* * *

The two went straight to the study, where two smartphones lay side by side on the desk.

“Here it is.”

Seeing the device he’d been desperately searching for, Doyoung let out a hollow laugh.

Why hadn’t he thought to check here earlier?

Meanwhile, Beom Sinje picked up his own phone and touched the screen.

He had rushed out of the house earlier, flustered, and forgot to grab it.

Even indoors, he’d been too preoccupied with Doyoung to check his phone.

“Great.”

In the meantime, his phone had accumulated dozens of missed calls and hundreds of messages.

“Let me take this quickly.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Similarly, Doyoung grasped the device he’d been searching for and glanced at its screen.

As expected, chaos had erupted here, too.

Sifting through the flood of messages from various people, he honed in on the most urgent one.

[The government official you mentioned is prepped for handling. There was so much dirt on them that just poking at a few critical points you provided should suffice. Let me know, and I’ll get to work immediately.]

His eyes gleamed as he read the message that had arrived three hours earlier.

[Go ahead and release one for now.]

It wouldn’t be satisfying to wrap things up too easily.

They deserved to struggle, just like they’d made his life miserable.

While Doyoung, exuding the air of a former villain, gleamed with anticipation as he typed his reply, Beom Sinje called Park Chanoh.

– Yes, Guildmaster. I’ve received your call.

“Take down all the articles circulating online.”

He got straight to the point as soon as Park picked up.

– I’ve already requested it, but it’s proving difficult to suppress public opinion. The articles have been up for a while, and they’ve spread across various communities.

“Ugh…”

Beom Sinje sighed at Park Chanoh’s troubled response.

He knew it would be nearly impossible to extinguish the wildfire of curiosity at this stage.

“Head to the guild immediately and hold a meeting, Guildmaster. Stop wasting time trying to cover it up—it’ll only backfire. Instead, let’s take this opportunity to form a PR team to handle situations like this in the future.”

Having finished his business, Doyoung naturally chimed in on their conversation.

– Secretary Na, are you doing well?

From the other end of the phone, Park Chanoh’s cheerful voice echoed.

Doyoung, noticing Beom Sinje’s frown at his interruption, snatched the phone and pressed it to his ear.

“I’m fine. What’s the mood like in the guild right now?”

Ignoring Beom Sinje’s exasperation, Doyoung casually continued the call with Park.

– Well… People are curious, to say the least. They’ve been asking the guild members who were present at the scene, but so far, no information has leaked. Luckily, Yeo Giwon has been… um… sternly enforcing silence.

Doyoung chuckled at that.

Earlier, Yeo Giwon had seemed flustered in front of him, but it looked like he had things under control at the guild.

“Have you held a meeting regarding the S-rank dungeon clearance?”

– Not yet… The Guildmaster…

Park trailed off, perhaps hesitant to criticize the Guildmaster in his presence.

Doyoung turned his gaze to the man beside him.

“I was just about to,” Beom Sinje said calmly, as if he already knew what Doyoung would say.

Though it sounded like an excuse, Doyoung didn’t press further.

He merely returned the phone.

“Hunter Park Chanoh, announce an S-rank dungeon-related meeting and have all members of the Raid Team, Cleanup Team, and Strategy Analysis Team attend.”

Beom Sinje gave the order, his eyes lingering on Doyoung’s slightly pouting lips.

– Understood. When should I schedule it?

“Prepare immediately; we’ll convene in an hour.”

– Yes, sir.

After ending the call, Beom Sinje glanced at Doyoung as if asking, ‘Satisfied now?’

Doyoung turned away without answering.

“What are you doing?”

Heading into the dressing room attached to the bedroom, Doyoung turned to find Beom Sinje following him.

“What do you think? You heard the call—get ready.”

“The meeting can be handled by Chief Yeo Giwon and the team members who participated in the raid.”

Additionally, explaining the dungeon’s post-clear conditions and byproducts was the Cleanup Team’s responsibility.

Of course, Doyoung was well aware of that.

Beom Sinje didn’t need to involve himself in this—at least, not under normal circumstances.

“Are you an idiot?”

Beom Sinje blinked, startled by the sudden comment.

‘He’s so cute when he’s like this.’

Doyoung smirked inwardly as he continued.

“You’re doing this to cover up the mess online, aren’t you? That’s why you need to make the announcement yourself.”

“There’s no need for that. Posting the results on the website will shift the public’s focus naturally.”

“Sure, but this isn’t just any dungeon—it’s S-rank. Clearing it in less than a day is impressive, and the public will eat it up.”

“Exactly.”

“But if you’re the one who announces it, the reaction will be even stronger. People will forget all about you carrying me out of the dungeon.”

Doyoung emphasized the part about being carried.

“Have you considered what people outside must’ve thought, seeing you walk out like that?”

“I don’t know.”

Honestly, Beom Sinje hadn’t had the luxury to think about others.

His only concern at the time was getting Doyoung to safety and checking his condition.

Knowing this explanation would only make Doyoung angrier, Beom Sinje wisely kept quiet.

“You’re reckless, you know that?”

“Not as reckless as you.”

Beom Sinje smirked at his retort, but Doyoung scowled.

“Why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“You could’ve just warned me. Why block it yourself?”

Beom Sinje was referring to the moment the supposedly dead dungeon boss launched a surprise attack.

Doyoung immediately caught on.

“I didn’t have time to think. My body just moved.”

Otherwise, you would’ve been hurt. Beom Sinje left the thought unspoken.

“See? And you’re calling me reckless?”

Doyoung’s calm voice carried a sharp edge, making Beom Sinje flinch.

“So, you think you did nothing wrong?”

“It’s something people will forget with time. No need to overthink it.”

“That’s just your opinion.”

Beom Sinje seemed oblivious to the weight of his influence.

Didn’t he realize how much greater it was than that of a celebrity?

“Get ready. Everyone’s probably waiting for you in the conference room.”

Sure, people might eventually forget.

But in the meantime, some would start digging to find out who Beom Sinje had carried.

And once they did, it was only a matter of time before it spiraled out of control.

The incident hadn’t been witnessed by guild members alone—government officials were also present.

The government might even use it to undermine Beom Sinje.

Those people were always looking for ways to claim credit for what private guilds accomplished.

‘Ugh, I need to contact Kim Jin-su about this, too.’

Doyoung yanked off his top and let it fall to the floor, reaching for a shirt but pausing midway.

“You’re still here?”

It was impossible to ignore the piercing gaze directed at him, no matter how much he tried to dismiss it.

“You’re really stubborn, aren’t you, hyung?”

“And you’re one to talk?”

Who was calling who stubborn?

A smirk tugged at one corner of Doyoung’s lips.

Neither of them realized they clashed so often because they were exactly alike.

“You should stay home, hyung.”

This time, it was Beom Sinje who stepped back first.

He knew that no matter what arguments he made, they wouldn’t work on Doyoung.

Before Doyoung could protest, Sinje cut him off firmly.

“If we’re seen moving together, what will people think?”

“Ah…”

He had a point.

Doyoung quickly nodded in agreement.

It made sense.

* * *