Please, Join Us!
"Nice to meet you. I'm Gak Il-sik."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Nam Young-hu."
"Nice to meet you. I'm An Seong-hwan."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Dong-won."
Kang Seol-bin watched the four men take turns greeting each other with the exact same words, shaking hands and exchanging business cards. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over her. It had been just like this last time. The only difference was the two new faces.
An Seong-hwan, section chief of the underwater excavation division at the National Maritime Cultural Heritage Research Institute, and Kim Dong-won, an underwater archaeologist with the institute.
After the greetings, everyone but Kim Dong-won—who was hanging back, repeatedly pushing his horn-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose—burst into hearty laughter. But even amid the smiles, they were carefully sizing each other up, just like before.
"Well, let's all sit down first."
"Yeah, we can't keep standing around talking like this."
As they took seats at President Nam's suggestion, Kang Seol-bin thought it felt less awkward than last time.
Second time around, and it's not as tense as before. Do businesspeople and politicians get used to this stuff like this?
Just then—
"Bin-i, take this."
"Ah, yep!"
At her mom's call, she jumped up and headed to the kitchen, where a tray of cups filled with buckwheat tea awaited. Not the tea-bag kind, but proper buckwheat roasted in a pan and brewed rich and flavorful.
"Be careful."
"Hehe, it's settled a lot now."
"Still."
Flashing a bright smile at her worried mom—who fretted she might trip and spill everything in her excitement—Kang Seol-bin carried the tray extra carefully.
"How about we sip this while we talk? Oh, anyone allergic to buckwheat tea?"
They all shook their heads with smiles, so she set a cup in front of each and dashed back to drop off the tray before plopping down.
Slurp. Gulp.
A brief silence fell as they moistened their throats with the hot, savory tea.
Kang Seol-bin glanced around, assessing the room, then realized it. She—the one who'd hooked the "golden pollock," as the captain put it—needed to kick things off.
Ahem, ahem.
Clearing her throat awkwardly, she met their expectant gazes with a small smile and spoke.
"So, shall we confirm the golden pollock and discuss next steps?"
"Golden pollock—a fine name."
"Haha, yeah."
As Kang Seol-bin stood to fetch the cooler, Gak Il-sik beat her to it. He strode over, hefted the heavy cooler—packed with ice, a massive plump pollock, and the gold items—like it was nothing, and set it lightly on the stand by the table.
"Thanks for the help. Alright, shall we open it?"
Click.
The lid popped open, revealing the gold treasures. Gak Il-sik, who'd peeked before, stayed composed, but the other three men's eyes went wide.
"Whoa!"
"Ooh…"
"This…!"
They gawked, exclaiming in awe, when—snap!
Turning at the sound, Kang Seol-bin saw Kim Dong-won snapping on latex gloves.
"Uh… sorry."
He'd fumbled the gloves, fingers splayed awkwardly under their stares, rolling his eyes behind thick lenses.
"Seeing the artifacts got me excited… My work's always a race against time, so rushing's a habit."
"A race against time?"
"Ah, yes. Underwater archaeology's like that. Similar to land digs at first glance, but the environment's different."
"Ah, like how seawater corrodes everything fast?"
"Yes. River water's similar, but seawater's salty, with strong currents—artifacts degrade in real-time. And what you find one day might be gone the next. So we jump in right away when something's discovered underwater."
"I see. That's why you hurried today."
"That too, but… I really wanted to check it ASAP. From the video, that gold ring looks just like the one from the southern tomb of Geumnyeongchong in Gyeongju."
"So, what era's accessory is it?"
"Silla Dynasty."
"Whoa!"
"An expert will confirm the exact period, but—"
"Expert? More than you?"
"Actually, gold coins are my specialty. Especially Japan's buried treasure hoards."
"Buried treasure hoards?"
"Exactly that—gold hidden in secret spots for reasons unknown, unseen for centuries. These oblong coins were common in Japan's Edo period: large ones oban, medium koban, small ichibukin. Strictly controlled, with special signatures and marks."
"Ahh…"
Kang Seol-bin, listening intently, tilted her head. "So, a Silla-era ring and Edo-period coins found together—what does that mean?"
"Hm… Probably looted goods and collector's items."
"Looted?!"
Her eyes widened at the implication—history class memories flashing by.
"Yes. The colonial era was like that. But."
Kim Dong-won's voice gained strength as he raised a finger.
"If this oblong coin matches my guess, then thanks to you, those Japanese bastards—ahem—"
An Seong-hwan shrugged at his pause. "Hey, not official, just us—'Japanese bastards' is fine, right?"
"Of course. As much as you want. After what they did."
"It's okay, really."
Encouraged by smiles and nods, he continued.
"Japan has tons of legends about these coins. Sure, Edo trade used them, but if this is Toyotomi gold or Tokugawa gold? They'd froth at the mouth. Tokugawa's supposedly gold bars, but no one knows for sure. Local governments are digging for Toyotomi or Tokugawa gold to pay debts, beat recessions… Coins turn up in renovations, but those two? Rare as hen's teeth. If this is real, it'll be a uproar."
His eyes blazed behind the glasses. Kang Seol-bin was dumbfounded.
Buried gold? Toyotomi gold? Tokugawa gold?
Secret treasure? A famous movie popped into her head.
"Whoa, like Indiana Jones."
"Ah, that movie lured lots into archaeology."
An Seong-hwan chuckled. "Personally, Indiana's more tomb raider than archaeologist. Smashing ancient sites for relics? Real archaeologists don't wreck sites for artifacts."
"Haha, true. He just smashes and burns everything."
Laughter eased the tension. Kim Dong-won cracked his neck side to side, flexed his gloved fingers, and said:
"Then, Ms. Kang Seol-bin, may I take a look at the coin?"
"Of course—that's why you're here."
She nodded. He leaned over the cooler, delicately lifting an oblong gold coin under a magnifying glass. His eyes darted rapidly—counting? Reading?
Kang Seol-bin wondered. There were markings on the coin, but… not reading, more like counting?
He scrutinized it from every angle, methodically tapping with a finger. Closer to counting than reading.
Counting the notches?
The intense focus lasted until the tea went cold. No one spoke. Sweat beaded on his forehead, as if alone with the coin.
And—
"Hoo…"
He finally looked up, face alight with—
"No way?"
An Seong-hwan's expression mixed hope, worry, desperation. Others glanced between them, confused. Kim Dong-won nodded slightly—
"W-w-waaaaaah!"
He set the coin down gently, clamped both hands over his mouth, squeezed his eyes shut, and sobbed.
Stunned by the sudden outburst—
Thud!
"Ms. Kang Seol-bin!!"
"Y-yes?!"
Startled by her name bellowed, she turned. An Seong-hwan leaped from his chair, eyes ablaze, shouting:
"Please, join us!"
"—Join… you?"
Plop.
The now-crystal-clear lump slipped from my palm to the floor.
「Whoa!」
Hwa-jeong caught it quick and set it gently beside me. It wouldn't have shattered even if it hit, though. Inner core shells aren't that fragile.
With the energy fully absorbed, only the transparent crystal shell remained—but that's useful too. For spirit artifacts, pills… or bombs.
Hoo—
I drew a long breath. The air was hot, with a faintly unpleasant odor.
After absorbing the inner core and circulating its energy, I'd "straightened" my body—expelling accumulated toxins, priming it to gather nature's qi faster and easier. A clean slate for efficient cultivation.
Still, the waste poured out endlessly, like a fountain. Eleven years bedridden, pumped full of drugs to stay alive—expected.
If Hwa-jeong hadn't burned the gunk emerging from my pores, my patient gown would've been a toxic mess.
Good thing I'd opened the window first. Body heat warmed the air, and despite her efforts, a faint waste smell lingered—not nose-holding bad, but enough to wrinkle brows if someone entered.
Hooo— Inhale, exhale.
Breathing steadily, I pondered. With Earth Spirit's help now, herbs and spirit items will come easier, better. I can even grow them.
Heavenly Wood took a chunk of the core's energy as expected, but its purity left plenty—for emergencies.
I could borrow from Heavenly Wood in a pinch, but even a split-second delay might expose a gap. Battles turn on moments, like against the Aberration King.
I swirled the upper body's qi a few cycles to settle it, then caught my breath.
Hoo, hooo—
Slowly, very slowly… I raised my body.
Not fully—just lifting back and head from the tilted bed. But free from being pinned down—progress.
Muscles atrophied and stiff, body trembled. Careful now. Rushing from a few steps to running risks injury.
Hoo, hooo—
Repeating breaths, I tried speaking. Just raspy wheezes. Vocal cords not ready—sentences will take time.
Talking to Mom and Bin-i later.
Smacking my lips regretfully, I lifted my arms. Skeletal, stick-thin. No wheelchair-pushing strength yet, but spirits can roll wheels or lift the chair. Electric one's finger-operated anyway.
Wheelchair to walker, cane, then my own feet—soon.
I'll make "soon" happen.
「Coming.」
Hwa-jeong, toying with the shell, glanced out the window.
Yeah. They're here.
Moments later—crash!
「We. Worked hard. Master. Praise! Us!」
「Right. We. Super worked hard! Master. Praise! Us!」
Bundles in tow, wildly excited Gwang-jeong and Su-jeong burst in.