Winning Yuki and Reunion in Ruin
The auction for Yuki had been going on for about ten minutes.
"220 gold! We've got 220 gold! No one for 230 gold?"
The room fell silent for a moment. In truth, 220 gold was already well over Yuki's market value. No matter how excellent she was as a holy shieldbearer with her abilities, skills, and potential as a sex slave, 220 gold could buy two top-tier male warriors with room to spare.
And at that moment, Namgung Seojun finally made his move.
"230 gold! A new face! A new bidder from table 12 at 230 gold."
Seojun raised his hand for the first time. As he did, the room quieted again. But someone immediately raised their hand in response.
"240! Now table 37 at the very back has joined the bidding."
It turned into a bidding war between Namgung Seojun and table 37.
"Table 12 bids 250! Excellent choice."
"Table 37 at the back goes 260. The price keeps climbing."
"Back to table 12 at 270 gold!"
"And table 37 counters with 280 gold."
The bids shot past 280 gold in an instant. It was Seojun's turn to call 290, but he didn't raise his hand.
"Hyungnim, hyungnim!!"
Lee Guho shook Namgung Seojun's body in panic, and the auctioneer openly glanced at table 12 as he asked, "No one for 290 gold?"
"Hyungnim!!"
Lee Guho's voice grew louder, but Namgung Seojun still didn't raise his hand.
"Then, last call for 280! 280!"
Just before the third and final call, Seojun raised his paddle.
"Table 12! 290 gold!"
The moment Namgung Seojun bid 290 gold, Lee Guho let out a sigh of relief. Surprisingly, the people at table 37 did the same.
"Phew... That was close."
"Yeah, if he hadn't jumped in, we'd be screwed."
Table 37 had been planted there to inflate Yuki's price. They were shills meant to drive up the bids against Namgung Seojun and Lee Guho... but Yuki absolutely could not be sold. So when Seojun hesitated, they'd broken into a cold sweat, only to breathe easy when he finally bid at the last second. If they'd accidentally won her by mistake... it would have been a massive loss. Neither had the funds to go higher, so they decided to stop there. Judging by how they'd only bid after Lee Guho's frantic urging, 290 gold seemed to be their limit.
Namgung Seojun had been counting on exactly that. He wanted to make the shills flinch and back off by pretending it was a struggle. Lee Guho had played his part perfectly in selling the act.
"Final calls for 290. 290! 290! 290!! Holy shieldbearer Yuki goes to table 12!"
And so Namgung Seojun and Lee Guho successfully acquired Yuki.
The small room next to the auction hall was for handing over purchased items. When they arrived, Yuki was already waiting, prepared for delivery.
"Yuki!"
Lee Guho rushed forward, and Yuki embraced him with a deeply moved expression.
"Thank you, Guho."
"No, of course I had to save you!"
The two shared an emotional reunion, but Namgung Seojun ignored them and approached the auction staff.
"That'll be 290 gold for the winning bid."
The staff member requested payment, and Seojun pulled out three platinum coins worth 300 gold total.
"Check them. 300 gold."
The staff verified each coin and smiled.
"300 gold confirmed. Here's your 10 gold change. You can take the slave now."
Finally, they handed Namgung Seojun Yuki's slave certificate.
Namgung Seojun,
Arrive on the 24th floor within one week.
With Yuki in tow, Namgung Seojun and Lee Guho left the delivery room. Lee Guho draped his large robe over Yuki.
"Put this on for now."
Her slave outfit was a bit revealing, so he offered the robe, and Yuki gratefully pulled it on over her clothes.
"Hyungnim, give me that."
When Lee Guho reached for the slave certificate in Seojun's hand, he handed it over immediately.
"Keep it safe."
"Got it."
Lee Guho carefully tucked the certificate into his pocket. Just like that, Yuki became Lee Guho's complete property.
The group returned to their lodging. As they entered the first-floor dining hall, Yuki hesitated to sit at the same table.
"C-can I really sit with Master?"
Lee Guho patted her back reassuringly.
"You're a slave in status, but you're my girlfriend. So... just relax and act natural."
At his words, Yuki took a seat, and soon tears began to well up in her eyes. She was truly grateful to Lee Guho for saving her.
After the meal, Namgung Seojun discussed the future with Lee Guho.
"Guho, you're planning to keep climbing with Yuki, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
Saving her wasn't the end. Lee Guho wanted to take Yuki with him up the tower. Objectively speaking, she was a solid party member. Being able to serve as a sub-guard, heal, and buff made her more than worthwhile.
"You'll handle convincing the party members on the 24th floor yourself."
"Yes."
It was the addition of a second-class slave. With that, convincing the regular members would be no issue—it was as good as Namgung Seojun's indirect approval.
"Good. Tomorrow, I'll buy that slave I scouted, and once the merchant caravan introduced by the temple is ready, we head straight to the 24th floor."
"Got it."
And so Namgung Seojun and Lee Guho decided to return to the 24th floor with Yuki in tow.
Gisohee led the way as Namgung Seojun's party members arrived at the inn in Ruin, the mid-sized city on the 24th floor. They'd been out exploring and leveling in the surrounding areas.
But they didn't head straight inside.
"Everyone, sort yourselves out right away. Wash off any bloodstains! Brush off the dirt! Report anything unusual."
The party members organized their gear in the open space in front of the inn. Jo Jaehun was tasked with the final checks, and once done, they entered. The inn staff approached.
"A message arrived from the temple while you were out."
"A message?"
Gisohee took the envelope from the staff. Inside was a simple note.
"Seojun's coming back now."
A smile lit up Gisohee's face at the news of Namgung Seojun's return.
"We'll rest here tonight."
The large merchant caravan had halted in a vast open plain under the command of its leader—a spot Namgung Seojun would never choose, as it was too exposed to enemies. But the caravan head trusted their numbers—over 200 strong—and ordered camp there.
"Namgung Seojun and your group can rest here too."
As a candidate apostle of the divine, Seojun received special treatment from the caravan, including a separate tent for his party.
"Will two tents be enough again today?"
When the merchant asked, Namgung Seojun replied, 'That would be much appreciated.' At the merchant's order, porters set up two tents in a relatively safe spot.
In one tent, Namgung Seojun, Lee Guho, Yuki, and the one slave bought on the 20th floor unpacked—four in total.
Lee Guho and Yuki naturally took one tent together.
"Yuki..."
Lee Guho called her in a voice dripping with honey, and she gazed back with a sweet expression.
"Yes, Master?"
Their conversation carried a nasal, intimate tone... Namgung Seojun couldn't stand it.
"Keep it decent!"
"Hyungnim! I was just calling her name!"
"I said keep it decent!"
At his scolding, Lee Guho dragged Yuki inside the tent. Laughter echoed nonstop from within. Their lovey-dovey antics were out of sight, but fully audible to Seojun in the next tent.
He had partners too, but...
"Master! Dinner is ready."
The burly male slave bought on the 20th floor, Arab Halep Aziz, wielded a sling and shield with the rare class of barbarian warrior. His ability to attack and defend at range made him a highly valuable combat slave, with good potential in his class and elsewhere. That's why Namgung Seojun had bid on him at auction for 90 gold.
"Hoo..."
With only this hulking man beside him, and hearing the affectionate banter from the next tent—"That tickles, stop it." "Just a little more!"—Seojun felt an odd pang of loneliness.
"Gotta get to the 24th floor quick."
He simply missed Gisohee, Isu-yeon, and Dmitri.
Four days later.
"This is where we part ways."
The caravan's escort captain bid farewell to Namgung Seojun's group just outside Ruin, the mid-sized city on the 24th floor.
"Thanks for everything."
The group exchanged goodbyes with the captain and the caravan head. The caravan hadn't planned to pass through Ruin originally, but at the temple's request, they'd detoured here—and escorted Seojun's group right to the city gates.
"Let's move out."
With farewells done, the caravan departed, and Namgung Seojun's group entered Ruin through the gates. They were greeted by a familiar face right away.
"Welcome back."
Gisohee had been waiting at the entrance. With her welcome, they breezed through a brief inspection and entered the city. First stop: the temple to report in.
"Glad you made it back safe from the 20th floor."
The priest gave them the standard greeting. Next up: the inn where the rest of the party was staying.
As they entered, party members waiting in the lobby cheered them on.
"Leader! You're back."
Li Zhangwei, now even more solidly built.
"Seojun? Missed me while I was gone? My pussy?"
Dmitri's provocative welcome.
"Good work out there."
Jo Jaehun, ever reliable.
"Master, welcome back safe."
Isu-yeon's continued obedience.
"Welcome! Welcome! Super welcome! Now we're all together again!"
Even the ever-cheerful Kim Hoon... Every party member welcomed their leader, Namgung Seojun.