Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Off to Steal Again Today
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A luxurious suit.
A designer watch on his wrist.
Subordinates standing at attention like soldiers guarding the staircase.
Even though he could have come alone, he'd brought all these suited men with him, which suggested he had quite the flair for showing off.
And that subtle, condescending glint in his eyes, as if looking down on everyone.
It felt like he treated others as inherently beneath him, which wasn't exactly pleasant.
"Hmmm!"
Do-sik, sitting at the next table with his arms crossed, glaring at the suited men, seemed to feel the same way.
"Hahaha, well now. I thought I'd try the chain coffee since it's here, but what a letdown."
He didn't like it.
Not that attitude treating everyone like commoners.
Not the way he casually rolled up his sleeves to flaunt his watch.
Nothing about him was remotely appealing.
It was absurd enough that he'd barged into the cafe out of nowhere, but now he was practically taking over the place.
As a result, quite a crowd had gathered outside the cafe.
Wondering what was going on.
At this point, it was more surprising that no one had called the police.
'No way he handled that too?'
Seokwoo had suspected she came from an upper-class family ever since bodyguards showed up for Haneuli, but he hadn't expected this level.
Seokwoo frowned at the stares from all directions before fixing his gaze straight ahead.
Lee Ha-jin.
The man who had introduced himself as Haneuli's older brother.
His subordinates had politely apologized first.
And since the man himself said he had something to discuss, Seokwoo had agreed to hear him out—but he was already regretting it.
'No choice.'
So Seokwoo decided to cut to the chase.
"So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
Getting straight to the point.
"Ah, right."
Only then did Ha-jin set down his cup and respond.
"The thing is, I did a little digging on you, Seokwoo."
"What?"
"Oh, sorry if that bothers you. I was just worried about my little sister—a tiny bit. Just a tiny investigation. I didn't pry too deep into your privacy or anything. I'm not that unreasonable—"
This guy.
Grinning smugly while spouting all that nonsense.
'Yeah, I beat up his bodyguard, so he'd look into me. But to say it to my face?'
Unreasonable my ass.
'This isn't working. I should just leave...'
That's when it happened.
Ha-jin suddenly propped his chin on his hand, shifting the mood.
His sunken eyes turned toward Seokwoo.
"Anyway, here's the thing. I'd like to ask you for a favor."
"A favor?"
"Yes. I hear you've been playing Agas a lot with my sister lately..."
"What reason do I have to tell you all that? Even if you are Haneuli's brother."
"Hahaha, no need to be so prickly. It's less a favor and more of a proposal, really. A very good one for you."
With that, he spread his arms wide, his lips stretching into a grin.
"And it's simple. Just tell me every day what she says around you, what she's thinking, and what you two do together."
"You want me to spy on your sister?"
"Spy? No, I'm just worried."
What a load of crap.
If he were truly worried, he wouldn't be asking someone else to do this.
'Things were off from the start when he assigned her that thug bodyguard.'
Seokwoo had found it strange from the first time he met Haneuli in real life.
It seemed like the bodyguards were there to monitor her.
The question was why monitor his own sister.
And why reach out to him like this.
"You seem to have plenty of underlings. Why not ask one of them? Don't drag me into this."
"Ah, there are circumstances. And what I want is in Agas, not reality. She started the game with college friends, but she doesn't hang out with others much. The only one she parties with is your sister—and she's got tight defenses."
"...Wait. You approached my sister too? Just to spy on your family in a game?"
"It's very important to me. So, what do you say? If you report on time, I'll make it worth your while. Oh, and if you convince your sister to join in, double the pay..."
Bang!
Seokwoo kicked back his chair and stood.
He grabbed Ha-jin's collar and muttered coldly.
"What did you do to Mira?"
"Ahahaha, nothing at all. I just politely proposed it like a gentleman. Feel free to call her and ask."
Ha-jin gestured to stop the rushing suited men and continued.
"You don't think I'm like those rough, barbaric types, do you? That would be quite unpleasant."
His expression hardened.
He looked genuinely offended.
Only then did Seokwoo release his collar.
"Hoo. Find someone else."
"..."
"And stay away from my sister."
Seokwoo glared coldly down at Ha-jin.
Then he smirked faintly.
"And I don't bow my head and work under anyone."
That's right.
No matter how good the money, he wouldn't sell his pride.
If he wanted to beg and take the easy route, he'd have joined a top guild long ago.
He wouldn't be soloing like this.
Sure, he'd once been sentenced to life and lost all his items, but he had emergency savings just in case.
'I'm not desperate enough to take orders from a sleaze like this.'
But what pissed him off most was approaching Mira first.
His family, of all people.
'He crossed the line hard.'
Seokwoo turned away with that thought.
Do-sik, who had been sitting next to him, stood as well.
But then.
"...Well, I didn't expect you'd agree right away."
Ha-jin smoothly placed something on the table and stood.
He headed for the stairs ahead of Seokwoo and Do-sik.
"If you change your mind, contact me anytime. Well then..."
Ha-jin.
His subordinates followed in a herd.
The chaotic cafe fell silent in an instant.
"You okay? That guy looked like a total prick. He didn't threaten you or anything, right?"
"Nah."
Seokwoo brushed off Do-sik's concern and picked up the business card on the table.
'Looks like some big company exec. As if I'd keep his card...'
Seokwoo moved to tear it up on the spot.
But.
'Huh?'
The company name on the card looked oddly familiar.
'Wait, no way...'
Seokwoo stared at it in disbelief.
-Rover Company, Executive Director Lee Ha-jin.
It was the company he knew.
'Rover Company.'
The one servicing Agas.
'Yeah, he approached me before too. You okay? Oh, yeah. He just showed up, said a few words. Don't worry. Nothing for you to fret over. Anyway, I think he made a similar offer back then.'
'After I refused firmly a few times, he gave up and stopped coming.'
'Haneuli? Haven't told her yet. Can't understand spying on his own sister, and it rubs me wrong, but it's their family matter...'
Mira had been through the same.
Hearing about it over the phone left Seokwoo's mind in a whirl.
Thankfully, no harm done to Mira, but it was infuriating.
Especially since the guy was Rover Company's executive director.
Haneuli's family was even bigger than imagined.
'An exec spying on his sister via their own game? Through others?'
'Ah, circumstances...'
He claimed circumstances, but it still didn't make sense.
Why not handle it himself in the game his company ran?
Like assigning bodyguards in reality.
'Whatever. Spying on his own sibling is suspicious enough.'
Something felt off.
There had to be a hidden story.
'Whenever family comes up, his face goes stiff. Seems on bad terms with his brother. Better not tell Haneuli...'
Recalling Mira's words, Seokwoo shelved his thoughts.
'Yeah, their family business.'
Getting involved could backfire.
And he'd rejected him face-to-face.
No more entanglements.
'Time to log in.'
Seokwoo shredded the business card and entered the capsule room.
"Welcome... Oh, hi."
"What's with the face? Got a problem?"
"Not at allll."
Bora at the counter rested her chin on her hand and turned away.
She'd seemed off since Kim Moo-jong's tantrum last time.
Seokwoo gave her a grumpy old-man look and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk. Regular comes in, and the part-timer acts like that. Six months ago, unimaginable."
"Wow, total boomer."
"See? Sass. These kids nowadays..."
"Uncle Seokwoo, I turned on your spot. Go play nicely."
"...Fine?"
"Yes."
Embarrassed, Seokwoo scratched his head and turned.
"Finally tried a joke..."
He grumbled off, unaware Bora was smirking at him.
Darkness.
A beam of light spreading through it.
Another world unfolded before his eyes.
The world of the VR game Agas.
'Logged out at the inn, right?'
A rickety bed.
Worn sheets.
Cobweb-filled ceiling.
Crude walls.
It was one of the rooms in Jermy's inn.
'And...'
Luke turned toward the bed.
There was Poko, belly bulging out, fast asleep.
Ever since using mana drain on the goblin shaman in the boss room recently, he'd been like that.
Probably a side effect of over-absorbing mana.
After much convincing, they'd brought him to the inn room, but his belly still hadn't deflated.
'In that state, he couldn't even move on his own.'
All because of pushing too hard.
Luke sighed and opened his inventory.
He pulled out the red-bordered item from the corner.
[Deimus's Hourglass]
Grade: Hero
Description: An hourglass imbued with Deimus's power.
A palm-sized hourglass.
Just a regular sand timer, as described.
Except for the name Deimus prefixed to it.
'What to do with this.'
This was the suspicious item that had left Luke baffled this time.
Identity unknown.
Purpose unknown.
Effect unknown.
A mysterious hero-grade item with nothing revealed.
Of course he'd be flustered coming from the event #1 reward box.
'Who's Deimus?'
He'd scoured info sites and apps, but nothing on Deimus.
'Like one of the Ten Emperors, undisclosed?'
Possible.
But the problem was not knowing how to use it, regardless of ownership.
'No effect listed in the description...'
The highly anticipated Agas Land event reward, and it was this enigma.
Luke pocketed the hourglass with mixed feelings.
'Gotta test the new Corpse Plunder skill at least.'
Just a taste in the dungeon so far.
"Poko..."
That's when.
Poko suddenly squirmed on the bed.
Soon, his little mouth gaped wide.
"Po... Burp!"
A belch.
'Ha, what a clown. Did he digest whatever was inside?'
Luke chuckled and checked Poko's belly.
But.
'Huh? It looks smaller than before...'
Something was off.
As he puzzled over the change.
A message appeared before Luke belatedly.
'...Mana?!'