Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Golden Pouch and Yeti Hunt
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“Sorry you had to wait.”
“No need to apologize. It's just my job—I'm getting paid for it.”
Peron tried to play it cool, but his eyes flicked toward the pouch the old man was carrying.
“Judging by the time, looks like a lot of bidders showed up. Makes sense, though... with an item like that. Where the hell did it even come from?”
“Wouldn't you know better than us?”
Peron grinned at the man's words.
“'Us'? Guess the Enkla Clan threw their hat in the ring too.”
“Watch your tongue—loose lips don't just sink ships.”
“Of course. In this line of work, you keep your mouth shut and do the job if you want to stick around.”
Peron accepted the pouch.
The hefty weight felt anything but ordinary.
“Don't know who your client is, but pass this along: that flashy registration got everyone's attention.”
“I told you—my job ends at dropping it in storage.”
With that, Peron handed the pouch to Woojin.
“Hey, hold onto this tight.”
“Got it.”
Woojin took the pouch and stowed it in his inventory.
“Catch you next time.”
“Yeah. The big shots'll be waiting.”
“Heh heh... If you're that eager, why not help me set up shop on the Central Continent?”
Peron flashed a cold smile at the silent old man.
“What? Curious, but don't wanna get tangled with bottom-feeders like me?”
“Everyone has their place.”
“Places my ass... It's a game we all pay to play—fuck your hierarchies.”
Peron yanked the door open.
“You lot run the Central Continent now, but that'll change someday.”
“Why not save that talk for after you've made it there?”
The seasoned Kei didn't flinch at the provocation.
“But if it were me, I wouldn't even think of setting foot on the Central Continent. Stick to enjoying the game in the Dark Forest—it's not a place for the likes of you.”
Crunch—
Peron's cheek twitched.
'Heard the Central Continent's cliquey as hell from the forums, but...'
Woojin watched the two men in silence.
Bang!!
The door slammed shut behind them. Peron stormed out, huffing and puffing, hurrying out of the village without cooling off.
“This far should be good... So, how was my performance? Fooled 'em good, right? We slipped out nice and natural. Heh.”
Once they were in the forest, Peron grinned at Woojin like nothing had happened.
“Whew... But damn, you see the amount? 1,700 gold... Never seen this much cash on the black market before.”
“1 gold's 100 silver, so... that's...”
170,000 dollars.
Over 200 million won.
Gulp—
After doing the math, the shock hit harder than the gold's weight—Peron swallowed without realizing.
“Shit like this just kills the sense of reality. Heard Central Continent auctions start at a million won per item...”
The Central Continent was a stage where single items fetched insane prices—a real shot at life-changing money.
“Never dreamed I'd lay eyes on a nine-figure item... Gotta be one of the top ten clans, no way anyone else drops that kind of cash.”
“Whoever needed it, bought it.”
“Alright, I'll head to Parta and pretend to stash the pouch in storage.”
“And pick up the item while you're at it.”
“You got it.”
The payment was already in Woojin's hands, so they split up to shake any potential tails.
“See you at Hundred Flowers Valley.”
Woojin nodded and melted into the forest.
Ding—
It was then.
“...Whoa.”
Peron's alert window went haywire.
[Hello. This is Paragon Guild's...]
[Greetings. From the Uldan Union...]
“Holy shit, it's blowing up. They're freaking out.”
Peron chuckled at the piling messages.
It was surreal.
He, who had bowed and scraped to bigwigs just to get a shot at the Central Continent.
Beings who loomed impossibly high.
Now they were scrambling for his help.
'When's the last time I had this much fun?'
Peron glanced toward where Woojin had gone.
“Guy's definitely gonna shake things up.”
For some reason, he felt excited.
“How'd the business go?”
Woojin spotted Luen waiting deeper in the forest on the way to the Hundred Flowers Valley snowfields.
“Yeah. Better than expected.”
“Honestly, I'm not sure about pulling that guy in.”
“Why? 'Cause he's a killer?”
Woojin smirked at Luen.
“By that logic, same goes for you and me.”
“We're different! We have goals.”
“So does he. Hell, he might chase 'em harder than us.”
“Can we trust him?”
“Not about trust. When using people, first check their ability.”
“What if he betrays us?”
“Luen, someday when you're on top, don't forget this: When handling people, don't obsess over backstabs first.”
Woojin thought of the woman he'd met in that other world—who became queen.
“Judge by ability first. If it's what you need, use it.”
Luen tensed unconsciously at his weighted tone.
“Then make yourself match that ability.”
Become strong enough they wouldn't dare betray.
Or build trust so deep betrayal never crosses their mind.
“Or if they betray anyway...”
Woojin's voice turned blade-sharp cold.
“Crush them so they never rise again.”
Gulp—
Luen swallowed dryly.
“You'll need power for that.”
Woojin pulled something from his inventory.
“Use it when we hit the hunting grounds.”
“What's this?”
Luen tilted her head at the worn scroll.
Right after getting paid for the Dragon Ore Stone from Teron, Woojin had bolted from the village, opened the exchange, and snapped up two items.
This scroll was one of them.
50 gold apiece—an easy 6 million won.
Not something your average player touched unless they were loaded or a guild-backed prodigy.
“Th-this...”
Even NPC Luen knew its value.
“Peron'll drag his feet a few days to throw 'em off. Three days, like it says. Steel yourself.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Luen gripped the scroll Woojin handed her, steeling her resolve.
[ROOOOAAAAR—!!!]
A massive beast with gray fur long enough to cover its face let out a guttural roar.
The snowfields at the pass to Hundred Flowers Valley.
'So this is Peron's hunting spot.'
“W-we have to... take that down?”
Luen's voice trembled as she eyed the pacing monster.
“Obviously. Yeti's the weakest thing here.”
Gulp—
She tightened her grip on her bow.
'Can't be helped with the level gap.'
This was essentially the final zone in the Dark Forest.
All the spawning monsters were level 40 and up.
For her, barely level 30, everything felt overwhelmingly intimidating.
The Lv. 43 floating over its head looked straight-up terrifying.
Adventurer has activated.
▶ +15% additional EXP for one day when hunting in a new region.
▶ +10% additional damage against first-encounter monsters.
As the faint glow faded, the snowfield's biting chill whipped up.
“Don't freak over the level. It's just prey.”
Woojin tore the scroll.
Rumble...!!
Unlike her earlier trembling, the moment Woojin's words landed, Luen nocked an arrow.
In her hands wasn't her old wooden bow, but one gleaming with silver light.
This was the second item Woojin had bought from the exchange.
Fwoosh...!!
Flames erupted at the arrow's tip.
Whiiiiiish—!!!
The arrow rocketed out with a boom, slamming into the Yeti with a dull thunk and apparently blowing its head clean off.
“Eek!”
Luen let out a small yelp, surprised by the bow's power herself.
“Worth every coin.”
Woojin felt the same.
'A mass-prod model's this strong... How nuts are the masterpieces?'
Sigmund's three masterpieces.
Keruga owned one, but the other two were unclaimed.
Every ranker coveted them, but money alone didn't cut it.
[Weapons that choose their master]
Quests only generated for those they deemed worthy.
“Hmm.”
A spark of interest flickered.
“It ain't dead!!”
Luen shouted then.
It had looked like a headshot, but as the snow spray settled, the Yeti was revealed—arms crossed in an X, guarding its face.
The arrow was lodged in its crossed forearms.
[Grrrrr...]
The beast snarled and flexed its arms, snapping the arrow clean.
BOOM—!!
It stomped down hard, shaking the ground.
Valor has activated.
▶ Protected from fear.
Intimidating as it was, Woojin's mind cooled to ice.
And his body moved.
[...Grk?!]
The Yeti, lunging at Luen who'd fired the arrow, tumbled flat instead.
Befuddled, it lifted its head.
Its upper body had shot forward, but its legs stood rooted—severed at the thighs.
[RAAAAGH...!]
Realizing too late, it thrashed and screamed.
Stab—
Woojin's sword plunged dead-center into its forehead.
No matter how tanky the monster, having its brain churned by the blade sent it slumping lifelessly.
Fwoosh...!
Flames sparked in the air as he slashed.
'One, two, three, four...'
Woojin counted the Yetis encircling him, a hint of regret on his face.
“Scream louder. Make sure your pals hear.”
[Grrr...]
The Yetis faltered, visibly spooked.
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