Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: 24. Wave (3)
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「Wanted Poster」 - Narrative Text
【Looking for something.】
|Father
Young-woo glanced briefly at the phrase 'Father,' which was currently set as the search target, before re-entering it.
'Will it search properly even with two conditions?'
Kim Tae-jun's, family.
He had no idea how this thing from outer space would interpret the broad concept of 'family.'
In the human world, family encompassed not just blood relations but also spouses and adopted children.
'Whatever it is, it'd be a relief if it could find even one family member.'
With growing impatience, Young-woo re-entered the search target on the wanted poster.
The fountain-pen-shaped wanted poster vibrated briefly before outputting a system message.
「New search target entered. Update results?」
Updating results meant it would erase the arrow currently pointing at 'Father.'
'Ap... approve.'
As Young-woo approved the update, the wanted poster glowed brightly.
Flash!
The search arrow, which had been pointing north, began tilting eastward.
Ssshh.
"Huh...?"
"Bro, what's going on?"
The arrow was now pointing northeast.
From their current location in Gwanak District, northeast would be...
'Seocho, Gangnam, Gwangjin around there. Then Guri City after that?'
Meanwhile, VC Soft's headquarters was in Bundang.
So Young-woo had expected the arrow to tilt south.
Swoosh.
Young-woo pointed at the arrow's direction with his hand.
"Is there anything related to VC Soft or CEO Kim Tae-jun in that direction? Probably covering Seocho, Gangnam, Gwangjin District."
Jong-su looked at Young-woo with surprise.
"Bro, VC's first office was in Nonhyeon-dong. That's why Kim Tae-jun built a memorial hall there."
"Ah, Nonhyeon-dong."
"Gangnam District."
Gangnam District.
The base of Jeong Hyeon-sik, whose eyes had rolled back in rage over his lost son.
Sure enough, Jong-su pointed it out.
"It's right under the nose of the Gangnam First Sword. But darkness under the lamp, right? No problem quickly finding and bringing back the family."
Young-woo agreed with that assessment.
At the very least, the Gangnam First Sword's forces would be tied down in Yongsan until this afternoon.
"Will you be okay, Officer?"
"I don't have investigation experience per se... but this is more like handling a civilian complaint. Feels nostalgic, like back in the day."
As Tae-young spoke, he unconsciously touched the pistol at his waist.
It was the keepsake of Kim Byeong-cheol, the Icheon precinct captain, loaded with a single live round.
"Gangnam should have some order like here. But just in case, better to move with Mr. Jong-su."
"Yes, bro. Time to earn my keep."
"Understood."
Since the two men nodded without hesitation, Young-woo tried to give them expense money.
But Jong-su immediately stopped him and pulled a gold coin from his pocket.
"You've already given us plenty. And the money from last time is still untouched."
Jong-su's current assets amounted to a whopping 147,000 karma.
Among civilians, he was quite wealthy.
"Cash won't be as useful as stats right now. Invest in your abilities, leaving just the minimum."
At Young-woo's advice, dotted lines traced Jong-su's body outline.
He had started investing in stats the moment Young-woo spoke.
Meanwhile, Tae-young, still a bit worried, spoke up with a stiff expression.
"Once we find Tae-jun's family, where should we take them next?"
This was a tricky question.
If Young-woo got killed by Jeong Hyeon-sik, reuniting with Tae-jun's family would be impossible.
'Even Young-tae had my name on his tag. So if the owner changes, friends might vanish too.'
They might even revert to mutants after being freed from the whistle.
And second, if Young-woo killed Jeong Hyeon-sik.
'Then I'd become the Gangnam First Sword. Hard to imagine... but great for the CEO and his family.'
In that case, it would be better if Kim Tae-jun's family stayed in Nonhyeon-dong.
And finally, third, if both Young-woo and Jeong Hyeon-sik somehow survived the showdown.
Then Young-woo couldn't summon 'friends' in Gangnam, so he'd have to retrieve Kim Tae-jun's family for sure.
Thus, the conclusion was.
"Bring them to Seoul University. That seems best."
They decided to entrust them to Seoul University, the nearest neutral zone.
* * *
1:52 PM.
Having dispatched the two to Gangnam, Young-woo headed out for his last schedule in Gwanak: meeting the merchant.
-Screeech.
Iron horse Negig, plus a golden goblin.
Anyone could see he looked like a mutant, but fortunately, the path to the merchant was quiet.
Merchant markers didn't seem to appear in the same spots as monster or mutant markers.
"W-What...?"
"Uwaaak!"
That said, people weren't entirely absent, so he occasionally saw Gwanak residents fleeing in terror at the sight of the iron horse.
"...Huh? What is it."
And very rarely, instead of running, someone would stare blatantly at Young-woo's face.
They had realized it matched the face engraved on the commemorative coin he'd gotten earlier.
"......"
Young-woo would awkwardly bow in silence, and the other would nod back before going their way—a bizarre exchange that happened a couple more times before.
Swoooosh...!
He finally arrived at the park with the black pillar of light.
'Merchants tend to appear in quiet places.'
Young-woo scanned the surroundings, devoid of even an ant, and felt relieved.
Monsters and mutants didn't care if their spawn point was a street or a rooftop.
They'd just smash everything anyway.
Merchants, on the other hand, seemed to choose spots that caused minimal disruption to the world they visited.
Perhaps because they were just there to trade?
Clank, clank.
Slowly guiding Negig into the park, he saw the black pillar descending in the center of the wide sports field.
'As expected, I'm the first customer.'
Confirming no one else nearby, Young-woo jumped off Negig.
Thud!
The silhouette inside the light pillar flinched and turned toward him.
The merchant who arrived first had noticed their trading partner.
'Not that big this time.'
Of course, whether he'd trade with them remained to be seen.
As the distance between Young-woo and the merchant shrank to within 10 meters, the space in front of the light pillar split, revealing the mediator Kubu.
Ssshh.
—It's an honor to meet again, human of Earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Jeong Young-woo07!
—I am Kubu, master of the Tenta Clan and guardian of Daro, here to mediate this trade.
The greeting was now so consistent he could almost recite it.
But Kubu's form, with eyes on eyelids in midair, was still hard to get used to.
—The mediation fee for this trade is 10%, included in the item prices. A total of 3 merchant groups have bid.
—Would you like to see the list of bidding merchant groups and their proposals?
The chief mediator perk was still in effect.
"Yes. Show me."
Kubu's eyes blinked wide as Young-woo nodded.
Then.
Kwigik!
The air between Young-woo and Kubu warped, and three fist-sized objects appeared.
'Those are the merchant groups...?'
As Young-woo approached the unidentified objects, which had been utterly formless moments ago, they began morphing into distinct shapes.
Shhrrk.
They were none other than.
'...Ahh.'
Earth items.
Each merchant group had crafted something recognizable to Earthlings in their own way.
'My god.'
Young-woo examined the aliens' imitations like a judge.
The first one.
'A statue?'
It depicted a person seated in a heavy chair, but looking closer.
'...A king. It's a king.'
It was a statue of a king on a throne, complete with historically accurate royal attire.
He couldn't tell the material—neither clay nor stone, but something bizarre.
Anyway, they seemed to be emphasizing their understanding of humans, their trade target—Young-woo.
Considering he was Korean, they'd crafted a 'king,' a figure from the past but still conceptually used today.
Thus, their wares would likely be closely tied to human traits.
'Very perceptive folks.'
But that thought changed the moment he saw the second item.
Shhrrk.
The second was made of countless sand grains, moving on its own like a living thing.
Shoo!
The second merchant group had sent a gliding bird.
From the feathers' intricate movements to the beak's subtle quiver—near perfection.
'Incredible technology.'
But Young-woo couldn't figure out exactly what they meant to appeal with the bird. Maybe they just liked birds among Earth's creatures.
'Next, then.'
The moment he turned to the third, a chill ran down his spine.
'W-What is this.'
The third wasn't an item but a scene.
Rumble—as if thunder would strike any second, a midnight sea.
In its center, a massive whirlpool swirled.
"......"
It was clearly a depiction of part of Earth, his home, yet it instilled some primal fear.
And simultaneously, a desire to see what these beings offered.
"I'll trade with these people... no, this merchant group."
Pointing at the stormy sea scene, Young-woo spoke. Kubu blinked.
—Are you certain?
"Yes."
Kubu's eyes flicked to the void for a split second as Young-woo nodded again.
Then.
—Per Jeong Young-woo07's request, recalling Shamil Merchant Group and summoning the Prisoners of Lom.
As Kubu finished, the black light pillar flickered, dragging the silhouette inside upward into the sky.
Almost immediately.
Ruuuumble...!
Pitch-black oil-like substance filled and poured from the pillar.
'That's the merchant?'
Young-woo blankly stared at the 'Prisoners of Lom,' turning the pillar from bottom to top pitch black.
Kubu rolled its eyeballs and spoke.
—The item list is ready.
Merchant: Prisoners of Lom.
Whether they were actual prisoners or just named that, who knew.
But judging by their wares...
'Definitely extremists.'
1 — 「Broken Scale」 - Unique Ring
【Strength -30%.】
【Stamina, Senses +40%.】
◇ 680,000 Karma
2 — 「Masochism」 - Narrative Gem
【Slot: Strength +25% when bleeding.】
◇ 1,700,000 Karma
3 — 「Floor of Lom」 - Legendary Swordsmanship
【Fight like a prisoner.】
◇ Local Martial Art