Rudolph's Desperate Plea
The silence didn't last long.
"What the hell? Why isn't it spawning?"
Someone's words slammed into his eardrums like a hammer.
"No way...?"
"Is this really the end?"
The murmurs grew thicker.
Yet the users didn't budge from their spots.
Maybe in one more minute.
Two, or even three.
Clinging to that faint hope, they waited endlessly. Finally, Mu-hyuk—who hadn't moved until then—turned his back.
"Looks like it's over, right?"
"Ah..."
Everyone let out a collective sigh.
But Kim Min-ho PD, still refusing to accept it, shook his head.
"Let's wait just a bit longer."
"Suit yourself."
A little time was a small price to pay; it didn't matter.
The dungeon was cleared anyway.
And he planned to rest easy for the day.
Time dragged on in anticipation.
They waited another ten minutes, but the dungeon still didn't appear. Only then did Kim Min-ho PD nod in reluctant acknowledgment, glancing at Mu-hyuk.
"It's really done."
"Yeah."
"It's just so amazing."
Mu-hyuk tilted his head.
"I've been filming with you for a while now, and it hit me naturally—you seem like you know everything."
"Pardon?"
Mu-hyuk blinked in surprise, prompting the question.
"I mean, your instincts are that sharp."
"Ah, haha..."
"But those PK bastards."
"Yeah."
"They seem like they'll keep harassing you. You okay with that?"
Mu-hyuk smiled softly.
He planned to crush them thoroughly, at least once more.
Of course, they weren't an easy foe he could beat with 100% certainty, so he'd prepare meticulously.
Brew new potions, too.
Then, after subduing them, he'd make a proposal.
"I'm good."
"If you say so."
"Shall we head out, then?"
"Yeah."
As Kim Min-ho PD checked a few things to log out of Illusion, Yura approached with a regretful expression.
"What a shame."
"Tell me about it."
"Once we log out, my schedule's packed again..."
She let out a deep sigh.
"Anyway, I'll text you when I have time!"
"Sure."
Yura gazed at Mu-hyuk as he replied.
Unspeakable regret lingered in her eyes. Mu-hyuk feigned complete ignorance, flashing a light smile.
A different kind of silence settled in. Fortunately, Kim Min-ho PD broke it.
"Alright, let's go."
"Okay."
They logged out one by one.
"See you next time."
Yura waved and vanished.
Once even the staff had logged out, Sung Min-woo approached.
"Hey, hey."
"Yeah?"
"Why aren't you dating Yura?"
"Uh, well..."
"Man, you're such an idiot. She's that gorgeous—why? And come to think of it, you always keep this weird wall up with people?"
Mu-hyuk flinched for a split second.
He shot back casually, playing it cool.
"Me?"
"Yeah, dude. Heo Young-chan, too. Oh, right—Min-ah liked you back then? But at the reunion, you seemed totally uninterested. Or like, pushing her away?"
"Must be a misunderstanding."
"Really?"
Sung Min-woo tilted his head.
"Tch, whatever. Good luck anyway."
"If the chance comes."
"Chance my ass. Ugh, you moron."
Mu-hyuk ignored him and stepped forward.
"Anyway, about that guy..."
He glanced at Sung Min-woo, who was grumbling nonstop beside him, and spoke up.
"Let's go sort the items."
"Items?"
"Yeah, items. The treasures."
"Ooh, hell yeah!"
Romance had probably vanished from Sung Min-woo's mind.
"If we sell all this, it'll be insane...!"
The word "items" spawned "money," electrifying his whole body.
Finally, some peace, Mu-hyuk thought, summoning his Skeleton Warhorse.
"Hop on."
"Roger."
They mounted up and surveyed Illusion's world.
It was truly beautiful.
Then, one man blocked their path.
Rudolph.
Sung Min-woo narrowed his eyes.
"You again?"
"I'm not here to fight!"
"Then what?"
"To talk!"
"Talk?"
"Yeah. You have my arrow, right?"
"Hmmm."
"My guild has 500 members. If I really wanted you dead, I could kill you endlessly. But hand over that arrow, and I'll pretend you never killed me. Think carefully."
Mu-hyuk chuckled.
"That all you had to say?"
"Yeah."
"Alright, here's my answer."
Rudolph waited silently.
"Kill me."
"What...?"
"Try it."
Rudolph clenched his fists at the provocation.
Should he really kill him?
Then he wouldn't get the arrow back.
What if he did it a few times?
Would this player submit?
He couldn't gamble on uncertainty.
If he didn't break...
It'd be total ruin.
No way.
He decided to back off.
"Come on, let's talk more..."
Rudolph's eyes wavered.
In that moment, Mu-hyuk knew he had the upper hand.
"What was that?"
"Maybe we could talk a little more."
"You dropping formal speech now?"
"Uh...?"
"Are you?"
"Well, uh..."
Rudolph stammered.
Honorifics?
His pride wouldn't allow it, but he forced the words out.
"Look, can't we just talk...?"
"Can't hear you."
"It'd be good if we could discuss..."
Mu-hyuk waited patiently.
Finally, accepting defeat, Rudolph added the syllable.
"...sir."
Only then did Mu-hyuk nod, as if ready to listen.
"Fine, speak."
"Could you return the arrow... sir?"
"Nah."
"Pardon...?"
"Why would I just give it back? You started shit first and dropped it."
"W-well, yeah, but."
"Alright, here's the deal."
"What deal...?"
Rudolph's expression shifted wildly.
Desperation, pleading, despair, rage.
All tangled together.
"Tomorrow, front of the Mercenary Guild in the Weibra Empire."
"T-tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Bring every single guild member."
"Why the hell...?"
"You don't need to know. Later."
"W-wait..."
Mu-hyuk brushed past, ignoring him. Sung Min-woo followed, and they vanished from sight in an instant.
Left alone, Rudolph clenched his fists and muttered.
"Tomorrow, Weibra Empire Mercenary Guild front."
With every guild member.
Meanwhile.
As they headed to the Weibra Empire, Sung Min-woo asked belatedly.
"Why do you wanna see that guy?"
"Gotta give him the arrow."
"What? Just like that?"
"Not just like that."
"Then what?"
"Stomp 'em once first. Then maybe some business."
"Business, huh."
Sung Min-woo shrugged.
"Eh, you'll handle it fine."
They soon rented a room at an inn.
Inventory.
He laid out the items from his bag on the floor. Loot from the PKers and treasures from the dungeon.
He'd roughly assessed them before, but now he needed to properly sort keepers from sellers.
"Whoa, so much stuff."
"Let's check again."
"Got it."
They went through each one.
"Sell this. This too, and this."
Most were for sale.
Then, one ring caught his eye.
◈ Knowledge +4
◈ Wisdom +4
◈ MP +100
◈ MP Recovery Rate +41
◈ Durability 300/300
◈ Req: Knowledge 50, Wisdom 50
For its low requirements, the boosts to Knowledge, Wisdom, and recovery were impressive.
Among the many rings Mu-hyuk wore, he swapped out the weakest one for the Ring of Recovery.
Digging further, he found another solid ring.
This bumped his MP recovery rate and Knowledge/Wisdom stats considerably.
"I'm about done here."
"Same."
"Picked your keepers?"
"Obviously."
"Auction the rest, then."
"If it all sells, we'll be rolling in it!"
"You handle listing them."
They stashed the sales items in Sung Min-woo's inventory, then checked the leftovers. Treasures from the dungeon—all rare pieces.
Though many materials were useless to Mu-hyuk.
"Don't sell these."
"Why?"
"Might need 'em later."
"Whatever."
The dungeon treasures went into Mu-hyuk's inventory.
They left the inn for the auction house and listed every PK loot item for 48-hour auction.
"Anything else?"
Sung Min-woo asked.
"Nah, why?"
"Got a quest."
"What quest?"
"Leveled up in that dungeon, got a message to visit my master."
"Ah."
Mu-hyuk nodded.
"Go for it."
"Cool. I'll text how long it'll take."
"Do that."
As Sung Min-woo walked off, Mu-hyuk pondered briefly before turning.
Been a while for me, too...
He decided to visit his master, Valsian.
To the warp gate.
"Welcome. Destination?"
"Hemil Empire."
"1 gold."
He paid and queued up.
His turn came quick.
"Departing."
Everything vanished in a flash of light.
He reappeared at Hemil Empire's warp gate.
"Welcome to the Hemil Empire."
Acknowledging the NPC, he headed north, weaving through rundown buildings.
But.
"This the right spot?"
"Told ya. Look, already a ton of people."
Users packed the narrow alley.
"Doesn't every popular spot have crowds?"
"Nah, no way. Even with all the players, who'd come to a dump like this? Only one reason: the Gangster Necromancer."
The path to Gangster Necromancer advancement was jammed.
What now?
He opted for a little trick.
Stealth.
Invisible, he used Wind Step to leap onto rooftops.
He landed on Valsian's roof, then dropped into a shadowed, empty corner.
The door burst open.
"Which bastard's stomping my roof?!"
"It's me."
Mu-hyuk dropped stealth and raised a hand.
"You little shit... Ahem, it's you."
Valsian started in his usual gruff tone, then switched to stern formality. Probably the onlookers.
"Yeah."
"Come in."
Mu-hyuk shrugged. Valsian clocked the stares and bellowed.
"Move it, you lot! Clear the way!"
The users ahead grumbled but parted.
"Excuse me."
Mu-hyuk passed with a smile and entered the room. Another user was already there, so he waited for their talk to end.
"Thank you!"
"Good. Remember always: uphold the honor of us Gangster Necromancers."
"Yes, sir!"
As the user left, Valsian's posture slumped crookedly.