《Return of the Irregular Appraiser》 Chapter 1 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 1: Regression ¡°Shit! Shit!¡± The curses kept coming out of my mouth. The realization that I can¡¯t be a real appraiser unless I awaken my magic. Facing the fact that no matter how much I rebelled, the outcome remained unchanged, I felt like I was going crazy. Even in this era where more than half of Earth¡¯s population has awakened, I couldn¡¯t awaken. Even with the development of artificial awakening devices, nothing changed for me, it didn¡¯t work for me as it did for others. Everyone around me awakened one by one, but I didn¡¯t. I tried like a madman, thinking that one day it would be my turn. Even in desperate situations, I stood strong, I didn¡¯t let go of my book even when it was difficult to move my body. But guess what? Even now, on the brink of death, I couldn¡¯t become a true appraiser. ¡°You son of a bitch! Chief, please hold on a little longer!¡± Our group of excavators, who had been collecting artifacts while exploring the ruins of an ancient civilization, was on the verge of annihilation. If I had been an awakener, if I had awakened earlier, would the outcome have been different? No, it would have. At the very least, I wouldn¡¯t have been so powerless. ¡°Berlin¡­ not the Berlin Gate. Cough!¡± The chief, who was injured and was leaning on me for support, stopped me ¡°It¡¯ll take an hour. If we can just get past the gate, we can survive too!¡± It was our final mission. Under the shadow of Salvation, I rolled around like a dog. Once this mission was complete, the promised reward would be a long rest for all the team. But that rest was to be a death sentence? To think that the end of our long and loyal service would be betrayal and upheaval. I couldn¡¯t let the chief go like this. He was the one who showed me that even in my world, which was only filled with dark clouds, there was also a clear sky. ¡°We¡¯re totally screwed. It seems like there¡¯s a traitor in Salvation. The Berlin Gate is dangerous.¡± ¡°Is there really a Traitor? They didn¡¯t abandon us, did they?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go getting so suspicious of everyone. Don¡¯t let your emotions get the best of you. Let¡¯s go to the Shanghai Gate first. Please¡­ I¡¯m begging you.¡± Even though my body was in shambles, I nodded. If it¡¯s not the gate leading to Berlin but the one leading to Shanghai, we¡¯ll have to travel for another week from here. Can we really evade their pursuit? The only fortunate thing is that the chief is an exceptional awakener, and thanks to the artifacts he possesses, my body is gradually recovering. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you¡¯re here. Woogil. Is this my destiny?¡± ¡°Do you still have the energy to joke around in this situation?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ Cough!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t laugh. We don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll encounter enemies. We need to conserve our strength.¡± ¡°I feel reassured.¡± The chief was the first person to extend a hand to me, while living like a cripple because I couldn¡¯t awaken. If he hadn¡¯t taken me with him as part of his excavation team, I would have collapsed long ago. Exploring the ruins of ancient magical civilizations and appraising artifacts was another joy for me and became an opportunity for my development. S?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The Tomb of the King. The tomb of the King ¡®Teraunus¡¯ who led the golden age of the ancient magical civilization. Our excavation team¡¯s final mission was to find the artifacts here. But little did we know that this would be our final mission as well. Cough! ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Damn it, Woogil. The book¡­¡± The leader took the book out of his pocket with trembling hands and handed it to me. An old, worn-out book. The only thing we managed to retrieve from the king¡¯s tomb after so much hardship was Teraunus¡¯s autobiography, just this one. If we had obtained magnificent treasures or artifacts, perhaps the regret would have been lessened. But to lose all our comrades and face death just to get a measly book like this¡­ it felt suffocating. ¡°¡­What on earth is this!¡± ¡°The book¡­ We must decode it to the end. You¡­ can do it. I chose you also because of your tenacious personality.¡± ¡°Please stop talking! We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Woogil.¡± Despite my concerns, the chief didn¡¯t stop talking. ¡°If by any chance we survive, let¡¯s retire for real now. It seems like those who envy our abilities have started to move. Let¡¯s go back to Korea. Let¡¯s go back to our hometown and live quietly.¡± I silently nodded my head. Instead of replying, I briskly moved my feet towards the Shanghai Gate. ¡°Is it safe here?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s someone trustworthy here. We should be able to cross the gate secretly.¡± Fortunately, the chief¡¯s condition had improved slightly during our journey to this place. I was tense at the thought that we might be targeted even at the Shanghai Gate, but luckily the person we met there smoothly sent us back to Earth. A sense of relief flooded over me as I set foot on Earth¡¯s soil. Now, I thought, only thing that was left was to get back to Korea. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± But hope quickly turned into despair. Shortly after crossing into China, Salvation¡¯s pursuers immediately caught up with us. ¡°How on earth!¡± ¡°They say you can know the depths of the water but not the depths of a person¡¯s heart¡­ Sorry. I trusted him¡­ Seems like he gave up our information.¡± I wonder if they thought they were sure to catch him on Earth, not in another dimension. With a futile expression, the chief handed me a scroll. ¡°This is¡­ It¡¯s a translated version of ancient texts and historical information that I personally compiled. It should help you decipher the autobiography.¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep the pursuers at bay. I¡¯ve always wanted to pass on all my emotional secrets to you someday. I¡¯m sorry I can only give you this. Woogil.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t! Chief! Chief!!¡± Like a testament, with those words, the chief threw me over the waterfall. In the distance, seeing the Salvation pursuers who looked like blurry dots and the chief turning back with a smile until the end, I resented my own helplessness. As someone who wasn¡¯t an awakener, I had no choice. I was just swept away by the rushing current. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chwak¨D! The only thing I could do was hold on tightly to the chest containing the book and autobiography the chief had given me, to ensure I didn¡¯t lose them. After being swept away for a long time, I was rescued by villagers from a small mountain village and settled there. Having lived abroad many times, Chinese wasn¡¯t particularly difficult for me. I didn¡¯t consider returning to Korea. With the whole world under their sphere of influence, I was sure that every smuggling flight to Korea was already monitored by Salvation. We had worked under them for several years, and now they were suddenly trying to bury us¡­ No, was there really a traitor trying to eliminate us? Disguised, I worked as a laborer in the small village, and whenever I had spare time, I relentlessly studied to decipher the book. Although deciphering ancient languages wasn¡¯t my specialty, I had a fair amount of knowledge, and the chief¡¯s translated version of the ancient text and the history book of the ancient civilization were of great help. [I, Teraunus, king of the ancient magical civilization and a wizard of truth, begin my autobiography as I look down from the Mountain of Time.] I worked day and night to interpret this autobiography perfectly. [In the grand flow of our lives, we move as if time and space are intertwined in a magical dance. I started much ahead than others from that starting point. Because I have eyes that pierce through all truths.] While it was interesting as it was an autobiography written by the king who led the ancient magical civilization at its peak, that was all it was. Literally an autobiography. Can this really be considered an artifact? When it comes to appraising artifacts, records from the past are significant evidence. While this may be true, our excavation team didn¡¯t endure all that hardship just to obtain that. ¡®No, if it¡¯s an ancient book written by Teraunus, surely his legacy must be preserved. Surely¡­¡¯ With that hope in mind, I settled in this small village for two years. I thought I had concealed my existence thoroughly, but Salvation¡¯s trackers had found their way here. I quickly understood the reason. The recent appraisals I had been helping with, evaluating items occasionally brought in by the villagers, had become a source of trouble. I thought I had gotten to know them over the course of two years, and here they betrayed me. Was it because I was getting older that my guard and heart had weakened? As I fled, the village was swiftly reduced to ruins. It seemed like they had killed everyone to silence them, probably to hide my existence. ¡°Darn it, who in Salvation is trying so hard to erase our excavation team?¡± The Salvation I knew wasn¡¯t this corrupt. There must be someone orchestrating the desire to kill our excavation team. But before thinking about that, survival was the priority. If it weren¡¯t for the shrewdness I¡¯ve practiced as a excavator, I would have been caught. By noticing the suspicious behavior of the villagers, I was able to escape beforehand. I immediately headed to the nearby harbor on my motorcycle. In preparation for such an event, I had been bribing the captain at the port consistently for two years. Sigh. Salvation¡¯s pursuit wouldn¡¯t end until they found my body. I might have to live my whole life in fear. Perhaps someday I¡¯ll slip through Salvation¡¯s pursuit. But at least I am determined to fulfill the chief¡¯s last request. And to do that, I need to find a safe place. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°When you arrive in Korea, I will let you know the location where 500,000 yuan is placed. Now, there is no need to return to China again.¡± ¡°Haha. Are you sure?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d lie after all the money I¡¯ve given you?¡± ¡°Alright. Just trust me and rest.¡± Although the captain told me to rest, I couldn¡¯t relax for even a second until the ship departed and arrived. ¡°Even if I die, I¡¯ll decipher this autobiography to the end.¡± What could this autobiography possibly be that all our members had to die for it? It was unfair, but I had to unravel that secret. After arriving in Korea and reaching the safe house, my tension finally melted away. As my body relaxed and my breath quickened, tears streamed down my face. I felt a sense of relief after finally returning home but at the same time, I was filled with anger and frustration. ¡°Haaaaa¡­¡± Lying on the sofa in the dusty underground room, I pondered for a long time. The gritty texture at my fingertips. I took out the only possession left in my arms, the autobiography of Teraunus. ¡°I will¡­ interpret it all. Perfectly.¡± * * * Three more years passed. I invested a total of five years, two in China and three in Korea, to ensure there were no gaps, errors, or mistakes in interpreting the ancient language. In addition to the time it took to hide my identity, this book was particularly tricky to decipher. Unlike common languages, ancient languages have many variations in interpretation, and they change greatly depending on the time period. It was a feast of highly encrypted sentences that required not only knowledge of ancient languages but also a good understanding of the history of ancient civilizations in general to decipher. But in the end, I deciphered it all. I placed the autobiography on the clean desk and unfolded the last page. [¡­ And so, as my life comes to an end, so does my story. But the truth continues forever. My magic, my wisdom, my teachings are engraved here. To the one who reads this, if you understand my story, there will be a gift. To you, with infinite potential, our story does not end with the last sentence of this autobiography.] The story on the last page was quite significant. It seemed like all the stories up to now were trying to tell me something. ¡°It doesn¡¯t end with the last sentence?¡± Finally, I turned over the rather thick last page of the book and closed it. In that moment, Woong¡ª The book began to glow with a faint blue light, its intricate mana circuitry glowing. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± It felt as though something was being sucked into my body. An inexplicable sense of buoyancy enveloped me. ¡°I did it. Finally¡­!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud!! At that moment, the usually quiet front door creaked loudly as the latch fell off. ¡°There you are. Kim Woogil.¡± A man dressed in black, with only his eyes visible, approached me holding a long sword. The scars around his eyes, the dragon pattern engraved on the hilt of the sword, a style of attire I had never seen before. ¡®Who is this?¡¯ In a brief moment, I scanned him quickly, but the information I could gather was limited. ¡°You¡¯ve been hiding persistently. It¡¯s time to die.¡± The only thing the man wanted from me was death. Puook¡ª ¡°Cough¡­!!¡± My head went white as a dizzying pain shot through my heart. As blood flowed profusely and the metallic smell filled my mouth, a single message floated into my hazy vision. [You can turn back time.] [Will you go back?] Unable to speak due to the blood filling my throat, I simply nodded. [Turning back time.] With that brief message, my vision faded to black. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 2 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 2: Awakening A feeling of exhaustion washed over me. ¡°Ugh.¡± My body feels heavy, and I feel nauseous. As if I¡¯ve been drinking. [Awakening conditions have been met.] [Awakening mana.] [Acquiring Insight Eyes.] A mysterious message appeared mid air. Beyond it, a white ceiling and an old desk are visible. ¡°What is this?¡± What is Insight Eyes, and what are these messages appearing in the air? Where am I? ¡°Why does this feel so familiar?¡± I looked around in a daze. The moldy wallpaper, the worn bookshelves, the creaking bed frame, it was only then that I realized where I was ¡°What the hell is this?¡± With puzzled eyes, I frantically searched through the books on the crooked bookshelf. ¡°Kim Woogil¡­ my room?¡± Looking at my name written on the book cover and the sticky notes attached to the desk, I realized. They were clearly things I had written. ¡°Come to think of it¡­.¡± [You can turn back time.] [Would you like to go back?] [Turning back time.] The messages I saw just before dying. I was so disoriented that I didn¡¯t even have time to think about whether it was true or not. All I could think was how desperately I wanted to turn back time. Lowering my gaze, I thoroughly examined my body. No wounds, no traces whatsoever. Frantically, I dashed out of the room and looked into the mirror in the bathroom. ¡°This is insane¡­.¡± A face with untreated, glowing skin and no scars. A high bridge of the nose and piercing eyes. I splashed water and wiped the mirror tightly, but it was the same. This was undoubtedly me in my twenties. My past self. This time, I left the bathroom and looked for my phone lying around somewhere. I rummaged through my bed and found it. May 12, 2035. Whether this was a dream or reality, even after slapping my cheek three times to wake up, I didn¡¯t. Pain was just an added bonus. ¡®Is this¡­ even possible?¡¯ Frantically, I searched the internet. Not only news, articles, and various communities, but I even looked up game update information. ¡°Really¡­, it¡¯s 2035, isn¡¯t it?¡± Woogil, who flopped down on the bed, calmed his excitement and calmly organized his thoughts. ¡°Awakening, Insight Eye, Regression¡­.¡± There¡¯s no way all of this suddenly happened to me. There must have been some important trigger¡­ ¡°The Autobiography of Teraunus!¡± At the same time, Woogil recalled Teraunus¡¯s life. The infinite talent to interfere with time and the eyes that could penetrate the essence of everything. ¡®And his last words.¡¯ [There will be a gift. To you, with infinite possibilities, our story will not end with the last sentence of this autobiography.] ¡®Surely it was written like that.¡¯ [Insight Eye] Using mana to penetrate the essence. The Insight Eye that emerged within Woogil was clearly the same as what Teraunus possessed. ¡®So, this was what he meant by gift¡­.¡¯ Everyone from the excavation team had been disappointed by the fact that all the effort to reach the king¡¯s tomb resulted in just one autobiography. But the value held within that small book was immense, irreplaceable by any artifact. ¡°The reward for the first decipherment of the ancient book¡­, I never would have imagined it would be something so unbelievable¡­.¡± Not only being able to turn back time but possessing special abilities as well¡­ It was beyond belief. ¡°Ha, hahaha¡­, hahaha¡­.¡± I suddenly began to laugh as if I had lost his mind. After about a minute, his eyes, filled with complex emotions, changed. ¡°You must have known about this situation, right? Isn¡¯t that so?¡± I asked Teraunus. If you were so great, if you saw all the truth, if you knew that I would get this autobiography, wouldn¡¯t you have deliberately given me the opportunity to get revenge? S?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. I have lived a hell of a life, ravaged by Salvation, betrayed by those I trusted, and lost all my friends. With nothing but hatred, enmity, and anger for them to sustain him, I finished his autobiography, deciphered it all, and now I¡¯m back. ¡°It¡¯s 2035¡­, if the meeting with the chief is in 2040, then there are 5 years left?¡± There is enough time to uncover the secrets. Whether the traitor of Salvation sought to eliminate the excavation team, or if Salvation had abandoned them, and if so, why did they try so viciously to kill everyone, and who was the person who ultimately killed him. ¡°Let¡¯s uncover it all.¡± Woogil was confident. In my past life, I lived on, barely surviving until the moment of death without ever awakening, devoid of mana. But this time, not only did I awaken my mana, but I also gained the special ability of Insight Eyes. ¨C Woogil, do you know why I chose you? It¡¯s because you¡¯re the most tenacious one among all those I¡¯ve seen! Haha! If you awaken, you¡¯ll become my greatest asset!¡± That was what the chief used to say. Now that I¡¯ve awakened, I can find out if that statement is true or not. ¡®I¡¯ll prove it. Chief.¡¯ The various textbooks lined up on the bookshelf. They were all about appraisers. ¡°Appraisers¡­.¡± There is no profession better than an appraiser to uncover secrets. Now that I¡¯ve awakened my mana as well, I have confidence that I can easily surpass the countless appraisers in the world and climb to the top. Even comparing appraisers now to those of 20 years later seems laughable. ¡®Since it¡¯s come to this, I¡¯ll become the greatest appraiser and fulfill the chief¡¯s wishes.¡¯ Prevent the downfall of Korea, find the traitor of Salvation, and once again return to Teraunus¡¯s tomb. That was the only purpose that came to mind right now. ¡°Hmm.¡± Once my thoughts were somewhat organized, I instinctively searched for a cigarette in my pocket. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Back then, I hardly smoked to save money. But upon searching my pockets and the desk, there was no sight of cigarettes. ¡®It might be a good idea to quit smoking now.¡¯ It¡¯s better to quit while my lungs are somewhat healthy. However, when I inadvertently opened the slightly open desk drawer, I saw a blue cigarette pack deep inside. ¡°What kind of cigarette is this? Did I smoke this before?¡± No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t remember. It wasn¡¯t because it was too long ago, it was just that the memory was just hazy. Woogil always smoked the same brand of cigarettes. [Insight Eyes activated.] [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Suddenly, his head felt dizzy, and mana was sucked away. [Oriental Tobacco] This is a cigarette made from tobacco imbued with mana. If you smoke it to utilize mana, you can absorb the mana inside. ¡ÎSolar Calendar 2033, March 19th ¡ÎSmoking increases mana slightly. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± As mana was depleted, he felt a slight dizziness. ¡®Is this what Insight Eyes is like?¡¯ It seems that Insight Eyes activates when I focus on something using mana. Woogil immediately checked the pen rolling beside him. [P71 Pen] A pen made by Pelikana. Made of stainless steel with gold coating, it exhibits clear sharpness and appropriate sensitivity. ¡ÎSolar Calendar 2035, January 8th ¡®Solar¡­, does that mean the year of manufacture?¡¯ It certainly seemed so. It seemed to provide information such as name, summary of the item, year of manufacture, and effectiveness level. ¡®It seems to require a lot of mana.¡¯ Setting aside the pen, Woogil picked up the Oriental tobacco. The initials ¡®D.K.¡¯ were engraved on the tip of the cigarette. Reading the description, I remembered. I had bought it desperately, thinking I could gain mana by smoking it. But instead of mana, I found the taste unsatisfactory and angrily shoved it into the drawer. ¡°So, this required mana from the start.¡± With trembling hands, I picked up the cigarette and put it in his mouth. Then, using the lighter that was also in the drawer, I lit the end of the cigarette and drew it in. ¡°Whew¡­.¡± I don¡¯t know why my fingertips are trembling like this, even though I¡¯m not a regular smoker. A bitter and stale taste filled my mouth. But even that had its own unique flavor. It felt different from the taste I remembered from back then. Tap, tap¡­ After tapping off the ash, I felt a slight surge of mana within my body. ¡®There¡¯s really an effect, isn¡¯t there?¡¯ To increase mana, one must fundamentally understand its usage, breathing techniques, storage methods, and so on. But the fact that smoking a cigarette alone could increase mana was quite revolutionary. ¡°Where did I buy this?¡± Because it was so long ago, my memory was fuzzy. I seemed to have bought it from some street vendor in a back alley¡­ ¡°D.K¡­, D.K¡­.¡± No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t remember. Quickly putting on some clothes and slipping the cigarette into the pocket of my jacket, Woogil headed straight for the Trade Center in Yongsan. ¡®I have about 15 million won in my account. Let¡¯s first check if there¡¯s anything I need.¡¯ It was the money I had saved after working hard and saving it for three years. It was money I had saved with the promise of awakening someday, but I never imagined I would use it in this way. Among the various items and consumables for awakened individuals, there was the Trade Center, Seoul¡¯s largest shopping district. In particular, the street on the side of Yongmun-dong was lined with small shops, and there were many street vendors, especially unknown artisans. Most of the items were of low quality, but occasionally, unexpected items would pop out. Thus, there was a steady demand in the neighborhood. ¡°Young man! Come over here! I have a lot of good stuff!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing over there! Before you go there, take a look around here first!¡± ¡°Hehe! Look here. This is something I specially ordered this time¡­¡± Ignoring the merchant¡¯s sales pitches lightly, I scanned through the items quickly, moving on. ¡®Cigarettes, cigarettes, cigarettes¡­.¡¯ Even after roughly looking around all the shops in Yongmun-dong, I couldn¡¯t find anything resembling Oriental tobacco, let alone cigarettes. But there wasn¡¯t anything particularly appealing anyway. ¡°Hmm?¡± [Ancient Bookstore] The signboard was very simple and unassuming. It seemed like the kind of place people would pass by without a second thought. Inside, the owner, an elderly woman, was watching TV and chuckling to herself. ¡°Boss, can I take a look around?¡± ¡°Uh, Sure.¡± The elderly woman casually nodded and gave a brief explanation. ¡°Just take a quick look around. There are ancient books written in ancient languages in that corner.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Oh! What¡¯s with the ¡®oh¡¯? Can you read them?¡± ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m just quite interested in ancient languages.¡± In reality, I had been studying ancient languages for nearly five years while interpreting Teraunus¡¯s memoirs. But the volume of ancient languages was so vast that memorization alone wasn¡¯t enough to interpret them like any other language. Even though my appraisal ability had improved dramatically in the five years after my regression, it was still impossible to read ancient languages on the spot without an interpretation. The elderly woman muttered something about ¡®young people and their pretensions¡­¡¯ before quickly losing interest and turning back to the TV. Woogil casually browsed the shelves and, with little expectation, headed towards the section with ancient books. ¡®There¡¯s hardly any chance of finding any proper ancient books in a place like this.¡¯ Most of the ancient books that poured in like a torrent from other dimensions were usually novels, diaries, scribbles, and other useless things, so ancient books like these were often left neglected in the market. The problem is that many of the useful books among those ancient books are often passed around on the market because they cannot be interpreted. Moreover, if perfect translations of ancient languages weren¡¯t achieved even twenty years later, what could one expect now? Excluding professional appraisers, no one even attempts to decipher ancient languages. Among them, the true value of the really important ancient books would be astronomical, but finding them would be akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Most likely, the ones here are all useless books. Woogil quickly scanned the shelves. [??????????] [??????????????] [?????¡­¡­.] The ancient language, resembling some kind of cipher, wasn¡¯t easy for me to interpret on the spot. But¡­ [Insight Eyes activated.] The language of the ancient book I was holding began to read naturally to me. [Understanding of Mana] [How to Throw a Spear] [Using the Wind¡­.] ¡°This is fucking crazy¡­.¡± Unconsciously, I reached for a cigarette within the embrace, as if drawn into my hand, and put back the cigarette I had grasped back into my pocket. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 3 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 3: Collector When I returned home, I had spent a whopping 1 million won to purchase a single ancient book which was now tucked in my bag. ¡°This is why I can¡¯t do business.¡± Who would buy an unreadable ancient book for a million won? Especially in a place where people are already struggling financially. No one would buy it unless they were overflowing with money or were crazy, but here it is. ¡°An ancient bookstore¡­ I should visit a few more times.¡± [Understanding Mana] I couldn¡¯t properly read the contents inside. To understand them, I needed to use Insight Eyes and mana. I didn¡¯t check all the books in the bookstore, but apart from this one, the ones I did check seemed utterly useless. [The Story of a Discarded Stone by the Roadside] [How to Enjoy Sleeping] [The Night I Had a Strange Dream] [My daily ramblings of boring times]. I didn¡¯t have an abundance of mana to check all the books there, so I just picked one with certainty and left. ¡°To think I¡¯d find this here¡­¡± I sat down in the chair and checked the first page of the book and saw the author¡¯s name. Author: Emperor Cartia De Mari¨¦ Swakalen Cartia. A genius mage of the ancient magical era, who was to be revealed five years later. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that I chose this book because of the author. The insights and knowledge contained in this person¡¯s books were so deep and vast that they were difficult to comprehend even in the modern era. Of course, the problem was that interpreting one book properly required an immense amount of time. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen these books in my previous life.¡¯ S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. To think they were hidden in a place like this. What¡¯s important is the high probability that this ancient book is an original. The material of the book, the format of the characters, the handwriting of the ancient language¡­ many things pointed to it being an original. ¡°Ah¡­¡± My heart raced. An original ancient book by Cartia, and one that no one had deciphered before. The significance of being able to decipher it for the first time was profound. Not all ancient books are like this, but occasionally, exceptional authors like Teraunus included a kind of reward for the first decipherer. Legacy. Also known as succession. Although it would be revealed later, it was a device left by the greatest minds of the ancient magical civilization for future generations. ¡®Could Cartia¡¯s legacy also be present in this book¡­?¡¯ Didn¡¯t I gain regression and insight eyes by deciphering Teraunus¡¯s autobiography for the first time? In many cases, the reason why most people fail to decipher them is because a perfect decryption is often impossible. Many authors didn¡¯t leave such rewards in the first place. However, I possess insight. In any case, I can perceive the truth. If it¡¯s Cartia¡¯s ancient book, it¡¯s reasonable to expect such things. [Insight Eyes is activated.] A faint white light beam appeared inside the ancient book, flowing along the edges of the book following its title. As if showcasing the uniqueness of this ancient book. ¡°Is it indicating that there¡¯s a legacy?¡± Woogil takes out another ancient book tucked in a corner of the bookshelf. [???????????????] [Insight Eyes is activated.] The ancient characters vanished as if they were consumed by fire, and Korean translations emergeed above. [A Day in the Life of a Flying Bird] It was a book I bought claiming to study ancient languages in the past. It ultimately didn¡¯t help, though. ¡®Well, it didn¡¯t work this time.¡¯ I attempted insight again, but no white light emerged as it did before. Gradually, the hypothesis turned into certainty. ¡°I¡¯ll understand everything once I decipher them all.¡± I unfolded [Understanding Mana]. Chapter 1: What is Mana? ¡¸Mana is an intangible substance that exists in the world, characterized by its harmonization with nature¡­¡¹ The ancient languages written fluidly responded in real-time to my intent. Usually, even if translated into Korean, understanding the content would be difficult, but I perfectly comprehended it as it was. ¡®Mana is a naturally occurring force, and its production is increased by interacting with the mana around it. Is this it?¡¯ It seemed that this was the reason why the earth had a dimensional connection and an explosion of mana. I was intrigued. Apart from the interpretation of the text, it was quite fun for me to learn a little bit about this unknown power. Perhaps I would have gotten bored quickly if I didn¡¯t understand the texts themselves, but thanks to Insight¡¯s ability, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand them. ¡°Ugh.¡± By the tenth chapter, my head ached like it was going to crack. The mana in my body was completely depleted, and I could no longer interpret the contents of the book. ¡®Is 10 chapters a day the limit of my mana?¡¯ After using up all my mana, the feeling of exhaustion was no joke. Dizziness and fatigue overtook me. I flopped on the bed and closed my eyes. Hum¡ªHum¡ª A vibrating sound ringed in my head. I irritably snatched my cell phone out of my sleep and checked the caller ID. [Asshole] ¡°Hmm¡­ Asshole. Yeah, I don¡¯t forget Assholes.¡± Even in a dazed state, seeing the name Asshole felt like a jolt of clarity. Should I answer? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m unaware of this person¡¯s character and their trash-like qualities, and I¡¯ve even awakened to it. Is there really a need to get involved? But contrary to my thoughts, my fingers naturally move towards the call button. ¨C Hey, Kim Woogil. Get out here right now. He¡¯s still bossing people around like slaves. It was another confirmation that my memory hadn¡¯t been distorted at all. ¡°Why?¡± ¨C Why? Is this punk still half-asleep? Just woke up? ¡°Yes, I just woke up a moment ago.¡± ¨C Tsk, wake up. There¡¯s work to do, so come out immediately. ¡°Is it urgent?¡± ¨C Yeah. I¡¯ll add a bit more to your pay too. When I was younger, I was gaslighted by this guy for over a year. In the process, my body was ruined and I didn¡¯t make much money. My physical condition isn¡¯t great now, but it¡¯ll deteriorate rapidly in a few months. ¡®Come to think of it, disappearing might not be an option after all.¡¯ I had a contract with the bastard. I was tricked into signing a contract with an asshole who said he was going to pay me a lot of money, but then he took this off, took that off, and gave me all kinds of reasons, and I ended up getting paid less than minimum wage. It¡¯s a job that involves running barefoot into a battlefield with real-time combat and collecting loot. The danger pay alone should have been several times more than what I was receiving, but this scammer practically used me for free. Despite knowing I was deceived and being trapped by the contract, I couldn¡¯t even move a muscle and worked anyway. ¨C Hey! You punk. What are you doing? Not answering? Have you lost your mind? Want to die? While reminiscing about the past, there was a moment of silence, and then immediately came a threat. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¨C Yeah, that¡¯s a nice way to say it. Hurry up. You realize that if you¡¯re a minute late, I¡¯ll take a chunk out of your salary, right? Click. The call ends with me saying my piece and hanging up. Then, the location and time come through as a message. [To the office near Hapjeong Station by 3:30 PM.] Current time: 2:30 PM. One hour remaining. If I leave now, I can just about make it. ¡°Sigh¡­ I momentarily forgot about that one bastard I need to get rid of first.¡± For 20 years, I hadn¡¯t forgotten about this damn bastard. Recalling the past, I wondered how things would have turned out if I had done this at that time, or if I had done that, how I could have crushed this guy completely. I wondered how many fantasies I had. Using awakening abilities isn¡¯t the only way to handle him. However, isn¡¯t it foolish to have acquired abilities and not use them? ¡°Just crushing him with brute force would be boring. It¡¯s not my style.¡± As I packed up my clothes and headed out the door, I was still thinking. I didn¡¯t stop thinking about it until I got on the subway. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡¯ When expectations turn into reality, people feel immense happiness and a sense of accomplishment. But when they realize it¡¯s all a lie, the recoil hits them hard, as high as they¡¯ve climbed. ¡®Let me make you realize how terrifying despair is.¡¯ [PR/N: Ayo demn¡­] Creak- Turning the rusty latch of the old metal door, the noisy sound pierced my ears. A man with a rugged appearance and arms full of tattoos, his black shirt unbuttoned at the top. Kang Chanwook, the CEO. That scoundrel is the bastard in question. ¡°Hey, why are you coming so late? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re supposed to come and wait in advance? You¡¯ve been working here for months and still are so clueless?¡± I left immediately after hanging up the phone. I wanted to say, ¡®Did you expect me to anticipate the call and leave early?¡¯ That crazy bastard. But I held back for the satisfaction it would bring later. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Tsk. Pack your stuff. We¡¯re leaving right away.¡± I picked up the large backpack and toolbox that were on the table and went outside. We transferred our belongings to a fairly large van and headed to the operation area. ¡°We¡¯re going to Planet Herta, Sector E.¡± ¡°Sector E? Not Sector F?¡± Another employee who was going to the operation area asked. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the problem? Don¡¯t you ever work outside Sector F? Sometimes you should go to Sector E too. That way, more work comes in. Is that bad for you? If you want work, you have to accept and do things like this! Anyway, these youngsters don¡¯t understand how things work.¡± A man who muttered a word and bowed my head in reprimand. He¡¯s an employee named Hwang Myeongsu. That guy¡¯s life is quite pathetic. He¡¯s already twenty and still working under that bastard. ¡°Sector E¡­ Come to think of it, today¡¯s the day.¡± The incident where the Salvation¡¯s operation team was attacked by monsters while killing monsters invading Sector E to retrieve loot. Although war Sectors in Herta were generally like that, it¡¯s rare for monsters to attack again in Sector E. That¡¯s why the Excavation Team was mobilized, but monsters attacked again, killing hunters and attacking the Excavation Team. A very rare case happened when I went. ¡®Thanks to the sacrifices of the hunters, most of the Excavation Team survived, but there were casualties.¡¯ Basically, only the personnel from the government agency, Salvation, and directly affiliated companies are sent in groups of nearly thirty for each operation. However, in cases where there were gaps in personnel, they also urgently brought in the Excavation Team members from small offices. It was a fact I only learned later, but it¡¯s not an easy task for the Excavation Team from the small office to enter Sector E, let alone Sector F. I didn¡¯t realize it before, but that bastard seemed to have quite some abilities. ¡°If¡­¡± When Ii, who had been silent still, spoke up, the bastard¡¯s expression soured. He shot me a fierce glare as if to say, ¡®Let¡¯s see what kind of nonsense you¡¯re trying to pull again.¡¯ ¡°What if Sector E gets attacked again, and we¡¯re in danger?¡± ¡°This idiot. The monsters that invaded Sector E have already been killed. What attack are you talking about? Are you just making excuses because you don¡¯t want to go?¡± ¡°But what if? Then, will we get hazard pay?¡± ¡°Ha! Why are you acting up today of all days? Fine! I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hwang Myeongsu, who was next to me, asked in surprise. His face showed expectation, but it was quickly shattered. ¡°If we get attacked, I¡¯ll pay you 5 times this time, no, 10 times. But if there¡¯s no attack, you won¡¯t get paid for this job. What will you do?¡± Hwang Myeongsu, who had been eagerly anticipating it, made me lose my appetite. Everyone here knew it was nonsensical talk, but they didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Okay, ten times.¡± ¡°What? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. Write it in the contract. So there¡¯s no changing your mind later.¡± The bastard, who seemed to know something, hastily pulled out a document and scribbled with a pen. ¡°This idiot must still be half asleep. Sign it.¡± The asshole threw the paper at him, and I looked at it casually. If you¡¯ve given it, that should be the end of it. Why keep staring? ¡°Just get it done.¡± Ignoring the impatient bastard, I checked the contract. It was because this bastard might have played tricks on the contract. ¡°Well, at least he didn¡¯t mess with it. I¡¯ve written hundreds of contracts while trading artifacts in the past. By just quickly scanning, I could easily tell if there were any traps in it. There wasn¡¯t time to think about whether I would win or not. If I had had the leisure, I would have torn him apart somehow. Swish, swish. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Did you change the signature?¡± ¡°Yes. I decided to start fresh.¡± ¡°What a pain.¡± They each wrote two copies of the contract and put one in their pockets. Other employees looked at me as if I were crazy, but I shrugged it off. They arrived at the gate leading to the Herta Planet in no time and passed a simple inspection procedure. Hummm¡­ A queasy feeling churned in my stomach. I didn¡¯t realize it when I had no mana, but now They hadn¡¯t noticed it when they didn¡¯t have mana, but it was difficult to adapt now that they had it. The phenomenon of mana adaptation experienced by awakened individuals as they cross the gate. This can be adapted through training, but for those experiencing it for the first time, some end up vomiting. ¡°Ugh, feels like I¡¯m gonna throw up.¡± I wanted to get it all out of my system, but with that bastard in front of me, I couldn¡¯t. I walked as casually as possible. I¡¯ll probably get used to it after a few times back and forth. After receiving instructions, I waited with other Excavation Team members and then got into the car. We arrived at Sector E after crossing through Sector F. Sectors F and E are divided based on the danger level of the area. ¡°It feels new after a long time.¡± A desolate plain made up of blue soil. In the center, a giant energy absorber planted on the ground hummed as it operated. And beyond that, hundreds of monster corpses lay scattered across the hill where they had moved further. There were also hunters resting and preparing their equipment, panting. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work, everyone!¡± Dozens of dump trucks moved, passing through the corpses. Excavation Team members on board rushed down and began stabbing the corpses with dismantling knives. This was to extract mana essence from the monsters¡¯ bodies. Mana essence gradually depletes from monsters the moment they die. Extracting it as quickly as possible and storing it in special containers prevents mana wastage, so the work is carried out on-site. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Specialized Excavation Teams moved first, followed by the office personnel who had urgently joined. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± I was just about to climb onto the dump truck when a friendly-looking hunter approached and spoke to me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Hunter Kim Junghyun? Wow, you really have a good personality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. you really have a good personality.¡± Kim Junghyun moved somewhere. It was just to confirm that there might be a possibility of other monsters attacking. I followed Kim Junghyun, who was running faster than the dump truck. ¡°Hmm?¡± In the distance, seven giant pillars stuck to the ground. Something was swaying above Kim Jungyun, who went to check underneath. [Insight eyes activated.] For a moment, it felt like getting hit in the head, but the pain wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°This is crazy¡­!¡± He had been wondering when to tell about the monsters¡¯ attack, but their appearance was now clearly visible in my eyes. The monsters sat quietly atop the pillars, their eyes fixed on Kim Junghyun. Their gazes seemed pretty terrifying. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 4 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 4: Rescue I didn¡¯t know the details of how the monsters attacked at that time. I was too busy catching the monster corpses and cutting them up, so I didn¡¯t have the time or opportunity to see anything else. ¡®I was just focused on escaping at that time.¡¯ There was no plan in place. The sudden attack by the monsters. For those who were not hunters, facing the monsters head-on could only lead to panic. I was no different. When I saw the giant monster with its mouth wide open and screaming right in front of me, I felt as if my heart would stop, it was so dizzying. I don¡¯t even remember who rescued me. All I knew was that someone, a hunter, had grabbed me and put me on a dumping truck that was rushing away. Even as I arrived, my body trembled as if I were praying for my life. ¡®This time will be different.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t come here out of pity or a sense of justice. Just basic decency. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to prevent accidents if possible? ¡®The reason so many people died in the past was because monsters attacked.¡¯ Hunter Kim Junghyun was here. The reason many people survived despite the ambush last time was due to Hunter Kim Junghyun¡¯s actions. ¡®I thought just warning about the ambush would be enough, but it even sees through stealth.¡¯ The ability of insight is beyond imagination. Even Kim Junghyun doesn¡¯t seem to notice the presence of the monsters lurking right in front of him. ¡®How should I inform him?¡¯ Should I lie and say I have the ability to see through stealth? Or should I just casually mention it as intuition? ¡°Ahem.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Mr. Woogil?¡± ¡°Um, I suddenly feel a bit unwell.¡± Sweeping my arms down and shaking my body slightly, I coughed, causing the nearby employees to take a step back hesitantly. Even the other office workers who rode in the same dumping truck looked around cautiously and distanced themselves. ¡°I can handle it alone over there since I can move it myself.¡± I pointed over there, in front of the seven pillars, where laid the carcass of a small monster. ¡°It¡¯s probably best to do that. Just in case.¡± ¡°Yes. Cough! I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± I made sure to keep my distance from the others while maintaining the act. Fortunately, the monsters seemed to have no intention of moving. Was Kim Junghyun being cautious? But why would they want to attack here again? First, let¡¯s inform Kim Junghyun about this situation. ¡°Hello again. Nice to see you.¡± ¡°Oh! You¡¯re the collector from earlier. What brings you here¡­?¡± ¡°Well, cough! I¡¯m not feeling well, so I came over here to avoid being near people.¡± ¡°I see. Take care then.¡± Kim Junghyun smiled brightly. Even his smile was handsome. Combined with his shining personality, he was the epitome of a perfect human being, with skills, looks, and character, all in one. ¡°What do we have here?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ nothing. Just came to take a look around.¡± ¡°Sorry if I disturbed you.¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± Feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be wise to linger here any longer, I withdrew once again. Then, I drew a knife from my bosom and stabbed the sprawled corpse of the monster on the ground. ¡®Judging by his reaction, I think he sensed something. Didn¡¯t he?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t be certain that someone was hiding here, but he definitely felt something strange. So why would someone linger around here among many other places? ¡®I rather like it.¡¯ I changed my plan and continued to jab the knife into the corpse while trembling and coughing, trying to attract Kim Junghyun¡¯s attention. ¡°Ah, my body isn¡¯t listening to me.¡± Muttering to myself, I glanced back briefly. Kim Junghyun seemed uninterested, still lingering near the pillars. ¡°Argh! Why are these muscles so tough¡­ huh? My knife!¡± I shouted loudly to make sure Kim Junghyun heard, then threw the knife high behind him. The spinning blade flew accurately towards the top of the pillar. Simultaneously, Kim Junghyun, who seemed to rise from the ground as if floating, effortlessly caught the knife thrown by me. ¡®Oh no¡­! What if he catches it! I was trying to provoke a reaction from that monster by hitting it with the knife¡­¡¯ In that moment of confusion and panic. Whoo¨D Scream!! Kim Junghyun, floating near the top of the pillar, swiftly turned and used the knife he caught to slice the neck of the monster that had been hiding on top of the pillar. Though the knife used for dissecting corpses wasn¡¯t particularly long, when infused with Kim Junghyun¡¯s magic, the blade extended significantly, easily slicing through the monster¡¯s neck in one stroke. Keiiiiik!! Kraaaaaaa!! Simultaneously, a deafening roar echoes from the seven pillars. A feeling of pressure that seemed to be weighing down the space enveloped me. My body didn¡¯t move. I thought since my mana had awakened, I would be a little less scared now, but that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®On the contrary, awakening my mana makes everything feel even clearer.¡¯ It¡¯s remarkable how powerful those monsters are. And Kim Junghyun, who swiftly took down such monsters, is also an incredibly skilled hunter. Graaaaaaah!! At that moment, my gaze met the blue eyes of the monster at the end of the pillar. I felt as if an unknown force was binding me. For an instant, my body stiffened, and my mind went blank. Kim Junghyun, who had just defeated the monster, seemed to be running towards him. The handsome face he knew suddenly contorted oddly, and a strange hostility towards him engulfed his mind. ¡®An enemy¡­.¡¯ [Insight Eyes activated.] The crimson intangible mana flowing from the monster¡¯s body fluctuated, connecting me and the blue-eyed monster. ¡®Huh.¡¯ The complex flows of mana contained within it were clear to him. ¡®Here¡­¡¯ As if mesmerized by something, the blue energy I sent out pierced a point, and the black-red energy streams turned into powder and scattered away. [Resisting.] ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­!¡± S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Forcing out a breath, I felt something tightening around my body. The uncomfortable sensation of being constricted made me exhale heavily. ¡°Haa¡­.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kim Junghyun, who had approached me, inquired while examining his complexion. ¡°Uh, yes.¡± For a moment, my mouth felt parched. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± Kim Junghyun grabbed my waist and pulled me close to his side. Kwaaaaah!! As he leaped, a huge crater appeared on the ground. The thick-skinned monster had attacked the spot where Kim Junghyun had been standing. ¡®Insane¡­ Is this really Sector E?¡¯ It was weird. There were monsters with stealth abilities in Sector E that even Kim Junghyun couldn¡¯t detect. And the fact that Kim Junghyun is present here of all places adds to the peculiarity. ¡°Please stay here for a moment.¡± Kim Junghyun lifted me onto the dumping truck about to depart. Somehow, the sensation and the situation felt familiar. ¡®Did Hunter Kim Junghyun save me back then?¡¯ The feeling of the hand wrapping around my waist was similar to that time. ¡°Everyone, run away!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a raid! Everyone, get on the dumping truck!¡± Bang! Bang! ¡°Go! Go! Go!¡± A man from another small office jumped onto the cargo bed of the adjacent truck and banged on the rear window of the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°What are you doing? Everyone hasn¡¯t boarded yet!¡± ¡°Shut up! Is that important right now? We¡¯ll be swept up by them if we stay here!¡± A man with a long scar on his cheek and short hair frowned deeply and jumped out of the cargo bed, then flung open the driver¡¯s side door. ¡°Get down you bastard!¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± The man forcibly pulled the panicked driver out. ¡°Hey, what the fuck are you doing¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You asshole, you can go fuck yourself.¡± He pushed the driver to the ground and climbed into the driver¡¯s seat. Vroom! Vroom! The loud engine roared to life with a quick start. ¡®No matter how much I want to live, it¡¯s still like that.¡¯ I looked at the adjacent truck as I waited for the people positioned on this side of the dumping truck to climb aboard. Thanks to Kim Junghyun quickly spotting the monsters and taking the initiative, the hunters were able to respond promptly. As a result, there was enough time for the members of the excavation team to escape. However, even though half of the people hadn¡¯t boarded yet, the man started the engine and took off. ¡°Stop! There are still people who haven¡¯t boarded yet¡ª¡± At that moment, a member of the excavation team spread his arms and stood in front of the vehicle. Boom! Thud! However, the dumping truck, seemingly oblivious to the presence of the person in front, continued forward, hitting and passing by the man. ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that guy¡­?¡± The man, who had been flung over the truck¡¯s front windshield, tumbled through the air before crashing onto the ground. Those who witnessed the scene widened their eyes and covered their mouths in shock. ¡°Where did that murderer come from?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we shouldn¡¯t just accept anyone!¡± Salvation affiliated excavation team members undergo rigorous training before being allowed to come here. The war zone is a hazardous area where unexpected situations can occur at any time. Therefore, employees are thoroughly trained and deployed for operations. Despite such efforts, incidents like this still happen occasionally, but there has never been anyone as reckless as this. Part of the reason why it¡¯s difficult for small offices to participate in war zones beyond sector E is because of incidents like these. Perhaps this incident would result in the small office receiving a lifetime license suspension and collapsing entirely. The CEO might never be able to set foot in this area again. ¡°Shit! Hurry up and get in here!¡± ¡°They¡¯re over there too, so let¡¯s split up! Quickly!¡± They looked at the truck driving away with disgusted expressions and then turned their gaze this way. I felt uncomfortable, as if sitting on a thorn cushion. Although they weren¡¯t from the same office, they were still both external office employees. I understood. This incident would undoubtedly tarnish the image of external office employees among cooperative partners. They would be criticized as incompetent individuals who didn¡¯t learn properly. And hardworking external office employees like me would unfairly suffer a decrease in workload. ¡®That damn guy ruined our image.¡¯ ¡°Everyone¡¯s on board! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± Once everyone had boarded our truck also took off. Fortunately, the damage to the excavation team members was minimal, thanks to Kim Junghyun spotting the danger early on and the hunters quickly intervening to block the monsters. However, the hunters themselves suffered significant losses. On the monster¡¯s side, there was a named monster that was rarely seen in Sector E. ¡°Are you okay? You seemed to have locked eyes with the monster earlier.¡± My office colleague, Park Junpyo, approached me, expressing concern. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You were lucky. Whew. That¡¯s a relief.¡± Despite being in his late thirties, Park Junpyo was a man who maintained his livelihood by working in the excavation team. He was the most trusted and relied-upon figure in my office. ¡°Are you okay, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± I stick my chest out as if I¡¯m fine. ¡°But why are your legs shaking like that?¡± ¡°Oh, really? Haha¡­ Maybe I¡¯m getting old?¡± Despite the chaos, moving to the stronghold in Sector E brought a sense of stability to everyone. It was quite different from the complete chaos of the past. As I was resting in the base area, I heard an annoying voice from somewhere. ¡°Hey! Kim Woogil? Where the hell is that bastard?¡± I turned my head toward the source of the sound, and there was a dog barking, looking for me. ¡°Woogil, be careful. You know the boss, if he¡¯s in that state, he could go crazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. If he goes crazy, I¡¯ll go crazy with him, right?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Seeing Park Junpyo¡¯s surprised face, I shrugged and walked over to the guy shouting. The guy, upon spotting me, grabbed me by the collar with a contorted face. ¡°Hey, come with me.¡± ¡°Can we talk here?¡± ¡°Bastard¡­ Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid if I follow the boss like this, it¡¯ll be a big problem. Please calm down.¡± Seeing my remarkably calm demeanor, even the agitated guy who grabbed me seemed to calm down a bit as he released my collar. Though the intensity in his eyes remained unchanged. ¡°You knew there was going to be an ambush, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°How would I know that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it! You¡­ You knew. I know? Huh?¡± Though he seemed to be shouting his lungs out, surprisingly, the guy lowered his voice and threatened without being heard by others. ¡°Wait¡­ Does that make sense? How would I know about the ambush?¡± ¡°Here you are. I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while.¡± Kim Junghyun suddenly approached from behind with a friendly smile. ¡®When did he arrive?¡¯ ¡°H-Hunter Kim Junghyun?¡± The guy also looked at him with astonishment. ¡°Oh, I came to thank him. Thanks to him, I survived.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡­ you survived because of Woogil?¡± The guy asked in bewilderment. ¡°Yes. But what¡¯s going on here¡­?¡± Kim Junghyun¡¯s question left the guy looking flustered. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 5 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChuSync] Chapter 5: Resolve The situation took an unexpected turn due to the sudden intervention of Hunter Kim Junghyun. The bastard¡¯s inability to say anything was proof of that. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing serious. We just had something to discuss at the office level because of this recent attack.¡± ¡°Yeah, we wrote up a new contract for this job, and he¡¯s here to say we¡¯ll stick to it, right?¡± I asked with a grin, and the asshole with the shit-eating face struggles to pull it off and nods. ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time in Sector E, so I got worried about what to do if monsters pop out again, so I asked about hazard pay. Check this out. It¡¯s been promised that if monsters attack, they¡¯ll pay ten times the agreed-upon wage this time. Isn¡¯t our boss quite generous?¡± I casually pulled out the contract and showed it to Kim Junghyun. He seemed a bit taken aback, but it didn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s a nice guy, so he won¡¯t get angry over this. I just wanted to see that bastard¡¯s expression a little more. ¡°No¡­! You can¡¯t just show me the contract like that!¡± As expected, the bastard became restless and suddenly snatched the contract from my hand and hid it. ¡°Oh, was I not supposed to show it? My bad. Sorry.¡± ¡°Right¡­ From now on, don¡¯t do that, okay? Hm?¡± That bastard, with a forced smile, replied, perhaps because he was in front of Kim Junghyun. As I reached out my hand, a few more tendons of his carotid artery protruded. It was clear that he was forcibly suppressing the rage that had surged to the tip of his head. ¡°Please give me the contract. It¡¯s mine, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Here.¡± I took the contract and put it in my inner pocket. His face contorted in frustration, despite his efforts to conceal it, made me feel unexpectedly good. ¡°If it¡¯s 10 times, you¡¯ll get quite a lot. Did you just guess there would be a surprise attack?¡± Kim Junghyun, who had been silently observing them, asked. ¡°Yes. We were nearly got killed by the surprise attack, so it would¡¯ve been disappointing not to earn much money, right? That¡¯s why we tried it once.¡± ¡°Then, about the hazard pay¡ª¡± ¡°Ahaha! Hunter Kim Junghyun, we have to hurry back to the office.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m sorry I think I held you back too much.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine!¡± Desperately gesturing with both hands, the jerk kept insisting everything was okay. He never bent his head in front of me, but in front of Kim Junghyun, he bowed down without even trying, as if his neck was broken. ¡°Woogil¡­ What¡¯s your surname?¡± s?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s Kim¡­ Kim Woogil.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Kim Woogil. Here¡¯s my business card. Thanks to you, we were able to get through this without much damage. Thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s nothing. It happened by mistake.¡± ¡°Still, it was helpful in the end. Please contact me if you need anything; I¡¯d like to repay the favor.¡± With those words, Kim Junghyun smiled and left. The bastard glares at me with a puzzled expression. It must be surprising that Kim Junghyun speaks so highly of me. Of course, I was also surprised. He was exceptionally kind. Among hunters with high arrogance, it¡¯s hard to find one with such a good character. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could deposit 10 times the amount within today.¡± ¡°This guy¡­ just because Hunter Kim Junghyun treats you well, you think you¡¯re something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s a contract, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ha! Fine, not today. We have office matters to attend to, so if I have time¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, I see. I was a bit hesitant about what to accept since Hunter Kim Junghyun offered to repay me. It worked out well.¡± In my words, the asshole¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Are you threatening me now?¡± ¡°What? Me?¡± ¡°¡­You fucking bastard.¡± Muttering curses under his breath, that asshole couldn¡¯t contain his anger and left. Just by looking at the back of his head, it was evident how much he was boiling with rage. Earlier, I was in a bad mood because of the crazy guy who hit people with that truck, but now, thanks to this jerk, I felt better. Indeed, a jerk is always a jerk. ¡°Woogil, are you alright?¡± Junpyo approached me with concern. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t ride with the office car today, sir.¡± ¡°Uh, alright.¡± As Salvation¡¯s soldiers crowded into Sector E and began their investigation, and since I was also present at the scene, I was questioned about what had happened. ¡°You were lucky. If Hunter Kim Junghyun hadn¡¯t been there, it could¡¯ve been a disaster.¡± The female investigator remarked, seemingly impressed. ¡°Yes, I was lucky.¡± ¡°Yes, the investigation is over. You can go home now.¡± I stepped out of the investigation room and returned to Earth through the gate. The bright sunlight shining down made me feel very good. Earth is truly the best. Ring¡ª My phone vibrated. Checking at this hour, I found that the jerk had sent me 2 million won. ¡®Wow¡­ Was this guy always this quick in handling things?¡¯ It seems that blackmailing him using Kim Junghyun¡¯s name was quite successful. Due to the sudden attack this time, Salvation would¡¯ve had to compensate for the damage to the office. But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be very upset that he was robbed of 2 million. ¡®He must be boiling with rage.¡¯ Just thinking about it was exhilarating. As soon as I got home, I sat down at my desk and opened a book. ¡°The first thing is to improve my skills.¡± I felt this once again from this incident. That monster who cursed me with confusion. I heard that the named monster was the leader of the attack on Sector E this time. The name is ¡®Soul Reaper.¡¯ Even though Kim Junghyun intervened this time, Soul Reaper, whom they failed to catch, tried to curse me and failed. ¡®Insight abilities are beyond my imagination.¡¯ [TL/N: Changing Insight Eyes -> Insight] I even saw through the monster¡¯s stealth ability. If only I had enough mana, the danger on the battlefield would be greatly reduced. There were countless dangerous moments even when I was with the excavation team. Especially since I was not awakened, dealing with those moments wasn¡¯t easy. How much I wished to awaken at those times. But even now that I¡¯ve awakened, I wasn¡¯t planning to rush into the battlefield recklessly. Insight. It¡¯s understandable why Teraunus was the King of the Ancient Magical Civilization at its peak. But entering the battlefield with mediocre skills is nothing but inviting death. I¡¯ve seen too many Hunters in Salvation, drunk on their own prowess, vanish into thin air. I had no intention of becoming like them. I leaned back in my chair and unfolded the book ¡®[Understanding Mana]¡¯. [Insight activates.] The ancient language began to be interpreted rapidly. And at the same time, as I read, the contents were firmly imprinted in my mind. ¡®If I continue like this, I¡¯ll finish reading in a week.¡¯ The interpretation of the ancient language, combined with the simultaneous understanding of its contents, significantly reduced the time to a remarkable degree. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t go out for a while.¡¯ Now was the time to fortify my resolve. Hmm¡ª But before I could think of anything else, the name [Asshole] popped up on my phone. ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t have to answer¡± Without hesitation, I turned my phone off. * * * About a week passed. ¡°This is beyond ridiculous.¡± Reading books, eating meals, researching information about awakened individuals, sleeping, and reading books again¡­ I repeated the same routine relentlessly for ten days without a single break. Finally, I unfolded the last page of [Understanding Mana]. [¡­Mana should be viewed not just as a simple source of energy, but as a different existence altogether. Even with this book, it¡¯s difficult to fully understand the entirety of mana¡¯s existence. But at least if you have thoroughly read and understood this book, the world will appear new to you.] As I deciphered the complex ancient languages that continued like a code, a blue light emerged from the ancient book. ¡®Alright! It was the original¡­!¡¯ Woogil, who had been worn out by fatigue, cheered inwardly. The white light flowing along the cover of the book emitted a gleam and penetrated into my mind. [Understanding of Mana increased rapidly.] [The body will accept mana more easily.] [Mana will feel clearer.] [Mana Control will become easier.] Successive messages emerged. ¡®¡­Whew.¡¯ Following those words, I tried moving my mana. Particles of energy called ¡®mana¡¯ felt through my magic. They moved around as if they were alive, swirling around the magic. ¡®¡­So this is what it means by seeing the world anew?¡¯ As I moved my mana, natural mana was drawn into it and began to blend with it slowly. The absorption capacity had clearly changed compared to before. Although the total amount of magical power itself wasn¡¯t much larger, the efficiency of converting mana into magical power had increased by almost double, at least perceptibly. ¡®So this is the legacy¡­¡­.¡¯ At that point. I was very curious about the rewards of first deciphering another book. At the same time, a rush of fatigue drove me straight to bed. ¡®I need to rest my eyes for a bit.¡¯ After about three hours of sleep, I shaved for the first time in a while, fixed my hair, got dressed, and left the house. It had only been a few days since I returned to the past, but my physique had improved considerably. Upon reflection, I had quite the handsome face. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t make good use of it, swept away by the bitter storms of life. When I turned on my phone, that asshole¡¯s insults filled the messages again today. Well, after pocketing the money and disappearing for ten days, his temper probably exploded, given his personality. If he knew where I lived, he would¡¯ve probably come over and caused a scene. Hmm¡ª Hmm¡ª The phone vibrated. [Asshole] Speak of the devil. Should I pick it up or not? It felt like I could see the jerk¡¯s expression through the phone receiver. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Beep. ¨C He¡¯s not picking up again¡­ What? He picked up? Hey, are you crazy? ¡°¡­.¡± ¨C Hey¡­! Unpleasant curses resounded loudly through the phone. I held the phone away from my ear for a moment, then brought it back when it quieted down. ¨C Hey! Can¡¯t you hear me? Ugh!! ¡°I can hear you. And you should give me a chance to speak.¡± ¨C This jerk! ¡°My grandmother passed away and I went to China for a while. My phone was broken, so I didn¡¯t see it.¡± ¨C ¡­Are you kidding me? You expect me to believe that? ¡°It¡¯s true. And I¡¯m quitting this job now. I¡¯ll pay the cancellation fee.¡± ¨C What? Ha! How are you going to pay? Did you receive any money? ¡°Heh heh¡­ Actually, my grandmother had some ancient things with her and those were just appraised for the first time this time, and it turned out they¡¯re considered artifacts. But my grandmother transferred ownership to me, so I guess I¡¯ll be the one to have them.¡± ¨C What? Artifacts? Is that true? The excited voice of that asshole, which had been filled with excitement, suddenly sank rapidly. ¡°Yes. And it¡¯s at least A-grade, they said. I¡¯ll be able to pay the cancellation fee by selling it.¡± ¨C ¡­Ah, well, of course! Hey, if it¡¯s an A-grade artifact, you¡¯ve made it in life, huh? In just a few seconds, the voice filled with anger and animosity turned into a soft, excited one. ¡°Of course! I won¡¯t have to do any more difficult work like collecting for a excavation team.¡± ¨C That¡¯s obvious. So, when are you getting the artifacts? ¡°I¡¯ll probably get them next week. Once I have them, I¡¯ll sell them right away to pay the cancellation fee.¡± ¨C Got it. You¡¯ve worked hard all this time. ¡°You too, sir.¡± ¨C When you get the artifacts, come to the office. We need to cancel the contract. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¨C And bring the artifacts. I know an appraiser for artifacts, so I¡¯ll make sure you get a proper price. I can also check out the auction house for you. I barely restrained myself from swearing at the unexpected kindness. It was a good thing we were on the phone, or I would have been embarrassed by the look on my face. ¡°¡­.That¡¯s a bit¡­ I¡¯ll handle the selling myself.¡± ¨C Ha, hey. No matter how much I¡¯ve been messing with you, would I take away the artifacts? The ownership of the antiquities is probably designated to you. If I forcibly take them away and you report it, I¡¯m done for, man. ¡°I know that, but¡­ Do you really know someone?¡± ¨C Yeah. Even though we¡¯ve had a rough relationship, it¡¯s better to end it nicely, right? I don¡¯t want to end things badly with you, now that you have the antiquities. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll bring them when the time comes.¡± ¨C Alright. See you in a week. Rest well. ¡°Yes.¡± Beep. As the call ended, I let out a cold sneer. ¡°Asshole¡­ He thinks he can act all nice and get away with it, huh?¡± Suppressing the rising annoyance, I moved my steps towards Yongmundong, where I had bought books before. [Ancient Bookstore] Last time, I didn¡¯t get to look around properly, but this time, I intended to take his time. ¡°Hello, sir.¡± I greeted the shopkeeper warmly, but the elderly woman merely waved her hand dismissively without showing any interest. ¡®Well, this is more comfortable, I guess.¡¯ If there¡¯s someone earnestly reading books written in ancient languages, people might find it strange. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ This time, I carefully searched through the books one by one, starting from the top of the shelf. [The Disappeared Children] [The Story of the Goats on the Echoing Mountain] [Love in the Blooming Darkness] [Bizarre Tales] . . . I¡¯ve already checked almost all of the ancient texts in this place, and these are the only ones that come up. ¡®Well, would I even be lucky enough to find two books by Kartia? Asking for more than this would be shameless, right?¡¯ Just as I was thinking about checking the few remaining books, I realized I had to go back. [Mana Circuit Theory] Finally, I found a book title that seemed useful. I immediately took out the book and checked the author. Author: Emperor Cartia De Mari¨¦ Swakalen ¡®This too¡­ by Cartia? Why are there so many books from Kartia here?¡¯ Suppressing my amazement as much as possible, I muttered exclamation after exclamation inwardly. And then, I looked at the last book standing next to it. [ Fundamental Concepts of Magic ] Author: Arcana Van De Morelindo Pionias ¡®¡­By Arcana?¡¯ Arcana Van De Morelindo Pionias, who was hailed as the greatest magician of the ancient magical civilization¡¯s golden age. I had stumbled upon a magic book written by him. [TL/N: I saw many people found the last two chapters confusing because of the section where Kim Junghyun was mentioned and it seemed to them that it was in 3rd person. So i just wanted to clear the confusion that Kim Junghyun is not the MC, the MC¡¯s name is Kim Woogil. And this novel is only 1st person when it is going from the MC¡¯s perspective so if the story jumps to someone else¡¯s perspective it will change to 3rd person even if the MC is involved in that scene. I hope this clears all confusion] [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 6 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 6: Appraiser (1) I sat at my desk, pondering over three books laid out in front of me. [Understanding of Mana] [Mana Circuit Theory] [Fundamental Concepts of Magic] [Insight Activated] A white beam of light traced along the edge of the first book. It was the original. And it contained a legacy. ¡®There¡¯s no legacy in the [Fundamental Concepts of Magic]. I guess I¡¯ll have to settle for [Mana Circuit Theory].¡¯ My heart raced. Without insight, I probably wouldn¡¯t have obtained the legacy even if the book was present. ¡®Let¡¯s calm down and read it properly.¡¯ I first skimmed through the table of contents and the initial chapters of the [Fundamental Concepts of Magic]. Clearly, the author¡¯s intentions and directions were completely opposite. Where Cartia delved into theory, seeking deep understanding of concepts and phenomena, Arcana emphasized practical efficiency. The [Fundamental Concepts of Magic] followed suit. I took out an Oriental cigarette, put it in my mouth, and muttered. ¡°Ignite.¡± Whoosh! A small flame ignited at the tip of the cigarette, lighting it up and tinting the cigeratte red. ¡°Sssh¡­, ha.¡± White smoke billowed out into the room like clouds. ¡®Ha, never thought I¡¯d be using magic.¡¯ In Cartia¡¯s books, there wasn¡¯t a single method mentioned for manifesting magic. It merely explained what ¡®mana¡¯, the medium used before manifesting magic, was and how it operated, and what could be done with it. On the other hand, the [Fundamental Concepts of Magic] began right from the first chapter with these words. ¨C A true mage should be adept in handling all kinds of magic. I will lay out all the fundamentals of magic in this book. It was a passage reflecting Arcana¡¯s resolute determination. As he said, the book detailed various basic magics, their manifestation methods, applications, principles, and more. Thanks to deciphering [Understanding of Mana], receiving its legacy, Insight, and Arcana¡¯s helpful explanations, I could easily manifest Ignite. ¡°Phew¡­ That¡¯s convenient.¡± As I sucked out the filter part of the cigarette, mana flowed in, which converted into energy, and spread throughout my body. I could feel my mana increasing little by little. With the concepts grasped through [Understanding of Mana] of what mana was and how it reacted, this was the state. ¡®I¡¯ve gathered twice as much refined mana as when I first smoked.¡¯ All of this was the effect of the legacy. ¡®Knowledge accumulates and reveals itself. How amazing is the ability of this creator named D.K.?¡¯ A small amount of mana was dispersed through the smoke, but the filter spun the mana at exactly the maximum speed of the tobacco burning and utilized the ingredients inside to channel it all into my body. ¡°It¡¯s a very sophisticated mana circuit. Who on earth made this?¡± I roughly pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray and closed the [Fundamental Concepts of Magic]. As I smoked my Oriental cigarette and pondered, my conviction grew. Now wasn¡¯t the time to look into this. I pushed the [Fundamental Concepts of Magic] aside for a moment and brought out another book I bought this time. [Mana Circuit Theory] In terms of theory, there¡¯s nothing as outstanding as Cartia¡¯s theory books. Even in my past life, I consistently studied Mana Circuit Theory. One of the most crucial pieces of knowledge when appraising artifacts is understanding mana circuits. Compared to Cartia, my knowledge of mana circuits is like that of a child. ¡®For now, let¡¯s focus on building the foundation. Increasing my mana comes first.¡¯ I¡¯m not about to head into battle, enroll in an academy, or take the appraisal exam for artifact assessment. Right now, my priority is laying the groundwork and devising ways to rapidly increase mana. And I need to prepare thoroughly to deal with that bastard. ¡®Even if it is a little thick.¡¯ [Mana Circuit Theory] Given that I¡¯ve fully grasped [Understanding of Mana], it shouldn¡¯t be as difficult as it sounds. There¡¯s still quite a bit of time until next week. Until then, I need to thoroughly read [Mana Circuit Theory]. Although having mana replenishing potions would significantly speed up the process. But they¡¯re so expensive that it¡¯s not something I can do right now. ¡°Phew¡­ Yeah. If I want to relax comfortably, now¡¯s the time.¡± Isn¡¯t there a saying about working hard when you¡¯re young to live comfortably in old age? * * * Thub! ¡°Whew¡­¡± I closed the book. I was wrong. I thought with Insight, a week would be enough, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good sleep in days and yet I haven¡¯t even finished half of it. Ah¡­¡± I feel something warm on my chin. Tap. A drop of red blood fell onto my thigh. I hurriedly covered my nose and ran to the bathroom to wipe away the blood. It feels like my mind is foggy. There were times when I only slept two hours a day and endured almost a month, but to break down like this in just a week¡­ The main reason was that I kept using Insight even when my mana was low. Cartia¡¯s knowledge was deeper and more refined than I had thought. The Great Upheaval on Earth happened only 35 years ago, so it felt distinctly impossible to keep up with Cartia¡¯s knowledge. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s already 3 a.m.¡± I have an appointment with Kim Junghyun at 9 a.m. I had already scheduled it in advance after he asked me to contact him to discuss a case last time. If I sleep now, I can get about five hours of sleep. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t worry, but will I be able to wake up in my current state? But staying up all night like this is impossible. My body has reached its limit. I reluctantly set dozens of alarms on my phone at one-minute intervals and lay down on the bed. I immediately closed my eyes. Beep beep beep! Beep! Beep beep beep beep! I fumbled with my hands, frowning at the loud alarm that woke me up. . ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I must have set the alarm for the wrong time. I struggled to lift my heavy eyelids and looked at the phone screen. 8:00 a.m. ¡°¡­.¡± I turned my head to look at the window, wondering if I¡¯d woken up too late. A bright white light was shining down. It was morning. Rubbing my head, I turned off the alarm and quickly finished getting ready before leaving the house. The appointment was at a private room in Gangnam, called ¡®Sunting¡¯. It was a restaurant where only high-graded individuals or famous hunters could reserve and use. Kim Junghyun had made the reservation there. I had been to this place a few times in the past when I used to work. Come to think of it, this private room had been around for quite a while. It would be here for at least another decade. ¡°I have a reservation for K148.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check it. Let me show you to your room.¡± The staff personally escorted me. Using the elevator inside the restaurant, we ascended to the 8th floor, where dark corridors twisted and turned. It seemed to be designed to prevent people in other rooms from seeing inside through the door gaps. ¡°This is it.¡± I nodded, entering the room as if I were familiar with it. It wasn¡¯t very large, but it had a luxurious design and decor, and one side of the room was glass, allowing for a clear view of the outside. Of course, it was coated so that you couldn¡¯t see inside from the outside. ¡°Ah, Mr. Woogil. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Kim Junghyun, who had arrived earlier, greeted me warmly, extending his hand. We exchanged light handshakes and took our seats. ¡°You¡¯ve invited me to quite an expensive place.¡± ¡°Not at all. If it weren¡¯t for you, the damage would have been much greater.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ To be honest, I was worried that you might feel uncomfortable if I said something like this.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡­?¡± His innocent bright smile faded. As his expression turned serious, my heart rate began to rise. ¡°Are you an Awakened, Mr. Woogil?¡± An Awakened. It refers to a select few humans who can manipulate mana. Some are born with mana from birth, while others awaken to mana later in life. However, not everyone who awakens can manipulate mana. There are also those who live unaware of their awakening. In my case, I got a message that I awakened, which is not typical. ¡®Is it because of Insight?¡¯ Special abilities were still not properly regulated even 20 years later, and with the variety of types, most individuals preferred to keep their abilities hidden, making research difficult. ¡®It¡¯s getting a bit annoying.¡¯ Although I had considered that someone as skilled as Kim Junghyun might recognize it¡­ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t I have been cursed anyway?¡¯ Because of that bastard Soul Reaper¡¯s curse, I had no choice but to use mana. It must have been when he sensed my mana. ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much! I just thought it should be acknowledged for future discussions. I have no intention of disclosing that fact anywhere.¡± Kim Junghyun already seemed almost convinced that I was an Awakened. ¡°Judging by your attitude, it seems like you want to hide the fact that you¡¯re an Awakened, but you still took the risk to save people. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­It was just luck.¡± While there was some truth to that, Kim Junghyun was not the kind of person he thought. It was merely a coincidence. ¡°To be honest, I was surprised too. You were the one who first discovered the hiding of those monsters and deliberately tried informing me, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡®He knew about that too? Was I that bad of an actor?¡¯ Now that he mentioned it, embarrassment washed over me. What thoughts did he have while watching my awkward performance? ¡°And about the Soul Reaper.¡± Kim Junghyun¡¯s voice softened. ¡°I saw that you were the one who broke the curse of that Named monster I missed this time.¡± Of course. Kim Junghyun knew everything. I suddenly realized how reckless my actions had been. Of course, it was because I knew what kind of person Kim Junghyun was that I had acted, otherwise I would have thought of a different way. Kim Junghyun was a true hero who sacrificed himself for others in the future. ¡°I believe that you, Mr. Woogil, might have awakened a special ability.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Why is he so quick? Everything is perfect, but does he really need to be so perceptive? ¡°That¡¯s why I called you here. I think it would be good if talents like yours were to join Salvation and work for the people. Of course, I¡¯m not forcing you, not at all.¡± Salvation. It is a world defense organization created to protect the Earth connected to other dimensions. As Kim Junghyun is currently affiliated with Salvation, there are many good people there, but I had no intention of joining Salvation. Thinking about what happened to me in my previous life still makes my blood boil. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°And so, I intend to ask for your favor.¡± Kim Junghyun said to me with a warm smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you saying that a little too bluntly?¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not good at beating around the bush.¡± Since things had turned out this way, it was a good thing. Let¡¯s upgrade the original plan a bit. Kim Junghyun is trustworthy. ¡°Ah, first of all, I brought the E-grade items you mentioned.¡± Although the situation had deviated a bit, the reason I met Kim Junghyun today was for this. When we arranged the meeting, Kim Junghyun said he wanted to give me something as a token of gratitude. Kim Junghyun gladly showed me the E-grade items he had. He was happy to show me what he had. ¡°I don¡¯t have many E-grade items.¡± He brought a total of five items. A necklace, a totem, an old dagger, gloves, and a ring. ¡®Good.¡¯ Among them, there was something I wanted. In my previous life, I thought it was an E-grade item, but years later, it had been appraised as an S-grade artifact, becoming Kim Junghyun¡¯s main equipment. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all of them, and since I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you just the E-class, I also brought a D-grade, here-.¡± ¡°No. This is enough. If you¡¯re sorry, how about these?¡± The five items he brought out. [Insight Activated.] Aside from what I wanted, there was another item with unexpected potential. ¡°I¡¯m actually good at appraising items.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kim Junghyun, with wide-open eyes, looked at me with an incredulous gaze. It was understandable. After all, it was a guy without even a Class 1 Appraiser license, let alone a Salvation Academy student, talking about appraising. I picked up the old dagger on the table. A considerably old dagger. The blade was completely damaged, and the hilt was corroded, making it impossible to use as a dagger. However, the engraved patterns and ancient language on the handle and guard hinted at the possible value of this old dagger. Of course, if I couldn¡¯t interpret it, it would remain trash forever. ¡°Tekbebeje.(?????)¡± Woong- As I chanted the activation word, a blue light emanated from the mana stone embedded in the handle of the dagger, and a strange glow flowed along the mana circuit. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± A muffled exclamation came from the front. I was surprised, but I maintained a nonchalant expression. I thrust the dagger into the air. As if inserting a key into an invisible keyhole and turning it, as I rotated the dagger, space split, and a subspace emerged. ¡°Fucking hell¡­¡± ¡®Did I just hear that right? Did Kim Junghyun swear?¡¯ Glancing at Kim Junghyun, I saw him staring at the dagger as if his eyeballs were about to pop out. ¡°Uh, well. As you can see, it¡¯s an artifact. It¡¯s probably about A-grade. Although it¡¯s a pocket dimension, the size of the space is too small for such a conspicuous dagger¡­¡± ¡°¡­Did you really appraise this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I casually closed the pocket dimension and placed the old dagger on the table. Kim Junghyun¡¯s gaze followed it down. Good, now¡¯s the time. ¡°Hunter Kim Junghyun. Would you consider being my broker?¡± Appraisers. They are the most needed profession in this era. A job that appraises the legacy of ancient civilizations pouring in and discovers the true value of their abilities. Above all, in this era, there are no individuals as powerful as hunters and appraisers. ¡®This is the start.¡¯ The best appraiser not affiliated with Salvation. This life, I¡¯ll be able to meet the Director in a different position than before. ¡®But¡­ why is he acting like that?¡¯ Kim Junghyun¡¯s expression was strange. It seemed like his soul had left his body. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hunter Kim Junghyun?¡± ¡°Yes? What did you say?¡± Kim Junghyun seemed to have lost his mind. And quite thoroughly at that. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 7 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 7: Appraiser (2) Kim Junghyun, an awakened, S-Rank hunter for the Korean Branch of Salvation.. He is a well-known figure not only in Korea but around the world. Most people who meet him usually feel nervous due to his fame. However, I wasn¡¯t nervous at all. ¡®Who the hell is he?¡¯ Wearing a white T-shirt with the neck stretched out, jeans with knee-highs, and a stained hoodie. It was not the attire one would expect from someone meeting Kim Junghyun. If it were other high-ranking hunters or executives of Salvation, they might have left already, claiming it lacks manners. But the fact that I could appear in such a place in such attire itself was proof of my confidence. Despite looking like he¡¯s in his early to mid-20s, there¡¯s a sense of ease. The composure that only those who have directly achieved something can possess. Plus, the character is willing to endure personal losses to save people. Isn¡¯t he the epitome of a perfect human? ¡°Hunter Kim Junghyun?¡± ¡°Yes? What did you say?¡± Kim Junghyun stared blankly at my face. The scene he saw a while ago still vividly unfolded before his eyes. It was even more surprising because he could not have imagined that the old dagger that Salvation¡¯s appraisers judged to be E-class would cut through the air and open sub-space. I sucked in a breath of air and spat out a curse word. My face turned red with embarrassment. ¡°Well¡­, it seems like more explanation is needed. Let me explain.¡± Thinking that Kim Junghyun misunderstood, I began to explain about the old dagger. ¡°The pattern engraved on the guard of the dagger, this is the engraving method mainly used by craftsmen at the end of B.CD 4,000 years ago.¡± B.CD (Before Cataclysm Day) refers to the time before the day when dimensions connected to Earth, mana flowed in, and awakened beings emerged. In modern times, it was used as a term when referring to the era of the ancient magical civilization. The day of the Great Cataclysm, July 1, 1999. As gates emerged and dimensions opened, Earth had to become stronger to deal with monsters coming from other dimensions. What made it possible was the remnants of the ancient magical civilization found in other dimensions. Accepting the remnants of a civilization presumed to have perished along with its 5,000 years of history, Earth gradually developed magical engineering. ¡°As you know, from B.CD 1,000 to 5,000, referred to as the ancient magical civilization, the items made by craftsmen of that era are classified as general, artifacts, or relics. Everything else is just junk.¡± On Earth, the ancient magical civilization was divided into five eras. B.CD 1~1,000 years as B.CD 1,000 years, the genesis era of the ancient magical civilization. B.CD 1,001~2,000 years as B.CD 2,000 years, the era of advancement of the ancient magical civilization. B.CD 2,001~3,000 years as B.CD 3,000 years, the golden era of the ancient magical civilization. B.CD 3,001~4,000 years as B.CD 4,000 years, the decline of the ancient magical civilization. B.CD 4,001~5,000 years as B.CD 5,000 years, the extinction era of the ancient magical civilization. The spatial dagger that I appraised now was a dagger made during the decline of the ancient magical civilization, B.CD 4,000 years. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°It was probably hard for even the Appraisal Department to recognize it. This pattern was used in the late B.CD 4,000 years when wars intensified, and you would need to have deciphered this pattern that directly expresses the declining magical civilization. To decipher it, you would probably need to be at least a senior manager in the Salvation Artifact Appraisal Department in China or the United States.¡± Listening silently, Kim Junghyun wondered if he had heard correctly. He said that he possessed the appraisal abilities of the artifact appraisal department heads of the Salvation branches in the United States and China. ¡°How do you know about such things, Mr. Woogil?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been interested in ancient civilizations since I was young. I¡¯ve been studying and analyzing artifacts from all over the world.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Honestly, I didn¡¯t believe it, but at the same time, I couldn¡¯t disbelieve it either. He couldn¡¯t have known in advance about the dagger I had, and even if he had used magic to deceive me, I would¡¯ve noticed. ¡®He looks younger than me¡­¡¯ If it were as simple as Woogil said, there wouldn¡¯t be so many incompetent appraisers in this world. ¡°Moreover, towards the end of B.CD 4,000 years, as the ancient magical civilization was rapidly collapsing, they created this cipher by mixing their own methods. The ancient language written on this handle is the activation code. In fact, if you can only read this, you don¡¯t need to interpret the patterns above, but¡­ without knowing that it¡¯s from the late B.CD 4,000 years ago, it wouldn¡¯t have been easy to decode this cipher.¡± ¡°Wow¡­, that¡¯s really impressive.¡± It was sincere. Enough to pour out admiration continuously. My head is spinning. Private Appraiser. Yes, such a profession exists. People who appraise items without a Class 1 Appraiser license. But most of them just blabber nonsense. But this person¡­ ¡°You asked me to become your broker? May I know the reason?¡± ¡°Yes, as Hunter Kim Junghyun said, I am an awakened individual, but I do not wish to join Salvation. I don¡¯t trust them.¡± Kim Junghyun nodded. It wasn¡¯t difficult to understand my disbelief in them. ¡°Salvation may be a bit of an oppressive organization, but it¡¯s not a place where they just torture Awakened people.¡± Not everyone who awakens wants to become a hunter. There are plenty of people who support them from behind and eventually end up going on missions to other dimensions. s?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. As a result, there were quite a few who didn¡¯t want to join Salvation in the first place. But despite that, most awakened individuals around the world ultimately joined Salvation because it was the best place for them to grow. As mana emerged on Earth and gates to other dimensions were opened, countries around the world quickly established new systems. Thus was created the World Defense Organization, Salvation. As soon as they established the system, they controlled and monopolized information about awakened individuals, causing them to voluntarily join Salvation. Even now, although quite a bit of information has been revealed to the public, compared to the information Salvation possesses, it¡¯s laughable. Moreover, with scammers rampant in the market and so much misinformation circulating, most awakened individuals eventually had no choice but to turn to Salvation. ¡®Some even choose to hide in remote areas. But Mr. Woogil doesn¡¯t seem like that kind of person.¡¯ Kim Junghyun felt regretful. If a person with such abilities were to join Salvation and fight for Earth, how much better would it be? As a representative awakened individual of Korea and an appraiser, if he were to join, it would elevate the status of the country and save countless people. But he couldn¡¯t force it. ¡°I trust my judgment. So please tell me. Will you help?¡± ¡°I will help. Especially for someone like Mr. Mr. Woogil.¡± Even if he didn¡¯t actively participate in external affairs, Mr. Woogil was a proactive person when it came to helping others. Moreover, leaving such abilities idle would be a great loss on a national scale. ¡°If Mr. Woogil¡¯s abilities are used for the world, Earth¡¯s power will undoubtedly be much stronger than it is now.¡± ¡°You will receive a fair reward.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Various items were already listed in Kim Junghyun¡¯s mind. The items brought over from other dimensions are not just one or two. Most of them are treated as trash and stored away in warehouses. However, if those items were appraised and their abilities properly unlocked, Earth¡¯s power would increase several times over. A clear example of this is the dagger Mr. Woogil discovered that opens up that subspace. ¡®The ability to open subspaces is truly important. Mr. Woogil said that there isn¡¯t much of it, but it¡¯s around A-grade, right?¡¯ If that¡¯s accurate, the value of that dagger alone would easily surpass billions. Even a dagger worth only tens of thousands of won becomes an artifact worth over a billion through appraisal. So, how much should be paid to the appraiser who appraised it? Generally, appraisal fees range from tens to hundreds of thousands. Even that old dagger received an E grade through appraisal. Of course, even though it received a result of ¡®Unappraisable¡¯, considering that, the appraiser at the time said it probably had the potential of at least C rank. ¡®It¡¯s not based on equipment or any data. Moreover, it was only a moment.¡¯ Another shocking thing was that the appraisal was finished as soon as he saw the item. Usually, even for artifacts, it takes from a few hours to over a week for appraisal. But this man finished appraising an A grade artifact in just over 10 seconds. It means his mind is already packed with a vast amount of information. ¡®The ripple effect is no joke.¡¯ If this were to go out, people would probably flock to Mr. Woogil to get appraised not only in Korea but around the world. Of course, if he makes a mistake in appraisal, everything would disappear like foam, but I didn¡¯t think that was the case with Mr. Woogil. The more he thought about it, the more serious he became. This wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly as just brokering. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but could you appraise more items? I¡¯ll pay a fair price.¡± ¡°Alright. From now on, I¡¯ll consider this an official request.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I had already anticipated talking with Kim Junghyun would lead to this situation. And how should I act from now on. ¡°I set the appraised value of the item. The appraisal fee is 3% of the appraised value. For units with an appraised value of 10 million won or less, the basic appraisal fee is 300,000 won.¡± It was an appraisal fee that couldn¡¯t be considered for private appraisers. Most existing private appraisers mostly didn¡¯t even receive 1%, and for units valued at less than 10 million won, they barely received even 100,000 won. ¡°And if the appraised item is judged as an artifact, the appraisal fee will be adjusted to 4%, and if it¡¯s judged as a relic, the appraisal fee will be adjusted to 5%. Do you agree?¡± This was almost a treatment exceeding what world-class appraisers received, but I was confident. ¡®Today, I became more certain.¡¯ With Insight, I could make more accurate appraisals than any other appraiser. Finding out the exact year of manufacture of the old dagger earlier, and reading ancient languages, were all thanks to the ability of Insight. While my knowledge of the craftsmen of that era was my own, if I didn¡¯t know what era it was to begin with, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to say that. ¡°¡­¡­Alright.¡± The appraisal fee was more expensive than expected, but the level of ability I¡¯ve just shown, Kim Junghyun was willing to pay that amount. No, even if he had the money to begin with, getting an appraisal from an appraiser of this level wasn¡¯t easy. Kim Junghyun, who was about to take out an item from his pocket, hesitated for a moment, lost in thought. ¡®Right, if it¡¯s Mr. Woogil, maybe¡­.¡¯ Originally, he was going to give me a potion or the vest he was wearing, but he changed his mind. The bracelet he¡¯s currently wearing. He decided to entrust me with the appraisal of this bracelet that¡¯s been bothering him. ¡°Here it is.¡± In the end, Kim Junghyun took off his bracelet and handed it to me. It was a bracelet with three rings overlapping each other. My expression became serious as I took it. ¡°What¡­ is there a problem?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no.¡± I shook my head and carefully examined the bracelet. ¡°May I try wearing it for a moment?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± Kim Junghyun readily agreed. If anything, the anticipation grew even more now that I was going to try it on. I tried my best to ignore the uncomfortable stares and channeled mana into the bracelet. ¡®I¡¯m not an expert in mana circuits, but I¡¯ve accumulated quite a bit of knowledge.¡¯ This is why an appraiser needs to awaken. It¡¯s because they can directly activate artifacts and items using mana. There¡¯s a distinct difference between projecting mana using advanced equipment and directly sending mana to confirm. I nervously sent mana along the mana circuit. Whoo- One of the rings began to glow, and at the same time, Kim Junghyun¡¯s eyes widened. Whoo- Another ring started to emit light. Kim Junghyun¡¯s eyes widened. Whoo- As the third ring began to glow, Kim Junghyun, who looked as if his jaw would drop, muttered a quiet curse under his breath. ¡°This¡­ is fucking insane¡­.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 8 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 8: Appraiser (3) [Insight Activated.] [Triple Ring] A bracelet with three overlapping rings. Made primarily of etherium and stardust, each ring is intricately engraved with mana circuits. While each ring can be operated separately, the amplification effect of mana increases exponentially with the number of rings. The design of mana circuits using multi-path techniques ensures rapid and precise mana flow, requiring sophisticated mana control during usage. ¡Î B.CD 23rd century ¡Î Mana Amplification I checked the information on the triple ring and swallowed my saliva. ¡®The year of manufacture is B.CD. Are these descriptions generated from insight based on my convenience and existing knowledge?¡¯ B.CD is a term defined on Earth. After discovering their historical records in ancient texts, which revealed a history of 5,000 years, the Gregorian calendar was applied as a convenient system. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ The B.CD 3,000s, known as the golden age of the ancient magical civilization. The Multi-path Technique was primarily used during the B.CD 3,000s for mana circuitry. It optimizes the movement of mana by dramatically reducing the width of the circuit and connecting the flow of mana in different directions. Through insight, it became possible for me to manipulate mana with ease, thanks to the legacy left by Cartia, allowing me to resonate with the Triple Ring. [Insight Activated] While it required precise tracking and understanding of the increasingly complex mana flow when resonating each ring separately, it was not difficult for me. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Once again, a word of admiration escaped from Kim Junghyun. It was understandable. During this period, Kim Junghyun had failed to achieve triple resonance with the Triple Ring. ¡®With this level of amplification, could it create a pillar of fire with Ignite?¡¯ The true effect of the Triple Ring. It lies in the dramatic increase in mana amplification rate when all three rings resonate simultaneously. Honestly, compared to astonishing artifacts known from the B.CD 3,000s, it was of average quality at best. ¡®It¡¯s an artifact, not a relic.¡¯ It doesn¡¯t have the markings that an artifact from the 3,000s should have. Nevertheless, considering the premise of triple resonance, it was undoubtedly an artifact of S-grade. ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see an artifact from the B.CD 3,000s here.¡± ¡°Is this really an item from the 3,000s?¡± Even Kim Junghyun, who had shallow knowledge about ancient civilizations, knew that the B.CD 3,000s was the heyday of the ancient civilization. Moreover, artifacts from that era were of tremendous value. ¡°Yes. The mana circuitry is composed of multi-path techniques. It¡¯s a method mainly used during the B.CD 3,000s. Of course, it cannot be confirmed solely by using this method, but the width, curvature, and fluidity of the circuits distinctly reflect the characteristics of that era.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had some outstanding appraisers evaluate this Triple Ring. However, none of them thought it was a work from the 3,000s B.CD.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± I understood why those appraisers had judged it that way. Compared to the things that represented B.CD 3,000s, the effects of the Triple Ring were very simple. At best, it could be difficult to definitively conclude that an artifact merely amplifying mana was a work from the B.CD 3,000s. Moreover, distinguishing the intricate details of mana circuits would be a rare skill among appraisers worldwide. Certainly, if someone thought it was a work from the B.CD 3,000s, they would be considered top-tier appraisers or even beyond that level. ¡°As Hunter Kim Junghyun knows, the appraisal of items inevitably involves the subjective opinions of the appraiser. Especially when it comes to relics brought from other-dimensions, here information is still scarce and more research needs to be done.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I spoke too hastily.¡± ¡°No, not at all. Whether to trust my appraisal or not is up to Hunter Kim Junghyun, but as I mentioned earlier, you must follow my decision.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. And from the moment you successfully achieved triple resonance, I never doubted your appraisal. I just wanted to point out that¡¯s what the previous appraisers said.¡± Kim Junghyun responded calmly. s?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Even the appraisers known in Korea failed to discover what he had, not to mention appraising it, and he even succeeded in triple resonance right there on the spot. I knew because it was an item I had personally used. The fact that Mr. Woogil achieved triple resonance with the Triple Ring was surreal. ¡® Even I barely managed to achieve dual resonance, but Mr. Woogil¡­ ¡® It had taken me quite some time to resonate two rings. Even someone confident in mana control like me struggled, so just how exceptional was Mr. Woogil¡¯s mana control ability? ¡®All the top-tier appraisers are elite mages, and Mr. Woogil was no exception.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the idea that he was this advanced at his age. ¡®Come to think of it, not only did he unlock the Soul Reaper¡¯s curse, but he was also the first to detect the monsters¡¯ concealment.¡± I wondered if he simply had a special ability that specialized in this area, but now that I think about it, that¡¯s not the case at all. ¡®I can never tell. Just when I think I know it, he shows me something new¡­¡­.¡¯ But by now, I was starting to get a grasp of the situation. Irregular. A being outside the standard criteria for judgment. The true form of the man I was facing right now was precisely that. A top-tier appraiser and a genius mage. ¡®To think such a person existed in Korea.¡¯ Kim Junghyun tried to calm his racing heart and continued. ¡°What do you think the appraisal value should be?¡± ¡°1.5 billion. I estimate that the Triple Ring should be worth around that much.¡± ¡°1.5 billion¡­¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s low?¡± To my question, Kim Junghyun simply nodded. ¡°Yes. Honestly, it is. I thought it would be around 3 billion if it¡¯s an artifact from the B.CD 3,000s.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s an artifact, but since it was made during the 3,000s B.CD and shows this level of mana amplification, in fact, it¡¯s a slightly simpler design compared to other artifacts from the 3,000s. There¡¯s also the disadvantage of it being difficult to achieve triple resonance.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As Kim Junghyun listened to my explanation, he began to understand. Perhaps the reason why other appraisers did not consider this an artifact from the B.CD 3,000s was also because of these reasons. ¡°As you said, I¡¯ll deposit 66 million won, which is 4% of the appraisal value.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll write down how to achieve triple resonance separately and provide it to you.¡± ¡°Thank you. It seems additional fees will be necessary.¡± ¡°If you agree to be my broker, I¡¯ll provide this information for free this time.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not for free, it¡¯s something I should naturally do. It¡¯s an honor to a broker for someone like you.¡± Kim Junghyun sincerely thought so. It was the second meeting between Mr. Woogil and me since our encounter on the Herta planet, and today was the first proper conversation we had. One day was enough to recognize the value of this man named Kim Woogil. If he decided right away, he could become a globally renowned appraiser. And I was very pleased that such a man had appeared in Korea. ¡°I must maintain a good relationship with Mr. Woogil, no matter what.¡± It¡¯s time to stop thinking of him as just a remarkable awakened individual. He is someone you must have as an ally for the future. I must acknowledge his existence and establish a new relationship. ¡°The previous attack by the Soul Reaper turned out to be a blessing in disguise. ¡°I got to meet someone like you, Mr. Woogil.¡± ¡°I also consider meeting Hunter Kim Junghyun to be fortunate.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t address me so formally as ¡®Hunter Kim Junghyun¡¯; feel free to call me by my first name.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Junghyun?¡± ¡°That sounds much better. Woogil.¡± Kim Junghyun smiled brightly at me. ¡°Now we are business partners.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well then, since we¡¯ve become business partners, let me offer you a service.¡± Kim Junghyun tilted his head at my sudden offer. I chuckled and pointed to the necklace he was wearing. ¡°Isn¡¯t that necklace made by Ellaris?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. As expected, you recognized it immediately. I purchased it not too long ago. It¡¯s an artifact with a body recovery effect, so I¡¯m looking forward to its use in the next battle.¡± To him, who was eagerly anticipating its use, I delivered a shocking appraisal. ¡°That¡¯s a fake.¡± * * * ¡°Phew¡­ Things have progressed too quickly all of a sudden.¡± Lying sprawled on the bed, I checked Kim Junghyun¡¯s number on my phone. The number in the business card he had received before was for business purposes, but the one he was seeing now was said to be a personal number. Since he hardly knew anyone, he was told to always answer calls from this number. Can I trust Kim Junghyun? I constantly pondered, but the conclusion was that he was trustworthy. If it weren¡¯t for that incident, I would have thought he might be faking it. Perhaps even now, quite a few people still think of Kim Junghyun¡¯s appearance as insincere. Many hunters did. ¡°Let¡¯s check the items.¡± I emptied the bag containing the items I received from him onto the bed. Five items fell out with a thud. Necklace, totem, old dagger, gloves, and ring. Except for the old dagger and the ring, the rest were just ordinary items fitting E-grade. I picked up the old dagger. ¡°Teikebeje (?????).¡± PR/N As I uttered those words, the switch inside the handle of the dagger closed, and the mana circuit opened. As mana from the mana stone flowed into it, the old dagger became a key to opening a dimensional space, cutting through the air and opening a new space. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± [Faded Dimensional Dagger] It is imprinted with an overall less functional mana circuitry. The simplified mana circuitry, intended to increase stability, limits the size of the subspace. The blade has been intentionally corroded to make it less visible as a key to unlocking dimensions. The engraving has sharp curves and a hint of the unstable appearance of the era. ¡Î B.CD 38th century ¡Î Dimensional Connection I had been studying mana circuits diligently, but I still couldn¡¯t fully understand the mana circuit of this dagger. If the Triple Ring was a case where an unremarkable technique was maximized by the extraordinary skills of the creator, then this Faded Dimensional Dagger was a case where the difficult technique of dimensional spaces couldn¡¯t be properly realized due to lack of ability. In terms of technique alone, dimensional space was several times more difficult than mana amplification. ¡®The problem is that the dimensional space is too small.¡¯ At this level, it¡¯s about the size of a large suitcase. It¡¯s not bad for ordinary use, but it¡¯s a bit disappointing for hunters who cross dimensions to fight. Moreover, it¡¯s shaped like a dagger, which is inconvenient, and the mana stone needs to be replaced periodically. ¡®Around 500 million.¡¯ This is because it¡¯s a relic left over from the end of the 4000s, during the destruction of the ancient magical civilization, so I priced it at 500 million considering its value in that historical context. Otherwise, it would have fallen to around 350 million. Well, that¡¯s not important right now. ¡°This is the main item.¡± A ring with swirling patterns engraved on it. The reason I asked Kim Junghyun for E-grade items was because of this. Hmmm- Hmmm- At that moment, when I was about to check the next item, my phone vibrated. Seeing the name displayed on the screen, irritation surged within me. [Asshole] ¡°Hello.¡± ¨C Oh, hey. What are you up to?¡± The bastard asked in a friendly tone, but I felt like I was about to vomit. I forced myself to hold back. ¡°Just chilling.¡± ¨C Yeah? Um¡­ By the way, you know you¡¯re coming to our office tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll bring the artifacts.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I trust you¡¯ll handle it well. Just wanted to check in. See you tomorrow.¡± He probably called because he was worried I wouldn¡¯t bring the artifacts. ¡°Yeah.¡± Beep. The phone call was like a wake-up call. Originally, one of the reasons for meeting Junghyun was to get rid of this asshole. The fake Ellaris piece that Kim Junghyun had. I intended to use that. Click. Click. Ding. When I dialed Kim Junghyun¡¯s personal phone number, it quickly connected. ¨C I didn¡¯t expect you to call so soon, Woogil. Kim Junghyun¡¯s cheerful voice came through the receiver. ¡°The Ellaris necklace I bought last time, remember?¡± ¨C Oh¡­ That fake¡­ You mean?¡± Kim Junghyun¡¯s voice suddenly became gloomy. As soon as I realized that Kim Junghyun¡¯s necklace was a fake, I made a plan. ¡°It might reappear at the auction soon. Can you track the transaction?¡± ¨C You mentioned it was because of Mr. Kang, the CEO of your office, last time, right? ¡°Yes. I¡¯m asking for your help.¡± After expressing his doubts about the authenticity and providing evidence, Kim Junghyun immediately admitted it. But since Kim Junghyun didn¡¯t want the fake to be used for nefarious purposes, he hesitated to sell it. So, I had no choice but to tell him about Mr. Kang. That¡¯s how I managed to buy the ¡®fake¡¯ with the appraisal fee I received from him. ¨C I understand. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to repay you next time.¡± ¨C There¡¯s no need. Mr. Kang is truly despicable. I¡¯ll help too.¡± ¡°Thank you. See you next time.¡± Beep. Preparations were complete. All that¡¯s left is to give the son of a bitch a nightmare. ¡®I¡¯ll make you live in pain for the rest of your life.¡¯ [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 9 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 9: Revenge (1) I went to the bastard¡¯s office after a morning of thorough preparations. ¡®Has it been nearly three weeks?¡¯ Even though it had been a long time, it felt as vivid as if it were just yesterday. Kiiik. Along with the creaking sound of rusty hinges, the door opened, revealing the asshole, several employees, and a man wearing glasses whom I had never seen before. ¡®It seems like the guy with glasses is the person that asshole brought as an appraiser.¡¯ Unless it¡¯s a Salvation-affiliated appraiser, the standard of private appraisers in Korea these days is obvious. Especially if it¡¯s someone brought by the head of such a small office. ¡°Please, please, sir!¡± ¡°This punk! Where do you think you¡¯re grabbing the boss¡¯s pants?!¡± A burly, raven-haired man grabbed the man by the collar and kicked him. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ There¡¯s no way the son of a bitch would want to be seen like this on a day like today when he has an important appointment. ¡®So, did he come here on his own accord?¡¯ The guy he kicked was Hwang Myeongsu, another employee in the same office. Poor guy, just like me, he¡¯s stuck here with an unfair contract. He came to Seoul full of dreams as an adult, but unfortunately, the guy he met was that asshole. Like Cerberus, the gatekeeper of hell. ¡°My mother is sick. Just once! Can¡¯t you give an advance just once? I¡¯ll work harder from now on! Please?¡± As Hwang Myeongsu poured out tears and snot, he approached the CEO once again, but this time the raven-haired man grabbed his hair and raised his fist. ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this about?¡± Seeing my distorted expression, the asshole approached Hwang Myeongsu with a fake smile. ¡°Oh, Woogil is here? Wait a moment, would you like to sit?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I glanced at Hwang Myeongsu and sat on the sofa. He looked at me with surprised eyes. He probably thought, why is that asshole treating me so gently? After all, I had been treated just as badly as he was. ¡°Myeongsu, Myeongsu.¡± That asshole grabbed Hwang Myeongsu by his shoulder and chuckled. ¡°Yeah, do you know how much you¡¯re asking for? Five hundred. Is that a small amount? Do you know how many times you have to work on-site to get it?¡± ¡°Sob! Just deducting the fee here, it¡¯s already over 500, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the money you naturally get for supporting, nurturing, and finding jobs for you in our office, mate. Maybe you don¡¯t know because you¡¯re young, but that¡¯s how it is in this field.¡± ¡°I heard from people in other teams! There, it¡¯s like thi¨C cough¡­!!¡± Unable to control his anger, that asshole suddenly punched Hwang Myeongsu in the abdomen. ¡°Myeongsu, Myeongsu¡­..¡± ¡°Sob! Yes, yes!¡± Hwang Myeongsu braced himself for another blow, and replied politely. ¡°Then go on to another job. I¡¯ll give you five hundred!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you lure monsters in Sector C, you¡¯ll make 500 in no time. You know?¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s not something a normal person like me can do.¡± ¡°Why? Other people just don¡¯t do it because they don¡¯t have the ability. If you have the ability, you can do anything. Don¡¯t you have that level of earnestness? Your Mother¡¯s sick, right?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Exactly. Your mother is sick, but you¡¯re not afraid to risk your life?¡± ¡°Well, well, your life is the most precious.¡± At the mockery of that asshole, even his subordinates sneered. ¡®¡­They don¡¯t know when to stop. These trash-like guys.¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for the plans I had laid out, I would have overturned this place immediately. Whenever I see people playing with human lives, it ignites a fire within me. ¡®Let it go.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t anything particularly special. I had already experienced countless incidents like this. Those thugs should only pull off stunts like this once or twice. However, Hwang Myeongsu had just become an adult. It was unsettling to see him crying and begging for money because his parents were sick. Whether I gave it or not, I couldn¡¯t stand to see people being mocked. And it was ultimately because of those bastards that he couldn¡¯t afford the hospital bills. ¡°Hey, can we hurry up? I don¡¯t have much time.¡± Despite the abrupt interruption from me, the surrounding henchmen chuckled and frowned, but the asshole intervened. ¡°Yeah, Woogil is here. Since Myeongsu¡¯s story isn¡¯t over yet, just sit there for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Hwang Myeongsu stepped back, and the asshole sat across me, glaring at me with a burdened expression. The appraiser also sat beside him. The henchmen stood around the sofa, seemingly to prevent me from escaping. ¡°What¡¯s with this atmosphere? Am I going to get hit too?¡± ¡°Hahaha! Why would I hit you? You¡¯re my valuable employee.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Myeongsu also a valuable employee?¡± Pointing at Hwang Myeongsu, that asshole twisted his lips and said. ¡°You bring me money, you¡¯re a valuable employee, and he¡¯s just a guy asking for money, right?¡± Perhaps changing the strategy to be brazenly aggressive, even the fake smiles were gone now. ¡°¡­Honestly, if Myeongsu were paid for what he¡¯s done, he would have earned more than 500 by now.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re lecturing me as you leave? You¡¯re really going too far.¡± ¡°Is it going too far to speak the truth?¡± In a moment of irritation, the old way of speaking surfaced. ¡°Let¡¯s calm down, let¡¯s calm down.¡± ¡°Was that A grade artifact supposed to change people¡¯s personalities? What happened to you?¡± ¡°It was always like this, I just had to live with it.¡± ¡°Handling Myeongsu¡¯s affairs is our business. Let¡¯s deal with our matters first.¡± The asshole backed down first. Indeed, people have their limits. Even this disgraceful bastard would back down when pushed. ¡°Shall we check the contract first?¡± The asshole¡¯s expression wrinkled once again. But with an annoyed look, he gestured to the raven-haired man with his chin to show the contract. ¡°Here it is.¡± Handing over the contract, he showed the termination clause. This bastard had a reason to be so confident. It was because of the cunningly worded poison clauses in the contract. One of them stated that everything they had provided to support me in the early days of my office entry was actually an investment, and if I didn¡¯t work off the debt, interest would accrue, ballooning the debt. I probably wouldn¡¯t have known about the existence of this poison clause. In fact, it was all thanks to the inheritance from my grandmother in my past life that I had learned about this poison clause. At that time, I had been robbed of my B-grade artifact by this asshole in such a manner. I had no debts, but before I knew it, the debt had piled up like a mountain of snow, uncontrollably increasing. And that led to the deprivation of ownership of artifacts, leading to the absurd loss of artifacts. The price of the artifact was arbitrarily set and sold, and the contract couldn¡¯t be terminated as stipulated. At that time, I had almost reached the point of really giving up on life. Now, I might not know, but at that time, I had no money, no connections, no experience, no confidence. All of that must have been part of the asshole¡¯s plan. Disgusting piece of shit. Come to think of it, what did this bastard believe in to do such risky things? It was a prank that could easily get him caught by Salvation. ¡°Look. If you pay the contract termination fee, you can terminate the contract anytime.¡± ¡°How much is that termination fee?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to calculate that to know, man. Do I really have to do that right now?¡± He slips away cunningly. Well, if I wanted to, I could expose all his lies right here, but let¡¯s leave it at that for now. After all, the goal was to feed him false hope. ¡°Okay, I understand. This should be enough to pay off the debt.¡± Saying so, I carefully took out a small box from my bag. ¡°It¡¯s a necklace made by Ellaris.¡± As I opened the lid, a beautiful figure emerged. The jewels, finely crafted like sculptures, bore Ellaris¡¯s unique characteristics. They were the works of Ellaris, a craftsman from the B.CD 1000s known for making necklaces and earrings. Her accessories were known to exhibit healing abilities. ¡°E-Ellaris? An artifact of Ellaris!¡± The appraiser rudely took off his glasses and approached the necklace as if to sniff it, admiring its beautiful design. Not only him, but the face of that asshole next to him was also worth seeing. With bulging eyes, he stared at the necklace with trembling pupils. ¡°Is this the artifact you mentioned before?¡± ¡°No, actually, that¡¯s something else. This belonged to my grandmother. According to her will, my grandfather, who was apparently quite wealthy, bought it for millions and gave it to my grandmother as a gift. But it turned out to be an artifact.¡± In the past, artifacts from other dimensions were traded cheaply because their value wasn¡¯t recognized. Of course, at that time, hundreds would be worth thousands today. ¡°What? So there are two artifacts?¡± ¡°It turned out that way by chance. I only brought this one today.¡± My words seemed to fall on deaf ears as the appraiser busied himself with examining the necklace, and the asshole stared at me blankly. ¡®I can hear the gears turning.¡¯ If the artifact Woogil brought was made by Ellaris, what about the one he didn¡¯t bring? There¡¯s no way that greedy bastard would leave it behind. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring them both?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t think much of the other one, so I only brought this one. What do you think?¡± That asshole gave me a suspicious look. But I pretended not to notice and looked at the appraiser. ¡®I¡¯ve thrown the bait, now¡­ Even the appraiser hired by Kim Junghyun fell for the necklace. There¡¯s no way he can tell it¡¯s not Ellaris¡¯s work.¡¯ At first glance, it was so perfect that it was hard not to believe it was made by Ellaris. Reducing fatigue in the whole body and boosting recovery from wounds through wearing the necklace also resembled Ellaris¡¯s style. ¡®But it¡¯s too perfect to be Ellaris¡¯s work.¡¯ I remembered my past life as a tomb raider.. ¨C Isn¡¯t this Elaris¡¯s earring? Crazy, this is here. ¨C Is it really Ellaris¡¯s earring? Wow¡­ the craftsmanship is brilliant. ¨C No, they weren¡¯t made by Elaris. ¨C What? What do you mean, Director? The director showed Ellaris¡¯s earring through a magnifying glass and said. ¨C Some people believe that Ellaris is a master of meticulous craftsmanship, but that¡¯s not true. Rather, Ellaris simply has exceptional intuition; she isn¡¯t that meticulous of a person. Look here, the jewels are in perfect balance. Even under a magnifying glass, you can¡¯t find a flaw. Do you think this level of skill was possible in the 1st millennium? If she had such exceptional skills, the B.CD 2000s would have been the golden of the ancient magical civilization. That was what the chief said. All the artifacts of the ancient civilization were made by a race called ¡®Elanoi.¡¯ Ellaris was also a member of the ¡®Elanoi¡¯ race, and the reason why ancient civilizations could develop to such an extreme degree was all because of them.¡¯ The owner of insight, ¡®Teraunus,¡¯ was also an Elanoi. ¡®This is the work of the Templar.¡¯ Templar, an artisan who was active in the late B.CD. 4000s. He was not an Elanoi but an ordinary human. He became fascinated by the beauty of Ellaris¡¯s works from the B.CD. 1000s and began to imitate her. Although he almost perfectly replicated her works, the one difference was that he erased the raw beauty and pursued perfection. ¡®Would there be an appraiser in this era who can distinguish between Ellaris and Templar?¡¯ There are so many eccentrics in the world that it¡¯s possible. But what¡¯s important now is that this appraiser can¡¯t distinguish between them. ¡°It¡¯s perfect! This beautiful figure¡­ It¡¯s as if it¡¯s alive, shaping the waves! This is definitely Ellaris¡¯s necklace!¡± I looked slightly surprised as I watched the man in front of him. He seemed to have studied Ellaris quite a bit. He knew her characteristics quite accurately. In fact, Templar¡¯s works were of very high quality as well, but most people didn¡¯t like forgeries because they were mostly from the mid-B.CD 4000s onwards. From the B.CD. 4000s, ancient civilizations gradually declined. The works created during that time were very unstable and dangerous. They were like time bombs waiting to explode at any moment. That¡¯s why, no matter how high-quality the forgeries were, Templar¡¯s works couldn¡¯t match those of Ellaris from the B.C. 1000s. ¡°Cough!¡± S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The asshole coughed loudly, and the appraiser hastily put down the necklace as if he had regained his senses. ¡°Is it really Ellaris¡¯s? Take a closer look!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Well¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it is. When I was in China, I had it appraised there. They said it would fetch at least 100 million.¡± ¡°100 million?¡± The appraiser stuttered in surprise, then urgently whispered something to the asshole. ¡®Even without hearing it, it was obvious.¡¯ He must be urgently saying that if it¡¯s worth 100 million, he should buy it quickly. If it was really a necklace of this quality by Ellaris, I¡¯d pay a billion for it. I pretended not to know and asked. ¡°Why¡­? Is it too expensive?¡± ¡°Ahem! It seems like that appraiser was a bit generous in his valuation. Although it¡¯s Ellaris¡¯s work, its efficacy isn¡¯t that great, and it¡¯s a work from the B.CD. 1000s, so realistically, around 80 million would be more appropriate.¡± I inwardly chuckled. Even calling 100 million exorbitant, now he¡¯s trying to haggle more. ¡°Well, 20 million is a lot of money for me, so¡­ I¡¯ll have to wait until someone offers 100 million.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Woogil. Since we¡¯re friends, I¡¯ll buy it for 100 million.¡± He took the bait. No, he had no choice but to take it. He could easily pocket at least 900 million here, would that greedy bastard really let it slip by? ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Since you need the money quickly for the contract termination fee, we¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°Does the CEO really have 100 million?¡± ¡°Oh! You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Are you going to sell it or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sell it!¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s draw up the artifact transfer certificate. The deposit will be made by the end of this month-.¡± ¡°No, please give it to me by tomorrow. I also have places to spend money.¡± ¡°What? How can I give 100 million in just one day?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t. Actually, I got a call from China. I¡¯ll talk to them first.¡± ¡°What? From China? Hey! Don¡¯t contact them!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± As soon as the word China was mentioned, the asshole jumped up in a fit, trembling. Worried about losing it to the other side. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Are you going to give it to me by tomorrow or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you! Tomorrow? Okay. Go fuck yourself.¡± ¡°Okay. Stamp it?¡± I laughed and stamped the artifact¡¯s power of attorney. ¡°Oh, and what about the contract termination?¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Let¡¯s talk about it again after you receive the money.¡± With a gentle smile at that remark, I nodded my head. ¡°Sure.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 10 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 10: Revenge (2) The next day, the bastard really deposited a whopping 100 million won into my bank account. ¡°Crazy, did he really send it? How the fuck?¡± That bitch runs a small office, where did he get all that money? ¡®This is not the only strange thing.¡¯ Bringing in a retrieval team in a Sector E operational area. Brought in an appraiser who recognized Ellaris¡¯s necklace at a glance. And then depositing 100 million in just one day. ¡®It¡¯s definitely borrowed¡­ but from whom?¡¯ I didn¡¯t know any bastards who had that much money at the time. Whether 100 million won was a lot or a little, I knew that Kang Chanwook was a very greedy person. I often saw him flexibly handling and borrowing money, using it wherever he could to make bigger deals. ¡®And that appraiser. He had quite deep knowledge about Ellaris for just a simple private appraiser.¡¯ It¡¯s illegal for appraisers affiliated with Salvation to take money and appraise items for private jobs. If he was a Salvation-affiliated appraiser, it would be unlikely that he did appraisals secretly without Salvation¡¯s knowledge. Although such individuals existed, usually they only intervened in big deals to appraise items for a large profit, or when dealing with underground work, not going as far as involving themselves in such affairs. ¡®That ultimately means there¡¯s a high probability he brought in a high-ranking private appraiser¡­¡¯ Ordinary high-ranking private appraisers are those who followed the route of retiring from Salvation and moving on. If the bastard had connections with someone higher up, everything would make sense. From the flexibility of money, the appraiser, to securing the job. ¡°Phew, let¡¯s think about that later for now.¡± I picked up my phone and sent a text to Junghyun. [Item handed over.] And within a minute, I received a reply. [Understood. I¡¯ll start checking toward the auction house with significant funds right away.] [Yes. But it seemed like CEO Kang might have connections with the higher-ups. It might be good to check the auctions held among the upper echelons, just in case.] [Understood.] ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to Junghyun¡­¡± I arrived at the hospital in Gangnam. ¡°This is the hospital where Myeongsu¡¯s mother is, right?¡± Daesan Hospital, the most famous hospital in Gangnam. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. It¡¯s a place where many people come to seek treatment, including VIPs. Myeongsu¡¯s mother¡¯s illness is specific, so there aren¡¯t many places where she can receive treatment. So, crying and swallowing his pride, Myeongsu mentioned that his mother is also hospitalized here.. ¡®No wonder all the money¡¯s gone.¡¯ In this situation, being exploited under that bastard must have made life hell. ¡®It¡¯s reaping the rewards of past life deeds. Myeongsu.¡¯ I came here to pay the hospital bills Hwang Myeongsu mentioned. In my past life, thanks to Hwang Myeongsu, I was able to escape from the asshole¡¯s shackles. Hwang Myeongsu¡¯s mother, unable to be treated with current medicine, was undergoing medication to sustain her life, and the cost was quite significant. To save his mother, he had to constantly gather hospital funds. But trapped and exploited by that asshole, he ended up being only exploited and eventually unable to treat his mother, who passed away. While it¡¯s uncertain whether that became the catalyst, He awakened and immediately went to find him, smashing up his entire office and killing him. Thanks to that, the office was destroyed, I was freed, and Hwang Myeongsu was apprehended by the Salvation Awakener Management Division, bringing the incident to a close. If he was able to demolish the bastard¡¯s office to that extent right after awakening, he must have had quite a talent. ¡®I was quite surprised when I heard that timid and kind kid did that.¡¯ I had a soft spot in my heart for Hwang Myeongsu. I survived with the help of that young lad, but I still regretted not being able to visit him once in the Salvation facility. I found the lad later on, but Hwang Myeongsu was no longer of this world. ¡®I won¡¯t let that happen this time.¡¯ The bastard planned to finish Hwang Myeongsu off before his awakening. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to pay the hospital bills for patient Kang Imja.¡± Hwang Myeongsu¡¯s mother was Kang Imja. ¡°Ah, understood. Just a moment, please.¡± I paid all the hospital bills with mercy and then went up to the patient¡¯s room. *** ¡°Mr. Kang, you must remember. This is our secret.¡± ¡°Of course. Dr. Park. Do you think I do these things every day?¡± The president and the appraiser were having a discreet conversation in the office. ¡°We need to thoroughly monitor the lower-level employees too.¡± ¡°Ha, understood!¡± Mr. Kang, tapping his cigarette, glared at Dr. Park. Dr. Park slightly recoiled, twitching his eyelids at the sight. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get the artifact from that asshole. Are you sure about this one?¡± ¡°Yes, it is, and it¡¯s in excellent condition. It¡¯s hard to tell that it¡¯s thousands of years old.¡± ¡°It must have been well cared for.¡± ¡°With this condition, if we put it up for auction, we could get 1 billion. The split would be 8:2.¡± ¡°What do you take me for? If I get 10 billion, I¡¯ll give you 2 billion, so don¡¯t worry. And you mentioned that the Chinese were after this?¡± ¡°Perhaps, considering the bullshit about 100 million from the Chinese, they may have been preparing in advance. They¡¯re probably stretching their arms and sharpening their knives by now.¡± ¡°Ha, but that guy is suspicious.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Exhaling cigarette smoke, Mr. Kang loosely swirled his ashtray to extinguish his cigarette. ¡°He¡¯s too confident. Even if he¡¯s an idiot, he¡¯s still someone with a sense. Why would he bring an artifact so defenselessly?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ maybe because the artifact was registered with the management department, he believed it couldn¡¯t be stolen?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­ it wasn¡¯t that simple of a feeling. So, at first, I thought, even if it was fake, he brought it.¡± At the mention of it being fake, Dr. Park frowned and suddenly brandished the necklace. ¡°Ha! If it¡¯s a fake, I¡¯ll give you my entire fortune! I¡¯ve already appraised it twice, and I¡¯ve studied dozens of works by Ellaris! Do you think I can¡¯t recognize a masterpiece like that?¡± ¡°Heh, you have to listen to people to the end. Why are you so explosive? That¡¯s what I said initially, right?¡± At Mr. Kang¡¯s words, Dr. Park realized he had gotten excited for a moment and sheepishly lowered the necklace. ¡°Ahem, sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Thanks to you, I made a fortune. Park, let me tell you. I have a feeling that the other relics he has are genuine.¡± Dr. Park chuckled slightly at the sudden remark. ¡°Even more so than Ellaris?¡± ¡°Yes. I just have a good intuition about it.¡± Mr. Kang said, tapping his head with his index finger. ¡°Do you know why I didn¡¯t snatch those relics under the pretext of contract termination? I had a strong feeling that the artifacts he hid were ¡®real¡¯.¡± Dr. Park, noticing the madness in Mr. Kang¡¯s eyes, trembled slightly. ¡®The more I look at him, the more dangerous he seems to be.¡¯ He might be just a small-time thug, but he has connections with Congressman Chae and is a peculiar man that he still hasn¡¯t discarded and continues to use. There are several trucks¡¯ worth of people who have left under Congressman Chae¡¯s command. Yet, this man has managed to survive all this time. Moreover, if Congressman Chae sent his personal appraiser to him, it might mean he got some kind of weakness from Congressman Chae. These were the reasons why I couldn¡¯t deal with him comfortably. ¡®This is the last time I¡¯m going to do business with this man.¡¯ It was about secretly dividing the profits from Ellaris¡¯ necklace under Congressman Chae¡¯s nose. If it wasn¡¯t for the money, I wouldn¡¯t be doing business with this man. ¡°Will you appraise the next artifact too?¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Dr. Park hesitated. Whether to participate only until this incident or to withdraw. Or maybe to stop here altogether. ¡°That might not be possible. Congressman Chae-¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Bam! Mr. Kang slammed his fist on the table and glared at him with fiery eyes. ¡°Without you, how am I supposed to work on that artifact?¡± ¡°Th-there¡¯s no guarantee that will be okay or not, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that. And do you think you have a choice? Gonna tell Congressman Chae about this?¡± ¡°Huh! If I tell him, do you think you¡¯ll be safe?¡± ¡°Ha, hahaha, hahaha!¡± Mr. Kang suddenly laughed like a madman. Then, he abruptly flipped the desk. ¡°What are you¡­! Ugh!¡± Ignoring the necklace scattered on the floor, he grabbed Dr. Park by the collar. ¡°Are you trying to threaten me?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea¡­ how much is that necklace worth?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s going to be ruined like this, throw it away. As I said, the next one is real.¡± At that moment, Dr. Park was certain. Mr. Kang was truly insane. Even the thuggish appearances seen from the outside were all just acts compared to his true nature now. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll just let it go? I could kill you and send Congressman Chae along too.¡± ¡°A-Are you really insane?¡± ¡°Yeah, so decide. Whether to join me in this or not. Speak.¡± ¡°¡­I will. But please, when this is over, stop calling me.¡± Only then did Mr. Kang release his collar and smile gently. ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s bid each other goodbye after this is over.¡± * * * Lying with her eyes closed, Myeongsu¡¯s mother, Kang Imja. Hwang Myeongsu held her hand and closed his eyes. ¡°Oh, my. My son has been through a lot. Here.¡± ¡°Have some of this. Eat and gather strength!¡± The other ladies in the same hospital room offered food to Hwang Myeongsu with pitying glances. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What are we going to do about this¡­ If we can¡¯t pay the hospital bills, they won¡¯t let us off easily!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll help a little-¡± Then, the door of the hospital room opened with a creak. A man with a loose floral-patterned shirt and a crooked haircut entered, fiddling around and then noticing Hwang Myeongsu, approached him. ¡°Oh, Myeongsu. Do you have time to sit around here? You gotta make money, right?¡± ¡°Ah, I know. I just stopped by for a moment. I¡¯m about to go to work again¡­ Uh!¡± As the man grabbed Hwang Myeongsu¡¯s neck, the surrounding ladies screamed and intervened. ¡°Oh, let go of him and talk!¡± ¡°What are you doing to a child!¡± ¡°Hey! Let go of this! These ladies! You¡¯re going to pay for this!¡± The man with the crooked haircut pushed away the woman who grabbed his arm nervously and shouted. ¡°Oh my! He¡¯s gonna die¡­¡± ¡°K-Kek! M-Mom¡­¡± With a pale face, he fell to the ground, coughing incessantly. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s noisy!! Just call the nurse. I¡¯ll show them what happens to this guy and his mom.¡± The crooked-haired man, annoyed by the worried looks of the ladies, grabbed him by the hair and slapped him across the cheek. Slap! Slap! Slap! ¡°Hey, hey, hey.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Do you think we¡¯re fools? Act appropriately. Why should we suffer when you¡¯re the one borrowing money? Huh?¡± ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯ll pay you back, so don¡¯t make a scene here. Okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern.¡± As Hwang Myeongsu looked at his mother with relief, knowing she wasn¡¯t awake. ¡°Tell me when you¡¯ll pay back my 4 million won.¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you give me a little discount? I¡¯ve almost repaid the principal, and the interest has already exceeded the principal by far-.¡± ¡°This jerk, why am I being blamed for the inflated interest because you didn¡¯t pay back? Huh?¡± As the crooked-haired man spoke, about to raise his hand again, the door opened with a creak. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± To understand the situation, I kept my mouth shut for a few seconds before approaching the two men. ¡°Hy-¡­hyung¡­!¡± ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°Haah¡­¡± With a deep sigh, I stepped in front of the big man. ¡°Are you here to pay back the money?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have money to give to you guys.¡± ¡°Ha! Just a worthless punk.¡± As the crooked-haired man grabbed my collar to lift me, I instead got his wrist twisted and threw him to the ground. ¡°Aaargh!¡± With a thud, the bulky man, now silenced, lay on the ground, his face turning pale. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you came from, but you must be crazy to mess with me.¡± The crooked-haired man flexed his muscles proudly, showing off his muscular physique. With confident steps, completely disregarding the idea of his own defeat. As he took a few steps forward, his poised fist shot forward. In an instant, several jabs and hooks missed, leaving the crooked-haired man stunned. ¡°Is it over?¡± And still with a stern face, I approached and swiftly slapped him across the cheek. Smack!! Still dazed, the crooked-haired man turned to look at me with confusion, barely understanding the situation. Smack!! And he turned his head again. Smack!! With the third slap, the man fell to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth, looking up at me with a shocked expression. ¡°I¡¯ve seen too many monsters to be beaten by thugs like you.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 11 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 11: Revenge (3) ¡®The timing is too convenient.¡¯ Not long ago, Hwang Myeognsu asked the bastard for some money, and shortly after, thugs came to the hospital causing a disturbance. And it happened exactly when Myeongsu was there. Doesn¡¯t it seem like they¡¯re deliberately pressuring him? ¡°Hey, are you the illegal loan sharks?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The pouty head stands up, puffing out his cheeks as he realizes he can¡¯t beat his opponent. I had seen guys like this more than once or twice. ¡®Look at how he can¡¯t hide his emotions in his eyes.¡¯ It¡¯s obvious that he¡¯s forcibly suppressing his anger. Once he gets out of here, he¡¯ll try to get revenge somehow. If that doesn¡¯t work, he¡¯ll target Myeongsu¡¯s family. ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind.¡± I grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face into the ground. ¡°Argh¡­!!¡± Blood poured out as his face hit the hard ground. His nose might be broken. His lips were torn, and blood mixed with saliva was dripping from his mouth. ¡°P-please spare-.¡± ¡°Name.¡± ¡°¡­Shin Young-woon.¡± ¡°And him?¡± I pointed to the collapsed guy behind. ¡°¡­Jo Yeong-gil.¡± ¡°Okay, Shin Young-woon. Do you know CEO Kang Chanwook?¡± When the CEO¡¯s name was mentioned, the guy¡¯s pupils shook. He can barely put on a poker face. ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t know!¡± As if he would not know. Guys like this would be just one or two. Living as a excavator, you meet all sorts of trash. This kind of job, where you lend money to ordinary people and push them to the edge of a cliff, is so common that it¡¯s not surprising. [Insight activated.] [99.7% chance of being false] ¡°What? Did Insight have this ability?¡± The sudden message made me bewildered. For a moment, I felt dizzy, and my mana was drained, but I continued the conversation without showing any signs. ¡°Did Kang Chanwook tell you to extort money from Myeongsu?¡± ¡°N-no, never! He didn¡¯t do anything like that!¡± [Insight activated.] [99.2% chance of being false] ¡°Why did you do such a thing? Are you trying to make Myeongsu do some job?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! No! I mean, CEO Kang-.¡± [Insight activated.] [99.5% chance of being true] ¡®This must be true, he¡¯s just a guy who does as he¡¯s told.¡¯ I stood up and called Kim Junghyun. It seemed like I was contacting him too often in a short time, but in the current situation, Kim Junghyun was the only one I could trust. Besides, after all I¡¯ve done for him, it was the least he could do. Ring-ring- tic. ¨C Kim Junghyun speaking. What can I do for you? ¡°Do you happen to have any reliable connections with the police? I caught some illegal loan sharks, and it¡¯s connected to CEO Kang. The names are Shin Young-woon and Jo Yeong-gil.¡± ¨C Just a moment. Silence lingered for about 20 seconds. ¨C Fortunately, I have someone I can reach out to. What do you want to do? ¡°As long as we silence them until we deal with CEO Kang, it doesn¡¯t matter what happens afterwards. As you know, there¡¯s a high chance Kang has connections higher up.¡± ¨C Understood. If you provide the address, I¡¯ll send someone right away. ¡°Thank you.¡± After hanging up, pouty-headed surreptitiously hid his hand behind his back and fiddled with his phone. Crush! When I stomped on his hand along with the phone, he screamed. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious. Why were you trying to contact Kang Chanwook?¡± ¡°You¡­ who are you¡­¡± ¡°None of that matters, just lie down.¡± I knocked him out with a blow to his vital spot, then approached Hwang Myeongsu, who was looking bewildered. ¡°Are you okay?¡± S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle these guys and tell you later.¡± After a while, about five minutes of waiting, three men dressed in black entered the room. ¡°Are you Kim Woogil?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± A man with neatly combed back hair pulled out his inspector badge and handed it to me ¡°I¡¯m Oh Geomsu, the head of the Salvation Korea Branch Awakened Management Division Inspection Team.¡± ¡°Awakened¡­ Management Division?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I just asked him for a regular cop, but he sent an inspector from the management division? ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t know yet. Those two are from the Taejin faction. Since their leader is one of the awakened under our supervision, we handle them from our side.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Even if they are in charge of overseeing awakened individuals, we may not know exactly who their superiors are, but we shouldn¡¯t interfere recklessly. ¡®Certainly, the job handling is neat.¡¯ ¡°Then please.¡± ¡°Yes. Take them away.¡± The two inspection team members behind took the two thugs and left. ¡°Here¡¯s my business card.¡± Oh Geomsu handed his business card to me. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t have a business card.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Well, it¡¯s been a long time since Hunter Kim Junghyun personally asked for a favor like this. If you need anything later, please contact me. I¡¯m up for a casual meal too.¡± ¡°¡­Sure. I¡¯ll contact you.¡± ¡°Then.¡± Giving a slight bow, Oh Geomsu walked away. ¡®He¡¯s up for a meal too?¡¯ As the head of the Awakened Management Division Inspection Team, he holds quite a high position. But to suddenly give a business card and suggest having a meal to someone he¡¯s meeting for the first time? ¡®Just because Kim Junghyun asked?¡¯ Of course, building rapport with the head of the inspection team isn¡¯t a bad idea. Just a bit surprised. ¡°Brother, could you be a hidden chaebol¡¯s son or something?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the absurdity of the speculation. ¡®Well, I guess it¡¯s ridiculous for me too, but I wonder what¡¯s going on in that guy¡¯s head.¡¯ I pulled Myeongsu aside where there were no people around. ¡°I paid for your parents¡¯ medical bills.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, they said your mother¡¯s condition could be dangerous if left untreated. Since there¡¯s been some bonding between us, I¡¯m helping out.¡± ¡°Brother¡­!¡± I pushed away Hwang Myeongsu, who was trying to hug me. ¡°But you have to repay me.¡± ¡°Of course! Thank you, brother!¡± ¡°And today¡¯s events are confidential. Tell that to the ladies there. It¡¯s absolutely confidential.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Myeongsu mimicked zipping his lips shut in response. ¡°And CEO Kang is going down soon. They¡¯re planning to throw him in jail. Don¡¯t worry too much and take good care of your mother.¡± ¡°Huh? How so? Are you really a 2nd generation chaebol¡­¡± ¡°Stop with the nonsense. Anyway, I know that much. So just keep quiet about it for now. And if you need help, contact me. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°What are you planning to do, brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to set up my own office.¡± Hwang Myeongsu¡¯s expression showed surprise at the statement. No wonder. After all, he might be thinking, aren¡¯t you going to do the same thing as Kang? ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, no, I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m considering setting up an Appraisal office.¡± ¡°What? An Appraisal office? You?¡± The reaction was expected, but for some reason, it made me feel uneasy. ¡°Ahem, actually, I¡¯ve been studying appraising for a long time. I have confidence in it.¡± ¡°So you are an appraiser, brother?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not forcing you, but come to me if you need something done.¡± ¡°Wow! Brother, you¡¯re really cool! Then please reserve me as the first employee!¡± ¡°What? Without looking into other jobs? Do you trust me?¡± Looking at his bright expression, it¡¯s surprisingly fascinating. I¡¯ve always seen him as someone who¡¯s constantly on the verge of death, but now he seems quite cheerful. ¡°Well¡­ I think I can trust you for now, brother. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be helpful, but I want to help.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks. For now, never ever let that bastard Kang, I mean, CEO Kang, catch wind of this. Understand?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± * * * As I read the book [Mana Circuit Theory], time flew by unnoticed. ¡°I think they are putting it up for auction soon.¡± We didn¡¯t discuss terminating the contract while selling the fake necklace of Ellaris. Originally, I planned to terminate the contract there and expose their illegal activities to send them to jail. But plans changed. I had been pondering how to delay and justify it if they brought up contract termination first. Fortunately, CEO Kang¡¯s side brought up contract termination before us and wrapped it up discreetly. It was clear they were coveting another artifact that I possessed. ¡®It¡¯s easy to deal with greedy people¡¯ Stimulate their desire just enough and they¡¯ll do what you want. I closed the book and picked up my phone. ¡®It¡¯s about time to talk about terminating the contract.¡¯ Beep. ¨C Hey, Woogil. How are you?¡± His voice was so friendly that anyone listening in would think I was talking to my best friend. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been quite busy lately, so I haven¡¯t been able to contact you properly. Since I¡¯ve received the money, we should talk about terminating the contract now, right?¡± ¨C Exactly. You received 100 million, and you¡¯ve been saving it up, right?¡± ¡°No. I think I¡¯ve already spent half of it. Still, even if it¡¯s 50 million, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem with terminating the contract. Well.¡± ¨C By the way, didn¡¯t you mention you have another artifact? Selling that too should provide enough money.¡± ¡°I was thinking about selling that as well, but I¡¯m still pondering over it.¡± ¨C Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you brought it last time? We would have properly appraised it from our side.¡± ¡°At that time, I only intended to sell one and observe for a bit. I¡¯m not well-versed in this field, you know.¡± ¨C Then bring it when you terminate the contract this time. We¡¯ll appraise it. ¡°Really? And the appraisal fee?¡± ¨C I¡¯ll give you a reasonable amount. Appraisal fees are pennies. You¡¯ll make a lot of money selling it, right? ¡°Got it. Then I¡¯ll get back to you right away.¡± ¨C Okay. Beep. I hung up and immediately called Kim Junghyun. ¨C Kim Junghyun speaking. I was just about to contact you, but you beat me to it. ¡°Has the auction been arranged?¡± ¨C Yes. Both the seller and buyer at the auction are anonymous. We managed to obtain the list of items, and it seems Ellaris¡¯s necklace is there.¡± ¡®An anonymous auction¡­ Why bother hiding identities?¡¯ I don¡¯t know the reason, but it¡¯s not a bad situation. The Masked Auction, held in China. It¡¯s a prestigious auction attended not only by Asians but also by conglomerates from Europe and the Middle East. With strict management and carefully selected items. ¡®Even if it¡¯s in China, they won¡¯t be able to discern the Templar¡¯s forgery.¡¯ Even if it¡¯s exposed during the auction, it wouldn¡¯t adversely affect me, but for my plan to succeed, the deal had to be completed. ¨C Are you sure? Even at the Masked Auction, can¡¯t they discern a forgery?¡± ¡°They absolutely can¡¯t. There are very few appraisers worldwide who can discern that forgery. Maybe I¡¯m the only one.¡± There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line at my self-proclaimed title of the world¡¯s best appraiser. What could Kim Junghyun be thinking right now? Does he trust this young man? Or does he think my confidence is excessive? ¨C Understood. The auction will start in Shanghai in two days.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll contact you again.¡± Beep. Immediately after hanging up, I sent a text to the asshole. [Let¡¯s meet at the office three days from now.] Ring- Ring- The phone rang immediately. [Asshole] Tic. ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C I can¡¯t do it in three days. I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Huh? Well, then, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I have another appointment the next day. I¡¯ll tell you about it then.¡± ¨C What? What appointment is that?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Remember that appraiser from China I mentioned last time? He¡¯s coming to Korea.¡± ¨C No, do you trust those Chinese? Don¡¯t meet that guy, meet me instead.¡± ¡°No, but I don¡¯t know, so¡­ I¡¯ll meet him first and then meet your appraiser.¡± ¨C ¡­Tsk. Fine. Three days from now in the morning. I¡¯ll make time then.¡± ¡°Huh? No¡­ You don¡¯t have to push yourself that much.¡± ¨C I said I¡¯ll make time. Come to the office then. ¡°Okay.¡± Beep. It¡¯s quite amusing to see him so nervous about losing the artifact. He doesn¡¯t even know that it¡¯s a shortcut to hell. ¡°I¡¯m going to read a book until then.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 12 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C GooGooGaGa] Chapter 12: Revenge (4) [Understanding of Mana] [Mana Circuit Theory] [Fundamental Concepts of Magic] I¡¯ve been reading a total of three books so far. Lately, as my understanding of [Mana Circuit Theory] deepens, I find myself reading faster. ¡°I¡¯ve probably read about a third of it. Not bad.¡± In my past life, I diligently acquired knowledge of ancient civilizations, their characteristics, famous artisans, and more. However, my expertise didn¡¯t extend to specialized subjects like mana circuits. Fundamentally, the scope of studies like mana circuits, which are considered the foundation of ancient civilizations, was vast and incomprehensibly complex. Even renowned scholars on Earth have been delving into it for decades and still haven¡¯t fully grasped the theory. Especially the circuit technology from the heyday of ancient magical civilizations, known as the B.C.D 3,000s and early 4,000s, is at a level so difficult to comprehend that I haven¡¯t even attempted to delve into it. ¡®It¡¯s impossible to implement something that doesn¡¯t even feel right. With gates opening and wars starting with creatures from other dimensions, the pace of Earth¡¯s advancement has become dazzlingly rapid, yet catching up with 5,000 years of history remains daunting. ¡°What should I use to lure the bastards¡­¡± Right now, I have two artifacts in hand. One is the [Faded Dimensional Dagger], and the other is a ring engraved with swirl patterns. Both received from Junghyun, rated as E-grade items. [Insight Activated.] [Hyper-Sensory Cyclone] A ring made of the rare magic ore Silver Knight, which can intervene in the user¡¯s mind. Using multiple path magic techniques, it maximizes all the user¡¯s senses, enhancing information processing speed and reflexes by utilizing high curvature and excellent fluidity. It is adorned with decorations in the shape of a cyclone on its surface. ¡ÎB.CD 25th century ¡ÎHyper-Sensory Activation This is precisely what I¡¯ve been intending to retrieve from Kim Junghyun. The Hyper-Sensory Cyclone. Originally stored as an E-grade artifact from my past life, it was later identified as an S-grade artifact, becoming his main equipment. ¡®Although I feel sorry for taking it away, since you won¡¯t uncover its true abilities until three years from now, I¡¯ll just borrow it for the time being.¡¯ I might be heavily relying on Kim Junghyun at the moment, but in return, I¡¯ll provide the same level of assistance in the future. Putting on the ring and channeling mana, the flow begins within the circuit. [Insight Activated] The sight of the circuits flowing within the small ring becomes vivid. How mana flows, where it bends, rotates, and returns. Dozens of flows intertwine, naturally weaving and creating new flows. It felt as if nature itself had been molded within this small ring. It¡¯s unbelievably beautiful and grand, considering it was created by human power. Without insight, I wouldn¡¯t have known that all these individual flows were actually creating one massive current. ¡°Huh¡­!¡± Instantly, the white ceiling turned yellow, and my vision blurred. It was too much for me to understand at my current level. As I try to comprehend something beyond my common knowledge, mana is swiftly drained away. Desperately closing my eyes and releasing the insight, the dizziness fades. ¡°Phew¡­¡± By the way, even though I knew a lot, I didn¡¯t know the entire history of ancient civilizations accurately. ¡®The technology clearly belongs to the 3,000s, but the style is reminiscent of the 1,000s.¡¯ The whirl design of this pattern and the design of this mana circuit, which seems to embody nature, are representative features of the 1,000s. However, in the aspect of the diverse flow of mana and the convergence of multiple directions to create new flows, it was undoubtedly a ring created in the 3,000s. Moreover, the infinite spiral drawn within while the mana circuit operates. The pattern of the Elanois, who led the ancient magical civilization, symbolizes the ones who guided this ring to be considered an artifact. ¡®Not to mention, this Hyper-sensory Cyclone¡­¡¯ I slowly channeled mana into the ring to activate it once more. Click. With an inaudible activation sound in my mind, I infused mana into the ring, and instantly, the mana spread throughout my body, expanding my senses. Hwaahhhh- My ears twitched. The sound of my heart beating, the sound of wind seeping through the window crevices, even the footsteps of people outside, all became vivid. But that¡¯s not all. The faint dust trembling on the desk, the gritty texture of the bedsheet brushing against my toes, the shallow smell of mildew entering my nose¡­ What surprised me the most was that the movement of mana through my body felt dozens of times slower and more intricate than before. ¡®Huh, if it¡¯s like this¡­¡¯ I¡¯ll be able to break up mana a bit more and move it with precision at the same time¡­¡­! Hwaak- ¡°Ugh!¡± A sudden rush of fatigue. It felt like my breath was being cut off. Dizziness engulfed my head, and my body stiffened. After a few moments of waiting, my senses quickly adjusted. Apparently, this Hyper-Sensory Cyclone requires quite an adjustment period to use. Even in the initial state of receiving the first reward from [Understanding of Mana], if this is the extent, ordinary people would probably have been overwhelmed on their first attempt. And I have a feeling. This is why it became the main equipment of future Kim Junghyun. H¡­¡­ [Kim Junghyun] Beep. ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C This is Kim Junghyun. I¡¯ve had someone look into it, and Ellaris¡¯s necklace was auctioned off for 6.2 million yuan. ¡°1.1 billion¡­ It sold for more than I expected.¡± ¨C Yes, I¡¯m not sure who bought it, but it seems that there was quite a fierce battle between two parties. ¡°I see. CEO Kang must be dying by now.¡± ¨C Hahaha. He probably has to return to Korea as soon as the auction ends due to his agreement with Wugil. He won¡¯t have much time to redirect the funds. ¡°Yes. Still, he¡¯s a thorough one, so even if not all, he¡¯ll attempt some money laundering. That¡¯s just about right.¡± ¨C Then I¡¯ll get ready as well. See you later. ¡°Yes. See you later.¡± Beep. By now, that bastard is probably happily heading to the airport. Little does he know what hell is about to unfold. ¡®It won¡¯t be long until I see the bastard crying and begging for help.¡¯ I¡¯m going to drag him down to the bottom. S?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. And find out who else is connected to him while I¡¯m at it. *** ¡°Mr. Kang, it¡¯s been a while.¡± I was dressed in luxurious high-end fashion, plopped down on the sofa and faced CEO Kang. With a wry smile, Kang Chanwook bit his lip, looking at me adorned in extravagant luxury. Seated beside him, Dr. Park wore an uneasy expression for some reason. ¡°Got rich, Woogil? Seems like you¡¯ve got a lot of money. Sporting luxury brands you didn¡¯t before.¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s life for you. Well, let¡¯s get the contract termination over with quickly.¡± ¡°Why not take it slow? Park here doesn¡¯t have much time, so we need to appraise it quickly and go. Let¡¯s start with the appraisal.¡± ¡°Alright. Fine.¡± I pulled out an old dagger from my bag. An ancient dagger engraved with ancient patterns and language. Visibly worn out to the point of being unusable and corroded on the surface. However, the patterns engraved on the guard and handle made the aged appearance appear elegant as an antique. ¡°Hmm¡­ and this is supposed to be an A-grade estimated artifact?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let me take a look.¡± Examining the dagger, checking even the mana projection equipment, but his expression didn¡¯t easily change. ¡®How would he do what even the Salvation Appraisal Department couldn¡¯t do.¡¯ Even holding onto it for a few days, what could he find out in such a short time? Cold sweat formed on his forehead, he seemed quite flustered. After examining it for a while, he seemed to have finished the appraisal and set down the dagger. ¡°While it seems like a more detailed appraisal is needed, judging from the patterns engraved on the guard, this dagger was made in the early B.CD 4,000s. It seems to require interpretation of ancient language to use, but given its age and the sophisticated mana circuit, it¡¯s expected to have the value of an artifact.¡± ¡°Oh? Really?¡± Early B.CD 4,000s? What nonsense. He looks clueless. Probably, he thinks the other party knows nothing about appraisals and is making up something plausible. Of course, even if given time, he wouldn¡¯t have the skill to appraise properly. ¡°Oh! I think the appraiser said something similar at the time.¡± ¡°He did, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I had a hard time controlling my expression, barely holding back the laughter that threatened to spill out. Observing my expression, CEO Kang furrowed his brows and glared at the appraiser. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. I am.¡± ¡°I know how to use this.¡± ¡°What? Then why didn¡¯t-¡± Ignoring the appraiser¡¯s sudden outburst of anger, I casually grabbed the dagger. Ziiiiing¡ª As the dagger, gleaming with a blue light, pierced through the air and simultaneously split the space, revealing a pocket dimension. Both men, with eyes wide as if their eyeballs were about to pop out, couldn¡¯t close their mouths. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering I had seen Kim Junghyun¡¯s reaction before. ¡°This is a pocket dimension key. It¡¯s¡­ uh, didn¡¯t he say it was probably larger than this entire office?¡± I closed the pocket dimension and placed the old dagger on the desk. I couldn¡¯t afford to reveal that the size of the pocket dimension was only as big as a backpack, so I quickly closed it. ¡°A p-pocket dimension? This rusty dagger?¡± The appraiser stammered, even stumbling over his words. It seemed like lasers were about to shoot out of his eyes. ¡°H-how did¡­ you do that?¡± The appraiser desperately checked the dagger, but couldn¡¯t find a way to open the pocket dimension. Normally, you would need a trigger to open a pocket dimension, but having analyzed the internal mana circuit, I could directly activate it by channeling mana. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°But knowing that would help us appraise and sell more accurately, wouldn¡¯t it? Selling something like this at its proper value is difficult without connections.¡± The greed in the bastard¡¯s eyes. I chuckled at the sight. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Let¡¯s handle the contract termination first, and then I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°Huh. If you come out like that, I can¡¯t be nice either.¡± ¡°What? Are you threatening me now? Fine! Let¡¯s just do the contract termination according to the law.¡± As if having enough money to enter such a lawsuit, I grabbed the dagger. However, three bulky men blocked my path. ¡°If you¡¯re leaving, drop that.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? This is registered with the management office.¡± ¡°Ownership isn¡¯t absolute. For example, if I have the right to seize your property for your mountain of debt, then that becomes mine too.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? I¡¯ll report this.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± The bastard leisurely stood up from the sofa, chuckling. Then, he approached and leaned in, his face close. ¡°Go ahead. Report it.¡± ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Check the contract if you doubt. Your debt to me exceeds 200 million.¡± ¡°¡­Are you fucking crazy? I owe over 200 million in debt that I didn¡¯t even know about?¡± The lackey turned on the tablet screen and showed me the support history and the interest incurred as a result. 228.56 million won. With a principal of 10 million won, the interest is over 200 million. Although I knew, seeing it now made me laugh in disbelief. The interest rate exceeds 2,000%. When I looked at the principal amount, I realized that everything I had done to treat the injuries in the field was actually treated as debt, and the same was true for other supplies. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Sounds unreasonable, doesn¡¯t it? Want to report it? Do you think those guys will listen to you? It¡¯s not for nothing that I have connections. They¡¯ll all just ignore you. Do you think it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much? How much did I even earn working here?¡± I shouted, filled with grievances from my past life. Seeing me like that, the bastard chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± ¡°¡­Please just take a look.¡± ¡°Stop begging now. Just because some loser got lucky and got an artifact doesn¡¯t mean you can act like this.¡± As he sat back on the sofa, he clapped his hands, and one of his goons approached, handing him a new stack of papers. ¡°It¡¯s a contract for transferring ownership of the artifact. Sign this. Then, I¡¯ll reduce your contract period and forgive about 90% of the debt.¡± ¡°¡­How much is that artifact worth? And you¡¯re not even canceling the contract completely, just reducing it?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? The value of the artifact depends on the seller¡¯s feelings. It hasn¡¯t been accurately appraised yet, right? It¡¯s just an estimated A-grade. Who knows if it¡¯ll become B-grade or C-grade? Maybe it¡¯s not even an artifact? Hahaha.¡± As if he had a steel plate on his face, he shamelessly spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on me.¡± ¡°You might not know because you¡¯re young, but this world is where an A-grade can become a C-grade, and a C-grade can become an A-grade. That¡¯s how the upper class operates. Got it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Bringing back items from the last Sector E collection day and running the business in this way until now, I wondered if he had more power than I thought¡­ ¡®If he¡¯s being this brazen, he must have quite a bit of influence.¡¯ This was unexpected information. It seemed worth looking into. ¡°How high up are your connections?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± Tsk, it didn¡¯t work. ¡°Get me that.¡± At the bastard¡¯s command, one of the goons took the dagger from my hand and handed it to him. He took it cautiously, as if handling a precious treasure. I sighed with exasperation. ¡°Ha, that should be enough. Come in.¡± The bastard frowned at those words. His face seemed to say, ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Yes, that suspicion was probably correct. *Kwaang!!* The iron door swung open roughly, and Kim Junghyun and men in black suits poured in. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± A black-haired man with a full-back walked up to the bastard, showing his inspection badge from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m Oh Geomsu, the Head of the Salvation Korean Branch Awakened Management Division Inspection Team. You are under arrest on charges of unfair contracts, illegal fund management, appraisal fraud, and more.¡± ¡°What nonsense is this?!¡± The bastard¡¯s face contorted in a fit of rage. ¡°And this office will be subject to inspection and seizure as of now, so we ask for your cooperation.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch!! Kim Woogil, you piece of¡­¡± ¡°You son of a bitch. You should have behaved better.¡± My mockery made the bastard¡¯s veins bulge on his forehead as if they were about to burst. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C GooGooGaGa] Chapter 13 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C GooGooGaGa] Chapter 13: Revenge (5) ¡°Let go of this!!¡± ¡°Sir! What the hell is this all of a sudden!¡± Without any of Kang¡¯s subordinates being able to do anything, they were restrained by inspection team members, banging their heads on the desk and shouting curses incessantly. ¡°These bastards! Do you know who I am? If I get taken away like this, your heads will roll!!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. We are just carrying out our duties.¡± Despite the fierce glare from CEO Kang, I didn¡¯t bat an eye, instead, I smirked. ¡°You seem quite confident there. Do you think you can get away?¡± Oh Geomsu said to Dr. Park. Dr. Park obediently put on the handcuffs, looking resigned or unconcerned. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m being taken away, but I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± A face that didn¡¯t even consider resistance. Calm, as if this wasn¡¯t the first or second time experiencing such a thing. It was clear that he knew resisting and arguing wouldn¡¯t do him any good. ¡°Why? Is it because you already embezzled money? Or is there someone covering for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Oh Geomsu glanced at Dr. Park, clicked his tongue, before turning to Kang Chanwook. He might be quite excited about having gotten to Kim Woogil, so there might be something to leverage. However, before he could even go, Kim Woogil had already completely opened his lid. ¡°Why? If you sold Ellaris¡¯s necklace for 1.1 billion won, you made a lot of money, right? Just spend a few months in prison and then come out comfortably?¡± ¡°¡­You, how did you¡­?¡± His eyes were so bloodshot they seemed about to burst. If his arms hadn¡¯t been restrained by the inspection team members, he would have punched me in the face already. ¡°I did a little research because you cheated me out of it, but it¡¯s up for auction, right?¡± Kang Chanwook smirked in response to my words. ¡°¡­Ha! Quite competent, Woogil? Huh? Why? Are you angry because you sold it for 100 million and not 1.1 billion? Huh?¡± ¡°No. Mr. Kang. No.¡± I chuckled, placing both hands on Kang Chanwook¡¯s restrained shoulders. ¡°¡­You son of a bitch. You should¡¯ve looked into it more carefully before buying.¡± ¡°What?¡± At my unsettling words, Kang Chanwook¡¯s pupils shook for the first time. Enjoying his change of mood, I slowly revealed the truth. ¡°That¡­ was fake.¡± I whispered into his ear. His facial muscles twisted as if he couldn¡¯t believe the fact. ¡°You crazy bastard. If you¡¯re going to lie, at least do it properly. Every expert in China confirmed it was genuine. But you¡¯re saying it¡¯s fake?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s fake.¡± Then, Dr. Park, who had been silent in the background, finally spoke out. ¡°Nonsense!! Are you saying I couldn¡¯t recognize a fake of Ellaris¡¯s work? It is real!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too confident in your own abilities. If that wasn¡¯t fake, you would quietly let it pass. But if it¡¯s fake, well¡­ It¡¯s time for the reaction.¡± Ring ring ring!! Kang Chanwook¡¯s phone began to ring loudly. Unable to take out his phone due to being handcuffed, Oh Geomsu took it out from his pocket instead. ¡°Answer it.¡± Kang Chanwook¡¯s eyes shook wildly as he checked the number on the screen. Ding. Oh Geomsu pressed the call button instead and placed the phone next to Kang Chanwook¡¯s mouth. A rough voice came through. Broken Korean filled with curses, accompanied by death threats if the money wasn¡¯t returned. Ding. The mighty Kang Chanwook remained speechless and dumbfounded as Oh Geomsu ended the call. ¡°This¡­ bastard¡­¡± ¡°Is it true? Is it really fake-¡± ¡°It¡¯s real! This incompetent bastard!!¡± Kang Chanwook¡¯s anger immediately turned towards Dr. Park. His eyes, blood vessels ready to burst, glared as if he could kill. ¡°No way¡­¡± Shocked, Dr. Park slumped down, and Kang Chanwook¡¯s uneasy eyes began to dart around. ¡°Come to think of it, there were rumors that the auction house was connected to the Chinese Triad¡­ You should have booked a flight to Korea immediately, right? Be grateful to me. If you¡¯re caught by Salvation, at least you won¡¯t die.¡± But even while in the Salvation facility, every day would be filled with anxiety. The fear of the Chinese men inside wanting to kill him, and the pressure of those who might target him when he leaves the facility. He wouldn¡¯t be able to repay the money. All his accounts had been frozen by Salvation. ¡°Do you think¡­ I¡¯ll just let this go? Huh? Who do you think is behind me?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind you, but worry about yourself.¡± It was like watching a frightened dog yelping. Ignoring him, I gestured to Oh Geomsu and Kim Junghyun. ¡°Take him away.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You bastard!! I won¡¯t let you off! I¡¯ll definitely kill you!!¡± He kept yelling until the end, but I wouldn¡¯t see him again. I¡¯m sure his connections will be traced back to this auction and this man, Dr. Park. Now it¡¯s up to Mr. Oh Geomsu. The bastard and his subordinates were dragged out by inspection team members, leaving only me, Kim Junghyun and Oh Geomsu. ¡°There are no bugs, so you can relax.¡± Oh Geomsu had already instructed the staff to thoroughly inspect the office. Before starting the search in earnest, the staff were temporarily sent outside, leaving the three of us facing each other. ¡°I came at the request of Hunter Kim Junghyun, but it¡¯s more serious than I thought.¡± Oh Geomsu, who had heard the previous conversation through the listening device I brought, shook his head and flipped through the contract on the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t something someone does just once or twice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a problem with this office.¡± At my words, his gaze quickly swept over me. ¡°How did you end up signing such a contract in a place like this?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s the innocence of youth.¡± ¡°The innocence of youth¡­ But it¡¯s only been about a year, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°A year is enough for the world to change.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Since the gates opened and the awakened appeared. Earth had adapted remarkably quickly to repel monsters from other dimensions and establish a system. It hadn¡¯t even taken a year for the world to change drastically. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to fall victim to such illegal contracts.¡¯ It was the same at the hospital and here. It¡¯s hard to believe he¡¯s a young man in his early to mid-20s, as calm and relaxed as he is. Even if catching thugs at the hospital is understandable, the way he handled Kang Chanwook was definitely not something an ordinary young man in his early to mid-20s could do. ¡®No,it doesn¡¯t make sense that he was able to recognize Ellaris¡¯s masterpiece in the first place.¡¯ I heard it from Kim Junghyun. It was Kim Woogil who discerned the forgery of Ellaris¡¯s work. At first, I thought it was nonsense, but facing him in person, it seemed plausible. After all, Kim Junghyun was not someone who would lie about such things. ¡°He¡¯s amazing¡­ That an outsider, not even a graduate of the academy, could have such skills¡­ Heh.¡± The more I thought about it, the more I couldn¡¯t help but think he was amazing. With that level of skill, why would he hide himself? If he wanted to, he would be flooded with offers from all over the world. Although I had no intention of revealing his identity at Kim Junghyun¡¯s request, one thing was certain. ¡°If that skill isn¡¯t just hype, it will eventually come to light. As the leading appraiser representing South Korea.¡± I looked at Kim Woogil. Who would have thought my past connection would lead to this opportunity? This was a chance given to me by Kim Junghyun. A chance to get closer to the future¡¯s top appraiser. ¡°It was nice to meet you. I hope next time we meet, it¡¯s not as the head of the inspection team, but as Oh Geomsu.¡± I stood up and said. ¡°You were introduced by Kim Junghyun, so you¡¯re welcome anytime.¡± The two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. ¡°Thank you for your help today.¡± ¡°What did I do? Haha. Feel free to call me anytime if you need anything.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be in touch soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± After Oh Geomsu left, Kim Junghyun, who was sitting quietly, seemed to have something to say and approached me. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you possibly appraise minerals as well?¡± ¡°¡­Minerals?¡± ¡°Yes. I have something I¡¯d like to recommend to you. Mr. Park Man-deuk, the head of Appraisal Department 2 at the Property Appraisal Office of the Salvation Korea Branch¡¯s Logistics Support Division, is having difficulty appraising minerals, and I thought you might be able to help.¡± If it was a department head from Salvation¡¯s Appraisal Division, he held a high position. ¡°Please tell me more.¡± ¡°We obtained a new ore from Sector C of the Herta planet this time. It¡¯s said that when Awakened individuals approach the ore, their abilities are enhanced, so a detailed appraisal is needed.¡± ¡°Enhanced abilities¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s an ore that emits a yellow light.¡± An ore with the effect of enhancing abilities. ¡®It¡¯s an Aura Stone. Surely.¡¯ In my previous life, this had caused an uproar in Korea. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect this connection¡­¡¯ ¡°I was hesitant to mention it as it¡¯s confidential, but after seeing you today, I thought you¡¯d be okay with it.¡± I had to accept this. If I left it alone, it could be disastrous. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll check it out.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you! I¡¯ll make sure to pay you the appraisal fee.¡± ¡°Of course. How about the schedule?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact the head and coordinate, then let you know.¡± ¡°Yes. Please do.¡± As Kim Junghyun left, I headed straight home. My thoughts were extremely complicated throughout the journey. The Aura Stone. The unfortunate ore that became a bomb not only for Korean awakeners but also around the world. Normally, it would take another three years for the true value of the ore to be revealed¡­ ¡®This time, I¡¯ll appraise it thoroughly myself.¡¯ * * * This was Kim Junghyun¡¯s first request as a broker. At the same time, it was an event that could be a major flaw for the Salvation Korea Branch. To resolve this perfectly, the Aura Stone needed to be appraised properly. ¡®The problem is¡­ I¡¯m not exactly an expert in mineral appraisal.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t just ignore the request because of that. S?a??h th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Tsk.¡± Even if I had insight, there was a huge difference between having insight into a completely unfamiliar field and one that I had some knowledge of. Furthermore, even with insight, explaining it required relevant knowledge. Insight wasn¡¯t an all-knowing ability. ¡°Sigh¡­ It¡¯s been a while.¡± Yongmun-dong. Next to the Trade Center. When I first came, I went there saying I was looking for Oriental cigarettes. ¡®Come to think of it, I need to find D.K too.¡¯ The original purpose was to go to the Ancient Bookstore, but before that, I surveyed the entire Yongmu-dong. ¡®As expected¡­ not here.¡¯ To rapidly increase my mana, items like the Oriental tobacco made by D.K were necessary. Since the new request hadn¡¯t even started yet, and there was some free time, I planned to come to Yongmun-dong often. ¡°Hello.¡± Entering the Ancient Bookstore, I greeted the old woman who owned the place, but as expected¡­ She seemed uninterested, only waving her hand as if to say to go away, while casually watching TV. She probably wouldn¡¯t even notice even if someone ran off with a book. ¡®I¡¯ll take any minor information about minerals. Let¡¯s see.¡¯ Even if not that, any books about other planets, magic or appraisal related topics would do. In any case, ultimately, reading all the useful ancient books here was my final goal. I had already checked the titles of all the ancient books here. Except for five books, I considered the rest useless, but there was one memorable one. I took out the book next to ¡°The Girl Who Flew the Sky,¡± the last one he had checked last time. [Miner¡¯s Mining Diary] If it¡¯s a diary about mining, there might be some information related to the Aura Stone. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C GooGooGaGa] Chapter 14 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 14: Aura Stone (1) It might truly be an ordinary diary, perhaps one where a miner complains about the hardships of mining while boasting about how much ore they extracted today, just like any other ordinary diary. However, in a situation where even the slightest piece of information is needed, it feels a bit hesitant to just discard it. Moreover, among the most important things in appraising is authenticity. These seemingly insignificant pieces of information written by someone from that era can become evidence and serve as materials supporting the conclusions drawn by historians. Furthermore, if this minor miner was indeed an outstanding miner of his time, there might be useful information contained within. ¡®Let¡¯s take a look.¡¯ After some hesitation, I opened the first page. ¡¸Starting today, I have decided to embark on a new adventure. How many minerals exist on this vast continent? I¡¯m tired of extracting the same minerals every day like clockwork. I will venture forth to find unknown treasures within this rugged land and endless abyss. I, Miner, shall venture forth.¡¹ After reading the first entry, I immediately closed the book. It seemed like a typical diary written by a teenager suffering from middle school syndrome. It appears that such individuals also exist in that world. As I was about to put the book away again, the initial sentence kept coming to mind, making me hesitate. ¡¸How many minerals exist on this vast continent?¡¹ Could that minor be a legendary miner after all? Could there possibly be hundreds of minerals found by this miner recorded in this diary? Although it seemed unlikely, I decided to open the book again. I flipped to the next page. ¡¸Today, at the end of a long adventure, I finally discovered a treasure.¡¹ ¡®Oh¡­!¡¯ As soon as I read the first sentence, anticipation surged within me. ¡¸My steps led me deep into the rugged ground. A mine filled with darkness below the ground. The pungent smell ignites the passion of miners. Yes! Isn¡¯t this the romance of a miner? Here, I found my first treasure of the journey.¡¹ After reading the second page filled with unnecessary stories, I furrowed my brows. I didn¡¯t open the book to read about the miner¡¯s romantic ideals. However, driven by the expectation of the treasure he mentioned, I turned to the next page. After reading this far, how could I stop without seeing what comes next? ¡¸Hard rocks warmed my heart. With a pickaxe in hand¡­¡¹ The content of the third page was the same. There was no mention of the treasure he was looking for. ¡¸¡­and then, I found the treasure within.¡¹ Furrows creased my forehead. It felt like a flashback to the days when I used to read web novels during my school years. I possessed a skill that made it impossible for me to resist flipping to the next page without seeing what¡¯s coming. Ultimately, I turned the page. ¡¸A red light emanated from the ore amidst the gray rocks.¡¹ Finally, the desired content appeared. ¡¸This ore emitted a brilliant light! Yes! It was the commemorative ore I first discovered since starting my adventure. This ore is named ¡®Blood Light¡¯ due to its red glow. However, there is a regrettable fact.¡¹ ¡®What¡¯s the regrettable fact?¡¯ Unfortunately, this page also ended like this. My hand was naturally flipping through the pages. ¡¸It was my first ore, but I accidentally dropped it and it shattered.¡¹ ¡®He dropped it and it shattered?¡¯ ¡¸It was so fragile that it¡¯s not even useful as a decorative stone. It was my first ore, but I coolly discarded it. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t particularly disappointed. It¡¯s just a useless piece of garbage. It was lacking as my first ore of the adventure.¡¹ Thunk-. My teeth ground against each other. Didn¡¯t he call it a treasure from the very first page? I endured all this just for that, and now suddenly, it¡¯s deemed useless garbage. Is this what being deceived feels like? With the urge to throw the book to the ground and stomp on it, I forcefully suppressed the impulse and placed the book back on the shelf. Even though there¡¯s still plenty of mana left, my head feels like it¡¯s throbbing. ¡®Sigh¡­, no. Just in case, I should keep this too.¡¯ I have enough money now. If I set my mind to it, I could probably buy all the books here. But I wouldn¡¯t read them anyway. They would just take up space at home. After calming my breath, I glanced through the bookshelf once more before heading back home. I stayed up late reading Mana Circuit Theory and then stretched out like I was going to pass out. The next day passed with me reading the Mana Circuit Theory all day. Ring. My eyes, heavy from sleep, opened at the sound of my phone ringing. [Hwang Myeongsu] Beep. ¡°Oh. What?¡± ¨C Hyung! Did CEO Kang really get caught? Is it true? ¡°Yeah. You don¡¯t need to go there anymore.¡± ¨C Wow! Did you really do that, Hyung? ¡°Yeah. Oh, and I have something to tell you. Come out.¡± ¨C Yes! Where should I go? ¡°I¡¯ll leave a message.¡± I was about to prepare hastily and leave, but another call came in. [Park Junpyo] ¡®Come to think of it, he must have been surprised too.¡¯ He must have heard the news of the office disappearing and the bastard being caught. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¨C Woogil! What¡¯s going on? They said CEO Kang was caught? The office disappeared. ¡°You know how he works. He got caught this time.¡± ¨C Did you know? ¡°Yes. I was there.¡± ¨C What? Are you okay? ¡°I¡¯m fine. But are you okay, sir? Your job is gone.¡± ¨C I¡¯m fine! It¡¯s better for you if I think about it. CEO Kang was so desperate to get rid of you. If Hwang Myeongsu looked like a pitiful person in the bastard¡¯s office, Park Junpyo was the most grateful person. He was the only colleague who always took care of me and worried about me. And I often found strength in seeing him always working hard. ¡®Hmm¡­.¡¯ I¡¯m conflicted. Park Junpyo was undoubtedly a good person in my memories from my previous life. But is he really a good person? After being betrayed by those I trusted just before dying, without solid evidence, trust is hard to come by. ¡®Well, I have insight, so I¡¯ll see.¡¯ I can¡¯t live rejecting everyone if I don¡¯t believe them. If someone seems suspicious, I can dismiss them then. ¡°Sir.¡± ¨C Oh? What? ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± ¨C I went to Representative Kang¡¯s office and got blocked, so I¡¯m waiting for the bus to go home. ¡°Would you like to meet up? Myeongsu is also coming.¡± ¨C Myeongsu? What are you two up to?¡± ¡°Just some discussions. Please come. There¡¯s good news.¡± S?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¨C Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but okay. Send me the address. Beep. I hung up and immediately sent the address to the man. Shortly after, I, Hwang Myeongsu, and Park Junpyo gathered at the caf¨¦. The two wondered why I had summoned them. ¡°As you may have already heard, I plan to set up an appraisal office.¡± ¡°Huh? Why suddenly an appraisal office?¡± Park Junpyo looked confused, not understanding the current situation. I explained the situation slowly. ¡°So, CEO Kang failed because the artifacts he stole from you turned out to be fake?¡± ¡°Yes. And I received help from Hunter Kim Junghyun by chance.¡± Honestly, Park Junpyo didn¡¯t easily believe this abrupt story. But since CEO Kang indeed failed, and he had seen the office disappear, occupied by people from the Salvation Investigation Team, he couldn¡¯t disbelieve it either. ¡°I saw it! Hyung brought a beautiful necklace to sell for 100 million.¡± ¡°Really? But did you know it was fake because you appraised it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does that make sense?¡± ¡°If it didn¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t CEO Kang have succeeded?¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Calming down confused Junpyo, I looked at him slowly. ¡°Um¡­ the ring you¡¯re wearing, sir, is it an artifact?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes. How did you know?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± As I reached out my hand, the hesitant man handed over the ring. [Insight Activated] [Soul Wave Ring] A ring made of mana crystals and steel alloy. Finely crushed mana crystals are evenly coated on the steel alloy, enhancing mana supply. ¡ÎB.CD 9th century ¡ÎEnhances concentration ¡ÎStabilizes the mind and body ¡®It¡¯s better than I expected?¡¯ Stabilizing the mind and improving concentration is one of those effects that¡¯s pretty good on its own. In reality, there are quite a few artifacts with such effects among artifacts. However, there¡¯s a big difference in the quality of those effects. It¡¯s not a high level artifact, but it¡¯s a pretty well-made craft among artifacts. ¡°It provides effects of mental stability and enhanced concentration. The mana circuit design itself is simple, so the effect may not be extraordinary, but the maker¡¯s skill is decent. It¡¯s quite good to finely crush mana crystals to increase the surface area and improve mana supply rates.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. Huh, did you really know how to appraise, Woogil?¡± ¡°Apparently so. Where did you get this?¡± ¡°My wife used to wear it.¡± ¡°¡­Sir, you were married?¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± Me and Hwang Myeongsu looked at him with surprised faces. With a bitter smile, he nodded lightly and said, ¡®She¡¯s no longer in this world. She had an accident.¡¯ ¡°Ah¡­¡± For a moment, Me and Hwang Myeongsu fell silent, our mouths shut. We felt sorry for bringing up a topic that should have been left alone. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all in the past, and I didn¡¯t invite you here to discuss that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. By the way, did you awaken, Woogil? How did you become so appraisally aware?¡± ¡°I did. I awakened.¡± I told the two exactly as it happened. Well, there was no need to hide it. The eyes, noses, and mouths of the two widened, forming five circles on their faces. With a wry smile at their reaction, I explained, ¡®It¡¯s nothing special. I awakened during a moment when I was preparing to become an appraisal practitioner.¡¯ ¡°Then you should go to the academy! Why pursue private appraisal practice?¡± ¡°Yeah. What if you ruin your abilities after awakening?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ambitious. I just want to live while enjoying some emotions.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± The two sighed with regret. Awakening isn¡¯t something just anyone can do, and awakening individuals can attend the academy for free as long as they pass the entrance exam. Graduating is like a new lease on life. ¡°With that appraisal ability, you could pursue the elite course at the academy¡¯s appraisal department.¡± ¡°Never mind. Anyway, I¡¯m planning to set up an office. Hwang Myeongsu agreed to join as my employee. What do you think, sir?¡± I had heard that Park Junpyo had done quite well in his prime. He was smart, graduated from a prestigious Korean university, and even pursued the elite course. But after some incident, he gave up everything in life¡­ ¡®That seems to have something to do with his ex-wife.¡¯ He was curious, but asking would be rude, so he didn¡¯t. ¡°Well¡­ Woogil, I might trust you, but as you know, succeeding in private appraisal practice isn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°But Woogil, you noticed that the necklace was fake!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Myeongsu. Business decisions require caution¡­¡± ¡°Basic salary of 500, plus incentives per case once we register the business and start working in earnest.¡± ¡°Oh, 500? And incentives per case?¡± ¡°Yes. But you have to work really hard. If you don¡¯t work properly, even if you¡¯re family, you¡¯ll be cut¡­¡± ¡°Boss!¡± Suddenly standing up, Junpyo grabbed Woogil¡¯s hand and smiled broadly. ¡°Myeongsu! What are you doing? Say hello to the boss immediately!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Boss! Hello.¡± It was so sudden that he was bewildered. Was Junpyo always like this? Well, if they offer a lot of money, it¡¯s possible. ¡°Sit down with this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s what the boss says.¡± ¡°But, sir, didn¡¯t you just say we need to be cautious?¡± ¡°This is caution. Opportunities don¡¯t come anytime. Myeongsu.¡± ¡°Oh! So this is the opportunity?¡± ¡°Of course! Do you think it¡¯s easy to meet someone like our boss? And there¡¯s no other place that takes care of people like us so well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Woogil even helped pay for my mother¡¯s hospital bills!¡± ¡°Really? Of course! Our boss.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough.¡± Can money really change a person¡¯s character? ¡°Haha¡­ Should we start writing the contract?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Their reaction was more intense than expected, but it didn¡¯t matter. As long as they do their job well, everything will be fine. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 15 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 15: Aura Stone (2) Salvation Korea Branch Emotion Division 2. The world outside the window was filled with darkness. The sun had long set, and the clock already pointed to 1 o¡¯clock, yet not a single employee of Division 2 had left work. Bang!! At that moment, with a rough push, the door of the supervisor¡¯s office swung open, and Chief Park Man-deuk burst out, clutching what little hair remained on his head and cursing aloud. ¡°Aaaaah!!¡± However, the employees, seemingly accustomed to such scenes, merely watched without surprise or alarm. Yet, as they observed the Chief¡¯s outburst, their faces filled with a bit more concern. ¡®Well¡­ Will I end up like that if I work ten more years here?¡¯ ¡®My hair is already starting to fall out. Should I start taking hair loss medicine from now on?¡¯ ¡®The world has changed so much, why hasn¡¯t baldness been solved yet!¡¯ The sound of keyboards clacking incessantly echoed throughout the office. This time, it was a newly discovered ore: Aura Stone. Since discovering the name and effects of the yellow mineral in ancient texts, they had been dedicated to research, but progress had been slow. Because of that, the atmosphere between the employees and the Chief was tense. Not just Division 2, but every other department was the same. Whenever a large-scale deal like this emerged, the emotions were always on high alert. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chief?¡± The team leader of Division 2 approached him and asked. Unless they were at the level of team leader, no one could speak to the Chief, who was known for his short temper. ¡°The office director wants the report finalized by next week. Team Leader. Do you think this makes any sense?¡± ¡°I absolutely don¡¯t think it does.¡± ¡°But why do you keep insisting on something that doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± ¡°¡­Because he trusts us that much-.¡± ¡°If he trusts us, then he should listen when we say it¡¯s not feasible!! Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s not feasible!!¡± In response to Chief Park Man-deuk¡¯s loud voice that rang in their ears, the team leader flinched and quickly nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No, does the Emotion Division think they¡¯re all-powerful? Just because you look at it and a system window pops up in thin air showing the effects, side effects, principles, and materials of this mineral?¡± ¡°Still, since the Emotion Division gathers the best talents in South Korea-.¡± ¡°Best talents my foot! They¡¯re all idiots! Nothing but fools! What¡¯s the point of bringing in smart people from academia? They can¡¯t even properly analyze emotions like this! Right? Isn¡¯t that right, Team Leader?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Today, for some reason, he seemed even more stressed than usual. Normally, he would just vent a few frustrations after receiving a call from the office director and then return as if nothing had happened, but today, he seemed more irritated and his expression was even worse. Did he lose an unusually large amount of hair today? ¡°Why are you acting like this, Chief? Is there something more in this evaluation?¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to showcase that yellow rock in next month¡¯s Spiter colony raid operation.¡± ¡°What? They going to use something that hasn¡¯t even been properly validated in a real operation? Are they insane?¡± ¡°Insane indeed. Utterly insane. Blinded by results, that¡¯s what it is.¡± Not only the team leader but also all the team members who overheard their conversation understood the Chief¡¯s hysteria. And they understood the despairing future that awaited them. ¡°If that goes wrong, won¡¯t all the blame fall on us?¡± ¡°Not all, but surely some responsibility will be ours. You¡¯ve been through a lot dealing with this annoying Chief¡¯s hysteria.¡± As if relieved of his burden, the Chief bid farewell to his team members. ¡°Hey! Why are you doing this, Chief! Where are you going?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve gotten used to the hysteria now, so it¡¯ll be disappointing if you stop.¡± ¡°What are you talking about stopping? You should keep working with us, Chief.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll handle the emotions properly until then! Chief!¡± The team members comforted him. ¡°Yeah, thankfully you¡¯re here. Ugh, I should get back to work too. Team Leader, order some snacks for the kids with this.¡± Park Man-deuk pulled out his personal card and handed it to him. ¡°Are you sure? The kids will eat a lot.¡± ¡°Just use it, damn it. What¡¯s the point of having money if you don¡¯t spend it? I don¡¯t have time to spend it! No time!! Ugh!¡± As Park Man-deuk sighed deeply and entered his office, the subdued atmosphere among the team members revived. ¡°You heard that? Chief is treating us to snacks with his own money, so you guys better work properly.¡± ¡°Of course, Team Leader!¡± ¡°Just trust us!¡± ¡°Hey, if the Chief gets fired, one of us has to become the Chief next, but I don¡¯t want to lose my hair without getting married.¡± Team Leader shook his head and said to the Chiefs of Teams 2 and 3. ¡°Oof! If the position opens up, you¡¯re next in line.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Hey hey!! You guys better work quickly! If the Chief gets fired, you¡¯ll all be dead in my hands.¡± As Team Leader admonished his team members, those who took their places like lightning began to work diligently. ¡°Conduct a thorough investigation, and find any minor side effects to prevent it from being used in actual combat.¡± Though the night¡¯s heat was gradually cooling off, the office of Division 2 was heating up more and more. * * * I recently wore a mask I purchased online. [Voice Modulation Mask] The mask, adorned with dark green and gold colors, is delicately engraved with magical patterns and symbols. Made with the creator¡¯s intricate design and lightweight, durable materials, it provides comfort to the wearer. Reacting to the wearer¡¯s mana and adjusting accordingly, the mask modulates voices based on the intricately engraved mana circuit within. Depending on the precise mana manipulation, the voice modulation varies. ¡Î Solar Year 2034, September 14th ¡Î Voice Modulation ¡°Oh.¡± A mask with quite an impressive design. S?a?ch* Th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. A truly different voice echoed out. Upon examining the mana circuit, it became clear that initially, the mana circuit activates with the supply of mana, after which further supply is unnecessary. The principle behind the voice change lies in the varying amplification levels depending on the amount of mana supplied. ¡°Not bad.¡± It was an item ordered in case there was ever a need to conceal one¡¯s identity. Although it wasn¡¯t needed right away, with the insight ability, I could personally project mana and verify the design of the item, making it a good study opportunity. ¡°The method using mana waves and frequencies¡­ seems worth studying.¡± I placed it on the desk and left the house. ¡®Aura Stone¡­, perhaps this is also fate.¡¯ The first commission that came to me, as an appraiser, was the ¡°Aura Stone.¡± It felt like sending a mechanic to fix a misaligned gear. Indeed, the crack in Salvation Korea Branch started with the Aura Stone incident. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about unnecessary things. I¡¯ll just do my job.¡± I headed to ¡®Sunting,¡¯ a private room in Gangnam. There¡¯s really no place like here for a truly private meeting. ¡°Welcome.¡± As always, the friendly staff checked the reservation number and guided him. Today¡¯s meeting place was a private room on the 10th floor. Kim Junghyun and the Appraisal Division Chief were already seated. ¡°You¡¯re the Appraisal investigator.¡± With Kim Junghyun¡¯s introduction, the Chief observed me slowly. A glance as if questioning, ¡®Who is this guy that Kim Junghyun recommended so strongly?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m Park Man-deuk, Chief of the Logistics Support Division 2.¡± ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Kim Woogil.¡± Park Man-deuk¡¯s expression stiffened, then he looked at Kim Junghyun. A face that seemed to ask, ¡®What on earth is this?¡¯ Well, it might be hard to understand for someone who¡¯s introduced as just a young man in his early to mid-20s despite being introduced as an excellent appraiser. After all, appraisers accumulate knowledge and insight over time as they gain experience. ¡°Come, please take a seat.¡± With Kim Junghyun¡¯s mediation, I sat down. A bell sound echoed from within the room. When Kim Junghyun pressed the tablet on the table, a staff member entered, placed coffee, and left again. ¡°You look young¡­ if you don¡¯t mind me asking, how old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three.¡± ¡°¡­Are you perhaps a student at Salvation Academy?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you would have graduated already¡­ if you had.¡± His expression twisted suddenly. He seemed like he might storm out of the room at any moment. But with Kim Junghyun¡¯s silent insistence to stay put, he seemed to be holding back. ¡°Since time is short, let¡¯s get to the point.¡± I said so, and Park Man-deuk sighed deeply, nodding helplessly. He had a face that didn¡¯t seem particularly expectant. It was understandable. Being a regular private appraiser, not a graduate of Salvation Academy, it was a natural reaction. Globally, there may be exceptional private appraisers, but in Korea, they are scarce. It¡¯s well-known that they rarely leave their workplaces due to constant internal item evaluations. Their tight schedules are understandable. Given the murderous workload at the Appraisal Division, it¡¯s no wonder. Even just looking at his dark circles extending down to his jawline and his disheveled hair, you could tell. ¡°I heard from Hunter Kim Junghyun that you have remarkable Appraisal skills.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just decent at it.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Park Man-deuk replied with a snort, already convinced that he was dealing with an unremarkable appraiser. ¡°As mentioned earlier, would you please show the Appraisal item?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I took out the [Faded Dimensional Dagger[ from my bag and placed it on the table. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± Park Man-deuk took the dagger and meticulously examined it, comparing it with the records stored on the tablet he brought. ¡®He¡¯s quite thorough.¡¯ While Park Man-deuk scrutinized the dagger for almost five minutes, I and Kim Junghyun watched silently. ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s authentic.¡± Park Man-deuk placed the dagger back on the table. ¡°So, are you saying this E-grade ordinary dagger is actually an A-grade artifact?¡± Park Man-deuk glanced at Kim Junghyun as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. It was a look questioning if they had brought in a swindler. Kim Junghyun smiled lightly as if understanding and waited quietly. ¡°That¡¯s correct. It¡¯s an A-grade artifact.¡± ¡°Was that your judgment?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what an Appraiser is supposed to do?¡± With my nonchalant attitude, the Chief, who had been scrutinizing me, leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, as if suggesting he give it a try. ¡°Fine! If this is really an A-grade artifact, then I¡¯ll leave this matter entirely to Mr. Woogil. We¡¯ll provide all the support you need.¡± An attitude that implied it would never happen. Perhaps it was due to the typical arrogance of the Appraisal Division. ¡®The Appraisal Division boasts that only the best from the Academy go there. They must be very proud. But¡­ this attitude is uncalled for.¡¯ This was akin to disrespecting Kim Junghyun who brought Woogil in. Whether Kim Junghyun was deceived or he deceived the Chief, if he introduced him, at least until his abilities are proven, this attitude shouldn¡¯t be shown. I understand. I do understand completely. In this day and age, among appraisers who aren¡¯t graduates of the Academy, there are hardly any decent ones to speak of. But isn¡¯t it annoying nonetheless? ¡°Tsk.¡± I openly expressed my annoyance as I picked up the old dagger. As I lightly infused mana into it. Humming¡ª He chanted the activation command and thrust the dagger into the air, then turned it. ¡°Teykebeje (?????).¡± Wheeiiing! A space splitting around the dagger. Along the boundary, tiny mana sparks popped out. ¡°W-what, what, what¡¯s this? A v-void¡­ a space? Dimensional space? This dagger?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 16 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Aura Stone (3) ¡®Does this even make sense?¡¯ Subspace. It¡¯s not a very rare ability. Many artifacts, even those that have already been appraised, possess the ability of Subspace. However, despite there being many artifacts with Subspace abilities, they are still vastly insufficient in comparison to the overall demand. In ventures such as traveling to planets in other dimensions or engaging in wars against monsters, Subspace is almost a necessary ability. Especially in operations requiring mobility, whether one has Subspace or not can often determine the success of the mission. So, when it comes to artifacts related to Subspace, Salvation would eagerly search for them as if their eyes were on fire. ¡®Damn it, why subspace again!¡¯ Currently, it¡¯s impossible to create Subspace with Earth¡¯s magical engineering technology. Salvation has been continuously investing in related research, but there have been no results. The old dagger that Kim Woogil had appraised was an item appraised in the Appraisal Section 2. Although considerable effort was put into interpreting the ancient language and patterns engraved on the handle and guard, even after comparing and combining the ancient language materials interpreted by the Korean branch, it was hard to identify them. So, along with the decision to mark it as unable to be appraised, an inspection of the internal mana circuit was carried out, and it was judged to be an E-grade regular item. But in the hands of that appraiser, it became an A-grade artifact, one with Subspace abilities at that. ¡®Just when things were already chaotic because of the Aura Stone, finding out about this would completely break everything.¡¯ Undermining one¡¯s own authority from above is not a big deal for a day or two, so it¡¯s not really that important. However, if proper handling isn¡¯t done with this Subspace dagger along with the Aura Stone, things will definitely go haywire. ¡®Yeah, shit. If I have to cut it, then I¡¯ll cut it.¡± Things were getting to the point where even the remaining half of my head might be pulled out. ¡®I should just stop altogether and take a break. Maybe sharpen my mind¡­ Oh, no, wait. If I get cut, then there¡¯s no hope for our Section 2 team.¡¯ ¡°Excuse me, are you done?¡± Lost in thought, Park Man-deuk is interrupted by Kim Woogil. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Recalling my earlier startled reaction, I slightly nodded my head. ¡°¡­May I take a look?¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± As Woogil pulls out the dagger from thin air, the scene witnessed just moments ago disappears as if it were a fleeting illusion. Touching the handle as if possessed, I casually thrust the dagger into the air. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At the absurd sight, the faces of the two men subtly change. ¡°Uh, Huh!¡± Looking like a fool, I hastily placed the dagger back on the table. ¡°I apologize for the earlier mistake. I¡¯ve been fooled by private appraisers too many times, so I guess I couldn¡¯t trust this time either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°This dagger was appraised by our appraisal department. I¡¯ve seen it, and I remember it clearly, and I couldn¡¯t appraise it no matter how hard I tried¡­¡­. How on earth did you do that?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. The appraiser asked the appraiser how to appraise, haha¡­¡­.¡± In truth, it wasn¡¯t a mistake. I was just throwing it out there to see if he¡¯d drop any hints. ¡°We used to think we were the best, at least in Korea¡­¡­. As of today, that¡¯s been broken.¡± ¡°The accuracy of appraisal varies for each item, so it¡¯s too early to make such judgments.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ That¡¯s true.¡± I smiled awkwardly as I looked at Kim Junghyun. ¡°I¡¯ve verified the abilities, and since Hunter Kim Junghyun has vouched for you, I¡¯ll trust him and entrust this request to you.¡± ¡°Thank you. If it¡¯s Mr. Kim Woogil, you can trust him.¡± Park Man-deuk gathers his hands together and leans forward towards the table, the cold breeze blowing as he does so. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I¡¯ll leave the appraisal of the ore entirely to Mr. Woogil. Of course, our Division 2 Appraisal team will continue appraising and conducting research, but if there¡¯s anything you need, we¡¯ll support you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Compared to me, who is deeply excited with a serious expression, Woogil¡¯s voice sounds nonchalant. I found such demeanor oddly reassuring. The foundation of appraisal lies in calmness. ¡°If I fail to properly appraise this time, I might be cut off.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± I stood up and grabbed Woogil¡¯s hand from the table and held it with both hands. I bowed my head to him with a pleading expression. ¡°So please, help me.¡± The attitude that seemed dismissive just moments ago has vanished completely. He looked as if he didn¡¯t even remember what he had done earlier. I actually preferred Park Man-deuk¡¯s current demeanor. It¡¯s a style where one¡¯s emotions are openly displayed. Better than those who are like snakes with different insides and outsides. Of course, even that could be a well-played act¡­ [Probability of truth: 99.9%] At least insight says its the truth. ¡°Your hand¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± He releases my hand he hastily caught and sits back in his seat, laughing awkwardly. ¡°Thank you so much! And this¡­¡± Park Man-deuk takes out a small box from inside his jacket and places it on the table. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± Kim Junghyun looks at him in surprise. S?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an aura stone.¡± He pulls out an ore the size of his index finger from the box. ¡°It¡¯s small, but I¡¯ll lend you this one for now.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to give it to me so soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send you a larger ore as well.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t have to go that far-.¡± ¡°No, I must. My life depends on this project. It¡¯s only natural to do this much. Of course, you must keep it a secret.¡± Park Man-deuk¡¯s proactive attitude left me unable to refuse further. ¡°Alright. Then, how will you compensate?¡± This was the beginning of the real deal. As this was his first commission, it would serve as a benchmark for the value of the Appraiser named Kim Woogil, and he intended to prove his worth. ¡°If you have any conditions, please let me know.¡± Tension crept onto my face. A talented appraiser who was not from Salvation. When I heard from Kim Junghyun, I only thought of him as a private appraiser specializing in mineral studies. But now, seeing that he appraised a Subspace dagger, he¡¯s clearly not just at that level. To think he¡¯d be so concerned about the commission fee, leaving no room for doubt about the private appraiser¡¯s thoughts. ¡®If I had known this would happen, I would have thought about it in advance!¡¯ Despite his efforts to maintain a calm expression, it was visible in Woogil¡¯s eyes what he was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, he came here disregarding me as a private appraiser and didn¡¯t even properly consider the commission fee.¡¯ In this negotiation, our side has a clear advantage. Woogil seemed to ponder, tapping the table slowly with his index finger. Tap, tap, tap, tap¡­ Amidst the silence, the dull thuds reverberated. Feeling time pass slowly, I sensed my mouth becoming parched. ¡®Oh¡­ What was I thinking, saying something like that! Ah!¡¯ Staring blankly at his fingers, memories of my skeptical attitude before seeing the Subspace dagger suddenly flashed back. ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t have been so brash about dismissing a private appraiser¡­ Ah, Hunter Kim Junghyun introduced him. Damn! Now that I see it, he¡¯s a flawless individual, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ As Kim Junghyun brought him here with such confidence, he must be confident in mineral appraisal. Having already appraised the Subspace dagger, he¡¯s proven his abilities, leaving no room for doubt. The situation is clear now. The longer the silence lengthened, the more clearly I realized my predicament, and at the same time, nervousness began to weigh on me. ¡°I¡­, what can I say¡­¡­.¡± As my mouth opened, a faint smile appeared on Woogil¡¯s lips and then vanished. ¡°Do you have a price in mind? The appraisal department must have set an upper limit on the appraisal fee in advance.¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± ¡°This ore. There¡¯s no one else in South Korea who can appraise it properly but me.¡± I went forth confidently. After all, the previous chaos happened precisely because the appraisal couldn¡¯t be done properly. ¡°Please tell me. How much can you offer?¡± * * * The satisfying deal concluded, and the next day arrived. Three weeks were given for the appraisal. Within that time frame, I had to complete a perfect appraisal and send the appraisal evaluation report to Park Man-deuk. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Appraising the Aura Stone. To me, whose knowledge of minerals was shallow, it was as unreasonable as trying to break asphalt with a spoon. [Insight Activated.] As the mana was being drained, it was abruptly cut off as if caught on something. [Failure.] ¡°Cough¡­!¡± I felt like I was about to vomit for a moment. This was the first time the Insight had failed. However, I had somewhat expected this situation. With almost no knowledge of minerals, it would require a significant amount of mana to appraise it through Insight. My current mana was not that great. There were too many things to do, and I hadn¡¯t thought about it before, but in fact, the most urgent matter was increasing my mana. ¡°Tsk.¡± Pressing on my throbbing temple, I took out a cigarette from my pocket. Click. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I tried to endure it for a while, thinking about my health and money, but it wasn¡¯t easy. I got lost in thought as I watched the swirling smoke. The Oriental tobacco on the desk. Only three puffs left in the pack. Even if I managed to find out how to make them using all my time and mana, knowing how to do it and being able to do it were two different issues. Finding the maker would be the best option, but no traces of them could be found. ¡®Now, once I start appraisal work, I can spend as much money as I want.¡¯ The problem is this insignificant amount of mana. Making efforts to increase his mana, but it¡¯s still insufficient. It feels like software is getting better while hardware remains the same. D.K. I need to find this maker. ¡°Who on earth could it be?¡± As far as I know, there¡¯s nothing on Earth that can increase mana just by smoking cigarettes. Unless it¡¯s an artifact, but there¡¯s no way Oriental tobacco could be an artifact. While there are ways to somewhat replenish depleted mana, increasing the total amount of mana, at least from what I know, is limited to this Oriental tobacco. This was the only thing. Traders start their business every morning at 6 a.m. To find anything worth buying in Yongmun-dong, I have to move at that time for the best chance. ¡®Setting the alarm¡­¡¯ I closed my eyes. Soon, a wave of fatigue washed over him. Tap, tap, tap! Tap! Tap, tap, tap, tap! ¡°Haah¡­¡± I knew it would happen. Looking at the clock, it was already 5 a.m. These days, it feels like two hours pass in the blink of an eye. Time doesn¡¯t flow differently while sleeping, does it? I quickly got dressed and thoroughly searched Yongmun-dong. ¡®Huh? Isn¡¯t that¡­?¡¯ With a sharp figure and distinct features, though his face was covered by a mask and a hat, I recognized him immediately. ¡®It¡¯s Lee Youngwoon?¡¯ The leader of an idol group called Five Stars. I, who usually had no interest in celebrities, recognized him because he would become a significant figure in the entertainment industry later on. ¡®Five Stars grew from a small agency to a large one, and when the junior singers started doing well, he was practically discarded by the agency owner. Then he got involved in a drug scandal, his image hit rock bottom, but when Lee Youngwoong awakened and saved people, his image completely turned around.¡¯ At one point, I had been a fan of Lee Youngwoong, thinking, ¡®I can awaken like him too.¡¯ That¡¯s why I recognized him immediately. ¡®What is he looking for?¡¯ Five Stars, led by Lee Youngwoong, is at its peak and gradually declining. It¡¯s gradually fading from people¡¯s memories, but it¡¯s likely that they¡¯re still actively involved in the entertainment industry. ¡°Wow, is this sword really that good?¡± ¡°Of course! Look at this, it¡¯s a sword from the ancient magic civilization. See these patterns? Although it looks a bit rough on the outside, it¡¯s got tremendous potential!¡± Pretending to look at other items, I eavesdropped on their conversation. ¡®He¡¯s being played for a sucker.¡¯ I had already seen that sword. It¡¯s not from some ancient magic civilization; it¡¯s just a sword made by some mediocre blacksmith trying to scam people. ¡°It looks really good, but¡­ how much is it?¡± The old man squinted and scanned Lee Youngwoong from head to toe. With his face covered and dressed in expensive clothes, it was obvious that he was a wealthy celebrity. ¡°Well¡­ I should be asking for 10 million won for this.¡± ¡°T-Ten million?¡± ¡°But, to be honest, I was planning to finish business today and return to my hometown. It¡¯s useless to me, and I don¡¯t have many days left to live, so¡­¡± ¡°Oh, why would you say such a thing?¡± ¡°No, I received this just yesterday. There are hardly any people who would pay ten million won here, and today¡¯s the end of it. Give me 3 million.¡± ¡°3¡­ Hmm.¡± As Lee Youngwoong hesitated, the old man began to explain, showing the handle of the sword. ¡°See this? This pattern is the one used by craftsmen in the B.CD 2000s era. This is the same pattern engraved on the sword used by a famous hunter in England.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Now that you mention it, is it really?¡± ¡°Of course it is! For 300, it¡¯s a steal!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I can¡¯t believe this.¡± Listening from the side, I couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter at the absurdity. At the sound of my laughter, both men turned to look at me. ¡°Is that supposed to be an artifact made by craftsmen from the B.CD era?¡± Approaching the old man and staring at him intently, I asked, causing the old man to visibly flinch in surprise. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Sensing my sharp demeanor, the old man hesitated, retracting slightly. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not entirely sure. It¡¯s just something I heard when I received it yesterday.¡± ¡°What? You didn¡¯t say anything like that earlier, did you?¡± Lee Youngwoong said, unable to hide his disbelief. ¡°Selling something for over a hundred times its actual value when it¡¯s not even worth 30,000 won, let alone 3 million?¡± ¡°What?¡± Fire sparked in Lee Youngwoong¡¯s eyes at my words. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 17 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 17: Aura Stone (4) Lee Youngwoong¡¯s eyebrows arched like mountains as he realized he¡¯d almost been scammed. ¡°You were trying to scam me-.¡± ¡°This sword was blatantly made to deceive.¡± Woogil interrupted his words and continued. ¡°As you can see, this pattern resembles the light pattern engraved on Hunter Avalon Windsor¡¯s sword, Luminthas. However, if you look closely, you can see that the order of engraving the pattern is different. Genuine light patterns are engraved starting from the surrounding light to shape the intricate details. But this one was made starting from the center circle, so you can see that the length of the light lines is inconsistent.¡± The old man, listening to my explanation, had taken out a magnifying glass and was scrutinizing the pattern. I pointed to a spot in the magnifying glass and said. ¡°Do you see something different here?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ indeed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. It¡¯s even inferior compared to other forgeries that couldn¡¯t even properly replicate the pattern. It¡¯s useless.¡± Both men uttered subdued exclamations as they listened to my explanation. ¡°Perhaps this merchant was also deceived.¡± ¡°Likely.¡± Lee Youngwoong¡¯s expression softened, as if his anger had finally subsided. ¡®I¡¯m sure he was trying to deceive him, but it¡¯s best to stop here.¡¯ The old man said he would leave tomorrow, but it was just a lie to trick him. I wanted to say something, but lies like this are not uncommon in Yongmun-dong. As I was supposed to be looking for D.K¡¯s trace, there was no point in getting involved and creating a bad relationship with them. That¡¯s why it ended like this. ¡°Thank you. Can I talk to you for a minute?¡± I nodded my head in response to Lee Youngwoong¡¯s words and sent him to the cafe first. ¡°Sir, did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice? I won¡¯t just stand by if you deceive people in front of me.¡± ¡°Eh! I got deceived too! Did you think I knew it was fake?¡± ¡°Honestly, you didn¡¯t even consider it an artifact from the start, did you? How often do I come here?¡± ¡°Ahem¡­, fine! I won¡¯t do it anymore, so stop nagging.¡± The old man waved his hand as if conceding defeat. Knowing that it would be meaningless to say more here, I decided to leave it at that and entered the cafe where Lee Youngwoong was. Lee Youngwoong, who had arrived earlier, was sitting with two cups of coffee ordered. ¡°I ordered an iced Americano, is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Thanks for earlier. Thanks to you, I didn¡¯t waste money.¡± ¡°Haha, no problem. I couldn¡¯t just ignore something clearly fake, could I?¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s not easy to step forward for someone else like that. Um¡­ I wanted to express my gratitude¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I just thought it was a fan thing¡­ ah.¡± The words slipped out unintentionally, and Lee Youngwoong¡¯s expression wavered. ¡°You knew, huh.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Actually, I recognized you because I¡¯m a big fan of yours.¡± As it was early in the morning, the cafe was only occupied by me and Lee Youngwoong. Lee Youngwoong took off his hat and mask with a much more relaxed expression. ¡°If you were a fan, you should have said so earlier.¡± ¡°I was worried it might be awkward.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not awkward. Oh! If you¡¯re my fan, I can¡¯t just ignore it. Here¡­¡± He placed the bag he was carrying on the table and unzipped it. ¡°I have a hobby of collecting artifacts. It¡¯s somewhat charming in its own way, like antiques. It may be just random items, but they could also be artifacts hiding tremendous secrets. The excitement of that possibility is what makes collecting them fun. The sword I tried to buy earlier was for that purpose.¡± I don¡¯t need to use my insight to know that it¡¯s true, just look at the smile on his face as he rummages through the contents of his bag. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You look young, but you seem to have considerable appraisal skills. Are you perhaps a student at the Salvation Academy?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m a private appraiser.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± A momentary expression of disappointment shows. It accurately reflects the current situation of private appraisers in Korea. If you were to become a private appraiser at a young age, you¡¯re probably not from Salvation, and you probably didn¡¯t even graduate from the academy. Moreover, someone like Lee Youngwoong, who has met many private appraisers due to his hobby, would probably know that the skills of private appraisers are terrible. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t pay much for them, if there¡¯s anything you¡¯d like among these, feel free to take one.¡± Lee Youngwoong held out his bag. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± I hesitated for a moment, but surprisingly, there were some items in the bag. Intrigued, I took out the items one by one to examine them. ¡°No way¡­¡± Then I discovered a book inside and felt my heart pounding. Among the three ancient books in the bag, one was written by Cartia himself. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ why did you choose that one?¡± ¡°Because ancient language interpretation is my specialty, so this one piqued my interest the most.¡± ¡°Can you read it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ to some extent.¡± Lee Youngwoong asked, with a curious yet somewhat suspicious look in his eyes. ¡°What kind of content is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a theoretical book on mana waves and fluctuations. I¡¯m not sure about the details.¡± ¡°Really? Then it must be quite valuable?¡± ¡°Probably. Do you regret it? Should I return it?¡± I asked directly, curious about his reaction. ¡°Eh! What do you think I am? I¡¯m not the kind of person to be stingy with my fans. And since you¡¯re an appraiser, you recognized its value, so it¡¯s meaningless for me to keep it even if I have it.¡± ¡°Still, I received too much. If you ever need an appraisal in the future, please contact me. I¡¯m planning to set up an office soon, although I don¡¯t have a business card yet, I can give you my number.¡± ¡°Oh! Really? As expected, there are many versatile people among my fans, right?¡± I drank my coffee and wrote my number on a post-it note and handed it to Lee Youngwoong. ¡°Please let me know when you interpret that! And come to our Five Stars concert! I¡¯ll give you a ticket. Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it will happen or not.¡± We exchanged brief farewells and parted ways. ¡°Ah! Should I have asked for an autograph?¡± I sighed with regret as I returned home. [Mana Wavelength and Substances] Author: Emperor Cartia De Mari¨¦ Swakalen I¡¯ve already acquired five of Kartia¡¯s books. At this point, I¡¯m starting to get suspicious. I wonder if someone is giving me her books on purpose. ¡°No, is this natural?¡± The true value of Cartia¡¯s book will not be revealed until several years later, but by then, the entire book would have disappeared. This means that few people still know its value. Rather, it may be surprising that the value of Cartia¡¯s book was revealed only a few years later. There are those who have interpreted this difficult ancient language. I shook my head and dismissed my thoughts. Even if I thought about it any longer, there was too little I could know. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at this.¡± I flipped open the first page of the book. [In the pages ahead, you will experience the wonder of mana waves and fluctuations. This book is based on decades of exploration and experimentation with mana phenomena¡­] Buzz¡­ Buzz¡­ As I was earnestly reading the first page, my phone vibrated. [Appraisal Department 2 Chief Park Man-deuk] ¡®What¡¯s going on at this hour?¡¯ Click. ¡°This is Kim Woogil.¡± ¨C This is Park Man-deuk. I apologize for calling so early. Are you available to talk? ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¨C Ah, well¡­ Aura Stone can probably be delivered to you the day after tomorrow. However, since Aura Stone is currently classified as a top-secret matter, it seems our agency¡¯s hunters will have to deliver it personally. It¡¯s understandable from their perspective since it¡¯s a valuable commodity, but meeting the hunters sent by Salvation in person is a bit awkward. But there¡¯s no choice. ¡°I understand.¡± ¨C Thank you for your understanding. And¡­ Park Man-deuk hesitated, trailing off at the end. People usually react like this when they¡¯re about to say something awkward. ¡°Yes?¡± ¨C While the Aura Stone is being appraised, our hunter will protect you¡­ I wondered what he was trying to say¡­ but it turned out he was trying to convey the message of surveillance for 24 hours. ¡°Let¡¯s consider this request null and void. I¡¯ll send the Aura Stone back through Hunter Kim Junghyun.¡± ¨C No! Wait! Just a moment¡­ Click. Despite the urgent voice coming through the phone, I hung up without hesitation. Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! The phone vibrated harshly, much like Park Man-deuk¡¯s mood. If you just accept everything nicely, the Salvation guys will try to control people as they please. It¡¯s not something we talked about when we first signed up, and I took the risk of meeting Hunter, but I can¡¯t take this kind of bullshit. ¡®What should I do¡­¡¯ * * * Chief Park Man-deuk from Appraisal Department 2 seemed like he was about to go crazy. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you picking up! Just pick up! You have to listen to what a Korean person says till the end!¡± It¡¯s been 10 minutes since my cell phone has been ringing with nothing but a call connection. As the minutes ticked by, my impatience grew. Knock. Knock. ¡°The report for this appraisal, Chief-¡± As the Appraisal Department 2 Team Leader opened the door and entered, he caught sight of Park Man-deuk and quietly closed the door again. ¡°What are you doing! Come in!¡± No, he tried to close it but was caught. ¡°Oh, yes. Among the new items this time-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°Yes? Oh! Then, is it that the new hair loss shampoo you changed doesn¡¯t suit you¡­?¡± ¡°What nonsense! I told Kim Woogil that the Planning and Coordination Department wanted to manage the Aura Stones and asked for location trackers to be attached to each stone¡­¡± ¡°You got busted.¡± The Team Leader of Appraisal Department 2 lowered his head with a pitiful expression. ¡°Do you speak like that to others?¡± S?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Park Man-deuk widened his eyes and glared at the Team Leader. ¡°Of course not. If that appraiser were so competent, you should have tried to persuade him somehow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem. Hunter Kim Junghyun already dislikes Kim Woogil being watched and restricted in his actions. He warned us to be careful. But why did you give him location trackers! Ugh! We can¡¯t just attach location trackers and ask him to appraise the stones. So, we had no choice but to stick hunters around him, in case he comes out for the appraisal.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to use loopholes. Have we ever lived by what the Planning and Coordination Department says?¡± A carefree face as if he were worrying about something insignificant. Park Man-deuk looks at the Team leader and laughs. ¡°And who will take responsibility for that?¡± ¡°As a mere team leader, I cannot do anything, can I?¡± ¡°You will eventually become my successor.¡± The consistently composed face of the team leader contorted for the first time. ¡°I do plan to leave someday¡­ Well, Chief, you¡¯re planning to stay there for about three more years. I have to get married next year, so if my hair starts falling out like yours¡­¡± ¡°Get out! You bastard! Get out!¡± Infuriated by the continued talk about hair loss, I grabbed some documents from the table and threw them in frustration. The team leader, skillfully dodging the papers, left the room, poking his head back in through the partially closed door. ¡°Oh, please make sure to review that report. It needs to be submitted to the higher-ups by today.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?!¡± Thud. The door closed, and the scattered documents lay on the floor. After a while, two interns, a young man and a woman, entered the room and familiarly picked up and organized the documents on the floor before placing them neatly on the table. ¡°We¡¯ll leave now. Cheer up!¡± ¡°Chief, fighting!¡± Encouraged by the two interns, I rubbed my head and fell into deep thought. ¡°This is not the time.¡± Taking my coat from the chair, I left the office and immediately called Kim Woogil. Ring-ring-ring. As expected, there was no answer. ¡°Please pick up¡­¡± This time, I dialed a different number. Click. The call connected before the phone could ring three times. I breathed a sigh of relief. ¨C This is Kim Jungyoon. ¡°Hunter Kim Jungyoon, I¡¯m sorry, but please help me.¡± ¨C What¡¯s going on? ¡°I can¡¯t contact appraiser Kim Woogil.¡± ¨C What? Why all of a sudden¡­? Kim Jungyoon¡¯s response indicated that he was still unaware of the situation. There was still a chance. ¡°Actually¡­¡± I explained the circumstances reluctantly, as I had no choice due to the orders from above. ¨C I see. ¡°Please help me. Won¡¯t he listen to Hunter Kim Jungyoon¡¯s words?¡± ¨C I¡¯ll try to talk to him. Are you currently on your way to where Woogil was supposed to receive the item? ¡°Yes. Even a brief conversation would suffice.¡± ¨C In that case, let¡¯s meet at Gangnam Sunting. I¡¯ll try to talk to him. But I cannot guarantee that Woogil will yield to my words. ¡°Thank you! That¡¯s enough!¡± ¨C Then book a room and send me your number. ¡°Understood.¡± Click. The call ended, and I immediately turned the steering wheel. Then I made a call to Gangnam Sunting. ¡°Do you have a private room available?¡± ¨C When would you like it for? ¡°Right now! I don¡¯t mind an expensive one, but I need to be able to enter immediately.¡± ¨C I understand. Let me make the reservation¡­ [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 18 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 18: Aura Stone (5) ¡°How many times have I come here this month alone¡­?¡± ¡®Sunting¡¯, the most famous private room in Gangnam. Although I had never spent money here before, the cost of renting a room here alone would easily exceed 100 million won. ¡°Allow me to guide you.¡± Among them, the place reserved for today is the luxurious private room on the 28th floor, known to be particularly expensive. As I opened the door and entered, the spacious floor-to-ceiling windows caught my eye first. The panoramic view of Seoul at a glance. I glanced at Park Man-deuk, who was dozing off at the table. ¡®I¡¯m a bit late.¡¯ I hung up the phone and read Mana Wavelength and Substances for a while, until I received a text message from Kim Junghyun. ¡®I¡¯m a little sorry.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect him to book a room and wait for me. He didn¡¯t seem like that kind of person, but perhaps he was quicker to act than I thought. ¡°Chief.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ uh?¡± Wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, he blankly looked this way. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Nodding my head, I sat down, cleared my throat and began to speak. ¡°The thing I mentioned earlier¡­¡± It was an obvious story that he had to do because of orders from the higher-ups. That much was expected. What¡¯s important is what plan this person has brought. ¡°So, what¡¯s the conclusion?¡± ¡°The real-time tracking of Aura Stone must be done by our support bureau hunter using the machine that reads the corresponding mana waves. Since there are not many of these machines, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. However! We will fully support the necessary expenses for the facilities and appraisal. We will also instruct the hunters to hold positions nearby with tracking devices so as not to interfere with the appraisal.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ And?¡± ¡°If the appraisal succeeds as per the previous contract, we will raise the appraisal fee from 50 million won to 70 million won. Not only that, even if the appraisal fails, we will still pay the same amount.¡± An appraisal fee of 70 million won. I calculated it as approximately 23.3 billion won, considering Aura Stone¡¯s worth as 3% of the previously set appraisal. Considering the national benefits or values Aura Stone would bring in the future, 23 billion won is far too low, but appraisers don¡¯t see it that way. It¡¯s a special situation where the Korean branch is trying to produce results in a short period, so the appraisal fee is quite high, but in reality, 50 million won for appraising a mineral is outrageously high. Moreover, offering the same appraisal fee even if the appraisal fails didn¡¯t seem like something the higher-ups at Salvation would approve of. S?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡®Is this guy making this decision on his own? There¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll succeed, so he¡¯s taking a gamble. I read Park Man-deuk¡¯s thoughts correctly. ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way. If the appraisal succeeds, I won¡¯t take any money, but if it fails, I won¡¯t take a dime either.¡± ¡°¡­ Wait a moment.¡± Park Man-deuk scratches his head in confusion at my proposal. ¡®100 million? That¡¯s too much¡­ Hmm. Is this right?¡¯ I had to quickly sort out my thoughts. ¡®I could pull all the budget and maybe make it work somehow. But if it fails, it¡¯s really bad¡­¡¯ Cold sweat broke out. This wasn¡¯t just about failing to appraise. If the appraisal fails, it could lead to being investigated by the surveillance department. Being dismissed from my position as a chief wasn¡¯t just going to be a passing matter. Should I gamble for bigger success, or just pass safely? In the former case, if he succeeds, we¡¯ll achieve great results, but if he fails, it won¡¯t just end with losing face. In the latter, the probability of failure is high and I might just be dismissed. But there wouldn¡¯t be a search by the surveillance department either. Having paced around near the window made of floor-to-ceiling glass, pondering, I finally returned to his seat after finishing his deliberation. ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°Great. Shall we now discuss unofficial support?¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my embarrassment at Woogil¡¯s words, as if he knew what I was thinking. For a moment, I wondered if the young man¡¯s face was just a mask. If so, who could be behind it? Could it be an old man in his seventies? Or perhaps a seasoned businessman in his middle age? Among the figures I was considering, there was no young man in his early to mid-twenties. ¡°Ahem, this proposal is not so much based on my trust in you, but rather on Hunter Kim Junghyun¡­ We will freely share the list of all unappraised items coming into Appraisal Department 2 from the Herta planet for the next three quarters.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± For the first time, Woogil was taken aback. Sharing the list of unappraised items. This meant disclosing Salvation¡¯s internal information to the outside world. The moment it¡¯s caught, both Park Man-deuk and I could immediately become suspects and be captured by Salvation, potentially facing criminal charges. ¡°Just with that statement, you could lose your position, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. I¡¯m taking a risk too. Anyway, if this mission fails, it¡¯s all over for me.¡± Park Man-deuk made a gesture as if jokingly drawing a line across his throat. [Insight Activated.] [Probability of truth: 97.6%] It wasn¡¯t a lie. That meant Park Man-deuk was also staking his life on this. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for over ten years. I¡¯ve appraised hundreds of items. And I¡¯ve noticed something.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Among them, artifacts have a peculiar scent.¡± ¡°¡­A scent?¡± ¡°Yes, although some artifacts I couldn¡¯t detect the scent of, all the special ones I found emitted the same scent. And I sense that scent in you, Mr. Woogil.¡± I don¡¯t think he actually smells it. It¡¯s just a metaphor for uniqueness. My eyes widened. ¡°Although I trust Hunter Kim Junghyun would never do this¡­ I have a feeling that Mr. Kim Woogil might not refuse this proposal.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you refuse, I¡¯ll pretend this never happened. Even if you report me, I have nothing to say¡­¡± He looked at me, raising the corner of his mouth. ¡°Would you¡­ refuse?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Woogil thought. What kind of expression am I making right now? What exactly is Park Man-deuk so sure of when looking at me like this? I chuckled. There¡¯s a reason he got up there, even if he looks a bit clumsy. Even if he seemed awkward somewhere, there must be a reason he had climbed up to that position. He knows when to take a gamble. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a logical decision or an instinctive feeling. All that matters is that it was right. He saw it accurately. Despite pretending to be righteous all this time, I wasn¡¯t as righteous a person as Kim Junghyun. ¡°Great.¡± As long as it didn¡¯t cause harm to society or cross a major ethical boundary, I had no qualms about engaging in illegal transactions for my goals. ¡°I thought you might.¡± That was my way, and that¡¯s how I had lived my life so far. ¡°I hope this evaluation of yours changes a bit, sir.¡± ¡°I hope so too.¡± Park Man-deuk extended his hand. ¡°Perhaps we could become good partners. Different from Mr. Kim Junghyun.¡± I shook his hand. * * * He neatly signed the non-disclosure agreement and returned home. The contract was for three weeks. Within three weeks, Park Man-deuk had to finish appraising Aura Stone and report it to the higher-ups. The sharing of the list of upcoming appraisal items is a secret treaty between me and Park Man-deup. The moment we get caught, it¡¯s the end for both me and Park Man-deuk, no doubt. ¡®Well, he did say there¡¯s absolutely no chance of getting caught¡­¡¯ But just in case, I should have at least one safety measure in place. Well, that¡¯s something to think about if the appraisal succeeds. ¡®Unappraised items¡­ He¡¯s more cunning than I thought.¡¯ Even if I were to give the list of unappraised items to him, he would still have to wait for the items to be auctioned off at Salvation or negotiate with Salvation in advance to acquire them. Rather than throwing the unappraised items at the auction house at a low price, he decided it was better to give a good appraiser like me the power to negotiate and find out the true value of the items. ¡®That way, I can improve my performance, and they have nothing to lose by giving me the items they can¡¯t appraise anyway.¡¯ It¡¯s a win-win situation for both parties. I came up with the idea less than a few hours after abruptly ending the call. Indeed, it was an exaggeration of the sentiment that Korea¡¯s top talent was leaving. ¡®Three weeks is enough time to study mana wavelengths.¡¯ [Mana Wavelength and Substances] By the time I¡¯m done with this book, I won¡¯t fail to see through the Aura Stone. I immediately opened the book. [Insight Activated.] At the same time, the contents of the book began to be interpreted. [Mana is a secretive energy transmitted to us from the other side. However, it is necessary to understand its characteristics and wave phenomena. Through this book, I will explore mana waves and their essence¡­] The monotonous and tedious contents continued endlessly. I had been staring at the book for hours. Opening and closing my eyes, eating, sleeping, I had stayed up almost every night for nearly two weeks. Thunk. I closed the book. When was the last time I studied so hard? ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I slumped over as if I was fainting. When I opened my eyes again, it was dark outside. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is it night?¡± I¡¯m disoriented. What time is it? ¡°7:30 p.m?¡± Weeeeee¨C That annoying sound¡­ is it a mosquito? The mana flowed quietly within my body. Slowly moving it to the tip of my index finger. [mana is formed with specific frequencies and wavelengths, and it is also propagated in the form of waves.] Recalling the explanation from the book, I combined the knowledge I had acquired from the book with my mana. Expanding the mana to detect the specific vibrations produced by the mosquito, and aligning the frequency of the mana wave with the vibration frequency of the mosquito¡­ Weeeeee¨C I felt it. Every subtle movement of the mosquito. ¡®Here.¡¯ Without even looking at the mosquito with my hand, I caught it. There was a dead mosquito in my palm, along with blood. Ting-. ¡°Ugh!¡± As the rubber band that had been stretched taut snapped, the mana wave broke and a backlash surged. Perhaps the mana was too weak. As soon as the output of the mana weakened, the mana wave broke down. Once again, a hot liquid flowed down my chin. Thunk. Thunk. Hastily, I went to the bathroom to wipe away the nasal mucus, roughly stuffed tissues into my nostrils to block them, and then flopped onto the bed. When I closed my eyes and opened them again, it was midnight. It felt like I had slept deeply for a while. Scratching my groggy head, I sat back at the desk. Then, I took out the Aura Stone. [Insight Activated.] Though the mana was drained continuously, this time there was no interruption as before. ¡®Finally¡­¡¯ As I read the description of the Aura Stone floating in the air, my phone rang. [Director Park Man-deuk of Appraisal Department 2nd Division] Beep. ¨C Appraiser Kim Woogil. This is Park Man-deuk. ¡°Yes.¡± I answer in a deep voice, and a warm, tepid sound comes through the receiver. ¨C ¡­Were you sleeping? ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C ¡­When will you do the appraisal? His anxiety was palpable in his voice. It was understandable. It had been over two weeks without any news. ¨C There was no news, so¡­ ¡°Can I come now?¡± ¨C Now¡­ Of course! Of course, you can! ¡°Then I¡¯ll come now.¡± ¨C Understood. Then, we¡¯ll prepare the relevant materials¡­ ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¨C What? What do you mean it¡¯s okay? ¡°I think I know roughly. I¡¯ll give you an update after a quick check today.¡± ¨C ¡­You think you know? About what? ¡°The Aura Stone.¡± ¨C ¡­What? Park Man-deuk was perplexed. Without bothering to respond to his exclamatory question, I hung up and walked out. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C ChiSync] Chapter 19 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 19: Aura Stone (6) Outskirts of downtown Yangjae in Seoul. Fairly large Salvation-affiliated institutional buildings situated in sparsely populated areas. When I arrived at the appointment, I was greeted by the head of the first Division 1 of the Appraisal Department 2. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Yang Wonho, the team leader of Division 1 of Appraisal Department 2. You can just call me Team Leader 1.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kim Woogil.¡± A clean-cut man with a height that made me, who stands at 181 centimetres, look up. Just by seeing his flawless 2:8 parted hairstyle and immaculate attire, one can guess what his personality might be like. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Let¡¯s head this way.¡± Following the guidance of Team Leader 1, we moved to a new building. While on the way, all the lights of the other buildings we passed were off, but here and there, the lights were brightly lit. ¡°Is it because of me that you haven¡¯t gotten off work yet?¡± ¡°Haha, no. Our regular quitting time is 2 a.m.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Hahaha, just kidding. Was it not fun?¡± Somehow, he feels similar to Park Man-deuk. Maybe it¡¯s just his mood? Click. As he presents his ID card, the entrance opens. ¡°Is it okay for outsiders to come in?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Normally, I¡¯m supposed to report to the higher-ups. But it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°¡­Is it really okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, but the chief probably won¡¯t be. If there¡¯s trouble.¡± Feels like something¡¯s a bit off. Sometimes when you meet various people, there are those who excel at their work but seem a bit off sometimes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about meeting other people. Under the special instructions of the chief, our Appraisal Department 2 team members are all holed up inside.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t need to go that far.¡± ¡°Haha, no. Come this way.¡± Taking the elevator and passing through the complex corridors, we entered a room where the appraisers were clearly visible through a large glass window. ¡°This is the appraisal room frequently used by our team.¡± Several large machines are visible through the glass window. Team 1 leader beams with pride as he shows them to me. ¡°They¡¯re all state-of-the-art¡­ well, not all, but still, they¡¯re all incredibly expensive equipment.¡± ¡°Yeah, they look impressive.¡± Here is where the unbridgeable gap between Salvation¡¯s appraisers and those of private appraisers emerges. Expensive equipment that private appraisers couldn¡¯t even dream of. Some of these products are only distributed within Salvation, so private appraisers can¡¯t buy them even if they have the money. S~?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But can you really show me this?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t, but you can.¡± Can or can¡¯t¡­? It feels like they¡¯re going too far, to the point where it seems like they¡¯re trying to use me as an appraiser for the day and then bury me somewhere. ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going too far?¡± Does this person also have insight? Or has he learned to read minds? ¡°But yes, we are going too far. What can we do? They¡¯re controlling us from above, so we have to push back too.¡± Team Leader 1 pours out words that weren¡¯t even asked, as if venting his frustration. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± I felt like it would drag on if I stayed silent, so I interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Click. This time, he presents his fingerprint, and the door opens. Aura Stones contained in transparent capsules. When I discreetly sense their mana, it seems like these capsules are blocking the mana waves emitted by the Aura Stones. ¡°Shall I open it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As Team Leader 1 pressed the buttons on the machine, with the sound of wind, the lid of the glass container opened. Then, he handed the Aura Stone to me. ¡°If Aura Stones are left outside for too long, anomalies occur, so they need to be periodically placed in mana wave blocking devices.¡± ¡®Are they aware of mana wave issues?¡¯ Well, in the past, there were news reports about mana wave issues. ¡°Especially this stone, its purity is high, so if left out for more than three hours, anomalies occur even to other hunters nearby, so it needs to be put back here before that. But since there are other Aura Stones, you don¡¯t have to worry about time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± There is sufficient mana. Over the past week, I¡¯ve almost torn apart the book [Mana Wavelength and Substances] by repeatedly reading it. There was help from insight, but in order to reduce the consumption of mana, I tried to understand the contents of the book without using insight, how much I racked my brain over it. It would have been great if I could decipher the entire book and obtain the legacy of Cartia, but unfortunately, there was still too much left, so it seemed like it would take more time. ¡®It¡¯s quite large.¡¯ Compared to the Aura Stone I received last time, it¡¯s dozens of times bigger. The yellow hue is also much darker compared to that Aura Stone, and the mana waves felt are shorter and higher in frequency. Hmmmmm¨C Certainly, it¡¯s distinctly different from the mana waves that living organisms or ordinary artifacts have. ¡®I understand why Salvation couldn¡¯t analyze Aura Stones. I also understand why their true value was revealed three years later.¡¯ Waves spreading out in a very complex cycle. With current technology, it would be nearly impossible to interpret these waves of the Aura Stone. They only discovered through experiments that special mana waves resonate with awakened individuals¡¯ mana waves, enhancing their abilities. It¡¯s impossible to accurately calculate, so we can¡¯t use it. ¡®Even so, if only there had been enough time, we would have known about the existence of side effects.¡¯ As Park Man-deuk said, the reluctance to allow leakage to other countries from above resulted in the disaster at the time being presented without sufficient experimentation. [Insight Activated.] As my understanding of mana wavelengths increased, I began to see yellow waves spreading out in a spherical shape like ripples. Now that I can see it, reading it is many times easier. ¡®I¡¯m going to need a hunter to get an accurate reading.¡¯ ¡°How¡­ should I assist? Or would you like to do the appraisal on your own? I heard you said you might be able to do it to some extent¡­¡± I¡¯ve almost read all the waves of the Aura Stone. Now, all I need to do is confirm resonance with enhancement abilities. ¡°Is there a hunter with enhancement abilities?¡± ¡°Oh! Shall I call one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Just wait a moment, please.¡± He briefly stepped out of the appraisal room to make a call. The sound was completely blocked, so I couldn¡¯t hear it. I briefly considered testing if the soundproof wall could be penetrated by the Hyper-Sensory Cyclone but refrained. Gotta save mana. ¡°He¡¯s coming down soon.¡± After hanging up and returning, Team Leader 1 said. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll examine this further.¡± [Insight Activated.] [Aura Stone] A mineral made of meteorite soil with special mana waves. The purer the meteorite soil, the stronger the waves, and it appears as a deep yellow color. It has the characteristic of resonating with specific mana wave frequencies. ¡Î5,670MHz ¡°At 5,670MHz (Mana-Hertz), and the Aura Stone I saw at home was 5,510MHz, so I roughly know in which frequency band it¡¯s distributed.¡¯ While I was analyzing the Aura Stone, Park Man-deuk and a hunter with short hair came down. ¡°Sorry for being late. I had to take care of some business.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. But is this person okay?¡± A hunter with a manly face. Wearing tight-fitting clothes, his muscular body looked even more prominent. ¡°Oh, this hunter is fine. He¡¯s not the type to go around flapping his mouth carelessly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jang Deoksu.¡± His deep voice flows smoothly. Just by saying his name and keeping his mouth shut like a lock, it adds to the trust in Park Man-deuk¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of conducting an experiment, is that okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Jang Deoksu answers, and the other two nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a more spacious area. Preferably somewhere sturdy.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we¡­ going to do the appraisal? Shouldn¡¯t we analyze the Aura Stone first and then conduct the experiment?¡± Team Leader 1 asks with a puzzled expression. ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯ve analyzed it to some extent.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Team Leader 1¡¯s face, which had been consistently casual, changed dramatically for the first time. Park Man-deuk also looked slightly surprised, and Jang Deoksu¡­ remained expressionless as ever. Although Team Leader 1 and Park Man-deuk openly showed unease, they still moved to the training ground following my words. Creak¡­ A training ground about the size of 20 square metres. There¡¯s nothing much inside. ¡°These walls are made of special material, so unless it¡¯s someone of S-rank hunter level or above, they won¡¯t break.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rank of this hunter?¡± ¡°B-rank.¡± Jang Deoksu answered. ¡°Oh, B-rank¡­ Um, alright. Shall we try out your abilities?¡± ¡°Just a moment. Are you really okay with this?¡± Park Man-deuk asks with a worried expression. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so let¡¯s worry about you two first and step back first.¡± At my words, the two hesitantly step back and press themselves against the wall. ¡°Then I¡¯ll use my abilities.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jang Deoksu¡¯s muscular body starts to swell gradually. ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ [Insight Activated.] The flow of mana within his body becomes clear. It¡¯s a completely different method from how I usually handle mana. He concentrates mana in various parts of his body, causing them to interact and amplify some of his physical abilities. At the same time, the mana waves are also amplified, increasing the intensity of the waves. ¡®So this is how enhancement ability users manipulate mana.¡¯ In terms of explosiveness, this method certainly seems effective. But, it seemed like a waste of mana. But that¡¯s not important right now. First, I carefully observed the mana waves emitted by the Aura Stone and the mana waves emitted by Jang Deoksu. ¡®As expected, as soon as Jang Deoksu¡¯s mana waves touch the mana waves of the Aura Stone, they fluctuate.¡¯ As they get closer to the Aura Stone, the waves become stronger, stimulating the points of mana amplification that Jang Deoksu has created inside his body. As a result, Jang Deoksu¡¯s enhanced physical abilities naturally amplify. ¡°Shall we continue?¡± Jang Deoksu asks me while still enhancing his physical abilities. ¡°Yes. Try to push your abilities to the maximum you can.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± His tightly fitting clothes, thanks to their strong elasticity, stretch to fit his body perfectly. In an instant, Jang Deoksu¡¯s physique increased by about 30%, and his blood circulation speed greatly accelerated. ¡°How does it feel? How much stronger do you feel compared to your usual abilities?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve become about 1.5 times stronger.¡± ¡°Would you like to try hitting the wall? Is that okay?¡± When I asked Park Man-deuk, he looked at Team Leader 1. ¡°Well¡­ if it¡¯s 1.5 times, it¡¯s still slightly below the level of an A-rank hunter, so it¡¯s fine.¡± At Team Leader 1¡¯s words, Jang Deoksu nodded and forcefully struck the wall. Kuuwoong!! Although I felt the vibration in the air, the wall remained intact. Jang Deoksu, with a bitter expression, stepped back. ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s still no abnormality in your body, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Still not feeling it? Jang Deoksu says there¡¯s nothing wrong, but I can see it. The resonance of those waves is very slightly off. ¡®It¡¯s not resonating perfectly. That¡¯s why it ultimately breaks.¡¯ Seeing it firsthand made it even clearer. ¡®Will it work properly¡­?¡¯ Wave interference. It¡¯s something from ancient texts. I had only tried it a couple of times at home, but this was the first time I had done it in a real situation like this. But to clearly show the appraisal result, it¡¯s worth a try. I injected mana into the mana core inside the Aura Stone. Wooong!! At the same time, the Aura Stone glowed intensely. ¡°¡­Urgh!!¡± Jang Deoksu winced in pain. ¡°W-What¡­ What¡¯s happening? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The Aura Stone has started shining more brightly!¡± The two of them quickly noticed the sudden change and frantically rolled their eyes to assess the situation. I slowly injected mana into the mana core, interfering with the waves while observing Jang Deoksu. As resonance began to occur, a subtle distortion emerged. Accelerating it quickly, Jang Deoksu¡¯s eyes flushed red, and thick fur rapidly grew on his arms as he let out a roar like a beast. ¡°Arrrggghhhh¡­!¡± Jang Deoksu roared as if he had become a beast. His body also transformed like that of a beast, exhaling hot breath and rolling his eyes. ¡®Is there a hormonal imbalance when surpassing the limits of the human body? I know there was a hunter with physical transformation abilities among the S-rank hunters in Korea.¡¯ Knowledge in this field is still too lacking. Although using insight might bring some understanding of the truth, there¡¯s no spare mana to analyze it right now. Furthermore¡­ Thud! Clutching his head, Jang Deoksu, who had been screaming in agony, slammed the ground with his thickened arms like a gorilla. The destructive power is distinctly different from before. ¡°Ah, fuck¡­ the wavelengths are resonating, making it difficult to control the interference¡­!¡± Thump! Thump! Thump!!! A curse escaped from Park Man-deuk¡¯s mouth. It¡¯s understandable. It was said that only an S-rank hunter could break such a place. With this level of power, could it rival the destructive power of an A-rank top hunter? ¡°Aaarghhh!¡± After pounding his chest several times, Jang Deoksu turned his head to look in their direction. ¡°Be careful, Mr. Woogil!¡± Team Leader 1 exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Emergency bell! We need to press the emergency bell! Quickly!¡± Park Man-deuk, sensing Jang Deoksu¡¯s intention, rushed to find the emergency bell on the opposite side. Thud¡­! Jang Deoksu¡¯s fist, propelled by the ground, flew towards me. At the same time, I surrounded the Aura Stone with mana, completely blocking the mana waves. Hmmmmm¡­ The glowing yellow light of the Aura Stone disappeared. Thud. With the sudden disappearance of the resonance phenomenon, Jang Deoksu¡¯s body returned to its original state, and his weakened fist fell into my grasp. ¡°Eh¡­?¡± Team Leader 1¡¯s voice sounded deflated. Park Man-deuk, who was about to press the emergency bell, froze with his finger in front of the button, his face pale with shock. ¡®Phew¡­ That was close.¡¯ I did not reveal my true feelings at all and spoke with a calm expression while supporting Jang Deoksu. ¡°Appraisal is over.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 20 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 20: Second Request I laid down Jang Deoksu, who had fainted due to the sudden physical changes. ¡°No need to call for help.¡± ¡°What¡­ What happened?¡± Team Leader 1, still unable to shake off the dazed expression, asked while looking at the collapsed Jang Deoksu. ¡°Aura Stone is a mineral with special mana waves. It seems that Planet Herta is quite unusual, so the minerals there are not ordinary.¡± When the mana core was slightly uncovered, a faint yellow light flowed again. ¡°The mana core inside. Mana waves of specific frequencies are flowing from here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that. However, pinpointing that frequency accurately is actually difficult with the current technology in Korea.¡± S?a??h th? N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, if we can visualize the waves emitted by this stone, we can probably catch it more easily than we think. Then, channelling mana and finely adjusting the frequency from the initial stages¡­¡± I briefly explained the theoretical aspects. Although it could be considered a trade secret, in fact, I spoke with the intention of revealing some information. As the technology of Salvation improves, the power of Earth will increase, and the number of casualties will decrease. And it¡¯s not like anyone can immediately follow these kinds of information just because they¡¯re decoded right now. ¡°What are you doing! Team Leader 1! Quickly jot it down!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, just a moment!¡± Under Park Man-deuk¡¯s pressure, Team Leader 1 hastily took out a tablet from the small bag he was carrying and turned on the recording function, tapping the screen quickly as if playing the piano. After explaining about the mana waves emitted by the Aura Stone, I described its effects. ¡°It relates to the mana usage of awakened individuals who enhance their physical abilities.¡± Just as the combat styles vary among awakened individuals, the ways of using mana are also diverse. The resonance between the mana waves emitted by the Aura Stone and those produced in the mana usage of awakened individuals who specialize in enhancing physical abilities causes such phenomena to occur. ¡°Resonance occurs, strengthening each other¡¯s wave intensity, thereby enhancing the abilities of awakened individuals.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°But, in reality, perfect resonance is impossible. There may be differences among awakened individuals, but unless artificially controlled, there¡¯s always a slight distortion.¡± ¡°So, the phenomenon earlier was due to that distortion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve decided to call it the Resonance Distortion Phenomenon.¡± ¡°Resonance¡­ Distortion¡­ Phenomenon¡­.¡± Park Man-deuk rubbed his chin and shook his head. Team Leader 1 was tapping the screen so quickly that his fingers were almost a blur. ¡°The very subtle distortion that occurs accelerates to the point where awakened individuals lose control over their mana.¡± ¡°I see. Seeing the appearance of Hunter Jang Deoksu earlier, it makes sense now. I never thought about such problems. Considering the hunters deployed in the operation losing control and rampaging¡­ It¡¯s dreadful.¡± In the case of Jang Deoksu, he seemed quite fine even under the resonance of the Aura Stone. It can be considered a type where the frequencies match quite well. However, not all awakened individuals would be like that. The fact that there was a major catastrophe in my past life suggests that there were types of awakened individuals with significant distortions. ¡®In such situations, impatience becomes poison. That major catastrophe in my past life was probably a result of impatience.¡¯ Certainly, there must have been multiple tests beforehand. Yet, since there were no problems, they were deployed in the operation. In fact, it¡¯s not easy to detect in a short period of testing. With so many variables, even exposure to the Aura Stone for several hours during testing might not have intensified the distortion. Moreover, since the effect of the Aura Stone was too good, it would have been difficult to resist that temptation. ¡°But how did you exactly accelerate it earlier?¡± ¡°¡­I simply accelerated the distortion.¡± ¡°¡­So, how did you-¡± ¡°The discussion is over. I have no obligation to say more. I¡¯ll take my leave now. I¡¯ll send the appraisal evaluation separately.¡± Without further ado, I headed towards the exit. ¡°Oh, let me escort you.¡± And hastily, Team Leader 1 followed me, giving me a ride to the taxi and then returning to the training ground. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Upon his return, Park Man-deuk was sitting on the ground lost in thought. Jang Deoksu had already been sent to the office after calling someone. ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°Manager, but is Woogil really a private appraiser consultant? How does he have such appraisal skills?¡± I glared at him as if to ask why he¡¯s asking such a thing. ¡°Such cases are not even the first in the world, so why be surprised? There are private appraisers who aren¡¯t graduates of Salvation among the world-renowned ones. Don¡¯t ask unnecessary questions when my head is already spinning.¡± ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t we set up a private office? Why not do it?¡± ¡°¡­Tsk. There¡¯s probably no need for that. With skills like his, the scale of incoming requests would be different. And if he becomes famous for no reason, there will inevitably be jealous people. There¡¯s no need to go back when there¡¯s a comfortable path.¡± ¡°Well, Manager, if we¡¯re on the same boat and one sinks, we both go down together, right? We should be careful.¡± Team Leader 1, laughing while pretending to slit his own throat with his thumb. I chuckled at him. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be safe?¡± ¡°Well, um¡­ you told me to, so I had no choice. Haha. Shouldn¡¯t that be enough?¡± ¡°Unlucky guy. Thorough Bastard. You Asshole.¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment.¡± I sigh deeply at Team Leader 1¡¯s impudence. ¡°Why is my life so spectacular?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to live quietly. How much turmoil must you have been through to have your head so¡­?¡± ¡°Ugh! Get out!! Get out, you jerk!!¡± I instinctively groped around for something to throw, but fiound nothing. ¡°Too bad. You have nothing to throw at me.¡± Team Leader 1, who had reflexively flinched, laughed teasingly. ¡°And isn¡¯t it good to be on the same boat with such a great person?¡± ¡°Tsk. If you¡¯re around such a storm, you¡¯ll be swept away. Is the storm fine? Is the surroundings fine?¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you run away now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering it. I didn¡¯t think it would be this bad until just now¡­ Tsk!¡± I furrowed my brow as I stood up and began to stretch abruptly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made a decision.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to enter the eye of the storm.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°The eye of the storm is calm. It¡¯s safe and difficult to get into.¡± Team Leader 1¡¯s mouth hung open, understanding his implication. ¡°W-what¡­ You¡¯re aiming to become a director?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doomed in this life for marriage, and my head¡¯s a mess. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to aim for director?¡± ¡°¡­Well, if you¡¯re aiming high, why not aim for the head office director?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea either. Think about it. With this skill at my age, what will it be like in 10 years?¡± ¡°¡­Can I join that ship too?¡± ¡°If I become a director, you¡¯ll be under me until you¡¯re bald. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I always keep a resignation letter with me.¡± ¡°Nonsense. You can¡¯t quit without my permission.¡± I opened the door to leave the training ground. ¡°And you know what? Check Kim Woogil¡¯s movements with the CCTV here, delete the footage. Keep the footage of Jang Deoksu¡¯s transformation separately, edit it, and organize the list of incoming appraisall goods and put it on my desk. Oh! Just in case, keep an eye on Jang Deoksu¡¯s communications. Get it all done by tomorrow.¡± Thunk. I left and the door closed. ¡°And hey, why not try being a rapper instead of a director?¡± Muttering discontentedly, Team Leader 1 noted down the tasks he had just received on the tablet. * * * A caf¨¦ near home. Woogil met Myeongsu and Junpyo after a long time. ¡°So, are you two doing some studying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying my best. But it¡¯s definitely challenging. Even though I¡¯m not an appraiser, I need knowledge in this field.¡± Just by looking at his face, you could tell. Unlike a few days ago, his eyes were sunken, worse than when he worked under Kang Chanwook. ¡°Are you pushing yourself too hard?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. Actually, these days are better, right? Even though there¡¯s no income, doing office work after a long time gives me passion and vitality.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s fortunate. How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying my best, but¡­ it¡¯s just too difficult, I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s what.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to dive in too deep from the start. Since Junpyo is here, you can start by studying the auxiliary parts. Handling simple programs.¡± ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Hwang Myeongsu spoke with determination, and it was nice to see that both of them seemed to have more enthusiasm than expected. ¡°When you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll consider renting an office. You can start working there.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Wow! Are we really going to work now?¡± ¡°Once you start working at the office, I¡¯ll pay you a daily wage. If you perform well, there will be incentives too. I¡¯ll gradually increase the daily wage.¡± Their expressions brightened considerably at the mention of money. Well, they must have been a bit anxious since they¡¯ve been studying without any allowance so far. ¡®An Appraisal office, huh¡­¡¯ Now that I¡¯m actually setting up an office, it¡¯s quite complicated. Before, I had planned to set up a small office with the headmaster after retirement to do appraisal work together¡­ To set up an appraisal office and receive proper benefits from the government, they ultimately need to obtain a Grade 1 appraisal consultant license. Since there¡¯s still time until the Grade 1 appraisal consultant license exam, they can take their time preparing for the emotion office. The plan is to gradually increase our influence through the office. After that, I¡¯ll find the leader and hunt down the Salvation traitor who tried to kill the excavators. ¡®If my guess is right¡­ he was after the artifacts in the king¡¯s tomb.¡¯ That¡¯s probably why he tried to kill us as soon as we brought back Teraunus memoirs. They probably didn¡¯t know what was inside. If they had known there was just one autobiography, would they have tried to eliminate us? However, what¡¯s more suspicious is that the assassin who came to assassinate me at the last moment tried to kill me without even asking about the artifacts. Did he think I wouldn¡¯t tell them anyway? Or maybe to silence someone who knows too much? To prevent revenge? ¡®Well, even if I start worrying about that now, will anything change?¡¯ When you delve into an incident, the truth always reveals itself sooner or later. Clank. The caf¨¦ door opens, and three men with rough appearances enter and take their seats. Black suits with white shirts. Did they just come from a funeral? I tried to ignore them, but I couldn¡¯t help but listen to their conversation. ¡°Ugh, what a mess because of CEO Kang.¡± ¡°What should we order?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with Americano.¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± The subordinate wearing glasses hurriedly orders two iced Americanos and returns. ¡°That guy¡­ who was he? Hwang¡­ something.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hwang Myeongsu.¡± ¡°Right, that guy who was working under Kang Chanwook but got cut off from money? Do you know his home address?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. But I know where Hwang Myeongsu¡¯s mother is hospitalized.¡± ¡°Ugh, annoying. Do you think he knows something?¡± ¡°Perhaps. I think it might have something to do with Kang Chanwook getting caught. Since the guys who tried to collect from Hwang Myeongsu were also captured by Salvation around the same time.¡± ¡°Is there a bigwig behind him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but if we touch him carelessly, it might become troublesome for us too.¡± ¡°That Kang Chanwook guy. Acting like he can handle everything on his own¡­ damn it. He finally did something properly after a long time. Ugh. We can¡¯t even use that Hwang Myeongsu guy.¡± ¡°We might have to lay low for a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What we¡¯re doing right now is more important. Let¡¯s finish this first and then deal with it later. First, let¡¯s meet this Hwang Myeongsu guy.¡± The three gangsters quickly finished their coffee and left the caf¨¦. ¡°Hey, bro¡­¡± Then the faces of the three who happened to overhear their conversation turned serious. ¡°It¡¯s lucky that Hwang Myeongsu didn¡¯t turn around. We almost got caught.¡± ¡°Sir, I have a favor to ask about Hwang Myeongsu.¡± As I stood up, Hwang Myeongsu hurriedly followed me. ¡°I¡¯m coming too!¡± ¡°No, you stay out of this. It could be dangerous. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± I also hurriedly left the caf¨¦, following them, and took out my phone. Ring. Ring. Ring. After a couple of rings, the call connected. ¡°This is Kim Woogil. Am I speaking with the Head of the Inspection Team, Oh Geomsu?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 21 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 21: Free Appraisal Office (1) At Daesan Hospital in Gangnam, where Myeongsu¡¯s mother is receiving treatment. S?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Two sturdy men enter and inspect the inside of the hospital room. ¡°Is this Kang Imja¡­ this person?¡± The man with a long scar on his cheek checked the name tag attached to the end of the bed and asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The curtains around the bed are quickly drawn aside. Inside, Kang Imja lies still, eyes closed and motionless. ¡°Tsk, still not awake, huh?¡± ¡°Probably not. Suffering from a rare disease, the time to regain consciousness is erratic, and there are often moments when one cannot maintain sanity.¡± ¡°Haah¡­ Damn. Shouldn¡¯t a son be taking care of this? Huh?¡± He looks around angrily. The other women in the same hospital room avoid eye contact, intimidated. ¡°Hey, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes?¡± A patient in the next bed, startled, responds. ¡°When will this woman¡¯s son come?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s too busy.¡± ¡°Huh, what¡¯s his number?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± At that, his already grim face contorts menacingly. With one hand, he crushes the top part of a watermelon placed on the table. ¡°Oh, my goodness!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Nurse! Call a nurse!¡± ¡°It¡¯s to let her have some watermelon. Ma¡¯am.¡± Despite the commotion from the other women in the room, the man gazes at them indifferently. ¡°The Salvation guys were here, right? Huh?¡± An oppressive atmosphere fills the room. It¡¯s different from the thugs who used to come looking for Hwang Myeongsu. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°If you act up, your heads might end up like this too. Just answer the questions.¡± The women in the room fall silent as if struck dumb. ¡°Did Hwang Myeongsu call the Salvation guys?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If you just answer properly, we¡¯ll leave quietly. Answer properly. I¡¯ll ask again. The Salvation guys. Who called them?¡± His demonic gaze scans the room. While the women gulp down their dry saliva, avoiding answering, there¡¯s a sudden sound. Drrrrrk- The door opens, and Woogil enters. ¡°More gangsters coming?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s you? The one who sent our kids to prison.¡± The scarred thug approaches Woogil, smiling. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Who are you? Are you the boss of those thugs?¡± ¡°Hahahahaha!! Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m their boss. I¡¯m Jung Taejin. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°You arrogant punk. If an adult introduces themselves first, you should politely give your name too.¡± As he reflexively raises his hand to slap my cheek, Jung Taejin pauses. ¡°Tsk. You. Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Kang Chanwook messed up the employee training. Ha. Are you him? The one who sent Kang Chanwook to prison?¡± ¡®He was with Kang Chanwook at the cafe, and what exactly were they doing together?¡¯ Jung Taejin. He seemed to be the boss of the Taejin Faction. Those guys who lent money to Myeongsu and were extorting him were from the Taejin Faction. They also seemed to know Kang Chanwook¡­ ¡®What kind of collaboration were the Taejin Faction and Kang Chanwook involved in behind the scenes?¡¯ If the boss had gone to such lengths to find him, it seemed like they were engaged in quite an important business together. Judging from what he said about using Hwang Myeongsu, it seemed they were involved in dealings with people. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ If he just brushed it off, Myeongsu could suffer again. However, blindly apprehending Jung Taejin without knowing what they were up to wasn¡¯t an option either. There had to be evidence to do anything. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I sent that trash Kang Chanwook to prison. Do you want to join him?¡± ¡°Haah¡­. If you knew how much damage I¡¯ve suffered because of that asshole, you wouldn¡¯t be able to make fun of me with your mouth.¡± ¡°Tsk. What are you going to do? What kind of crimes were Kang Chanwook and the Taejin Faction involved in?¡± ¡°This guy¡­ keeps whining. Can¡¯t he just shut up already?¡± Jung Taejin¡¯s hand rises again. [Insight Activated.] The magic emanating from his heart flows down his arm. ¡®An Awakened?¡¯ The movement of mana was unusual. It was completely different from F and E rankers who had just awakened and couldn¡¯t properly control mana yet. If an ordinary person were hit by that, they wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it and might faint. Thwack. As I contemplates whether to use the Hyper-Sensory Cyclone, Oh Geomsu enters from outside the room and grabs Jung Taejin¡¯s wrist. ¡°¡­Salvation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Oh Geomsu, head of the Awakened Management Division, Inspection Team 3, of the Korean branch of Salvation. Jung Taejin. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Jung Taejin withdraws his hand out of habit and adjusts his attire, glaring at me. ¡°You arrogant punk. We¡¯ll meet again. Let¡¯s go.¡± As Jung Taejin signals to his subordinate to leave the room, Oh Geomsu blocks their way. ¡°Jung Taejin, come with me. You¡¯ll have to be investigated for using magic against civilians.¡± ¡°¡­Why bother with the busybody? You¡¯ll let me go anyway.¡± After saying that, Jung Taejin glares at me and furrows his brows. ¡°Are you protecting this brat?¡± ¡°Quiet. If you don¡¯t cooperate, it¡¯ll get even more troublesome.¡± With fiery eyes directed at me, Jung Taejin leaves with his subordinate following Oh Geomsu. I cleared the remnants of the smashed watermelon on the floor and checked on Kang Imja¡¯s condition. [Insight Activated.] [Failed.] ¡®As I thought, huh.¡¯ A rare disease of mana that modern medicine has yet to discover. They¡¯re diseases caused by mana that suddenly appeared on Earth. One of them afflicts Kang Imja, Hwang Myeongsu¡¯s mother. I wondered if Insight could uncover that, but as expected, it failed. Even if it did work, fixing it would be a separate issue. Vrrrring- A message came on my phone. [Head of Inspection Team 3, Oh Geomsu] [Once the formal investigation of Jung Taejin is over, I have something to discuss with you. Could you come here?] ¡®What does he want to talk about?¡¯ I saw Jung Taejin for the first time. What could he have to say about that? [Yes, please let me know once the investigation is over.] I sent the reply and immediately moved. As I stepped out of the hospital room, I contacted Myeongsu and Junpyo as well, informing them that the situation had been handled well. Now that Jung Taejin¡¯s attention was turned in my direction, he probably wouldn¡¯t bother Myeongsu for a while. ¡®Haah¡­ This bastard just keeps holding onto people¡¯s ankles till the end.¡¯ Thanks to Kang Chanwook, he got involved with gangsters. Moreover, the gang leader turned out to be an Awakened, and quite a powerful one at that. Was that why Oh Geomsu had been keeping an eye on the Taejin Faction? Now that Myeongsu¡¯s name had come up from Jung Taejin¡¯s mouth, I couldn¡¯t just sit back and watch. ¨C Kang Chanwook. Acting like he can handle everything on his own¡­ Damn it. He did one thing right after a long time. Tsk. That Hwang Myeongsu, I can¡¯t even use him. Using him. It sounded like capturing monsters, just like the protagonist of an old animated series called Pocket Monster. It wasn¡¯t about exploiting slaves. Using them¡­ What could that possibly mean? ¡®I should probably talk to Oh Geomsu about this later.¡¯ About an hour passed, and I received another call from Oh Geomsu. Having been waiting near Jung-gu, where the Salvation Inspection Department was located, I entered the office. Inside the inspection office, employees were busy working. They moved tirelessly, some so engrossed that their eyeballs might pop out from the stress of not being able to rest. Knock. Knock. Knock. As I knocked on the door of Team 3¡¯s office, I heard Oh Geomsu¡¯s voice. ¡°Come in.¡± Click. Turning the doorknob, I entered the room. Oh Geomsu, rummaging through documents with a complex expression. I greeted him and sat down on the sofa. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Would you like to see this?¡± He handed me a document. It was part of the contents of a case related to Jung Taejin. ¡°¡­The relationship between Kang Chanwook and Jung Taejin?¡± ¡°Yes. You know the two gangsters we caught at Daesan Hospital last time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The name Chae Jungkook, a current member of the National Assembly, appeared from their mouths.¡± ¡°¡­Chae Jungkook? The current member of the ruling party, Chae Jungkook?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure if it was an intentional leak, but from what I see, those guys wouldn¡¯t have had the luxury to do that, so it must have been a mistake.¡± It turned out that a big shot was connected to the Taejin Faction more than I had thought. For mere thugs like them to have connections with such a big shot¡­ ¡°And the appraiser, Park, who worked with Kang Chanwook. That appraiser turned out to be Chae¡¯s private appraiser.¡± ¡°¡­So that¡¯s how it¡¯s connected.¡± ¡°Yes. Based on the circumstances, it¡¯s possible that Chae Jungkook is behind Kang Chanwook.¡± Oh Geomsu¡¯s face hardened gravely. With Chae Jungkook appearing, it became a different issue from catching gangsters like Kang Chanwook or the Taejin Faction. ¡°For now, just keep that in mind. It¡¯s not certain, just a suspicion.¡± ¡°Understood. So, why did you call me?¡± ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t originally something to ask you about, but¡­ I wanted to request something from you while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°Yes. Take a look at this.¡± Oh Geomsu handed me another document. ¡¸Taejin Faction Free Appraisal Office¡¹ ¡®Free Appraisal Office¡­?¡¯ As I read through it, it was about the ongoing investigation of the case. ¡¸The Free Appraisal office spreading among parents based in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, was created by the Taejin Faction using methods¡­¡¹ ¡°Heh¡­ Is this true?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s also one of the reasons I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the Taejin Faction recently.¡± He sighed and continued. ¡°Our Salvation¡¯s appraisers received a tip-off that the Taejin Faction is helping people, and we¡¯ve been secretly investigating.¡± ¡°Salvation appraisers?¡± ¡°Yes, and Jung Taejin is probably targeting you, Kim Woogil, because of this incident. He might be tied up for a while due to this, but once it¡¯s over, we don¡¯t know what he might do to you.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Oh, and there was something I heard from Jung Taejin. It seemed like Kang Chanwook and Jung Taejin were involved in separate business ventures. It seemed like they were already planning something with Hwang Myeongsu, almost as if they were talking about using him like a slave.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Is that so? I¡¯ll look into it. I¡¯ll have to meet Hwang Myeongsu too.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯d appreciate that.¡± ¡°Understood. Anyway, it seems like this is the will of the heavens for me to be with Mr. Woogil¡­ What do you think?¡± The will of the heavens¡­ It might actually be true. After returning, I had been continuously involved in important events. Perhaps meeting Jung Taejin at the cafe earlier was also a sign from the heavens? ¡°Haha¡­ Actually, our inspection team has been so busy that I couldn¡¯t actively move. And we needed an exceptional appraiser.¡± Oh Geomsu really felt like this was the will of the heavens. They had been planning to request a dispatch of appraisers to the management department to handle the Taejin Faction¡¯s affairs, and I seemed to be a perfect fit. ¡®Dr. Park was also fooled by the fake Ellaris¡¯s necklace, but I discerned it.¡¯ Appraisal was such a diverse field, and one¡¯s appraisal abilities varied depending on their expertise. One can¡¯t prove their abilities with just one occasion. In the world of appraisers where experience was crucial, I was at an incredibly young level. From a rational perspective, it might seem like luck¡­ but¡­ ¡®It felt like Hunter Kim Junghyun trusted Kim Woogil completely¡¯ The relaxed atmosphere and demeanor emanating from Kim Woogil himself weren¡¯t ordinary. Even the exaggerations from the Salvation appraisal department didn¡¯t seem to be at that level. ¡®I guess this will tell us¡¯ I wonder if Kim Woo-gil is a bubble or if he¡¯s really an irregular who appeared like a comet in Korea. ¡°I¡¯ll pay all the appraisal fees and necessary fees during the appraisal. Will you take the request?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It wasn¡¯t worth worrying about. With Jung Taejin, Kang Chanwook, and Representative Chae¡­ I don¡¯t know what the three of you are planning, but I¡¯ll find out through this incident. And wasn¡¯t there a saying that goes, ¡®The one who strikes first in a fight wins?¡¯ All I have to do is destroy the Taejin Faction before Jung Taejin gets involved. ¡°Did you say Paldal-gu, Suwon-si?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 22 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 22: Free Appraisal Office (2) Kim Woogil headed to Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, early in the morning. ¡®These guys are audacious, causing trouble like this in Gyeonggi Province?¡¯ This was the way Taejin Faction did business with the general public. They would open a free appraisal office and provide free appraisals to people living in Paldal-gu. Then, depending on the appraisal results, they would conduct operations on those who possessed artifacts or higher-grade items, seizing those items from them. The method of operation was obvious without even seeing it. It would involve crimes like coercion, extortion, and fraud. Though it seemed simple, it was a method that cleverly exploited people¡¯s psychology. The items coming from other dimensions ranged from miscellaneous items to relics, and their quantity was considerable. Moreover, due to the chaos of the Great Upheaval in its early stages, many of these items were not properly managed and were widely spread in the market. Since appraisal technology and research were not yet perfect, there were still many cases where items ended up being appraised incorrectly. As a result, ordinary citizens also possessed items passed down from the ancient magic civilization, mostly junk or miscellaneous items. However, occasionally among them, there were useful items. To appraise such useful items, one would need an expert appraiser, but such appraisers were mostly affiliated with Salvation or were a few private appraisers who were former Salvation members. For ordinary people, it was burdensome to have items with a high chance of being junk appraised by such appraisers. Furthermore, entrusting appraisals to Salvation was expensive and time-consuming due to the lack of manpower and the enormous quantity of items. The saying that the better the appraiser¡¯s skills, the higher their value was not without reason. Hence, ordinary citizens were reluctant to apply for appraisals. If a free appraisal office were to open at that time, what would people do? Naturally, wouldn¡¯t they try their luck and entrust their items to it? Moreover, if rumors spread that one or two people among them had hit the jackpot, it would be impossible for others to avoid thinking, ¡®What if i do?¡¯ ¡®On top of that, if by chance an appraiser values one¡¯s item as an artifact worth tens of millions of won or more, psychologically, one would try to hide it.¡¯ The Taejin Faction targeted such individuals. And by simply providing free appraisals for items worth tens or hundreds of millions of won, they could spread rumors, prove their skills, enhance their reputation, and conceal their misdeeds. ¡®It¡¯s pretty clever¡¯ The problem is probably that their greed became excessive. That¡¯s why they got caught. According to Oh Geomsu¡¯s speculation, they probably pulled off similar schemes several times in other regions before gradually escalating to the metropolitan area. They aimed for a big score. Vrrrr¡­ Vrrrr¡­ Phone vibrated. [Inspection Team 3, Chief Oh Geomsu] Beep. ¡°Yes, this is Kim Woogil.¡± ¨C Ah, Mr. Woogil. I heard you went to Paldal-gu early in the morning. ¡°Yes, I wanted to see what the atmosphere is like here.¡± ¨C I see. This operation needs to be handled cautiously. Ever since Jung Taejin was interrogated by me, the Taejin Faction has been reacting sensitively, according to the tip-offs I¡¯ve received. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± ¨C Understood. You¡¯ll be working with the team member who has been transferred to our inspection team this time. I¡¯ll be monitoring our appraisers, so if you have any questions, you can ask that team member. ¡°Got it.¡± ¨C Then I¡¯ll contact you again later. The call ended, and I wandered around Paldal-gu again. It was a neighborhood where many families could be seen, ranging from elderly people to young couples. Seeing students heading to school in the morning, I approached one. ¡°Excuse me.¡± S?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know of any famous appraisal offices around here?¡± ¡°Appraisal office? Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Thank you.¡± I then asked a young man heading to work. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± I asked a young woman who was taking her child to school, but the answer was similar. ¡°Yes? Um¡­ Well, there¡¯s a somewhat famous private appraisal office around here. But it¡¯s expensive, and the reputation isn¡¯t great.¡± ¡°Thank you for answering.¡± I also asked elderly people. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Aren¡¯t all the appraisal offices just scam artists?¡± ¡°Hey, I know of one. Want me to take you there?¡± Following the office recommended by an elderly man, I arrived. It was a modest small office with only one appraiser, who had dropped out of Salvation Academy as a novice and held a level 2 appraisal license. I showed the spatial dagger, and as expected, the result was disappointing. ¡°Tsk, why did you bring something like this? It¡¯s just a dagger that could be used as a decoration somewhere. As I said, the appraisal fee is 50,000 won.¡± ¡°Excuse me? Are you sure you appraised it properly? It doesn¡¯t even seem like it¡¯s used by hunters.¡± ¡°Hah¡­ Do you think hunters use their weapons just anywhere? I heard you bought it somewhere scammed. It¡¯s garbage that can¡¯t even be used as a kitchen knife, so just throw it away.¡± With an attitude suggesting I should quickly pay and leave, I handed over 50,000 won and left the place. This was the reality of private appraisal offices. Of course, there were many places better than this one, but such offices were not uncommon. Level 2 private appraisers did not even receive equipment support from Salvation. As a result, they were reluctant to spend money on commissions worth only 50,000 won, even for hunters. It¡¯s a vicious cycle. ¡®It¡¯s going to be difficult to find them.¡¯ There was a free appraisal office rumored to be famous among those who already knew about it. However, there was a reason why the Taejin Faction had not been caught so far. Perhaps they were operating more cautiously in Suwon-si. It seemed like a different approach was necessary. [My moisturizer of choice. My day starts differently. Ace White Cream!] At that moment, an advertisement for Five Stars flashed on the building¡¯s billboard. It showed the famous idol Five Stars¡¯ leader, Lee Youngwoon, applying cosmetics to his face. ¡°Ah, Lee Youngwoon!¡± I had been a fan of Youngwoon in the past. I know that his parents lived in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si. It was not a hidden fact, and most of his fans knew it. Moreover, although it was declining now, if they were the parents of an idol who had once topped the charts, there was a high probability that they would have valuable unappraised items. Did the Taejin Faction overlook that? I immediately checked my message inbox on my phone. [Thank you so much for appraising it last time! When I told someone else about it, they said the appraiser seemed to be really skilled and asked me to introduce them! Please contact me later when you have time!] It was a message from Youngwoon¡¯s number after I gave it to him last time. At that time, I was too busy preparing for the Aura Stone appraisal, so I couldn¡¯t reply properly. ¡®Perfect timing.¡¯ I pressed the call button immediately. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Would the call be answered? Although he wasn¡¯t as active now, being an idol, he would still be very busy. Click. ¨C Hello? Is this the appraiser? He picked up. ¡°Yes, sorry for calling out of the blue.¡± * * * Oh Geomsu, the team leader of the Inspection Team 3, had a splitting headache from almost never getting enough sleep due to his overwhelming workload. Tasks were piled up, and there was a severe shortage of manpower. Even if I had had more time, I would have personally intervened in dealing with the Taejin Faction that had emerged this time, but time was running out. Thankfully, with Kim Woogil actively stepping in from his side, things were a bit easier. ¡°Team leader.¡± Yang Jiwon, with her captivating appearance, spun around in a neat H-line dress with a brown jacket draped over it. ¡°How do I look? Does it suit me well?¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Well, not really anywhere special! But still, it¡¯s my first field assignment! Are you excited? It¡¯s in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll give you Kim Woogil¡¯s number, try contacting him.¡± ¡°But who is this Kim Woogil? A private appraiser in his early 20s¡­ Is that correct? No, you said he doesn¡¯t even have a license? Is he really an appraiser?¡± Yang Jiwon couldn¡¯t understand. She understood that a private appraiser was needed for this operation, but why him specifically? A private appraiser who wasn¡¯t even a graduate of the academy and didn¡¯t even have a level 2 license at the age of 23. How much could such a person know about appraisals? ¡°Do you know that Kang Chanwook and Park Seonsaeng have been caught, and Chae Yeon is constantly calling the higher-ups?¡± ¡°I know. Those old men are still putting pressure? Ridiculous! Who would want to work without connections!¡± ¡°So, we also need to make at least one proper connection for our future.¡± ¡°What? What are you suddenly talking about?¡± Yang Jiwon tilted her head in incomprehension. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡± Oh Geomsu smirked. * * * Woogil met with Youngwoon separately to discuss the situation. ¡°So¡­ there¡¯s a criminal organization operating in Paldal-gu?¡± ¡°Yes, I contacted you because your parents might be involved.¡± Youngwoon looked at me with an incredulous expression. It was understandable. If a private appraiser he met by chance said something like this all of a sudden, who would believe him? ¡°But¡­ are you really my fan? You know that my parents live there.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Do you mind if I give them a call to check it out?¡± ¡°Of course. I think since their son is Lee Youngwoon, they may have already approached them.¡± Nodding, Youngwoon made a call to his parents. While Youngwoon stayed with the members in the Seoul dormitory, his parents had been living in Paldal-gu for a long time. ¡°Yeah, Mom. It¡¯s me. I have something I want to ask, are you at home right now?¡± I showed him what he had written in his notebook, indicating what he wanted to ask. ¡°Yeah, have there been any people approaching you lately claiming to offer appraisals?¡± As they talked, Youngwoon¡¯s expression gradually hardened. I also sensed that my suspicion had hit the mark. ¡°I see. Never listen to what they say. Ah, no. I¡¯ll go soon and handle this, so don¡¯t bring this up anywhere. Just carry on as usual. Yeah.¡± After hanging up the phone, Youngwoon sighed and looked at me. Now he believed me. ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± ¡°I need Youngwoon¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll help. But¡­ my parents won¡¯t be in danger, will they?¡± Honestly, that couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. Eventually, his parents would have to participate in this operation to effectively lure them out. ¡°The Salvation will provide support personnel. Don¡¯t worry about security. We¡¯ll make sure to protect them.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t help much because of my activities¡­¡± ¡°We need your parents more than you.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ask them. But if my parents refuse, I can¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± He couldn¡¯t force them. If they refused, I¡¯d would have to find another way. ¡°And, could you keep my appraisal abilities hidden from others?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it to become troublesome.¡± Youngwoon understood my words instantly. As an idol, he understood my feelings better than anyone else. ¡°Just trust me! My lips are sealed.¡± [Insight activated.] [Probability of truth: 97.4%] Even without insight, it was quite well-known that Youngwoon could keep a secret. Despite his loyalty and seemingly calm demeanor, he has a rather hot-tempered side. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Wow, but it feels like we¡¯re shooting a detective movie, doesn¡¯t it? To think something like this is actually happening¡­ Is this the life of awakened individuals?¡± His face lit up. I smirked. Seeing him reminds me of my past self. ¡°Haha. From what I see, you can become an awakened.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Youngwoon¡¯s face lit up. It was his wish to become a true hero, defeating monsters and saving people. And that wish actually comes true. ¡°Yes, really.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 23 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 23: Free Appraisal Office (3) Youngwoon¡¯s parents willingly accepted the request. ¨C Of course we will help! ¨C Oh, it feels like we¡¯re in a spy movie. Son, your mother did some acting back in the day. You¡¯re good at acting just like your mother! Youngwoon shook his head as if he couldn¡¯t stop them. ¡°Do you really understand the seriousness of the matter¡­?¡± ¡°I think he might be their son after all.¡± Recalling Youngwoon¡¯s reaction, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for others to speak. ¡°Well, anyway. Please take care of my parents.¡± ¡°Understood. But didn¡¯t you mention someone who wanted to see me through text before?¡± ¡°Oh! Right. Among the people I know, you¡¯re quite skilled at appraising. When I told them about that incident, they said you¡¯re either a con artist or a real genius.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ then I could be a con artist?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve seen your skill firsthand.¡± With a nod, I got up from my seat. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Heading back home, I called Park Junpyo. ¨C Uh, what¡¯s up? ¡°Sir, let¡¯s work on something together.¡± ¨C Me? What kind of work? ¡°Um¡­ are you good at acting?¡± * * * Woogil and Youngwoon headed to the house where Youngwoon¡¯s parents lived. ¡°You live in a nice place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all debt too. I wanted to let my parents live in a good place, so I got it for them. We¡¯re in deep red even with the lowered house prices.¡± It was a nice apartment with the brand¡¯s name imprinted. ¡°Please come in.¡± Following Youngwoon¡¯s guidance, we arrived on the 15th floor. When we rang the doorbell, Youngwoon¡¯s parents welcomed us warmly. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°Sorry for suddenly asking for this.¡± ¡°Oh, no worries.¡± Youngwoon¡¯s mother replied with a smile. ¡°Come, have a seat.¡± The four of us sat facing each other at the large dining table in the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m Shin Ahjeong, and Youngwoon¡¯s dad is Lee Yeoljin. I may not look like it, but I¡¯m over fifty¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to introduce yourself like that.¡± I quickly intervened, not knowing how far she would go with her introduction. ¡°Honey, that¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Oh, was I exaggerating?¡± ¡°No, you weren¡¯t. It seems Youngwoon inherited all of his talents from you.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true. He¡¯s young, speaks well, and is talented¡­ quite impressive.¡± After a brief moment of exchanging glances, we got to the point. ¡°Could you please tell us more about what you mentioned last time?¡± ¡°Allow me. Over the past week, we kept hearing about something called the Free Appraisal Office.¡± Free Appraisal Office. It finally came out. A name that can never be heard outside. ¡°Who told you about it?¡± ¡°The moms. I¡¯m in a group of moms who recently discovered that their mirrors were actually crafted by skilled artisans. Well, when they examined the ring, it turned out to be an artifact from an ancient civilization¡­ something like that. And they kept telling me to go and see for myself.¡± ¡°I heard about it from my colleagues over drinks. They all seemed to have gone at least once. It was mostly nonsense, but they said it¡¯s worth a try, as there¡¯s no harm in trying.¡± As expected, the Free Appraisal Office wasn¡¯t completely open but had settled as a place known only to those who heard about it through word of mouth. Perhaps, it became like that due to requests to only tell close acquaintances. However, regardless, it¡¯s a favor received for free, and if one can¡¯t even fulfill such a simple request, they might not receive that favor again. And by the time they realize the truth, it might be too late to leave this place. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you entrusted it to them yet?¡± ¡°It felt uncomfortable. Where in the world can you find a place that generously offers its services for free? In today¡¯s world, acts of kindness without any exchange are rare.¡± Yeoljin was a very rational person. If rumors of that extent circulated around him, he might have been tempted to give in, yet he hadn¡¯t succumbed yet, suggesting he¡¯s quite strong-willed. ¡°Even if it¡¯s right in front of you, wouldn¡¯t it take at least a day to appraise an item in detail? Moreover, with other items waiting in line, you can¡¯t be sure when they¡¯ll return it once you hand it over.¡± Yeoljin was passionately explaining, as if to emphasize that he hadn¡¯t needlessly avoided appraisal all this time. He must¡¯ve heard this question several times. From how effortlessly it flowed out, it felt unjust and frustrating. ¡°But were there others around you who didn¡¯t get their items back?¡± ¡°¡­No, there weren¡¯t. I also checked just in case, but there wasn¡¯t a single person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the terrifying aspect of those people. You made the right choice.¡± At my words, both of them sighed as if finally relieved. ¡°I was worried it might have been for nothing. Ah, I should tell others quickly-¡± ¡°Honey! Everyone will find out if you do that.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Their relationship seemed very close. Youngwoon¡¯s cheerful personality was probably influenced by his parents. It was nice to see. ¡°Do you happen to have any items with you? You said you were contemplating, so there must be something.¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get it.¡± Yeoljin went into the bedroom and brought something packed. ¡°It¡¯s quite a lot.¡± ¡°I have a hobby of collecting items that seem valuable.¡± The items were laid out on the table. From small plaster dolls to pottery, bracelets, gloves, paintings, and even worn-out leather clothes. ¡°Wow, Dad, where did you collect all these?¡± Youngwoon asked, seemingly unaware of so many items in his house. ¡°I collected them from here and there.¡± Family members really resembled each other. Youngwoon¡¯s hobby seemed to be collecting antiques. ¡®Let¡¯s see¡­¡¯ I quickly appraised Yeoljin¡¯s items using insight. ¡®Huh, I guess we don¡¯t need Salvation¡¯s help after all.¡¯ ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­ um, they look pretty good. It¡¯ll take some preparation to appraise them, so let¡¯s come back tomorrow.¡± Me and Youngwoon stood up together. ¡°Are you coming too?¡± ¡°I have to. I came here on a whim.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re busy, so hurry up.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be able to come tomorrow either. Mom, Dad, please don¡¯t get into any accidents. Got it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry and go.¡± Although his parents said it was fine, Youngwoon couldn¡¯t easily lift his foot, feeling uneasy. ¡°Don¡¯t get into any accidents for real!¡± ¡°We got it.¡± ¡°Woogil, please be careful too. Next time, we¡¯ll treat you to a delicious meal.¡± ¡°Sure. See you next time.¡± As we moved away from the entrance and out of the apartment, Youngwoon asked. ¡°Did you see the items earlier? How were they? Are there any good ones?¡± S?a??h th? N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. In response to that, I smiled slightly and replied. ¡°There are. It¡¯s fortunate that none of them slipped through.¡± * * * The Next Day. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. ¡°What¡¯s that noise outside?¡± ¡°Did the neighbors next door come?¡± The house next to Youngwoon¡¯s parents¡¯ place was practically vacant as the owner was overseas, despite being occupied only recently. But hearing noise from the entrance meant the neighbors had arrived. Ahjeong opened the door and looked outside. ¡°Oh, are you Youngwoon¡¯s mother?¡± A beautiful young woman in a snug dress and a cardigan greeted her. ¡°Yes? Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh my, have you already forgotten? I¡¯m your next-door neighbor. Mam.¡± She greeted Ahjeong so naturally that for a moment, Ahjeong even mistook her for someone else. ¡°Yes?¡± At that moment, the door next to them opened, and a man came out sweating profusely. ¡°Excuse me, could you- Oh, hello there.¡± The man was different from the one she knew. And quick-witted Ahjeong clapped her hands. ¡°Um, perhaps¡­?¡± ¡°Hehe, that ¡®perhaps¡¯ seems right, doesn¡¯t it? Shall we go inside and talk?¡± ¡°Yes, please come in.¡± Ahjeong ushered her in, and the man who sighed deeply from behind followed suit. ¡°Um, is this place also¡­?¡± ¡°Not me. I¡¯m just an ordinary employee.¡± It was Park Junpyo. He came here at Woogil¡¯s request. ¡°Hurry up! Honey!¡± The woman with them was Yang Jiwon, a new member of the surveillance team. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t call me honey when you don¡¯t have to.¡± Junpyo muttered with a sigh. Just as Junpyo was about to close the door, the elevator arrived on the 14th floor. The door opened, and Woogil, who arrived just in time, entered the house with them. * * * Awkward silence filled the air. I was silent, pondering about what to do next, while Junpyo couldn¡¯t speak up in such an awkward situation with unfamiliar faces. Jiwon, intrigued, stared intently before speaking up. ¡°Um, Mr. Kim Woogil? Are you usually this quiet?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, darling, is this your first time seeing him?¡± Boldly linking arms with Junpyo, she asked. ¡°Dar¡­ling?¡± ¡°You told me not to call you ¡®honey,¡¯ so I said ¡®darling.''¡± ¡°Ahem! Right, that might be better.¡± ¡°Speak normally.¡± ¡°¡­.Right.¡± He looks like a husband who¡¯s stuck with his wife. I was worried that Junpyo would be found out because he couldn¡¯t act, but he didn¡¯t seem to have to worry about that. ¡®Woogil, what on earth is this?¡¯ Junpyo was taken aback by my sudden call, although he came over, he was quite bewildered. To be involved in Salvation¡¯s surveillance team¡¯s operation. Moreover, he had to suddenly act as a husband. Most surprising of all was how well-connected I was to be working with such people. ¡®Is all of this just lies? Even the Salvation surveillance team, and Youngwoon¡¯s parents¡­.¡¯ As Junpyo pondered, he shook his head. He realized he was being too unrealistic and jumping to conclusions. In fact, it was even more implausible to think that all of this was a lie. What would I gain from deceiving others like this? ¡°Let¡¯s start by appraising the items.¡± Yeoljin brought out the items and spread them on the table. Yang Jiwon stared intently at me, as if to gauge how well I could appraise items. ¡®These kinds of items in an ordinary household¡­ It¡¯s something unimaginable even twenty years from now.¡¯ Although I had seen them before, I meticulously examined each item. It was because of Jiwon. If she showed exceptional appraisal skills, she might take even more interest in me than she does now. I checked the items for almost an hour. I went through the useless things quickly and the important things more slowly. Ahjeong and Yeoljin knew that appraisal takes a long time, so they waited while watching other things, but Yang Jiwon didn¡¯t move. Junpyo didn¡¯t leave either. I guess he wanted to see how the appraiser did the appraisal. ¡®You¡¯re doing well.¡¯ I purposely examined the items, showing Junpyo how to appraise them as if lecturing. The life of an appraiser is meticulous. Since I had Insight, the process is greatly reduced, but an ordinary appraiser would have to look very carefully to not miss a single clue. After appraising for almost an hour, Jiwon let out a sigh and leaned back in her chair. The appraisal ended so quickly that it might have seemed like it was done hastily at first glance. ¡°The rest can be discarded. Just these two.¡± A painting of a valley landscape and a worn-out leather jacket. I placed those two items on the table. ¡°Before I explain, let me reiterate. Appraisal fees are standard for item appraisal.¡± Although my words were directed at Jiwon, Ahjeong and Yeoljin nodded with a slightly bewildered expression. They probably hadn¡¯t considered paying appraisal fees here. ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. You were forced to do this because of us. This will be handled as an expense by our Salvation surveillance team.¡± She said this and looked at me, as if asking how much it would be. ¡°The appraisal value of the items will be determined by me. And my appraisal fee is 3% of the appraisal value, which increases to 4% if it¡¯s judged as an artifact, and 5% if it¡¯s judged as a relic.¡± ¡°What? Why is the appraisal fee so expensive?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you don¡¯t have to pay. This is my standard, and it won¡¯t change under any circumstances.¡± ¡°Hah! That¡¯s ridiculous-.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay. We¡¯ll pay.¡± Ahjeong spoke up, and Yeoljin took out his wallet and placed it on the table. ¡°Hah, what kinda¨C¡­ It¡¯s okay! We¡¯ll pay, so put it away.¡± Jiwon confidently placed a black card on the table from her pocket. ¡°We¡¯re rich, you know?¡± ¡°Oh, and one more thing. Even if it¡¯s judged as a forgery, the initial appraisal value remains, and the appraisal fee is still charged.¡± ¡°What? Why would you charge that for a forgery?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the one who discerned it¡¯s a forgery. If you don¡¯t want to-.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do it! We¡¯ll pay!¡± Jiwon handed over the card, and I smiled as I accepted it. Of course, that smile was not visible to Jiwon. ¡®It feels like I might collapse if I let my emotions in.¡¯ [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 24 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 24: Free Appraisal Office (4) ¡°Both of these are artifacts.¡± ¡°What? No, it¡¯s not like you see artifacts commonly on the streets. Are you really saying they¡¯re both artifacts?¡± Yang Jiwon found herself instinctively reaching for the painting, then hesitated and brought her face closer to it. ¡°¡­That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Even after scrutinizing them up close, she couldn¡¯t comprehend, squinting her eyes as if trying to catch a glimpse of understanding. ¡°First, this painting. It¡¯s probably a B-grade artifact. Where do you usually keep this?¡± ¡°I put it in the warehouse. But is this really an artifact?¡± Lee Yeoljin asked again, seemingly incredulous. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± At that response, Ahjeong and Yeoljin¡¯s faces lit up with delight, their eyes starting to sparkle. Yeoljin was amazed and astonished to discover that the items he had collected as a hobby turned out to be artifacts from an ancient magical civilization. Trying to calm his pounding heart, he listened attentively to Woogil¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s call this the Valley of Peace. It seems to be an artifact crafted by artisans from the B.CD 1000 era. Now, here. If you channel mana here¡­ Can you see it? Mana flowing like waves.¡± It was a landscape painting of mountains and valleys. Mana glowed differently at various points within the mana circuit of the valley where the water flowed, creating a depiction that seemed like real flowing water. ¡°¡­Is that really possible?¡± Yang Jiwon muttered softly, expressing her admiration. ¡°It¡¯s a calming effect on the mind. The downside is that since the mana circuit is concentrated only in this area of the valley, if you don¡¯t focus on this part of the valley, it¡¯s difficult to experience the effect. But once you know that, you can fully enjoy the effect. It can significantly reduce stress, often referred to as the root of all evils in modern times, and people suffering from insomnia can easily fall asleep just by looking at it.¡± ¡°Wow, really? I feel a bit less stressed than I was just a moment ago.¡± Junpyo chuckled and said, and Jiwon gave him a sharp look. ¡°Because of me, perhaps?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t respond. ¡°The appraisal fee is 500 million.¡± ¡°500, 500 million¡­ What?¡± Ahjeong asked in disbelief, and so did Yeoljin. For a moment, a thought crossed my mind that they probably thought this appraiser might be trying to scam them for money, but I wasn¡¯t offended. Anyone else would have had a similar reaction to theirs. ¡°These things have a guaranteed demand. If the effects of the artifact are proven, then that price is reasonable.¡± Oddly enough, Jiwon, who might have criticized the appraisal fee as expensive, easily agreed, and Junpyo diligently wrote something in his notebook. ¡®Not bad, huh?¡¯ One might think that merely relieving stress and aiding sleep with a landscape painting shouldn¡¯t be worth 500 million, but there are many wealthy individuals who want to get rid of those things more than one might think. Certain effects can justify a higher appraisal fee. And cases like this Valley of Peace are similar to that. ¡®Well¡­ as long as it¡¯s a genuine item.¡¯ Even though it might seem expensive for what it is, wealthy individuals who want to eliminate those issues are more numerous than one might think. In fact, the true nature of this landscape painting wasn¡¯t entirely revealed. The appraisal just performed only showed what appraisers with some level of skill could appraise. ¡®Would they be able to figure this out?¡¯ How would the appraisers of the Taejin Faction appraise this painting? Could they really pull of this trick? I was already smiling because I was looking forward to that day. I picked up a leather armor next to me. ¡°This is a leather armor made in the early B.CD 2000s. People of that era used to wear these kinds of leather armors.¡± ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t the lifestyle of the ancient magical civilization similar to Earth¡¯s Stone Age, even in the early B.CD 2000s?¡± Junpyo asked. His thirst for learning was remarkable. Very good. ¡°Not all of them were like that. There were developed areas and undeveloped areas in that era.¡± My major was the history of the ancient magical civilization. Since I couldn¡¯t awaken mana, appraisal assessment was the utmost I could do, and to be acknowledged even in that position, I had to know the history of that era in detail. Twenty years later, much had been revealed about history, but there was still much unknown. Moreover, modern appraisers were more focused on technical assessments like mana circuits and mana waves than historical knowledge. While those were indeed more important, historical authenticity was still necessary to increase accuracy. Especially, Me, belonging to the top excavation team in the past, who had explored ruins and continuously researched history. I was confident that there would be no ancient magical civilization historian better than me in this era. Moreover, my insight showed a clear synergy effect with the information of the items and the internal mana flow, indicating the importance of such historical knowledge. ¡°If you look at the material of this leather armor, it looks soft, but tiny thorns are densely embedded in it. Even if it touches the skin, you won¡¯t feel anything. But when the mana circuit is activated, those thorns become extremely tough armor. That¡¯s the characteristic of animal skin called ¡®Duskin¡¯, mainly used by artisans in the early B.CD 2000s.¡± ¡°Do you have a magnifying glass by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see it with the magnifying glass.¡± After saying that, I fetched a kitchen knife from the kitchen and struck the leather armor forcefully. Clang!! The blade bounced off as if hitting a solid iron plate. Startled, the others hastily examined the leather armor, but there was no trace of injury or mark left. Jiwon, who had stood up at the sight, sat down again. Having witnessed it firsthand, she couldn¡¯t help but believe it. ¡°Huh¡­ I didn¡¯t ask because I didn¡¯t believe you. I was just curious. Do you have so much knowledge stuffed in your head? And how did you know it was this ¡®Duskin¡¯ thing?¡± It wasn¡¯t a confrontational tone. It was the expression of curiosity bursting out from someone who couldn¡¯t believe what they had just seen. ¡°You can know by understanding the design and intent of the mana circuit.¡± ¡°¡­So, how did you know just by looking at it?¡± Yang Jiwon was dumbfounded when I said ¡®I studied mainly from textbooks.¡¯ And asked back ¡®How can you know it from that?¡¯ If you could know everything by just looking at it, who would consider appraiser as a difficult profession? Most appraisers gather dozens of materials and analyze them using various machines to come to a conclusion for just one artifact. But this man had finished the assessment in just one hour after looking at the item. Unless it worked like organizing the accumulated data in the head and searching for it like a computer whenever needed, it was impossible. ¡®So, that¡¯s what the team leader meant by going and seeing for yourself¡­ This person is truly an unbelievable genius.¡¯ Jiwon¡¯s gaze changed. The initial disbelief she had when she first saw me disappeared completely. ¡°Due to its circuitry, it naturally absorbs mana from the air and charges energy. When an impact occurs, the charged mana automatically activates, and those small thorns transform into a protective barrier. Although the durability of the garment is very slow to recover, if used carefully, it can be used almost permanently.¡± ¡°What about the defense?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t die even if you crash into a car bare-bodied. Of course, once the shield breaks from a collision, it needs to be recharged with mana to create another shield.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ honey!¡± Ahjeong exclaimed with excitement, hitting Yeoljin¡¯s arm, then proceeded to hand him the leather armor. ¡°You must wear this!¡± ¡°No, this is for you-.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a B-grade artifact, the appraisal fee is 150 million won.¡± The eyes of both widened. They just made 650 million won in one fell swoop. No wonder. ¡°It¡¯s thin, so if you wear it under your clothes, no one will know.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Appraiser!¡± Ahjeong tightly held my hand, expressing her gratitude. Yeoljin also stood up, bowing at a 90-degree angle to express his thanks. ¡°We will pay the appraisal fee ourselves. We feel too sorry to receive this for free.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll pay for it.¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t do that. How about this?¡± Jiwon took the card back from me and handed it to them. ¡°Please accept this leather armor from us!¡± ¡°Really?¡± As Ahjeong and Yeoljin exchanged glances, pondering, I intervened. ¡°It¡¯s not allowed. Please don¡¯t sell it.¡± As I spoke firmly, Jiwon glared at me. * * * Ahjeong and Junpyo returned to the adjacent house to install screens where they could check the internal surveillance devices, as well as cameras in the living room, windows, and entrance. ¡°Whew¡­ All done!¡± Junpyo wiped sweat as he moved the equipment to the bedroom of the house. ¡°Um, Ms. Yang Jiwon. How long do I have to stay here?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± She asked, busy tapping on the report from outside. ¡°How long do I have to stay here?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t know? But it wasn¡¯t me who called you here, ask Mr. Kim Woogil. I didn¡¯t plan the operation, you know?¡± Whether she didn¡¯t want to answer, found it troublesome, or genuinely didn¡¯t know. Is there anyone from the surveillance team who wouldn¡¯t know? Seeing that she seemed too busy, Junpyo decided to enter another room. ¡°Sigh¡­ What am I doing in someone else¡¯s house?¡± The room that looked like a study was originally used by the owner. Did he say he was in the United States? I heard we got permission to use the house from the surveillance team. ¡°I came here because Woogil asked me to, but living with a woman¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡± Nothing unusual would happen, but it still felt awkward. Scratching my head, I absentmindedly touched the ring pinned to my ring finger. The ¡®Soul Wave Ring¡¯ my wife used to wear. Guilt washed over me as I remembered the woman I¡¯d left behind without even hearing her last words. After pondering for a while in the study, I got up from my seat. ¡®I guess it won¡¯t work out. There must be plenty of substitutes even without me.¡¯ It would be better to quit before the mission starts properly. As I stepped out of the room, I heard the sound of something slicing and dicing, and saw Jiwon chopping in the kitchen. ¡°Ms. Yang Jiwon. No matter how I think about it-.¡± ¡°Mr. Park Junpyo. You must be hungry, right? Sit over there.¡± With bubbling and spicy smells, the aroma of savory ramen wafted through the air. Slurp- Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t had a proper meal today. The clock had already passed 6 p.m. and was heading towards 8 p.m. ¡°What are you doing? Sit down quickly. I¡¯m hungry too.¡± She placed the ramen pot on the table and set out rice and roughly cut kimchi. ¡°¡­.¡± Feeling both hungry and not wanting to create any trouble before even eating, I sat down. ¡°Do you usually cook?¡± I picked up my chopsticks, resolving to just eat this and be done with it. ¡°No, I¡¯m not good at it¡­ But, since we¡¯re going for the newlywed couple, right? Hehe, isn¡¯t it nice to have a pretty wife like this cooking ramen for you? How is it? Nice, right?¡± ¡°Oh, well, not really. What¡¯s this?¡± As Jiwon lifted the lid, the bloated appearance of the ramen, with broth as dark as the Han River and noodles swollen like udon, was revealed. ¡°Uh, what?¡± She seemed flustered too, not knowing what to do, and hurriedly grabbed the pot handle. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°What are you doing!¡± Seeing her burn, I immediately took her to the sink and cooled her hand with cold water. ¡°Why did you grab it bare-handed?¡± ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t know it would be like this. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine.¡± She smiled, showing her hand. Except for a bit of redness, it seemed fine. Thinking about it, she was a hunter. She would recover from such a burn quickly. Realizing I overreacted, I coolly returned to my seat, picked up my chopsticks, and started eating the ramen. ¡°Why are you eating that? I¡¯ll boil it again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Aren¡¯t you eating? Then I¡¯ll eat alone.¡± Watching me eat the firm and refreshing ramen with lots of broth, Jiwon raised her chopsticks with a surprised look. ¡°Do you usually eat anything well?¡± ¡°No. I eat it to appreciate the effort put into it.¡± ¡°You look completely macho, but you¡¯re more delicate than I thought.¡± ¡°I hear that a lot.¡± Jiwon chuckled at my shameless reply and took a bite of the ramen she had cooked. ¡°Ugh¡­ It¡¯s not good. I¡¯ll make it better next time.¡± ¡°Do you usually cook?¡± ¡°I eat out every day. Even when I live alone, I don¡¯t cook. Hmm¡­ How do they all cook so well?¡± ¡°Everyone starts off not being good at it. I was like that too. So, I got scolded a lot. I learned a lot.¡± ¡°Really? Who did you learn from? Your mother?¡± As I said that, I recalled the past. I was terrible at cooking too. There were times when I boiled Han River ramen like this, or cut my finger while chopping. Each time, my wife would come over, eat the ramen deliciously, and casually put a band-aid on my finger. Thanks to my wife, many things have changed for me. I used to be a guy who didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ appearances. Remembering those days, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like I couldn¡¯t do this. What is this supposed to be¡­ ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll just do it myself. If you want something to eat, just tell me.¡± ¡°This is actually hurting my pride. Watch me make it really delicious next time!¡± Seeing her full of enthusiasm rather than being discouraged, I chuckled. ¡®¡­Right, maybe Woogil had a reason for asking me to do this. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡¯ S?a?ch* Th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 25 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 25: Free Appraisal Office (5) All conditions for this operation are prepared. Now we just need to lure the Taejin faction into bringing in an appraiser, and then use that as an excuse to bring in Taejin¡¯s boss, Jung Taejin, and catch him in the act. If we arrest Jung Taejin, we can find out about his relationship with Kang Chanwook and even connections with Congressman Chae. Vrrr- Vrrr- The phone vibrated. [Lee Yeoljin] It was Lee Youngwoon¡¯s father. Click. ¡°Hello?¡± ¨C Oh, yes. Mr. Appraiser. As you said, I received a call right away after I told them I would be getting an appraisal. ¡°Just act as usual and do as they say.¡± ¨C Understood. The call ended, and soon another call came in. [Inspection Team 3, Yang Jiwon] Click. ¡°Hello?¡± ¨C No, Mr. Woogil. Can Lee Yeoljin go alone? Isn¡¯t it dangerous? ¡°Then who will follow?¡± ¨C We will. Isn¡¯t that why we put him next door? ¡°That¡¯s true, but not now. This time, nothing special will happen. And if suddenly the newlywed couple next door, who have been empty for a few months, say they want to go together, it might make you look suspicious.¡± ¨C I don¡¯t know about that. I don¡¯t think the Taejin faction even knows about the house next door? ¡°That may be true. However, caution is necessary. Unlike activities in the provinces, this time we have to move discreetly, considering the possibility of them catching on.¡± ¨C Hmm¡­, understood. Since the team leader entrusted you, so I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut from now on. ¡°Great idea. When you two come back, naturally join in and listen to the conversation. Then gradually make contact and naturally get closer.¡± ¨C Understood. Uh, by the way, there¡¯s Park Junpyo, right? ¡°Yes, what about him?¡± ¨C ¡­Ah, no, nothing. I¡¯ll hang up. Beep. Beep. Beep. ¡®Why cut off without saying anything to make people curious?¡¯ Is it deliberate? Trying to annoy me out of curiosity? ¡®Anyway, I wonder if Junpyo can do well.¡¯ There are three reasons why I chose Park Junpyo. First, in order to keep him by my side in the future, I need to figure out what kind of person he is. Second, because he and Yang Jiwon are at the perfect age to be a married couple. The man was 38 years old and Yang Jiwon was 31, so they got along well. Of course, Junpyo looked young because he dressed up neatly, and it was nice that he didn¡¯t stand out because he had the face of a commonly seen office worker in his 30s. Yang Jiwon has a mature image, so even though she looks young, she looks her age. Thirdly, it is to show the scene to Junpyo and to enhance his senses. It would be helpful to learn things about appraisals through practical training. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to do my own thing in the meantime.¡± Checking the materials received from Oh Geomsu, I organized information about Taejin Faction and Salvation¡¯s appraisers. If one becomes an appraiser for Salvation, it means they graduated from Salvation Academy, followed the elite course, and even obtained a Class 1 appraiser license. Is there a reason to work with guys like Taejin Faction to earn more money? Salvation¡¯s appraisers receive almost the highest salary in Korea, excluding hunters who play on the battlefield. Usually people will be satisfied with it, but sometimes there are people who are not. ¡°Sung Daehyun¡­, age 31, Salvation Appraisal Department 5 and Team 3 Leader. Huh? Did he become a team leader at the age of 31? Certainly seems like an elite.¡± This translation captures the essence of the conversation while ensuring clarity and cultural relevance for English readers. Looking at the record of Team 1 Leader Yang Wonho of Appraisal Department 2, it¡¯s evident that he¡¯s a remarkable elite. The fact that he holds the same team leader position as Yang Wonho, who is five years younger than him, speaks volumes about his exceptional abilities. ¡®How impressive¡­¡¯ As I turned to the next page of the document, I came across an astonishing record. ¡°¡­He ranked 5th in the Elton Cup, a global Appraisal competition, when he was still an academy student?¡± This record left me speechless. With just that line, the reason for his promotion to team leader at a young age became clear. Elton Rupert. Elton Rupert, a world-renowned appraiser and the first scholar to appraise relics of the ancient magic civilization, held a world appraisal competition named after himself. The World Appraisal Elton Cup (WAEC), one of the world¡¯s three most prestigious appraisal competitions, is a competition in which many of the world¡¯s top young appraisers participate. Of course, there is an age limit, and the types of items submitted are different each time, and the variety is so diverse that even the most skilled appraiser can lose to an unknown appraiser if it is not his/her main field, but the Korea Academy cadet ranked 5th. Getting high grades is really not easy. ¡°This person is also a genius.¡± Come to think of it, I remember seeing him on the internet when he was younger. An article about a 20-something academy student ranking 5th in the WAEC. Why would someone like that choose to work with guys like Taejin Faction and walk the dangerous tightrope? While others might have succumbed to the temptation of money, he was different. If it were for money, the moment he ranked 5th in the WAEC, he would have received offers from all over the world, with substantial salaries awaiting him in countries like the USA, China, or the UK. ¡®The more I think about it, the more suspicious it seems¡­ Could it be that Team Leader Oh Geomsu made a mistake?¡¯ Could it be that the appraiser cooperating with Taejin Faction is not Sung Daehyun? Team Leader Oh Geomsu mentioned that his suspicions about Sung Daehyun arose from an anonymous tip-off. Of course, after multiple cross-checks, they deemed the tip-off reliable, leading to the investigation. However, no matter how I think about it, Sung Daehyun¡¯s skills seemed too valuable to be wasted on working with Taejin Faction. If he were caught violating Salvation¡¯s regulations, he could lose his appraiser license, and his high honor would be jeopardized. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not wise to judge hastily.¡¯ Throughout my life, I encountered all sorts of human characters. Upon closer inspection, they all had their reasons. People who suddenly rose to stardom one day could fall to the bottom the next, and someone considered the worst criminal could turn out to be trying to save the world. It¡¯s important to understand the underlying reasons behind every event. While checking Sung Daehyun¡¯s data, I came across information about his father. Name: Sung Hanwook Two years ago, he fell victim to an assault and now is in a vegetative state. He¡¯s currently undergoing treatment at Oh Sung Hospital. However, with current medical technology, there¡¯s no way to revert a vegetative state back to normal. ¡°Tsk.¡± Every time I see such things, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Did Sung Daehyun join hands with Taejin Faction to treat his father? But having money doesn¡¯t necessarily mean treatment is possible. If it requires relics to treat a vegetative state, then connections are more important than just money. In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to go abroad now, build wealth by interacting with global figures, and gather information on relics? ¡®Maybe he obtained such relics from the Taejin Faction.¡¯ I went to Oh Sung Hospital, where Sung Daehyun¡¯s father was being treated. ¡°Visiting patient Sung Hanwook? Someone is currently visiting. You can visit after they¡¯re done.¡± ¡°There¡¯s already a visitor?¡± ¡°Yes. His son is here.¡± Of course, Sung Daehyun would be there. I sat in the lobby of the floor where the hospital room was, waiting for Sung Daehyun to come out. Swoosh¡ª The door opened, and Sung Daehyun came out. ¡°Mr. Sung Daehyun.¡± ¡°¡­Who?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kim Woogil. Can we talk for a moment? I¡¯d like to interview you.¡± He looked at me hesitantly, then nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± The two of us left the hospital and entered a nearby caf¨¦. It was quiet inside, likely due to the late hour. As we sat down facing each other, Sung Daehyun looked at me with suspicion. ¡°I apologize for the delayed introduction. I¡¯m Kim Woogil, not yet affiliated with the Korean Appraisal Association¡­ but I¡¯m planning to join.¡± ¡°Planning? Ah, is it because of the thesis material?¡± At the mention of affiliation with the association, Sung Daehyun¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Yes. When joining the association, newcomers are required to submit a thesis on a topic related to the broad field of appraisal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. I have an acquaintance there too.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Given Sung Daehyun¡¯s status, it was only natural for him to have such connections. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as Sung Daehyun doesn¡¯t get suspicious and investigate me as soon as we part ways. Considering Sung Daehyun¡¯s position, such occurrences were probably quite common, so he wouldn¡¯t suspect anything. Moreover, until the list of successful candidates was announced, only a select few in the association would know who passed. By the time the newcomers were announced, the incident would have already passed. ¡°I apologize for coming to you so suddenly. I¡¯m in the middle of researching WAEC, and I thought there wouldn¡¯t be anyone better to interview in Korea than Sung Daehyun. You¡¯re truly an impressive appraiser, Mr. Sung Daehyun!¡± I portrayed myself as an enthusiastic novice appraiser. ¡°Hmm¡­ How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re a genius too? We¡¯re in the same league then.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Compared to Mr. Sung Daehyun, I¡¯m just a new blood.¡± Joining the Korean Appraisal Association is not as difficult as becoming a Salvation appraiser, but it¡¯s still quite challenging. After all, the number of people selected is not that large, and one must possess extensive knowledge in the field of appraisal. S?a??h th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. If there¡¯s a difference between Salvation and the association, it¡¯s that the association educates scholars rather than appraisers. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to become an Awakened?¡± ¡°¡­I prefer being a scholar. While becoming an Awakened and an appraiser is certainly impressive, it¡¯s the scholars supporting them that contribute to the development of appraisal, isn¡¯t it?¡± It seemed like a satisfying answer, as a smile blossomed on Sung Daehyun¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a promising junior like you. Ask me anything.¡± ¡°Okay, how did you feel participating in WAEC?¡± ¡°Well, at that time¡­¡± Surprisingly, Sung Daehyun earnestly answered the questions. He discussed whether he expected to rank 5th, what was the most difficult item to appraise, who he was most concerned about, and whether he thought the judging process was fair, and so on. As I gradually posed more probing questions, Sung Daehyun responded smoothly, as if he were already accustomed to them. In his seemingly arrogant demeanor, traces of regret from past failures also surfaced. ¡°Now, for the final question. Why did you reject all the overseas offers?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± For the first time, Sung Daehyun¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t immediately open in response to that question. He must have heard similar questions countless times already. Would his reaction be the same for others? His gaze seemed slightly different from before. ¡°Did you say your name was Kim Woogil? Do you consider yourself a genius?¡± ¡°¡­To be honest, I believe I belong in the same category as you.¡± I chuckled as I said that. ¡°They say modesty is not a virtue these days, right?¡± ¡°Indeed, humility is not considered a virtue these days, but one must know how to distinguish between confidence and arrogance. It¡¯s advice from a senior.¡± Sung Daehyun stood up from his seat. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I go to WAEC? Because at that time, I thought Korea was a good country.¡± I chuckled at the unexpected answer. ¡°Do you still think so now?¡± He didn¡¯t answer, just gave a wry smile in response to that question. ¡°If you join the association, let¡¯s grab a meal sometime. Kim Woogil, my junior.¡± He handed over his business card and left the caf¨¦. ¡®Are you really helping Taejin Faction?¡¯ I pondered, gazing at his retreating figure. Several days passed. Four days after Lee Youngwoon¡¯s parents asked for an appraisal for the landscape painting depicting a valley, a man from the Taejin Faction arrived. Ring- Ring- [Surveillance and Inspection Team, Yang Jiwon] Beep. ¡°This is Kim Woogil.¡± Yang Jiwon called me. ¨C Mr. Appraiser? You should come and see. We have something to confirm. With the bait set, Taejin Faction had begun to move in earnest. ¡°Alright. Where should I go?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 26 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 26: Threat Lee Yeoljin and Shin Ahjeong made contact with Taejin Faction and handed over the items they had collected, returning to their daily lives. They showed signs of getting closer and naturally mingled with their neighbors, Park Junpyo and Yang Jiwon, while anxiously awaiting the appraisal results. While they were getting along, Taejin Faction¡¯s subordinates arrived unexpectedly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Oh, we came for a mid-appraisal report on the items you entrusted.¡± A man in black suit handed Yeoljin and Ahjeong a small ticket. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a guarantee ticket for the appraisal results. We expect it might take longer than anticipated, so please rest assured. There¡¯s my number and address on it, so feel free to wait comfortably.¡± ¡°Yes? Why does ours take longer?¡± Ahjeong asked, her eyes shaking as if she was anxious. ¡°We anticipate the appraisal results will be quite satisfactory. That¡¯s why it¡¯s taking longer. Please hold onto this. If our staff comes by, just show it to them.¡± ¡°Alright. How long will it take?¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± The man stood up. ¡°See you next time.¡± The remaining two put the tickets they received into their wallets and returned home. ¡°Why are they giving us this anyway?¡± Jiwon, who was waiting at home, looked suspiciously at the ticket and said. ¡°Could it be some sort of their own marker?¡± Junpyo was also puzzled. What could this be? ¡°Do you¡­ know anything?¡± ¡°This is¡­ It¡¯s better to discard it.¡± ¡°Yes? Is it really okay though?¡± Woogil immediately understood the intention behind the ticket given by the man. [Insight Activated] [Ink of Misfortune] Ink made from the blood of cursed creatures that exist only in the Abyss of Darkness. This blood, mixed with the black water that arises from the abyss, carries the effect of bringing misfortune. Items written with this ink are prone to attracting misfortune, and the range and effect increase depending on the amount. ¡Î B.CD 37th century ¡Î Brings misfortune. Traces of mana inscribed within it. This ticket is intended to bring misfortune to its owner. The flow of mana inscribed on the back of the ticket. To be precise, mana flows from the sign written in the bottom right corner of the ticket. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen this before.¡¯ When it comes to studying ancient civilizations, I could boast that I had done more than anyone else in the present day. However, I have never heard of the Abyss of Darkness before. Although I learned about the power of this ink through Insight, I had no way to explain it. But leaving it as it is was not an option. I accepted the tickets from them. ¡®Ignite.¡¯ I silently invoked the ignition spell, conjuring a small flame to turn the ticket into ashes. Basic magic concepts I had learned from a primer. It was somewhat inadequate for combat, but it was very useful in situations like this. ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°No matter what¡­¡± ¡°They had inscribed marks on it. Having it could have caused something bad to happen.¡± At my words, Ahjeong and Yeoljin hastily nodded. ¡°You can use magic too?¡± Yang Jiwon looked at me with wide eyes. It was as if her gaze said, ¡®You can even use magic?¡¯ It seemed to urge me to reveal anything I might be hiding rather than keeping it hidden. However, I ignored her words, not even acknowledging them. ¡°If Taejin Faction¡¯s people come, say that the neighbor¡¯s dog chewed it.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have a dog?¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± When I was done, I stood up as if I had done my job. ¡°Hey. Mr. Kim Woogil. Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± Jiwon grumbled, but I left without responding again. ¡°No, are there really people like that? Isn¡¯t it too much? Really?¡± ¡°Woogil has always been a man of few words. Bear with it.¡± ¡°Even though he was very eloquent during the appraisal.¡± ¡°Anyway, should we adopt a dog?¡± Junpyo asked, prompted by my recent words. Yang Jiwon, who was pondering over my words, looked at Junpyo. ¡°Have you ever raised a dog?¡± * * * Woogil personally went back to Youngwoon¡¯s parents to warn them again. ¡°It seems that Taejin Faction might harm the two of you.¡± ¡°What? Um¡­ what should we do? I¡¯m fine, but my husband¡­¡± Ahjeong looked worriedly at Yeoljin. ¡°Yang Jiwon and Park Junpyo will keep an eye on you. Don¡¯t worry. And just in case, we¡¯ve also arranged for secret security agents, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Secret security agents?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The secret agent was me. Of course, everything would be handled from Yang Jiwon¡¯s side, but just in case, I planned to keep an eye on them whenever I had the time. ¡°And please try to stay at home as much as possible, and Yeoljin must go straight home after work for a while.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but will my husband be okay?¡± ¡°Wear that leather jacket. If you have that, it will protect you from dying¡± The old leather jacket from the last time they appraised. The reason I advised against selling it to Salvation was because of this. Given the tricks Taejin Faction had pulled so far, they were ruthless enough to resort to violence. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have thought they¡¯d be wearing a B-grade artifact.¡¯ After I left, the two of them tried to live as inconspicuously as possible. Youngwoon was still busy with his entertainment career, and whenever he had time, he called to ask about their well-being, but Yeoljin and Ahjeong reassured him that everything was fine. ¡®Lee Youngwoon, I will definitely repay you.¡¯ I left, and Junpyo and Jiwon stuck to Yeoljin and Ahjeong, protecting them. Junpyo and Jiwon walked the dog together every day, wherever they got it from, and coincidentally ran into Yeoljin on his way home from work. When Ahjeong went out to take out the trash or went to the mart, Jiwon also moved with her, overlapping their routes. Jiwon sometimes wondered if it was necessary to go this far, but she soon found out why. It was when Yeoljin passed through the neighborhood alley after work, unaware of anything, just wandering around, that something caught Jiwon¡¯s eye from afar. The figure of a man standing on the rooftop of a building on the path he was taking. ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t that a flowerpot?¡± ¡°What? A flowerpot?¡± I grinned, but Jiwon grabbed my hand and ran to where Yeoljin was. ¡°Hurry up and pretend to jog and stick close to him! Quickly!¡± Jiwon pushed him as if throwing him, and Junpyoran to stand by Yeoljin¡¯s side. And just then, a flower pot fell. Junpyo was startled and grabbed Yeoljin, pulling him away. Crash!! Looking at the shattered flowerpot on the ground, Yeoljin widened his eyes and looked up. There was no one there. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°T-Thank you.¡± Yeoljin tried not to show it, but his breathing became unstable, and his pupils shook slowly. ¡°I saw earlier that the building owner here was keeping plants on the balcony railing. Tsk, it¡¯s dangerous for people. I¡¯ll go say something.¡± Yeoljin breathed a sigh of relief at my words. Seeing Yeoljin¡¯s complexion improve slightly, I escorted him back home. Later, Jiwon came in with an annoyed expression. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Oh, I missed it. Really, I¡¯ll definitely catch him since I¡¯ve seen his face!¡± ¡°Come and sit down. You¡¯ve been watching the neighbors all day and haven¡¯t eaten properly.¡± As if drawn by the bubbling sound of the soup, she headed to the kitchen. ¡°Oh? Did you make this?¡± Initially, she kept using informal language, insisting she had to immerse herself in the role, but she eventually yielded to my insistence and switched to respectful language. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nothing special, just kimchi stew and a few side dishes.¡± I came back first, and had already prepared the meal and was waiting for her. ¡°Wow¡­, Junpyo, you cook well?¡± ¡°Just¡­ I¡¯ve lived alone for a long time.¡± ¡°Hey, are you kidding me? I¡¯ve already said I¡¯ve lived alone for a long time.¡± Despite her grumbling tone, her eyes sparkled with curiosity about what to eat first. ¡°While you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll take care of the meals. I don¡¯t have much to do compared to you, so¡­ haha. I have to do at least this.¡± I scratched my head awkwardly. To me, who seemed awkward, Jiwon said. ¡°Is that so? But earlier, it was Junpyo who saved Mr. Yeoljin.¡± ¡°That was because of you-.¡± ¡°Wow! This is delicious! How did you manage this?¡± She exclaimed with wide eyes after slurping the soup. ¡°Suddenly feeling embarrassed. I¡¯m reminded of the bland Han river ramen¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Jiwon smiled wryly at my words. ¡°You¡¯re not going to say it¡¯s delicious?¡± ¡°Khek! Khek! Khek!¡± ¡°Oh my, drink some water! Seriously! If you react so strongly to a joke, I want to do it again.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± The large retriever we brought along at the time barked as if agreeing with her words. ¡°Look, even our Mungmung agrees.¡± The name Mungmung was hastily chosen by Yang Jiwon because the name Meongmeong was too common. ¡°Ahem.¡± s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Quickly drinking water to calm down my embarrassment, I apologized while wiping the soup splattered table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Stop apologizing now. What did you do wrong?¡± ¡°Sorry-.¡± ¡°Again!¡± ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°I prefer that.¡± * * * The threat to Yeoljin and Ahjeong¡¯s safety grew more severe over time. Encounters with neighborhood ladies, suspicions about poisoned coffee ordered by Ahjeong, and drunkards picking fights with Yeoljin on his way home from work. If Jiwon and Junpyo hadn¡¯t been around, both of them might have been seriously injured in consecutive incidents. Since I burned that ticket that brings misfortune, it¡¯s not a coincidence but rather an intentional act by Taejin Faction. Junpyo reluctantly decided to drive Yeoljin to and from work for the time being. ¡°Jiwon doesn¡¯t have to come.¡± Yang Jiwon was sitting in the back seat. ¡°Why? Am I already annoying you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± Junpyo, who couldn¡¯t handle Jiwon¡¯s personality at all, shifted the topic nervously, sweating. ¡°We¡¯ll have to do this for a while.¡± ¡°I feel so sorry for this¡­¡± Getting a ride in my car from morning till late evening made Yeoljin feel awkward and sorry. I wonder if I was acting too much like a superior, both with the flowerpot incident and the drunkard incident. They might have been just coincidences. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much like that. I¡¯m also doing this for money.¡± ¡°But still, when someone receives kindness, shouldn¡¯t they reciprocate?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. If those Taejin Faction people kept stirring things up, wouldn¡¯t we eventually have to yield? Then we wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything and our precious items might have been taken away. So, I¡¯m grateful for their intervention.¡± Yeoljin truly felt that way. Even if Taejin Faction didn¡¯t return the stolen landscape painting, thanks to them, he was able to keep at least the leather armor he was wearing. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± I smiled appreciatively at his sincere gratitude. In truth, I didn¡¯t think I had done much. ¡°I¡­¡± At that moment, a truck entered my field of vision from the adjacent lane. It staggered and then suddenly turned its head sharply towards us. Screeeech!! Vroom!! Leaving behind white smoke and skid marks, the truck abruptly crashed into our car, pushing it towards the guardrail without giving me a chance to react. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk¡­! Our car was ruthlessly pushed, rolling down the steep slope. Thunk! Finally, the vehicle flipped over and came to a stop on the flat ground below, but it¡¯s twisted body made it difficult to escape. Then, the dented door of the car was pushed outwards from the inside. Clang!! Emerging from the gap in the crushed car, Jiwon looked at the truck, which was hanging on the guardrail, with a grimace on her face. ¡°These bastards crossed the line?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 27 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 27: Anonymous Informant (1) The next day, news of the accident involving Lee Youngwoon¡¯s parents had spread throughout the apartment complex, and there were even articles about it in the newspapers. Worried, Lee Youngwoon rushed to the hospital and flung open the door of the single room on the 20th floor, which was only accessible to VIPs. ¡°Dad!!¡± Youngwoon, who had been sobbing as he looked at the silhouette of his father lying under the curtain, stopped in his tracks as he lifted the curtain. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re here, son?¡± Despite the casts on his legs and arms, Yeoljin was lying comfortably, snacking and watching TV as if he was in no pain at all. Youngwoon looked at me as if to ask him to explain this absurd situation. I met his gaze calmly, smiled and replied. ¡°We had to do this much to fool the Taejin faction. Look. Your crying must have seemed genuine to the reporters outside.¡± Although I tried to act nonchalant, I was also feeling guilty. I didn¡¯t expect those bastards to go this far. If Yeoljin had died, there would have been an investigation by Salvation. ¡°Your father is fine.¡± Unlike her words, Jiwon¡¯s face looked a little bitter. Youngwoon didn¡¯t understand the situation at all right now, but he was just grateful that his father was okay. ¡°That artifact saved your father.¡± When Youngwoon lifted Yeoljin¡¯s hospital gown to check, he saw that he was wearing a leather outfit underneath. At that, Youngwoon burst out laughing. ¡°Who wears something like that under a hospital gown?¡± ¡°I¡¯m never taking this off. This thing.¡± S~?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Of course! Tell me if anyone tells you to take it off. I¡¯ll tell them to stop talking nonsense.¡± I looked to the side. I saw Yang Jiwon standing there, trying hard to control her expression. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll stay here instead. You¡¯re hurt too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even fazed by this much.¡± ¡°Even so, pretend to be in pain outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that without you telling me.¡± There was a chill in her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up over nothing and take care of Junpyo. What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t told you to go to work together?¡± On the day of the accident, seeing the Taejin faction¡¯s increasingly aggressive behavior, I told Yang Jiwon to go with him on his way home, just in case. At the time, Yang Jiwon had said that she should be protecting Shin Ahjeong instead, since they were moving by car, but Woo-gil had told her that he would take care of Ahjeong and told her to come with him. ¡°¡­Thank you for that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you too. For protecting the two of them.¡± If Yang Jiwon hadn¡¯t been there¡­, it¡¯s scary to even think about it. Even though Yeoljin was okay, Junpyo would have been at least seriously injured. It was said that the truck had aimed directly at the driver¡¯s seat when it crashed. Thanks to Yang Jiwon¡¯s desperate efforts to protect Junpyo, he had managed to survive. Even so, he was unable to fully recover from the shock, and Park Junpyo, who had suffered fractures in his legs and arms, was recuperating at home after receiving treatment. ¡°However-.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®however¡¯? If you¡¯re worried about the Taejin faction, you don¡¯t have to be. They¡¯ve already accomplished their goal, so they won¡¯t be a threat anymore.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Then I¡¯ll go first.¡± She reluctantly pretended to turn around and packed her things. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to act sick on your way out!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Creak- thud. The door closed, leaving four people in the ward. Looking at Yeoljin, Ahjeong, and Youngwoon, I explained the future situation. ¡°The hospital is under Salvation¡¯s protection, so you don¡¯t have to worry about the secret getting out. To the outside world, your father is still unconscious and will undergo major surgery tonight for a severe bowel perforation.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Youngwoon asked. ¡°I need you to talk to your agency and clear your schedule for tomorrow. This place is safe, so stay here with your parents for a day or so.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll probably get a call tonight saying that the surgery is over and he¡¯s gone. They¡¯ll most likely ask to meet you tomorrow. If they do, just say yes.¡± ¡°W-will that be okay?¡± Ahjeong¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly. Seeing Yeoljin¡¯s injuries had started to scare her. ¡°Yang Jiwon will be with you. Just hold on for a little bit longer. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take full responsibility for your safety.¡± Yeoljin¡¯s words were not enough to reassure Youngwoon¡¯s family, but it was the best he could do. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll probably just return the items tomorrow. Take them first and come back. I¡¯ll talk to you again later.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for involving you in this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Someone had to do it. And if we don¡¯t stop those thugs here, there will be other victims.¡± Ahjeong seemed to have made up her mind, clenching her fists tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore the will of a Korean mother!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Honey!¡± Youngwoon and Yeoljin hugged Ahjeong, who suddenly started crying. I quietly slipped out of the room, leaving them to spend their time together. Once outside, I gritted my teeth. ¡®Don¡¯t they think of the consequences, or are they always like this?¡¯ They hadn¡¯t even tried to kill him. They just wanted to turn him into a half-corpse. That was their goal. Was it really a coincidence that they had hit the driver¡¯s seat instead of the passenger seat and pushed him into the guardrail? The truck driver had claimed he was drunk, but was that really the case? I don¡¯t think so at all. It was clear that Taejin had ordered it. They didn¡¯t care if the driver in the driver¡¯s seat died or not, they were only focused on turning Yeoljin into a half-corpse. By turning a person into a semi-invalid like this, the medical expenses would be endless, and the financial burden on that family would increase exponentially. That was what they were after. From the beginning, they had never intended to stop at just taking the relics or artifacts. They wanted to put them in debt, like loan sharks, and suck them dry forever. ¡®How many people have they pushed into hell like this?¡¯ At this point, I was curious about the anonymous informant. How did they find out about the relationship between Sung Daehyun and Taejin, and why were they only now coming forward to accuse them? If they were an insider, couldn¡¯t they have exposed them earlier? ¡®Who is it? It would be difficult to hand over such detailed information unless there was a traitor inside.¡¯ There were more than a few strange things about this case. Taejin, Sung Daehyun, and the anonymous informant. All of them. I called Park Junpyo. Trrr- Trrr- The phone rang a few times before it was connected. ¨C Hello? Fortunately, his voice sounded fine. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¨C Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Yang Jiwon is here with me, so I¡¯m safe. It¡¯s not just a scratch. I saw it with my own two eyes that he was even wearing a cast. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. It seems like I got you involved in something too dangerous¡ª.¡± ¨C It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like you knew. Don¡¯t worry too much. If that¡¯s the case, you should at least get hazard pay. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. And you don¡¯t have to participate in this operation anymore.¡± ¨C No, if I suddenly disappear, won¡¯t it raise suspicions? ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re almost done now.¡± ¨C Well, I¡¯m really okay, so if you need anything, let me know. Get some rest. Click. Veins bulged in my neck as I hung up the phone. ¡®Jung Taejin¡­, I must see that face.¡¯ An ill-fated connection following Kang Chanwook. This link of fate seemed like it could be broken, yet it remained unbroken like a shackle. Maddeningly tiresome and persistent. I took out the business card I received from Sung Daehyun and clenched it tightly in my fist. And then I sent him a message. [I¡¯m Kim Woogil, the one you interviewed last time. How about dinner tomorrow or the day after?] Not even a few seconds passed before I got a reply. [Oh, Kim Woogil, the junior? I was a bit busy back then¡­. Um, how about in four days?] Four days¡­ you¡¯re the appraiser cooperating with the Taejin faction. [Understood. I¡¯ll get back to you.] After replying, I threw away the crumpled business card into the trash can, wearing a cold smile. ¡°Sung Daehyun¡­, did you really want to associate with scum like them even after seeing your father in such a state?¡± I would ask him this when this is all over. * * * As expected, a call came from the bespectacled man of the Taejin faction that night. Ahjeong understood and hung up for now, then informed Yang Jiwon that they would go together the next day, before the appointed time. The other party seemed reluctant, but soon accepted, as if understanding Shin Ahjeong¡¯s situation, and the two began to move together. As I expected, they returned the painting and revealed its appraised value. ¡°It would be about a B-grade artifact. Five hundred million.¡± Ahjeong and Jiwon couldn¡¯t hide their surprise, and the bespectacled man nodded as if understanding. ¡°It may have surprised you because it¡¯s more expensive than you thought, but I understand. As you two know, it takes quite a long time to sell items of this nature for their full value. The process is complicated and connections are necessary.¡± It was a valid point. Even if ordinary people were lucky enough to acquire expensive artifacts or relics, they couldn¡¯t easily dispose of them for this very reason. ¡°So, how about selling it to us at a slightly lower price?¡± ¡°This belonged to a Youngwoon¡¯s father¡­, to be honest, I¡¯m not sure. Youngwoon¡¯s father is currently ill¡­ sniff!¡± Tears welled up in Ahjeong¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Oh, your husband was injured?¡± ¡°Yes, he had an accident recently. Can we talk about this again after my husband recovers from surgery? ¡± ¡°Understood. But we have a schedule, so we have to leave here in three days. Can you give us an answer before then?¡± ¡°Three, three days? That¡¯s too rushed.¡± ¡°If your husband needs surgery urgently, he¡¯ll need a lot of money¡­ It would take you at least a few months to sell this.¡± ¡°Please give us just two days.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Supporting the trembling Ahjeong, Jiwon brought her home. I was already there, waiting for them. ¡°The bastards appraised that landscape painting the same as you. Why? Didn¡¯t you say they would evaluate it cheaply?¡± I didn¡¯t answer Yang Jiwon¡¯s question. Their way of making money involves evaluating artifacts or artifact-grade items as ordinary or lower-grade items and pressuring desperate individuals to hand them over. Nevertheless, if they evaluated it at 500 million, then they must have seen its value as more than that. ¡®It¡¯s a scam.¡¯ It was a situation I had somewhat anticipated. This almost confirmed that Sung Daehyun was assisting the Taejin faction. It was the level of skill required to produce such an appraisal result. ¡°First, ask them to meet in two days. I think the appraisal is wrong. The appraiser introduced by Yang Jiwon said something different.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Two days passed, and when we inquired about the possibly incorrect appraisal to the Taejin faction, the response was to come along with that appraiser. I met with Yang Jiwon and Shin Ahjeong after donning a mask and checking the voice modulation. ¡°Will the three of us be okay?¡± When Shin Ahjeong asked hesitantly, Yang Jiwon confidently spoke while patting her chest. ¡°Just trust me. Even though it may not look like it, I¡¯m decent at least one thing, right?¡± Saying so, Jiwon glanced at me. ¡®What expression lies beneath that mask?¡¯ We¡¯re entering the heart of the Taejin faction. Given that even the opposing appraiser they had been keeping hidden was coming, the Taejin faction members would likely be massing as well. There might even be a fight. Is he nervous? What could Kim Woogil, who remained consistently calm, be thinking? ¡®He can use magic¡­.¡¯ But Ignite was too basic a spell, and it would be difficult to rely on it for combat prowess alone. Should I call in support now? But if I did so unnecessarily and get caught, all the efforts made so far could be in vain. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± A black van arrived at the designated meeting place. The three of us went inside and headed to the direction they were leading. ¡°What¡¯s with the mask? Trying to be cool?¡± One of the gang lackeys scoffed and tried to flick Woogil¡¯s mask, but Woogil swatted his hand away. ¡°Who¡¯s this guy?¡± ¡°Enough, don¡¯t cause trouble until we arrive.¡± ¡°Tsk. Consider yourself lucky.¡± Vrrr¡­ My phone vibrated. Checking the message on my phone and my expression hardened. ¡°Hey, turn off your phone. Yours, too.¡± All three of us turned off our phones and placed them in the backpacks provided by the Taejin faction. The message that had just come. It was undoubtedly a message from Sung Daehyun. I pondered over the message he had sent. How was this situation unfolding exactly? And from where and how did it all start? ¡®Sung Daehyun¡­, what¡¯s your real intention?¡¯ [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 28 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 28: Anonymous informant (2) As I got out of the car, trying to calm my pounding heart, I saw an abandoned factory built on a large field and empty lot. There are only mountains and old roads around. A place where even if someone died here, they would be buried quietly. Ahjeong seemed nervous and grabbed Jiwon¡¯s clothes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared. We¡¯re just doing this to prevent unnecessary tracking.¡± The man in glasses approached and said. ¡°Do you really need to go this far?¡± Jiwon hugged Ahjeong and glared at him, acting with all her might. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If we were going to hurt you, we would have had plenty of opportunities already. We¡¯re not like that at all. Come in.¡± The iron gate of the abandoned factory creaked open, revealing boxes stacked inside and a large table in the center. A rough-looking man with a long scar on his left cheek was sitting in the center of the rectangular table, and an appraiser with a bushy head was standing next to him. Around the room, organization members with sharp eyes were sitting on boxes with various equipment. ¡°You¡¯re here! Sit down! Sit down.¡± Jung Taejin, the head of the Taejin faction. Muscular body revealed through white shirt and scar on cheek. He smiles broadly and shakes hands with sunglasses on his head. ¡°Is that the appraiser over there?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tsk, words are too short.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Are you not a talker? Well, whatever. I don¡¯t care what your attitude is as long as you¡¯re capable. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°K.¡± ¡°K¡­, good.¡± Jung Taejin sat down with a thud and gestured to Sung Daehyun next to him. Then Sung Daehyun sits down across from me. ¡°Give me the item.¡± At Sung Daehyun¡¯s words, Ahjeong placed the landscape painting on the table. ¡°Wow¡­, it¡¯s old!¡± Yang Jiwon glared at Jung Taejin at his exclamation. ¡°That pretty lady over there, aren¡¯t you scared to come to a place like this?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t send my mother alone.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you get hurt in the accident too? You were lucky. You¡¯re walking around just fine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­How did you know I was in an accident?¡± ¡°Hahaha! I heard that a couple was injured. Is that strange?¡± Jiwon closed her mouth. Now that Jung Taejin had shown up, she could wipe them all out here, but she held back for now. Because I hadn¡¯t signaled yet. I just stared at Sung Daehyun. ¡°You said the appraisal result was wrong, so let¡¯s hear it. What was wrong?¡± Sung Daehyun sneered as if to say, ¡®Go ahead and talk.¡¯ I looked at him in silence. His reaction is understandable. He must think he accurately appraised the value of this valley landscape painting. However, we need to find out Sung Daehyun¡¯s true intentions before that. ¡°Let¡¯s start with why you set the appraisal price at 500 million won.¡± He snorted and opened his mouth, pointing exactly to the spot in the valley that I had pointed to. ¡°The mana circuit is concentrated here. This circuit, which resembles the shape of a valley stream, is a characteristic of the B.CD 1000th century.¡± He continued to list his appraisal in a row, and exclamations flowed out from the surroundings. I was also secretly impressed. It was a brilliant appraisal worthy of a 27 year-old who had ranked 5th in the WAEC. ¡°¡­¡­So I appraised it to be worth 500 million won. Now let¡¯s hear your story.¡± ¡°It was a good appraisal. But it was wrong. This is not worth 500 million won, it¡¯s not even worth 5 won.¡± At those words, Sung Daehyun¡¯s pupils shook for a moment. Jung Taejin¡¯s face crumpled, and Ahjeong and Jiwon, who were next to him, looked at me as if to ask what I was talking about. ¡°This is trash?¡± Sung Daehyun asked in disbelief, and I explained why. ¡°Did you really think this was an artifact?¡± ¡°¡­¡­This is an artifact.¡± ¡°Then I can see why you became famous in WAEC and didn¡¯t go abroad.¡± Sung Daehyun¡¯s face turned red when his past was suddenly brought up. Jung Taejin watched the scene with interest. ¡°If you were really a genius of appraisal, you should have read the overall flow of this mana circuit. You should have at least judged that it was worth 1.5 billion won.¡± When I said it was worth 5 won just now and now I said it was worth 1.5 billion won, the people around me were unable to follow my words. However, I realized that Jung Taejin and Sung Daehyun were not. The eyes of the two were closer to surprise than doubt. ¡°If you look at this valley, the water that has fallen away goes back around and returns to the valley. Do you know what this means?¡± ¡°The infinite spiral¡­¡­, is that what you¡¯re trying to say?¡± ¡°Yes. This is a landscape painting that embodies the ¡®Infinite Spiral¡¯ that symbolizes Elanoi. In other words, if you look at it alone, it means it¡¯s a relic.¡± Sung Daehyun stared at me intently. But I just calmly took the look. He didn¡¯t show any anxiety even though he was told he was wrong. He just looked at me as if to ask what I was thinking. I continued. ¡°If you see this as a general grade, you can call a third-class appraiser. If you see it as an artifact, you can call a second-class appraiser, and if you see it as a relic, you can call a first-class appraiser. However, there are not many first-rate appraisers even in Korea.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re saying that you¡¯re the one of the few appraisers?¡± Jung Taejin looked at me with interest. His eyes were like those of a treasure hunter looking at a coveted treasure. Avoiding the burdensome gaze, I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not first-class.¡± ¡°Then what are you? Just now first-class¡­, ah.¡± Jung Taejin sighed, recalling that I had called this painting not 1.5 billion won but worthless trash. ¡°This is actually neither a relic nor anything, it¡¯s a fake. It¡¯s trash made at the end of the B.CD 5th millennium.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s ridiculous! You¡¯re saying this was made at the end of the B.CD 5th millennium?¡± Sung Daehyun, who had been silent until now, shouted in protest for the first time. Yes, this is the typical reaction of appraisers. It is the real reaction that comes out when they find it hard to believe that their appraisal was wrong. ¡®As expected, Sung Daehyun thought this was a relic.¡¯ Judging from Jung Taejin¡¯s reaction, it seemed that he also knew it was a relic. And he confidently lied to Ahjeong, saying it was an artifact. It must have been a manifestation of his confidence that even ordinary appraisers would not be able to properly appraise this, even if they did not trade with them right away. It makes sense why Jung Taejin came to this place. He couldn¡¯t miss out on trading a 1.5 billion won relic. But this situation was unexpected. [Insight Activated] [Valley of Peace] Various colors are harmoniously applied. Lumenaite was used to draw water and connect it to the mana circuit. However, the fluidity and curvature of the mana circuit can become subtly unbalanced, causing emotional changes other than stability at times. ¡ÎB.CD 48th century ¡ÎComfortable I knew this was a forgery from the first moment I saw it. The infinite spiral was cleverly shaped to make it look like the real thing, but it was actually a piece of trash wrapped in packaging. Among the works created in the 5th millennium, when the destruction of the ancient magical civilization was±¾¸ñ»¯, there are really only a handful of good works, and they are almost non-existent. Most of them are like time bombs. This is the same. If you look at the picture for a long time, you may one day find yourself filled with anger and do something you don¡¯t know, or you may fall into depression and jump out of the window. The fact that it is unstable and can explode at any time makes it an invaluable item, apart from its usual effects. This is especially true of those that affect the mind. ¡°The mana circuit that shapes the waves is really well done, but look. The movement of the waves going back is not much different from the valley. That¡¯s the characteristic of the material called Lumenaite. If the connection with the mana circuit was perfect, the other side of the valley should be drawn clearly and weakly. And that difference is what causes the imbalance.¡± ¡°This is Lumenaite¡­?¡± It is a material used in paints at the end of the B.CD 5th millennium, and first-class appraisers would know it. However, it is not easy to identify it. It has very similar characteristics to the paint used by craftsmen, and its effects vary depending on the user. Moreover, the opportunity to appraise a forgery of this level from the end of the 5th millennium is not common. Korean appraisers still lack the skills and experience to find the subtle differences. ¡°¡­¡­Ha.¡± He burst out laughing and collapsed on the floor, holding the Valley of Peace and pouring mana into it. Sung Daehyun¡¯s pupils shook slowly. And then he seemed to be overwhelmed by a sense of defeat and stared blankly at the landscape painting. ¡°It seems to be real.¡± Jung Taejin muttered after confirming Sung Daehyun¡¯s reaction. ¡°Wow¡­¡­.¡± Yang Jiwon gave me a thumbs up, and Ahjeong sighed in relief, stroking her chest. ¡°It¡¯s better not to take unnecessary money. If something goes wrong later, you may have to pay several times more. That¡¯s why I came looking for you.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was a good idea. I can understand that arrogant attitude now. I almost wasted my money.¡± Jung Taejin smiled with satisfaction. Yang Jiwon helped Ahjeong to her feet and said. ¡°Can we go now?¡± She pretended to leave and looked back at the two men, thinking of tracking down Jung Taejin separately. There was no need to involve the two of them. ¡°No, sit down. We¡¯re not finished talking yet.¡± ¡°What else is there to talk about? Isn¡¯t it over now?¡± ¡°You, work with us.¡± Jung Taejin said to me, and I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t you already have an appraiser?¡± ¡°This guy?¡± He grinned and pulled out a dagger in surprise. Shwiiik!! The blade goes exactly for Sung Daehyun¡¯s neck. But at the same time, Yang Jiwon lightly pulled her wrist back, and a dagger popped out of her sleeve. Clang! Her dagger, swung like lightning, knocked away Jung Taejin¡¯s blade. ¡°Kugh! Awakened? No way¡­, did you come from Salvation?¡± ¡°Yeah, it took a lot of work to lure you out.¡± ¡°How the hell did you find out?¡± Jung Taejin, who turned back while swinging his dagger, frowned. ¡®Did Sung Daehyun betray me? It¡¯s not possible¡­¡¯ ¡°Did you try to kill me?¡± Sung Daehyun asked with a shocked expression, and Jung Taejin wore a cold sneer. Judging from his reaction, he seemed to be suspicious. In fact, the only one who had a motive to betray him was Sung Daehyun, but ironically, Sung Daehyun was the one who had the most to lose. The Jung Taejin I know is a pragmatist and a calculating person. But would he throw away everything he had built up just to kill some Taejin faction members? It was impossible. ¡®Damn it, I¡¯m going to be caught on the spot. The lucky thing is that there¡¯s only one Salvation guy¡­ Now that it¡¯s come to this, it¡¯s a showdown.¡¯ ¡°Hahahaha!! Yes, I was going to let you go after this and go into hiding. I should have killed you and your father a long time ago, then the Salvation guys wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved¡­ tsk.¡± Yang Jiwon looked at Sung Daehyun in surprise. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You know, don¡¯t you? We¡¯re the ones who made your father like that.¡± Jung Taejin laughed at him, and Sung Daehyun couldn¡¯t control his expression and his cheeks trembled. I had been watching the situation from behind, finally understood the inside story. ¡®Did the Taejin faction work on Sung Daehyun to get him on board? But how did they get him on board?¡¯ As if to answer my question, Jung Taejin explained the reason. ¡°The artifact that can cure a vegetative state, where is it already?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in Dubai.¡± The bespectacled organization member next to him said. ¡°Oh, right! Dubai! A rich guy who lives there took it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­What?¡± ¡°So, why do you think I told you the secret? If you had just lived without knowing, we would have helped you when the time came.¡± As Jung Taejin brazenly taunted him, Sung Daehyun jumped up and clenched his fists. ¡°¡­¡­That¡¯s why I shouldn¡¯t have worked with an empty-headed kid like you.¡± ¡°A fool. Just because people around you praise you, you think you¡¯re really smart. You guys, take them all in. Don¡¯t kill them. Be especially careful with the guy with the mask.¡± ¡°Yes!!¡± Whether it was not just a threat, or whether they had intended to do this from the beginning, the organization members with sticks in their hands began to surround us. ¡°Mother, stay behind me. And Mr. Sung Daehyun. If you don¡¯t want to be ridiculed, get up.¡± I pulled Ahjeong behind me and spoke to Sung Daehyun. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s over. Those bastards are going to kill us all.¡± He said as if he had given up, and I sighed and rebuked him. ¡°Don¡¯t give up. Don¡¯t rationalize yourself either. Your mindset can solidify like a habit. The situation only gets worse because you try to rationalize your choices that you avoided out of fear for other reasons.¡± ¡°What do you know¡­¡­¡± ¡°When you collapse, everything around you looks like that too. Korea is a better country than you think.¡± Sung Daehyun¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at me. ¡®No way¡­¡­?¡¯ Smack! I slapped the face of the approaching organization member and swung the chair behind me. Whoosh¨D! Whoosh¨D! The organization members stopped at the sound of the strong wind. The appraiser was not to rush in recklessly because he had been told to handle us as harmlessly as possible. However, Sung Daehyun¡¯s case was different. He rolled on the ground, barely avoiding the swings of the club-wielding organization member. Clang! He stopped at the dull sound and looked at me with a terrified face. I didn¡¯t seem scared and calmly dealt with the organization members. I also used simple magic here and there to bring the situation under my control. ¡°You bastards!!¡± Sung Daehyun cursed and pulled out a small rod from his ankle. At the same time as the button clicked, a vibrating mana blade was emitted from the end of the rod. One of the organization members who rushed in without knowing it had his wrist cut off and rolled on the ground. ¡°Kuaaaak!!¡± The other organization members stopped at the sight and couldn¡¯t approach easily. ¡°Damn it! What are we going to do! You must have an idea!¡± Sung Daehyun cursed and showed his will to live. ¡°Just hold on. If you hold on, an opportunity will come.¡± That was all I could say. I know how hard it was to wait without hope, but there was nothing he could do. ¡°No, why did only one person come from Salvation? Isn¡¯t that too much of an understatement for Jung Taejin?¡± Sung Daehyun shouted as if he was wronged. ¡°I risked my life to report it.¡± The expressions of the organization members who heard his mutter distorted, and at the same time, Jung Taejin¡¯s fierce swearing was heard from behind. ¡°This bastard¡­ You really betrayed me?¡± ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Kwang! As Yang Jiwon fully opened her power and Jung Taejin was pushed back, the atmosphere of the organization members also changed. The will to somehow catch these three quickly and turn the situation around. I clicked my tongue and shot my magic into the sky. ¡®Air blow.¡¯ As the magic raised from the tip of my index finger hit the ceiling light of the abandoned factory, the surroundings were instantly enveloped in darkness. Crack! ¡°Kyaak!¡± ¡°Calm down. Just hold on to me.¡± I calmed Shin Ahjeong, who was trembling with fear, and activated the Hyper-Sensory Cyclone on my right index finger. At the same time, my maximized senses rang the alarm of danger and showed me the way out. I couldn¡¯t see it, but I could feel the movements of the organization members in detail. ¡®I won¡¯t be able to use it for long.¡¯ It would take time for the organization members to adapt their eyes to the darkness. That short time would be enough. ¡°Move!¡± ¡°Where are they? Find them quickly! They¡¯re running away!¡± ¡°Shit! Turn on the lighter! Turn on the phone light!!¡± We quickly moved to find a way out, taking Sung Daehyun and Shin Ahjeong with us amidst the chaos created. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to avoid the confused gang members. Puck! Puck! Puck! Ugh!! ¡°Kuaaaak!!¡± At that moment, Jung Taejin¡¯s scream rang out along with the sound of a merciless blow. ¡°Ha¡­. You persistent bastards. Next is you guys.¡± The organization members shuddered at Yang Jiwon¡¯s murderous voice, which rang out quietly as she broke their joints. ¡°Not a single one of you will leave this place.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 29 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 29: A Special Arraiser Crunch! Boom! Boom! Boom! A bloody explosion echoes here and there. Kaaaah! S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Help! Please! Ghost, ghost, ghost! Aaaaaaaaah! Mom! Dad! The situation was dire, with desperate screams and cries echoing all around. The gang members desperately tried to light up with cell phones and lighters, but they only became targets of the hunters. Ordinary people, outnumbered and outmatched, stood no chance against the ruthless hunter in this dark environment. It was a massacre waiting to happen. Hiding in the corner, Woogil, Ahjeong, and Daehyun waited, listening to the sounds emanating from the darkness, hoping for the situation to resolve itself. After what seemed like an endless cacophony of screams, the cries began to subside, and with a creaking sound, the iron door swung open, allowing light to flood into the space. Yang Jiwon stood in the brightly lit room with her hair hanging down, her face covered in blood and a murderous glare. She looked like a warrior who had just returned from the battlefield. I flinched as she cleared her throat, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re fine¡± ¡°Good sense, thinking of breaking a light bulb in there.¡± She said with her usual smile, but the blood on her face made me avert my gaze. ¡°Haha¡­ Let¡¯s call for backup first.¡± ¡°Okay, we should.¡± Ahjeong went outside for a while to stabilize, then found the cell phone they had hidden and called for backup. Meanwhile, inside, as Jung Taejin lay with a broken ankle, he glared at Sung Daehyun and gritted his teeth. ¡°You crazy bastard¡­ Instead of trying to save your father, you brought in Salvation to hunt me down? You and your father, I¡¯ll kill you both no matter what-¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Jiwon interrupted, stomping on his broken ankle. ¡°Aaaargh!!¡± ¡°What¡¯s unfair, huh? Does it hurt? Others have suffered more than this, you scum!¡± With each word, she mercilessly beat Jung Taejin, who lay writhing on the ground, unconscious. ¡°K¡­uh¡­uh¡­.¡± Spitting out blood, Jung Taejin collapsed, seemingly unconscious. Looking down at him, Jiwon smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Now I feel better!¡± After waiting for about 30 minutes, the Inspection team arrived. They arrested all the remaining members of the Taejin faction and cleaning up the scene, Sung Daehyun was also handcuffed by Jiwon. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Jiwon never thought that Sung Daehyun would be the anonymous informant. From inspection team¡¯s perspective, they were grateful, but sacrificing his life just to capture Jung Taejin was too much. ¡°¡­I wanted revenge.¡± ¡°Was it worth risking your life for revenge?¡± ¡°At first, I helped the Taejin faction to save my father, but later I realized that choice was my only refuge. I had blinded myself to the truth.¡± Jiwon swallowed her saliva. Knowing Sung Daehyun¡¯s situation, she understood his feelings. He had to save his father, so he had to help the Taejin faction. But how desperate he must have felt when he found out that the Taejin faction was the one that made his father like this. ¡°Even though you were used, you can¡¯t avoid punishment.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Sung Daehyun seemed resigned. Looking at him I said. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes. They make wrong choices. What matters is what happens after you realize it.¡± As he was being dragged away in handcuffs, Sung Daehyun stopped and turned to look at me. ¡°Good job.¡± With a wry smile, he replied. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to postpone our meal for later.¡± Then, he walked away with Jiwon again. * * * After the case was closed, Oh Geomsu received the fee for this case. A total of 31 million won. The first two artifacts were appraised at 1,950, plus 150 for other minor items, plus a 1,000 commission fee, for a total of 3,100. In fact, the Valley of Peace is a masterpiece of a 1.5 billion painting and should be appraised at 5% of 1.5 billion, but I initially priced it at 500 million for a Class B artifact, so that¡¯s what I got. It wasn¡¯t unexpected, and it didn¡¯t matter intentionally. If anything, it would have been more bitter if the inspection team had paid 1,500 in appraisal fees for a great work that they wouldn¡¯t accept for free. According to Yang Jiwon, capturing Jung Taejin made it okay. Furthermore, they were pleased that they even managed to uncover Sung Daehyun¡¯s violation of Salvation¡¯s regulations. Anyway, since the money wasn¡¯t theirs, they didn¡¯t mind. A few days after the incident was wrapped up, I went with Junpyo to visit Yeoljin and Shin Ahjeong. Yeoljin was still wearing his leather clothes, and Shin Ahjeong had developed a hobby of collecting items from other dimensions with Yeoljin. ¡°There¡¯s not much, but please enjoy.¡± Ahjeong proudly served me and Junpyo a table full of side dishes. Although Jiwon was too busy to join them, she said she would visit separately when she had time. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the ones who should thank you for helping us.¡± I promised to appraise a few more items for free before leaving. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you feel anything working together this time?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I felt like I wanted to see more appraisal items. Seeing the appraisal process and its results on-site felt different. It¡¯s like getting a better sense of how to proceed with work in the future.¡± It was a good development. Honestly, even if there had been no progress from this incident, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered much. I didn¡¯t expect much, but he had done even better than expected. ¡°Here, this is your paycheck for this job.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Junpyo took the white envelope with a excited look. ¡°¡­W-What¡¯s this? Why is it so much? 500,000 won?¡± It¡¯s almost a month¡¯s salary. There was also the intention to compensate for the risk and to entrust him with future tasks. I felt a little guilty. They said all the medical expenses were covered by the Salvation. In addition, they said they received a bit more commission fee at Yang Jiwon¡¯s request. ¡°I trust you¡¯ll work hard with what you¡¯ve received.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Woogil!¡± Junpyo hugged me tightly. I managed to free myself and told him to go inside before returning home. A few more days passed. I spent my time reading ancient books I hadn¡¯t been able to read properly before when the phone rang. Ring- Ring- [Oh Geomsu, Head of Inspection Team 3] ¡°Hello, this is Kim Woogil.¡± ¨C This is Oh Geomsu. The disciplinary action against Sung Daehyun has been decided. He¡¯s suspended from being an appraiser for a year and imprisoned for three months. ¡°A year suspension and three months in prison¡­ Isn¡¯t the punishment lighter than expected?¡± ¨C It can¡¯t be helped. Sung Daehyun isn¡¯t an ordinary appraiser, and moreover, isn¡¯t he a young genius who rose to the position of team leader at a young age? Honestly, revoking an appraiser¡¯s license isn¡¯t easy. Especially for someone at the team leader level. Also, considering that he caught Jung Taejin by himself¡­ Well, you could say it¡¯s commendable¡­ Haha. The connections among appraisers are deeper and stronger than one might think. They are a group of top-tier elites, and in a situation where there are no alternatives to replace them, each individual is valuable. Even so, the punishment for Sung Daehyun seems surprisingly lenient. Could he have connections higher up? ¡°When will visitation be allowed?¡± * * * Woogil headed to the Seoul East Penitentiary where Sung Daehyun was being held. Among awakened individuals, those with weak combat abilities are housed with other ordinary criminals. They might be administered drugs to prevent them from using their abilities, rendering them no different from ordinary civilians during their time inside. However, for those who awakened relatively recently or have low mana adaptation, prolonged drug administration can sometimes result in irreversible loss of mana. For those who haven¡¯t awakened, losing mana after experiencing it once is akin to losing a limb, which is why awakened individuals fear Salvation so much. ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± The guard said before leaving the visitation room. The visitation room, about the size of a small studio apartment, had special mana-enhanced glass in the middle, allowing visitors and prisoners to face each other on either side. As I waited inside the visitation room, Sung Daehyun entered wearing prisoner attire a while later. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°Yeah, it has been. I don¡¯t look for a senior.¡± Contrary to his words, Sung Daehyun¡¯s face looked quite relaxed. Ironically, he seemed more shadowed when we first met for the interview. ¡°You said we¡¯d grab a meal, but you missed the appointment.¡± ¡°I did say that, but I think we¡¯ll have to postpone.¡± Sung Daehyun chuckled. I asked directly. ¡°How did you know?¡± When we rode in the van with the Taejin Faction, Sung Daehyun sent a text to me. [I¡¯m the anonymous informant who reported Taejin Faction¡¯s corruption to Team leader Oh. Junior Kim Woogil. And I plan to capture Jung Taejin today. You¡¯re with Salvation, right? Help me out.] It was a sudden message. He seemed to have mistaken me for the employee sent by Salvation. I wondered how he knew. ¡°I mentioned before that I know someone in the association, right? That person is the Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman personally selects newbies every time. Well, I didn¡¯t pay much attention until then, but then the Vice Chairman came to the Appraisal Department and we met. And I remembered you, junior.¡± Having connections with the Vice Chairman was the last thing I expected. And who could he meet at the Appraisal Department. ¡°¡­¡­ I had no luck.¡± He smirked and continued. ¡°I got a reply saying, ¡®There is no one named Kim Woogil. What are you talking about?¡¯ That¡¯s when I thought. Maybe you¡¯re not the one Salvation sent.¡± ¡°And when I met an appraiser named K, I didn¡¯t think much of it. I was sure that the results wouldn¡¯t change no matter who came. But my confidence crumbled after hearing the evaluation. It was when you criticized me. When I said Korea was a decent country. That¡¯s when I knew. Oh, this person is the Kim Woogil I interviewed back then. It felt like I got hit in the head with a hammer.¡± When Korea started to collapse and he lived the life of a plunderer with the director, he traveled like a vagabond to numerous countries. He realized then. Korea was a decent country. ¡°A true genius says this kind of thing. I felt it was a good decision not to go abroad after WAEC ended.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± No wonder. The appraisal you were so confident in was shattered right in front of your eyes, by an appraiser much younger than you. Even for normal appraisers, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual for their mental state to crumble. ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot after hearing your words. Actually, looking back, I¡¯ve been avoiding many challenges. It was partly out of fear and partly rationalization. I¡¯ve been feeling it already, but I¡¯ve been deliberately ignoring it. Truth be told, I was planning to mess with Jung Taejin and end up dead. But because of you, I changed my mind.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Suddenly, I felt competitive. When you were stubbornly trying to delay time by lifting the chair in front, it seemed pathetic to me at first¡­ But when I looked again, it was impressive. That¡¯s when I realized. Ah, this is the difference in mentality!¡± He spoke as if he were exhilarated, or perhaps dejected, as he candidly expressed his emotions from that time. ¡°For a while, I didn¡¯t really have a goal. It was just a vague thought of making money and working hard to get the relic from Taejin Faction to save my father! It was actually escapism. I was just numb until Taejin Faction approached. Even the goal I had came from their deception, making me feel like a fool and pathetic enough to want to disappear. But now I have a goal.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°To surpass you.¡± His eyes were burning unlike before. It was almost visible how his determination was rising like a predator with its prey in front of it. ¡°It felt like I regained myself when I was at Salvation Academy. You said it. When you look at the Valley of Peace, if you call it a common item, it¡¯s third-class, if you evaluate it as an artifact, it¡¯s second-class, if it¡¯s a relic, it¡¯s first-class.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then what made you think it was a forgery?¡± There was a strong fervor in his voice. Being someone¡¯s target could be intimidating and unappealing, but I didn¡¯t feel that way. Instead, I found the burning determination and clear desire in his eyes oddly pleasing. ¡®Past Sung Daehyun disappeared one day without a trace.¡¯ That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t have many memories of Sung Daehyun. But what about Sung Daehyun now? Would he be buried silently like he was then? I didn¡¯t think so. People with such determined gazes had become renowned figures worldwide, after all. ¡°First-class. A discerning appraiser who can discern that level could be called a first-class appraiser.¡± ¡°First-class¡­¡± Sung Daehyun continued to ponder those words. While making a vow that someday he too would become such an appraiser. ¡°Why would someone like you hide your identity?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m still lacking.¡± Sung Daehyun looked at me as if shocked by my words. Then he shook his head. ¡°Ha, you stupid bastard.¡± It was a lamentation about his past self. Where did his confidence go that overflowed only when participating in the WAEC? But at least, at this moment, he could recall the self he had forgotten for a while. ¡°I too will become a first-class appraiser like you.¡± I smiled, receiving Sung Daehyun¡¯s fiery gaze. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 30 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 30: Traces Vrrr- Vrrr- Vrrr- The vibrating sound of the phone disturbed sleep. With eyes closed, I fumbled around with my hand to find the phone and turned on the screen. [Appraisal Department 2 Manager Park Man-deuk] ¡°Haa¡­¡± It felt like I had just fallen asleep again. How many times has this happened now? Suppressing the rising irritation, I reluctantly answered the call. Ding. ¡°¡­Hello.¡± ¨C Ah, were you asleep? In response to the question, I checked the time displayed on the phone. 3:17 AM. Of course I¡¯m sleeping at this hour, who would be working at this hour¡­ Ah, those people must be. Suddenly, a sense of camaraderie washed over me, and the irritation subsided slightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. What¡¯s up?¡± ¨C I¡¯m really sorry, but could you take a look at the waveform of Mana¡¯s resonance? We¡¯ve been trying to confirm it as you instructed, but there¡¯s a bit of confusion. ¡°¡­Rotate the screen.¡± The waveform displayed on the screen of the device, visualizing the unseen mana resonance. It was a machine that visualized mana waves. Compared to what one might envision with spiritual insight, calling it visualization was quite crude. However, even with the current level of technology, there was a way to confirm differences within that crude waveform. If one had properly observed the waves emitted by the aura stone, they could compare and identify the characteristics. ¡°When the green cluster there intersects with the mana waveform, it slightly fades, right? That¡¯s a precursor to distortion. Actually, you can see enough from the shape of the clustered area, but to confirm that, it would be difficult. If you wait there for a while, the faded part will become dark green again¡­¡± As I enthusiastically delivered the lecture rather than just speaking, applause could be heard from the other end of the phone. This was already the fifth time. At this point, I could even anticipate the timing of the applause. ¨C Thank you! Now, I think we¡¯ll be able to clearly demonstrate the appraisal of the Aura Stone soon. I could sense the excitement in Park Man-deuk¡¯s voice. I heard that everyone in Department 2 has been unable to sleep or leave work for several days. ¡®Still, it¡¯s amazing. Even if I helped him, understanding and applying it right away is a different matter.¡¯ Although it was almost spoon-feeding, the content was still difficult to accept with current technology and knowledge. S?a?ch* Th? ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. From the past few days, I had realized that appraisers and people are stubborn entities. At the same time, they were also elites. ¨C Oh, and the advance appraisal fee will be deposited by tomorrow. After the internal appraisal at Salvation, there will be a separate success bonus. ¡°Ah, okay.¡± ¨C Also¡­ Oh, just a moment. Park Man-deuk, seen on the screen, left somewhere away from the team members who were deeply immersed in the appraisal. He returned to speak again after entering a secluded room where there was no one. ¨C We¡¯ll send you the list of unappraised items later today. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¨C Once the internal evaluation is over, the next item list will be sent, and we¡¯ll organize that and send it to you. ¡°Understood.¡± ¨C Ah! And¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± ¨C Hunter Jang Deoksu wants to convey his gratitude and asks if he could meet you. ¡°Hunter Jang Deoksu? Why?¡± ¨C Since the last incident, it seems the limits of his physical enhancement ability have been broken. He thinks he might be able to rise to Rank-A this time. He says it¡¯s thanks to you. Improved abilities not ending as a temporary phenomenon? Suddenly, I became interested. Originally, I had no intention of meeting him¡­ ¡°Please give me his contact information.¡± ¨C Yes. I will send it. Beep. I hung up and checked the time. It was 3:51 a.m. Almost thirty minutes of talking had left me wide awake. These people seemed to have no regard for sleep. Wasn¡¯t the internal evaluation scheduled for four days from now? With that, the disaster at the Spiter Colony shouldn¡¯t happen. ¡°That means the assault operation on the Spiter Colony will either be completely halted or delayed. Good.¡± That disaster must never happen. Two hunters, considered the future elite forces of Korea, died there. I felt like sending Kim Junghyun to that operation, just in case there were any unforeseen variables. Vrrr- A message came from Park Man-deuk. It was Jang Deoksu¡¯s number. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± While Jang Deoksu probably didn¡¯t approach with ulterior motives, it might be wise to postpone the meeting just in case. [Mana Circuit Theory] I put the book in front of me and picked up where I left off. I had already read over half of it. Despite the slow progress, my understanding had accelerated recently due to my direct exploration of mana circuits in some items. ¡®I should be able to finish this soon.¡¯ The page was filled with complex passages. Reading such boring content made my eyes heavy. Maybe I should get glasses. ¡°Well, if I study a little more, I can get this¡­¡± I channeled mana to my index finger and lightly drew it across the desk. [Insight Activated.] The traces of the drawn mana remained on the desk. Most mages read the flow of mana or its traces through their senses. Alternatively, they could theoretically visualize mana particles by breaking them down finely. However, such mages were extremely rare. In contrast, through Insight, I could see the flow and traces of mana vividly without the need for complex mental effort. ¡°I wonder if I could make mana circuits too if I practice enough?¡± * * * Beep beep beep! Beep beep! Beep beep beep beep! Good morning! The alarm echoed through the room. Is it already morning? Lately, even after sleeping, I still felt tired. Considering I only slept for about an hour, it wasn¡¯t surprising. I looked at the clock. It was 6 a.m. I shook off the fatigue and headed to Yongmu-dong. It was too early, so some shops hadn¡¯t opened yet. Generally, those shops don¡¯t have much in the way of goods. ¡®Or maybe D.K¡¯s items could be found there?¡¯ As I passed by a shop, an elderly lady opening the shutter gestured to me. ¡°Young man! Do you want some bread to eat?¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Since I often visited Yongmu-dong, I was starting to become familiar with the street vendors. Some of them even greeted me and offered food. ¡°Why do you keep coming here every day? Can I help you?¡± ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Seeing a young person wandering around every day feels pitiful. What are you looking for every day?¡± ¡°Um, well¡­¡± As I hesitated whether to tell them, the man from the neighboring shop chimed in. ¡°This guy has been doing business here for twenty years. Since almost the beginning, he¡¯s practically lived here. Ask him.¡± An elderly man with a frail body. It was hard to tell if he was wearing clothes or rags, and his snowy white hair was tangled. ¡®Can I trust him?¡¯ Being cautious about speaking carelessly if D.K wasn¡¯t just an ordinary maker. But¡­ ¡®His eyes seem lively.¡¯ Despite his shabby appearance, there was something special about his aura. But he certainly wasn¡¯t awakened to mana. He had been here since the early days¡­ Let¡¯s give it a try. ¡°Excuse me, do you happen to know a maker named D.K?¡± ¡°D.K? Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of him.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Well, ordinary street vendors like these wouldn¡¯t know. I got my hopes up for nothing. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. I just heard the name by chance.¡± As I was about to leave, the old man urgently called out to me. ¡°Wait! Wait! Oh! I just remembered something.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°D.K! Wasn¡¯t he the guy who came here about two years ago?¡± The old man asked the man from the neighboring shop. ¡°Two years ago? Was there such a guy here?¡± ¡°No, as a customer! That¡­ weird guy who wanted to trade stuff. He was a young guy wearing sunglasses with messy hair. It was in the summer!¡± ¡°Oh! I know that guy! He brought all sorts of weird things to exchange, right?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t one of them cigarettes?¡± ¡°Oh! Right. There were cigarettes, too. Weird stuff with no taste or apparent effects, he said we wouldn¡¯t regret trading for¡­ So he was here for about two days and then left?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Was that so? He stayed for two days?¡± ¡°Was he Korean?¡± ¡°Yeah! But why are you looking for him?¡± Finally, I found a clue about D.K. ¡°Oh, I happened to see an item made by a maker named D.K, and it piqued my interest. Have you heard anything about where he might have gone?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything like that¡­ Heard he came from some rural area.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Other than that, I don¡¯t remember anything else.¡± As the two continued to ponder, they ultimately didn¡¯t provide any further information. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll come again.¡± ¡°Sure, come again.¡± Living in a rural area¡­ Since I bought Oriental tobacco in Yongmu-dong, maybe he doesn¡¯t live in Seoul. ¡®It might be harder to find him if he¡¯s in a rural area.¡¯ The only information I got was that he came to Yongmu-dong in the summer two years ago to exchange goods. And that he was Korean. ¡®I should take a break from wandering around here for a while.¡¯ * * * Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Salvation Appraisal Hall. In the center, there was a stage for item appraisals, surrounded by reinforced glass on the second floor. Beyond that, appraisal teams were seated, and the internal appraisal of the Aura Stone for this Salvation was in full swing. ¡°The report for Appraisal 1 is fairly clean¡­ But was the time too rushed? There¡¯s no mention of side effects or risks?¡± The team leader of the Special Combat Division 1 of the National Defense Force shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°But the effect of the Aura Stone has certainly been proven. This should be enough to impress the public with the combat power of our special forces, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Director of Planning and Coordination. No matter how you think about it, isn¡¯t this too risky?¡± ¡°Team Leader Lee Jin-cheol. You worry too much. Let¡¯s trust our appraisal team. Aren¡¯t they the best in South Korea? The best!¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s okay to observe a little longer before making a decision. After all, not all appraisals have been completed yet.¡± The Senior Professor of Appraisal Studies at the Salvation Academy checked the next appraisal report and spoke. ¡°Where¡¯s the next one?¡± ¡°Appraisal 2.¡± The expression of the senior professor, who had been checking the evaluation report while wearing glasses, gradually turned serious. The leader of Team 1 for Appraisal 2 evaluation came out onto the central evaluation stage and began presenting the evaluation report for the Aura Stone. ¡°¡­.Aura Stone has outstanding effects that amplify physical enhancement rates, but it also has fatal side effects.¡± Without stuttering even once, the Team 1 leader smoothly continued the report, displaying the screen. While his enhanced physical abilities were evident, it was futile if he lost his sanity and attacked allies. In the video, Jang Deoksu smashed the ground, eventually demonstrating the power of an A-rank hunter. With that, the video ended. The focus of the video was solely on Jang Deoksu, so the screen didn¡¯t show the faces of others. ¡°As you can see, Aura Stone has fatal side effects. If you look at the next part, we¡¯ve written about the circumstances and principles behind the occurrence of those side effects. It¡¯s a phenomenon found through mana waves and their forms. It¡¯s commonly known as the ¡®Resonance Distortion Phenomenon.''¡± A term they¡¯ve never heard before. Even the senior professor, who had scrutinized numerous appraisal cases and traveled around the World Academy Association, tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Who coined this term?¡± The senior professor asked, holding the microphone. In response to that question, the leader of Team 1 smiled faintly and glanced somewhere. At the end of that gaze, Park Man-deuk nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s coined by appraiser Kim Woogil.¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 31 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 31: Start ¡°Appraiser Kim Woogil? Who¡¯s that?¡± As the evaluation committee members searched their memories for the name Kim Woogil, no one could recall. ¡°He¡¯s a private appraiser we invited as an external consultant. He has conducted quite a bit of research on minerals.¡± Park Man-deuk naturally shifted the focus to minerals as he spoke. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°A specialist in minerals, it seems.¡± ¡°I never thought there would be someone with such deep knowledge of minerals among Korean private appraisers.¡± As intended by Park Man-deuk, all the evaluation committee members accepted Kim Woogil as a specialist in minerals. ¡°The Resonance Distortion Phenomenon¡­¡± However, amidst this, the senior professor at the Salvation Academy couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the report, deeply impressed by Woogil¡¯s theory. ¡°Where did you find such a person?¡± ¡°Hunter Kim Junghyun introduced him to us. We were lucky.¡± ¡°Is that so? It seems like talented individuals hidden in South Korea are starting to emerge one by one. That¡¯s a good thing.¡± The chairman of the evaluation committee, with his white hair roughly tied back, clapped his hands with a pleased expression. But beyond that, there were no further questions. As a specialist in minerals, a very rare case, the replacement manpower would be scarce, but the need would be equally limited. Perhaps if another unknown mineral like the Aura Stone were discovered, there might be a use for them, but otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t garner much interest. They had played their part as private appraisers. Park Man-deuk knew their thoughts too well, so he hid his bitter feelings inwardly. If even the chairman of the evaluation committee had no interest in such talents, how could Korea progress? Just looking at other countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and Japan, they consistently provided sufficient support to experts in niche fields. Wouldn¡¯t the result be rapid development day by day? ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Appraiser Kim Woogil, who knows what accident could have occurred with the Aura Stone.¡¯ We were lucky that there were no side effects during the Spiter Cluster Assault Operation, but if things had gone differently, innocent hunters would have died in vain due to the foolish decisions of their superiors. ¡®Damn it, let¡¯s stop thinking about it. Just thinking about those things stresses me out.¡¯ I¡¯m going to lose more hair than I already have. I merely relayed what Woogil had said to Team 1 leader. ¡°And he said that. He warned not to even think about using it out of curiosity due to the amplification effect of physical enhancement. He said that hunters could be swept away by side effects and die.¡± I felt a sense of relief just by conveying the message, especially when I looked at the faces of the distorted Planning and Coordination Manager and the Evaluation Committee Director. * * * ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± Since the incident with Taejin Faction, I felt a strong need to protect myself. According to the reports from Oh Geomsu and Yang Jiwon, it was reported that Jung Taejin¡¯s combat power was evaluated as a C-rank hunter level based on various factors such as mana quantity, mana suitability, and mana adaptability. It was nonsensical considering he had dropped out of the Salvation Academy in the middle of the second year. Occasionally, there were individuals who displayed combat power above C-rank solely based on tremendous talent without any help, but Jung Taejin wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡®I¡¯m lucky to have the Hyper-sensory Cyclone and Fundamental Concepts of Magic, but¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t enough. Especially in situations like last time, where dozens of organization members rushed in at once, I couldn¡¯t rely on the Hyper-sensory Cyclone. The mana consumption was too high. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I slowly checked the list of unappraised items I received from Park Man-deuk. Only 76 unappraised items came into the Salvation Korea Branch in the second quarter alone. In the Appraisal Department, they quickly and accurately appraise these non-appraised items and trade with the overseas branches of Salvation. Afterwards, items that cannot be passed on to the outside and whose appraisal evaluations are not good or impossible are passed on through auctions. I still don¡¯t know much about Park Man-deuk. I don¡¯t trust him, and I never will, but at least we can join hands for our own benefit. To do that, Park Man-deuk needs to rise to a position beyond just being an exaggeration in the Appraisal Department. ¡®He¡¯ll need to rise to that level to be truly helpful.¡¯ There has been a major upheaval on Earth, and not even 50 years have passed. Most of the current upper class are those who were fortunate enough to awaken early and establish their positions during that time. There are indeed those with real abilities, but there are also many who do not, and their connections with each other are too strong. An old hand eventually rots and emits a foul odor. ¡®Park Man-deuk, you need to rise higher than you are now.¡¯ At least up to the position of Director, so that your influence within Salvation will strengthen in the future. I scrolled through detailed records of non-appraised items, jotting down evaluations one after another. I had been sitting at my desk for a few hours when suddenly the phone rang. [Appraisal Department, Manager Park Man-deuk] ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± S~?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Click. ¡°Hello.¡± ¨C It¡¯s Park Man-deuk. I¡¯m calling to discuss the appraisal of the Aura Stone this time. ¡°Did it go well?¡± ¨C Of course! Our Appraisal Department took all the credit for this performance. Hahaha!! His voice over the receiver was filled with joy. ¨C I mentioned you as the external consultant for this appraisal, but cleverly turned it around to make everyone think you were a mineral expert. Indeed, Park Man-deuk didn¡¯t just rise to the position of manager for nothing. It¡¯s hard to survive in this fierce Korean hierarchical society with just simple appraisal skills. ¡°Well done.¡± ¨C Have you checked the list of non-appraised items? ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking at it right now. I¡¯ll write some evaluation comments and send them over. It should be quite helpful if you refer to them.¡± ¨C Really?! His voice sounded even more astonished than when they secured the Aura Stone performance. What¡¯s with all the excitement over this? ¡°Indeed.¡± ¨C It¡¯s so exciting to have appraisal comments from you¡­ I can¡¯t wait! Haha! I wonder if our Appraisal Department will take all the credits for the third and fourth quarter performances as well. ¡°You should. That¡¯s why I¡¯m giving you this.¡± There was suddenly a silence over the phone in response to my direct words. Probably, if we were facing each other, I would have seen Park Man-deuk busy interpreting the meaning. The thought of it made me chuckle. ¨C Is it because I¡¯m on the same boat? ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, but isn¡¯t it inevitable for anything that rises to eventually decay? The old ones need to be replaced and new ones brought in. Do well.¡± ¨C ¡­Understood. This suddenly feels burdensome. ¡°It¡¯s a word of encouragement. As you rise to higher positions, as you carry more burdens, it will soon turn into a sense of responsibility.¡± ¨C I have one more thing I want to ask. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¨C How many times exactly? ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¨C I still can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re only twenty-three as an appraiser. Is this your second life or something? Or is it your third? ¡°¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t answer. It was fortunate that it was a phone call, or he would have seen my frozen expression. ¨C Was it not amusing? ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C Ugh, is this why the kids don¡¯t go out drinking with me? Anyway, I¡¯ll contact them again. Click. After hanging up, I checked the time and realized it was close to midnight already. I woke up feeling tired and left home the next morning. ¡®I wonder if he¡¯s doing well?¡¯ The second floor of an old villa. It¡¯s Park Junpyo¡¯s house. ¡°Oh? Hyung, you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°What? Did you sleep here?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I had a lot of work to do.¡± With messy hair and sleepy eyes, Park Junpyo hadn¡¯t even bothered to get up and wash. Despite my presence, he remained fixated on the laptop open on the makeshift desk in the living room. I clicked my tongue when I saw various books and stacks of papers scattered around. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re here?¡± Coming out of the bathroom, Park Junpyo dried his hair roughly with a towel. Seeing him like that, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®I should get him something tasty.¡¯ ¡°Sit there. Have you eaten? What can I get you?¡± As he said that, Junpyo opened the fridge, but it was empty. He looked embarrassed, glancing at me. ¡°Haha, how about some ramen?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s order something. I¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Still, you¡¯re a guest, so I should treat you.¡± ¡°Okay. What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I want¡­ Jokbal! No, Bossam!¡± [PR/N: Jokbal is Braised Pig¡¯s Trotters & Bossam is Korean Boiled Pork Wrap] ¡°Let¡¯s go with Bossam. I¡¯ll pay. Hey! No, I made a lot of money last time. Let me pay!¡± After I finished paying for the delivery with my own money, I pulled out two thick white envelopes from my arms. ¡°It¡¯s your daily wage until you enter the office. Technically, you¡¯re doing the work I assigned to you.¡± Completely unexpected, his eyes widened. I purposely didn¡¯t mention it to see his reaction. Although Junpyo had received a considerable sum for his previous job, I¡¯ve noticed over time that it seems like he¡¯s spending all the money, feeding and lodging Myeongsu with it. Despite not having fully recovered from his injuries, seeing him work so diligently, how could I stay still as his boss? ¡°Well¡­ uh¡­ still.¡± ¡°Woof! Woof!¡± At that moment, a dog from the next room walked out and barked at me to pick it up. It was the dog from the last operation, and now it was being raised by Mr. Junpyo. Yang Jiwon said she couldn¡¯t keep it because she was away from home too much. ¡°Take it.¡± Handing one of the envelopes to the hesitant Junpyo, I smiled as he happily accepted the other one. ¡°Wow¡­ you¡¯re giving us this much?¡± ¡°Wow!! I haven¡¯t done anything yet¡­ Hyung! I love you!¡± ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± While I pushed away Junpyo trying to hug me, he hugged the retriever next to him and gave it a series of kisses on its face. ¡°I¡¯m telling you to work hard, because when you¡¯re motivated, you¡¯re more efficient.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work hard! No, I¡¯ll be the best!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± You can almost see the fire in his eyes. Indeed, money is everything. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wait a minute! This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be! Hey! No, Boss!¡± The sudden change in titles. I chuckled. ¡°Oh! Boss! From now on, I¡¯ll call you Boss!¡± ¡°Boss! Then, I should have paid for the delivery with my money! Not you!¡± ¡°I did it to make you feel good today. Enjoy it. And because I have a lot to order.¡± ¡°Just tell me anything you like!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything fancy, just find me a decent office space. Oh, somewhere not too far from Yongsan.¡± ¡°Not too far from Yongsan¡­ Okay!¡± ¡°And this, it¡¯s a list of non-appraised items floating around in the market. Please take a look at it, mark any special notes for each item, and organize them separately with client information.¡± As I tossed nearly 20 sheets of paper to him, Junpyo¡¯s face turned contemplative as he skimmed through the list of non-appraised items. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you just tell me to enjoy myself earlier?¡± ¡°Enjoyment comes from enjoying your work.¡± Where in the world can you just relax and only take money? Everything in life is like that. Ring- Ring- Ring- [Inspection Department, Team 3 Leader Oh Geomsu] ¡®What¡¯s happening this early in the morning?¡¯ Click. ¡°Yes, this is Kim Woogil.¡± ¨C This is Oh Geomsu. I contacted you urgently because there¡¯s something I need to tell you. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¨C Well¡­ Didn¡¯t I mention before the operation that it seemed like Congressman Chae and Taejin Faction were connected? ¡°Yes.¡± ¨C Congressman Chae Jungkook has come because of this recent incident. That¡¯s a bit surprising. It¡¯s still too early for any details to come out, yet he¡¯s already here knowing about Taejin Faction. ¨C Um¡­ Congressman Chae said he wants to see you in person. ¡°¡­ Me?¡± ¨C Yes, would you¡­ would you like to meet him? [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 32 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 32: Operation (1) Chae Jungkook Chae Jungkook is a two-term member of the National Assembly from the Nara Party. He graduated from Korea University Law School. Through his consistent foreign activities, he has cultivated a friendly image among the public. At the same time, he has also built an image of justice by showing intolerance for injustice. In addition, he is the son-in-law of the Yoohan Group, and his support base is so solid that it is said that he will be able to win a third term. In fact, he has a strong foothold in the National Assembly. ¡®Congressman Chae Jungkook¡­ he pretended to be good and righteous on the outside and did everything, but behind the scenes, he was picking pumpkin seeds.¡¯ If I recall correctly, he won a third term without incident. After that, I was travelling abroad and didn¡¯t pay much attention. Returning to Sunting after a long time, I was guided by a staff member to the 15th floor. Meeting with Kim Woogil As he walked into the room, a large, vigorous, middle-aged man with a broad smile extended his hand. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Chae Jungkook.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kim Woogil.¡± ¡°Come on in, have a seat.¡± I expected a heavy atmosphere, but Chae Jungkook greeted me like a friend he hasn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°You look very well! You must have made a lot of women cry when you were young! Hahaha!¡± It¡¯s quite natural to loosen up and let your guard down. I know I should be careful of this kind of person, smiled unabashedly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯re a very skilled appraiser.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I didn¡¯t deny it, since Oh Geomsu would have already told him about it. ¡°As expected of a genius, you must be very proud of yourself.¡± It¡¯s not a mocking tone, but a genuinely admiring one. ¡°Why did you want to see me?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve known about you for a long time. Didn¡¯t you work under Kang Chanwook?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Was it a situation where he had already finished his background check? ¡°I hope you don¡¯t think too badly of me but I actually knew Kang Chanwook when I was young. He saved my life once. So I helped him this time, but I really didn¡¯t know it would hurt you. I wanted to apologize for that, so I took the liberty of asking to meet you.¡± He stands up from his seat and bows his head with a serious expression. It is a sincere apology by anyone¡¯s standards. Considering Chae Jungkook¡¯s current position and status, it is absurd for him to apologize to a mere appraiser for such a thing. Perhaps if someone else had been here, witnessing Chae Jungkook¡¯s attitude firsthand, much of the resentment inside would have dissipated. ¡®If only it wasn¡¯t me.¡¯ [Insight Activated.] [Probability of being false: 85.6%] His apology seemed close to being a lie. Considering it didn¡¯t exceed 90%, was there even a hint of sincerity? ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t directly do anything, but still, I wanted to apologize for the mishap caused by me. I heard Dr. Park was trying to deceive and profit from artifacts behind my back.¡± ¡°Fortunately, nothing happened.¡± ¡°The end doesn¡¯t justify the means. Given Dr. Park and Mr. Kang¡¯s intentions to exploit your abilities, the process matters.¡± ¡°¡­I understand. I¡¯ll accept your apology, so you can stop now.¡± Believing his apology to be insincere, his repeated apologies only felt more discomforting. S~?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. However, contrary to my inner thoughts, I genuinely pretended to be moved by his apology. Just as much as Chae Jungkook had lived through, I had lived fiercely. Despite differences in circumstances and methods, a certain depth and composure were ingrained in both. ¡°There¡¯s another matter I¡¯m sorry about. Should I stop?¡± A glance that implied you couldn¡¯t just walk away without hearing the rest of the story. The thought that no matter how genius the appraiser was, what he could do about you, a child who had just become an adult less than a few years ago, appeared and disappeared in his eyes for a moment. ¡®Perhaps they think young geniuses can¡¯t see the darkness of the world. That¡¯s why you¡¯re being so careless.¡¯ The difference between Chae Jungkook and me was our mindset when facing others. Unlike me, who had firmly resolved even before meeting him, Chae Jungkook knew too well that dealing with a young man was easier said than done. ¡°What¡­ is it?¡± As he looked at my gently trembling pupils, he apologized with a remorseful expression. ¡°Dr. Park will probably get out of prison sooner or later.¡± ¡°¡­What? Did Congressman Chae intervene? How can someone who claims to crack down on criminals¡­!¡± I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement, almost shouting. I slightly lowered my head, exhaling deeply before answering. ¡°You might know. Currently, the world greatly needs the power of appraiser. Despite Dr. Park¡¯s momentary greed leading to a mistake, he is a person of definite ability. To further my goals, I needed Dr. Park¡¯s power.¡± He expressed his opinion in a solemn voice, as if delivering a speech in front of the public. ¡°This won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ve learned a lot from this incident. I think this happened because I neglected my people under the excuse of being busy. It¡¯s all my fault and my incompetence. So, I want to contribute to the country and help many people as much as my people have done wrong.¡± His right hand clenched into a fist, trembling, conveying his emotions. Truly, being right there, listening to his words and observing his actions, it was impossible to think that what he said was false. ¡°¡­I was angry with Dr. Park as well, but honestly, my goal was Kang Chanwook. Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll stop just because I oppose it, right?¡± ¡°I have nothing to say.¡± ¡°Can I ask you just one thing? No, two things.¡± ¡°Ask anything.¡± Initially, I thought it was a sharp question, but there was no hint of hesitation in his gaze. He seemed to have prepared for this level of questioning already, as his answers came out smoothly. ¡°Actually, there have been a few times when I¡¯ve been asked to help them with a business, and I¡¯ve supported them financially, but I¡¯ve never been told what the business was.¡± The answer was within the expected range. Well, I didn¡¯t think I could get hard evidence from him right now, so I didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Then secondly, what¡¯s your relationship with Jung Taejin? A connection between a thug and a member of the National Assembly with solid public support¡­ It¡¯s too shocking.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± This time, there was no immediate answer. Kang Chanwook is one thing, but Jung Taejin was a criminal in the underworld. Just being associated with him would be a big blow to him. What would he say? ¡°My wife was involved in Jung Taejin¡¯s fraudulent activities once. It was a free appraisal scheme, and we ended up losing a Grade A artifact completely. That was when I first met Jung Taejin, and he used that as leverage to threaten me.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you report it to the police then?¡± ¡°It was during the election period. They planned it for that time¡­ Just the revelation of this fact was too damaging to me. That was the beginning.¡± He said with trembling cheeks. ¡°He kept approaching my wife behind my back and threatening her. My wife felt bad that she¡¯d gotten herself into this, so she tried to work it out without telling me¡­¡­.¡± Chase Jungkook¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°I had to, to protect my¡­ wife. I¡¯m really¡­ really sorry. I said I would crack down on crime in front of people, but I couldn¡¯t even protect my own people, and I compromised with reality. I¡¯m so ashamed and embarrassed.¡± If someone filmed this scene and exposed it to the world, would the public see his true colors and hurl insults and stones? I don¡¯t think so. Rather, those who doubted his sincerity in his humane aspect would disappear. At the same time, I remembered that he had arrived in this room first. He didn¡¯t turn his gaze away, but as soon as he realized it, he felt like he could sense eyes from all around the room. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Jung Taejin has been caught, and as long as he doesn¡¯t repeat it in the future.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you for understanding.¡± After exchanging brief words, he stood up. ¡°Here¡¯s my business card. I respect young genius appraisers like you, Mr. Woogil. I also need them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that great of a person.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re already a talent needed in South Korea just from what you¡¯ve done so far. If you need my help, feel free to contact me anytime.¡± With that, Chae Jungkook left the room, wearing a friendly smile. I returned home and cooled my head. Even just conversing briefly with individuals like Chae Jungkook could be mentally draining. The problem was that I would have to encounter Chae Jungkook quite frequently in the future. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Vrrr- As if on cue, my phone screen lit up with a vibration. [Kim Junghyun] Seeing the familiar name after a long time, I immediately answered the call. Click- ¡°Hello.¡± ¨C Mr. Woogil, this is Kim Junghyun. I heard you handled the Taejin Faction case well this time. ¡°Yes, thank you for connecting.¡± ¨C No, it¡¯s nothing. Just doing my job. Um, the reason I suddenly contacted you is because I heard that the operation for the Spiter Colony from above is proceeding as planned, so I wanted to inform you about it. ¡°¡­Are you going to use the Aura Stone?¡± Surely these crazy guys, even after being informed of the side effects, are still going ahead with it? ¨C No, the operation will proceed without the Aura Stone. ¡°¡­Then you¡¯ll need additional personnel.¡± ¨C Yes. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been called up this time. ¡°If you¡¯re joining, then we have a good chance of success.¡± ¨C But the risk level this time is quite high. I have a request for you, Mr. Woogil. Could you listen to it? It was Kim Junghyun¡¯s request, so of course, I had to listen. There was no room for hesitation. ¡°If it¡¯s a request from you, I¡¯m always welcome. Please tell me.¡± ¨C Thank you. This time, the plan is to have hunters from Japan support our operation. We¡¯ll probably substitute the Aura Stone with artifacts brought from their side. Could you verify them? ¡°Can I verify them? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have exceptional appraisers from both Korea and Japan?¡± ¨C The commanders of the Special Forces and Special Units participating in this operation are directly on the field, so if necessary, they can bring in appraisers for confirmation. Appraisers from both the Salvation Korea branch and the Japan branch¡­ It was a strange feeling. In the past, I couldn¡¯t even stand next to them because I wasn¡¯t awakened. But now, I could evaluate items and exchange assessments on equal terms. ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± I wonder how good these appraisers will be, and what they bring with them. My heart started pounding with anticipation. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 33 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 33: Operation (2) The next day, Kim Junghyun sent me the information about the artifact. ¡°To think this came out here¡­¡± A familiar pendant appeared on the computer monitor. The body of the pendant was crafted from obsidian, with a green light crystal core embedded in the center. Intricate patterns carved around it exuded a mysterious aura. A pendant hung on a chain of overlapping small loops. It was called the Voice of Enchantment artifact. Named for the eerie sound emanating from the pendant, said to mesmerize the beholder. Like a faint ghostly voice, unheard until recognized, but once perceived, it never left the mind. An artifact necklace made in the 30th century B.CD, previously rated as Grade-S in my previous life. Now evaluated as Grade-A. Though I had never seen it in person, it was a well-known item. It was said to emit special wavelengths that mesmerized living beings. The problem was that the pendant had once been in the hands of the worst criminal organization. ¡®Were they not in possession of the Voice of Enchantment back then?¡¯ The fact that they were calling in appraisers again hinted that they still didn¡¯t fully understand the true capabilities of this artifact. ¡°Hah¡­¡± There was never anything ordinary about the cases that came in. If it is something that the criminal organization has had since then¡­ ¡®It needs to be taken away or destroyed.¡¯ If not, they should track it down and stamp it out before their sprouts grew into a full-blown problem. ¡®It¡¯s even more frustrating that I can¡¯t be a part of this operation myself. ¡¯ The news that Kim Junghyun would be joining the operation was a relief, but it also brought anxiety. The assault on the Spiter Colony involved not only the side effects of the Aura Stone but also Named-class monsters guarding the place, putting the hunters in jeopardy. In addition, considering the possible involvement of a criminal organization, the risk increased several-fold. Though Kim Junghyun¡¯s knowledge of the Triple Ring¡¯s true usage had greatly increased compared to the past, it was still a dangerous situation. In a situation where external enemies were dangerous enough, would Kim Junghyun and the Korean hunters be able to handle internal threats as well? ¡®I can¡¯t let South Korea fall apart like it used to¡¯ Although Korea was now among the leading appraisal advanced nations, it was gradually declining over time. Was it due to someone¡¯s manipulation, or simply a lack of capability? ¡®I¡¯m sure the director is working on it somewhere.¡¯ The Director always said he loved Korea. But he found it pathetic to helplessly watch Korea crumble. In the tomb-raiding group I belonged to, there were only the Director and me as Koreans, and that made us close. We had always pledged to one another. Someday, we would acquire outstanding artifacts, improve our skills, and return to Korea. And we would revive Korea, which was crumbling. Although we ultimately failed to realize our resolution, perhaps heaven heard our earnest wish and gave me another chance. [Mana Wavelength and Substances] A beam of pure white light still flows along the borders of the book. Today, this beam of light would also disappear. ¡®Somehow, I ended up reading this first.¡¯ ¡¸The study of mana goes beyond simply understanding unknown energy. It is a journey to explore our world and its fundamental laws. By observing the interaction between mana waves and waves with the material world, we reveal the invisible order of dimensions and redefine our own position within it. Remembering that our knowledge is as vast and endless as the deep sea of mana, we must be constantly prepared to explore new horizons.¡¹ Thud. Closing the final page, once again, white beams of light burst forth along the edges, wrapping around my body and rotating before plunging into my left eye. ¡°Ugh!¡± A sensation of heat in the eyeball. Simultaneously, I felt an unknown floating sensation, and my vision began to fade away. [Mana Wavelengths Visualized.] It was a simple statement, but its meaning was far from simple. ¡°This is insane¡­¡± Waves emanating from various objects. More precisely, waves of various lengths and colors began to overwhelm the world in a chaotic manner. * * * Yang Jiwon checked her tablet incessantly as she knocked on the door of the team leader¡¯s office. Knock. Knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Giving a slight nod to Oh Geomsu, Yang Jiwon resumed looking at her tablet. Seeing her like that, Oh Geomsu let out a deep sigh and motioned for her to sit by tapping the table. ¡°I can¡¯t focus at all. I know you¡¯re busy, but taking breaks is also part of the job.¡± ¡°There¡¯s just too much to do.¡± ¡°Close the tablet.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I reluctantly closed the tablet and swallowed hard, feeling as if I was doing something forbidden. ¡°Overworking. You haven¡¯t properly rested since the Taejin faction incident ended.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not just me. I even felt better when I was handling the Taejin faction mission.¡± Agreeing with her, Oh Geomsu smiled. ¡°Yeah, sometimes being in the field feels better, doesn¡¯t it? Anyway, tell me about this mission.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that all in the report? You¡¯ve read and confirmed it too.¡± ¡°Besides that, I¡¯m talking about Kim Woogil.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yang Jiwon hesitated, touching her chin for a moment before speaking up. ¡°We might need to catch him before he crosses the border.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Yang Jiwon was serious, and Oh Geomsu seemed surprised as he asked. ¡°Yes, although it wasn¡¯t mentioned in the report, he said something.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He said if you consider the Valley of Peace as ordinary goods, it¡¯s a third-rate appraiser, an artifact as a second-rate appraiser, and if you evaluate it as a relic, it¡¯s a first-rate appraiser.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Oh Geomsu exclaimed with an intrigued expression. It sounded plausible. Especially considering the appraisal method he had used. Moreover, hadn¡¯t Sung Daehyun evaluated it as not a relic? In the process, other appraisers didn¡¯t realize it was a relic, hence giving a false appraisal as an artifact. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t actually a relic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It was a forgery. So, do you know what you said to Kim Woogil when you appraised the forgery?¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°¡­You called him a con artist.¡± Even now, Yang Jiwon couldn¡¯t believe it as she recounted, while Oh Geomsu furrowed his brow as if asking what she meant. Yang Jiwon repeated exactly what she had heard. ¡°He said it was a coincidence. Apparently, he had seen a similar forgery before, and it was similar, so he guessed right out of luck.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It could be true or not.¡± ¡°What kind of talk is that?¡± ¡°After that, I met Sung Daehyun. I asked him what he would do if I were to come out. He said he would dedicate himself to studying appraisals for a while.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why would he suddenly say that?¡± Curious, Oh Geomsu¡¯s expression was amusing, causing Yang Jiwon to hesitate with a chuckle. ¡°Curious?¡± ¡°You want to do more work?¡± ¡°Hehe! Team leader, what a dreadful thing to say. No, I asked him where he plans to study. I can¡¯t do Salvation appraiser work for a year and can¡¯t access related information, so what am I supposed to do? So, he said he¡¯s going to visit Kim Woogil.¡± ¡°Kim Woogil?¡± Oh Geomsu never thought Sung Daehyun would say such words, so he couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. ¡°Yes! Kim Woogil! Can you believe that the great Sung Daehyun is going to another appraiser to learn about appraisal? ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. He discerned the Elaris necklace forgery too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And even though he didn¡¯t use extraordinary magic during the fight, it seems he used a variety of magic types more than expected. They were all basic spells though.¡± ¡°Does he seem powerful in combat?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure. He seems to hide it, or maybe not. But one thing¡¯s for sure, his appraisal ability is top-notch. Didn¡¯t you tell me to watch closely? He looked like a golden thread to me.¡± Oh Geomsu¡¯s eyes swirled. In fact, he had evaluated Kim Woogil¡¯s abilities as excellent, but he had never seen him appraising in person. But if Yang Jiwon, who had seen him several times, was so confident, it must be somewhat proven. Kim Junghyun actively assisting him alone was proof enough of his worth. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going to focus on not letting go of that golden thread, and if we can, we¡¯re going to bond it as tightly as we can.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying that the network of one excellent appraiser is worth ten hunters.¡± Saying that, Oh Geomsu nodded. ¡°A top-notch appraiser is worth a hundred hunters.¡± ¡°If Kim Woogil is at that level, he might be at the top in about ten years.¡± ¡°Alright! Take a half day off today! You¡¯ve worked hard, so rest today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. You haven¡¯t visited Park Junpyo since the last mission where he got injured, have you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been really busy.¡± ¡°Exactly. Take this opportunity to visit him.¡± ¡°Got it. Am I really leaving work?¡± ¡°Yes. If anyone asks, tell them I sent you.¡± ¡°Okay! Then¡­¡± She flipped the tablet on the table upside down and handed it to Oh Geomsu. ¡°I have to finish this by today, so please take care of it. Hehe.¡± Laughing with a cute voice, she quickly left the office. ¡°¡­She should save that cuteness for Park Junpyo.¡± Oh Geomsu said that and flipped the tablet back over. * * * The operational meeting room for the Spiter Colony Assault Operation. There, team leader-level personnel participating in this operation and the appraisers they brought together took their seats. Three personnel from Japan and four from the Korean Salvation. A total of seven people. ¡°Nakazawa Haruka. The team leader.¡± Her voice, automatically translated through the earpiece, was heard. She was a woman with a strong impression, sporting short brown hair. Her manner of speaking was crisp and tough. She was the leader of the Japanese Special Forces, the Kensoryu, supporting this operation. ¡°And this is Narikawa Atsumasa. The owner of the artifact we brought this time.¡± A young-looking man with a buzz cut. However, contrary to his appearance, he was an Rank-A hunter who showed a reckless attitude in actual combat. ¡®He¡¯s the owner of the artifact?¡¯ Woogil looked closely at Atsumasa. Outwardly, he seemed like a mild-mannered man. ¡°This is the appraiser I brought with me this time.¡± A young and handsome appraiser spoke, sweeping back his yellowish bangs. ¡°I¡¯m Shimakoto Yutaro. Haha! I never thought I¡¯d end up in a place like this!¡± Shimakoto Yutaro was a highly renowned appraiser in Japan. I¡¯ve heard his name a few times on social media, as he was quite active there. ¡°Let¡¯s introduce this side as well.¡± Lee Jincheol, the leader of the Awakening Special Forces Team 1, affiliated with the Korean Salvation, stepped forward and introduced himself and the appraisers he brought. Dr. Yun was an appraiser affiliated with the Salvation. He was a middle-aged man whose hair was beginning to gray. After the introductions, everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Kim Junghyun and Woogil. Junghyun introduced Woogil calmly. ¡°I¡¯m Kim Junghyun, the team leader of the Awakening Special Support Unit 2. And this person here is the appraiser I brought.¡± Adjusting the mask covering my entire head and modulating my voice using the mask¡¯s frequency, I spoke. ¡°I¡¯m Appraiser K.¡± Even though my face was not visible, others felt uncomfortable, but Kim Junghyun, who noticed this, stepped forward to intervene. ¡°He prefers to keep his identity hidden due to certain circumstances.¡± ¡°How arrogant do you have to be to hide your identity?¡± Haruka asked pointedly, and Junghyun bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll guarantee his identity, and if there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡± ¡°Hunter Kim Junghyun. I don¡¯t trust him. I don¡¯t know how long he¡¯s going to keep pretending to be good and just, but I don¡¯t talk to people who wear masks.¡± As Haruka said this and stood up, the others followed her lead, watching her expression. ¡°I don¡¯t see what all the fuss is about.¡± At my muttered words, Haruka turned back with a stern face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already received the appraisal data, so why are you leaving now, saying you don¡¯t believe it? If you were going to do that, you should have said so from the beginning. And isn¡¯t this place supposed to be just for exchanging appraisal evaluations of this artifact? Are you trying to run away because you¡¯re afraid the artifact¡¯s flaws might be exposed?¡± Although my face was not visible under the mask, no one in the room failed to detect the mockery in my voice. Haruka was no exception. With her face flushed red with anger, she stared at me and said. ¡°Say that again.¡± Her voice was full of anger, despite her efforts to calm down. I remained unfazed and continued to speak. ¡°Let¡¯s talk with appraisals. Why? Are you not confident?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 34 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 34: Operations (3) The woman, who seemed on the verge of flipping the table moments ago, surprisingly sat down obediently. Team leader Lee Jincheol and the appraiser he brought from his side looked worried, as if wondering what to make of this situation. Kim Junghyun¡¯s expression turned serious as he locked eyes with me. The look in his eyes did not indicate to ask why I was provoking her. It was a look that seemed to question if there was anything wrong with the artifact. Not for a single moment did he doubt my appraisal abilities. He believed there must be a reason for my sudden behavior. If there was nothing wrong with the artifact, I wouldn¡¯t provoke others like this. ¡°All right. Feeling confident, are we? Do you see anything strange about the artifact?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that there¡¯s anything strange¡­ It¡¯s just that I¡¯m wondering if you guys properly appraised the artifact. We came here to help, but if you¡¯re going to disrespect Hunter Kim Junghyun like this, wouldn¡¯t that make you lose the will to help?¡± ¡°Tsk, Haruka. You¡¯re the one who crossed the line first. Whether our appraiser wears a mask or not, it shouldn¡¯t matter from your perspective, right?¡± Jincheol, who had been quietly observing, intervened. He didn¡¯t want to be dragged around by the Japanese like this. Already, Korea had to bear significant losses in the negotiations for support in the Spiter Colony Assault Operation. It was hard to watch these guys asking for more on their own terms. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not for you to judge. We haven¡¯t properly appraised it? Japan is considered to be superior in appraisal skills compared to Korea. Does what he say over there make sense?¡± This time, she spoke with a mocking tone, and Jincheol and Dr. Yun¡¯s expressions stiffened at her words. ¡°People who are so arrogant often can¡¯t see beyond the clouds and can¡¯t even imagine the existence of the universe.¡± ¡°Your self-confidence is admirable. All right. You, Yutaro, and the appraisers from Korea. Let¡¯s evaluate this artifact, and let¡¯s see who evaluated its value more accurately. If we win, I¡¯ll give you one of the items from my collection. What will you wager?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wager this dagger.¡± I took out an old dagger from my waist and infused it with magic, unfolding a pocket dimension. Blue mana sparks flew as the dagger, piercing through the air, opened the pocket dimension. People sighed in amazement at the sight. Haruka nodded, seemingly impressed. ¡°You have an interesting item. Fine. That should be enough. I¡¯ll show you what I have briefly. Take a good look.¡± As she turned the frame of the watch she held in her hand slightly, a hologram appeared. When she pushed the air with her finger, several items appeared. It was her collection. I smiled inwardly as I observed her flipping through the list. ¡®¡­Huh, it seems like the heavens keep throwing good fortune my way.¡¯ I saw an ancient manuscript in the collection. And confirming that its author was Arcana through insight, I nodded. Had she acquired Arcana¡¯s legacy? If so, it made sense for her to easily show the already devalued ancient manuscript. But as someone who knew how difficult it was to obtain that legacy, I was confident that the likelihood of that was low. I observed her carefully as she flipped through the list. Her gaze, voice, and expressions subtly changed with each artifact or artifact that appeared. She seemed to react more to the ones that she didn¡¯t care much about, rather than the ones that were truly valuable. Even when the ancient manuscript of Arcana appeared, she didn¡¯t bat an eyelid, as if implying she didn¡¯t care about such books. ¡®Just the fact that she put that book in her collection means she understands its value to some extent.¡¯ If she truly knew its value, she wouldn¡¯t have shown it off like this, but she must know something about it. This fact was quite intriguing. Whether it was her or someone around her, someone had interpreted the contents of that ancient manuscript to some extent. ¡°Take it out.¡± At Haruka¡¯s command, Atsumasa untied the pendant hidden in his T-shirt and placed it on the table. Then, she looked at him as if to entrust him with it. Yutaro, with a confident expression that seemed to say he couldn¡¯t lose. ¡°The name of the artifact is Voice of Enchantment. It as an Grade-A artifact, stimulating and seducing monsters with mana waves emanating from the green light crystal embedded in the pendant¡¯s center. Based on the high curvature and fluidity of the internal mana circuit, it appeared to be an artifact created in the early B.CD 3000s. And¡­¡± As his explanation continued without pause, Dr. Yun and others nodded in admiration, uttering quiet expressions of amazement. After finishing all his explanations and smiling as if to ask, ¡®How was my performance?¡¯ Yutaro shrugged his shoulders. Indeed, he had the skills to back up such confidence. Judging solely by the appraisal results, he was almost at the level of a grandmaster, despite looking barely in his early thirties. ¡®I can see why they brought him here.¡¯ Japan has a lot of talent like this. The choice was made to show off the young appraiser¡¯s skills. But as clearly as I saw the advantages, I also saw the disadvantages. ¡°I heard Yutaro¡¯s evaluation well. I mostly agree with it, but let me add a few more details¡­¡± Dr. Yun meticulously pointed out the minute details that Yutaro had missed or failed to explain. They were the flaws I had noticed. ¡°If you look here, you can see unidentified characters engraved on the edge of the pendant. You might think it¡¯s just a sign of ageing or simple decoration, but if you look at records of ancient magical civilizations, you¡¯ll find similar forms of ancient languages.¡± Listening to him, I inwardly admired him. It was a moment when I could understand why this person had come here. ¡®That¡¯s something I could never catch in just a few dozen ancient historical records.¡¯ With his glasses pushed up, he continued to discuss other minor details and concluded his evaluation. In fact, there were just questions, nothing was resolved. There was no certainty about what that ancient language was, whether it was correct or not. But even finding that out was the skill of an appraiser. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± With a look as if to say, ¡°Go ahead and blabber.¡± Haruka glanced at me. The others remain silent, waiting for Ugil to speak up. I grabbed the chain part of the necklace and began to speak. ¡°Understanding the history of ancient magical civilizations isn¡¯t easy. That¡¯s why we must comprehend and memorize a lot of information, while also synthesizing all that knowledge to create new insights into the information we haven¡¯t discovered yet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden lecture? Are you trying to teach the people here something?¡± Haruka chuckled. In truth, I spoke like this because I could see the passion of the appraisers present in this room. The way an appraiser looks at the object in front of them, the gentle touch, the lips that close in contemplation, the time spent deciphering¡­ Just by observing their opinions, you could feel their passion and depth. I felt that passion and sincerity from both Yutaro and Dr. Yun. Even in appraising a single item, if such advice could give them some insight, it was worth the momentary inconvenience. And such things would accumulate to further advance the field of appraisal. While aspiring to be the best appraiser, I didn¡¯t intend to climb to the top alone. This was one of the principles I had learned from my master. Thanks to this principle, I had learned a lot from him. ¡°You might find something valuable here too,¡± he lightly dismissed Haruka¡¯s words and continued his explanation. ¡°The core of the artifact is indeed in this part where the essence is embedded, but as we move into the B.CD 3000s, the technology of mana circuits rapidly advanced, and even slight differences could cause designs to collapse and effects to change from their intended purpose. What you overlooked is the effect of this chain.¡± My eyes widened. At the same time, the various waves emanating from the pendant vividly unfolded before me. The waves emanating from the pendant and its chain rotated chaotically, creating intricate patterns that seemed to distort. It felt like bending space and time. This was the result of the legacy obtained through [Mana Wavelength and Substances]. Initially, I could see waves with my insight, but now it was completely different. With no need for insight, mana consumption also drastically decreased, and interpreting the waves became more intuitively understandable. ¡°You mean this chain?¡± Dr. Yun asked. ¡°Yes, these chains made up of overlapping small rings regulate the mana waves emanating from the pendant. The spiral line engraved in a whirlpool-like pattern in the center of the pendant. You might think of it as Ellanoi¡¯s ¡®Infinite Spiral,¡¯ but you¡¯d be wrong. The real Infinite Spiral is the form of the waves created by this pendant.¡± The reason why Japanese appraisers confirmed this as an artifact was probably because of the Infinite Spiral engraved on the pendant. Along with the effect of emitting waves that seduce monsters, there was also the Infinite Spiral that artisans of the Ellanoi race must include in their works. But that was a mere coincidence. The line carved on the pendant was just an auxiliary device to turn the form of simple waves into a real Infinite Spiral. The real evidence to confirm that this was the work of the Ellanoi wasn¡¯t visible, it lay in the form of those waves that couldn¡¯t be seen. I infused mana into the pendant. Then, the spiral waves rotating infinitely spread through space. At the same time, when some parts of the chain were surrounded by mana to disrupt the flow, the waves began to subtly distort. ¡°Wha¡­ What¡­?¡± ¡°What in the¡­? Was Director Haruka always this beautiful?¡± As a faint voice, seemingly flowing from somewhere, whispered in their ears, Yutaro and Dr. Yun¡¯s pupils dilated, as if they were bewitched. S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± Sensing something amiss, Haruka, Kim Junghyun, and Lee Jincheol resisted the mental interference with their mana. Clang! As Haruka drew her sword to strike my wrist, Kim Junghyun and Lee Jincheol simultaneously intervened to stop her. ¡°What on earth are you doing?¡± ¡°You keep crossing the line, Haruka.¡± Kim Junghyun¡¯s eyes blazed like fire. In contrast, Lee Jincheol¡¯s expression, with a gun pointed at Haruka¡¯s head, was as cold as ice. I released the mana in response to the increasingly serious atmosphere, dispersing the waves. Then, Yutaro and Dr. Yun regained their composure. ¡°What was I just doing?¡± ¡°What in the world was that?¡± ¡°Mesmerization. It¡¯s that allure the monsters experience.¡± I calmly remarked as I put down the necklace. Haruka, now calmed from her excitement, shot me a fierce glare before sheathing her sword and sitting back down. ¡°This is outrageous! Humans shouldn¡¯t be able to hear the voice¡­¡± Yutaro, who had been protesting, suddenly fell silent. He clearly heard it just now. That ghostly voice. He briefly wondered if I had used magic, but there was no way the three hunters present here wouldn¡¯t have noticed. And instinctively, he knew. That voice that whispered in his ear just now was emitted by the artifact. ¡°An artifact, as remarkable as its functions, can become a bomb if you don¡¯t know how to use it properly.¡± Haruka¡¯s expression hardened gravely. The flat, unemotional voice felt like a loud slap to the back of her head. For the first time, her pupils fluttered slightly. ¡°Director Haruka of the Sword Dragon Guild. What kind of confidence did you have to trash the appraisal and go home?¡± The sudden interrogation left her unable to respond easily. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°If this place didn¡¯t exist, the Salvation Korean Special Forces would have proceeded with the operation relying solely on this artifact, and if such an abrupt incident occurred, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never had such an incident before.¡± Rather than apologizing, she only preserved her own pride, causing my voice to become even colder. ¡°Can you be sure that won¡¯t happen in the future? Haruka. Have they always indulged such reckless behavior over there? Is this the behavior of an S-rank hunter?¡± Even with that sarcasm, she couldn¡¯t do anything but blush. Grrr. Looking at her stubborn expression, I raised one corner of my mouth. ¡°No, or was it intentional¡­ something like that?¡± At my words, she glared at me with widened eyes. ¡°What nonsense is that!¡± ¡°Then answer me. Is this situation because of your incompetence, or did the Japanese Defense Force, who knew all this, deliberately deploy this dangerous artifact in the Korean operation?¡± [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 35 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 35: Operation (4) A Dilemma, trapped on all sides. This is perhaps how Haruka is feeling right now. Lee Jincheol thought that the appraiser named K¡¯s appraisal skills were good, but his ability to take control of the situation was unusual. Haruka would have to endure great losses no matter which option she chooses. Giving one of the collections as a bet with K was no longer a big deal. She had no choice but to either tarnish the honor of the Sword Dragon Unit and slightly concede the negotiating rights for the Spiter Colony raid operation, or to admit that she had tried to carry out a covert operation against the Korean military. In fact, there was only one choice. It must be her pride that is preventing her from answering right away. ¡®This is the skill of an appraisal specialist who has delved into the field of appraisal for decades. To find what even Dr. Yoon couldn¡¯t find in this way.¡¯ It is difficult to estimate his age because his face is covered and his voice is distorted, but he must be at least middle-aged. This evaluation was actually just a formality. No one really thought there was a problem with the Voice of Enchantment. It had already been used twice in actual combat within Japan. But then an appraiser named K suddenly appeared and found a problem with the Voice of Enchantment. Lee Jincheol felt his heart pounding. It is rare for an outstanding Awakened to play a major role in negotiations between countries. However, that was something that had nothing to do with Korea until now. No, maybe it was possible in the past, but it is impossible now. That impossible thing was happening now. ¡®I feel like my heart is about to explode.¡¯ After the plan of Salvation¡¯s Korean branch fell through, they made a humiliating deal to receive help from Japan in exchange for handing over more than 30% of the resources from the Spiter Colony. This was a negotiation that had to be made in a situation where the Spiter Colony had to be dealt with as quickly as possible. But who knew that the situation would turn around like this? ¡°Yutaro.¡± Haruka asked Yutaro if the appraisal result was correct, and Yutaro nodded after looking back and forth between the Voice of Enchantment and K as if he were out of his mind. ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­ it is.¡± Haruka¡¯s eyebrows twitched and she bowed her head to the Korean Awakened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We didn¡¯t properly check the ability of the artifact on our side. I sincerely apologize.¡± ¡°If it were a personal matter, it would be different, but this is a matter that has been concluded in negotiations between countries.¡± Woogil said, and she bit her lip and nodded. ¡°The negotiation will have to be recalibrated. This is a big mistake on Japan¡¯s part.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And originally I would have to be paid an appraisal fee, but since I came here at Kim Junghyun¡¯s request, I won¡¯t take it. But the negotiation will have to be that much. Japan can¡¯t be said to have lost money just by finding out the true ability of an Grade-A artifact. No, I don¡¯t know if we should consider it Grade-A anymore. It¡¯s at a level where it¡¯s okay to consider it Grade-S.¡± Her face hardened even more at those words. If he hadn¡¯t said it, she might have thought, but now that he¡¯d said he¡¯d leave the appraisal fee up for negotiation, the Korean side would take that into account and try to get a bigger cut. ¡°For your information, my appraisal fee is 3% of the appraised value, 4% if it¡¯s determined to be an artifact, and 5% if it¡¯s determined to be a relic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She was about to argue that the appraisal fee was too expensive, but then she stopped. I just saw that appraisal skill, and 5% is a bargain. With that level of skill, there¡¯s no need to really consider appraisal failures. ¡°And about the collection earlier.¡± ¡°Yes. Speak. Shall I send you a list separately?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve already decided. There¡¯s an ancient book, so I¡¯ll use that.¡± She must not have expected me to choose the ancient book, as her eyes shook like an earthquake. ¡°Why¡­ the ancient book?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯d appreciate it if you could send it over quickly. By the way, I¡¯m quite confident in ancient languages, so you¡¯d better not try to scam me. If you don¡¯t want to be embarrassed again, that is.¡± She, who was dazed by this, replied that she understood, unable to contain her anger, and then left the room. Atsumasa, who remained in the room, hurriedly grabbed the Voice of Enchantment and followed her out. However, Yutaro did not leave right away, but stared at me and then approached me. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± He fumbled through his pocket, took out his phone, and handed it to me. Wondering what it was, I looked at the screen and saw the search bar of Stargram open. ¡°Do you use Stargram? Follow me!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I was momentarily confused, for the first time since I came here, at the completely unexpected request. * * * The appraisal session was over like that, and a sudden meeting was held in the military strategy planning room. Jincheol, Dr. Yoon, and Kim Junghyun, who were seated there, explained the situation exactly as it happened, watching the video through the cameras installed there. ¡°¡­That¡¯s how we were able to gain an advantageous position in this renegotiation.¡± Eight appraisers were seated there. Among them was Park Man-deuk, the section chief of Appraisal Team 2. ¡®¡­This looks exactly like watching Kim Woogil.¡¯ He glanced at Kim Junghyun. Kim Junghyun¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change an inch. ¡°Hunter Kim Junghyun, who is that appraiser?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an appraiser I happened to know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking who he is.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Kim Junghyun was adamant, and the director of the strategy planning room narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is he a criminal?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°He said it¡¯s not time for him to reveal his identity yet.¡± ¡°¡­Some kind of hidden hero?¡± His sarcastic remark was met with a few stifled chuckles from those around him, but Kim Junghyun remained unfazed. Knowing that once Kim Junghyun made up his mind, there was no turning back, the director of the strategy planning room gave up on hearing the identity. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not a suspicious person, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. In fact, he might even be helpful to the country.¡± ¡°Then how about bringing him to Salvation?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to do that too, but he doesn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Play that appraisal scene again.¡± The employee turned the screen back to the part where Woogil was using his emotions. ¨C A series of small rings overlapping¡­ As if to say that this is what appraisers are for, he leisurely finished his appraisal and showed off his ability. Although it was impossible to see his face properly because his head was covered in cloth, the experience and composure he showed were something that even the section chief-level appraisers here couldn¡¯t easily show. ¨C That¡¯s nonsense! The Voice of Enchantment shouldn¡¯t be audible to humans¡­ Yutaro¡¯s frank expression of disbelief was captured on camera, and Haruka¡¯s distorted expression gave everyone in the room a sense of satisfaction. ¨C Then answer me. Is this situation because of your incompetence, or did the Japanese Defense Agency, which knew all these facts, deliberately put this dangerous artifact into the Korean operation? With those words, which Kim Woogil punctuated with the final period, the screen stopped and a low hum and silence filled the meeting room. Some people¡¯s faces lit up a little and a smile appeared on their lips. Jincheol and Kim Junghyun were the same. This negotiation was a situation where Korea had no choice but to be dragged around by Japan. And then the negotiation ends up being a bitter pill to swallow. But the existence of an appraiser named K turned the situation around in an instant. The director of the strategy planning room barely suppressed his rising excitement and said. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get back to it.¡± The team leader of the strategy planning room nodded and explained the situation. ¡°Yes, in the previous negotiation, we agreed to provide 30% of the resources from the Spiter Colony to the Japanese Salvation for three years, but we plan to renegotiate to reduce the term to one year and the percentage to 10%.¡± S~?a??h the N???lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What are the conditions?¡± ¡°We plan to continue receiving support from the Sword Dragon Unit and the right to use the Voice of Enchantment, just like before.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t K say that the Voice of Enchantment could be problematic?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain that.¡± Kim Junghyun stepped forward and said. ¡°K has offered to teach us how to use the Voice of Enchantment without problems.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Can we trust that?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we be able to trust him? We plan to verify the method separately.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯d like to hear the opinions of the appraisers. What do you all think?¡± The eight appraisers, including Dr. Yoon, were hesitant to answer. After all, they all saw Woogil¡¯s appraisal but still couldn¡¯t understand the principle of the Voice of Enchantment. In fact, they wanted to go to him right away and ask him how he had done it. ¡°I¡¯m in favor.¡± Dr. Yoon was the first to speak. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been studying the history of ancient civilizations for over a decade. At this level, I can feel something even from just a few words. That person has a depth of knowledge that is different.¡± Several appraisers nodded at Dr. Yoon¡¯s words of almost praise. Then another person raised their hand. ¡°I¡¯m in favor too.¡± It was Park Man-deuk. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It was an appraisal that left me speechless. I agree with Dr. Yoon¡¯s opinion.¡± He almost said Kim Woogil by mistake, but he managed to catch himself and breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, he felt a gaze and his eyes met Kim Junghyun¡¯s for a brief moment. It was a look that seemed to say, ¡®Did you get it?¡¯ Man-deuk, who saw it, was sure of it. The fact that K was Kim Woogil. And he realized that he was not on a luxury cruise but on an aircraft carrier. ¡®Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t properly thanked him for the Aura Stone. Should I send him a set of the best Korean beef?¡¯ ¡°Then next is¡­¡± * * * ¡°It¡¯s definitely strange.¡± Even after this meeting, I couldn¡¯t easily find any clues about the criminal organization. Haruka, Atsumasa, and Yutaro also seemed to be surprised that the Voice of Enchantment could have such an effect. Although the owner of the Voice of Enchantment is Atsumasa, he is bound to Salvation and Grade-A artifacts are actually managed by Salvation, so he cannot use it freely. Could it really have nothing to do with that criminal group? Atsumasa looked like an ordinary A-Rank hunter on the surface. ¡®I hope it¡¯s not related, but if he¡¯s involved with those guys, it¡¯s going to be a pain.¡¯ The reason I hid my identity this time was because of a possible situation. The criminal organization ¡®Nexa Order¡¯. They are the worst criminal organization in human history. They believe that Awakened are the next stage of human evolution and that non-Awakened should be eliminated and Awakened should lead the world. They are crazy. The Voice of Enchantment was also an artifact used by a member of the Nexa Order called the ¡®Enchantress¡¯. That¡¯s why I was suspicious. If this was a plot by the Nexa Order, both Korea and Japan would be at their mercy. The Nexa Order won¡¯t fully emerge until later, but it¡¯s possible they¡¯re already working behind the scenes. I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing. I called Kim Junghyun. Ring. ¨C Yes, this is Kim Junghyun. ¡°Junghyun, is it possible to investigate the Sword Dragon Unit?¡± ¨C The Sword Dragon Unit is a special force of Awakened in Japan. There may be some limitations to the information you¡¯re looking for. ¡°Even a little is fine. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could at least look into Atsumasa or Haruka.¡± ¨C I understand. I¡¯ll do my best. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¨C Oh, and thanks to you, we¡¯re going to get a big reward from Salvation this time. ¡°Great.¡± ¨C Alright, I¡¯ll be in touch. Click. The phone hung up and I plopped down on the bed. ¡®Is this all I can do right now? I hope the ancient book comes soon.¡¯ The ancient book I obtained from Haruka could help me supplement my combat power, which was lacking. While Kartia was a theoretical expert, Arcana was a magician who only dealt with practical matters. It¡¯s fine for now, but as the war with interdimensional monsters intensifies, appraisers will also be required to have combat power as time goes on. That means they need to at least be able to protect themselves. If the ancient book comes, I plan to focus on reading it for the time being. ¡°I have a lot to do.¡± A few more days passed. I confirmed the location of the appraisal office and various preparations with Mr. Junpyo, and organized the list of unappraised items I received from Park Man-deuk. Time passed quickly, and I received the ancient book that Haruka had sent through Junghyun. [Principles of Wave Magic] Author: Arcana Pandmorelindro Fiennes [Insight Activated] A stream of pure white light flowed around the border of the ancient book. It was undoubtedly the original. And it was still undeciphered by anyone. ¡®Haruka will regret handing this over.¡¯ She was certainly aware of the value of the ancient book to some extent. But she didn¡¯t know the true value that lay within it. Perhaps if she had known the true value, she would have tried everything in her power not to hand over the ancient book. ¡°Wave magic¡­¡± What is Arcana¡¯s legacy? With such anticipation, I immediately opened the first page of the ancient book. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 36 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 36: Trust At the training grounds for the Awakened, there was a visitor who appeared before the drenched Haruka, soaked in sweat. S?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Miss Haruka, it¡¯s been a while.¡± A rugged man with a round-brimmed hat pulled down low. Draped in a long overcoat that reached his ankles, he sat down on a chair. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, is it already time? Just wait a moment.¡± Haruka finished her shower, changed into her casual clothes, and returned to sit across from him. ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but I don¡¯t appreciate you showing up out of the blue like this without any prior notice.¡± Despite her complaint, the man casually nodded his head. Unable to determine whether his nod meant genuine understanding or not, she clicked her tongue softly. With his hat pulled down low, obscuring more than half of his face, she couldn¡¯t discern his expression. All she could see were sharp jaws and pale lips. Other than the fact that his voice was surprisingly high-pitched for a man, there wasn¡¯t much else she knew about him. ¡°I¡¯ve come to collect.¡± As before, with no preamble, he got straight to the point, unmistakably the same man as before. ¡°Alright. A deal is a deal.¡± This man was an appraiser hiding in the shadows. This is the man who once appraised the Voice of Enchantment and gave the Sword Dragon Unit a Grade-A artifact. Back then, he had said he would come back in a year to ask for one of her possessions. Haruka had agreed, and now the time had come. ¡°Here¡¯s my collection.¡± As she was showing her collection, she felt a moment of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Didn¡¯t I show the collection to an appraiser named K not long ago because I lost in an appraisal contest? And I had been robbed of the ancient book. ¡°Where¡¯s the ancient book you showed me last time?¡± ¡°I gave it to someone else.¡± Silence emanated from the man at that moment. Despite his expression being unreadable due to his hat, she could tell he was angry by the slow movement of his jaw. ¡®What is so special about that ancient book that both that appraiser and this man are seeking it?¡¯ She realized that this man had helped her back then because of that ancient book. Though she had initially thought the ancient book was useless, the man subtly hinted at its value. Recognizing his exceptional appraisal skills, Haruka had refrained from selling the ancient book until now. But the nagging question remained, why didn¡¯t he take it then and instead came back after a year? ¡°Who is it?¡± She had felt it then as well, this man was no ordinary person. She couldn¡¯t understand his appraisal abilities nor his way of acting. Therefore, Haruka found this situation rather amusing. ¡°He¡¯s an appraiser named K. He¡¯s in Korea. I don¡¯t know his true identity, but Kim Junghyun seemed to know something.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take that.¡± The man picked out one item from her collection, and Haruka furrowed her brows. It was a sculpture in the shape of a bird with folded wings. It looked slightly eerie, but there was nothing particularly special about it. When mana was infused into it, red light flowed out through the internal mana circuit, accompanied by a cawing sound. However, for some reason, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to discard it. It was a hunter¡¯s intuition. Suddenly, that seemingly worthless item seemed like a valuable artifact when this man took it. ¡°Here.¡± Haruka took it out of the safe and handed it over to him, and he left immediately. There were too many unanswered questions. Who exactly was that man, and what was the ancient book? And what abilities did that bird sculpture possess? ¡°I hope they end up fighting and tearing each other apart.¡± * * * Negotiations between Korea and Japan were settled according to the conditions proposed by the Strategic Planning Team after several intense debates. From the beginning, it was a fight Japan couldn¡¯t win. The Voice of Enchantment was an artifact powerful enough to enchant even people. Attempting to deploy such a dangerous artifact into Korean operations without precise appraisal analysis was problematic, regardless of the intentions. Furthermore, the fact that the Korean and Japanese outposts were closest to each other on the Herta planet exacerbated the situation. Although, in terms of distance, they were significantly farther apart compared to other countries, the situation was far from ideal with animosity brewing between them. In a situation where cooperation was essential amid the surrounding monsters, there was no choice but to settle things amicably in the end. ¡°Spiter Colony is classified as a Risk Level C area, but the problem is that abnormal fluctuations have been detected there, altering the movements of the monsters.¡± Junghyun explained the current situation to Woogil over a meal at a private restaurant. ¡°You¡¯re worried about Named monsters appearing.¡± ¡°Yes, according to our analysis, there¡¯s a possibility of upgrading from C to A-rank.¡± ¡°Salvation will have no choice but to intervene, then.¡± Risk Level C zones are where intermediate-level monsters reside. It takes about 20 to 30 soldiers armed with modern weapons to capture one intermediate-level monster, and one intermediate-level monster¡¯s combat power is almost on par with that of a C-rank hunter. However, if it¡¯s upgraded to Risk Level A, then the story changes. Colonies where Named monsters exist. The fact that they form groups implies that Named monsters possess intelligence comparable to that of humans, and if monsters start using military tactics, it means trouble. Dealing with them becomes much more difficult, requiring significantly more power, and the damage escalates rapidly. That¡¯s why the National Defense of the Korean branch of Salvation requested support as if they had a fire on their backs. ¡°Therefore, we need to handle that place cautiously without losing any firepower.¡± ¡°We have Hunter Kim Junghyun, so we¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kim Junghyun is South Korea¡¯s leading S-rank Hunter. Unlike other S-rankers, he is loyal to his country for the sake of justice alone. However, he doesn¡¯t just do what the state tells him to do. He¡¯s a man of strong convictions and is willing to lay down his life like a dog to save the weak. ¡°Thanks to Woogil, the triple resonance of the Triple Ring is now possible, and I think I can handle any named monsters by myself.¡± ¡°You will play a significant role in this operation.¡± ¡°Yes, ah! And I brought the items you requested as compensation for this operation.¡± He took out five books from his bag and laid them on one side of the table. I had asked for a few selected from the hundreds of ancient books stored by Salvation. Most of them were trash, but there were some that seemed usable among them. Since he had gathered all the valuable ancient books separately, retrieving these from the trash pile was quite a significant harvest. ¡°I wanted to bring a few more, but it was limited to five.¡± Unfortunately, there were no books by Kartiana Arcana. Well, even if the value of their books was unknown at this point, it would have been unreasonable to obtain them so easily. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I knew you had expertise in ancient languages, but¡­ are you perhaps a mnemonic?¡± When it comes to studying ancient magic civilization, ancient languages and mana circuits are among the most difficult. Ancient languages were so vast that it was impossible to memorize and decipher it all, and the mana circuits varied incredibly in terms of technological advancement. Even now, they were barely at the level of replicating the technology from around B.CD 1000s. Perhaps the United States or China had advanced to the level of B.CD 2000. But I not only possessed the knowledge of mana circuits in my early twenties but also mastered ancient languages, so it was understandable that it was hard to comprehend. It wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable to think that I might be a mnemonic, someone who remembers everything they¡¯ve ever experienced. ¡°Haha, I just have a slightly better memory.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s just slightly better, then I must be a fool.¡± ¡°Did you expect me to make such a joke?¡± ¡°Were you not amused?¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. So, would you like to hear an interesting fact?¡± I chuckled. Seeing Woogil¡¯s demeanor, Junghyun tensed nervously. Whenever he made such a smile, something surprising always happened. ¡°The appraiser from the Salvation in Japan will soon contact you, Junghyun.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯ll need to learn how to use the Voice of Enchantment. They¡¯ll probably ask for introductions and resort to all sorts of bribery tactics.¡± ¡°But would those prideful individuals really do that? The Japanese appraisers I know don¡¯t even bow their heads to American or Chinese appraisers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different this time. No matter how strong their pride is, the pride of their superiors is more important.¡± With this negotiation, the Japanese appraisers must have faced a significant crisis. What they thought was a Grade-A artifact turned out to be a Grade-S one. If they failed to figure out the proper usage of that Grade-S artifact, the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t stay silent. ¡®It¡¯s not just Japan, it¡¯s the same for other countries too.¡¯ There was a reason why the value of appraisers kept rising. Even when I was in the excavating team, the higher-ups kept pressuring the appraisers to properly evaluate the artifacts and artifacts they brought back. If this pressure spread to multiple countries, it would become even more intense. ¡°If they come, just ignore them all. It¡¯s not the right time for them to know yet.¡± ¡°Understood. Oh, and there¡¯s someone who wants to see you, Woogil. Professor Won Chang-yeon, the Senior Professor of the Department of Appraisals at the Salvation Academy, was deeply impressed by your explanation of the ¡®Resonance Distortion Phenomenon¡¯ and wants to talk about it.¡± If he was the Senior Professor of the Department of Appraisals at the Salvation Academy, he would be quite an authoritative figure in appraisals within Korea. He was known for his tremendous efforts to produce outstanding appraiser readers in Korea. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s meet.¡± I readily agreed, smiling as if pleased. ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it.¡± ¡°Do you still want me to join the Salvation, Junghyun?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not as strong as I used to be. I think even without joining Salvation, you can still help many people.¡± ¡°If, and only if, there comes a time when you have to sacrifice yourself to save ordinary people in danger, what will you do?¡± At my sudden question, Junghyun hesitated, then looked at me seriously. ¡°If I can save them, I will.¡± ¡°If Junghyun dies for that choice, more people may die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible. But I can¡¯t turn away from people who need me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that to alleviate your guilt?¡± Like interrogating, I asked. Although it could be upsetting, Junghyun answered seriously to the end. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible. Everyone thinks I¡¯m righteous and kind, but I¡¯m more selfish than they think.¡± ¡°¡­Usually, we don¡¯t call someone who sacrifices themselves for others selfish.¡± I smiled softly. The insight had confirmed that everything he said was true. ¡®I see.¡¯ Although Junghyun had indeed sacrificed himself to save others in reality, maybe in this world, could it be different? Perhaps that death at that time might have been a mistake or not entirely his fault, a suspicion lingering somewhere in my mind. So I wanted to make sure. ¡°If such a situation arises¡­ please don¡¯t act rashly.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°Confirm my presence around you, and if I¡¯m not there, contact me.¡± Junghyun chuckled at my concern. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll come to rescue me?¡± ¡°Yes, so please don¡¯t die recklessly.¡± I meant it. If Junghyun ended up dying in a situation similar to the one in his past life, I might suffer from PTSD. ¡°I will definitely come to rescue you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± * * * The next day, Woogil received a call from Junghyun, probably because Junghyun had given his contact information to Professor Won Chang-yeon. I readily accepted the invitation to meet at his research lab at the Salvation Academy. ¡®Come to think of it¡­ was it when Kim Woo-hee entered the academy?¡¯ Kim Woo-hee. Woogil¡¯s only younger sister. I didn¡¯t know in the past that my sister had enrolled in the Salvation Academy. She hadn¡¯t kept in touch with the family. It wasn¡¯t until our parents told me about it that I found out. Surely, they didn¡¯t mention it to protect the pride of the son who had gone to Seoul to succeed. The Salvation Academy was in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do. How disappointed she must have been not to receive a single call from her brother after coming all the way from the countryside. ¡®It was all for my sake.¡¯ Not knowing that, I still didn¡¯t contact her even after hearing the news from our parents. At that time, I was full of inferiority complex. Despite studying and striving like crazy, I was angry and jealous that it was my sister, not me, who awakened first. My sister had entered the academy to help me become an outstanding appraiser. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± I went home and picked up the book I had put aside. ¡®They say the first-year students who haven¡¯t done pre-study these days are having a hard time, huh?¡¯ I grabbed a blank notebook that was next to me and flipped to the first page. ¡°Hmm¡­ what should I write?¡± After contemplating the title of the first page for a while, I picked up a pen. [All You Need to Know About Mana and Mana Circuits] ¡®Okay. This should do.¡¯ I guess this life was brought back to me by Teraunus so that I could clear away my past mistakes and regrets. I pondered for a long time, twirling the pen in my hand. [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Chapter 37 [Translator ¨C Angel Dust][Proofreader ¨C Prototype] Unknown Facts (1) Salvation Academy, Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do. It was built on what used to be a large park and amusement park. The Salvation Korean branch academy, boasting a vast area with a large reservoir at its center, is filled with people from all over the country who aspire to become awakened individuals and disciples. Places where training or classes are conducted are restricted to outsiders, but other areas are open to outsiders, so many people frequented the place like a tourist attraction. ¡°It¡¯s still the same.¡± I felt a different feeling as I entered the entrance of the academy after a long time. The reason why so many people visit the academy is because of its otherworldly design. The mystery of the academy begins outside the entrance. The moment you enter the archway, you feel disconnected from the outside world. Inside the passage, blue lines resembling mana circuits flowed like a painting, and at the same time, those who entered the passage could only see a single golden path laid out in the darkness without seeing the outside. Following that path reveals a magical school completely different from the city center outside. Grass laid around the reservoir, beautifully decorated gardens, and park paths filled with the scent of grass. Buildings combining the architectural styles of ancient magic civilizations catch the eye. Buildings filled with a combination of magical engineering and scientific technology were beyond beauty, even mystical. ¡®It¡¯s definitely well made.¡¯ Many people were drawn to this place because of its contrast with the monotonous architecture of Seoul. The design of Salvation Academy received worldwide acclaim to the extent that Korea became famous for it globally. ¡®Well, now other places have followed suit, and there are a lot of similar places popping up.¡¯ I took the internal bus and went inside. Since the grounds were so vast, there was a dedicated bus within the academy. The regularly circulating bus stopped at its final destination. Chiiik¨D. The car door opened and people got off. There was another academy within the academy. A huge barrier surrounded it, and only those who were identified could enter through a small door below it. I headed straight for the main gate with a doorman. ¡°No outsiders allowed.¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± I showed the electronic pass I had received from Professor Won Chang-yeon. When I scanned it on the internal machine, the authorization was granted and the door opened. ¡°Come on in.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As I went inside, another world unfolded before me. Since the internal barrier prevented the outside from seeing the inside, I was amazed. If the outside was decorated in a flashy, artificial way, then this place felt more like the real deal. It was monotonous, but it also felt somehow upscale and dignified. I heard that the designer of the Salvation Korea branch academy had created this place and had become one of the greatest architects in the world. ¡®I can see why.¡¯ Walking in and out of a place like this every day, the pride of the academy students must soar. However, I couldn¡¯t quite get a sense of where to go, so I just kept turning my head around, and in the distance, a bespectacled woman seemed to be looking for someone, wandering around nearby. ¡°Um¡­¡± The woman looked at me and tilted her head for a moment before approaching me. ¡°Um¡­ Have you seen anyone else around here?¡± ¡°I was the only one here.¡± ¡°Then¡­ are you by any chance, Kim Woogil?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Oh? Professor Won Chang-yeon called you here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry! I thought you were an older person and made a mistake!¡± As the woman bowed at a 90-degree angle and repeatedly apologized, I stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s just go.¡± ¡°Yes, oh! My name is Cynthia, and I¡¯m Professor Won Chang-yeon¡¯s assistant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kim Woogil.¡± ¡°You look so young¡­ I heard you¡¯re an expert in the mineral field.¡± She adjusted her glasses and her eyes lit up. If she¡¯s Professor Won Chang-yeon¡¯s assistant, she must be an elite with considerable skills. Is she also interested in the mineral field? Or is she just curious about the fact that I¡¯m young enough for Professor Won Chang-yeon to call me here? ¡®Cynthia¡­ It¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard before.¡¯ ¡°You must be a graduate student if you¡¯re an assistant. Why didn¡¯t you join Salvation?¡± ¡°I want to study more under Professor Won Chang-yeon.¡± ¡°I see. What field are you in?¡± ¡°My main research field is ancient language research, but I¡¯m also studying mana circuits and wavelengths.¡± The fact that she chose to be an assistant rather than join Salvation must mean that she¡¯s really interested in research in this field. ¡®Ancient language¡­ huh¡­¡¯ As we walked while having a light conversation, we soon arrived at Professor Won Chang-yeon¡¯s office. Knock. Knock. Knock. ¡°Mr. Kim Woogil is here. Professor.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± I went inside, and Cynthia gave a light bow and went somewhere else. The interior of the fairly spacious office. The large bookshelves that filled both walls were the most striking feature. There must have been hundreds of books visible at a glance. Not only that, but there were already piles of paper on the desk, and Professor Won had just been reading a paper when he took off his glasses and stood up. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Professor Won Chang-yeon, the head professor of the Department of Appraisals at Salvation Academy.¡± He approached and extended his hand towards me. ¡°I¡¯m Kim Woogil.¡± He shook my hand and his eyes were full of interest. Rather than being surprised that the man in front of him was the appraiser who had established the resonance distortion phenomenon, he was filled with a deep curiosity. ¡°Have a seat.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± As soon as I sat down on the sofa, I felt a sense of comfort that enveloped me. ¡®This sofa¡­ surely it¡¯s not made by Henri Duval?¡¯ Feeling something strange as soon as I sat down on the sofa, I looked at the pattern engraved on the armrest of the sofa and used my Insight. [Merziene Luminous] A classic sofa with Henri Duval¡¯s unique touch. Made with durable French oak with rich grain, the frame is designed for lasting comfort. The combination of down feathers sourced from the Provence meadows and a special herb blend creates a flow of mana circuits that mimics the shape of a meadow, providing a harmonious balance of comfort for the mind and body. || Solar Calendar May 21, 2034 || Fatigue Recovery || Comfort ¡°You seem to know what you¡¯re looking at.¡± ¡°Yes, Henri Duval is quite famous, isn¡¯t he?¡± A pattern of a sparrow perched on a stump and vines surrounding it. This is a pattern that represents Henri Duval, a furniture maker known worldwide. ¡°His furniture, which embodies the mana circuits of the B.CD 1000s, is quite highly regarded. The mana circuits were also quite well-refined.¡± His eyes lit up at my calm evaluation. ¡°Quite well-refined¡­ it¡¯s not easy to use the word ¡®quite well-refined¡¯ for Henri Duval¡¯s skills.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? But compared to the craftsmen of the B.CD 1000s, he¡¯s still lacking.¡± Click. He silently picked up the tea on the table and poured it slowly. I took a sip of my tea in sync with him. Even as I swallowed the tea, he was still savoring his own. I observed him slowly. An old man with snow-white hair tied back loosely. I heard he was over sixty. But apart from his snow-white hair, he looked so well-groomed that he could easily pass for someone in his fifties. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. If Chae Jungkook was a vigorous man, then Won Chang-yeon was like an ancient tree that had stood for hundreds of years. He had an aura that could only be possessed by someone who had delved very deeply into a single field. ¡°I saw the resonance distortion phenomenon you established. I¡¯ve seen it a dozen of times.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it an establishment. It¡¯s just a simple theory I came up with from looking at the wavelengths of aura stones.¡± ¡°It was a short explanation, only about five A4 pages long. But the shorter it was, the more impressive I found it. Wasn¡¯t the essence of the resonance distortion phenomenon all in there?¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my surprise for a moment. It was as short as he said. The resonance distortion phenomenon was a difficult concept to grasp without a proper understanding of the movement and characteristics of mana, the energy source, the ripple effects caused by it, the relationship between wavelengths, and so on. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t even a detailed explanation of the content, but rather, as he said, it just showed the key points and the possibility of such results. I had skipped half of the intermediate steps, but he had grasped it. All I had done with the appraisal in Section 2 was to explain the phenomenon of mana wavelengths one by one and show them that the wavelengths were moving according to the theory. No one had properly understood the theory, and they hadn¡¯t even thought of grasping it. ¡®He¡¯s definitely different.¡¯ If he didn¡¯t have innate insight and intuition, he wouldn¡¯t be able to look at me with such eager eyes right now. They look like they¡¯re dying to find out the secret. . I took a sip of my tea, trying not to show my excitement, before replying. ¡°I was just lucky. I¡¯ve been observing minerals closely for a while now, and that¡¯s how I gained some knowledge about mana wavelengths. I also came up with a hypothesis, and it turned out to be right.¡± ¡°Humility is a virtue, but there¡¯s no need to hide everything. I¡¯d like to hear your insights.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak honestly.¡± Me and Chang-yeon spent nearly two hours discussing the mana wavelengths of aura stones. It was a fascinating and informative time, so much so that we lost track of time. I didn¡¯t share all the information I had, as there were still many parts that would be difficult to understand. However, by sharing our thoughts with each other, I also gained a lot of new insights. It was an experience I wanted to repeat. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. If it weren¡¯t for my next lecture, we could have at least had dinner together. This went on too long. Did I take up too much of your time?¡± ¡°No, not at all. It was a meaningful experience for me just to have a conversation with you about mana wavelengths, esteemed senior.¡± ¡°Woogil, would you be free to come tomorrow? I¡¯d like you to sit in on my lecture.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you do it now?¡± ¡°I have a lecture on mana circuit theory tomorrow.¡± ¡°Can I sit in on that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a first-year student¡¯s mana circuit lecture, so it should be fine.¡± A first-year student¡¯s mana circuit lecture¡­ wouldn¡¯t my sister be attending that? ¡°That sounds interesting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a delicious dinner after the lecture tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± * * * Vision Tower, Salvation Academy, South korea. Vision Tower is the name of the building where first-year students mainly take their classes. Kim Woo-hee sat down wearily, her face showing the fatigue of having endured lectures and practice sessions from morning to afternoon, ready for her last class. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sleepy. Woo-hee.¡± Ha Yeon-soo, sitting next to her, slams her head on the desk and whines with a face like she¡¯s about to die. ¡°Who has time to sleep when you¡¯re working like crazy?¡± As soon as Kim Woo-hee sits down, she turns on her tablet and looks over the lecture materials. Seeing her, Ha Yeon-soo also sighs and turns on her tablet, sticking her tongue out. Even though they entered at the same time, the gap in ability among their classmates is considerable. This gap was especially large in their first year. Most of those who awakened from ordinary families had not even received proper basic education, while those from well-to-do families entered with a basic knowledge base already established. Kim Woo-hee and Ha Yeon-soo were from ordinary families who had awakened, and they had to work even harder to catch up with the others. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m working hard. Really hard.¡± ¡°What difference does it make if you look at it for a few more minutes?¡± ¡°Oh, come on. There¡¯s an old saying that even a tiny speck of dust can make a mountain.¡± A group of classmates sitting behind the two of them snicker at them. Ha Yeon-soo flinches, ready to snap, but Kim Woo-hee seems oblivious and focuses on her studies. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you asked your parents to help you study in advance?¡± Cha Ji-yeon, the leader of the group of female classmates, says, patting Kim Woo-hee¡¯s head. ¡°So, are you going to make it to sophomore year?¡± And then, Cha Ji-yeon, twirling her yellow hair, looks down at Kim Woo-hee with disgust. Annoyed by the constant nagging, Ha Yeon-soo throws in a remark. ¡°Your potential grade is lower than Woo-hee¡¯s.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ji-yeon narrows her eyes and glares at her, but Yeon-soo returns the glare and said. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. Are you guys great? It¡¯s your parents who are great. Oh, you spent so much money on tutoring and you only got a C or B on your potential grade? Your parents must be so disappointed. Kid.¡± ¡°Are you done talking?¡± ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t do it? Why? Are you trying to show off to that cool senior? What good is a potential grade of C anyway?¡± ¡°You really-¡± Just as their voices were getting louder and attracting the attention of the other students¡­ Click-. The front door opens and Won Chang-yeon and a young man enter the lecture hall. Woo-hee, who was having trouble concentrating because of Cha Ji-yeon, thought it was a good thing that the class was about to start, but her eyes widened when she saw the young man who came in with the professor. ¡°Everyone, be quiet. I¡¯d like to introduce the special guest speaker for this lecture.¡± With the sudden appearance of an external lecturer, the students¡¯ attention is focused on him. The handsome young man, dressed in a neatly pressed shirt and a luxurious tie, introduced himself with a gentle smile. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Kim Woogil.¡± Despite his relaxed appearance, he was feeling quite flustered. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d be coming here as a lecturer, not as a guest student¡­¡¯ It was all because of Professor Won¡¯s sudden suggestion. And when he asked how he should proceed with a lecture he hadn¡¯t planned for, Professor Won told him that he just needed to pique their curiosity about wavelengths. ¡®Curiosity¡­¡¯ Woogil¡¯s eyes fell on Kim Woo-hee. ¡®Why don¡¯t we make them really curious?¡¯ [Translator ¨C Angel Dust] [Proofreader ¨C Prototype]