Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: 38. Hot Night (5)
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‘What? Uncomfortable now...?'
So what the hell had they been doing, ripping into his flesh all this time?
Wondering what exactly was happening behind his back, he tried to turn his head to look.
But a warning popped up lightning-fast.
「Please do not move. Your spine may be damaged.」
'You crazy bastards.'
With no choice, Yeong-woo returned his head to its original position.
This time, a general heat spread across his back.
"...Ugh."
Then, from somewhere on his back, there was a ripping sound, *crack*, and his vision blurred as indescribable pain exploded behind him.
"Argh!"
He clenched his teeth so hard that blood seeped from his gums.
But then 'Berserker' activated, yanking his spirit back from the brink of escaping his body.
"...Ugh."
The 'pain' was gone, but he could clearly feel the cosmic surgery system slicing open his back and doing something insanely dangerous.
There was an incredible discomfort in his cervical spine right now.
'No way—are they seriously replacing my spine from the top down? Is that even possible?'
Since moving recklessly could damage his spine, instead of looking back, Yeong-woo strained his eyes upward to glance at Jeong-gu.
"Father!"
Jeong-gu, who looked like he'd seen a ghost, responded in a dazed voice.
"Uh... yeah? W-what?"
"Can you see it? What these guys are doing behind my back right now."
"O-of course... Urk!"
Something even more shocking must have happened, because Jeong-gu clamped his mouth shut and staggered backward, nearly collapsing.
"What is it? Get me a mirror."
When Yeong-woo demanded a mirror to see the surgery himself, Jeong-gu shook his head.
"No... I really think you shouldn't see this. There's such a thing as shock death, you know."
Jeong-gu was genuinely worried about Yeong-woo going into shock.
Crazy bastard or not, blood relation aside—this guy seemed like the linchpin of Gangnam... no, Seoul. If he died, all sorts of problems would crop up, no doubt.
But Yeong-woo wasn't having it.
"Cut the crap and bring the mirror quick. If I'm gonna freak out and die just from seeing my back cracked open, it means I wasn't meant to live long anyway."
Seeing the murderous glint in Yeong-woo's eyes, Jeong-gu had no choice but to rummage through the suite and fetch a large full-body mirror.
"You're hopeless."
"This is all your and Mother's masterpiece. You know she passed away, right? Bet you didn't."
"...What?"
Jeong-gu, holding the mirror and stepping into Yeong-woo's view, froze.
"Your mother passed away? Wait, do I even know who your mother...?"
Jeong-gu was still subtly drawing a line with Yeong-woo, but his tone was softer than ever.
If this bratty orphan's 'mother' was someone he knew, that would be ironclad proof, wouldn't it?
Proof that Jeong Yeong-woo and Kim Jeong-gu were truly father and son.
But.
"I don't know who she is either. My achievements told me—one of my parents, the 'father,' is the only one still alive."
"...My condolences."
That damnable achievement.
Jeong-gu let out a deep sigh.
And in the process, he realized he'd been speaking casually to Jeong Yeong-woo for a while now.
After witnessing that series of reckless, no—'kid-like' antics, the guy finally started feeling like a son.
"Look at yourself right now. Lying there talking about your mom dying—does that even make sense?"
Finally, Jeong-gu stepped into Yeong-woo's line of sight, mirror in hand.
*Schlop.*
And at last, Yeong-woo could see it too.
His back skin splayed open wide, like a flying squirrel's patagium.
"No fucking way."
As Yeong-woo's jaw dropped, a holographic clamp materialized in midair, pulling a blood-soaked bone fragment from inside his back.
None other than one of the twelve thoracic vertebrae. A piece of his spine was being extracted right now.
*Shrrrip!*
The chunk of Yeong-woo's spine, held in the holographic clamp, melted away into thin air along with it.
"Huh? My spine!"
Then, from even higher up, dozens of pieces of the Unique-grade 'Body Modification' spine, disassembled and hovering, slowly descended into the spot where the thoracic vertebra had been removed.
"......"
They were literally swapping out his spine.
"How's it feel seeing it for yourself?"
The words *Now you don't just lack parents—you're missing a spine too* rose to his lips, but Jeong-gu barely held them back.
The guy was Joseon's Greatest Swordsman.
And a dangerous one whose mind was far from whole. Jeong-gu wanted to live as long as possible.
But Yeong-woo's reaction was no ordinary one either.
"How's it feel? Like I'm gonna get a ton stronger."
Yeong-woo had already watched his final vertebra being removed from his body.
*Shrrrip!*
Just like before, Yeong-woo's original spine vanished somewhere, and next, a silvery-white vertebra fragment descended into place.
*Click.*
A sound like a lock snapping shut echoed from inside Yeong-woo's back.
Then a laser appeared from midair and welded the new spine this way and that.
"Ugh, fuck...!"
This time, it was vague pain that didn't quite trigger 'Berserker.'
But for a human, it was more than enough to drive him insane.
"No, you fucking pricks!"
Wondering if the system was doing this on purpose, Yeong-woo roared as the laser finished processing the spine.
Next.
*Chick, chick.*
The holographic clamps began neatly folding up Yeong-woo's wide-open back skin.
Followed by the inevitable laser suturing.
*Ziiing!*
"......"
This time the pain was much less than before, so Yeong-woo just grimaced without a single groan.
"...Tough bastard."
Even as Jeong-gu said it, he was inwardly impressed by Yeong-woo.
Good or bad, the guy was no ordinary punk—that much was clear.
'But for a lunatic like this to be Joseon's Greatest Swordsman... Korea's future won't be smooth sailing either.'
*Paaat!*
At last, the laser show ended, and the surgery interfaces projected in midair rapidly vanished.
*Shh.*
And finally.
*Pop!*
Even the surgical table supporting Yeong-woo disappeared without a trace.
"......!"
Suddenly hit by gravity, Yeong-woo thrust out his arms just before his head smacked the floor, propping himself up.
*Thud!*
And as his view shifted toward the suite floor, a familiar system message appeared.
「Day-use service has begun.」
「From now on, all buildings classified as 'residences' are affected by the day-use system and become inviolable.」
9:00 PM.
Day-use time had finally arrived.
*Thump, thump.*
Just then, Taewon Group employees knocked on the door from outside the suite.
「Anyone can pay karma to occupy a desired residence for a set time.」
「During day-use hours, access to the space can be controlled, and lodging fees can be collected.」
"Jeong Yeong-woo-ssi, we're here to process the room for day-use."
The employees' voices from beyond the door.
Yeong-woo gathered the gear he'd tossed on the floor, suited up, and opened the suite door.
*Clunk.*
There, three employees waited, holding a shelf loaded with coins.
"If we disturbed your rest, we apologize. The secretary's office instructed us to process it on schedule."
"Yeah. I heard from Seon-ah."
Yeong-woo nodded and stepped aside, letting the employees wheel the coin shelf into the suite and activate the day-use interface.
*Ping!*
「Would you like to use the day-use service?」
[Parnassus Hotel 3233]
|Space: Very Spacious
|Facilities: Bathroom, Television
|Day-Use Fee: 62,000 Karma
|Duration: Until 10:00 AM tomorrow
"All set. Now just set the occupancy and you're good to go."
As the setup screen appeared at the door of 3233, the employees left with the empty shelf.
Yeong-woo waved them goodbye, then turned to the day-use interface.
「How many guests will be staying? Please enter the number.」
'Number of people, huh.'
Today was the day Kim Tae-jun's family, plus Jong-su and Tae-young, were coming to check out the TV.
'So Kim Tae-jun's family makes three, add Jong-su and Tae-young for five... plus me and Father makes...'
Seven.
Yeong-woo finished calculating and set the room occupancy to 7.
「7」
A blue protective barrier enveloped the 3233 door, flashing to confirm the setting.
"Seven people in this room tonight...?"
"Yeah. They're coming to watch TV. Can't do it unless it's in day-use mode."
Yeong-woo opened the suite door to show off the TV himself, and the final system message of 9:00 PM appeared.
「For your reference, tonight's nighttime weather is Ember Typhoon.」
「Beware of spontaneous combustion.」
Tonight's weather forecast.
「In 2 hours, [Abnormal Weather] Ember Typhoon will spawn.」
「01:59:59」
'Ember Typhoon? So a wind type, then? With fire attributes too, probably.'
The moment he saw the abnormal weather timer start ticking, Yeong-woo looked at the golden goblin.
"Didn't you buy a cloak today? Something about flame resistance."
Yeong-woo scratched his temple, trying to recall the cloak's name, when the goblin helpfully rummaged through its subspace pouch.
-Kikkit!
At last, the golden goblin pulled out the Unique cloak 'Flame Ward.'
「Flame Ward」 - Unique Cloak
【Ignores all abnormal weather with fire attributes.】
Ignores any abnormal weather related to fire.
Wearing this meant he'd be safe from the Ember Typhoon's spontaneous combustion, even in its winds.
'So that's two pieces of gear that counter today's weather, right? Typhoon's gotta be wind type.'
Yeong-woo pulled up the tooltip for the epic necklace already registered in his accessory codex.
*Pop!*
「Eye of the Typhoon」 - Epic Necklace
【Ignores wind-type abnormal weather.】
Gear obtained from completing the 'Nocturnal' achievement.
No wind-type abnormal weather had shown up until now, so he'd figured there was a good chance it'd come in handy tonight—and his prediction was spot on.
'So I'll take Eye of the Typhoon, and with Flame Ward, I can bring one more person out.'
He'd grabbed a golden orb too, so dungeon entry tonight was locked in.
'Am I nuts? Why's my heart pounding like this.'
As Yeong-woo's face lit up with anticipation, Jeong-gu noticed immediately and gave him a fearful look.
"W-why's your face like that? What are you thinking now?"
Yeong-woo glanced briefly at the pitch-black window, then said,
"Wanna go sightseeing?"
Jeong-gu's face twisted in learned terror.
"Huh? Where to...?"