Chapter 207

Chapter 207

Iron Lion’s Harmonica. Hyukjin was very familiar with this famously famous item.

‘An item that was auctioned for $27 million in Las Vegas.’

The buyer was none other than the Gold Pyramid, Michelle.

‘The item shop is restricted to 3 minutes.’

It wasn’t a long time. First, he examined the Iron Lion’s Harmonica.

[Iron Lion’s Harmonica]

?

Hyukjin was unable to see the item description at his current level.

‘There might be a special restriction on it.’

After peering closely at it with Observer’s Eye, he saw a little more.

[Iron Lion’s Harmonica]

?

*Sovereign class exclusive

That was all he could see. Any further was overdoing it.

‘It’s a no-brainer.’

There might be even better items here, with even greater value. But he didn’t want to run that risk. Why would he, when there was an item worth $20 million right in front of him? He chose the sure win directly within arm’s reach.

“You still have over two minutes left,” said Senia.

“I know.”

“You’re going to purchase something right away?”

“Yep, I gotta.”

He checked the price.

[Coins: cannot use]

[Cash: 1,500,000 USD]

A tremor ran down his body.

‘Can’t buy with Coins anyway.’

Hyukjin didn’t think he would see that stipulation as early as the beginner period. As far as he knew, items that could only be purchased with cash only started appearing in the intermediate period, with most of them coming in the expert period. A few economists said it was the System’s method of preventing excessive inflation, but there was no way to know if that was the truth.

‘$1.5 million…’

He would have been in a real bind if he hadn’t had the money.

[Will you make the purchase?]

They had long since left the bounds of science. The System independently judged how much ‘cash’ Hyukjin possessed.

[Your entire cash savings will be automatically withdrawn.]

Whether he had it in the bank, in his Inventory, or in a safe, the money would disappear on its own.

‘Though I remember this phenomenon caused a huge ruckus in the financial world.’

That wasn’t his problem. Hyukjin decided not to worry about it. Even if he ignored it, there were lots of smart people in the world who would work to resolve such issues.

[You have purchased ‘Iron Lion’s Harmonica’.]

The Iron Lion’s Harmonica was in his Inventory. He immediately called Song Kiyeol.

“An item auction will take place in Las Vegas.”

–Ah, yes. I was informed that it will take place in one month.

Naturally, Giantgod Guild wasn’t given an invitation. The auction was being hosted by the Gold Pyramid Michelle. It was an ultra-exclusive auction only the top guilds of each nation were invited to. People who received an invitation could both sell and buy.

‘It is a little inconvenient at times like this.’

Giantgod Guild had no fame. Even in Korea, there weren’t many people who knew the guild. If they did, most people just knew it was a guild with So Yoohyun and Shin Yeonseo in it. Granted, it was a truly trivial problem.

“Sell an item for me there.”

And that was because he had a good push—no, a good business partner. All he had to do was ask him for a favor.

* * *

Translator – Lei

Proofreader – Ash

* * *

Hyukjin was lying on his bed, closing his eyes in apparent tiredness. The poison-using assassin class Player, Jung Sangchul, knitted his brows in indecision.

‘Will I really… be able to kill that man?’

It would take more than a wishy-washy attack. That was what he could conclude from his secret observation so far. 

‘But it’s impossible.’

He did come out on Song Junghye’s orders, but no matter how he looked at it, this was an impossible task. However good at poison he might be, the danger to himself was too great. In the end, Jung Sangchul decided to give up.

He’d probably get a terrible tonguelashing from Song Junghye, but that was better than risking his life. The man he had been examining was too dangerous.

Just then, he heard a voice.

“Smart choice.”

“…”

Jung Sangchul got down from the ceiling, becoming visible to the eye.

“…Did you know?”

“Surely you didn’t think I didn’t know?”

“Why didn’t you do anything?”

Hyukjin smiled. “Because whether you attack me or go back, both outcomes are good for me.”

Sangchul was speechless. Kim Hyukjin. He was young, but he was absolutely not someone to be viewed lightly. Sangchul understood exactly what Hyukjin meant.

‘If I had attacked him…’

An assassin whose location was perceived could not win against a regular combat class Player.

‘It would have given him justification.’

Justification to retaliate against Song Junghye.

‘And I would have definitely been taken down.’

What about a situation like now, where he gave up on attacking and was retreating?

‘He intentionally called me out.’

This was a form of warning.

‘I’m the best assassin in Blue Spearhead.’

Which meant there was no one in Song Junghye’s guild, Blue Spearhead, who could successfully assassinate this man. In other words, they shouldn’t even attempt it.

“Your main ability is poison, correct, Mr. Jang Sangchul?”

“Yes.”

“You were trying to kill Gu Sungmin before.”

“…”

“I’m not trying to blame you for that. I can’t say you’re a good person, but the person who gave the order was Song Junghye.”

“…I never did such a thing.”

“Looks like you have an exceptional sense of loyalty to Director Song Junghye. Seeing as you’re playing innocent.”

Hyukjin already knew the assassin’s relationship with her was deeper than just subordinate and boss. The man was pretty much in love with her. The Jang Sangchul he remembered was like that.

“Well, whatever.” Hyukjin grinned. “Please pass on the message that the Blue Spearhead isn’t the only guild with assassins.”

“…”

“Even now, in this very room, someone is concealing themselves. Their presence, can you feel it?”

“…”

Jung Sangchul couldn’t answer.

‘Where?’

He couldn’t see anyone. He prided himself on having keen senses, but he couldn’t feel them at all.

“You can’t feel them, can you?”

“…No, I can’t.”

“Please be sure to tell Miss Song that it’s not that I can’t attempt an assassination, it’s just that I’m choosing not to.”

“…”

Sangchul flinched. If there really was someone using Stealth in this room, they were a truly dangerous foe. Song Junghye could be erased from this world without a whisper.

“Are you certain someone’s in stealth?”

“Can’t believe me?”

“At least as far as I know, among the Korean assassin class Players, I’m…”

“The top?” Hyukjin gave an intentional chuckle, obviously ridiculing him.

“There’s no need to show you proof and no reason to, but…” He pointed with his chin. “The cup on the table, raise it.”

And then, the cup really did move. Someone in stealth mode had raised it. Sangchul felt cold sweat run down his back. Even as the cup moved, he couldn’t feel the person’s presence at all. It was like there was a ghost in front of him.

“Is that enough proof for you?”

“…I understand very well now. I will relay your intent in full, Giantgod Guildmaster.”

“Go on then.”

Hyukjin flopped back onto his bed.

‘That was easy?’

The Poisoned Dagger was a tricky opponent. In a peaceful environment, it was possible to locate and threaten the assassin, but what if it was in the middle of a fierce fight, and his attention was consumed by something else? That was when Jang Sungchul was dangerous. It was best to eliminate dangerous factors in advance, and this would serve as a sufficient threat to Song Junghye as well.

“Well done.”

There was always soy sauce fried chicken in Hyukjin’s Inventory these days. He took out a leg and flung it out. Something caught it in midair and became visible.

It was the thieving genius, Darongi.

* * *

Hyukjin left Complex 1 and headed towards Complex 2. He stopped in front of the crosswalk. Some distance in front of him, in the center of the road, was the Guardian Tower Tintin, the structure in which Ahn Seohye’s soul dwelled. She initiated the conversation.

–Master. It’s been a while.

He still wasn’t used to being called Master. What kind of title was that, for the 21st century?

“Did anything of note happen?”

–No.

No real issues had cropped up in the vicinity of the DMC Riverview Xi.

–But…

The crosswalk signal changed to green. Hyukjin didn’t cross. He had shared more than enough feelings with Seohye, and their relationship was one where he could deeply empathize with her. On top of that, there was a System-supported ‘master-subordinate relationship’ between them, and he was able to read Seohye’s feelings even more deeply.

‘Loneliness?’

He suddenly felt bad.

“Sorry. I’ll come more often.”

–Well…

Seohye had become a Guardian Tower. She couldn’t move from this spot. She could not drink or eat, nor could she sleep. She could only stand here, fixed in place. Like a building.

‘I wonder if it feels… like solitary confinement.’

She didn’t even have anyone to talk to. She couldn’t delight in the pleasures of food. She couldn’t even drink a simple cup of coffee. Countless people passed by every day, but no one paid any attention to the Guardian Tower anymore. They just thought of it as a sculpture.

‘What’s more, she’s got nothing to do.’

Other than him, she had no one else to talk to. She could only stand there like that for days, months, years.

“I’ll come by often.”

–Really?

Seohye’s voice suddenly got louder in unconscious excitement, which she quickly curbed.

–I-I mean… What I mean is…

“I understand how you feel. Soon, I’ll try looking for a way to materialize your body.”

–Thank you.

‘There must be a way.’

He just didn’t know it yet. Hyukjin walked past the crosswalk. No one noticed it, but the ‘Red Eye’ located at the very top of the Guardian Tower Tinin became a little more vibrant.

More vibrantly red.

* * *

The entire Giantgod cast got together for the first time in a while, meeting in the Giantgod Guild’s building near the Player Center.

So Yoohyun brought down his beer mug with a thump. He was bragging lately that his control over his strength had improved, and the action was to flaunt it. His expression was full of confidence, like he was claiming, ‘I’ve got enough fine control to not break a glass like this!’

“Hyungnim, you’re so busy even ten of you wouldn’t be enough!” And then, he broke out in a hearty guffaw. “I’m so happy I get to serve you!”

“…”

Hyukjin had nothing to say. It was somehow scary that Yoohyun was being sincere right now. Yeonseo summed up the situation.

“So essentially… you need to go to the Wind Temple, and what was it, the Sky of Freedom? You also need to work on the scenario related to the Predator Tree Colony, and there’s also a Battlefield of Crows that might be connected to that, yeah? On top of that, you’ve also got something to put up in the Las Vegas auction.”

Sunghyun added, “He also has a scenario related to the Sword Forest.”

Sunhwa drained her glass of grapefruit-ade in one go, then said with a bright smile, “No need to think too hard, Unnie. Oppa, my oppa will do it all well.”

“But still, isn’t there too much to do? Just how many scenarios is that?”

“It’s Oppa.”

Sunhwa’s smile got Yeonseo to smile in the end, too. “True. The dude’s a monster.”

Everyone quickly moved on. Sung-gu said, “Fudge. So Boss man, what’re we gonna tackle first? You called us all up cause there’s something for us to do, right?”

“Hyukjin hyung will say it on his own. You talk too much, Hyung.”

It was Jo Sunghyun. He was taciturn in front of others, but he became unusually talkative in front of Choi Sung-gu.

“We’re going to the Gran Seoul Dungeon. With a Player named Hyun Junghwa.”

Not long after, Hyun Junghwa came into the guild office, having received Hyukjin’s invitation. There was a quick round of introductions.

Hyukjin returned to the matter at hand.

“We’re gonna go to the Gran Seoul Dungeon. With this person here.”

So Yoohyun didn’t ask why. He only asked, “What do we need to do, Hyungnim?”

“We’re gonna look for the cemetery field.”

There was a minor issue—the Icewall guild under Song Junghye’s command was still sealing off the Gran Seoul Dungeon entrance.

“To do that, we’ll have to break our way in.”

Yeonseo tilted her head. “But that would expose us all, wouldn’t it? Which Boss doesn’t like.”

Hyukjin shrugged.

“None of you guys knew?”

“What?”

“Know what?”

Hyukjin took out a bow from his Inventory.

“I’m an archer.”

If the authorities stacked on the gate, he could just break them from a distance. It wasn’t hard. Sunhwa nodded.

“Aha!”

Everyone in Giantgod was instantly convinced. Everyone except for one person, Hyun Junghwa.

‘What the heck?’

What was this sudden talk about being an archer or whatever? Why was everyone just accepting that “explanation” and moving on? She was a little confused, but she didn’t say anything. She was quiet by nature, and wasn’t the type to do things rashly.

Still puzzled, Junghwa concluded that she would find out before long.

And one day later, she realized what Hyukjin had meant.

Hyun Junghwa was stunned into speechlessness. What had just happened in front of her was just too shocking.

‘What… the hell is this…!’

____