Chapter 68
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: What Lurks Beneath the Lamp (1)
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A place you can spectate.
People don’t usually attach the word ‘spectate’ to things like dungeons or gates.
After all, monsters are beings to be exterminated at the risk of one’s life, not creatures to be leisurely watched like animals.
So, there was definitely something shady about this.
It was a statement that defied common sense.
- Yes, yeees, VIP. You're still awake at this late hour? Hahaha…
It was past 11 p.m. when I sorted my thoughts and called Ju Jisan.
He forced a laugh, cleverly trying to change the subject.
- What item are you planning to sell this time? Actually, I heard from an exchange official that the supply of Darkness Resistance Potions is running very low. If you don't mind…
Of course, I wasn't about to fall for such a shallow trick.
“What do you mean by ‘a place you can spectate’?”
- Ah, th-that? Well, this is something I’m not supposed to be telling people…
“Tell me.”
- Haaah… If this gets back to them, my neck is on the line…
Ju Jisan’s voice trailed off.
I heard a faint curse but ignored it.
It was just an unconscious mutter born from anxiety.
He finally opened his mouth, speaking cautiously.
- Have you ever heard of a dogfighting pit?
A dogfighting pit.
An arena equipped for pitting dogs against each other.
Spectators place bets and cheer as the dogs tear each other apart.
While dogfighting has rules to determine a winner and loser, no one abides by them.
The fight continues until one dog is ripped to shreds by the other’s fangs.
It’s an illegal pastime, but one that continues to exist, hidden from the eyes of the law.
- You can think of it as the monster version of that. They bet money and make monsters fight each other.
“Is that even possible? There’s no way captured wild monsters would end up in a place like that.”
Occasionally, monsters that emerge from gates are captured alive.
This is done with the permission of the Union Headquarters for experimental purposes. They are disposed of as soon as the experiments are over.
- They’re not wild monsters. Why do you think I compared it to a dogfighting pit? The dogs used in those fights are raised by people, after all.
“...”
- They’re all tamed monsters. Taming-class Hunters are involved.
Right, that had to be it.
I had suspected as much the moment Ju Jisan mentioned dogfighting.
I just didn't want to believe it.
“That’s clearly illegal.”
- Of course, it’s illegal. But hey, does the law stop everything? Especially in this line of work. It’s child’s play for them to slither around the law.
Ju Jisan said with a smirk.
Coming from a man who once ran a pyramid scheme, his words held a strange weight.
- Besides, their security is ironclad. They only allow verified, guild-affiliated Hunters, whether as spectators or participants. From what I hear, they’ve also bribed the higher-ups in the local authorities. Even if a major investigation is launched, it just gets swept under the rug. Naturally, since it never comes to light, it never becomes an issue.
Ju Jisan continued, his voice trembling slightly.
- A few people have tried to dig into it. But they all vanished without a trace shortly after. That's as far as my investigation went. I pulled out right after confirming that.
That’s how the underworld of this business operated.
The information available to an ordinary person—or even a Hunter—is extremely limited.
It’s all too common for people to be silenced before they can spread what they know.
“To be able to make a few people disappear so easily, a guild must be managing the fighting pit.”
- That’s right. Not an individual, but a guild. And it has to be a pretty influential one to run an operation of that scale. The number one ranked Hunter might be able to, but he wouldn't be interested in something like this.
This was the extent of Ju Jisan’s knowledge.
Still, for a coward like him, he had dug surprisingly deep.
So I confirmed it one more time.
“And the spirit I’m looking for is in this monster fighting pit.”
- I can't be certain. I only confirmed that there are many unique monsters in that fighting pit, and among them is a rare spirit. It could just be a spirit modified for its purpose. Apparently, it’s common for them to feed monsters cocktail potions or stack buffs on them until they’re on the verge of death just to win a match.
“...Hmm.”
- I was also surprised to hear they feed cocktail potions to their summons. Aren't they complete devils? I guess this is why demons are losing their jobs.
A cocktail potion is made by combining various resistance potions and mixing them with hallucinogenic dungeon plants to amplify their effects.
It’s a substance that can cause severe addiction, with completely unpredictable side effects.
And they were injecting such a drug into their own summons merely to win a match.
“Nyaaa.”
I stroked San-gun, who was purring on my lap.
“I understand. That’s enough information for now.”
- VIP, does this mean I can stop investigating the spirit?
“Yes. I’ll stop by to sell some items soon.”
- Oh, thank you! Thank you! Ah, and you must never speak of this to anyone else. I could also disappear without a trace.
Ju Jisan hung up after repeatedly pleading with me.
I was lost in thought.
‘A monster fighting pit.’
Ju Jisan may be a scoundrel, but he’s quite capable when it comes to gathering information.
He had his feet in the underworld before he made a deal with me.
For him to be so terrified and cautious…
It meant the ones running the fighting pit were no ordinary villains.
[The Sage informs you that obtaining the blacksmith spirit with your power alone will be difficult.]
“I know that, Sage.”
[Current probability of obtaining the spirit: 0.1% ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/ (And that's being generous)]
“...Stop being cheeky.”
I gently pressed down on the Sage, who was perched on my shoulder, and continued my thoughts.
‘All I know right now is that a monster fighting pit exists.’
Without knowing its exact location or how to get in, there wasn't much I could do.
I didn't even bother turning on my computer.
This wasn't information I could find on the internet.
‘Asking Pungbaek or Aegis for help is…’
I immediately shook my head.
Both Choi Kangwoo and Ma Dongpal would roll up their sleeves and help if I asked.
But the risk was too great.
If they made a move, they might catch a tail, but that’s all it would be—a tail.
Like a lizard, the main body would sever its tail and escape.
Then it would all be for nothing.
“Somehow, I’ll have to get in there and find out for myself…”
Just then, my conversation with Sancheon flashed through my mind.
- He didn’t seem like an ordinary goblin. Is that friend of yours doing well?
Sancheon, who had randomly asked about Gono and then looked at me with a thoughtful expression.
And his subsequent, cryptic behavior.
“Ah.”
It seemed the one who could help me catch the tail was right beside me all along.
* * *
“Say that again.”
The next day, at Sancheon’s workshop.
I asked Sancheon, who was assembling an item on his workbench.
“Do you know anything about a monster fighting pit?”
“Why do you ask?”
Sancheon looked like he was ready to eat me alive.
Disappointment and anger swirled in his piercing eyes.
I spoke up before the misunderstanding could deepen.
“The monster I’m looking for is in that fighting pit. I plan to rescue it from there.”
“Rescue it?”
“Yes.”
“It should be impossible to take a monster tamed by another Hunter without their consent.”
“It’s possible for me.”
Strictly speaking, my skill was completely different from the brainwashing-like nature of taming.
I had never sent a monster tamed by another Hunter to the Lord's Castle, but it was worth a try.
Sancheon stared at me intently before speaking.
“I had a feeling. You’re not the type to get caught up in something like that.”
“Of course not.”
“Yes, I know about the monster fighting pit. Narae told me about it once.”
Just as I thought.
My expression hardened.
Seeing my face grow stiff, Sancheon shook his head.
“Don’t misunderstand. Narae isn’t directly involved with the pit. It’s just that… as you know, she’s active in those kinds of circles. It’s impossible for her not to know.”
She knows everything that goes on.
But she never gets deeply involved.
A position that could be seen as flexible or, negatively, as passive.
I had no intention of criticizing her.
That was how Sanarae was able to move freely in both the light and the shadows.
“The old Narae, well… she probably would have smashed that fighting pit to pieces the moment she found it… but not now. Still, she knows they’ve crossed a line, so it seems she’s keeping an eye on them.”
“Did Guild Master Sanarae tell you that as well?”
“No. It’s just something I sensed. Her expression darkens whenever the topic comes up. That means she’s taking it to heart.”
To read the change in her emotions from Sanarae’s poker face…
Truly a sweet guy. Or should I say, a sweet Daddy Long Legs.
“Ahem, hem. Anyway, that’s how it is. I’m sure she’ll help if you ask, so I shall deliver the message myself.”
“Ah, it’s all right. I can contact her.”
“She won’t pick up. She’s been keeping her phone off lately. I have a more efficient way of contacting her. I don’t usually use it because it makes me uncomfortable, but…”
Sancheon abruptly turned and walked to a corner of the workshop.
Then, facing a narrow, sun-starved spot, he spoke.
“Uh… what was it. A servant? Was it a Shadow Servant? Anyway, come on out.”
At the same time, something incredible happened.
In the corner, what I thought was merely a shadow cast by the lack of sunlight…
*Shhhk,* it rose up into something as tall as Sancheon.
It looked like someone covered from head to toe in a pitch-black blanket.
“Tsk, still looks like a damned ghost.”
“Is that your ability, Sancheon?”
“Of course not. Narae left it here after the last attack. A shadow or something… it usually stays quietly tucked away in a place like that… Still, it gives me the creeps.”
Sancheon grumbled, then spoke to the shadow.
“Go get Narae.”
The pitch-black shadow wavered at his words.
The flickering shadow, almost like static, soon took on a human form.
And from the shadow where a face would be, a voice emerged.
- Why? I’m busy.
It was, without a doubt, Sanarae’s voice.
[The Sage wishes to study that marvelous skill!]
‘Hold on for now.’
I was just as curious, but this wasn’t the time to be amazed.
“Just for a moment. This young man needs your help.”
“Guild Master.”
The shadow’s face turned toward me.
- Hey, long time no see.
She spoke to me casually.
Come to think of it, I had asked her to drop the formalities back when we dealt with Ju Jisan’s magic contract.
According to her publicly known age, Sanarae was two years my senior.
“I have a favor to ask.”
- M-hm.
“Please take me to the monster fighting pit. I have something I need to do there.”
- …
A direct request.
Sanarae was silent for a moment.
Even though the shadow had no eyes, I could feel her gaze on me.
But after a short pause.
- Okay.
A clean answer came back.
An answer so succinct that it made Sancheon’s eyes widen in surprise.
I wasn’t that surprised, though.
I was confident based on the information I’d already gathered.
My request would feel like the beginning of a good proposal to her.
- Be in front of your officetel tomorrow at 9 p.m. I’ll pick you up.
“Understood. But how did you know I moved…”
- The old man told me. I didn’t look you up or anything.
I quietly stared at the master craftsman beside me.
Sancheon cleared his throat and turned his head away.
“Ahem, hem! We were just talking about a housewarming party, and it came up by chance.”
He talked as if they barely kept in touch, but it seemed they were in regular contact.
As I was looking at Sancheon, Sanarae spoke again.
- I’m hanging up now. Oh, and I might not be able to make it myself. But I’ll send a good person in my place, so don’t worry. And don’t be surprised.
Don’t be surprised?
But before I could ponder the meaning of her words, Sanarae’s shadow sank downwards, leaving one last message.
- Just… act natural.
* * *
The next day, 9 p.m.
“Jeong Sowon of the Sanarae Guild.”
The woman with a bob cut waiting for me in front of the officetel was Jeong Sowon.
The head of the Sanarae Guild’s HR department and, as I would later learn, one of only two A-rank Hunters in the guild.
I had somewhat expected her to come in Sanarae’s place.
But something else was the problem.
‘What is this, a limousine?’
I never imagined she would show up in a massive, ultra-luxurious limousine with a chauffeur.
“Please get in, Hunter Kim Hanul.”
Jeong Sowon opened the rear passenger door and bowed respectfully.
A state-of-the-art Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Limousine, stretching 6.5 meters in total length.
I wore a strange expression as I stared at the opulent interior.
Okay, this probably isn't going to be a stealthy infiltration.