Unlike the political vultures Jinchul usually dealt with, Myung-Han didn't hide behind pleasantries. He was a man who had built an empire from nothing, and his eyes held the weight of a man who saw through every mask.
Yoo Jinhee stood by the window, looking professional in a charcoal suit, but she was unusually quiet, her gaze flickering between her father and Jinchul.
"Sit, Director Woo," Myung-Han said, his voice a low, steady hum. He didn't look at the files on his desk. He looked at Jinchul's eyes. "My daughter has told me that you want to have meeting with me. So Let's hear it"
"You should know why I'm here, Chairman," Jinchul replied, taking the seat.
"I know the 'business' reason you're here," Myung-Han said, leaning forward. He signaled to Jinhee, who hesitated before stepping out of the room to fetch tea, leaving the two men alone. The atmosphere shifted immediately. The "Chairman" was gone; in his place was a father.
"Let's put the Association and the Yoojin Group aside for a moment, Jinchul," Myung-Han said softly. "I have watched my daughter change since she started working with you. She doesn't talk about profit margins or market shares anymore. She talks about 'preparedness.' She talks about you."
Jinchul remained silent, listening.
Myung-Han continued, his gaze softening with a rare vulnerability. "I have more money than I could spend in ten lifetimes. Jinhee is my legacy. She is the best of me. And I see the way she looks at the news on hunters. She's afraid, Jinchul. Not of the monsters, but of the weight you carry alone."
He paused, his sharp eyes searching Jinchul's face. "I don't care about your rank or your title. I care about what happens to her when the lights go out. You are leading her into a war. As her father, I need to know: what is your intention for her? Is she just a tool for your 'vision,' or do you plan to be the man who stands between her and the dark?"
Jinchul felt the weight of the question. It was more daunting than the mana-sculpting he had done the night before. "Chairman... Jinhee is not a tool. She is the reason the 'vision' matters. If I were just fighting to save the people, I would have burned out long ago. She is the one who reminds me that there is a world worth coming back to"
Jinchul met Myung-Han's gaze with absolute clarity. "I cannot promise her a life of peace. No one can anymore. But I can promise you this: as long as I am drawing breath, she will never face that darkness alone. I am building these wards not just for the country, but because she needs a place where she can breathe safely."
Myung-Han stared at him for a long, silent minute. The tension in the older man's shoulders seemed to dissipate. "She chose well," he whispered, almost to himself.
"You have the eyes of a man who knows what it costs to protect something. Most men in your position think they are invincible. You know you aren't, and that makes you more dangerous."
Jinhee returned then, sensing the change in the air. She set the tea down, her eyes questioning. Myung-Han cleared his throat, the "Chairman" mask sliding back into place, though his eyes remained warm.
"Jinhee, tell Chief Woo about the construction plan for the research lab and hospital," Myung-Han directed.
Jinhee nodded, opening a tablet. Her expression turned serious. "Jinchul, we've analyzed your report where it mentions the atmospheric mana density over the last six months. It's not just increasing; it's compounding" she continued
"Based on our data, ordinary citizens— who cannot adapt to mana are affected. It starts with a lingering fatigue, then a deep sleep from which the brain simply stops responding to external stimuli. Their bodies are literally being overwhelmed by a fuel they weren't built to burn."
She looked at Jinchul, her voice trembling slightly. "It's not a disease. It's an environmental shift. We're essentially drowning in air that's become too rich for us."
"I've already cleared the schedule for tomorrow at 17:00," Jinhee said, her professional tone returning. "We're calling it a 'Comprehensive Executive Wellness Initiative.' We will bring the primary shareholders, the board of directors, and their immediate families. It will look like a routine perk of working for Yoojin, but in reality, we'll be checking their saturation levels."
"My family will be the first in line," Myung-Han added, standing up to conclude the meeting. "If the public sees the Yoo family undergoing these screenings and moving into 'purified' housing, the panic will be controlled among the rich. They'll see it as a luxury, not a survival tactic. It gives us time."
As Jinchul stood to leave, Myung-Han walked him to the door. The Chairman reached out and gripped Jinchul's forearm—a firm, masculine gesture of trust. "Protect her, Jinchul. And keep yourself alive. A fortress is no good if the gatekeeper is dead."
"I intend to, Chairman," Jinchul replied.
Outside in the hall, Jinhee walked beside him. The clinical data on the tablet was still visible. "I dont know how many days we have, Jinchul. That's all we have before the casualties starts to increase. We need to have the first ward operational by the end of the month. And tell me is this the secret you were telling yesterday"
"Yes and We will," Jinchul said, his voice firm. "We have the funding, we have the healers, and now we have the Yoojin Group's full backing. Tomorrow's screening is the first step in making the world realize that the 'Slumber' is coming—and that we're the only ones with the wake-up call."
Jinhee looked at him, the hallway lights reflecting in her eyes. "What did my father say to you? When I was out of the room?"
Jinchul paused at the elevator. "He asked if I was ready for the future," he said softly. "I told him I was."
He stepped into the elevator, the weight of the coming days pressing down on him, but for the first time, the burden felt shared.
The grueling evolution of Taeshik was just the beginning. The real war was for the souls of the people who would never hold a sword, and Jinchul was finally ready to lead it.
Chapter 25 - Meeting with Father-In Law