"Wahahahahahahahaha!!"
Ugh.
Once again, the ‘father’s’ laughter echoes all around. Gu Geon-yi was like that, and so is this guy. Do they think being loud is all that matters?
The ‘father’ stops laughing, bares his teeth, and speaks.
"My name is Yaksha."
Yaksha.
His appearance, his actions. It’s a name that really suits him.
"I'm Cheon Hae-seon."
After hearing what Bi-soo said, I considered using a fake name, but concluded it would be meaningless. Well, it's not like I had a name in mind anyway.
"The more I look at you, the more curious I get. You're young, but impressive."
"Coming from the person who just unleashed a monster on me..."
"What are you talking about? A monster?"
Yaksha suddenly feigns ignorance. Is this bastard playing games with me?
"You just sent that Hyena at me...?"
It's gone.
It was definitely there just a moment ago, but surprisingly, it vanished without a trace. There was no sign of anyone passing by. I'm sure of it, because I've been on high alert ever since I got here.
But forget the Hyena, there wasn't even a small bloodstain on the floor.
"Hahahaha. You must have been seeing things."
Yaksha lets out a suspicious laugh and walks right up to my face.
"Hoh... So it's true."
The man nods his head several times, marveling to himself. What's so amazing? Let me in on it.
Yaksha, who had been sizing me up, finally extends a thick hand. It's a gesture to make a deal.
"Well now. Shall we see the goods?"
"As if I'd hand it over and see what happens."
I took a step back and took the Copper Eternal Flower out of the plastic bag.
"Oh... It's real."
Yaksha stares at the faint glow of the Copper Eternal Flower with a very surprised look on his face. Something is strange. After looking at Bi-soo's expression next to me, I was sure my suspicion wasn't wrong.
"This is strange."
"Hm?"
"For someone like you, even a Gold Eternal Flower shouldn't be unfamiliar, let alone a Copper Eternal Flower. Why are you so surprised?"
This guy is strong. Beyond his Awakening, every cell in his body signals that he's a dangerous man. I didn't even feel this way when Gu Geon-yi gathered his Ether towards me.
According to Bi-soo, Yaksha was practically the lord of the black market. Not only did he handle secret deals, but he also collected monthly rent from the shopkeepers in the huge market I saw earlier. For such a big shot to be so impressed by a single stalk of a mere (?)
Copper Eternal Flower. Isn't that strange?
"Eheheh. There seems to be a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
"I'm not surprised by the Copper Eternal Flower. I'm surprised that you brought it here alone. It seems you're a special type, unlike ordinary Awakened."
It seems Yaksha is quite curious about me. But unfortunately for him, I'm only curious about one thing.
"Enough. How much will you give me?"
"Hey, that's enough!"
The answer came not from Yaksha, but from Bi-soo. Judging by her expression, she seems displeased with my blunt, informal tone.
Displeased?
No, to be precise, she seemed afraid. She did warn me to be careful, saying that if Yaksha gets angry, I'd have to give up one of my limbs.
But.
It seemed Bi-soo's voice had grated on his nerves instead.
"Who told you to interrupt the conversation?"
A tingling sensation. A formless, needle-like energy shoots out from Yaksha in all directions.
"Ugh...!"
"Kyah!!"
Bi-soo screamed and rolled backwards twice, and I had to force myself to stop from groaning. This is killing intent. The same kind the Giant Tarantula directed at me in the dungeon.
If there was a difference, it was that this energy was several hundred times stronger than the Tarantula's. Is he crazy? To inflict physical damage with killing intent alone.
"Oh. Sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable too."
Blood trickles down Bi-soo's forehead, as if she hit her head on the floor. She showed no further movement, perhaps having fainted from the shock. She's supposed to be his subordinate.
I wonder what would have happened if I weren't a customer. I think sweat was forming on my forehead, but I tried my best to act nonchalant.
"According to the girl you just sent flying, I heard you're a man of your word when it comes to deals."
Bi-soo thinks she's been poisoned. Coming from someone who thinks she's received a death sentence, it probably isn't a lie. Even if it was a lie, I was confident I could get away.
Because I had Poison Step. But after feeling Yaksha's killing intent, I was certain. If this bastard decided to, the me of right now couldn't guarantee I'd see tomorrow.
Shit.
I shouldn't have come to the black market alone so recklessly.
"Sixty million."
Sixty million my ass, a tide of regret was washin... wait. What did he say??
"What, is it too little? Sixty million is more than the market price."
I hadn't misheard. Sixty million won for just this one flower. With this money, I could pay the Hunter Qualification Test fee and still have a whopping ten million won left over.
In terms of my rent, it's enough to live for nearly two years. They said it was an expensive rare herb, and indeed, the market price is beyond imagination. It's hard to control my expression with my jaw hanging open like this.
But I can't look like a pushover in front of this man. I desperately controlled my facial muscles and asked.
"No. I heard you're strict about deals, so I have no intention of haggling further."
"Hoh... You seem to trust me quite a bit."
"To be precise, I trust Bi-soo."
And to be even more precise, I trust the desperation of someone who thinks they've received a death sentence.
"Wahahaha. Bi-soo has quite the talent for bewitching people. Even with that torn mouth of hers. Right?"
The nerve of this guy. It seems he thinks I fell for Bi-soo's feminine wiles.
"Think what you want. Anyway, you said you paid more than the market price. Why is that?"
A deal being 'sharp' and being 'favorable' are two different things. Giving a premium on top of what seemed to be the standard price was definitely far from a 'sharp' deal. Why would he give such a generous valuation?
"That is because..."
Yaksha's eyes, staring at the Copper Eternal Flower, glint like a tiger's. "Like I said before, the condition of this Copper Eternal Flower is excellent. When it comes to rare herbs, it's important to exit the dungeon without harming the boss Monster. If the boss dies or gets seriously injured, the condition of the rare herb naturally deteriorates."
It's exactly what Kiril and Dr. Jin told me. Yaksha's knowledge certainly seems to surpass the ordinary level.
"On the other hand, look at this Copper Eternal Flower. Its unique luminescence is perfectly preserved. It's so good, I'd believe it if you told me you took it while the boss Monster was fast asleep."
He probably said it as a joke, but I couldn't help but look away like he'd hit the nail on the head. Exa's white blade.
White Dream.
I was able to put the Giant Tarantula to sleep with that and bring the Copper Eternal Flower in perfect condition.
"To be honest, I don't normally handle deals for something like a Copper Eternal Flower myself. There are plenty of appraisers besides me."
One of the old men among his close subordinates gives a bitter smile, as if in agreement.
"But when a first-timer to the black market comes all the way here with Bi-soo as his guide, how can I not be curious? Especially when the item is a Copper Eternal Flower, which we haven't acquired recently!"
In short, he was more curious about me as a person than the item for trade. Is that it?
"It seems that around here, when you get curious, you unleash the dogs first."
"Haha. I apologize for that."
A moment ago he was feigning ignorance, and now he readily admits it. But from his demeanor, I got the feeling that Yaksha wasn't going to lie anymore.
"If some incapable fool were to steal an item from the Association and bring it here, it would be troublesome for us too. I had my doubts, and you passed the test. That extra ten million won includes a portion of the payment for that verification."
"A portion? You mean there's another meaning?"
"I'll explain that in due time."
Yaksha nods, and one of his subordinates brings a thick envelope. I instinctively knew it was the payment for the Copper Eternal Flower. A whopping sixty million won.
A huge sum of money I've never touched in my life. For me, who had never even earned 6,000 won, let alone 60 million, it didn't feel real even as I looked at it.
'It's light...'
I was expecting something like a briefcase full of money, but 60 million won in cash was less bulky than I thought.
"As you may know, bank transfers aren't really our style."
"I wasn't expecting that in the first place. If I get attacked by anyone on my way out of here, that's my own responsibility, I assume."
"You understand correctly."
Yaksha bares his teeth and smiles with satisfaction.
Whirrrrrr.
Is it because cash transactions are the rule? They brought a machine I'd only ever seen in banks and quickly confirmed the number of bills. After confirming the amount, I handed the Copper Eternal Flower to the subordinate.
"You look like you're still a student. Where are you from originally?"
He's not asking for my home address. Answering this much shouldn't be a problem.
"Seoul."
"Oh? Then you must have taken the bus? Kehehe."
Not just Yaksha, but his subordinates around him snicker. What's their problem? What's wrong with being a minor?
Is being a minor funny?!
"You ask a lot of questions for a black market."
"Wahahaha! That's not what I meant. It seems you..."
Yaksha, back in his chair, says with a glint in his eyes.
"It seems you have the luck of a beginner."
"What does that mean?"
"To gather rare herbs, you can't defeat the boss Monster. Because the dungeon will disappear."
"Right."
"Conversely, if you leave the boss Monster and only take the Copper Eternal Flower, the dungeon doesn't disappear. In other words, just because a dungeon is open doesn't guarantee a Copper Eternal Flower will be there."
"…!"
"There are many people who gather rare herbs themselves. When the prices skyrocket, we even send our own people to collect them. Most of the ones in Seoul are probably all dried up by now."
That was something I hadn't heard even from Kiril or Dr. Jin. If someone had already taken the Copper Eternal Flower from the Poison-type dungeon I entered, I would have wandered around in there until I was exhausted, without even knowing why.
"Judging by your Awakened state, you've probably done this two or three times at most, and maybe this was even your first try."
So he's saying I did a so-called 'one-shot, one-kill'. I think I understood what Yaksha meant by the luck of a beginner.
"If you plan on looking for rare herbs in the future, it would be best to avoid Seoul and Daejeon. Those places are full of half-crazy people obsessed with rare herbs."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. I hope to see a Silver or Gold Eternal Flower next time."
Honestly, there was something I wanted to ask, but I barely managed to hold it in. If a Copper Eternal Flower is worth this much, how much would a Silver or Gold Eternal Flower be? He seems to be reading my mind, but he doesn't say anything first.
Damned bastard.
"We'll be seeing each other again soon."
The deal was done, and I'd gotten some advice. If I keep talking to a guy who tears at monster meat in this gloomy space, I feel like I'll go crazy too. But, there's something I have to do before I leave.
"Ppori."
I called out in a low voice to the creature perched on my shoulder.
Pat. Kkuwang!
"Oh...!"
Gasps of astonishment erupt from Yaksha's subordinates. Well, I guess it's understandable they'd be surprised by a monster that uses Stealth. But this is the black market, so there's no need to be self-conscious.
Step, step.
No one is taking care of Bi-soo, who's lying on the floor. She's still bleeding profusely. What a heartless bunch.
"Let's have a feast today."
Kkuwang!
At my command, Ppori begins to absorb the poisons inside my body.
Shuuuuuu...
Three kinds of energy are mixed within my body.
Poison. Healing energy. Black Ether.
Black Ether has now become my energy source, but the poison and healing energy that are generated daily are still engaged in a difficult struggle. In that state, what would happen if Ppori drank up all my poison? With no poison to neutralize, naturally, only 'healing energy' remains.
In essence, I become a perfect 'healer'. The reason why I, whose body is teeming with poison, am taking the qualification test as a 'healer' and not a 'Poison-type' or a 'Knight'. The source of it was right here.
Keuk.
Every morning, I purify the poison in my body with Black Ether, but a much larger amount remains. Seeing Ppori burp, it seems to have absorbed a considerable amount of poison. I focused the remaining healing energy in my body onto my fingertips.
Sharrr….
"Eumm..."
A faint groan escapes from the unconscious Bi-soo. I didn't notice it when she was chattering away abrasively, but with a blank expression, her small, delicate features seem more prominent. One side of her face without scars is so pretty, yet to think there's a terrible scar on the other side, which is against the wall.
No matter how high my healing energy gets, I can't do anything about a scar that's already set. If a healer's ability were limitless, I would have been able to fix Kiril's arm. While I was lost in thought, Bi-soo's wound completely healed.
I thought about wiping the clotted blood from her forehead, but with Yaksha already misunderstanding things, I felt it would be too much.
"A healer? You're a healer?!"
Yaksha's eyes widen as he witnesses the healing. He didn't look like that even when I took out the Copper Eternal Flower. He seems thoroughly surprised.
"That's right. My type is healer."
To be precise, a healer applicant. I don't want to tell him because of that expression that seems to say he knows everything.
"This is absurd. You're clearly..."
"What do you know about me to say something like that?"
As I asked nonchalantly, Yaksha's eyes darted back and forth. Then suddenly, he lets out an eerie laugh.
"Heheh... Hehehehe..."
If I stay here too long, I'm definitely going to go insane. Yaksha kept nodding to himself, muttering something under his breath. And at his muttering, my whole body froze.
"Yes. That's right. Because extremes connect."
It was a long journey, hard to believe it all happened in one day. After that intense journey, I finally returned home. Not just with the Hunter exam fee, but with an income of ten million won.
How. Ev. Er.
That wasn't important.
"Hae-seon..."
Disappointment, lament, anger, and so on. My sister gives me a look she has never shown me in her entire life. If I had known from the beginning that 'this condition' was attached to the extra ten million won, I might have just thrown the ten million back at Yaksha and left.
"Hello, unni. I'll be in your care for a while!"
The pickpocket from the black market greets her with a cheerful face. Bi-soo bows her head deeply towards my sister, whose pupils are trembling.
Damn it.