Chapter 85
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MJK
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Half Water, Half Fish
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Bro! Bro!"
A few days later, Kim Se-jin came rushing to my countryside home, unable to hide his excitement. His face was lit up with the brightest smile I'd ever seen on him.
"Yu-na's all clear! Completely clean!"
"That's a relief."
I ruffled Kim Se-jin's hair.
"You've been through a lot, huh?"
"It's all... all thanks to you, Bro!"
He bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, thanking me over and over.
Sure enough, the [Moonlight Honey Dew] had done its job.
'And all I used that day was a few drops on the pudding.'
If I stored it well, it'd come in handy for sure. I could even use it as a special ingredient on rare occasions.
"Bro, it's not much, but... as a token of my gratitude..."
Kim Se-jin pulled out a small box he'd been hiding behind his back.
"What's this?"
"It's a rare artifact that just hit the market. Took some doing to snag it. Thought it'd be perfect for that little guy over there."
"Ppo-eng?"
Kim Se-jin pointed at Hasuo, who was weeding the vegetable patch.
Inside the box was an adorable palette made from seashells and a single brush crafted from a drop of dew.
[Item: Little Spirit's Paint Set]
[Rank: Rare]
[Description: Special paint made by a water spirit. Paintings drawn with this paint will manifest as faint illusions in reality for one day.]
'An artifact that creates illusions, huh.'
These were rare even on the black market, fetching top dollar. He'd probably seen Hasuo drawing in the dirt with sticks and thought of this gift.
"Thanks, I'll put it to good use."
"No, thank you! I'm the one who's grateful!"
"Sit down."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
I sat Kim Se-jin down on the porch and got serious.
"Now that Yu-na's all better, it's time to start planning for the future."
"The... future?"
"Don't waste the money you've saved. Start getting ready to move."
Kim Se-jin's eyes went wide.
"You can't live in that rundown shack forever. It's no good for Yu-na's health. And next year, she'll need to start school, right?"
"Oh, school..."
A shadow of real-world worries crossed Kim Se-jin's face.
"Then... how about we move here? Close to you, Bro."
"Coming to this village would be nice, but the school's too far. And the facilities around here aren't great. Seoul's out too—housing's insane..."
I clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. We'll find a way. For now, I'll think about the best spot for Yu-na too."
His eyes lit up again at that.
"Bro...!"
He wasn't alone anymore.
Having a solid adult to hash out that once-hopeless future with.
It was the first time since his parents passed that he'd felt this swell of gratitude and security in his chest.
That alone made the world worth living in.
Beijing, China. The study in the Xiao family estate.
Three members of the Xiao family sat across from each other at a massive rosewood desk: Xiao Lin and her parents.
No one in the room could bring themselves to speak first.
"...So, Gorani-man said that thing inside Liu is a seed of disaster?"
Her father, Xiao Zhen, finally broke the silence.
"Yes, Father. He said China knew about it from the start."
"Are you... certain?"
Her mother, Ming Yuan, asked sharply.
"Gorani-man told me himself. So yes, absolutely."
The two nodded at Xiao Lin's reply.
"Of course."
The being who'd saved Japan from disaster and cured an S-rank hunter's incurable disease.
His word was truth, beyond any proof.
"Above all, questioning someone who came all this way out of goodwill... that's not how humans act."
Doubting that kindness went against the pride of the Xiao family.
Crack!
Xiao Zhen gripped his teacup so hard it cracked—a solid jade vessel.
"...How dare they target my daughter and Liu..."
Xiao Zhen and his wife Ming Yuan were living legends in China's hunter world.
From the Tower's first appearance, they'd thrown themselves into rifts bare-handed to protect the nation—first-gen hunters.
For the next twenty years, they'd poured everything into building the Chinese Hunter Association into Asia's strongest force.
"And we... we dedicated ourselves to the nation like this!"
Ming Yuan couldn't hold back her rage.
"We took every filthy mission without complaint, gave up guild founding rights for the country! We even offered our only daughter as the nation's blade... and this is the betrayal we get?!"
China's cruelty made her tremble.
Drunk on their immense power, they'd grown arrogant—treating even those they should protect as mere tools. Monsters.
The very tower they'd built with blood and sweat now turned a poisoned blade on their own necks.
"To think Gorani-man had to tell us this. Unbelievable."
"Exactly. China hides it, but he reveals it... doesn't add up."
"For him to care so much about our family... we don't deserve it."
If not for Gorani-man, they'd have sent Liu away none the wiser to this horror. The thought alone sent chills down their spines.
"I was just in Korea for the economic forum. The place was buzzing with energy. Probably thanks to Gorani-man—the whole country radiates confidence and vitality."
"Yes, dear. What struck me most was the free atmosphere. Everyone treats hunters like real people, with respect. Not like us, as national weapons."
They'd both just returned from the Korea-China economic cooperation forum.
A free nation like that, with an absolute like Gorani-man? They couldn't hide their envy.
"Then we need to decide our next move."
"Gorani-man said he'd find a way to wake Liu. As for me, I'm going to dig deeper into the Management Bureau."
"How? They won't share info easily."
"I asked Mei-ling for help."
Zhu Mei-ling.
Her father, Zhu Lun, was a key figure in the princelings who pulled China's strings.
"Mei-ling can get the real inside scoop. She promised to help fully."
No more silence on the nation's injustice. They'd resolved as much.
"Loyalty... ends now."
Xiao Zhen declared it like a death sentence.
Tap, tap, tap!
I woke up before dawn to something tickling my cheek.
"Nngh...?"
Opening my eyes, I saw Hasuo poking my face with the leaves sprouting from his head.
"Hasuo? What's up, this early?"
"Ppo-aeng!"
He wasn't one to fuss like this over nothing.
There had to be a good reason to wake me like this.
Tug, tug!
Hasuo grabbed my sleeve with his root hand, urging me outside.
"Alright, alright, let's go."
Still half-asleep, I followed where he led. But the moment we reached the veggie patch, I was wide awake.
"!"
Hasuo's plot.
In that tiny patch, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
The little lychee seed Hasuo had planted had grown into a massive tree overnight!
"Wh-what the...?"
Branches fanned out like a fountain, heavy with lychee clusters like grapes.
Lychees normally grew on subtropical trees over ten meters tall.
Yet this waist-high sapling bore hundreds, thousands of fruits. Crimson orbs peeked through dark green leaves in a fragrant feast.
The sweet, heady scent filled the morning air.
"Never seen a veggie patch yield this much before."
I plucked the ripest one, entranced, and checked its status.
[Item: Hasuo's Miraculous Fruit (Lychee)]
[Rank: Rare+]
[Description: A miracle bloomed from the union of a capricious tree's seed and the pure sincerity of ancient fleeceflower. Its flavor is incomparable to any fruit in the world.]
I peeled it and shared the translucent flesh with Hasuo.
No special effects—just pure, all-in flavor.
"Ppo-aeng!"
Hasuo puffed out his chest, beaming with pride.
I patted his head generously, praising him.
"But... there's way too many to handle."
The problem was the quantity.
I filled several large baskets to share around: next-door grandma, the seniors' hall, Old Man No, and more.
Enough for a village party, and still...
"Still this many left?"
Even after generous handouts, hundreds remained on the tree.
Lychees lose taste and aroma if frozen—had to eat them fresh within days.
My household had hit capacity.
Muryong sprawled on the porch, hugging a lychee his size, tail flicking lazily. Kkoko could barely waddle after overeating, wings useless. Even gluttonous Gorani and the badger lay belly-up in the shade, bloated like hills, moaning blissfully.
"Groan..."
"O-sol-o-sol..."
Everyone was stuffed to bursting, drifting into satisfied naps.
'What to do with the rest?'
I pondered.
Tower Market was an option.
But this differed from my usual crops there.
Those had solid effects as the main draw, flavor secondary.
This lychee?
'All about the taste.'
Sure, it'd lift your mood a bit, but nothing to hook hunters.
Then it hit me—my little cafe in Seoul.
'Menus from this?'
Needed more options anyway.
Jung Ha-yoon was right; lychee ade sounded perfect.
"Thanks to you, Hasuo, we're gonna make bank."
"Ppo-eng!"
Above all, Hasuo seemed thrilled to grow a new crop and help me.
Seeing color return to his pale face lightened my heart too.
I stashed the lychees and grabbed my rod for Okinawa.
Time to test the [Moonlight Fishing Rod that Hooks Karma] for real.
Whoosh—
Atop a coastal cliff overlooking emerald seas.
"Phew, perfect."
Splash!
Then, massive shadows rippled below the surface.
Kraken and Hydra.
They sensed me like ghosts, popping tentacles and heads up to greet excitedly.
"Grrruulk!"
"Shuuuuk!"
"Hey, good to see you."
I gave them a pat and cast properly, settling in.
Staring blankly at the horizon in the sea breeze.
This was fishing's true joy.
Whish—
But suddenly, they got busy.
Using tentacles and bulk to herd something my way from the depths.
'No way?'
Poke.
The float dipped. I reeled in a forearm-thick sea bream, flopping.
Flick—
Cast again, instant bite.
"Already?"
A hefty yellowtail this time.
'Wait... are they...?'
They were straight-up delivering fish to my hook.
Every cast a keeper—great action, but zero thrill of the wait.
'VIP service fishing.'
Couldn't quit on those huge guys huffing to serve me.
Imagining droopy tentacles broke my heart.
"Whoa, what a haul! Incredible!"
I faked awe with robotic cheers.
"Wow, sea bream this time! All thanks to you!"
Even my soulless praise had Hydra and Kraken beaming.
Kraken danced tentacles above water; Hydra posed all nine heads proudly.
'Fine, they're happy. Good enough.'
Fishing's essence was long gone.
But how could I dislike such pure loyalty from giants like them?
"Here comes another cast~"
Thanks to them, I fished till satisfied into the night before heading home.