Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Street of the Fallen
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-Whoa...!! That lady over there doesn't seem cold at all.
"Just keep looking ahead."
Woojin covered Setsuna's eyes, peeking from his pocket, with his hand as he spoke.
The deeper they ventured into the alley, every corner revealed more half-naked men and women, regardless of gender.
-Oh my, oh my!
-Eek?!
Setsuna's varied reactions echoed each time they passed by, prompting Woojin to glance subtly at Luen.
"Wow..."
But Luen, too, flushed and flustered, unsure where to look, made Woojin cough awkwardly and turn his head away.
"Even if it's virtual reality, why bother creating useless stuff like this..."
That was when it happened.
"Useless? You have no idea. This is the real charm of virtual reality."
A woman leaning against a building window had overheard Woojin and shouted toward him.
"Want to give it a try?"
Lighting her long pipe, she asked in a seductive voice.
Grip.
Luen quietly tugged at Woojin's sleeve from behind, signaling him not to go.
"No thanks. Reality's plenty for me."
"Heh... Fine. Ninety percent of folks who come here say the same. They all hate looking like noobs. We've even got couple rooms if you're interested?"
"...Huh?!"
Luen yelped, hurriedly releasing his sleeve in surprise at the woman's words.
"Cute companion you've got. Player? Or mercenary?"
The woman smirked at Luen, who stepped back warily behind Woojin.
Her long auburn hair draped over one eye.
And her eyes, deeper than rubies, exuded an alluring charm.
"So, you're a player then?"
Stuffing tobacco into her long pipe, she nodded toward Woojin.
"You've been here a while, huh?"
"Somewhat. Most folks on this street have been grinding Evil Tail for at least two years."
Wandering Street.
A gathering spot for those who challenged the Central Continent, gave up, and slunk back to the Dark Forest.
The biggest reason Hundred Flowers Village was dubbed the losers' haunt.
"I'm looking for someone. Can you help?"
"What's the pay?"
"What do you want? Gold?"
"Oh? Talking awfully confident. Got a lot of cash, do ya?"
"Enough."
Woojin pulled gold from his inventory and set it before her.
"Ten gold. Pretty decent for a simple errand, I'd say."
She checked the pouch and wore a strange expression.
"You're too naive, aren't you? Starting with that amount? Don't you know deals always end up costing more than offered?"
"That's why I pulled out this much."
"...What?"
"Double if you do the job right. Triple if you dig up extra info I need."
"Interesting. Now I'm dying to know what grand task has you throwing money around like this."
"Looking for a guy. Heard there's a drunk in this alley."
"Drunk? Oh... You mean Grosh?"
For some reason, she seemed deflated as she tossed the pouch back to Woojin.
"If it's him you're after, no need for middlemen. See that blue roof? He'll be passed out in front of it today, too."
Sure enough, deeper in the alley, a man lay covered in rags before a shop.
"Anything you know about him?"
"Eh, just your typical street NPC. Worth paying attention to?"
"Got it."
Woojin handed the pouch back with a curt reply.
"Take it. You did help me find him."
"Nah. Even losers aren't beggars. Ten gold for this? I don't need pity."
Irritated by his gesture, she turned away with a sharp tone.
She's got some spine.
Woojin watched her stride off, thinking to himself.
"Still, a loser's a loser."
She cut a fine figure at a glance, but coldly put, it was just pointless pride.
Ten gold.
About 1.2 million won.
Not much in the Central Continent, but no easy sum to scrape in the Dark Forest.
Unless you're dropping real cash, anyway...
Truth was, these folks had little greed for gold.
The main reason for grinding gold was better gear, and for those stuck in the Dark Forest for years, gear was pointless.
"...What was that?"
She stopped and turned at Woojin's mutter.
"My bad. Wasn't trying to provoke."
"Really? Never thought to call it provocation?"
"Just curious."
"...Curious?"
"Why stick around Evil Tail forever."
Her face twisted at Woojin's words.
"Forums say the real Evil Tail is on the Central Continent."
He took a step closer.
"Never been, so I wouldn't know how great it is... But if that's true, the Dark Forest must bore you veterans who've stepped foot there."
She stared at Woojin and let out an incredulous chuckle.
"Think what you want. To a hotshot who cleared the Ice Cavern, we must look like failures."
Caught off-guard by her reply, Woojin eyed her curiously.
"You knew?"
"Of course. You wrecked the street's budding hype just days after the raid dungeon opened."
Only then did Woojin realize.
She hadn't approached without reason.
'Master. People are watching us from everywhere.'
Luen whispered from behind.
He felt eyes hidden in the buildings.
'Makes sense... Most here are late 40s level.'
Maybe the Ice Hollow spawned for failures like them.
"Should I apologize? Blaming others for your shortcomings ain't right."
"Watch yourself. Folks here aren't friendly toward you."
She flicked her cigarette and turned away.
"What's your name?"
"Why ask?"
She tilted her head at Woojin's question, pausing before countering.
"You seem the most friendly toward me on this street."
"...Crazy bastard."
She smirked at Woojin and walked off.
"Barnetsha."
Leaving her name behind.
"Is this okay? Still lots of eyes on us. Looks like clearing the Ice Hollow really got under their skin."
"Let 'em stare. I won't run from fights that come to me. We do our job."
Luen nodded and followed Woojin.
"...Veterans, huh. Didn't expect this kind of harassment."
Woojin gave a wry smile at the group.
"P-Please, spare me!!!"
"...Shut up!!"
A grimy man on his knees, sniveling, had a sharp sword at his throat.
"H-Hic...!!!"
The screaming man was none other than the drunkard NPC Grosh, whom Woojin sought.
"Overheard your chat earlier. No idea what quest, but you need this guy, right?"
The man holding the sword to Grosh's throat yelled at Woojin.
"Threatening with an NPC... Creative, I'll give you that. So, what do you want?"
"Hand over the loot from the Ice Hollow. Or he dies."
Woojin smirked bitterly at his demand.
"Don't have any."
"...What?"
"No loot."
"You bastard...! You kidding? Cleared a raid dungeon with nothing? Bullshit!"
Shing—.
Woojin drew his sword.
"Gave all the good stuff to my party. But looks like you wouldn't believe that anyway."
He spoke lowly to the group.
"Do your worst. See what happens."
"Y-You...!!!"
Thwack—!!
That was when it happened.
The sword-wielding man's body flew back, launched into the air.
"Guh...!"
The flying man hit the ground with an arrow in his chest.
"...Oh. Do as you please, he said."
Luen, bow in hand, gave Woojin an awkward look.
"Your acting's improved."
"Hehe."
'W-What... One-shot Miller?'
'That mercenary? Over level 50?'
'What the hell...'
The rest stared at their fallen comrade, exchanging panicked glances, unsure what to do.
"More?"
"D-Damn...!"
They abandoned their downed ally and fled in haste.
"Hey."
Woojin picked up the fallen man's sword and stabbed his thigh.
"Argh!!!"
"Get up now? If Luen meant to kill, that arrow would've pierced clean through."
Twang—.
Luen nocked another arrow taut and spoke.
"Shall we?"
"S-Spare me!!"
The man staggered up, sword in thigh, yelling at them.
"You really thought this crap would snag Ice Cavern items?"
"No! Absolutely not!!"
Woojin asked incredulously.
"Veterans' den, my ass... Stagnant and rotten? Pulling amateur threats like this."
Swish—!!
He yanked the sword free and tossed it aside.
"Argh—!!!"
The man screamed but clamped his mouth at Woojin's icy glare.
"Scram."
The man limped away painfully, fleeing Woojin.
"With that skill... No wonder you washed out of the Central Continent. Tsk tsk."
Scoffing at the scattering group, Woojin turned.
"M-Master..."
Then Luen, checking the bound Grosh, urgently called him.
"What?"
Sensing something off from her panic, Woojin approached.
"This guy's... dead."
"...What?"
How could the man begging for life moments ago be dead?
Woojin hastily examined Grosh.
No external wounds.
Rip—!
He tore off the ragged outer clothes roughly.
Grosh's neck was discolored blackish-red.
'Where that guy's sword touched.'
"...Poison?"
Woojin picked up the dropped sword.
The thug didn't seem skilled enough to kill Grosh deliberately.
Maybe used without knowing it was poisoned.
'Who would...'
Someone else eavesdropping on his quest for Grosh?
No.
Someone who heard it openly.
"Barnetsha."
Woojin recalled the woman from moments ago.