Free Web NovelAfter some pointless banter, Sung Uijae parked the car in front of a building.
“Someone’s getting in. Just wait a bit.”
At those words, I pulled out a mask and put it on. Sung Uijae narrowed his eyes when I covered my face.
“That’s not an appearance a mask will blur.”
“Depends on the surname.”
As Sung Uijae said, people over 180 centimeters were rare in this country. Even with a mask, it wouldn’t do much to hide my identity.
'But at least I can deny it later.'
If someone pressed, being able to insist “wasn’t me” would help, and a mask would make that easier.
Sung Uijae muttered like he still didn’t get it.
“You realize your build is way too noticeable, right?”
“Think I’ll blend in a bit better standing next to Hunter Sung.”
Even at 187, I looked smaller next to someone well over 190. And Sung Uijae wasn’t just tall—he was broad, which doubled the effect.
“...Wouldn’t that make us stand out even more?”
I ignored him muttering to himself and looked out the window. The map didn’t show the building’s name, just a road address. The destination was some kind of commercial building.
Except, aside from the shuttered hardware store on the # Nоvеlight # first floor, every shop had CLOSED signs plastered over them.
'Illegal office?'
I was forming a reasonable theory when there was a knock at the driver’s seat window.
Knock, knock.
Instead of lowering the window, Sung Uijae unlocked the doors.
The one who knocked got into the back seat. Through the rearview mirror, I gauged his build.
About 170 tall. Small, but solid frame. His face wasn’t the sort you’d remember.
Status Window.
Name: Jang Jitae
Age: 29
Rank: E
Title: –
Main Skills: Wind Generation (E), Gust (E)
Growth Limit: S
Wind-type Awakened. Not a high rank... was he really here as a middleman?
“Hunter Sung, good evening.”
“Yeah.”
From his clipped greeting, they must have known each other. Sung Uijae rapped the passenger seat I was in, introducing me.
“This is the appraiser helping us today.”
“...An appraiser?”
“Mm.”
The man hesitated a moment before nodding. Sung Uijae caught that pause and gave him a crooked smile.
“What? No rule against bringing one. Contract said plus-one’s fine.”
“I have no complaints.”
“Sure looks like it.”
Hunter or thug? Hard to tell. But I had no desire to needle him. Compared to Sung Uijae wasting time with idle talk earlier, this guy was at least more interesting.
'If only he’d act like a proper gangster—it’d be fun.'
Sung Uijae tilted his head at me.
“You don’t seem to want to speak. Mask and all—guess that means you don’t want to reveal your voice either?”
I just nodded. Anyway, were they not serving lunch? I wasn’t planning to keep this mask on while eating.
“Mask just makes you stand out more.”
Same gripe as before. Instead of answering, I reached out and tapped the dashboard.
Only then did Sung Uijae finally start the car and drive us toward our real destination: A Hotel.
***
A few minutes later, Sung Uijae pulled into a shabby parking lot.
From the outside, A Hotel looked more like a cheap inn than a hotel. The sign did say “hotel,” but that was about it.
The broker must have noticed my glance, because he hurried to explain.
“It’s nice once you’re inside.”
Whatever. Not like I was planning to stay here.
Besides, places that looked shabby outside but were flashy inside were a cliché for shady deals. Not surprising at all.
'Like something out of a movie.'
The A Hotel lobby was deserted, clearly meant only for transactions. A sign at the counter read “Rooms Under Inspection” but there wasn’t a soul in sight.
“Let’s go down.”
Following Sung Uijae’s lead, we went straight to Basement Level 2. The elevator only went as far as B1, so you had to take the stairs from there.
As we descended, Sung Uijae explained.
“This place was built to launder money. It was used to cash out tokens from illegal casinos. Technically they called it ‘purchasing.’”
“......”
So basically a gambling den. Sung Uijae must have seen my expression, because he grinned.
“Now... they deal in all kinds of things. Makes you wonder who’s really running it.”
“......”
This time the broker reacted—he wiped his palms on his pants and opened the emergency exit door.
And B2 was a completely different world.
'A night market?'
That was my first impression. It reminded me of the night market Im Haekyung ran. Crowded, noisy, chaotic.
But this was at least a hundred times worse.
'More like an underground casino.'
Unbothered by the noise, the broker guided us inside. A quick check with Status Window showed plenty of unawakened people, but also many low-ranked Awakened. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Didn’t look like a sane one in the bunch.
When we’d fallen a few steps behind the broker, Sung Uijae crooked his finger at me.
“Let me whisper something.”
I leaned in, and he lowered his voice.
“The auction’s run by placing items on the table. What I’m after is an S-rank artifact, but I don’t know exactly how it’s processed.”
“What’s it for?”
At my question, he lifted his head, met my eyes, and hesitated before giving a short answer.
“Mana suppression tool.”
“......”
Ahh. Now I got it.
In the original novel, Sung Uijae used a mana suppression tool whenever he fought high-ranking Awakened, to control their skills.
Sure, it suppressed his own skills too, but it never mattered to him. He was confident in close combat.
'So this is where he got it. The novel never said, and I’d wondered.'
Other suppression tools had appeared in the story, but compared to Sung Uijae’s, they were trash.
A shame he eventually lost such a good one to a foreigner.
Seeing my reaction, Sung Uijae kept talking.
“I don’t expect you to recognize it right away. But if you sense mana above A-rank, give me a signal.”
“Signal?”
What kind of signal could I give without speaking, in a place this cramped?
His answer was... primitive.
“Just tap me on the shoulder from behind. Everyone’s brought their own appraiser, so no one will care.”
“......”
Saying that, he suddenly grabbed my wrist again and pressed hard into my palm, warning me.
“But it has to be fast. It’s a speed game.”
An auction run like a speed game? That was gambling.
Still, simple enough. I nodded and pulled my hand free.
After pushing through the crowd, we reached a room deeper inside B2.
The entrance was blocked by a curtain. No door. Pulling it aside, we entered to find six people seated around a round table, with three more standing behind them.
The seated ones were of mixed genders and ages. Two wore masks like the ones Im Haekyung used at the night market. One had just a mask and cap. Three, like Sung Uijae, showed their faces.
Ranks: two C-ranks, three B-ranks, and one A-rank. The A-rank’s face was unfamiliar—likely an unregistered Awakened.
And behind them, as Sung Uijae said, stood appraisers. The strongest appraisal skill among them was only B-rank. A gathering of small fry.
Sung Uijae sat in the only empty seat and asked,
“Are we late?”
“...Not really.”
With that, the broker who’d led us here left the room. As he exited, he flipped a switch by the curtain. Instantly, the noise outside vanished.
'Item to block external sound.'
Silence fell. Then another door in the room opened, and someone rolled in a large cart.
Covered with cloth, but instinct told me what was inside.
'That’s the items.'
The worker pulled the cart right up to the table, then whisked off the cloth. He placed the first item—labeled No. 1—at the center.
Trapezohedron (S)
Artifact that can summon unspecified beasts.
Inside the box is a polyhedron shaped like a sphere.
'Well, look at that.'
Didn’t expect an S-rank artifact to pop out first thing. And the description sounded like some myth cobbled together.
“I’ll buy it.”
Before I could even grab Sung Uijae’s shoulder, someone across the table called the bid instantly. A staff member wordlessly removed the artifact and set it before him.
'Ah... so that’s how this works.'
Fuck, that’s not appraisal—that’s gambling.
Still, I got the gist. A beat late, I gripped Sung Uijae’s shoulder tight and let go. He narrowed his eyes at me, then turned back to the table as the next artifact was brought out.
Fine. Not like I was the one paying. Let him win them all—what’s it to me?
'Uijae, consider it your tax contribution!'
The moment the second artifact hit the table, I grabbed Sung Uijae’s shoulder hard.
