people."
"If you preferred how I was before, I could go back to that."
His smooth, almost playful tone was annoyingly slick. It was like watching an actor take feedback on a performance. Sayoon couldn't tell if this was an act or his real personality.
"Jongsik, bring it."
Whatever the case, he wanted the contract signed before Geonju changed his mind. With a snap of his fingers, Jongsik retrieved a rolled-up brown parchment from a drawer in the corner. Geonju flinched slightly when he took it.
"This isn't just a normal contract."
"Our guild is thorough."
It was an S-rank contract—not mere paper. Violating its terms would result in the contract forcibly taking whatever collateral was pledged. There was no better way to ensure compliance.
When Geonju fell silent after receiving it, Sayoon smirked.
"What, scared now that you're holding it?"
"Too late for regrets."
He still seemed naive despite his sharp tongue. Watching him carefully, Sayoon explained the terms.
The contract was simple:
1.After joining, never reveal your affiliation with Bamjwi to outsiders.
2.Even after leaving, never disclose guild secrets.
3.Do not directly attack the guild after leaving.
4.Never speak of the contract's terms.
That was it. Simple—but the penalty wasn't.
Violating any term would cost the signatory a leg—an injury no potion could heal. A lifetime disability for breaking the rules.
"Follow the terms, and you'll live just fine. We're not that strict—you're free to join another guild after leaving. We won't force you to stay."
"Though, You're different,."
He swallowed the last part. "Free to leave"? For anyone else, maybe—but for Han Geonju, they'd chain him down if they had to.
For now, he'd keep things friendly to build trust. He could always add more clauses to the contract later.
After listening to Jongsik explain how to sign, Geonju pricked his finger with the provided needle and pressed it to the parchment.
Sayoon, who'd already signed, watched quietly—then frowned.
"You didn't even hesitate."
"You keep saying the same thing. Should I have fought you instead?"
"That's exactly it."
The urge to stand up and say "Yes, let's see what you've got" was strong, but Sayoon held back. Being labeled a weirdo would only make his life harder.
"I'm suspicious because you're too relaxed."
"What else can I do in this situation?"
"What do you mean?"
"You don't look like you're going to kill me. Your eyes were practically pleading earlier."
"Ah, so it's 'Guild Leader' now?"
Geonju added casually, laughing softly as if to say "How could I not relax?"
Sayoon's lips curled.
His first thought? Interesting. If his emotions had a system window, it would've definitely displayed "Fascination."
Tapping the villa floor with his shoe, he mused:
"He relaxed because he's sure I won't kill him?"
People had told him they were nervous or scared in his presence before—but "comfortable"? That was a first.
"That's why he seemed so at ease."
"You're amusing."
"How did he figure it out?"
Was it his expression? His tone? His actions?
Lost in thought, Sayoon stood. Geonju flinched.
"So he isn't completely at ease."
The subtle reactions to his movements proved Geonju wasn't as calm as he pretended. With more experience, he'd learn to hide it better.
"He doesn't seem like a fit for Bamjwi—but then again, maybe he is."
It was almost frustrating how perfectly suited he seemed.
"I'm curious—what made you so sure?"
"You needed me, didn't you?"
"You look like a B-rank at best. Why are you so confident?"
"You went through the trouble of kidnapping a mere B-rank to recruit me. Isn't that reason enough?"
Not a single word went unchallenged. His sharp black eyes gleamed with arrogance.
Sayoon debated between two choices:
Should he put this cheeky rookie in his place? Or should he play nice for the sake of harmony, showering him with "pretty, pretty" praises?
Before he could decide, a phone rang—Jongsik's.
Flustered, Jongsik looked at him for instructions. Sayoon gestured for him to answer. After a brief call in the corner, Jongsik mouthed: "Yongho Guild."
The merger they'd tried to handle diplomatically had fallen through.
Following their prior agreement, Sayoon signaled for Jongsik to withdraw. When he turned back, Geonju was blinking at him, seemingly fascinated by their silent communication.
A mischievous thought struck him.
"Since he's being so well-behaved, I haven't gotten to test his skills. Perfect timing."
Standing, Sayoon grinned.
"If you thought I spared you because you're strong, let's see it, Pretty."
"…Huh?"
"Let's test if you're really that good."
"...?"
"Get up. We're going for your initiation."
When he dragged his chair aside, Geonju stood with a bewildered expression. His face clearly screamed "This wasn't part of the plan."
Unfazed, Sayoon added:
"Oh, and one more thing."
"What now?"
"Nothing much. Just, welcome to Bamjwi."
"..."
"Let's do well, rookie."
As Sayoon smirked, Geonju's eyes wavered. The way his face paled at "Bamjwi" was priceless.