Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Demon Merchant
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'It's here.'
Park Chan-woo's eyes gleamed.
The reason he hadn't taken any overt actions since clearing the Susin Abyss was now floating right before his eyes.
'Fever Time.'
An event that triggered when the probability of failing to reach the target score dropped below 1%.
It was an event that wouldn't have appeared if he'd cleared another dungeon right after hunting Susin.
And 'Fever Time' had occurred in the past as well.
The Creators had judged that Korea wouldn't reach 5,000 points, and pretending to be generous, they'd opened the trials to enable mass slaughter.
Countless people, regardless of age or gender, met unwanted deaths.
All because of the 'condition' required to trigger that very event.
'Never entering a dungeon once means you're a weakling in both body and mind.'
A random 20% of those who had never entered a dungeon.
Most physically and mentally resilient people had already entered dungeons.
Or there were plenty who'd done so out of curiosity.
The problem lay with the rest.
Patients who couldn't move easily.
Including those too young or too old to fight—they'd flung the entire 'random 20%' into random dungeons.
The outcome was obvious without seeing it.
'76.1%. The approval rate is even higher than before.'
But what differed from the past was the number of people desiring 'Fever Time'.
It was a full 10% higher than last time.
Perhaps because the early score gains had been so steep?
As the score gains slowed, they were getting anxious.
Social media and communities must have split rapidly along those lines.
'The Incarnations and Han Shin aren't moving. Of course score gains are tough.'
The reason was clear.
The Incarnations had suffered heavy losses in the Susin Abyss.
At this point, Incarnations were classified as the strong, so with so many dead or injured, there were no leaders to guide the people.
...It didn't matter much.
Even if those guys played hero and saved people now, the number of humans they'd end up killing later would be ten times greater.
'Han Shin staying put is unexpected, though...'
That attention whore going quiet was surprising.
After Susin died and his backup plan was stolen, he must have decided to lay low for a bit.
Park Chan-woo soon shook his head.
'No. Given Han Shin's personality, sitting this out makes no sense. Resolving this would make him Korea's undisputed savior. His contracted Creator... must be Aheta intervening.'
Or it could be Aheta's own will.
Aheta had bet against Korea reaching 5,000 points.
But the hardest Susin Abyss got cleared, costing him a whopping 1,000 points. Moving Han Shin now would make the target too easy.
'Aheta must have wagered a ton of Coins.'
Park Chan-woo smiled faintly.
One of the reasons he'd been lying low had vanished.
Han Shin and Aheta must be searching frantically for him.
But if Han Shin couldn't move easily, that changed everything.
Even in the past, Han Shin had been skeptical about hitting 5,000.
Pretending to be the savior, yet Korea fell 500 short and faced the 'Invasion Abyss', resulting in over 200,000 casualties.
He could've hunted 'Susin' if he'd stepped up.
Hate to admit it, but Han Shin was a monster.
He'd have killed Susin straight-up, without exploits like Park Chan-woo's.
Anyway... he was now certain Han Shin wouldn't step up aggressively.
That was why the Creators had judged the target unreachable and proposed 'Fever Time'.
'Dungeon rewards doubled.'
Not all bad.
For Park Chan-woo, it was actually good news.
They'd offered the absurd double dungeon clear rewards.
And more.
'Gaze at the sun to enter your desired dungeon instantly.'
To cut travel time, dungeon entry was now effortless.
Normally, all dungeon entrances spawned in front of specific structures.
You had to be nearby to enter, but now, anywhere you could see the sun let you enter any uncleared dungeon.
But what Park Chan-woo anticipated most was the third part.
'...Must find the Demon Merchant no matter what.'
Demon Merchant!
They rarely appeared in the Abyss.
Cases like this blatant appearance were countable on one hand.
Demon Merchants were the only ones in the Abyss allowing 'trades'.
Of course, trades meant equal 'value' exchanges only.
'Maybe I can even cure the debuffs.'
If the exchange value was enough, Demon Merchants gave anything.
He'd heard of someone getting the 'World Tree Fruit' from one.
A treasure that removed all bad statuses and curses—nothing like an Elixir could compare!
If he could get that, curing 'Weakest, Sickly, Frail, Terminal' wouldn't be a pipe dream.
Park Chan-woo looked up at the sun overhead.
'Wh-what?'
Han Min-oh looked around.
He'd been in his room just moments ago.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, everything before his eyes changed.
A burning wasteland.
Several massive fire pillars rose high.
'What are those?'
No, not fire pillars.
"T-Typhoon!"
"Run!"
This place was overflowing with people suddenly summoned like Han Min-oh.
The flame-engulfed typhoons swept over them in an instant.
"Aaaah!"
"Save me!!"
No matter how he thought about it, this wasn't a dream.
It was reality.
Han Min-oh instinctively jumped to his feet.
And started running like mad.
'N-No way... the Abyss?'
A random 20% of those who'd never entered a dungeon.
He'd been chosen among them.
Right from the start, dozens had died before his eyes.
Swept into typhoons or burned alive, screaming as they perished.
Ssssh!
Ssssh!
After running a ways, huge lizards appeared.
Flame Lizards with backs ablaze flicked their tongues as they snatched fleeing people.
Han Min-oh immediately veered east.
"Kekeke."
"Kikikikeke."
Then, mocking laughter echoed as floating skeletons revealed themselves.
The skeletons spewed flames from their mouths, incinerating people.
Screams filled every direction.
'Th-this is hell.'
Only then did Han Min-oh grasp the reality.
This was a hell of pandemonium.
One direction left.
West.
"Groooar!"
"Gruk! Gruk!"
...Heading west brought zombies.
The odd thing: they were just skulls on top.
Like the eastern skeletons had taken corpses and evolved.
'Military uniforms? Zombie soldiers?'
Most zombies wore military uniforms.
Soldiers who'd entered dungeons long ago and died screaming.
Now zombies, they lunged at Han Min-oh from all sides.
"D-Don't come! Stay away!"
Han Min-oh collapsed to the ground, tears and snot streaming as he screamed.
Terrifying. He didn't want to die.
He'd never felt fear like this.
"P-Please... spare..."
"Want to live?"
"...!"
A voice from the side made Han Min-oh whip his head around in shock.
A backpacked demon stood right beside him before he knew it.
Black skin, horns protruding from the forehead, two wings—the epitome of a demon.
The demon introduced himself.
"I am the great merchant Dagon. Provide enough value, and I can even revive you from death."
The merchant calling himself Dagon smiled.
Han Min-oh desperately grabbed Dagon's foot.
"M-Money! I'll give you more than enough. Just tell my dad. He's the chairman of Han Yeon Group!"
"Money? That's the most worthless thing in the Abyss."
"Th-then what can I give..."
"Your ten fingers first."
"...Pardon?"
"Don't want to? You're broke anyway—only your body has value."
"N-No! If I can live, fingers are nothing...!"
Slash!
Something was severed.
Thud!
All ten fingers fell in a row to the ground.
"Gaaah!"
Han Min-oh knelt, groaning in agony.
Dagon picked up the ten fingers.
"Hm, value of just 20? Way short."
"Wh-what...!"
"Your body's too weak. Pathetic value."
"You said you'd save me..."
"I said 'first'. Looks like I need both your arms for a deal."
He felt entranced.
Han Min-oh nodded unwittingly.
"O-Okay, got it. Take my arms too, please."
Crack!
An unreal sight.
Dagon grabbed and ripped off both arms.
"Keurgh!"
The pain was so intense Han Min-oh's eyes rolled back.
Dagon shrugged indifferently.
"Sorry. Both arms only worth 50. Heart should do it?"
Casuitry. Nonsense.
No one lives without a heart.
Offering it meant only death for Han Min-oh.
Just a choice: die by demon or zombies.
"Doesn't it hurt? I can kill you painlessly as payment for the value you've offered."
"Ahh..."
It hurt.
Pain he'd never known.
If he could escape it, he'd do anything.
Better than being eaten by zombies a hundredfold.
"P-Please... me...!"
"You?"
Dagon bared sharp teeth in uproarious laughter.
Go on, beg for death.
Beg, and the deal seals with the demon.
"Kill me...!"
"Stop."
That was when it happened.
Someone appeared, cutting off Han Min-oh's words.
As if sprouting from the ground.
"...Hm? Where'd you come from? Invisibility magic?"
Dagon tilted his head too.
Full-body invisibility was high-grade magic.
But it didn't mask presence.
This one appeared without a trace.
Park Chan-woo glanced at the fainted Han Min-oh, then addressed Dagon.
"Isn't that enough value to escape the situation?"
"Popping up out of nowhere with nonsense. Escape how?"
"Could've raised a wall or a barrier to keep zombies away."
"Listen. Value changes moment to moment. A doomed human has none."
"A doomed corpse, you say?"
Squeak!
Radiant Anubis emerged from his pant leg and instantly Gigantified, driving off the zombies.
"Not dying now, huh."
"..."
Dagon was speechless.
As he'd said, the judged future had changed.
And a changed future meant...
"Indeed... I misjudged. Didn't expect a human like you."
Even the value of the severed arms from Han Min-oh had changed.
No need for the deal anymore.
Park Chan-woo spoke deliberately.
"Deal's voided, so reattach the arms and fingers now."
"..."
Right.
To void the deal, reattach the limbs immediately.
And for cleanly severed limbs, you'd need at least a High-grade Elixir.
But it didn't add up.
Only equal-value trades allowed.
An absolute rule binding even Dagon.
'To raise merchant rank, maximize successful deals.'
Demon Merchants had ranks too.
Dagon's current rank: 'Apprentice'.
High among local merchants, but not enough for 'Great Merchant'.
That's why he forced deals with humans.
Merchant rank rose with traded 'value'.
'Problem is, getting a High-grade Elixir could drop my rank.'
To cover the mistake with a High-grade Elixir, Dagon had to pay equal value.
A merchant's value was their rank. And High-grade Elixirs were rare.
Reason for Dagon's furrowed brow.
Meanwhile, Park Chan-woo spoke calmly.
"Why the hold-up?"
"..."
"If this guy dies like this, you lose merchant status."
"...!"
For the first time, Dagon's eyes shook violently.
The man before him seemed to know merchant rules too.
"You... what are you? How does a human know merchant rules?"
A voice edged with fury.
Park Chan-woo smirked.
'As expected.'
All Demon Merchants, Dagon included, roamed dungeons bloodshot-eyed.
To extract 'value' from one more human.
Forcing deals for their gain.
Rise to true 'Great Merchant', stand equal to Abyss Lords.
But greed invites disaster.
Dagon's case exactly.
"Curious how I know your rules? That info's pricey. Wonder if you have the 'value'."
He proposed a trade in reverse provocation.
Do you have the value for this info?
Skilled.
At dealing with demons.
Where this human came from, Dagon didn't know—but he glared silently.
...Felt like facing another demon.
'Probably bought info from another Demon Merchant.'
Dagon was certain.
Definitely begged another for the rules.
Basic rules cost a Unique gear's value.
Using that to blackmail.
Hiding, waiting for his slip-up.
'Act like he knows the rules to force value out of me to cover this?'
Leveraging info superiority to fleece him.
How brazen.
But.
Dagon sneered inwardly.
"Fine. Pay value for info. Who told you the rules?"
He accepted the deal.
This human impressed enough for a counteroffer.
Sneaking up without detection meant high value.
Fleece him, buy High-grade Elixir, cover the mistake.
That was the play.
'Idiot. Doesn't know the non-disclosure clause.'
Such info usually had 'non-disclosure' clauses.
Contracts in Demon Tongue—humans couldn't read without translation magic.
But contents were obvious.
'Naming the merchant who spilled would trigger penalty: tenfold value.'
Standard contract.
Turn that around.
Keep the secret, or erase memories, for half the penalty.
'Say who, and you're done.'
Accepted—game over.
Thought he could threaten? No chance.
Hoisted by his own petard.
Of course, greater the source, greater the value paid.
But Dagon was sure it was another Demon Merchant.
That instant.
Smirk!
Park Chan-woo curled one lip openly.
"'Sepiro'."
...Sepiro?
Dagon tilted his head.
No Demon Merchant by that name.
Yet familiar.
Rare name, too.
'No way?'
...A certain being flashed in Dagon's mind.
But impossible.
No way a mere human knew that name.
And even if true, why would such a being teach a human Demon Merchant rules...?