Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Chapter 28: Human Hunt (5)
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‘In gold badge status, I can go about two days without much strain….’
It had been roughly 52 hours since my last sleep.
I felt a bit tired, but not to the point where I couldn’t push through.
By the feel of it, I could probably last up to four days without sleep.
Of course, pushing my body that hard would drop my combat ability and focus.
Unless it was something truly urgent, the best option was to rotate shifts or rest before hitting my physical limits.
I habitually massaged the area around my trapezius muscles as I gauged my body’s limits.
Lily, who was beside me, glanced over and asked.
“Are you tired?”
“Yeah, a bit.”
There had been seven plazas in Mexico where Cretol was being produced.
One of them had been cleaned up before Aisa crossed into the US.
The remaining six, Aisa and I had taken care of over the past two days.
We’d gone to extra lengths in the process to avoid civilian casualties, which had been a hassle.
But in the end, we’d wiped out not just the mission targets but every monster in those plazas as well.
After that, Aisa had headed down to Paraguay to handle a mission that had popped up there, while I returned to the US.
‘Can’t help it with the entry record here.’
With the job done, it was time to link up with Director Yang Jo-cheol.
And because of Lily’s persistent chatting, I’d made a detour back to San Diego.
“If you’re staying in the US, we could arrange accommodations for you…”
“I need to head back right away. Someone’s waiting for me at the airport.”
It was a way of saying I hadn’t entered the country illegally.
I had no intention of creating further contact points with Lily or the US government.
As I made that clear and mentioned my companions, Lily Evans fell silent for a moment before speaking.
“Which airport?”
“Los Angeles International.”
“...Would it be alright if we provided a flight to get you there?”
“I didn’t bring my passport. Can I even board?”
Lily gave a curt reply and nodded.
From the look on her face, it seemed like half suspicion, half curiosity.
Probably checking if I’d really entered legally, who this companion waiting for me was, and so on.
Even though I picked up on that, I nodded readily.
“I’d appreciate it.”
No need to swing through the city like Spider-Man and draw attention.
If they were offering a solution, why make things harder for myself?
Besides, I’d come in the sniper’s car and had no easy way back.
Soon, a black vehicle was prepared, and I boarded without delay.
Human technology couldn’t restrain me anyway.
My plan was to catch up on the sleep I’d missed during the ride.
“Oh.”
Of course, before we set off, I didn’t forget to pull out the phone tucked neatly in my inner pocket.
Lily’s gaze clung persistently to the device as she saw it.
She was probably wondering if tracking it would reveal my identity.
‘As if I’d carry something like that.’
This wasn’t my phone.
I didn’t even know whose name it was registered under.
Director Yang Jo-cheol had given it to me, insisting I carry it just for contact purposes.
I dialed the number from yesterday’s log, and it connected quickly.
『Yes, K.』
“Have you been waiting long?”
『I thought my blood was going to run out.』
“We’re wrapping up and heading out now. To San Diego Airport…”
I trailed off and glanced at Lily, who had climbed into the seat next to me.
She held up one finger.
“They say it’ll take about an hour. Then another two hours or so by plane from there.”
『...You have company?』
He’d immediately caught on that I was taking a flight without his help.
At this distance, Lily could hear the whole conversation anyway.
“It’s Lily Evans.”
No further explanation needed. She was fairly well-known among those in the know about the game.
“We’ll do introductions later. Prepare a flight. To India. I’ll text the exact location.”
『I’ll have it ready on time.』
“Thanks. See you soon.”
『Yes.』
As soon as Director Yang Jo-cheol’s reply came through, the vehicle started moving.
* * *
“Introduce yourselves. This is from Korea’s National Intelligence Service, and this is from the US CIA.”
I stepped in first to break the ice, and Yang Jo-cheol and Lily shook hands while exchanging names.
The moment the greetings ended, Lily spoke up first.
“I’d heard rumors, but K really is Korean.”
“Yes, as you can see.”
As if waiting for her words, Director Yang Jo-cheol immediately held up my passport.
The photo was of my current appearance, stamped with a name I was seeing for the first time today.
Nationality: Republic of Korea, naturally.
Lily’s cheek twitched slightly at the sight.
She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, asked nothing.
She knew full well it was pointless to probe.
Lily had likely realized it was a fake identity.
‘To be precise, that identity is fake.’
The passport itself was genuine, issued by the Korean government.
So there was nothing they could say.
‘Convenient, really.’
The support from official channels was handy in many ways.
That said, I had no intention of walking into the NIS on my own.
It felt like a battle of nerves, or perhaps tension.
An awkward silence hung between Director Yang Jo-cheol and Lily.
Of course, the silence didn’t last long, broken by my intervention.
“What time’s the flight?”
“You need to head to check-in right away.”
Director Yang Jo-cheol responded immediately, as if he’d been hoping I’d step in.
“Let’s go.”
I had to clean up the issues left pending in Asia, starting from Afghanistan.
‘Three incidents in Asia.’
Four days remaining.
‘Gonna be tight.’
Swallowing a sigh inwardly, I gave Lily a brief farewell and turned away.
* * *
I went through India, Singapore, and Japan before finally returning to Korea.
It had been exactly eight days and 11 hours since the bounty hunt missions first appeared.
All 13 of those initial bounty hunt missions had been cleared.
Any new ones were being handled by the regional contacts.
‘The urgent fires are out.’
I let out a sigh of relief as I stepped off the plane.
Then a message arrived.
「Chat message from code name Kj has arrived.」
I tilted my head as I opened the chat window to check Kim Yul’s message.
‘What’s this?’
I’d already explained the rough situation to the party members.
We’d agreed I’d return the day before the reclamation ceremony, so I had a couple days’ leeway.
‘Did something happen?’
I didn’t think my relationship with the party members was bad.
But we weren’t close enough for personal chats like this.
Worried something might’ve come up, I opened the chat a bit faster.
Of course, it was nothing serious.
- Kj: Hyung, there’s an attribute stone trade post up on the community!
I immediately opened the community window.
Scanning the new posts, I spotted the attribute stone right away.
Grade: High, Substitute: Red brick, Auction start: 48 hours from now, Location: Non-beta central square, Starting bid: 50,000 mana matching shop price, Poster’s code name: Myeongranjeot.
Having confirmed all the key info, my eyes gleamed.
‘I’m buying it, no question.’
Attribute stones convert to mana for those with attributes.
Low-grade gives under 100 attribute mana, mid-grade under 500, high-grade under 1,000.
‘And lowest-grade under 50.’
That’s why I was sourcing them through various channels.
Player-to-player trades like this one.
Or asking the Palau Church to procure them on my behalf.
In Bihar, they’re called spirit stones.
Holding one can, with very low probability, grant acquired attribute mana.
‘Rare, expensive, and no guarantees, of course.’
In the game players are in, attributes pop up at decent rates.
Even without an attribute, you get mana.
No issues absorbing attribute mana even if bought outside the shop.
Back when I did my first level 3 mission, I’d found a lowest-grade one in a corpse after tracking it down.
I’d absorbed it myself, so I knew for sure.
That’s why I was pulling strings everywhere to get them.
‘But it’s not enough.’
I wanted to buy up high-grade attribute stones from the shop and absorb attribute mana like crazy.
50,000 regular mana for 1,000 attribute mana? Worth it.
But impossible.
‘Shop limits one per type per person.’
I’d already absorbed mine.
Now, people who got lower grades sometimes sell higher ones back.
I buy every one I can to build up attribute mana.
The reason they post on community, use substitutes in auctions, and go through the hassle?
‘Build reputation to buy at discount, which doesn’t register in auction house.’
So mana trades via auction, items exchanged in person.
Players’ clever workaround for the auction house.
Potions are the most traded by volume.
One guy with high rep buys at 10% off, sells with 5% margin steadily.
Use your head right, and you can grow mana without risky fights or wars.
Attribute stones, though? Low volume.
Players’ average mana isn’t high enough for mid-to-high grades yet.
‘Silver badge at 100k mana, half of that for high-grade.’
Trade frequency will spike once averages hit 200-300k minimum.
Front-runners with mana to spare mostly use on themselves or trade in parties.
I bought a high-grade one from Yang Tae-ho too.
Kim Yul sold me his mid-grade.
He’d gotten level 3 from a low-grade, then used a high-grade to hit level 4 attribute mana.
I thanked Kim Yul and posted a comment saying I’d join the auction, muttering to myself.
“100,000…”
Lightning bolt needs 100k attribute mana.
Mine was under 20k.
‘Long road ahead.’
Sighing deeply, I followed behind Director Yang Jo-cheol.
My eyes stayed glued to the community and auction windows.
‘Player-to-player mana trades…’
Only possible via auction function.
‘Used right, this could let us funnel mana to make a powerhouse.’
Low chance of pulling it off, sure.
But low isn’t zero.
That’s why my thoughts kept drifting there.
Maybe I could convince other players somehow.
‘I know it’s unrealistic, but I can’t let it go.’
Still no ideas on convincing others.
Yet the thought lingered in a corner of my mind.
If circumstances allowed, I’d have kept pondering it.
Unfortunately, as soon as we exited arrivals, I spotted a group in black suits, making it impossible.
Director Yang Jo-cheol, who’d noticed them first, stopped dead.
I halted beside him.
Then a man in his mid-40s, leading the group, approached.
“You must be K.”
Faint gunpowder scent, solid build past middle age.
Wary eyes, posture ready to react anytime.
Plus the warning Yang Jo-cheol had given me recently.
Easy to conclude.
‘Military.’
Damn System