Chapter 032
[Chapter 032]
< Taste that Summons Self-Interest >
Valhalla R&D Center, Yu Seo-jin’s personal research lab.
Yu Seo-jin’s only hobby was lurking on Dang-geun-tap (Tower Market), the hunter-only second-hand trade site, during work hours.
It was no different from a treasure chest that gave inspiration for research, as mysterious and interesting items that couldn't be obtained through the official Tower routes occasionally appeared there.
“Oh?”
That day, as usual, her finger scrolling down stopped before a post.
[Seller: Gorani Man 12]
[Item: World's Most Delicious Tomato (10 units)]
[Desired Trade Item: Free (Artifact preference)]
‘Gorani Man, how tacky.’
She smirked.
But that confidence of being the "World's Most Delicious" somehow appealed to her.
Out of curiosity, she clicked on Gorani Man 12's sales history.
[Buyer Reviews]
GymRatHunter: You're not a hunter if you can't bench 500. This potato allows you to bench 800.
TowerParkBeautyYoutuber: Everyone, don't go to the dermatologist. Just buy this cucumber and put it on your face. The radiance is different.
Viper: This person's items are the real deal. Not to mention the taste, the effect is also certain. And if there's someone who trades with this person and leaves a bad review saying it's not delicious, I will personally visit and re-confirm how accurate those taste buds are, so everyone please take note.
“What, Viper left a review?”
It was mysterious. And she became curious.
Just what kind of tomato is it that even that picky information broker Viper praises it so much?
Actually, it wasn't just praise.
Thorough business man.
Viper, a money ghost who would fail a trade even if the opponent was a high-ranking public official if the amount wasn't reasonable, was talking about personally dealing with anyone who left a bad review.
And that, too, as unpaid labor without receiving any compensation.
'Did Viper originally have this kind of image? No way.'
Anyway, what was certain was that a great crop worth Viper making such a fuss about had been traded.
If it's to this extent now, how great will it become in the future?
“Hee-hee.”
Yu Seo-jin let out a laugh.
By now, the estimate was already out. In terms of needing to form a good relationship with this unidentified trader a day earlier.
In the end, what was important was low-point buying.
Prioritizing making a good relationship without paying a large price before a valuable existence becomes even more valuable.
‘Shall I try a build-up while also buying research center snacks?’
Yu Seo-jin opened her inventory.
Contemplating what would be a hot trade item that could leave a good impression in the first trade.
After thinking for a bit, she pulled out her latest work, an ambitious piece she successfully launched recently.
‘This much sincerity should be enough.’
Yu Seo-jin immediately sent a chat to Gorani Man 12 with the ID Genie.
Hoping he would recognize the sincerity she showed.
* * *
I clicked the link and had no choice but to doubt my eyes.
‘A-Rank Artifact, Watch of Earth's Tears?’
It was clearly a high-end artifact.
Furthermore, if it was made by Valhalla, its value surpassed imagination.
The place where Yu Seo-jin, the top artifact crafting master in South Korea and the head of Valhalla R&D Center, is.
In terms of quality and performance, it was no different from a guarantee of being the best.
Furthermore, this watch was a top-tier line said to be issued only to the top 1% among Valhalla products.
And above all, what captured me was the item's description.
[Description: An old antique watch made of condensed earth essence. In the moment of an instant, it amplifies the user's spirit to the extreme, allowing them to exercise precision control abilities impossible normally.]
It was a tremendous item.
Especially in a place like a Tower raid where a single mistake leads to death, this instant focus was no different from a second skill that saves one's life.
The final blow aiming at the boss's weak point, or a hair's breadth evasion maneuver.
It was truly an attack-type artifact for top-tier rankers that could pull the success rate of all of that to the extreme.
There was no reason not to have this.
[Gorani Man 12: I will trade.]
[Genie: Ah, but seller. There is one thing I’d like to ask your understanding on.]
[Genie: Actually, this artifact is a model to which our guild's latest technology is applied, so the security logic is complex and system transfer is impossible. It's burdensome, but I think I’ll have to meet you directly to deliver it. Of course, in a place where each other's identity is perfectly guaranteed.]
[Genie: How about it? I will handle all the reservations. You just have to come this way.]
Saying so, she sent a map link.
[U-Hwa-Ryeong]
It was a place I had only heard of through rumors.
A secret space where only a very small number of VVIPs among hunters could enter.
The moment you enter, a special mana barrier operates, so voices are modulated and faces and bodies turn into blurred shadows, so no one could reportedly know each other's identity.
A place mainly used by high-ranking rankers who want to hide their identity or information brokers who want secret trades.
[Gorani Man 12: Good. Let's see you there.]
I accepted Genie's offer without hesitation.
Two days later, the day of the trade.
I headed to Seoul according to the appointed time.
A guidance message from U-Hwa-Ryeong's side had arrived on the terminal.
[MuryongFan38: Hello customer. I am the manager of the Gangnam secret restaurant, U-Hwa-Ryeong.]
Muryong fan?
[MuryongFan38: Ah, I’m rotating the name to whatever I want to specify each time. Literally, I’m a Muryong fan.]
Apparently, fan clubs for me had sprouted here and there without me even knowing.
I didn't know there were so many people who liked me.
It wasn't a bad feeling. It's just a bit embarrassing.
[MuryongFan38: Once the route to enter U-Hwa-Ryeong is sent via message, just follow that description to move. For reference, even we cannot check the entrance route code, so please be at ease regarding the guarantee of secrecy.]
And soon after, an encrypted message arrived through the Tower system.
[A system message has arrived in your secret mailbox.]
[U-Hwa-Ryeong's random door opening time, 3:37 PM. Location, the very last stall of the men's restroom at Yeongdeungpo Underground Mall Exit 2.]
‘Yeongdeungpo Underground Mall restroom?’
A one-time route no one would think of.
The fact that people for whom anonymity guarantee is important use such things felt mysterious.
Actually, whether I was caught or not wasn't very important to me.
Wanting to meet quietly was mostly because I didn't want to get involved in bothersome things.
If the moment where I must reveal my strength comes?
“There won't be a reason to hide it particularly.”
Living quietly is good, but is there a need to hide while tolerating many inconveniences?
My thought was that it wouldn't be bad if it was revealed naturally when such a moment comes.
According to the time, I headed to the Yeongdeungpo Underground Mall restroom.
3:37 PM.
Cree-ak-
The moment I opened the door of the last stall, the scenery before my eyes distorted.
Instead of a messy tile floor, a long hallway with high-end red carpet appeared.
‘Mysterious sensation.’
Every step I took, I felt the mysterious flow of mana surrounding my body.
My appearance reflected in the mirror had turned into a blurred shadow whose features couldn't be recognized.
“Ah, ah.”
The voice also came out modulated like a mechanical sound.
“You can come this way.”
Following the staff's guidance, I entered the VIP room at the very end.
Inside the room, one person had already arrived and was waiting for me.
It was an individual who had the form of a blurred shadow just like me.
“Nice to meet you, Gorani Man 12. I am Genie.”
A modulated mechanical voice flowed out.
But.
‘....’
I quietly closed my eyes and operated my Internal Energy (Naegong).
The essential energy appearing beyond the illusions created by the Tower's mana.
Sssssssss...
The modulated veil was lifted for me and the appearance began to appear.
Tightly tied long straight hair, the gaze full of curiosity beyond intelligent glasses.
And the attractive mole below the lip.
Ah.
Valhalla’s Yu Seo-jin?
* * *
Yu Seo-jin.
The top artifact crafting master in South Korea.
While S-Rank rankers competing for 1st or 2nd place in combat power are Valhalla's signboards, rumors were widespread that in reality more than half of the guild's profits come from Yu Seo-jin’s fingertips.
The artifacts she made were called works and world-class wealthy people and rankers would reportedly line up and wait.
“Nice to meet you, Genie.”
She was famous for her beauty as much as her skill.
The mysterious harmony of an intelligent atmosphere that looked as cold as ice and the girl-like curiosity occasionally glimpsed within it.
Even without seeing her face, it was a feeling as if the space was filled with just her presence.
Anecdotes of numerous rankers courting her and being coldly rejected were floating like legends on Hun-Tube (Hunter-Net).
Without showing that I was piercing through Yu Seo-jin’s true appearance, I quietly took a seat.
Soon I felt Yu Seo-jin’s satisfied smile spreading.
“The 10 preview samples you sent the other day, I received them well. Thank you for trading with trust.”
“No problem.”
It seemed the 10 tomatoes I sent for preview had safely entered Yu Seo-jin’s inventory.
“As the rumors said, no, they were very delicious beyond the rumors. It was a very satisfying trade.”
“By the way, buying as many as 100 was unexpected. It was the first trade.”
“Ah, our company staff have a lot of overnight work. I bought them to take care of everyone, and the reaction was explosive. Maybe we’ll end up buying even larger quantities in the future.”
Yu Seo-jin’s eyes genuinely sparkled.
“The moment I ate the tomato, I felt as if I was hit in the head. Not to mention it was delicious, I felt fatigue vanishing from my whole body and my mind clearing.”
Taste, and even the efficacy seemed to be perfect for Yu Seo-jin.
“Thanks to that, last night I was able to complete an artifact blueprint that hadn't been solved for months at once with my team members. It felt like finding a very precious vitality agent. Since it's a pure food product, there's no tolerance either.”
So, it meant a genius crazy about work discovered the best doping agent to do that work even better.
Yu Seo-jin pushed a high-end box sealed with mana over the table.
“Please check the item first.”
Opening the box, inside was a high-end design antique pocket watch placed on a velvet cushion.
A heavy pocket watch case made of pure silver.
Intricate patterns of mythological plants that do not exist in the world were intricately carved.
When the lid was opened, golden hour and minute hands were soundlessly flowing over a sapphire-blue watch face.
‘The watch itself is a work of art.’
Holding the watch in my hand, I quietly operated my Internal Energy (Naegong).
Flowing a very minute Internal Energy (Naegong) stream inside the watch, I scanned its structure thoroughly.
‘...No tracking devices or surveillance magic circuits.’
Only the pure power of an artifact was felt.
As per Valhalla's reputation, it was a clean item.
Even if she liked my tomatoes, this person who gives such a thing is also not ordinary.
“Checked. Thank you.”
“So, about that, can we trade periodically in the future?”
“I’d like that, but... you gave such an item from the first trade, you’re not going to keep giving such A-Rank artifacts in the future, are you.”
At my words, Yu Seo-jin laughed pleasantly.
“Of course, I wanted to give a good impression since it was the first trade. And I can sufficiently provide things tailored to Gorani Man 12's needs in the future too. With this amount of crops, you must be cultivating them professionally, right?”
“Yes, I grow them myself.”
“I’ll look forward to it. I want to become your regular customer.”
Yu Seo-jin treated me politely as if I were a precious artisan.
‘There's a reason why No. 1 is No. 1.’
I had heard well of the rumors about the guild called Valhalla.
That it's a place that spares no investment for each employee's growth, rewards achievements exceptionally, and instills a sense of being the owner of Valhalla in everyone.
For instance, Valhalla was famous for the guild taking responsibility for the livelihood of a deceased guild hunter's family for life.
From children's tuition to living expenses to old age.
The reason they could fight with a mind at ease was because the guild perfectly protected their back.
‘It's much better treatment than what the state gives.’
Suddenly, Old Man No’s face came to mind.
If it's such a place, wouldn't it be okay, I thought.
* * *
A few hours later.
Top floor of Valhalla R&D Center, Yu Seo-jin’s personal office.
A pretty woman with black hair was looking at the tomatoes piled up all over the table with trembling eyes.
“Fi, finally....”
Yu Seo-jin felt like tears were about to well up.
For two days after tasting the first 10 tomatoes, Yu Seo-jin felt an impatience like a person experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
It had to be.
She didn't show it at the trade site, but Yu Seo-jin was already addicted to Gorani Man 12's crops.
The efficacy was good, but rather than that, the taste.
Just how on earth could a mere tomato produce such a complex flavor and perfect texture.
With even Yu Seo-jin’s analytical brain, it was a miracle-like crop that couldn't be understood.
“Just what is this molecular structure of sweetness? The balance of sourness and umami is perfect. This scent... is a scent I’ve never smelled in any rare plant in the Tower.”
She muttered to herself while holding one tomato up to the light as if appraising a rare jewel.
But that was only temporary; she shook her head as if giving up all analysis.
“No, I don't know all of that. Just, this tomato is crazy! Explanation is impossible!”
She was at a loss for what to do with happiness while rolling around buried in the pile of tomatoes.
The charisma she showed in the meeting room was gone, and only the appearance of a happy person who received the world's most delicious snack as a gift remained.
“I should have bought more earlier... I should have just asked him to sell everything he had!”
Then she picked up one tomato and took a bite with an ecstatic expression.
Heavenly taste filling the entire mouth.
And the clear vitality felt.
In that moment, there was an existence that surfaced in her head more intensely than the taste of the tomato.
‘Gorani Man 12.’
That quiet and unknowable deep presence felt beyond the blurred shadow.
She had met numerous S-Rank rankers, but that kind of presence was the first.
Not a rough and powerful energy, but a quiet yet heavily flowing mysterious energy.
Chewing over that lingering afterglow felt throughout the private meeting, she muttered.
“I want to become close....”
Not as a talent for the guild.
“Personally.”
< Taste that Summons Self-Interest > END