Ju-ddak's Treasure Shop! (2)

The trade request alarms for Ju-ddak's 'Treasure' Shop began flying in like crazy. The moment I tried to open one message, another request popped up and covered it. Hey, wait a second! I don't even know what you guys want to trade!

Pure gold 10 don? Haven't you guys ever hunted a golem before?

From the very first day, I knew these bastards had no concept of moderation. Or maybe they were trying to start a fight with me, Ju-ddak? If this keeps up, am I really going to have to spam ten-million-day bans?

It didn't seem like they were trolling. The gallery was burning several times hotter than when I had posted the potion.

How was I supposed to check every single one? At this rate I'd be stuck reading applications until the sun went down. Damn it! It would be better to just tell them directly.

"Hah." They weren't human beings. For some reason, the image of excited apes came to mind. Out of more than a thousand people, not a single one suggested trading for furniture. But was that photo really from the poster herself? If she sent three or four more, I might actually consider it...

Even now the alarms kept hammering my ears. I was getting tired of even checking the messages. 'Maybe I should just close the treasure shop.'

Right as I was about to give up, another alarm rang.

Huh? This was the regular who kept posting those suggestive shots. Finally, a user who understood my pure heart had appeared. And she was shaking around breasts that were anything but pure.

"But if you thought this was what I wanted, you're making a huge mistake!"

--

Director Lee Seungchul of the Hunter Management Bureau clutched his throbbing head.

"So what the hell is this?"

"It's from the Hunter Gallery..."

"I know that! What is Ju-ddak's treasure shop?! There was never anything like this before!"

At the Director's roar, his secretary Kim Jia barely held back a scream.

"We're still analyzing it, but... it appears to be a platform where users can purchase or trade for items that Ju-ddak sells..."

'Where on earth did a person with this kind of ability come from? No one has ever awakened a power like this before.'

Lee Seungchul let out a sigh and glared at Kim Jia.

"Did that bastard say he has used a core before?"

"That is what Ju-ddak personally revealed, Director..."

"And he's trading the golem core for a bed and a desk?"

"Yes, sir... But the real problem isn't that he traded the core for furniture. It's the reason. Why would he trade something as rare as a golem core for ordinary household items?"

'If he's trading a core for furniture, that means it's basically junk to him. Just where did a hunter of that caliber suddenly appear from?'

What the Director feared wasn't just that. It was the variable of the treasure shop itself. Individual desires could now be directly reflected in the market. The price of potions had already dropped to ten thousand won each. If he was willing to trade a core for furniture, there was no telling what would happen next. And one single person held all that power.

'An individual who isn't bound by public authority cannot be allowed to hold such power. If he starts selling weapons...'

The major guilds were already slipping out of the Bureau's control. Even the freelancers were becoming too powerful to ignore. It was only natural that hunters would risk their lives for anything Ju-ddak listed. On top of that, the Bureau had already lost the public's trust because they couldn't control the ever-increasing number of gates.

Could the nation's official agency really be helpless against one individual? Or unable to catch a criminal who had become impossibly strong?

'That kind of situation must be avoided at all costs.'

But it wasn't all hopeless news.

"Come in."

At the Director's call, a woman opened the office door and walked in.

"Agent Park Seoyun reporting, Director."

The badge proving she was an elite agent sparkled on her chest. At her appearance, secretary Kim Jia swallowed hard. She had only heard rumors; this was her first time seeing a top-tier agent in person. Agent Park Seoyun's awakened rank was A-class. She was the one who operated in the Hunter Gallery under the name HunterYaKaeYo.

"You secured the core for us?"

"Yes, Director."

While users were sending Ju-ddak countless expensive items in trade requests, Park Seoyun had focused on Ju-ddak's pure desire. She had registered a bed and desk as her trade offer. And so the golem core had fallen into the Hunter Management Bureau's hands.

"Well done, Agent Park Seoyun. Does the Muggle Meeting know about this?"

"Ju-ddak personally posted that he traded it for furniture. The Muggle Meeting must have noticed by now."

At Park Seoyun's orderly answer, a smile quickly spread across Director Lee Seungchul's face.

"Agent Park Seoyun! As expected of you! This is delightful!"

The Muggle Meeting... They had demanded eighty billion instead of forty billion for the core they collected. They wouldn't need to anymore. The guild master's confident expression was still vivid in his mind. They had also been monopolizing potion sales. Now ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that guild master's face would surely twist in anger.

"Have you identified Ju-ddak's identity? His location?"

"There are still no usable clues."

"Good. Agent Park Seoyun, it looks like we'll have to change your primary duties."

"My duties, sir?"

"That's right. Stop worrying about monitoring general gallery trends. From now on, focus entirely on surveilling Ju-ddak. Stick right to him. He will definitely let something slip. Don't miss a single word he writes in the gallery."

At Lee Seungchul's firm tone, Park Seoyun nodded.

"We have a meeting scheduled soon with the Muggle Meeting's guild master, Director."

"Understood. Let's go give those Muggle Meeting bastards a good smack."

At his secretary's words, Lee Seungchul straightened his clothes and prepared to leave the office.

"Um... Director, I have a question."

Park Seoyun's words stopped the Director in his tracks.

"What is it?"

Lee Seungchul checked his watch before answering.

"Will the method of carrying out the mission remain the same as before...?"

Even though her face had turned slightly red, the Director was resolute.

"As you know, that method is the most effective. Try to endure a little longer."

Before Park Seoyun could say anything else, Director Lee Seungchul left the office. Once the two men were completely out of sight, the elite agent let out a deep sigh as if all strength had left her body.

"Ah, I'm really going to go insane..."

--

"Krrruuu, so comfortable. This is it. This is heaven."

Miscalculation my ass. It was Gyeonggi Province's Osan. I couldn't resist a photo with a mole on the breast. After cleaning up, I had been rolling around on the bed for quite a while. A sweet scent gently rose from the luxurious microfiber blanket, tickling my nose. The desk I traded for wasn't too high or too low, perfectly suited to my height.

Whoa, I'm getting sleepy. The overwhelming comfort was making me drowsy even though the sun hadn't set yet. But if I threw out bait and then disappeared, I wouldn't be Ju-ddak. I logged back into the gallery.