The Way of Life for a Terminal S-Class Hunter - C68
$68
“Is that all you have to say?”
“I asked if this is why you dated me. How can you, wearing human skin, be so…!”
Seo-heon snickered.
“And you, who wore human skin and acted arrogantly towards others while relying on others’ power, are fine? Don’t you remember how many times I had to stop you from making the news? You’re someone who hates your father but still wants his approval, and wants to borrow that power, aren’t you?”
Seo-heon could always listen to Woo-hyun’s criticism. Of course, the selfish foundation of this was based on the assumption that he maintained affection for him, but this person was not Woo-hyun.
“Let’s not be so harsh on each other, we’re both trash.”
Seo-heon mocked Hojun, who was keeping his mouth shut, and continued with biting words.
“How did you persuade that ability user who can copy others’ appearances to join the conquest? I gave up because that person seemed difficult to persuade, but looking at you, it seems that wasn’t the case? Of course, far from achieving any praiseworthy results, only pathetic scenes were captured on camera.”
“Y-you don’t know anything.”
Hojun blushed and got angry. It seems he had done something that hurt his pride to achieve this result. Of course, Seo-heon had no interest in that at all.
“Then please get out now.”
Seo-heon drove him out just like that. Hojun resisted, but he couldn’t overcome Seo-heon’s strength.
Once the office became quiet, Seo-heon felt as if the ground beneath his feet was completely dark. He wondered if the earth had sunk.
‘Woo-hyun is in the hospital.’
There must still be a way to save him. Until he finds that way, he must maintain himself.
“I need to think about how to respond if the resurrection stone doesn’t work.”
He felt like he would go crazy if he didn’t talk to himself.
***
The trading day arrived quickly. The trading location with the AD Guild was Hong Kong. Although it was a Spanish guild, the guild leader of the AD Guild, known as the “Viper,” was of Chinese descent and had several branch offices in Asia, so there was no need to travel a long distance. When they arrived at the meeting place after completing the entry procedures, the other party was already waiting.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
Seo-heon and Viper, who shook hands lightly, briefly introduced their accompanying subordinates.
“Then shall we go in to trade after greetings are done?”
“Let’s do that.”
Only the two of them were allowed to enter the trading space surrounded by a barrier. Viper first stepped into the barrier, and after signaling his hunters not to let their guard down, Seo-heon followed. While AD Guild decided the location, Seo-heon had thoroughly prepared this barriered trading space.
There were several attempts by the AD Guild to guide things in their favor, but Miyeon and Seo-heon skillfully avoided them by racking their brains. He usually handled things with near-obsessive attention to detail, but in this case, he ensured safety to a degree that could be called fanatical.
Creak.
As Viper lay down on the sofa with his heavy body, a leather noise like a scream was heard. He brought up the main point in a sticky voice before Seo-heon even sat at the table.
“What’s your reason for looking for a resurrection stone, Ihwa Guild Leader?”
“It’s a personal matter. It’s difficult for me to tell you.”
Even before the negotiation had properly begun, the other party threw out a very rude question. Seo-heon had to make a great effort to maintain courtesy towards the other party who was throwing sparks at his already throbbing head. If it hadn’t been ingrained in him to forcibly feign a smile and engage in a battle of wits, he would have been caught off guard by his experienced opponent. Viper, unconcerned, interlocked his fingers and brought his face close.
‘What a nauseating face.’
This emotion wasn’t just about his appearance, but also the dirty and vulgar thought process that was clearly visible on his face.
“I’m surprised that the Ihwa Guild Leader would make such a big deal out of a personal matter. I heard you even paid quite a lot of money to people who provided information related to the resurrection stone.”
The man with cunning eyes, just like his nickname, was desperate to catch even one of Ihwa’s weaknesses. He was someone who didn’t hide his intention to increase the size of the guild by expanding the cards he could use. That’s why he was a man Seo-heon wouldn’t normally contact. Even now, a terrible illusion was tormenting him.
“I have desperate matters too. Even if the AD Guild doesn’t provide it, I’ll find a way.”
Seo-heon finally decided to show one of his cards. It was because he knew well that Viper wouldn’t even take out the resurrection stone from his inventory unless he gave the answer he wanted.
“Oh, I wonder who it is that you want to save so desperately…”
Viper, who had a habit of speaking with his mouth wide open, revealed his desire while flicking his thick tongue.
“There’s no need for this. Information related to that won’t be of any help to you, Guild Leader. Instead, I’ll give you a mana ring. It’s been certified, and if you don’t believe me, you can even talk to the appraiser in question.”
Viper’s glossy eyeballs, which had been moving constantly for observation, fixed on Seo-heon.
“I’m saying this because I know you’ve been busy searching under the surface. I’ll give it to you along with the trade money, so think about it for a moment.”
The mana ring was a precious item said to amplify magical power. The drop conditions were extremely difficult, and while not as much as the resurrection stone, there were people who would sell their souls if they could obtain it. One of them was that Viper.
‘He’s someone whose ability is usable but has a complex about weak magical power, so this should do.’
He was someone who found it difficult to satisfy the drop conditions, and among those who had the power to obtain it, there was no one foolish enough to trade with him over a mana ring. After all, they wouldn’t want to give power to Viper.
“I’m curious where you heard that news, but you won’t tell me, will you? You got me there.”
Viper leaned back after having leaned forward sharply. Although he was pretending to contemplate, his movement showed enough satisfaction that there was no need for further persuasion.
“Then shall we look at that appraisal document first?”
What remained was just long and tedious discussion. Despite the result being already decided, it was a necessary process of reviewing in case anything was missed and exploring if there were any points of underestimation.
‘The fastest route to move after receiving that…’
From the moment he judged that he had achieved his goal, Seo-heon’s attention was entirely elsewhere. He needed to confirm the fastest entry and exit route and appraise whether this resurrection stone was real during the move. Although he had completed the background check on the appraisal document and the appraiser provided by the other side, as well as remote appraisal, Seo-heon planned to check once more.
‘Because they might have cunningly given a fake that could potentially harm Woo-hyun, even if it’s a one in a million chance.’
It was truly a one in a million possibility, but he didn’t want to take risks for such a thing.
“I’m glad we’ve reached an agreement.”
After Seo-heon responded perfunctorily and Viper alone excitedly chattered for an hour and a half, an alarm sounded indicating that ten minutes remained in the scheduled negotiation time.
“Now let’s sign and exchange items.”
“Let’s do that.”
The item exchange doesn’t involve handing over to each other, but placing them in a box prepared on the negotiation table. This box remembers the information value of the pre-entered items and checks if they match exactly, and checks before entry whether false codes are written.
“If you don’t mind, would you like to have a meal at the restaurant we’ve prepared?”
Viper offered a meal, seemingly wanting to talk a bit more. Even if he didn’t have to rush to Woo-hyun right away, Seo-heon, who was so disgusted from seeing Viper’s face for too long that he felt like throwing up right now, was unlikely to accept.
“I’m sorry, but I have a schedule right after this. I should have left some time.”
“That’s a shame.”
“Well then, I wish for the infinite development of your guild.”
“I hope the Ihwa Guild achieves all it desires as well.”
With these insincere greetings, they left the barrier for the trade.
“Are you finished?”
“Yes. Let’s move immediately with the appraiser we brought.”
“Yes. It’s already prepared in the car.”
Due to Hong Kong’s strict rules managing foreigners’ movement skills, they used a car to the airport. If it were a place with an agreement, they could freely use teleport.
“Here it is.”
As he got into the car, Seo-heon immediately handed the resurrection stone to the appraiser. The surface shimmered with a blue light, and inside, a yellow pearl-like sphere emitted a clear light.
“First, I’ll examine the exterior and check if there are any problems with the code.”
The appraiser, wearing magnifying glasses, examined the resurrection stone for a long time, checked if there were any errors in the code, and then handed the item back to Seo-heon with a sigh.
“Yes. It’s certainly a real resurrection stone.”
“I see.”
Given that this was the word of the appraiser who had checked the resurrection stone that appeared last time, it was impossible to find someone more trustworthy than this.
“Then the problem is the versatility of this item.”
[L-grade Item: Resurrection Stone]
This is an item that can resurrect those who have died from physical problems or those on the verge of death.
Like many legendary items, the description was unhelpful. The important point was ‘physical problems’, because no one could be certain whether the problem Woo-hyun had could be classified as physical.
‘I’ll have to try it first.’
If it fails, all the effort of the past few days would come to nothing, leaving only the result that ‘the resurrection stone doesn’t work on Woo-hyun’.