Chapter 34
TL: Uncle Choi
Editor: Bait
One of the best privileges given to players was the medical benefits they received.
In an era where players were the backbone of a nation’s strength, all governments provided their players with the best medical care they could, and this was also the case in Korea.
Players with Korean nationality could receive all medical services in Korea at no cost.
The benefits covered the charges for the use of private rooms, which would normally only be used by VIPs. Everything in a hospital were free for players, as it was covered by federal taxes.
It was quite generous.
‘I’m glad the treatment is free.’
If Kim Woo-jin had to pay for his own medical bills, he would have hesitated and contemplated other plans that did not include injuring himself. The benefits were so good that Kim Woo-jin would rethink his plan if these benefits did not exist.
It was just as implied.
Kim Woo-jin’s injuries were self-inflicted.
As soon as the dungeon was cleared, the moment he killed 444 hobgoblins, he stabbed and cut himself with arrows and knives.
Sharks in the distance would rush towards him only when the smell of blood is dispersed, that’s why he hurt himself.
Ttog-ttog!
“It’s Park Yong-wan. May I come in?”
And now, a shark appeared after smelling blood.
“Yes, come in.”
Kkiig!
Park Yong-wan, who appeared after he opened the door, smiled bitterly as he checked the warning sign, “Caution when approaching (blood poisoning)” posted on the bed where Kim Woo-jin was lying down.
“The operation must have been difficult because of blood poisoning.”
“Yes. If my wounds were any deeper, I really would have died.”
It wasn’t even half the story.
If Kim Woo-jin’s wounds were deeper, his life would have been in danger due to the immense blood loss.
The treatment itself was not the problem since Kim Woo-jin’s blood was not a corrosive poison. The problem was that blood transfusions were impossible.
‘That’s why I adjusted it properly but…’
Kim Woo-jin, of course, adjusted even the degree of his injuries.
For someone who had dealt with countless lives before, it wasn’t hard to do.
‘It was really dangerous.’
Park Yong-wan, who didn’t know the truth, did not doubt the cause of Kim Woo-jin’s injuries and began to act out his skit.
“I have heard some rumours regarding the Skull Guild.”
Skull Guild, the moment those words came out, Kim Woo-jin’s face grew cold.
Kkiig!
Park Yong-wan, who brought a chair and sat near Kim Woo-jin, also had a stiff expression on his face.
“You were right. They were hunting players. They must have hunted players in the A+ rank dungeon as well. That’s probably why so many people died. But in the dungeon, some kind of problem occurred with the Skull Guild, and in order to investigate it…”
“So they targeted me, who looked easy to deal with. If I were caught, I probably would’ve been tortured until I spilled something.”
Listening to the icy, cold voice coming out of Kim Woo-jin’s mouth, Park Woo-jin thought to himself while nodding lightly.
“This is going to be easier than I thought.”
Park Yong-wan was planning to persuade Kim Woo-jin today.
He intended to make attacking the Skull Guild more attractive by using this fact a bait.
Rather than disclosing the truth and making the Skull Guild cower back, he intended to turn Kim Woo-jin into an excellent bait for the Skull Guild to bite on.
He also came prepared in case Kim Woo-jin wanted to blow this incident out of proportion. He planned to threaten him if such a scenario were to arise.
But looking at Kim Woo-jin’s current reaction, it looked like he did not have to use such a messy scenario.
“Well, since he’s a smart guy, he probably knows that there’s nothing he can do about the Skull Guild.”
In fact, if looking at it logically, there was nothing Kim Woo-jin could do against the Skull Guild. First of all, there was no way to prove that the injuries Kim Woo-jin suffered were caused by members of the Skull Guild.
Furthermore, the course of such a lawsuit would last more than a year. There was no guarantee that Kim Woo-jin would even be alive when the ruling came out.
Meaning… whatever Kim Woo-jin did was meaningless.
“d.a.m.n it.”
Kim Woo-jin expressed his frustration in front of Park Yong-wan.
Park Yong-wan’s eyes gleamed with light.
“You must be frustrated.”
“Well, there are people who want to kill me. How could I not be angry?”
“Yes, you’re right. If I were you, I wouldn’t be able to sit still. In fact, I’ve never spared anyone who has messed with me like that.”
After revealing his thoughts, Park Yong-wan nodded and asked a question.
“So do you want to give them a punch?”
Kim Woo-jin looked at Park Yong-wan and asked.
“Is there a way?”
“I wouldn’t have come here if there wasn’t one. It’s simple. First of all, cover it up.”
When asked to cover up this situation, Kim Woo-jin spoke with a suspicious expression.
“But if we cover it up…”
“Then the Skull Guild will come to take care of you. And there will be a trap set up waiting for them.”
Kim Woo-jin’s face stiffened at the word “trap.”
“You want me to be used as bait.”
“I won’t say no. But in this world, you have to pay a price in order to get what you want. Don’t you think?”
When Park Yong-wan answered, Kim Woo-jin let out a long sigh. And he began to think.
Park Yong-wan was willing to wait, and Kim Woo-jin, who soon finished contemplating, asked Park Yong-wan.
“Why are you willing to go this far, Mr. Park Yong-wan? When I’m the one who got injured…”
The question was answered and Park Yong-wan was prepared with a response.
“There’s a line in the world that should not be crossed, and the world needs someone to protect such a line.”
Along with his statement, Park Yong-wan handed over the luxurious envelope in his hand to Kim Woo-jin.
“It’s a hospital visit gift. You can think about it a little longer. I’ll help you out when you come to a decision.”
Leaving such words behind, Park Yong-wan left the hospital.
Kim Woo-jin, who was now left alone, recalled Park Yong-wan’s departing words.
‘There’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed, and someone must keep it?’
As soon as he thought of those words, the sides of his mouth formed a smirk.
‘That’s funny.’
It wasn’t the words befitting someone who sold out his country for his own benefit when the country was facing its most dire crisis.
Of course, Kim Woo-jin was not angry.
The Park Yong-wan he knew was that kind of person. No matter what he said, there was no need to take it seriously.
It was his gift that really mattered.
‘What’s this?’
When Kim Woo-jin removed the wrapping paper. A sheet of paper emitting a ray of golden light could be seen.
[Blood Sucking (吸血)]
- Acquisition Requirement: Emissary of the Underworld
- Acquisition Level: Must be higher than level 20
- Skill Effect: Heals by absorbing the target’s blood. The higher the skill level, the greater the amount of blood and health that will be absorbed from the target.
Blood Sucking Skill.
Kim Woo-jin’s eyes cooled the moment he saw it.
‘To think it would be this.’
Kim Woo-jin expected that Park Yong-wan would give him a gift in order to use him more effectively.
But if the bait was unappetizing, it could not be used to fish.
But he didn’t expect it to be a “Blood Sucking” skill page.
‘With this coming into my hands… I have no choice but to change the plan.
Of course, at this moment, Kim Woo-jin was forced to revise his plan once again.
‘Securing the Albino Lizard’s egg right away.’
Kim Woo-jin immediately prepared to hunt the Albino Lizard’s egg.
On his 4th day of hospitalization, another gift was delivered to Kim Woo-jin, who was still hospitalized.
It was none other than a box of bacchus (drink).
Kim Woo-jin felt a hunch when he saw a gift that belonged to a very cheap category.
‘It’s here.”
This gift must have been sent by Oh Se-chan.
As expected, it was something sent by Oh Se-chan.
‘Transmission radio?’
There was a bottle of bacchus and a transmitter in the box.
Kim immediately turned on the radio.
“This is Kim Woo-jin.”
- I’m Oh Se-chan. Let me express my deepest sympathy for your injuries.
Kim Woo-jin, who heard such words, scoffed while taking out the only bottle of bacchus in the box.
“Is this all you’ve sent me when I’ve been hospitalized?”
- Sorry. I’m not used to sending that kind of stuff. What did you expect? When you hear that a player went to the hospital, they usually end up in a morgue, not a hospital room.
“But still a single bottle of bacchus is a little bit…”
- Now, shall we talk about the deal? I’m afraid we won’t be able to talk long because we don’t have a lot of battery life to work with. Oh, don’t throw away the radio. We can use it again.
“All right.”
Kim Woo-jin didn’t bother to push him anymore.
- So, you want to buy the 2 floor A- rank dungeon?
“Yes. I will buy it for 5 billion won.”
- What’s your level?
It was a sudden question, but Kim Woo-jin immediately realized his intentions and responded accordingly.
“Didn’t you already test my skills back then?”
- I did but that was the test for 1 floor dungeons. But now you’re asking for a 2 floor dungeon. It’s like asking to drive a bus with a motorcycle license. Huh? You know how ridiculous this is, don’t you?
“Whether I’m dead or not, that’s not the broker’s business. Isn’t that why you get 5 billion won in advance and a separate fee afterwards?”
Kim Woo-jin’s voice was fierce.
However, a light smile hung on Kim Woo-jin’s mouth.
The smile was proof he had a good impression towards Oh Se-chan.
It was only natural.
A broker who’s concerned about a player’s well being.
Most brokers did not care whether the player could clear the dungeon.
Since brokers made enough money just by introducing the dungeons to the players, it did not matter to them whether they lived or died.
Although the dungeon’s difficulty increased each time players failed to clear them, there was no way for the players to know if the broker was resolved to hide those facts.
On the contrary, some dungeons became more expensive due to that.
Dungeons where players have failed multiple times were dangerous, but it also meant that there were more inheritances left behind by the players.
Moreover, Oh Se-chan was able to receive 5 billion won just by accepting Kim Woo-jin’s request whether he lived or died.
There was no reason for him to stop Kim Woo-jin in this way.
- Yep, it doesn’t matter much to me whether you die or not, but you can’t just watch people die, right? There’s a line in the world that shouldn’t be crossed, and the world needs someone to protect such a line.
At that moment, Kim Woo-jin snickered.
It was because he remembered the incident that happened few days ago.
“So are you going to sell the dungeon to me or not? Please tell me clearly.”
In spite of his laughter, intimidating words came out of his mouth.
Then, Oh Se-chan said in a firm tone.
- Are you really confident?
“I don’t have a hobby of trying to get myself killed. If I had such a hobby, I would be in a morgue, not a hospital room.”
- All right, then I’ll sell it.
“Thank you.”
- I’ll add a suggestion instead.
“A suggestion?”
- Do you want to buy any items?
The sudden remark that came out of nowhere made Kim Woo-jin frown. Rather than feeling unpleasant, it was an expression of doubt regarding the unexpected proposal.
As if not caring what Kim Woo-jin’s reaction would be, Oh Se-chan continued.
- There are amazing set items in my hands for hunting lizardmen. The so-called Lizardmen Killer Set! With this set of items, you would be able to trample on lizardmen like how Super Mario would trample on a Koopa! If you buy it as a set, I’ll give you a discount. It’s not easy to find such an opportunity.”
Oh Se-chan, who suddenly became a subway street vendor, advertised his products. Hearing his promotion, Kim Woo-jin seriously considered it.
‘It won’t be bad to have it.’
Currently, Kim Woo-jin had no items that were intended for hunting Lizardmen in his hands.
So Kim Woo-jin was planning on buying items exclusively for hunting Lizardmen.
In such a situation, Oh Se-chan’s proposal was very attractive.
“But he was prepared to this level?”
At the same time, Kim Woo-jin was surprised by Oh Se-chan’s preparations.
Business was business in Oh Se-chan’s eyes, but there was no other broker who did their business this way.
The first reason was that most brokers only looked at immediate profit, and the second reason was that not many brokers possessed many items to match their dungeons.
In fact, item brokers were busy trying to dispose of and circulate items as fast as possible.
It was because the price of the items could change at any minute if the value of the item was already high. In this business, it was common sense to sell the items the moment you came into possession of them.
In such a situation, keeping a set of items according to your dungeons?
‘Is he saying he has a proper system for clearing dungeons?’
This means that he had an effective system for clearing dungeons.
It wouldn’t be strange for a guild to have a system like this.
But Oh Se-chan was not a guild.
‘He’s not an ordinary person.’
Kim Woo-jin once again re-evaluated Oh Se-chan’s existence.
He answered.
“There’s no reason for me to refuse.”
- It’s a splendid choice. I will personally present it to you at a very specially discounted price. I’ll give you lots of mileage as well.”
“But I have a favor to ask of you.”
- Anything for my outstanding customer. Feel free to ask.
“Can I borrow some money?”
There was a sudden silence at Kim Woo-jin’s request.
- Huh? What?
After a short period of silence, Oh Se-chan asked again, and Kim Woo-jin calmly asked a similar question once more.
“I don’t have enough money right now so I was wondering if I could get a loan…”
- Chi-jig, chi-jig! I, I can’t hear you very well. Chi-jig, chi-jig… this f.u.c.king tra, trash radio. This f.u.k, f.u.c.king dog, dog-like b.a.s.t.a.r.d… chi-jig, chi-jig ….
Kim Woo-jin burst out laughing at the reaction.
“If not, is it possible to trade for them with items?”
- Ah, I can hear you again. Sure! It’s our job to deal with stolen goods after all.
“I’m not talking about selling but trading. If I sell them as stolen goods, I’ll have to pay a commission. And when I buy new items from you, won’t you have me pay the commission again?”
- You’re good at calculating. You would do well as an accountant. All right, let’s exchange the list of items first. Oh, just put the radio in a box and put it in the trash. Then we’ll take care of it. Enjoy your bacchus. I won’t charge you any extra fees.
That’s how the deal ended.
“Extra fee? He intended to charge me for this?”
Kim Woo-jin looked at the bottle of bacchus and genuinely smiled.
At that moment, Oh Se-chan told Kim Woo-jin.
- Watch out for the Skull Guild, I just hope this advice becomes nothing but nonsense.
The moment Oh Se-chan finished speaking, Kim Woo-jin’s eyes began to s.h.i.+ne fiercely.
“Watch out for the Skull Guild, I just hope this advice becomes nothing but nonsense.”
After turning off the radio and ending the conversation, Oh Se-chan bitterly smiled.
He was feeling regretful at this moment.
‘Why did you say that?’
That he might have said something unnecessary to Kim Woo-jin.
‘When all he wants is a broker.’
However, Oh Se-chan could not help but warn him.
‘But I can’t lose a real player that I’ve found after searching for so long because of them.”
Oh Se-chan believed that Kim Woo-jin was a player who cleared dungeons in order to end the game. ‘And it’s only the second time I found a psycho this skilled.’
The evidence was that he was trying to clear a difficult dungeon that might be beyond his level of strength.
If he was a player that only cared about himself, would he try to clear a dungeon like that?
So I advised him to be careful even at the risk of hurting our relations.h.i.+p.
Oh Se-chan knew.
‘The moment he killed the cleaner of the Skull Guild, the Yamato Federation as well as the Skull Guild marked Kim Woo-jin as a key figure. And as long as Park Yong-wan tries to use Kim Woo-jin as bait, Kim Woo-jin won’t be able to stay safe.’
As for what kind of guild the Skull Guild was, who was behind them, and who was trying to use Kim Woo-jin…
‘Though, based on my intuition, I think it’s all planned by him…’
He also speculated that all of this was a plan being carried out by Kim Woo-jin.
In fact, that was why Oh Se-chan could not reach out to Kim Woo-jin.
‘d.a.m.n, I’d meet him in person if I could be certain he had no contacts with the Messiah Guild…’
Kim Woo-jin’s actions had a cause, but there weren’t enough benefits to outweigh the risk.
That prevented Oh Se-chan from reaching out to Kim Woo-jin.
‘He’s not a.s.sociated with the Messiah Guild is he? d.a.m.n it, I can’t trust anyone.’
Facing the reality, Oh Se-chan let out a long sigh.
Woo-woong!
At that moment, Oh Se-chan’s phone began to vibrate.
Oh Se-chan checked the number and answered right away.
‘Uh, yeah. What happened? You got the Reaper’s Mask?”
Oh Se-chan clenched his fist after hearing the answer that came shortly afterwards.
‘Yes. The only way to end this d.a.m.n game is by being overgeared!’