novelraw Chapter 165 : The Golden Insignia (3)
Chapter 165 : The Golden Insignia (3)
[3, 2, 1. Sale complete! Host number 270 has purchased 'Hundred-Year Wild Yam' for 150,000 gold!]
Clap clap clap.
Kwon Seung-yeon, who had obtained the Hundred-Year Wild Yam that significantly boosts mana, poked my side happily.
"Thanks, Su-hyeon!"
"You could have bought something else."
"Nah, it's fine. Just increasing my mana a bit will make fighting much better."
"Hmm."
That's the right mindset.
"By the way, what are you planning to buy?"
"Well, I have something in mind..."
There are occasional items like that.
Items that are significantly undervalued compared to their actual worth, due to certain conditions or hidden secrets.
'That mushroom I ate when hunting the Cockatrice was such a case.'
Even that mushroom, which had considerable blood vessel cleansing effects if one could endure the extreme pain from its poison, would have been dismissed as merely poisonous by most people if it weren't for me.
After about ten items had passed.
[Yes, let's continue with the next item. 'Golden Goblin's Attachment Doll'! An item said to bring good luck if you sleep with it at your bedside! Starting at 10,000 gold!]
"Huh, can't believe they deal with such junk items."
"Well, isn't it nice? We need to have this kind of fun too."
"Hahaha. Whoever buys that must be either a nouveau riche with too much money or some clueless nobody."
The hosts sitting next to us sneered, and.
"140,000 gold."
I immediately raised the price by 14 times.
"......?"
"......!"
The auction fell silent for a moment at the appearance of a madman who abruptly offered 140,000 gold for an item that would barely fetch 20,000 gold at market price.
[......Yes, any more bids?]
5 seconds of silence.
[3, 2, 1. Sale complete! Host number 271 has purchased 'Golden Goblin's Attachment Doll' for 140,000 gold!]
Naturally, there was no other crazy person willing to bid higher for such an item, so the auction ended.
'It's an item that greatly enhances luck.'
It was said that just having this item and investing in stocks would immediately double or triple your money.
Of course, I was the only one who knew its value,
"Hehehe, to pay 140,000 gold for something like that...?"
The hosts openly mocked me loud enough for me to hear.
"Seems like they have no experience participating in auctions like this."
"Well, you know the type, right? Sightseers who come to look around and somehow buy the cheapest item to pay the entrance fee and leave."
'I can hear everything.'
They were deliberately speaking in English, but I could understand them.
Of course, I had no intention of causing a commotion, so I pretended not to understand and sat quietly.
'It's fortunate that Kwon Seung-yeon doesn't understand English.'
"What's with them? Are they laughing at us?"
Kwon Seung-yeon growled.
"No. Don't mind them."
I tried to calm her down.
"That's not what's important, right? And I have a feeling it might be a better item than expected."
"Hmmmm."
Kwon Seung-yeon reluctantly nodded.
"Anyway, I don't like those guys."
"Leave them be."
An hour passed like that.
[The auction will reopen at this time tomorrow! We look forward to your continued support, hosts!]
Today's auction concluded, and now it was time for buyers to head to the exchange for item collection.
"Alright. Let's go now."
"Okay."
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What Kang Woojung bought was a ring with a 15-carat pink diamond.
'It's a good item to have as emergency funds.'
Due to its rarity, it was a reliable item to possess at any time.
'Well, it's just pocket change now.'
Kang Woojung smirked.
"Welcome. Please state the amount you wish to exchange and the item purchased."
Sitting in front of a staff member wearing an animal mask, Kang Woojung deliberately spoke in a stiff tone.
"1.2 million gold. Pink diamond ring."
"Understood. The exchange amount including fees is 1,458,350,000 won. The payment method..."
"Bank transfer."
"Understood. Please fill in the bank name, account number, and password. This information will be discarded immediately after use."
'What a pain.'
A system where the exchange staff connects directly with the outside of the barrier space to make the transfer when told directly.
'Can't believe such a thing is openly allowed. The world is truly crazy.'
Thinking there was nothing surprising in such a crazy world anymore, Kang Woojung filled out the form as requested by the staff.
"Ah, and one more thing."
"What is it, sir?"
"I'd like to meet with the bank president."
"If you could tell me what it's regarding, I'll report it."
Kang Woojung lowered his voice.
"Would it suffice to say it's about a secret vault?"
"Understood. In that case, I'll escort you to the waiting room on the third floor."
Done.
Kang Woojung replied with a raised corner of his mouth.
"Please do."
Just as Kang Woojung, who had received his pink diamond ring and put it away, was heading to the waiting room.
"Hey! Tell the boss to come out!"
'What's this commotion?'
Kang Woojung frowned with an ominous feeling as he saw a disturbance in the waiting line.
"What are you trying to do?"
Someone (Kwon Seung-yeon) with a height of about 160 to 170 cm, wrapped in a cloak, was shouting loudly with a distorted voice.
"Sir, we're not sure what issue you're having..."
"What issue? What isssssue? Are you nobodies daring to block my way when you don't even know that?!"
The voice from the cloak, whether male or female it was impossible to tell, only grew louder.
"Honey, calm down."
The large-framed cloaked figure standing next to her, presumably her husband, tried to intervene, but.
"I want someone above you guys to come out!"
Once fired up, her anger showed no signs of stopping.
'How vulgar. It's always these nouveau riche types who make a scene without knowing anything.'
As Kang Woojung, who had been on alert, turned away in disgust, just then.
Su-hyeon, who had eaten the voice-altering candy received from Old Man Jang beforehand, suddenly shouted in a tremendous voice like a lion's roar.
"Kang Woojung! I've come for the insignia!"
Having tensed up and then relaxed, Kang Woojung was caught completely off guard and unconsciously turned around.
"Found him."
Su-hyeon, who had been watching the crowd with superhuman perception using his Eye Power, made direct eye contact with Kang Woojung.
"......Fuck!"
Immediately, Kang Woojung began to flee, pushing through the crowd.
"Let's go!"
"Okay!"
Su-hyeon and Kwon Seung-yeon immediately began to chase after him.
"Hey hey hey, that guy is Kang Woojung!"
"Hmm, so there were other trackers besides us."
"It doesn't matter! We'll just kill them all!"
Ha Jin-su and Kwak Hyeok-jung, who had been waiting from a distance, also joined the chase.
"What?!"
"What's with these people!"
"Chikushō!"
English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and even Arabic.
Amid the chaos of curses in all kinds of languages.
"Well, that's certainly global!"
Kwon Seung-yeon, who had made her body as light as a feather using her 'Weight Control' characteristic, ran forward, lightly stepping on people's shoulders and heads.
"Hmm."
Su-hyeon, applying Min Hae-na's footwork, slipped through the impossibly rigid barrier of people like a loach.
"Stop! Stop!"
"Block those bastards!"
"Contact the security chief! Unknown personnel are causing a riot!"
"Arrogant bastards! Do they know where they are!"
Eventually, with security guards rushing in, the situation turned into complete chaos.
"You there! Stop!"
"As if we would!"
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"Huff huff! That bastard is damn fast, seriously!"
Kwon Seung-yeon stuck out her tongue.
'What has he been eating to become so good at running away? I can't close the distance.'
She thought, looking at another cloaked figure running a little behind her.
'Who's that? This is getting annoying.'
Three minutes after she went left and Su-hyeon went right at a fork in the road.
Su-hyeon hadn't been following, perhaps caught by someone, and one of the two late runners was also nowhere to be seen.
'To eliminate the competition?'
For now, she had no intention of engaging with the cloaked figure chasing her from behind.
'If I really set my mind to running, he probably couldn't catch me anyway?'
Kwon Seung-yeon maintained her breathing and raised her pace significantly.
'I'll definitely catch you!'
At that moment.
"Hmm. I don't know where you've been rolling around, but you're quite skilled."
Su-hyeon was facing off against his opponent on a building rooftop.
"But you'd better give up. I'll spare your life if you back down now. Opportunities to receive my mercy are rare."
'This guy. Is it Kwak Hyeok-jung!'
Su-hyeon ground his molars, having guessed the opponent's identity through his unaltered voice.
'This time it's really a series of unexpected situations. If it continues like this, it will be troublesome.'
But if there was one fortunate thing.
The opponent didn't seem to recognize Su-hyeon.
'If Kwak Hyeok-jung recognizes me, the situation will become more complicated.'
Considering Kwak Hyeok-jung's strength, which couldn't settle a score with Kim Cheol-han.
It was impossible for the current Su-hyeon to defeat him.
But.
'It seems he doesn't intend to use his abilities yet.'
If that was the case, Su-hyeon thought there might be ways to inflict damage.
"What a dull-witted bastard. I was being generous enough to show you mercy."
Kwak Hyeok-jung clicked his tongue as he saw Su-hyeon walking toward him.
Step step.
As Su-hyeon finally approached within striking distance.
Bwoong!
Kwak Hyeok-jung's extended fist flew with enough force to blow away Su-hyeon's face.
But Su-hyeon, who had activated his Eye Power, dodged the fist with superhuman dynamic vision and then.
"!?"
Threw off the cloak he was wearing.
"Tch!"
With his vision momentarily obscured, Kwak Hyeok-jung raised his guard.
Crack!
Su-hyeon, who had moved behind him, delivered a high kick to the back of his head.
"Kuhk!"
Having been hit in a vital spot without warning, Kwak Hyeok-jung quickly swung his fist even in the midst of pain, but.
Thwack!
Su-hyeon parried the punch with his front hand and then delivered a back-hand straight into Kwak Hyeok-jung's face.
Bweok!
As Kwak Hyeok-jung, grimacing in pain, retreated, Su-hyeon again launched a high kick at the exposed cover.
'Where do you think!'
Bwoong!
Kwak Hyeok-jung ducked to avoid the high kick and threw a hook at Su-hyeon's now defenseless face, but.
Even then, Su-hyeon used his superhuman core strength and balance to deflect the hook, spinning around once to deliver a back-spin elbow strike.
"This bastard!"
Kwak Hyeok-jung was surprised by Su-hyeon's skill, turning his jaw precisely without even looking back.
Su-hyeon grabbed Kwak Hyeok-jung's neck, pushed it down, and delivered two consecutive knee kicks to his ribs.
Bweok! Bweok!
Despite feeling intense pain, the enraged Kwak Hyeok-jung tried to shake off Su-hyeon with tremendous force, but.
'I expected that.'
Su-hyeon used that momentum, shifting his weight exquisitely to sweep Kwak Hyeok-jung's legs and throw him to the ground.
Bweok!
Kwak Hyeok-jung blocked the following merciless soccer kick with his guard, bounced up like a spring, and threw off his cloak.
"You, have you learned Muay Thai?"
"As you can see."
Su-hyeon answered.
'Good. I'll go with this style.'
Su-hyeon was trying to make his opponent mistake him for a Muay Thai practitioner.
'Reminds me of when I beat up Yang Dongju.'
Su-hyeon thought.
'Of course, the difference in opponent's level between then and now is like heaven and earth.'
Fortunately, this kind of close-quarters combat wasn't Kwak Hyeok-jung's specialty.
"Here I come again."
Burburburak!
Kwak Hyeok-jung gritted his teeth as he blocked Su-hyeon's continuous jabs, low kicks, and middle kicks with his solid guard.
'This bastard has trained his body to a considerable level.'
Because he was wearing a mask, it was impossible to tell whether he was human or Ma-in.
'That Golden Insignia must be quite something. Even a guy like this is desperately after it.'
Kwak Hyeok-jung's curiosity only grew.
'I'll admit it. It seems difficult to take you down without using my abilities.'
But he couldn't forgive anyone who interfered with him.
"Fine. First, I'll tear off that mask."
Kwak Hyeok-jung growled and said.
"Then I'll flay your face and stick it on my drum."
"Quite the perverse taste."
Su-hyeon grinned, but was internally tense.
'I should avoid using Mana Shield if possible.'
Especially fighting in mid-air by stepping on Mana Shield, which was Su-hyeon's specialty.
With Kwak Hyeok-jung, there was a risk of revealing his identity.
'That would complicate the situation further.'
With a completely enraged Kwak Hyeok-jung as his opponent, his life would also be in danger.
"Hahaha."
In Kwak Hyeok-jung's hand, a long whip with spikes appeared.
"If you get hit even once, it'll be interesting from then on. Try to dodge well."
As he said.
That was a terrible torture device that would tear flesh off if it hit.
'He really has perverse tastes.'
Swish!
As the whip flew toward his feet without warning, Su-hyeon jumped to avoid it.
"That's right."
Kwak Hyeok-jung grinned and waved his hand, and iron chains created in mid-air instantly grabbed Su-hyeon's limbs, fixing him in the air.
'Damn!'
And again, the whip flew toward him.
Su-hyeon had no choice but to cover his entire body with a thick Mana Shield.
Kwaang!
With a deafening sound that could hardly be considered the sound of a whip hitting something, Su-hyeon's shield successfully deflected the whip.
"Hmm?"
Kwak Hyeok-jung expressed doubt at the strange feeling.
'What's with this guy? He knows how to use Mana Shield?'
People who could use magic while being proficient in close combat were quite rare.
'I can't let my identity be revealed.'
Su-hyeon, who had broken out in a cold sweat, attempted to improvise on the spot.
He surrounded his entire body with Mana Shield to transform his appearance into something like a heavily armored infantry soldier, then broke the chains and charged at Kwak Hyeok-jung.
"Uoooooh!"
Just before Su-hyeon came to mind in his mental directory, Kwak Hyeok-jung stopped his thoughts and created a spiked club on the spot, striking Su-hyeon.
Kwaang!
Su-hyeon, who blocked it by crossing both arms, was pushed back three steps.
'Damn, he pierced through that thick shield?'
Su-hyeon clicked his tongue as he caressed his bleeding forearm where the skin seemed to have been scraped.
'Brute force.'
"Hmm. You're really strange."
Kwak Hyeok-jung said.
"I'm curious about your face."
"Why would you be curious about my face?"
"Hahaha. Well. One thing's for sure, if you are who I think you are..."
Murderous intent rose from Kwak Hyeok-jung's entire body.
"Then you can look forward to it."