Chapter 12: TCGGM

Chapter 12

Charm Genius Guild Management”

[One month until the official raid]

[202X season. The keyword to watch: the children of Ido?]

[Will the Mir Guild, backed by the Ido Group, achieve promotion this year?]

└ Promotion my ass lol

└ F*cking idiot. Reported. Promotion or whatever, the place is burning and you’re poking at it.

[ (official) Mir Guild’s Next (D-7) ]

└ HOXY… is Shin getting kicked out in 7 days?

└ D-7 means roster announcement in 7 days?

·
·

Chungnam, Ido Hotel.

A man stepped into a suite costing thousands per night.

“…Yes, yes, I know.”

Holding his phone between his shoulder and ear, the man yanked off his tie and rummaged through the minibar. Finding nothing, he kicked it in frustration.

BANG—!

At the loud noise, the door opened and a woman in a silk slip came in, yawning as she leaned into him.

“Haahm~ honey, you’re back—”

“Shh—.”

The man covered the phone.

“Old man… old man,” he muttered.

The woman exaggerated a reaction. “Ah, no, there’s no one here. I’m alone. What do you mean, ‘slutty behavior’? I’ve been so busy I can’t breathe running the guild. I haven’t even been drinking lately.”

He hung up the phone and spoke sharply while stripping off his clothes, eventually sitting naked on the sofa. The woman naturally sat on his thigh, pouring whiskey into his mouth.

A bottle worth more than a salaryman’s yearly income flowed down his throat. The man who had just declared sobriety had no trace of discipline.

“Yes, yes. I’m using the data you sent earlier. I also secured additional intel on the Kirin side conflict. Once I confirm the location, I’ll proceed with recruitment myself.”

“…”

“Leakage of information? Impossible. I’ve already controlled it. If I can’t recruit them, nobody can.”

“…”

“Father, please stop worrying and trust me. I am Lee Myeonghwan. Have I ever disappointed you even once?”

This man was Lee Myeonghwan.

The eldest son of Ido Group’s Chairman Lee Chanbin, a Seoul National University top admission student, and widely known as the most perfect heir among the Ido family—the group’s “treasure.”

“Understood. Yes, yes. Please eat well. I’ll come up sometime soon.”

Click.

The call ended.

“Tch. The old man’s always so anxious.”

“What is it, honey? Why did the chairman call?”

“What else? Pressure.”

“Aw, pressure? Your guild is running smoother than anyone’s, isn’t it?”

So far, the Ido Group had acquired 14 regional satellite guilds.

Five were directly managed by the core family line.

And among them, Lee Myeonghwan’s guild was clearly leading.

He should have been praised, not nagged. Yet here he was, irritated, drinking whiskey straight.

“Smooth? Who cares about smooth. There’s some lunatic bastard stirring everything up.”

This guild expansion project was not just about owning guilds.

It was Chairman Lee Sangbaek’s lifelong ambition—the final step toward making the Ido Group “complete.”

Naturally, all attention was focused here. Every faction within the company wanted results.

And yet, someone was throwing dirt into the middle of this sacred battlefield.

That someone was Shin.

Just thinking of him made Myeonghwan grind his teeth.

“What? Compete? He’s a League 4 guild and I’m League 2.”

“Compete? No, I just hate that pretty-boy bastard acting all flashy.”

“…Ah.”

“Trash. No shame whatsoever.”

All media attention was already centered on Shin.

There was nothing else interesting in the off-season.

Whether good or bad, everything revolved around him.

‘Shame…’

The woman thought of Shin’s face for a moment and nodded slightly.

It would work.

“Let’s get back to business. What about that thing?”

“I’m me. I finished fact-checking yesterday. The ‘Mountain King’ and Kirin Guild situation is way more fractured than expected.”

“Oh! Then that means—”

“Recruitment probability just went up.”

Fans always expect new representatives to bring change.

Better players, better results, more investment.

And the first test of a new leader is satisfying that expectation.

So Myeonghwan, newly appointed representative of Dynasty Guild, was also desperate for results.

His target was a massive recruitment coup: the legendary “Mountain King” Kim Jongpil.

“Who knows about this?”

“Only me and my informant.”

“Trustworthy?”

“Yeah. He’s my little brother.”

“Nice. I’m impressed.”

“Squeee~!”

One of the Three Kings who once ruled the world alongside the Fighting King and the All-King.

Though now aged and past his prime, Myeonghwan didn’t care about performance.

What mattered was symbolism.

The name “Mountain King” alone was enough. It would attract rookies, boost reputation, and add credibility.

There was another reason he absolutely needed him.

Back when the Ido Group first planned to enter guild operations, the chairman’s first choice had been the Mountain King.

A grandson who fulfilled his grandfather’s wish—that alone would elevate him as heir.

“This has been tracked down, right?”

“Three possible locations: Hallasan, Geumgangsan, Baekdusan.”

“Obsessed with mountains, huh. Fitting name.”

“We’ll narrow it down within a few days.”

“Too slow. Two days.”

“I’ll try.”

“I must recruit the Mountain King myself.”

If he succeeded, he would win his grandfather’s favor—and possibly leap ahead in the succession line.

Myeonghwan laughed and drained his glass, lying back on the bed.

“Yeah… this one move changes everything.”

He dreamed of a bright future.

Not knowing that for someone else, that dream was already reality.

“Are you sure the Mountain King is here?”

“That’s what I said.”

Shin had just arrived at Geumgangsan.

Long ago, GM players debated one question.

What is the ending of GM?

GM was a management simulation—buying and selling hunters every season to promote guilds. It didn’t really have an ending.

But humans always want closure.

After intense debate, two answers emerged:

[Winning the continental Champions League]

[Winning the World Raid, held once every four years]

Some argued Champions League was the true ending.

Others insisted the World Raid was the ultimate peak.

The debate never ended.

Eventually, they asked the highest authority: veteran player “Lee.”

And Shin gave a shocking answer.

“Ending? Just seeing every character’s story ending.”

In GM, completing a character’s affection route unlocked a “story ending.”

He said you had to see them all to truly “finish” the game.

Everyone went silent.

Even one was insane—seeing ALL characters’ endings was beyond human limits.

And Shin was the only one who had done it.

His first target had been one of the Three Kings—the Mountain King Kim Jongpil.

A legend from 30 years ago.

RATTLE—!

The Rolls-Royce shook violently.

Its owner cursed the impossible terrain.

“Ahh! Noona! My baby is dying!”

“Wear your seatbelt. This is an off-road vehicle for a reason.”

Still—

“Can you keep telling me about the Mountain King?”

“What? Ah, him?”

“I don’t understand why he’s here in Geumgangsan when he should be in the Kirin Guild.”

“You really like him, don’t you?”

“Of course! Every Korean likes the Mountain King!”

“Really?”

“…No, I guess not.”

The car jolted again.

Shin held the handle and continued talking.

“Tell me more. What do you like about him, hyung?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know. You know better than me.”

“Just say it.”

“…The Mountain King is a legend.”

Thirty years ago, during Korea’s darkest era in guild history.

Korea was being outclassed by China and Japan—and even Taiwan.

Then three monsters appeared:

The Fighting King, who proved pure physical power could surpass technique.

The All-King, who could fulfill every role imaginable.

And the Mountain King.

“The Mountain King opened a new era for summoners.”

Summoners had been the most despised class.

But he changed everything.

“His brain.”

“The term ‘brain play’ started with him.”

The most intelligent hunter in history.

He didn’t just summon strong creatures—he optimized even weak summons, turning them into tactical assets.

He elevated team performance itself.

He redefined what a raid commander was.

“Before him and after him, raids are completely different.”

He revolutionized strategy, teamwork, and guild structure.

And later, he co-founded the Kirin Guild with the All-King.

A guild that became the strongest in Korea.

“Then they separated at their peak.”

Now Shin smiled slightly.

“Because he got kicked out.”

“…What?”

“He’s unemployed. Retired—no, forced out of Kirin.”