Egg Market Miracle
[HunterNet - Egg Market]
[Selling Rare Herbs]
All sorts of herbs were listed in the post.
All familiar names.
Strangely enough, the herb names rang a bell. They were exactly the same as the materials I'd gathered back in my newbie days, grinding fields and dungeons.
And there it was—one of the materials for the Red Elixir, listed ten each.
"Are these common materials?"
Not common at all. Moonlight Weeping Grass only drops on Sky Islands, Reincarnation Dew from the World Tree, and Time Root from Ancient Ruins. All three themes appear in floors 30 and up at minimum.
"Floors 30 and up? That's the levels other countries' raiding parties are holding down right now."
Exactly. The Tower's system only lets you freely move up to the floors you've cleared. Plus, Korea's been stalled on climbing for so long that the high-floor access is sealed off entirely. Domestic supply has dried up completely.
A chill ran down my spine. What the white one was describing was clearly the real Tower's mechanics.
But.
...It's exactly like the game?
Sky Islands, World Tree, Ancient Ruins... All field names from Lost Honor. Even the drop locations matched perfectly.
The Tower changes themes every five floors, after all.
Lost Honor! How much did you rip off, exactly!
"How's this stuff even up on a Korean market?"
Your luck's good right now, sir. That hunter's dumping a whole chain of rare smuggled materials from overseas via the black market.
Sure enough, the HunterNet ID Silent Assassin had a string of rare materials listed.
Mixed in were ones I recognized—or rather, ones I'd seen in the game—which made it all the more intriguing.
Are these really the materials I know?
I double-checked everything, just in case. Photos were attached to every listing, nice and clear.
"Weird."
...They were definitely the ones I knew.
Priced at 10,000 coins each.
"Fair price?"
Suspiciously cheap. Normal trades go for around 50,000 coins. But checking the seller's history, it doesn't look like fake listings. They're liquidating a bunch of stuff fast—probably desperate for coins.
"Hmm."
Intriguing. With these, I could make the Red Elixir.
That'd cure Lee Ah-un's condition.
Of course, I couldn't assume it'd work exactly like in the game. The Red Elixir was the only cure for status ailment: mana reflux, and doubled as a top-tier healing potion that restored health.
But given how closely Lost Honor mirrored reality so far...
At the very least, its main effect—treating mana reflux—would work. This wasn't a hunch; it was certainty.
"Hmmm."
But paying with coins was the sticking point. Buying meant scooping up every herb this seller had posted.
Selective shopping risked leaking the Red Elixir recipe.
Everything together? A million coins tops. Just 0.1% of my stash.
Not a big deal. But...
Was there another way? Like sourcing black market gold...
Ah.
My pondering cut off at the white one's voice.
Down to one now.
"What is?"
Mana reflux patients in Korea. There were two; now one's gone.
"...Why?"
Dead.
"...Dead? Suddenly?"
Mana reflux patients explode if they miss their periodic stabilizer doses. Looks like they did.
"No way."
Not Hunter Lee Ah-un. Another one. But...
The white one went quiet for a beat, then continued.
From scouting patterns and accounts, eighteen hours left.
"For what?"
Until Hunter Lee Ah-un dies.
Shit.
I whipped out the mental calculator.
...Cutting it close.
No time for games. Mess up, and I'd be buying materials for a funeral.
"Buy it all now!"
No time!
"Ptoo."
Lee Ah-un spat blood-mixed saliva. After some real exertion, this was the state he was in.
The throbbing pain was familiar now. No trace of agony showed on his expressionless face.
"Old man. I'm here."
"Yeah, blood clot's back."
Blood clot. The nickname for Ah-un, who came home shredded and bloody every day.
"Looking pretty intact today?"
"Outside's fine; insides are totally fucked."
Ptoo. Nine out of ten parts of Ah-un's next spit was blood.
"Today's meds, please."
"Gold?"
Instead of answering, Ah-un rattled the gold in his hand across the stall counter.
"One, two, three, four. 4 gold?"
"That's all I made today."
"Heh, blood clot. No need for that merchant bullshit between us."
"I know it's short. But can't we cut some slack for old times' sake?"
*Cough, cough.* Blood sprayed with each hack.
"One pill—or half, even."
"Not enough."
*Cough.*
"Why... why not?"
"This punk's eyes are rolling back again. It's 5 gold per pill, I said."
*Gasp. Gasp.*
"Know how hard these are to get?"
The scruffy-bearded man dangled a blue pill, taunting.
"Next time... next time, 6 gold."
"Hmm. How do I trust that?"
*Heave. Heave.*
"Blood clot, you're really on death's door, huh? Want me to spot you?"
Ah-un couldn't hold out anymore and slumped.
"Tch, gonna have to haul your corpse. Here."
Whoosh—the man tossed the pill.
Thud. It bounced off his head and rolled on the ground.
With trembling hands, Ah-un barely snatched it up and swallowed, choking down the mouthful of blood.
"Hoo."
The rampaging mana settled in an instant. The effect of the one drug that could suppress his reflux mana even briefly: mana stabilizer.
"Haa."
Seizing the moment, he converted mana to healing energy. The gentle force wrapped his guts, mending torn and shredded organs.
S-rank awakening ability: Power of Reflux.
The power to absorb mana and convert its nature for use.
Worthy of its S-rank prestige, the healing was overwhelming—enough to restore Ah-un from near-death to full health.
Even pure healing mode was this potent.
What if he used absorbed mana for attacks?
Devastating destructive power, no doubt. Maybe even surpassing guardian Han Seol-ah's Bingjeong.
But with mana reflux, deploying healing at death's edge was his best bet. Any other use, and the mana rods from his core would explode, blowing him apart.
Yet.
Someday, when this reflux was cured.
Ah-un believed he'd ascend from C-rank drudgery to proud S-rank glory.
"Almost died for real this time. Old man, letting it slide once—don't fuck with my meds next time, or you're dead."
"Kekeke. I'm the only supplier in this district? Kill me and you die too?"
"Could be."
"Spare me. Got revenge to take first, right? Die before that?"
"...Old man."
Ah-un's eyes darkened.
Mana still quiet. Not berserking.
But S-rank was S-rank, rotten or not. As Reflux activated, black aura rippled around him.
"Don't cross the line."
The old man's smirking lips froze solid for a split second.
This blood-clotted wreck on the brink of death? The skin-pricking killing intent and heavy mana pressure were real.
This pressure from that body...
Impressed inwardly, the old man flashed a friendly grin like nothing happened.
"Heh. Sorry, kid."
Whoosh—he tossed a low-grade potion.
Unlike before, Ah-un snatched it nimbly.
"Apology service. Anyway, sourcing meds is getting tougher. Prices might climb."
"Something up?"
"How many hunters in Korea do you think need mana stabilizers?"
"Dunno."
"Far as I know? One. You."
"Yeah?"
"Yup. Another bit it recently."
"..."
Bitter taste in his mouth.
Day-laboring for survival, clinging to life.
Yet doomed all the same.
Was there really no escape from this hell?
"Too risky importing for one guy. Shipping costs'll spike. Hell, might not get through at all."
"Fuck."
"Service at 4 gold this time. Next? 6 minimum, for real."
"Whatever the gold, just don't cut supply."
The old man shook his head.
"No guarantees. Truth is, even I'm not sure."
"..."
Hoo. Ah-un sighed heavily and left the tent.
Life barreling toward scheduled doom like a runaway train.
But he couldn't quit living.
Revenge's flames consumed him.
Ah-un walked steadily.
Once, he'd hoped some miracle worker would appear.
Cure him like magic.
No more.
Too tired for such hopes.
But...
If such a miracle happened.
If that chance came...
He was ready to stake everything for it.
Once Lee Ah-un's back vanished completely.
The man stared blankly at the scattered coins on his stall.
Blood-crusted, fishy-smelling 4 gold.
He swept them up with rough hands.
"Foolish kid."
The apothecary lit a cigarette from his pocket. His eyes glistened as he exhaled long.
'6 gold minimum' my ass.
Just this one pill had cost him billions sunk into the underworld.
Mana stabilizers weren't for sale by price.
Even he, a member of black market Numbers, barely scraped them with all his connections.
And he sold it for 4 gold.
This wasn't business.
Charity.
But.
"Give it free... and your pride won't take it."
Stubborn kid wouldn't accept unless it was blood-earned money—even at knifepoint.
So the man played the heartless merchant again today.
"Damn it."
He shoved the bloody coins deep in his pocket.
"This hustle's hitting limits, Ah-un."
Supply dwindling. No matter the cash, stock was drying up.
"Someone...
The apothecary looked skyward.
Gray clouds looked ready to collapse.
"Anyone... save that poor bastard. Take my whole fortune if you want... please."
"All done."
...In a flash.
Buying on Egg Market was simple.
Half coins upfront.
Set pickup spot.
Inspect goods.
Pay remainder if good.
Done.
I picked some Incheon outskirts ruin—no faces needed, perfect.
Trusted my potion-boosted body.
Snapped on sync, zipped there and back.
Then brewing, of course.
Bought alchemy gear on the market too.
Followed game steps exact.
Extract components.
Combine.
Infuse mana.
Stabilize.
Complete.
Skip the boring bits.
Combo phase was intense.
First mix: Time Root dried powder with Reincarnation Dew preheated to 80°C.
Second: Add Moonlight Weeping Grass extract drop by drop to the mix, stirring clockwise.
Every time it turned red, stop precisely for 3 seconds.
Recreating the game's alchemy timing gimmick. Hope it worked.
Ten each material made twenty vials.
Effects unconfirmed.
But no mistakes in process.
The red-glimmering potion color confirmed success.
"How to appraise?"
Put it up on Black Market auction. Appraisal and sales in one stop.
"Efficient. Perfect."
Might as well open another account while at it?
My white one-forged ID, proud Korean hunter Ha Seong-un, had no black market account.
Need a black market account under Ha Seong-un too.
That'd make three accounts total.
First: Black market account tagged 'Alchemist'.
Tied to Lost Honor.
Keep it game-exclusive going forward.
Second: Official Korean account under 'Apostle'.
Transactions fully transparent... bugs me.
White one offered to wipe history, but coins are legit currency... still risky.
World's unpredictable.
Third: Black market under 'Ha Seong-un'.
Purely personal stash. Privacy.
"Where's Lee Ah-un? Hospital?"
Nope. Perfect timing.
The white one pulled up a map.
Red dot blinking right over my destination.
Hunter Lee Ah-un's current location: Slum near Black Market entrance.
"Oh ho."
Route optimized.
Appraise goods, open new account, treat patient on the way out.
"One stone, three birds."
Black Market errands anyway, and patient's right there.
Quest routing this efficient? Chef's kiss.
"Let's go."