Chapter 115

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 115

Chapter Title: The Shops

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"Then, let's head out."

We climbed over the wall and stepped into the street, making our way toward the market along the alleyways.

Even though the streets were dark with no lights, residents were still milling about, and there were quite a few patrol soldiers too.

We scanned our surroundings in the dim alley before soon finding a tall building to climb. From there, we quietly observed the market street below.

'Tighter security than I expected.'

I'd spoken to Han So-hee with full confidence, but looting the shops wasn't going to be easy. If it were, Maeve's party wouldn't have been stuck here.

'That aside, now that it's midnight, things are really starting to move around here.'

People who looked like players like us were slipping through the shadows of the alleys, moving with utmost secrecy.

"More people than I thought."

"Yeah, looks like a lot of others escaped too."

"I'd say around a hundred or so."

It seemed like a lot, but it wasn't. Out of tens of thousands, just a hundred... a truly dismal ratio.

"So, which shop are we hitting? There are more stores than I expected."

"Why even hesitate? Weapon shops, obviously! Look! Everyone's gunning for the armories!"

Weapons were the most valuable and expensive, so naturally, they were the top choice for most people heading to the weapon shops.

Thankfully, the market was vast with plenty of stores, so the crowds weren't too bad.

"Hey, at this rate, every weapon shop's gonna get cleaned out. Damn, where are the ones that are left?"

We had no idea which ones were the weapon shops.

It was the consequence of skipping the daytime recon we should have done.

"Don't rush it. We're not targeting a weapon shop anyway."

"What? No way. Skipping the best stores? Isn't that a bad call? You said it yourself—we'd fill our bags with the most expensive stuff."

"I did. That's why we're not going now."

"What does that... Oh?"

It was only the first day. No need to fill our bags with the priciest items right away. We weren't leaving tomorrow, after all.

"Plus, the locals here aren't idiots."

"What do you mean, Min-jun?"

"You see that over there?"

I pointed to one spot. With a sudden crash and clatter, people burst out of a building, followed by soldiers who started grabbing the players.

"Halt!"

Those who resisted got skewered mercilessly with javelins. Four dead from looting the weapon shop, seven captured.

"A trap...?"

"Exactly. Soldiers were lying in wait. But those guys got unlucky—hit the highest-difficulty one."

The soldiers kicked the dying men a few times before selling them off to a passing resident for some coin. The rest were dragged away toward the palace.

The commotion made the other players hold their breath until the soldiers left, then they resumed moving.

"Phew."

Han So-hee let out a relieved sigh as she watched. She'd worried about traps, but since it was just soldiers hiding, she figured we could handle it.

"Oppa, so where are we headed?"

"This way. Follow me."

I retraced my memory to the shop I'd spotted on the way in as a prisoner, heading there stealthily.

'Weapon shops, general stores, and sometimes even food shops—these are the ones players hit most often, so they have very high intrusion difficulty.'

Some had locks and alarms, others soldiers in ambush like earlier.

But my target was different. I stopped dead in front of a building in one alley, and the group peeked at the sign hanging outside, blinking in surprise.

"This place?"

"Alchemy...?"

Alchemy shops got zero attention early on. Even at rest areas, you rarely saw people near them.

'That's why the difficulty is super low.'

At most, just a latch.

I opened it easily with telekinesis, and the Saintess's eyes sparkled.

"Amazing! As expected of you, Min-jun!"

Not just her—everyone's eyes were wide with wonder. Across the street, players were struggling forever to pick a lock.

"You have quite the talents."

"Dickhead, you're a natural-born thief. Why not switch classes?"

They giggled and poked my side with their elbows, so I jabbed a finger right between Shin Seo-yeon's butt cheeks. She let out a lewd squeak. Then she glared at me, cheeks flushed.

"Don't do that."

"You want me to never do it again?"

"...Just not out of nowhere."

How cute.

Who could've guessed the Crimson Flame Witch, who used to burn people alive for displeasing her, would turn out this adorable?

"Sera."

"Yeah!"

Sensing it was her turn, the Reaper activated stealth and vanished inside.

Seeing her thoroughness, Han So-hee fully relaxed her expression, looking relieved.

"Makes me feel embarrassed about earlier."

"It's fine. Every time everyone says yes, one person has to say no."

Usually Shin Seo-yeon filled that role, but our moneybird couldn't stay objective about cash-related stuff. Han So-hee was better for that.

Our chaebol heiress was truly ice-cold when it counted.

"Hey, but is this place really gonna pay off?"

Sure enough, our Crimson Flame Witch was still fretting over money. She eyed the players looting the weapon shop across the way with envy.

I grinned when I saw Yi Sera signaling it was safe inside, then answered.

"Don't worry. It'll be more than enough."

The moment we stepped inside, a faint fragrance hit us. A pleasant scent wafted throughout the shop.

"Wow, it's like walking into a flower shop."

The Saintess smiled brightly at the nice smell. I secured the door and handed everyone lanterns, saying,

"Alchemy uses a surprising amount of herbs."

And their value depended on the type. Even a handful of weeds could be worth millions.

"Ooh, big shop."

With lanterns in hand, we strode inside and surveyed the place.

The spacious interior was laid out like a bookstore, with various items displayed on shelves along the walls. Those shelves stretched up to the second floor, accessible by a central staircase.

'First floor for materials, second for finished products, huh.'

Unlike the second floor, the first had shelves in the center stocked with popular items—some with stacks of inventory in the compartments below.

A lone counter sat by the front entrance, clearly marking it as a business.

Shin Seo-yeon glanced around and made a sudden proposal.

"Hey, Dickhead. Instead of splitting everything, how about we each grab the priciest-looking stuff like last time?"

"Like with the raid boss?"

"Yeah, like the warehouse back then!"

...She'd profited big from that.

Good eye, fast hands. She seemed confident she'd rake it in again.

"Still, splitting evenly might be better. You sure?"

"Of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠course! What do you all think?"

"Hm, sounds fun. A rematch... sure."

"Yeah! I'll pick better this time!"

"Yeah!"

Including Yi Sera, whose first time competing, everyone accepted eagerly.

"Alright, then. Let's do it."

Clatter!

The group sprang into action the instant we started. The determination to claim the biggest haul this time was palpable.

But it wouldn't be easy. No one would've imagined looting an alchemy shop.

"Ugh, it's all herbs and stones... I don't know what to pick."

The Saintess wandered lost, as expected.

But quick-witted Shin Seo-yeon and Yi Sera had already dashed upstairs, sweeping the displayed potions.

"Ah, there were potions too...!"

A beat late, the Saintess hesitated before grabbing first-floor materials regretfully. Han So-hee scooped up random stuff as she went, then spotted a door at the base of the stairs and slipped inside.

"Our So-hee, heading my way."

I gave her butt a smack, and the chaebol heiress's cheeks flushed as her hips twitched.

"You're carrying what I put in there properly, right?"

"...Of course. As your cocksleeve... I'm keeping you safe."

"Good girl."

I patted her head, and she shyly avoided my eyes, changing the subject.

"But where's this?"

"Who knows? Probably the workshop, attached to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back of the alchemy shop."

Long tables covered in tools and mystery liquids. We split up to check out the workshop.

Han So-hee eyed the scattered books and papers, then started stuffing them into her [Subspace Pouch].

She'd wanted books before, so it drew her interest naturally.

But while item info gave titles, no translation meant you couldn't read the contents.

'They look like wriggling worms. That's why some trials require translators...'

『...Fire brings change, and salt sustains it. The three symbols—mercury, sulfur, salt—are the primal essence of all life...』

The text in the book I'd picked up randomly started decoding. It was definitely another world's script, and I'd never studied it formally, yet the letters flowed into my eyes like Hangul, readable on the spot.

'...Ha, so there are freebies they just hand out, and special privileges you earn by meeting conditions?'

What an absurd system... I stood there a bit miffed when Han So-hee approached.

"Gonna take that book?"

"Nah. Here."

"Thanks."

After that, she focused on books and experiment notes, picking them selectively as she roamed the workshop.

Books were heavy but valuable—especially specialized ones on alchemy or magic. She probably didn't know, just grabbed them anyway.

'Time for me to farm too.'

From ten years of hitting countless alchemy shops, I had a good idea where the expensive stuff was hidden here and how.

'They definitely stash valuables—rare ones ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they can't sell to just anyone.'

That was my first reason for targeting an alchemy shop. Items not on the market were priceless.

'Where is it? Gotta be around here somewhere...'

I walked slowly across the shadowed stone floor.

With leisurely steps, casually strolling the workshop for a bit, I suddenly stopped in my tracks.

'Found it.'