Chapter 6 - A Snare to Catch a Noose.
A Snare to Catch a Noose.
Translator : Elizabeth
Sweet rice cakes are a build-up for humiliation. To me, who knows that lesson, there is no defeat.
[Hunted, Black Hand.]
Dark Web, secret trading site.
A so-called back-alley exchange where magic stones of unknown origin or cash come and go without proof of identity.
Whew, I'm exhausted.
How much time did I consume trying to find this.
Using the internet and galleries, I searched for a dark web site where I could trade without an ID, and even purchased a paid VPN and security program.
Now there is no turning back for me.
Including the expenditure just now and the rent, I'm set to starve starting a few days from now.
I must sell the magic stones and earn money somehow.
But this is crazy, why is the selling price here so cheap?
Looks like a 20~30% discount is standard.
This is too bad for the seller.
Obviously, market research is already complete.
The lowest-grade magic stones I obtained on Floor 1 are traded for about 70,000 won each.
But here, it's around a whopping 50,000 won.
Even the site itself is unpleasant.
A skull picture plastered largely on the front and a highest-grade magic stone embedded in the pupil.
It looks like an exchange for magic stones obtained through murder… No, there's actually a fair probability they are such magic stones.
Even a 10% commission fee is added separately?
As expected, I don't like it.
Black Hand.
True to its name, it takes commissions well.
Of course, most trade offline, so it's actually a useless clause. Usually, they just arrange things here and trade separately via messenger.
Ugh, to think the pure me knows such knowledge.
I already feel like a member of the underworld.
Should I use the gallery instead?
I think a broker advertised there once too.
Although they got banned like a knife and disappeared, if I keep lurking, it might work.
But wouldn't they eventually be people from this industry anyway?
Come to think of it, most of them seemed like scammers.
I saw several posts saying they got scammed too.
Rather, this place which openly induces back-alley trading might be safer.
Whatever it is, I don't have many choices.
I have no choice but to proceed as best I can.
[Non-face-to-face (Seoul), Selling 30 Lowest-Grade Magic Stones for 6.0 each.]
After posting the text and magic stone photos, I searched for brokers active on the site.
But is this a characteristic of this area?
Every single one is full of guys with no history.
I don't know if they create a new ID every time, but most are throwaway accounts.
As expected, it's uneasy.
Telegram ID @bahiias.
After quite some time passed, a comment was posted.
“Ugh….”
Why am I trembling over this.
As expected, it is too scary a place for a pure member of society like me to touch.
To just throw an ID without any explanation and go.
But one thing I don't understand.
There are many cheaper than mine, why do they want to buy?
Since there were many cheap sales posts, I didn't really intend to sell at this price when I uploaded it.
Is it a scam after all?
Is it okay to make contact?
I don't know.
If you don't collide, you can't know anything. A conversation should be fine.
[Hello.]
[Buying all. Tonight 10 PM. Location is XX Motel Room XX. Reply only with availability.]
What is this.
This extremely thorough and efficient information delivery.
I like it? Yes, if you are a member of society, you need to pursue efficiency in everything.
My workplace superior should have been like this.
Okay, I choose you.
[Available.]
[If you place the magic stones, I will check separately and leave the money.]
[Ok.]
[Not a scam.]
[Ok]
Smells like a cool transaction.
Someone might ask if it's a scam, but conversely, it smells like an incredible veteran.
Somehow… smells like a kindred spirit.
Well, doesn't matter if they're a scammer or not.
No, rather, I hope they are a scammer.
Then we can compete to see who is more thorough.
Sweet rice cakes are a build-up for humiliation. To me, who knows that lesson, there is no defeat.
Let's go, to win.
Code Name: Noose (Allgami).
A veteran broker active since Season 5.
Normally, he wouldn't touch such small-scale transactions, but he couldn't just pass over the newbie's photo uploaded to the dark web this time.
30 Lowest-Grade Magic Stones.
But the luster and purity are extraordinary.
It is a color that cannot come out from Normal or Easy.
Most don't know well, but if you examine lowest-grade magic stones closely, grades are divided. Obviously, the higher the difficulty, the higher the purity of the magic stone.
But this is like.
“Clean rhombus shape, high light reflectivity. At the same time, even a translucent center….”
Isn't it perfect?
Even in Hard difficulty, such magic stones would be rare to see. Just how did he get this?
And all of them are such magic stones?
At a price of only 60,000 won each?
Such perfect crystalline magic stones can effectively be considered Intermediate Magic Stones.
Naturally, the price would jump more than 3 times.
But at this point, that is not important.
The reason he requested a trade despite it being a small transaction is the source of the magic stones and the opponent's identity.
It is necessary to identify such an unusual figure in advance.
Since he is also acting as a broker and an information dealer.
Thus, 5 PM.
Near XX Motel.
“Wait in your respective positions.”
“Yes.”
He brought people from the industry he had tamed and had them walk around disguised as citizens.
Noose is a godfather in this industry.
Enough to shake the black market with a single word.
Commanding subordinates is natural.
He proceeded as thoroughly as possible.
And that was at 5 PM.
The appointment time is 10 PM, but there is no guarantee the opponent will arrive exactly then.
Naturally, the opponent could suspect him too. Not that anything would change.
The world belongs to the prepared.
He is more prepared than anyone.
Tick, tock.
The second hand of the luxury watch keeps flowing.
Around the time he didn't know how many rounds the second hand had turned, the thickest hand pointed to 10 PM at night.
‘Not yet.’
The trading partner did not appear.
Maybe they will appear a little later.
Maybe they are inspecting if there are dangerous elements around.
If so, the opponent must be quite a thorough person too.
Though it wouldn't matter much.
A moment later.
[I moved the 30 magic stones to the location you mentioned ^^]
“Hmm?”
Just in time, the opponent's Telegram message arrived.
But unable to understand, he tilted his head.
Surely no one came?
Just in case, he asked his subordinates, but as expected, there was no report of anyone coming and going.
Surely all blind spots near the building were under surveillance. Was a subordinate bought off?
Brainwashing? Charm skill?
Compared to that, most feel normal.
Above all, didn't he continue to monitor too?
The subordinates didn't talk to anyone either. Excluding only himself.
So no matter how much he investigates, no gain.
Excluding the citizens passing by the street, not a single person entered the motel.
Then the answer is already out.
Probably a lie.
[I will go check.]
First, after sending a reply, he had one subordinate enter the motel to check.
There is a high probability there are no magic stones.
The opponent's strategy is probably to test him.
To figure out if he really came to check, or who goes in and out of the motel.
‘Is he perhaps a person from this industry?’
What he's doing is quite thorough.
Then how will he come out next?
He must predict the next move first and draw out the transaction-
[Code Name Crow-tit. Confirmed the items.]
What?
How.
Noose's face was dyed with confusion.
According to the subordinate, the 30 magic stones seen in the photo are neatly placed in the motel room. Even though surely no one entered.
Is it a Stealth skill?
But it cannot deceive his eyes, which possess a Presence Detection skill. Then it's something else….
[Did you leave the money?]
The opponent's rushing text arrived.
For now, a deal is a deal. Unless figured out, this side has to bear the disadvantage.
[I left a money bag, take it.]
[Ok but it might take some time.]
[Doesn't matter.]
Let's focus again.
There is still an opportunity.
The opponent will appear again to retrieve the money. He must suspect everything around.
But there is no one approaching the motel.
At most, a few citizens wandering around are all.
‘No, perhaps.’
He examined the faces of the citizens one by one.
There aren't that many citizens passing through such a secluded place in the dark night.
The answer might be among them.
Let's watch closely.
One neighborhood grandma.
Two sturdy young men.
Two puppies, one cat.
One kid wearing a hoodie hopping along.
He didn't forget to check the motel window with binoculars in between.
The money bag is still in the same state.
Indeed, when will the opponent appear?
He continued to watch the passing citizens.
About two hours passed like that?
[Thx for the cool trade. You gave 1.2 million won more in addition. I'll use it well. ^^]
What.
The opponent's text arrived.
A message seemingly saying the trade is over.
That can't be. He can see the bag still in the room.
But how does he know he put in more money?
Don't tell me.
“Check immediately.”
Ordered the subordinate to re-enter.
Surprisingly, the money bag was empty.
Even though no one entered and there wasn't even a trace of the bag being opened, only the contents vanished.
“C-can this happen?….”
Feeling possessed by a ghost.
Noose. He himself, called the godfather of the industry, couldn't figure out anything.
Defeat.
He felt such a feeling.
This wasn't supposed to be a match or anything.
“Ha, hahaha… it's going to get interesting from now on.”
Naturally, he cannot give up like this.
He recalled all the citizens who passed by nearby.
Even if he doesn't remember, he set up cameras in advance so he can check gradually.
Then he should be able to narrow down the suspects.
He'll probably waste some time on this for a while.
“You underestimated me too much.”
Hehehe.
He definitely thought it was a newbie.
Thought it was a guy selling magic stones without knowing the value because he lacked money. But looking at it now, it might be someone fishing for people like him and grasping information.
In other words, the one tested was him.
His face cannot stand like this.
“Snare (Allgami-deot)… is it.”
The opponent's code name built in this moment.
Snare.
He will surely find him.
That guy whose identity is unknown.