Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Dead Sea of the Mediterranean
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I began hearing more details from Shriya.
Simply put, the Great Eight entrenched in Europe were indeed the root of the problem.
Israel's Shaddai Club and the Ristorante based in Italy. To sum it up simply...
"The Mediterranean is the Sea of Death."
The sea touched by both Erosion Cores was none other than the Mediterranean.
"Thanks to that, the Suez Canal—which had been so useful in the past—was just abandoned."
Shriya let out a heavy sigh at Han Sang-cheol's words.
"It's not just abandoned. Even if we somehow managed to revive the Suez Canal, crossing the Red Sea and Arabian Sea would mean avoiding Saudi Arabia's Al-Ramadi too."
Anyway, the issue stemming from the Mediterranean's state was straightforward.
"Goods produced in Europe get shipped to the UK first, then sent on to Korea from there."
Shriya drew a line on the map. A shipping route stretching from the UK across the Atlantic, through the Indian Ocean, past Indonesia, and finally to South Korea.
"That's a damn long detour."
Shriya nodded at my words.
"Exactly. Circling all that way jacks up transport costs massively. But the costs themselves aren't the real problem."
With that, Shriya circled a spot in the North Atlantic with a red pen.
"The real issue is the pirates who call themselves Barbary, prowling that stretch."
Already bleeding money on transport, and now pirates camped right on the route.
"Shipping straight across the US doesn't make sense either."
Theoretically possible, but America's East Coast was blanketed by the Erosion Zone from the Great Eight known as Greenhouse, based in Washington.
In the end, everything produced in Europe was stuck taking the route that looped around the African continent, from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.
"Perfect spot for those Barbary bastards to bulk up their fleet."
A massive pirate outfit parked in the one chokepoint everyone had to pass through. The dream location for any pirate.
"Even so, Hunters escort the ships, right...?"
"Fat chance."
Jeong Oh-hoon, who'd been listening quietly, let out a scoff.
"I know about Barbary. The rumors are everywhere."
All eyes turned to him at his words.
"What're those looks for? Given what I used to do, it'd be weirder if I didn't know."
"Gonna share what you know?"
Jeong Oh-hoon replied to me.
"Can't spill too much 'cause of personal reasons. Short version: a good chunk of Barbary's top brass are Hunters who went rogue."
"Rogue, huh."
He scratched his head as he answered.
"Not everyone with Hunter talent actually becomes a Hunter."
Pleasure killers, robbers, gangsters, rapists... Plenty of scum out there use their abilities or gifts however they please instead of fighting monsters.
And when those crimes catch up and they're cornered with no way out, that's when they flock to that Barbary crew.
"Think of Barbary as Africa's dumping ground for Hunter trash. Oh, and their boss—if he hasn't gotten himself killed yet—is a guy who used to Hunt in Korea back in the day."
Shriya nodded at Jeong Oh-hoon's words.
"Seo Sin-cheol. Forty-seven rape-murders, eighty-six straight-up murders, and over five hundred assaults."
For a bastard like that to escape Korea unscathed and make it all the way to North Africa? Sadly, it just proved how strong a Hunter he was.
"He cracked the top ten on Hope's List once."
"Fitting. Guess even total nutjobs can climb the ranks if they've got the skills."
If he was that infamous, his ability had to be pretty well-known too.
"Prohibition."
Shriya said.
"Kinda vague. Got examples?"
She answered me.
"Movement Prohibition, Thought Prohibition, Resistance Prohibition... If Seo Sin-cheol manages to lay hands on you, he can slap one prohibition on his target."
Jeong Oh-hoon and Han Sang-ah's gazes shifted to me after hearing Shriya's explanation.
"You guys aren't seriously comparing that to my ability, are you?"
Totally different. I've overcome real crises and racked up achievements with mine—no way I'm getting lumped in with some half-baked knockoff.
"Still pretty unique, though."
Had to admit that much. Abilities like Lee Se-eun's or Choi Yeo-reum's were straightforward by comparison.
I turned to Jeong Oh-hoon and Han Sang-ah.
"You two, while we're stuck in Korea, get ready to crack the top ten and make your challenges."
"...Think they'll accept?"
I nodded at Jeong Oh-hoon's skeptical mutter.
"If Headhunters dodge a challenge right now, it'll look real ugly."
Out of the top ten on the list, three hadn't joined the Gon-sal-ok subjugation. Sure, they had their excuses.
Like how they were on standby in the Manchurian plains just in case, while we slugged it out at Gon-sal-ok.
But people don't care about that. From the public's view, Headhunter crushed Gon-sal-ok—so the three of us have to be in the top ten.
Dare to turn down a challenge from the mighty Headhunter lords just to cling to your spot?
Instant backlash. Even if you did nothing wrong. Sucks, but that's how the world spins.
"We'll head out after that's done. Won't take long anyway."
Besides, fighting those Barbary pirates right away? Yeah, I'm beat. Unless it's urgent, I need four or five days to recharge.
Nah, I have to rest. Otherwise, my body and mind might both crash together.
"You've all earned a break. I'm hitting Oduak's main branch for some of Owner Sa Seung-hee's cooking."
My words lit up Shriya's eyes.
"Me too! Take me!"
What're you tagging along for? Met you today, and you're already super glue levels of clingy.
"No one in Korea does proper Indian food except Sa Seung-hee. Tastes better than back home."
What can't that woman cook? Turns out she's a Hunter with a skill for making food taste amazing or something?
She's the head of India's top pharma company—not exactly short on gourmet Indian eats.
"Her lamb biryani is killer."
"You mean Indian fried rice?"
Shriya shot me a death glare right away.
"Biryani is not fried rice."
Touchy. She glanced at my face and added,
"How'd you feel if some foreigner called kimchi 'cabbage pickle'?"
Whatever. If it's easier to remember that way, go for it.
Of course, I got where Shriya was coming from.
Hand an Italian some Korean cream spaghetti and call it 'carbonara'? They'd flip, foam at the mouth, swear it's not pasta.
Give a Frenchman merlot and call it 'wine'? Same reaction.
Too many examples. Point is, the prouder folks are of their culture, the more fiercely they defend it.
Not everything similar gets labeled 'our culture.' They want to protect its pure, cherished essence.
"Patriot, huh."
"I do business in Korea, but I'm Indian. Never changed my citizenship. Still Indian."
Got it. So you want me to swing by Sa Seung-hee's for chow—and make it Indian dishes. Bonus if we chat more over the meal.
That your first craving, and you've got more to discuss on the side.
"Alright, let's do it."
"Thanks! Wanna take the chopper?"
"Helicopter to Iksun-dong? Come on."
That's like using a bazooka for mosquitoes.
Han Sang-ah and Jeong Oh-hoon had their own tasks, so I sent them off on their own. Then Shriya and I headed to Oduak's main branch in Iksun-dong while I shot Sa Seung-hee a heads-up.
We arrived at the main branch and pushed open the door. Sa Seung-hee immediately wiped the water from her hands and greeted us.
"Welcome."
After the greeting, her eyes shifted to Shriya.
"Brought another big name. You've got some network."
"Guess my charm draws 'em in."
As I brushed it off, Shriya chimed in with a greeting.
"Annyeong~"
"Ms. Agarwal. Long time no see."
Sa Seung-hee gave a slight bow. Then her gaze flicked back to me.
"Heard about the Gon-sal-ok cleanup."
"Wasn't just me."
Shriya, who'd been listening, piped up.
"I'm... hungry."
Sa Seung-hee let out a small sigh before saying,
"Just one pot, then."
One pot? Like a lunchbox? I sat down, thinking that, and immediately spoke up.
"You didn't tag along just to grab a bite, right?"
Shriya blinked at me with a "Huh?"
"Yeah, I did."
"..."
As I pulled a sour face, Shriya gave a faint smile and replied,
"Don't make that face."
She grabbed a napkin, draped it around her neck, and continued.
"Dan-gun's Descendants collected your blood."
"...In Gangnam?"
She nodded. When I'd teleported back to Gangnam, I'd bled a ton fighting that massive undead horde.
Looked like Dan-gun's Descendants swept in after I blocked their teleports and left, scooping up what I'd spilled.
"Most of it's contaminated and worthless, but the sheer volume... No clue their endgame, but they've got enough to pull it off."
"I see. Noted."
But still.
"Kinda curious how you know about it."
"'Cause we collected it first, then handed it over to Dan-gun's Descendants."
I wore a complicated expression at that. Why admit it so boldly? Shriya glanced at my face, then hugged her own shoulders.
"Whoa, no scary faces. Dan-gun's Descendants are one of the Korean government's trusted lackeys. No power for a Korea-based operator like me to say no. We're not Geum-yang Group."
What Dan-gun's Descendants planned with my secured blood? Obvious without asking.
Jo Won-hoon was riding back to the Blue House in a car with the hooded man.
"So, how far along is it?"
"Major progress. Should be able to extract the ability soon."
Yoo Chan-seok had taken heavy injuries blocking the undead horde in Seoul. Securing the blood he'd spilled on the ground had been easy.
"Contamination's bad, but the volume makes up for it."
Dr. Seo Kyeon-woo, researching Yoo Chan-seok's ability, had kicked his work into high gear with that blood.
"Good news at least. How's Erosion Core control coming?"
"...Sorry. No meaningful results yet."
Jo Won-hoon looked troubled.
"We're pouring serious cash into Dan-gun's Descendants. Progress on the ability research is great, but no advances on Erosion Core control? Disappointing."
Still, at least the project to rip out Yoo Chan-seok's ability was on the verge of success. Meant they'd earned their tax dollars—for once.
"We'll report the minute results come in."
"Yes, do that."
Conversation over, the uniformed hooded figure vanished from the car. Jo Won-hoon let out a deep sigh, leaned back against the seat, and closed his eyes.