Chapter 33
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Collection (1)
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In stark contrast, Kim Young-ho, who had gained the power of an E-rank hero purely through his sharp instincts, made full use of his personal connections.
Meeting with "Madam," who ran multiple shops in the black market, Kim Young-ho greeted her with an obsequious bow.
"It's been a while. I hope you've been well."
The woman with ashen gray long hair and drowsy eyes exuding a decadent allure put a cigarette in her mouth and replied.
"Cut to the chase. You're not in a position to exchange pleasantries with me."
Kim Young-ho's connection to Madam was nothing special.
He had simply been one of the laborers she hired a few months ago when she needed extra hands.
"If you're here looking for work, I'll take you on. Go start."
However, his diligent work ethic had impressed her enough to consider hiring him formally, which led to their current ties.
"It's not that. Please buy this artifact from me at a good price."
"An artifact?"
"It's one made by the new boss who took over my organization yesterday."
With his response, Kim Young-ho pulled out the ring Lee Seong-min had created and set it down.
Madam was a hero who had awakened to mana, yet she sensed no energy from the ring itself.
"Is it really an artifact? I don't feel anything."
"It is. I've tested it myself. When you wear it, it generates a protective barrier that blocks three attacks per day."
Kim Young-ho explained the ring's features enthusiastically, like a seasoned salesman.
"Plus, it recharges once every eight hours. It even blocks bullets made from gate materials. And the most amazing part— it recharges even if the wearer has no mana."
Madam listened to his pitch and examined the ring once more.
If everything he said was true, it qualified as a decent artifact.
'Especially since it gives off no detectable energy.'
Artifacts were banned in certain special locations.
Having one like this for those situations wouldn't be a bad idea, she thought.
"But what's this about buying it at a good price?"
"My boss promised to grant power to whoever sells it for the highest amount."
"Power?"
"He's practically a god."
Declaring Lee Seong-min no different from a god, Kim Young-ho rattled off the abilities he'd witnessed the day before.
"......"
Madam, listening, could only feel baffled.
The man who took over their organization yesterday was apparently a healer surpassing S-rank.
On top of that, he could resurrect the dead, awaken them as heroes, and even craft artifacts.
"You haven't joined some cult, have you?"
"Of course not. I'm only telling you what I've seen with my own eyes."
"No one that incredible would take over your ragtag group."
This wasn't a joke— it was someone who could seize both wealth and fame in one fell swoop, everything anyone could desire.
"Who am I to guess his thoughts? But......"
Kim Young-ho shared the theory he'd mulled over the night before.
"I think it's because he's a healer. He probably figured a healer with weak combat prowess would just get exploited anywhere else."
Madam nodded, finding some logic in it.
"It's not an impossible notion. So? You want me to buy this artifact at a high price so you can get that power?"
"That's the main goal, but I'm also here to propose something beneficial for you."
"Beneficial?"
"If you buy the artifact at a good price, I'll speak to the boss and arrange a meeting for you."
Madam instantly grasped his meaning.
In other words, he'd provide an opportunity to get close to this "boss."
"......"
Resurrection, hero awakening, artifact creation.
Someone with such talents would naturally be worth befriending.
But that hinged on Kim Young-ho's words being true.
"This deal puts me at a huge disadvantage."
When Madam voiced her honest thoughts, Kim Young-ho shook his head immediately.
"Disadvantage? I'm Kim Young-ho. Even if it takes until the end of the month, I'll make the meeting happen."
"And I have no proof your story's even real."
"My words are true too. I'm E-rank now, but he said one more power-up will make me D-rank. Will you believe me then?"
"E or D-rank— same difference."
Madam tossed her spent cigarette and lit a new one, inhaling deeply in silence.
The heavy puff of smoke indirectly revealed the depth of her contemplation.
"Fine. How much did you have in mind?"
Kim Young-ho picked up on her half-hearted agreement after the deliberation.
Quoting an absurd amount would only breed resentment, so he named a reasonable figure.
"I'd love to ask for 500 million, but...... 300 million is fine."
"300 million's your bottom line, huh."
Madam exhaled another plume of smoke and made her decision.
"I'll give you 500 million. But if there's even a hint of a lie in what you said, you know what happens?"
"Yes. Kill me then."
"Why? Think your boss will revive you?"
"I believe he'll bring me back if I prove my worth."
Kim Young-ho's bold gaze resembled that of a fanatic.
Nodding at his fervor, Madam sealed one of the rare deals that put her at a disadvantage.
"Lee Seojun."
Even on Saturday, with no classes, I lounged in the dorm until I let out a sigh and called for Lee Seojun.
-What's up?
"There's a problem at the warehouse we took over yesterday."
At the word "problem," Lee Seojun tilted his head.
-What kind of problem? Did another gang barge in?
"If it were that, I wouldn't even mention it. I'd just beat them down."
I sighed again and gave a brief rundown of the issue.
"It's a problem with the gang members."
-The gang members? Don't tell me it's about the rings.
"Exactly. I'm moving you there too, so take a look and give me your opinion."
-Got it.
After that, I teleported Lee Seojun to the warehouse using my spatial power.
Once he arrived, I focused all my attention on the warehouse body and scanned the gang members standing there like convicted criminals.
"......"
"......"
Lee Seojun, teleported via my spatial power, also surveyed them and spoke with concealed surprise.
-Nearly half of them got hit.
As Lee Seojun said, more than half the gang members looked like they'd been roughed up somewhere.
A few even arrived with bones broken, apparently expecting me to heal them.
"At least they sold the rings, right? You first— tell me how much you got."
"W-Well......"
The member I pointed to stammered as he pulled a few bills from his pocket.
"One million won."
"One million?"
"Actually, I sold it to a hero, but he took it for one million."
Hearing the rest of their stories in turn was a spectacle.
After listening to all of them over several minutes, I summarized the mess.
"Snatched by heroes, snatched by corporations, snatched by other gangs, snatched by artifact shops?"
-They got robbed from every direction.
"It would've been easier if they'd all lost them to one place."
Thinking about chasing down the culprits to reclaim the rings' value, I regretted entrusting it to these idiots.
"And the ones who at least brought back one million are the lucky ones."
I eyed the members who hadn't gotten a single won.
"You— what was that earlier? That I have to go myself to collect the money?"
"Yes, that's right. Just come with me, and I'll guide you."
Lee Seojun and I couldn't hide our disbelief at his words.
It was obviously a ploy to drag me in, stated with brazen confidence.
"Someone beat this guy."
At my order, a few members started pummeling his face and stomping him mercilessly.
Amid that, I spotted Woo Won-seop, the fat guy who'd run the gambling den before, standing confidently.
"Woo Won-seop, you?"
"I'm different from these losers. I sold it for 100 million."
"100 million?"
By my standards, even 100 million felt cheap, but compared to the others who'd failed utterly, it seemed substantial.
"ID and account details?"
"That'll take a bit. No later than a few days— don't worry."
Woo Won-seop set his briefcase in front of me.
True to our deal, I saw the stack of 100 million in bills, peeled off 10 million, and handed it to him.
"Here. Your 10% as promised."
"What about my hero awakening?"
"Still some people left."
"It's a waste of time anyway."
Woo Won-seop spoke with the assurance of victory.
Seeing the members who'd brought back nothing, his confidence made sense.
"Boss. I sold my ring too."
Then Kim Young-ho, the one I'd granted the [Warrior] class, stepped forward boldly.
He was the only one I'd had real expectations for, so I nodded and eyed his bag first.
"How much did you get?"
Kim Young-ho answered with full confidence.
"500 million."
"Oh."
At "500 million," Woo Won-seop and the nearby members all stared at him in shock.
I nodded approvingly at Kim Young-ho for living up to my expectations.
"Well done. Worth entrusting it to you."
But Woo Won-seop, robbed of first place by a 400 million gap, glared at him murderously.
'Good grief.'
Thwack!—
"Gaaah!!"
I kicked Woo Won-seop's shin, snapping it, and said.
"It was friendly competition— why the death glare? And you got your 10%."
"Ten million to rub in anyone's face?!"
"Then you should've sold yours for 500 million."
Woo Won-seop screamed in genuine grievance.
Honestly, 100 million was enough to let slide, but his jealous glare rubbed me the wrong way.
'If it'd been a close loss, maybe.'
100 million versus 500 million.
A fivefold difference, yet he glared like he'd been robbed blind.
"And Boss."
Meanwhile, Kim Young-ho called out to me.
"The buyer said thanks for selling such a great artifact and wants to treat you to a meal."
"A meal?"
"Yes. I'll be there too, so no worries. She runs shops in the black market, so I figured you'd want to know her."
The earlier member who'd mentioned a corporation and invited me along came to mind, but "black market" caught my interest.
'Hmm. Maybe I can offload those artifacts I took from the Geneva Cult bastards.'