chapter 113

We decided to go to the Hunter Market at the Yellow Sea to buy equipment that fits Soo-ah and all.

I was planning on buying some myself since I had about 25b won piled up before I knew it.

What I chose in the end is a level 8 greatsword.

Hunter’s Greatsword (8) : The damage increases the harder you swing. (Kyle: the word ‘Hunter’ here is different from the hunter that’s generally used in this novel.)

It was a weapon with strength at its base. Because it was not an option that was popular it was cheap considering it was a level 8.

I still had to use up my savings as the level was quite high. I had a stomach ache looking at 25b won getting used all at once.

I’ll have to buy a house next time.

“Hmm…….”

“Don’t you have anything buy?”

“There’s nothing that feels right.”

“How much do you have.”

“About 7b won.”

“It’s probably better to buy armor as much as possible. How’s this?”

I pointed at a level 6 sheet metal armor that covered every part of the body. A no name at exactly 7b won.

“Looks too dull.”

“The defense is the one thing that’s guaranteed though.”

Even at the same level, the defense was different depending on whether it was made of metal or leather.

This was something that couldn’t even be compared to the level 3 leather armor she was wearing at the moment.

As it covered the entire body it would be able to endure a machine gun without a problem.

It would probably be able to endure a tank’s cannon shot. At this level, it was safe to say that her safety was guaranteed in the forest region.

“I have confidence to not get hit so wouldn’t it be better to get a weapon?”

“That is true but…….”

She did have a point. Soo-ah’s reflexes were currently two times higher than mine.

Even if I dropped her off in a crowd of dozens of monster she would come back alive somehow. Thinking about it that way she might need a weapon more than armor.

However I shook my head.

“Safety comes first.”

“It’s enough with Manager Kim keeping away from danger at the back. In addition to that I have the flight shoes so I think it would be better to focus on attack than defense.”

“You’re saying that because you don’t want to change your armor right?”

“N, no? Was there something strange in my logic?”

“No, not particularly. You just seem to be strangely attached to that armor.”

“The webs are convenient no?”

“That is true but…….”

“And I’m of the option faction that thinks options are more important than level.”

“Even so there’s no point if the level is too low…… well, whatever. It’s not like your words don’t have a point.”

If it was Soo-ah’s speed there really was no need for a high level armor.

Also, this side had something called Strengthening Stones so we could upgrade the Arachne Armor later.

Except the Strengthening Stones drop from Red Holes so it would take some time.

“Then how about using this? I’ll give you a discount and sell it at 4b won.”

I took out Thor’s Hammer from the manual. It was a pretty heavy weapon but this girl should be able to handle it.

“Really?”

“If I sold it at the market then it would sell at 4b won anyway due to tax so it would better to sell it to you.”

“I’m in, then what should I buy with the remaining money?”

Even after buying Thor’s Hammer she had 3b left. I recommended her a level 5 shield.

It was the type that you put on your wrist so it was possible to use while using a hammer. She needed the minimum amount of armor after all.

Everyone in our party besides Soo-ah also upgraded their armors to level 5.

The money they had piled up had been used up but it increased survivability so it was worth it.

I took out the 10 Passenger Van that looked like a humvee but wasn’t on the inside from the manual.

It took 100 ores to repair it. In terms of money that was 100m won…… the repair fee seemed to be expensive in accordance with its original price.

I probably got it cheap considering it was partially destroyed.

We drove using that. As always, driving was Cho Young-gu’s job.

Looking out the window we could see the number of hunters visibly decreasing.

The monsters near the entrance had mostly been killed.

Level 3 and 4 monsters had been newly released but they could only be found at the wetlands and forest region so it would probably be difficult to find monsters in a group.

“So when does the Ministry of National Defense’s raid begin?”

Soo-ah who was beside me said. For us to truly begin investigating the inner part of the forest region the police forces and the 10,000 alternative service + normal hunters had to enter first.

That way we wouldn’t meet the Chungho Group.

Either way, where did she hear something like the Ministry of National Defense’s raid?

“Well first. The alternative service members are part of the Dungeon Administration Team and the Dungeon Administration Team is part of the National Defense. So the right way to say it is National Defense raid. Secondly, the raid starts next week so we will be hunting in the wetlands region until then. I sent this through message and checked with everyone before but did you already forget?”

“Ah. Now I remember.”

Soo-ah nodded her head.

The basic plan was like this. We will recover our senses that we lost while resting during this one week in the wetlands region. Once the National Defense raid begins then we will follow them in after reorganizing.

After earning as much as we can in the forest region, I am planning on going to Red Holes after reopening them.

The van passed the central area of the Yellow Sea and into the wetlands region.

I was wondering where we should camp when Yeon-gyeong glanced at Edward and slowly went towards him.

“Are you really a vampire?”

“It’s true. Are you scared?”

“The party leader told us to be at ease after all. I don’t really mind it.”

“You really trust that bastard.”

Yeon-gyeong tilted her head.

“It seems you don’t really like the party leader?”

“I have no reason to like him.”

Edward puffed up his cheeks after glancing at me.

Was he still sulking.

“Stop grumbling. I even gave you a bonus.”

“I really think that a bonus of 50k won isn’t right.”

“This guy is looking down on 50k won. You didn’t even do that much.”

“I know that I didn’t do much. However, as a leader that leads a raid team shouldn’t you look at things from a broad perspective? Thinking about my potential for growth I think that I should receive more. A type of investment so to speak.”

“You studied a lot.”

It hasn’t been that long since he came to the human world and yet he seems smarter than Soo-ah.

“Since I don’t have anything to do at night. The internet is a really amazing place.”

“Is that so…….”

I was wondering what he was doing at night while not sleeping, it turns out he was playing with the computer.

I wonder if I should receive electricity fees separately as well. Since he is a level 2 monster and all lets give him some more.

This expedition will be pretty long after all.

“I’ll give you double.”

“Double and monster blood is free.”

“Sure.”

It was going to return to the void anyway so there was nothing wrong about him eating it. It’s not like he eats it whole like Kelby and doesn’t leave an item after all.

The forest region operation which they thought would have about 10,000 people became much less at 5,000.

The main reason was that alternative service members quit due to various reasons and not many normal hunters signed up probably due to the level 3 limit.

Since the total number was still higher than the estimated number of Chungho Group members the operation progressed as scheduled.

Our team was able to earn a profit of about 4b won in the period of a week.

It seemed like a lot but it was the price of a level 5 item. We decided to distribute it later and reorganized while waiting for the government team to set off.

Around 250 military trucks were moving along the road. Dust rose up all around the road.

We followed along slowly behind them. There was no need to rush. If the government team entered the forest region the Chungho Group would naturally gather.

That meant that we would be able to hunt monsters relatively safely.

Soo-ah who had been touching her smartphone put her head outside the window.

Her hair fluttered everywhere in the wind.

Soo-ah who came back into the van put her chin on the seat and looked at me. It was an expression that wanted me to play with her.

“You bored?”

“That too. More than that. This wasn’t something that only we were thinking about.”

Soo-ah put her smartphone in front of me. It was the Hunter Market bulletin board. I only skimmed through the titles but they were mostly about the forest region capture.

“What is?”

“Going in to hunt after the government team goes in. It seems people who were afraid of the Chungho Group are gathering to hunt using this occasion.”

Soo-ah pointed to the back. I looked back by leaning out the window.

Other vehicles were converging behind our van. There were already about 20 even though it hadn’t even been an hour since we departed.

I didn’t expect it but it wasn’t something to be surprised about.

Hunters were good at smelling money after all.

Soo-ah made a slightly displeased expression.

“At this rate it looks like the competition will be fierce in the forest region as well no?”

“It’s pretty wide. Those numbers should matter too much.”

I was having small talks with Soo-ah when Han Joon-suk who was in the passenger seat twisted his body to look at us. He seemed to have something to say.

“Do you have something to say?”

“I suddenly thought of something while listening to the two of you. Didn’t quite some time pass since the Chungho Group entered the forest?”

“Certainly?”

“Would they still be maintaining a number of 3,000?”

“Are you saying that they would have decreased?”

“The opposite. In today’s world, it’s impossible to block sea routes. In that situation there is no guarantee that it is possible to prevent Chinese hunters from coming on fishing boats.”

“Ah.”

That was something I did not think about. The 3,000 people is something I heard from a member of the Chungho Group we caught. Even if that was the truth the truth might be different. If Chinese hunters kept entering then their numbers would increase gradually.

In addition, the entire forest region was large enough to be half the size of the Jeollanam-do Province.

In a place like that, it would be hard to find out the number of people even if a scouting unit was sent.

“However, in a situation where the Yellow Sea is split in half they wouldn’t be able to stay carefree…… no, they can.”

The official number of hunters in China was 3.5 million. The number of hunters was low in contrast to their population but looking at the sheer number itself it was quite overwhelming. The saying that their population is overbearing is not without reason.

“Then what? Are you saying that we might lose to the Chinese bastards?”

I thought he was sleeping but Manager Kim’s eyes suddenly opened.

“It is possible.”

“No, that can’t happen. How much do you think I suffered because of those Chinese bastards.”

“As far as my memory goes Manager Kim didn’t suffer much though.”

The first time we met the Chinese hunters was at the forest region. We couldn’t really say that we suffered because of them. In fact we made them suffer more than vice versa.

“Not hunters, while I was working at a trading company. They made so many people suffer while exporting rice…….”

“You did such work as well? I thought you used to work at W electronics.”

“I worked at a trading company when I was younger.”

To change jobs from a trading company to an electronics company, I don’t know if that’s possible.

Manager Kim let out a long moan and then looked at me with a subtle expression.

“How about we go and help?”

“It wouldn’t be much help even if a few of us went.”

“But still you’re pretty strong so…….”

“Our side alone has 5,000 people. I don’t think the general situation would change just because of an additional few people. Victory or loss, it’s a matter that’s beyond our ability.”

“That’s true. I just had to remember some past things.”

Manager Kim lowered his head again after clicking his tongue. The sound of snoring could soon be heard.