Chapter 181

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 181

Chapter Title: Skill-Imprinted Magic Stones (2)

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Those Chinese guys hadn't used the recovered magic stones, and on them was imprinted the "Sacrifice Magic Circle (SS)" that Li Heian had employed.

Not quite S-grade stones, but one A-grade and three B-grades, plus a few lower ones.

From how they'd been dividing them up, it seemed you could use imprinted skills even if they weren't your own.

"...Why the long face?"

Just as I'd suspected, Kim Gap-su was staring at me with doubt, unable to confirm the imprinted skills himself.

I racked my brain.

Figuring out how the Chinese were doing this and spilling the beans wouldn't be hard.

I could just use my privilege—my ability—to uncover it and tell them.

The real issue came after that.

Even a rough glance screamed massive political intrigue and a whiff of conspiracy.

Since I'm a civic-minded whistleblower with this public-interest discovery, I should step up, expose China's plot, and defend Korea?

I had zero interest in playing the noble hero.

With all the attention already on me from the U.S., China, Russia, and who knows who else over my Awakening ability, I wasn't about to wave a flag saying "come kill me quicker."

All that crossed my mind was how gaining unknown info meant massive gains depending on how you played it.

Hell, even if I didn't dig deeper myself, just handing what I knew to Kim Gap-su fulfilled my part.

Now I was just pondering what I could snag in the process.

"Team Leader Kim."

"Yes."

In his tent with Kim Gap-su, Kang Hana, and me, I called out to him gravely.

"We've got our share of secrets between us, right?"

"...We do."

Kim Gap-su ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was probably thinking of my "seeing" ability.

Gripping one of the A-grade stones taken from the Chinese, I absorbed its mana.

Woooong.

"...!"

"This is my second ability, the 'eating' one. Showing it just to you, Team Leader."

The A-grade stone's vitality flowed into my body and vanished.

A message popped up simultaneously.

The incoming A-grade mana flowed into my balls, with just a tiny bit of filtered foreign mana stored off to one side like it'd passed through a sieve.

More messages appeared, but no time to read them now.

"What the...? You absorbed the magic stone?"

"Ah, yeah. Didn't I mention? 'Seeing' means absorbing the stone's mana to view it."

"...Not that—you absorbed an A-grade stone just now?"

"Yep."

"......"

Kim Gap-su was speechless at my brazenness, so I shared info worth that A-grade stone.

"That's how I found out. I saw it. How the Chinese use skills via magic stones."

"...For real?"

"Come check it out."

I grabbed the recovered stones from the Chinese and headed out a bit from the base.

The B-grades Kim Gap-su had were all imprinted with Sacrifice Magic Circle or some unstable amplification skill—nothing useful.

So, to demo properly, I pulled out the stones from that Chinese woman I'd swiped.

Wasteful to burn a B-grade, but one for three was fine.

As Kim Gap-su watched my back, I slyly stashed the three B-grades in my subspace and swapped in the explosion mage's leftover B-grade and two C-grades, then infused mana.

Wung—

I flung them into the air amid mana resonance.

Hell, first time trying this myself, so who knew if it'd work.

But the Pregnancy Support Program warned me how to use it carefully, so no dud.

The thought had barely formed.

Kwaaakwaaakwaaakwa!!!

The B-grade's imprinted Dust Explosion detonated first, chaining the two C-grades for a massive blast.

"Whoa!"

I'd chucked them far, but the shockwave hit instantly, so I dove low.

The commotion drew armed Sky Guild hunters from the base.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Just experimenting..."

Kim Gap-su stared at me, stunned.

"This is..."

Sky Guild saw it, Kim Gap-su saw it.

Identical to the Chinese hunters' desperate attacks earlier.

"Something like that, yeah... Haha."

Amid the chaos, all eyes on me, I scratched my head awkwardly.

Sure enough, Kim Gap-su requested cooperation.

"That's all I know. Absorbing the A-grade flashed info for like 30 seconds. Saw those effects on the other stones. Don't know if I can see more, and lower stones probably worthless to eat."

I stuck to exactly what the swiped A-grade revealed.

No need to play hard-to-get and risk repaying that stone.

"To think you had such an ability... Anyway, it's a huge lead. Means China might artificially buff monsters and reverse dungeon flows this way. Matches testimonies from the Gangwon incident—solid credibility."

Kim Gap-su tanked well and had a sharp mind.

"You went to college, by any chance?"

"...."

He shot me a pitiful glance, but grateful for the harvest, bowed thanks again.

"Appreciate it. Things always go smooth with you around, Kang Jik."

"Gotta earn my keep. Don't forget—five B-grades. That's my quest fee, so no offsetting with the A-grade I ate for research."

"...We'll log it as Hunter Association research requisition."

"Good. Oh, one suggestion."

"Go ahead."

Kim Gap-su's face was brighter than ever—first time since we met he'd been this friendly.

Made sense: foreign hunters causing havoc everywhere, couldn't even nab them properly, and now a clue to the cause? Sweeter than candy.

So I slipped in my ask.

"Our kids are SSS-grade hunters, but their gear and artifacts suck since Awakening's recent. Can't exactly max loans to buy—debt stresses you out, kills focus."

"...Can't Strong Guild just adjust your split ratios?"

I breezed past the weird interjection.

"Those B-grades from Chinese kills? Tedious counting them out. How about pre-loaning spare S-grade+ gear from Association warehouses as comp?"

"...You want free S-grade artifacts?"

His friendly vibe stiffened.

I cleared it up quick.

"Nah, not free. Who you take me for, a robber? Lease 'em first, apply slight discount to value, then deduct as we rack up kills and feats against Chinese. Win-win, right? We'll hustle harder to pay off, and Association can freely quest us without owing Strong Guild favors."

"...."

Decent pitch, no?

First time my high-school dropout cunning spun this smooth—even I was impressed.

Kim Gap-su pondered, then sighed softly.

"I'll conference back home. Gotta check Association artifact stocks too."

"..."

"...I'll push for a positive ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠answer."

"Whoa!!"

I couldn't hide my awe.

This could fly?

Not some club mic'ing a celeb hostess.

Hunter Association, no less.

S-grade+ gear, even.

SSS-grade prestige hit different.

Made sense—Hana shattered her high score again, had Kim Gap-su asking for re-verification.

Talented folks get applause even shitting gold.

Felt that in my bones as I wrapped my joyride mission perfectly and headed out.