Chapter 7: Seoul
The suffocating silence in the VIP room was finally broken by the return of the manager.
-“Everything seems to be… handled?”
As the door burst open, the manager froze in place, staring at Seo Ye-rin in sheer shock.
-“Boss…?”
“You. Salary cut. Three months.”
-“Y… Yes, ma’am.”
His shoulders slumped at the decisive order from his wealthy patron. But his punishment didn’t end there.
“Pfft! You. Clean up. One month.”
-“No! Please, anything but cleaning!”
“No. Cleaning. One month. Responsibility. Loss.”
-“Damn it! I went through hell to get out of cleaning duty!”
“Mad? Or dead?”
-“…No, thank you. I’ll work hard!”
Though I didn’t know exactly what this cleaning duty entailed, seeing the manager freak out was enough for me to decide it wasn’t worth getting curious about.
Pulling a candy from her mouth, Seo Ye-rin asked, “Mad? Dead?”
‘Chilling.’
It didn’t seem like she was speaking out of malice, more like a half-joke. Yet, for a brief moment, the atmosphere around her grew dangerously sharp.
‘Her mana must be reacting to her intent.’
She’s an S-rank hunter who wields the power of ‘Word Spirit’—her words have actual force behind them.
I still couldn’t sense mana directly, given my lack of a magic stat. But the increased awareness from my Mugeuk* stat sent clear warnings: Stay away from Seo Ye-rin if you value your life.
*(Mugeuk – A stat that embodies the concept of “limitlessness,” representing boundless martial talent and strength.)
Instinctively, I took a step back out of her territory. It was a natural, almost reflexive movement.
“Oh-ho~! Interesting.”
“…You have sharp senses. Especially considering you don’t even possess mana.”
That only served to deepen their interest in me.
“Ahem! So, what happened?” I cleared my throat, eager to steer their attention away from me and get back to business.
“Ah! My apologies. The mercenaries tasked with transferring your brother to the Seoul Miracle Guild Hospital VIP room have been gathered and already dispatched. They’re all C-grade and C- mercenaries under our Black Money Corporation, so you needn’t worry. With the boss here, no one would dare try anything crazy with your family.”
“Wow.”
I nodded in acknowledgment and bowed slightly to the manager.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, my brother will be transferred safely.”
“No need to thank me. After the disrespect that fuc… scumbag showed you, this is still not enough.”
-“Yes. Apology.”
“…No, it’s already more than enough.”
An S-rank hunter bowed to me. Who would’ve thought that receiving an apology could be this terrifying and nerve-wracking?
“We’ve also found a house for you to stay in while you’re in Seoul. Fortunately, there’s a three-story house near the Miracle Guild Hospital that we own, and the boss has decided to give it to you for free. Oh, and the mountain next to it will be transferred to your name along with the house.”
“For free?”
“Yes! Technically, the house was purchased by the boss, but as an apology to you, she’s giving it away.”
-“Yes. Compensation. I have many houses.”
A house and a mountain, worth at least billions of won, just handed over like that?
“I won’t refuse. I’ve always been poor, so I love free things.”
“Don’t worry about refusing. The compensation isn’t finished yet.”
There’s more? Now it’s starting to get overwhelming.
It seemed like the fox’s actions had caused quite a stir. Well, no matter how shady the bank is, it’s still a place that deals with people’s money, so trust must come first.
Their compensation to me likely includes some hush money.
“Not that I plan on saying anything.”
Would I brag about committing a crime as if I had done something praiseworthy?
-“Wait. Your card.”
“Oh! Here it is.”
When I handed her the red card with an ‘A’ marked on it, Seo Ye-rin lightly touched it, and the single letter transformed into three.
“VIP?”
“Yes, I wanted to assign you a VVIP status, but that requires some tedious procedures, so the Chairman used her authority to give you a VIP status instead.”
Being a VIP means the fee is reduced to 15%. That’s a massive decrease from the outrageous 45% fee.
Suppressing a smile that I could barely hold back, I bowed again.
“Thank you!”
“It’s nothing. Just make sure… that this incident stays quiet.”
“Of course. After receiving this much compensation and even meeting an S-rank hunter, I’d have to be insane to spill the beans. As for those mercenaries, I’ll leave their handling to you, Director.”
Kang San and his lackeys, used as bait to catch the fox, were probably trapped somewhere within Black Money at the moment.
“They’ve already been dealt with.”
In other words, they’re likely dead.
-“Then. I leave. You. watching.”
After confirming my compensation and silence, Seo Ye-rin stood up and left.
Once she was gone, the air around me felt noticeably lighter.
“Phew!”
“Whoo!”
The Director and I both sighed in relief at the same time without anyone saying a word.
“I look forward to seeing you again, Mr. Shin Juha.”
Only then did I turn to face the Director, who had called me by name, and I nodded.
‘Is that a warning?’
It wasn’t just a friendly gesture. By addressing me by name, it clearly carried a warning.
‘We know who you are, so watch your mouth!’
“I understand perfectly. No need to worry. And thank you for the compensation. I’ll be on my way now.”
“Safe travels! One of our staff will probably be waiting for you when you get home.”
With that, I left Black Money, slipping the VIP card into my pocket with a satisfied smile as I exited the Black Market.
***
“Take me to Seoul.”
There wasn’t much to prepare for the move. After all, there wasn’t anything I needed to take with me from that rooftop room.
It was more like a place I used to sleep briefly after leaving at dawn and returning close to midnight, all to earn money.
Since I was tired, I caught a cab and asked the driver to take me to Seoul. I dozed off during the ride, and when a voice called out to me after some time had passed, I woke up.
“Thank you so much!”
The driver, who I had promised three times the fare, grinned happily after receiving a generous amount of money. I got out of the cab and gazed at the building in front of me.
Miracle Guild. While not one of the five major guilds, it was still highly regarded and frequently mentioned when discussing the top guilds in Korea.
It was no wonder—it was famous for a specific distinction. Unlike other guilds, it only accepted healers, paladins, or those who could wield divine power.
The hospital and guild itself, known as Miracle Hospital, stood before me. This hospital had risen to the top immediately upon opening, overtaking all other famous hospitals, and it had never been dethroned.
—”Ah! You must be the one who called to make a reservation. You’re requesting a VIP single room, correct?”
I nodded at the receptionist’s polite inquiry.
She must be a veteran since, despite my ordinary appearance, she didn’t show any disrespect as she explained things. I pulled out my card from my pocket.
— “A million won per day, 25 million per month, and 2.8 billion per year, right?”
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
“I’ll pay for a year in advance. Is there a room available?”
—”Yes! One just became available a few days ago. You can move in right away. By the way, where is the patient?”
“They’re coming over now.”
I watched as my younger brother was brought in, accompanied by two mercenaries.
The sight of my brother, seemingly lifeless as though asleep, stirred a feeling of suffocation within me.
“Just wait.”
When I opened my inventory and inspected the contents of the Golden Treasure Vault on the first floor, the first thing I sought wasn’t some elixir to strengthen myself.
It was a potion to cure my brother’s mysterious illness!
And I found it soon enough.
《→Elixir(elixir)<Locked>》
I lacked the ability to appraise it, so I didn’t know its exact properties. However, I was certain that this elixir was even greater than the Elixir that all hunters dreamed of.
The Elixir had been placed below the elixirs in the lower section of the vault, meaning it was even more valuable.
‘Before my regression, the Elixir made a single appearance and was bought by an A-rank hunter from the Middle East, the richest man in the world.’
The price was 2.8 trillion won. The Elixir’s ability allowed one to permanently ignore all status ailments caused by rank demotions and significantly extend their lifespan—truly a miracle potion.
As I recalled, that Elixir had also been obtained by a C-rank hunter in the U.S. after defeating a Golden Goblin.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
Ownership! I needed to raise my ownership of the vault quickly and unlock the items.
“In the end, getting stronger is the answer.”
Clenching my fists tightly, I renewed my resolve. This time, I wouldn’t live like the miserable worm crawling at the bottom, being stepped on.
“I will wake my brother, avenge my parents, and finally, hunt down the being that cursed me with this damned fate!”
After steeling my will, I thanked the mercenaries, admitted my brother to the hospital, and finally allowed myself a moment to breathe.
Sssssss! Chiiiii!
Inside a life-support capsule—a marvel of magi-tech—my brother slept.
Before the regression, I couldn’t afford such a high-grade capsule. All I could do was place him in a basic one and hire a D-rank healer to use their skills on him once every three days.
I slowly walked toward the capsule and stared at my sleeping brother’s face for several minutes before leaving the hospital room.
‘Mom, Dad. This time, I will fulfill your last wish!’
No matter what happens, I will protect my brother with my own hands.
***
Swoosh! Paang!
An ashtray flew through the air, smashing into a man’s head, shattering on impact.
“What did you just say? Say it again. My ears must be playing tricks on me.”
— “…Shin Juha has awakened. He beat up our guys and fled. I’m sorry.”
The boss frowned, looking silently at his subordinate, blood trickling from his head.
“How much did that bastard borrow?”
— “It was 3,000 . He’s paid back over 8,000 so far. We’ve already drained him dry, so you told us to stop trying to recycle him.”
“Recycle.” It was a term used to refer to squeezing out the last drop of value from debtors by forcing them into illegal activities like organ trafficking.
The kind of evil, criminal organization this was. If Shin Juha hadn’t awakened right before that moment in his past life, he would’ve been doomed to such a fate.
However, the moment Shin Juha awakened and beat down the five thugs, his value had skyrocketed.
‘When someone first awakens, they usually can’t access their full stats.’
But if they have potential, a hunter will immediately unlock their stats and gain a good unique ability. These types are often called “prospects.”
Had Juha not unlocked any stats, there’s no way he could’ve single-handedly taken down five of my men.
In other words, Shin Juha wasn’t some worthless trash stuck in the F-rank!
“Shin Juha… Shin Juha…”
The boss, being an E-rank hunter himself, knew better than anyone how wide the gap was between F and E ranks.
That made Juha even more tempting. Since Juha had already been writhing in the palm of his hand, controlling him would be a breeze!
‘Even though I throw baits to the guilds…’
At the end of the day, they were outsiders. The moment things turned unfavorable, they’d cut ties and pretend they didn’t know me.
‘I need at least one more hunter who’s surpassed F-rank, one I can control for my own benefit.’
Having made up his mind, the boss addressed the subordinates lined up before him.
“Find him. No matter what, bring that Shin Juha to me. First, try talking to him nicely, but if he won’t listen… Cheol-woo.”
— “Yes, boss!”
“Rough him up and bring him here. He’s just awakened, so he won’t be strong yet. You’re F+ rank, so you should have no problem.”
— “Understood, boss! Boys, what are you standing around for? The boss gave his orders! Move it!”
And so, the boss dispatched even his right-hand man to track down Shin Juha. However, by then, Juha had already left this godforsaken area and was on his way to Seoul.
—
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