Chapter 432. Don’t Adjust Your Shoes in a Melon Field, Don’t Fix Your Hat Under a Plum Tree (3)
Chapter 432. Don’t Adjust Your Shoes in a Melon Field, Don’t Fix Your Hat Under a Plum Tree (3)
The question of what would happen if the all-purpose elixir from another world were a rare drop that only came from boss monsters—eerily enough, the question posed by Kang Chang-ho carried a disturbingly high degree of plausibility.
‘For hunters, that’s practically common sense.’
Let’s recall the interview of a certain awakened individual who first encountered the [Elixir] in Sweden. That rural resident, who had been caring for sick parents, went through tremendous chaos during the Dungeon Shock. Not only were they unable to evacuate properly…
As a result, they were unable to evade the horde of monsters that poured into the village and had to face the danger head-on. Of course, it was precisely through enduring such hardships that they became an awakened one—but still.
‘I’ve read that interview article about the elixir dozens of times and honestly have it memorized word for word.’
Ultimately, the important point was that even the legendary elixir’s acquirer didn’t know the exact truth. Whether it was given probabilistically just for defeating minions, or if the boss monster they killed in a trance-like frenzy had dropped the potion. According to that awakened one’s testimony—
After clearing the entire horde of attacking monsters, the items were scattered so chaotically that it was impossible to tell which one had dropped the [Elixir]. Typically, the loot composition of a gate differed slightly between the minions and the boss monsters. More precisely, it was the rule beyond that blue corridor that dungeon bosses prepared the better rewards.
‘Well, the [Elixir] could very well be a drop exclusive to the boss monster…’
At this point, should she move on to explaining the next slide of the presentation?
Esther thought for a moment. In fact, it’s not like she hadn’t considered such an obvious option. Initially, she could share the dungeon for a set period to observe it. If the desired item didn’t appear, only then would she fully determine ownership of the dungeon. Esther had originally intended to propose something along these lines, a somewhat utilitarian approach. Being the one who had first discovered the dungeon, she even considered leveraging that fact to request boss-hunting rights—but that was merely a thought.
“Everyone, I truly apologize.”
At that moment, a voice sprang from the dark corner of the room where the projector’s light couldn’t reach.
“So then—if the boss monster must be killed… would you transfer the hunting rights to me?”
For reference, the tone was one of such desperation that no one could possibly ignore it.
“Ah.”
“Um… I think I’ve been living my life diligently all this time.”
“Hunter Jung Haseong…”
“To be honest, at this point, I’ve truly worked hard for Korea. Really! I’ve devoted myself to work every single day like never before in my life.”
“Just calm down for a moment. There are ordinary people here who are sensitive to mana…”
“Besides, even this very morning! I woke up thinking about how to make this country safer.”
In this world, there’s a term called “cold-blooded.” It refers to someone so composed that you might suspect their body and blood are made of cold iron instead of flesh. Or it’s usually a label given to those who are excessively individualistic or selfish. Cold-blooded. And the hero sitting on the east side of this room had once been given this nickname too, thanks to their uniquely flawless way of handling tasks, but…
“Please.”
But in this moment, it was different. Jung Haseong truly gave off the impression of warm blood flowing through him as he lamented in painstaking detail.
“I have a patient with a magic power addiction in my house……”
Back in school, he had been a top student. Moreover, he had awakened at the S-rank, leading a life where he rarely had cause to complain. He had never imagined that he’d end up sharing personal stories in a social setting like this. Yet Jung Haseong couldn’t even think about his pride—he scrambled and made his plea in earnest.
“Ot, others, other diseases can somehow be treated, right? Medical science has advanced a lot…! Nowadays, there are hardly any illnesses that humans can’t do anything about.”
“Haseong-ssi.”
“I’ll be honest. I… really, desperately need this dungeon. Please, I’m asking you to grant me the right to clear it.”
A man whose widowed mother, who had raised him with utmost care since childhood, still couldn’t open her eyes—there was no way he could remain rational in front of an elixir. On top of that, Jung Haseong was relatively low on funds even among S-rank hunters.
‘Well, if the dungeon entry ticket actually fetches a proper price, Haseong wouldn’t stand a chance, of course.’
He had been fooled by the former association president’s claim that it was “for the safety of the citizens” and ended up donating several years’ worth of items.
‘Even thinking about it again, I want to kill Go Byeongdo. Although I kept him alive to make his suffering last longer.’
Being an awakener with a fairly long period of activity, Esther already knew how things would unfold.
Eventually, her heart wavered. By nature, she was stingy toward her own kind due to her innate talent with curse skills, yet she still retained a basic sense of compassion.
“Transfer?”
Meanwhile, just as the guild master of the Korean Magic Tower Guild was deep in thought, someone interjected into the conversation.
“That’s a bit strange.”
She never imagined there could be someone stingier than a cursed awakener in this world.
“Of course, Hunter Jung Haseong deserves praise for working so hard all this time, but using that as a reason to demand the nation’s precious gate… well, that’s a bit off.”
So he’s really trying to pick a fight. Esther thought at that moment. More precisely, she recalled a certain raid she had witnessed before. She didn’t know the exact mechanics, but Jung Haseong’s entire body would transform into blue flames, scorching the surroundings… It seemed he had recently awakened that powerful skill. Anyone who had seen the growth of a fire-attribute awakened hunter firsthand couldn’t help but come to that conclusion.
‘With that kind of power, wouldn’t even fellow S-rank hunters be reduced to ashes in no time?’
But what is Kang Changho so confident about all the time? Could it be that he’s been living without watching the news and has no idea that the hero has grown stronger? Is that why he acts so excessively nonchalant?
‘The more I look at him, the more shameless he seems.’
He was a rather rare mixed-race among Koreans, so his nose was noticeably prominent. For a moment, Esther thought about smashing Kang Changho’s nose, but—
Whatever the case. The low-voiced man soon picked up where he left off.
“You won’t get everything just by saying you’ve worked hard until now and will continue to work hard in the future.”
“…”
“By that logic, the South Korean government could just use the [Elixir] to recruit foreign S-rank Hunters.”
“You mean by staking a Knight’s Oath, or something similar…”
Kang Changho currently had his hands clasped together over his stomach.
Moreover, he was sitting in the chair in a slightly reclined, comfortable manner, but when Jung Haseong said something, he finally adjusted his posture.
“To speak the truth, you, the number one ranked, are basically trying to buy the item out of pity.”
Kang Changho now rested his chin on one hand.
“Unfortunately, most people in modern society dislike this kind of approach.”
Whether this was a show of self-pity wasn’t clear.
“No, do you really have to scold me like that?”
Jung Haseong was hit like a blow to the head by Kang Chang-ho’s words. As he naturally criticized his own actions, he couldn’t come up with any defense. In the sudden silence that followed, an infuriated Esther spoke up in a sharp, formal tone on someone else’s behalf.
“Scolding?”
“How on earth does someone like this come out of the same South Korean public education system? Ah, right—you did study abroad, didn’t you?”
“Hunter Esther. Your tone has been a bit…”
“Ugh, I can’t hold back my cursing anymore, you damn bastard!”
The vice president of Neo Sisters, who had inadvertently witnessed the argument, tensed up, fearing a fight might break out. Yet even after hearing all of Esther’s words, Kang Changho’s expression remained unchanged.
“As expected, things get complicated whenever I step out into society.”
Hunter, wearing a slightly sullen smile and a slightly sullen expression, muttered a few words.
“Still, being around others like this is a bit less boring than being alone.”
Tuk.
Kang Changho slightly moved his clasped hands to the side.
“All right, let me make one thing clear. I’m actually fully on the side of the person ranked number one over there.”
“What?”
It was a statement that undeniably drew a rebuttal.
“If a single Elixir can keep the nation’s hero alive, it’s a small price to pay. Surely our Jung Haseong wouldn’t just take the treatment and run off abroad with his family, would he?”
“T, that’s right.”
“But the reason you’ve been nitpicking all this time is that, in the conference room, you’re trying to decide the boss hunting rights just among the people present…”
“…”
“Because, in many ways, it’s not exactly an ideal setup.”
“From the perspective of those who haven’t had a chance to voice their opinions, it could feel unfair.”
“But still, not all of a nation’s rules are decided by a majority vote of its citizens.”
For reference, the indoor air was dry due to the air conditioning. However, Kang Changho spoke normally, without clearing his throat or anything.
“Anyway, if it leaks outside, it’s still a problematic matter. So, now that the risks have been sufficiently warned…”
Since his goal had been singular from start to finish, uttering the next words was hardly difficult.
“Listen carefully. I’ll keep the fact that you shared information about the Elixir completely secret.”
“What did you say?”
“Anyway, I never intended to directly tackle such a precious gate. As you, Director Seo Esther, said earlier, there really isn’t enough cash to use in the auction.”
“Huh.”
“The part where I said I had a lot of money was obviously just boasting and a lie.”
Kang Changho continued to insist.
“In return, I want you to promise me just this one thing.”
This was the main point he truly wanted to make.
“Whether you use the item to help Jung Haseong, to save a tuberculosis patient, or split it among yourselves to make soup—it’s none of my concern.”
“Huh.”
“But if the elixir actually appears, I’d really like you to show me the real thing at least once.”
“Why? Planning to snatch it while looking at it?”
“If that’s uncomfortable, no problem—just let the appraiser I bring in later examine it.”
“Are you serious?”
“I just want to collect information on rare items. I’ve always been like this. Besides, in the age of Dungeon Shock, it’s not exactly an unusual hobby, is it?”
As he stated directly, the reason Kang Chang-ho had made the atmosphere so uncomfortable until now was simple. He could have spread rumors at any time and thrown the area around the [Elixir] gate into chaos—but he didn’t. Because he intended to make demands from the people present here under the pretext of keeping them quiet.
‘This is ridiculous.’
The proposal that Kang Chang-ho had thrown out was, in many ways, repulsive. In her heart, she wanted to tell him to just get lost, to outright reject the suggestion. But to be honest, given the circumstances, that was easier said than done.
‘Surely there’s justification for confirming a ranking system through the Association, and anyway, even if an auction were held, one of us would end up taking the dungeon…’
What if she refused this request and the appearance of the [Elixir] Gate actually spread worldwide? How would anyone handle that chaos then?
‘Perhaps, the association president, seduced by the prospect of enormous tax revenue, might fall for someone else’s arguments.’
Ssshk.
A few people quietly pressed their fingers to their foreheads. And after a brief moment of contemplation, they came up with this thought.
‘Somehow, we have to solidify the association’s stance here. That would be far more advantageous.’
Anyway, this gate will remain open for the next six months or so. There’s no need for anyone to buy it outright for an astronomical sum from the very start.
‘If you painstakingly buy it only for the items to not appear by chance, that would be a huge loss.’
Since everyone present shared that thought, the subsequent conversation flowed smoothly and quickly.
-What should we do?
-What can we do…
-That’s what they’re like.
-If things go wrong, they’ll make a fuss and cause trouble without hesitation.
They decided to reluctantly accept the intruder’s request. For now, while the Elixir Gate remained a secret, those gathered at the table calmly proceeded to settle the remaining matters.
Muttering.
There’s no need to keep the room dark any longer.
By now, the Hunter Association’s conference room was bathed in bright electric light. Just when it seemed the meeting could finally wrap up without incident…
[Tiring.]
[Beep.]
It was still too early to properly decide who would claim ownership of the boss monster. Jung Ha-seong, sweat pouring down his forehead, fumbled for his phone. But the notification that just came through wasn’t his.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Neo Sisters. Korean Magic Tower. In short, only the major guilds in South Korea that were aware of the Elixir Gate received the notification.
“No. What…”
The guards they had stationed in front of the gate were now surrounded by citizens.
“The other hunters?”
“Did Director Seo receive a report as well?”
“They say another guild has already arrived at the dungeon after hearing the news?”
Has the legendary alchemical potion monster already been exposed? As this news reached them, the dry atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. However, the person standing on this side wasn’t completely oblivious either.
“It wasn’t me.”
Ssshk.
The awakened individual, who had been lingering without leaving, soon began to explain. He playfully raised both hands, as if expressing innocence. f81769756925
“Ah, it’s always sad when people automatically think someone’s bad just because they have a criminal record.”
“Sad? Then just spit that out instead of talking nonsense.”
“Still, since we’re in front of young people protecting the country, I’ll specially hold back. If I may give some free advice, in situations like this, it’s best to first be suspicious of the Gate Investigation Team that initially handed over the materials.”
“Damn it.”
“If you sell the info to ten people, your pay per hour would be ten times higher.”