Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Gift (2)
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Choi Da-eun called me out.
It was timing that could be seen as totally out of the blue, but I tried not to show it.
I trusted the performance of the Perception Impairment Mask.
No way it'd fail, I mind-controlled myself as I picked up the phone.
The end result? I was heading to Choi Da-eun's place.
To verify if the Lowest All-Stats Increase Potion—a reward from the "Sex Game" function in the Taming Room—was real or fake.
She doesn't believe a word I say.
I probably wouldn't trust it either if I were her.
Think about it.
The trash bastard who raped me is jerking off right in front of me? And not content with that, he hands me a potion as a "sex game reward"?
How many people could actually believe that and drink it?
I get it.
That's why I was quietly heading to Choi Da-eun's house.
Didn't plan it this far, though.
Never thought it'd circle back to me like this.
I'd baited her into a slight loss just to hook her.
That thing's expensive, you know.
Stat increase potions are things you want to chug but can't even if you tried.
You need a seller first.
Most hunters wouldn't even dream of affording one.
The All-Stats Increase Potion boosts all four stats at once.
The higher the grade, the better the efficiency—doubles each time.
It was priced to whatever the market would bear.
From Choi Da-eun's perspective, it was an item plenty tempting to drink.
But she was wary of me.
She wouldn't touch it even on her deathbed. Not even if it was top-grade.
...Would she drink a top-grade one?
Hard to say.
Anyway.
Choi Da-eun seemed to plan on having me drink it.
What's the loss for Choi Da-eun in feeding a mystery potion to F-Rank Hunter Park Sun-woo?
Answer: Zero.
No downside for her at all.
If it's real, she grows Park Sun-woo—profit.
If fake, she dodges my scheme—jackpot.
She's probably thinking something like that.
Even though the potion info would pop up fully in the system interface, Choi Da-eun was way too suspicious.
She couldn't recognize my sincere gift or my sincerity...
I'm so hurt.
I arrived at the address Choi Da-eun gave me.
No car, so it took a solid 30 minutes.
Being a C-Rank Hunter didn't mean living some dramatic high life.
Compared to her peers, she was doing well—successful life—but not enough to upgrade her place.
A plain old officetel building.
Ding-dong—.
I rang the bell and waited for Choi Da-eun.
Sounds from inside, and soon the door opened.
Choi Da-eun greeted me in surprisingly casual clothes.
Well, "greeted" might be a stretch...
She just checked my face and headed back in.
I followed Choi Da-eun inside.
Slipped off my shoes at the entrance and casually scanned the vibe of her place.
"Even though I'm your team leader..."
As I craned my neck to peek around, Choi Da-eun's voice rang out.
She sighed heavily at me, looking utterly pathetic.
"You show up empty-handed at your boss's house?"
"...You called me out of nowhere. I was resting fine..."
"You idiot, there's such a thing as basic manners. At least grab a drink or something."
So freaking unfair.
She was just itching to chew me out and making up reasons.
"No, but..."
"Shut it, you wanna talk back?"
Choi Da-eun raised her arm high, scowling.
Palm out, barking at me...
Like she was about to smack me any second.
Just you wait.
I'll discipline her good in the Taming Room later.
I mumbled a vague reply and bowed my head.
Choi Da-eun clicked her tongue at my slumped shoulders.
I quietly handed over a potion.
"What's this?"
"You said you got a potion, right? This is it. Lowest All-Stats Increase Potion."
Choi Da-eun jerked her chin proudly.
"You can't find this anywhere. Priced to whatever, so tons of people won't sell."
"How'd you score something this rare, Team Leader?"
"Eh, I know a guy."
Her teeth ground together as she said "a guy."
A vicious grinding sound from her mouth.
"Can I really drink this...?"
I gazed at Choi Da-eun with touched eyes.
Overreacting a bit, she scratched her head awkwardly.
"You're hitting Floor 10. Gotta show 'em properly. Those dickless punks strutting around."
Choi Da-eun's eyes blazed.
Seemed like she harbored a ton of grudge against the Milky Way Guild members.
"Wouldn't it be better if you drank it, Team Leader? Probably works better on you than me. Stat potions are best at higher levels, right?"
"...N-No, I'm fine. I'm strong already. Not desperate enough to take your handout."
I politely refused once, as expected.
Choi Da-eun flinched and waved her hands frantically.
Clearly fretting if it was really normal—or something like an aphrodisiac.
I could see her anxiety plain as day.
"Hurry up and drink it. Then get out of my house."
"...Feels kinda nice, like we're getting closer, Team Leader."
"Ah, fuck. That's creepy—shut your trap."
Choi Da-eun crossed her arms over her chest like hugging herself and rubbed her arms frantically.
"Weren't you gonna ditch Milky Way Guild for somewhere else? What the hell's this?"
Yeah, I did say that.
Calling her "Team Leader" was a total accident too.
I'd done it in front of other parties to separate work and personal, but the title stuck naturally.
Feels smoother on the tongue than before.
When using the Taming App, our roles reverse.
That thrill was stronger than expected.
The more deferential I was to Choi Da-eun, the hornier the Taming Room sessions got.
If she wanted to hit me, I was ready to take it happily anytime.
"Drink up."
"Yes, ma'am."
I uncorked the potion and chugged it down.
"Urk!"
"Swallow! Swallow! Don't spit it out. It's expensive... super hard to get."
I was used to the taste by now.
Even flavorless potions were gourmet tea in front of me.
But it felt wasteful to down it all.
Come all this way, drink on her order, and done?
"Urp! Ptoo!"
"Agh...!"
My bad.
Not on purpose. A real accident.
I'd accidentally spat potion right on Choi Da-eun's face.
"......"
Choi Da-eun squeezed her eyes shut.
Potion dripped down her face.
Droplets plopped down.
"Uh, um, Team Leader...?"
I confirmed my stats had gone up first, then spat.
The All-Stats Increase Potion was no longer potion—just plain water.
Choi Da-eun was drenched in my spit mixed with water.
"...Go get a towel."
Her voice came out low and gravelly.
Felt like staring at a volcano seconds from erupting.
I dashed to where she pointed and grabbed a towel.
Even I thought my speed was impressive.
"Here."
"......"
Choi Da-eun snatched the towel from my hand and wiped her face.
Those ten seconds felt like an eternity.
"...I clearly told you to swallow."
"Count it as half-swallowed. My stats went up."
"Fuck, is that what I asked?"
Choi Da-eun glared and growled at me.
"Argh...! You did that on purpose, didn't you, you bastard?"
"No, I didn't."
"I wanna kill you. Fuck, for real. What should I do, Sun-woo?"
"......"
I clamped my mouth shut.
She was overreacting to a little spit, but I held my tongue.
She spat in my face too.
We're even.
"Haa."
Choi Da-eun let out a heavy sigh.
Suppressing her rage.
Compared to the old days when she'd swing first and ask later, this was real progress.
I was so touched I nearly clapped.
"The potion worked?"
"Yes, all stats up by 1."
"So it was real."
"...Yes."
Choi Da-eun blinked, seeming lost in thought for a sec.
She bit her lip and let out an irritated groan.
"Fine, got it. Now get out."
Snapping out of it, Choi Da-eun shooed me away.
Get lost gesture.
"Just like this?"
"What else?"
"...Normally, wouldn't you offer tea in a situation like this?"
"Scram, you bastard."
Choi Da-eun's head was empty of me.
Just wanted me gone.
I didn't wanna leave like this.
Couldn't score ramen, but I wanted to show her my changed look.
I used the Appearance Edit Coupon, you know.
Don't I look hotter now?
I grabbed Choi Da-eun's wrist and yanked.
Pressed in sleekly, slammed a manly wall-bang.
"Da-eun."
"...Da-eun? Daaa-eun?"
Choi Da-eun's knee shot up.
That sharpened knee had one target.
My nuts tingled in dread.
Smack—!
"Ack...!"
"Where do you get off groping like a moron?"
T-Tekkai!
Luckily...
It didn't burst.
Creepy that Diamond Inflexibility activated.
To level up the skill, I had to use it often like this.
Diamond Inflexibility only triggered on life-threatening danger, so this was the best way.
Activate it in a dungeon?
That'd mean a near-death situation.
"Get out."
And just like that, I got kicked out of Choi Da-eun's house.