Chapter 111: Snatching The Chance (1) |
It was Yu Cheonghwa.
When we first met, she wore a black blouse combined with an all-red color scheme.
Today, it was the opposite.
A red blouse with all-black colors. Her fair skin made any combination suit her well.
The small star tattoo below her eye.
And the red rose-shaped tattoo visible through the gap of her two unbuttoned blouse buttons.
She was exactly as Kang-hoo knew Yu Cheonghwa to be.
As soon as Yu Cheonghwa locked eyes with Kang-hoo, she attempted a mental scan.
Kang-hoo, who had been prepared from the moment he saw her, naturally thwarted Yu Cheonghwa’s attempt.
Considering she was trying to peer into his mind so openly yet could be so shameless, she wasn’t someone with just an ordinary face.
Despite her innocent appearance, she was a person with inscrutable intentions.
Indeed, in the original work, she had the lowest sense of belonging to The Thirteen Stars after Emilia Rose.
Rather than thinking of The Thirteen Stars as blood-related comrades, she seemed more inclined to treat them as big clients.
She sold a considerable amount of items and skill books to Jang Si-hwan, Chae Gwanhyeong, Casey Rex, Elizabeth, and others.
Her amassed wealth was all used to solidify her position in China.
Anyway.
It seemed like the Shinto Guild had set up a big game, so he thought he might as well watch.
“Do we meet like this?”
“It seems so.”
“Seoul feels really small at times like this. I didn’t expect to meet you at the market.”
“Let’s stop trying to look inside people’s heads.”
“Heh, you’re quite persistent. It’s been a while since I’ve met a hunter who can resist me like this.”
“Trying to open someone’s front door without permission is not polite.”
“If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize. It seems like an occupational hazard.”
“That’s a very trivial reason.”
Yu Cheonghwa scratched the back of her head at Kang-hoo’s pointed remark.
Although his words might sound unpleasant to some, she recognized her own rudeness.
Claiming it as an occupational habit wasn’t untrue.
It had become second nature to scan anyone she met…
It wasn’t that she harbored malicious intent to peer inside others; it had simply become a habit.
Naturally, the person on the receiving end might feel uncomfortable.
“By the way, you haven’t used the business card I gave you? You didn’t call either.”
“I haven’t had any business in China yet. And I’m not particularly interested in the Shinto Guild.”
“That stings my pride a bit.”
“I’m just staying true to my own pace.”
Kang-hoo was curious about what Yu Cheonghwa saw in him.
Was it his nearly perfect resistance to mental scans?
Even though he hadn’t shown her anything concrete, she seemed quite fixated on him.
Of course, the Shinto Guild is known for aggressively recruiting foreign hunters.
They sweep up talents using China’s unique capital power, often referred to as “China Money.”
This has been the Shinto Guild’s operating philosophy for a long time.
Indeed, within the Shinto Guild, there is an elite unit composed of capable hunters from various nationalities.
Kang-hoo steered the conversation in a different direction.
“I’m looking to buy an item. I’m considering a second-grade item, preferably a necklace.”
“Wow! A second-grade item?”
“I have enough money.”
“No, I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t have the money. It’s just that we haven’t had any big spenders these past few days.”
Yu Cheonghwa gestured broadly with both hands. Her distinctive trait was her large hand movements during conversations.
Strangely, this helped keep the focus on the conversation, seeming like an intentional behavior.
“May I see it?”
“This place mainly sells items below grade 3. We have a special sales area set aside for that.”
“So, items above grade 3 are over there?”
“Yes. It’s the building right next to us. It’s a sales outlet authorized by the Jeonghwa Guild and the Hunter Public Safety Bureau.”
“Let’s go.”
Kang-hoo nodded.
For a moment, he wondered if this was Yu Cheonghwa’s ‘trickery’—perhaps luring him into the building to kidnap him or something… A scenario that was entirely possible.
However, he wasn’t worried since he had the ability to teleport, a special privilege given by the Dimension Plunderer.
If things seemed to go awry, he could simply escape immediately.
“Follow me. I’ll guide you personally. It’s been a while since the chilly salesroom had some warmth!”
Yu Cheonghwa, with a delighted expression, kindly began to guide Kang-hoo, showing a gentle smile and an eye smile, with no apparent hostility.
Of course, one cannot be too careful.
As she said, the top floor of the building next to the Seoul Market headquarters was the Shinto Guild’s VIP market.
It seemed to be a measure to prove that it was indeed authorized by the Jeonghwa Guild and Hunter Public Safety Bureau.
The badges of the guards placed intermittently were indeed from these two organizations, not a disguise.
Following her silently,
Kang-hoo revisited his memories of Yu Cheonghwa from the original work.
Suddenly, a line of her dialogue that had been buried in his memory surfaced.
【I like heroes who make me feel proud of myself. I hate being despised trash.】
At the time of writing that dialogue in the novel, it was depicted merely as words spoken in a drunken state of emotion for having become a ‘hero’ among The Thirteen Stars.
But now, it seemed different.
He started to think that The Thirteen Stars might not be a projection of her convictions.
Indeed, there was a line Jang Si-hwan said to Yu Cheonghwa in the original work.
【Yu Cheonghwa. Sometimes I wonder if you align with us only for the money. You're free to leave whenever you want. I want heroes who intend to save the world with conviction and mission. Heroes can sometimes be hated by those who can't understand their depth.】
It felt like sensing a hidden fracture in the conversation.
Originally, when writing this part, he envisioned it merely as a power struggle or a sharp critique.
Looking back now, it seems Yu Cheonghwa’s sense of solidarity was much lower than expected.
Perhaps,
Like Emilia Rose, there might be an opportunity to exploit a weakness. To ensure The Thirteen Stars aren’t thirteen.
‘Look far ahead.’
Kang-hoo was not in a hurry.
Such high-level scheming shouldn’t be approached impulsively or spontaneously. One must look far and wide.
“Here! Once we open this door and enter, the entire space will be filled with grade 1, 2, and 3 items.”
As Kang-hoo nodded to Yu Cheonghwa’s words, she forcefully pushed the door open.
As she said, countless shelves were filled with various items, neatly displayed.
It was a feast of various items that seemed to be much more than what was seen at the Seoul Market headquarters.
It was a scene that once again made him realize the continental scale of inventory.
“I’ll take a look around comfortably.”
“By all means. I won’t bother you by following around. I hate to bother people when they’re shopping.”
“Then.”
Kang-hoo began to meticulously examine the items from the display at the entrance.
Some items were displayed with their physical forms alongside a manual noting the options.
Others were displayed as samples with a manual and a note on the possible delivery schedule and duration.
With the Shinto Guild’s private jet ready for shipping, it was explained that the items could be received quickly.
‘Really a lot.’
Even Kang-hoo, who seldom marvels at anything, was astounded by the sheer volume of merchandise available for sale.
The total value of the items here, if combined, could easily exceed tens of trillions of won.
For this reason, this floor was surrounded by a thick protective barrier, starting from the elevator to the entire inner wall.
It was likely a luxurious system that cost about 200 million won a day in maintenance.
Normally, Kang-hoo prefers to shop quickly.
But this time, there was so much to see that it took quite some time.
At some point, he lost track of time, thoroughly enjoying the process of viewing items.
Perhaps about two hours had passed?
Yu Cheonghwa, who had been making a call in a soundproof transparent glass booth, came out.
It was time for Kang-hoo’s decision.
“Let’s go with this one.”
“Let’s see… Breath of the Traitor? It’s a decent necklace. The assassin class has a lot of interest in it.”
“How much?”
“It’s 1.1 trillion won. I’m sorry, but bargaining is not possible. It’s already discounted sufficiently.”
“Hmm.”
Current balance: 1.116 trillion won.
After paying for the necklace, 16 billion won would remain.
Although it was still a significant balance, it seemed impossible to shake off the feeling of being nearly broke.
However,
The necklace was certainly worth it.
Above all, it was necessary for Kang-hoo, who aimed to minimize reliance on others and become a solo all-rounder.
“Just so you know, when you purchase an item from the Shinto Guild, you can exchange it once later on. The value has to be equal, though.”
“I’m aware.”
“Ha-ha. It’s a unique service, right? That’s why we have many regular customers. Jang Si-hwan is also a major customer.”
In the original work, Yu Cheonghwa did sell items to The Thirteen Stars quite frequently.
Including the chance to exchange, it meant one could change their mind once and swap it out.
And from the second time onwards, it was possible to replace the item by paying additional money.
It was very convenient, as one could change their setup to their liking without the hassle of selling and buying.
“Let’s go with the Breath of the Traitor.”
Kang-hoo pointed to the necklace.
It was time to discard his old, shabby-looking grade 7 necklace and move on to this new one.
After quickly settling the bill,
Yu Cheonghwa tactfully left the spot while Kang-hoo was putting on the necklace.
After all, what remained was a farewell, thanking him for the transaction.
【Breath of the Traitor - Necklace】
【Grade: 2nd】
【Strength +50】
【Agility +200】
【Magic Resistance +200】
【Durability +50】
‘Since the Necklace of Favorable Winds only increased agility by 15, this is a monumental improvement.’
All stats significantly increased.
This time, Kang-hoo focused on the agility stat because he felt a lack of fundamentals in combat until now.
So far, Kang-hoo had relied on skills, including acceleration, for swift mobility and movement.
This resulted in his movements being too sluggish when he couldn’t use his skills, at least by his standards.
A high agility stat feels like being constantly accelerated and mobile without needing skills.
‘Depending too much on skills means I’m an easy target when I can’t use them smoothly.’
What could be worse than being a target dummy? He didn’t want to end up in such a state.
Before checking the updated stats, Kang-hoo reviewed the two special effects attached to the Breath of the Traitor.
Special effects.
One of the reasons for purchasing high-grade items.
Depending on what effects they provide, they can create tremendous synergy with the wearer.
【Poison Suppression】
【Recovery Suppression】
At first glance, these effects naturally obstruct certain flows.
The reason for deciding to purchase the Breath of the Traitor. Options deeply related to the identity of the necklace.