Chapter 164. Dragon Bone Soup
Chapter 164. Dragon Bone Soup
In a quiet high-rise in the heart of the city, men in black suits sat with grim expressions, deep in discussion.
They were no ordinary guild.
They dispatched PMCs composed of hunters across the globe, handling gate responses, monster captures, and even security details.
A corporation that dealt in practically everything short of war itself.
The CEO watched the screen in silence for a moment, then asked in a low voice.
"So... where do we stand on the S-rank gate raid?"
As if waiting for the question, someone promptly reported.
"Sir, they have just encountered the monster presumed to be the boss. If it's... Hunter Song Hoon, it likely won't take much longer."
"How does the Korean branch plan to respond?"
"Yes, sir. The branch manager has personally brought staff and is standing by in front of the gate."
The CEO chuckled at those words.
He would probably hand over all the corpses to the streamers, except for the boss's corpse.
"A gate is just a clown show for ordinary people who know nothing anyway... Just pay them a fair price and buy the goods."
Knowing your opponent was always far more advantageous in a deal.
He quietly looked over a report detailing the streamers' projected monthly income.
'A few million dollars should be enough to make their eyes spin.'
---
At that same moment, in a luxury hotel somewhere in Seoul.
A man was tying his tie in front of a mirror.
He was the CEO of a research institute that produced cutting-edge hunter equipment, linked with an American defense contractor.
The moment he was informed of Song Hoon's S-rank gate raid, he had immediately boarded a flight to Korea.
"Hoo..."
Already in Korea, he had thoroughly investigated the person known as Song Hoon.
That was precisely why the CEO had come to the scene himself.
'Considering the Unknown Hunter... should I buy at above market price? Or propose a reasonable amount to maximize profit?'
He shook his head from side to side.
"Hoo... This is difficult. Difficult."
A personality that would simply hand over the corpse of an S-rank monster to someone else.
The Song Hoon he envisioned was someone who placed little meaning on money.
A man who didn't care whether he had it or not.
"There will be far too many competitors..."
He had already ordered his employees to investigate the key figures leaving the airport.
People of his own standing, and those above him, were arriving one after another.
---
A research institute capable of dissecting and studying S-rank monsters, one of only a handful in the world.
"I don't care about anything else... but those dragon bones! We absolutely must acquire them!"
The scientists were in a heated debate, spreading various data across the desk.
They had all checked the footage.
It wasn't full power, but the strength was such that an attack from Song Hoon only barely cracked the bone.
"It withstood Song Hoon's strike! The same attack that smashed an S-rank monster's head and tore the clouds over the West Sea!"
"...Calm down. Didn't that witch's head get smashed all the same?"
The scientist spitting as he spoke touched his forehead in frustration.
"Ha... A nuke is still a nuke even if its yield is low! Even Max, considered the strongest among S-ranks right now, was barely managing to hold the dragon's jaw!"
At his words, someone nearby raised a hand and spoke cautiously.
"He's right. The durability of that bone that tore off Max's entire arm... I can't even begin to guess at its level of strength."
If only they could analyze the properties of that bone?
Then not just the durability of hunter equipment, but their entire specifications would change.
They replayed the broadcast and clicked their tongues.
Even the giant ribs alone were enough volume to make equipment for dozens of people.
Everyone shouted with fire in their eyes.
"Absolutely...! No matter what else we set aside, we must get those bones!"
"Hoo... I understand."
The director nodded as well.
In any case, they had already received sufficient government subsidies to purchase this item.
---
"Laila, can I help with anything?"
He asked while casually glancing around the kitchen.
The vast space was already bustling with people.
The hired chefs were busily preparing ingredients, and the housekeeping helpers were engrossed in table setting and cleaning.
"Heehee, it's okay~"
But in the middle of that chaotic scene, Laila was completely unshaken.
Wearing an apron in the kitchen, she was stirring a giant pot with a gentle smile.
The smell of deep broth, as if marrow bones were dissolving, wafted from the pot.
Broth steeped from Dragon Bone.
It was an unreal sight.
'Sniff... It'll be fine, right?'
He had already tried it himself, and it was a richer, more delicious broth than ordinary bone soup.
And if worst came to worst, Laila would heal them, so he wasn't too worried.
A home party planned for the streamers who had worked hard(?).
Normally wives hate bringing guests into their home, but was Laila an ordinary woman?
She could simply have the housekeepers clean up without lifting a finger.
"I think it'll be ready in time, don't you?"
A moment later, in the center of the living room.
Korean-style dishes began to line up on several tables.
Various jeon, bulgogi, japchae, and braised short ribs, everything except the bone soup for the final meal.
The housekeepers and chefs gave a final bow and quietly exited.
─ Ding-dong!
"Wow~ Your house is incredibly big?"
Lucia, who arrived first, burst out in admiration.
Beside her, Nudungji nodded silently and looked around.
"Of course. I looked around meticulously for Laila's and my newlywed home."
He nodded with a proud expression.
This was a super high-rise penthouse in the heart of Seoul.
It occupied the entire top floor, and with the terrace included, accommodating a mere few dozen streamers, not even hundreds, was nothing.
"This is a housewarming gift I bought... and this is what Nudungji bought."
Lucia held out a luxury diffuser box worth 200,000 won, and Nudungji pulled out an expensive bottle of whiskey.
One by one, familiar faces continued to arrive after that.
As expected of streamers, they came in with smartphones attached to selfie sticks.
"This is wine my parents brought back from their trip this time..."
"Ah, this is a popular perfume this season... I hope the Saintess will use it..."
Everyone took their seats, and he pointed a finger toward the entrance from the center of the living room.
"Haha, there are so many gifts."
Someone among them shouted.
"Haha! Thanks to Hero, we're all going to be rich! This is nothing!"
He chuckled at the man's words and said.
"Then everyone, please eat and drink to your heart's content."
There were empty rooms anyway, and those rooms were also larger than the living rooms of most other homes.
The meal began.
Some poured drinks, some set up streaming equipment and communicated with viewers.
He also communicated with viewers through the large TV screen in the living room.
[LOL I thought they rented a party room]
[Wow, I didn't notice when it was just the two of them, but you really feel the size when people come in]
[Call me too, dammit]
Once some alcohol had been consumed and the atmosphere was lively, he quietly rose from his seat.
"Now, how about a final warm meal to finish?"
He said, lifting the large pot with one hand.
The streamers all jumped up and began setting out bowls and spoons.
Inside the pot, along with the thick bone soup, were plump chickens, abalone, whole octopus, and more packed in.
The smell was incredible, and just the color of the milky broth made mouths water.
"Wow... this is no joke."
"I sometimes buy ox-bone soup for hangovers... but I've never had anything like this."
"Somehow it tastes more luxurious...?"
The streamers showered it with praise, and he quietly watched them, exhaling in relief.
Then he glanced at Laila.
'It's fine?'
'Yes, there were no abnormal reactions whatsoever.'
Everyone scraped their bowls clean, and he served more if they wanted.
They all patted their bellies and ended the satisfying meal.
"Ah, and actually, what you all just ate was..."
He paused for a moment, then smiled and opened his mouth.
"Broth steeped from a dragon's bones."
Silence.
The streamers' pupils all shook at the same time.
Someone's Adam's apple bobbed.
"Is, is it safe to eat?"
"..."
"We-well, it was tasty..."
"Don't worry. There are no problems at all."
The streamers, who had seen extraordinary things through the broadcast, the gate raid, and this tour, now nodded as if that was just how things were.
Their expressions said, 'As if Song Hoon would feed us poison.'
The drinking continued, and the dishes that came out as snacks were all incredibly delicious.
In the midst of it, someone spoke up.
"Ah, another company already contacted me. They wanted me to sell them the materials..."
"Me too! They already sent a contract by email?"
"The amount they offered me was millions of dollars!?"
"So I'm going to buy my parents a new car this time!"
Some dreamed of houses, some of travel, some of equipment upgrades, and they carried on excited conversations.
He watched it all with satisfaction and then spoke.
"You all worked hard... and the materials will be divided up fairly. And let's keep in touch and stay close going forward. Collaborative streams are great too, just contact me about anything."
The home party concluded in a warm, familial atmosphere.
And everyone was given a small amount of the dragon bone soup, packaged to take home.
Of course, most of them had no idea at the time what consequences that would bring.
---
And then, a week later.
He got a message from Nudungji.
- Hoon-a... Your brother's having a second kid...
And then a message came from Lucia too.
- Nudungji, I think I'm going to be a mom soon~
He tilted his head while looking at the smartphone screen.
"...All of a sudden?"
Similar messages kept arriving without pause after that.
- Hero! It's just... the bone soup was so delicious... do you happen to have any left?
- Our parents said they felt energized after eating it too... so if you have any bone soup left, just a little...
- Sigh... Bro! Do you have any bone soup left!?
At the continuously ringing notifications, he quietly opened the freezer.
The bones alone were big enough to build a building.
Boiling just a tiny fraction of it produced an immense amount of broth.
"Hmm..."
The freezer was already full of frozen bone soup.
"Did you all like it that much?"