Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: What Happened in the Calcutta Jungle Area (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There were no particular issues on the way back. Prioritizing a safe return, Suhyun avoided any hint of danger and moved cautiously. Thanks to that, they made it back far more smoothly than when they'd ventured out to hunt.
The moment they arrived in the city, the two headed straight for a troll blood distributor. Troll blood was always in higher demand than supply, and merchants eager to buy from troll hunters were a dime a dozen.
"Ooh...!"
"How much will you give us?"
"For this quality, and that quantity all together... how about 120 per liter?"
"Let's try somewhere else."
"H-Hey, wait! Let's negotiate! Negotiate!"
"Why bother negotiating with merchants when there are more of you than hunters? Pick your targets better."
Suhyun cut the merchant off sharply the instant the offer came and stood up from his seat. There was no reason to sit through haggling when the man wasn't the only buyer around. Kim Chang-sik whispered as he watched.
"Was that offer really that bad?"
"Yeah. Troll blood prices vary a lot by quality, but we caught them without drugs or fire. Purely on skill, it's top-grade. Offering 120 for that is treating us like suckers."
Brushing off the barefoot merchant chasing after them, Suhyun moved on to other distributors. The ones who'd witnessed his actions moments ago looked tense. He clearly had confidence in his goods—any attempt to lowball him, even slightly, and he'd walk away from the deal entirely.
'Perfect.'
Suhyun was satisfied inwardly. The public display was having the desired effect on the others. He had no interest in wasting time on needless mind games.
"I just had a great idea. Mind if I try it?"
"?"
Suhyun looked at Kim Chang-sik, puzzled by his words.
"A great idea?"
"Yeah. A way to sell it for even more."
"Really? Go ahead."
"Ah, ah! Top-quality troll blood! Starting at 150!"
"?!"
Suhyun and the merchants' faces changed instantly at Kim Chang-sik's shout. No one had ever pulled something like that in this street full of troll blood distributors.
"No takers?! That guy over there just tried to lowball and got shot down! Troll blood of that quality doesn't come around every day! If there's any flaw after inspection, we'll back out of the deal!"
"Senior, no..."
"160!"
"?!"
A merchant who'd been losing customers due to a lack of decent troll blood lately shouted without a care for his reputation. He had to secure the blood first, even if it meant drawing glares.
But he didn't realize it. Auctions were tough to start, but once they did, the momentum was unstoppable.
"165!"
"170!"
"171!"
"Aw, hell! 200!"
"You crazy bastard!"
"Hey! No business ethics?!"
"Ethics? When have you ever shared a drop with us?"
"Let him be! That idiot. If the purity's low, he'll cry and learn his lesson."
The merchant flinched at that. A loss like this wouldn't be minor.
'But he said he'd back out if there's any flaw...'
Even with rough hunters around, they wouldn't cause a scene here. That was his sliver of comfort.
"Sold for 200! That merchant over there gets it!"
Suhyun clapped with an incredulous expression. He'd never imagined someone pulling this off so blatantly. Troll blood was usually sold by approaching individual merchants due to their unspoken cartel—no auctions.
"Ahem. But if it doesn't check out, no deal..."
"What kind of talk is that? We risked our lives for this. Just check it."
Kim Chang-sik shouted confidently. The merchant eyed the blood suspiciously and inspected it.
"The purity..."
The other merchants didn't show it, but they were curious too. After such a performance, who wouldn't wonder about the results?
Jackpot or bust? And if bust, would the hunters back down quietly?
"Let's deal right now!"
"!!!"
The sight of the merchant grabbing and shaking Kim Chang-sik's hand told everyone he'd hit the jackpot.
* * *
"200 million from one hunt...!"
"Not exactly 200 million."
"Rounded up, it is!"
"Don't get too drunk on the money. Troll hunters who strike it big usually end up badly."
"I know. Don't worry. I can control myself—at least a little."
"A little?"
"Ah, nothing."
Admitting outright in front of Suhyun that his skills were superior was embarrassing. Kim Chang-sik changed the subject.
"This hunt worked because luck was on our side. Don't get cocky. Plus, we have plenty to spend on."
"I know! Why do you always crush my dreams?"
Grumbling, Kim Chang-sik tucked his bankbook away.
"But we learned one thing for sure."
"?"
"This planet really is the land of opportunity. Nothing like Earth."
"The dangers are on another level too."
"..."
Kim Chang-sik shut his mouth, not wanting more nagging from Suhyun. Instead, he drifted into fantasies: saving up, retiring, living in a fancy mansion around here with a beautiful wife.
In contrast, Suhyun was thinking of revenge. They weren't enemies yet, but the grudge hadn't faded.
The one who leaked info inside the military.
The one outside who received it and planned the ambush.
There was a saying about a dagger in one's pocket—it was bound to come out eventually, good or bad.
He'd left the military because he refused to sell his skills cheap anymore, but habits didn't change overnight. Suhyun was still Suhyun. Frugal to a fault when it came to spending, except on combat and operations.
Even in his past life, he'd only ever spent on fighting and missions—nothing else.
'Money is just money. Nothing more, nothing less.'
* * *
Stepping into the company dorms, the two sensed something off in the atmosphere. Heading to the office, Jo Seung-hyun looked at them excitedly.
"Good to see you back! I was about to send someone looking. So, what'd you do?"
"Just adapted a bit. To do well here, you gotta get used to the local scene..."
"Yeah, right. Like you'd use vacation for that. You heard some money-making tip again, didn't you?"
Kim Chang-sik flinched. Jo Seung-hyun had read him perfectly.
"Bet it flopped! Don't drag Kim Suhyun around and hassle him."
Jo Seung-hyun suspected Kim Chang-sik had roped Suhyun in. The mercs here didn't fall for scams easily. If dragging someone along, newbies were the easy mark.
'Damn. If I'd known he'd tag along, I'd have stopped it.'
He'd thought Suhyun was just scouting lightly, not teaming up with Kim Chang-sik for a deep dive. What if they hadn't come back?
Kim Chang-sik held back from bragging about the troll. No good came from boasting about a windfall. Unless Suhyun spoke up, no reason for him to.
'Keep the good stuff to myself.'
"More importantly, what's going on? The vibe's weird..."
"Oh. We got a proposal. That's what all the fuss is about. Good timing—you give your thoughts. Especially you, Kim Suhyun."
"?"
Usually, even big jobs were decided by President Jo Seung-hyun alone. Rarely did mercs get polled for yes or no.
"What's the job?"
"You know Person Co.? The ones who gave us that last request we handled. Seems they have a problem."
Cameron Planet had countless development companies. Person Co. was one of the more aggressive ones, fresh off several successful projects and pushing for more growth.
In that context, the info Suhyun and the others had verified was prime bait. Confirmed resources in undeveloped areas—they needed to secure them ASAP.
One problem aside.
"Calcutta Gorilla?"
"?!"
Everyone's eyes turned to Suhyun.
"How'd you know? Hear about it before coming?"
"How would I? If they hired us to scout for development and still have issues despite affording better, it has to be the Calcutta Gorilla."
"Spot on."
Impressed again by Suhyun's insight, Jo Seung-hyun continued without showing it.
"Actually, taking out the Calcutta Gorilla came up after we finished the job. But it's too risky for us. I turned it down, so they shopped for other mercs. A team that could handle it."
'Trouble brewing, huh.'
Assembling a monster-hunting team didn't guarantee success. Cameron Planet had too many variables. Wipeouts happened all the time.
"They failed?"
"That's why they called us back."
"Doesn't make sense... Monster hunts fail sometimes, right? Why call us again?"
"I know. Normally, they wouldn't. The issue is this Calcutta Gorilla's too cunning. The mercs going after it never expected that kind of smarts. Regular ones don't think—they just charge."
Suhyun's spine chilled at Jo Seung-hyun's explanation. Calcutta Gorillas weren't common. One around those coordinates that actually used its brain, unlike the usual...
'The female that chased me?'
Entirely possible. It wouldn't normally leave its territory, but a monster that lost its mate? Who knew how it'd change.
29