chapter 3

This time he was thinking of buying an egg.

If the meat of monsters were used as food ingredients, what about their eggs?

Of course it was used as an ingredient. Generally, it was similar to the eggs of birds. Because of the chickens and their eggs which were hard to find, monster eggs became a brilliant substitute.

The market.

In front of Seodaemun a large traditional market was open. That was because Seodaemun was a region of Seoul, that was not as destroyed by monsters.

In general, the market sells food ingredients, Magic Stones, and daily necessities; And the place that CheolHo was at sold monster eggs.

Monster eggs were being displayed on the display stand. Their appearance seemed almost identical and though they looked the same. However, the monster species were definitely different.

By looking at the monster eggs, was it possible to classify the monsters?

Of course it was possible.

It was only possible if you had a Special Ability like CheolHo.

“Detect Eye.”

Quietly saying the initiation phrase, a transparent membrane covered CheolHo’s eyes like a lens. Originally the owner of the artifact was the Northern Mountain Range Empire’s Silver Dragon, Kanaseu.

Are you asking why is it currently with CheolHo?

Because while he was going to kill the Devil King, he took it.

If Kanaseu had obediently handed it over, CheolHo wouldn’t have beaten him up but that guy didn’t do that. No, whenever he told them to provide him with their Artifacts, all the Dragons showed the same reaction. It was a situation where if words didn’t work, he had to solve it with his fists. At that time he meant.

Anyway, at the time if there were people that you couldn’t use communication with in the world, he wanted to use the expression that the person was like a Dragon.

Back to the present.

This Ability called Detect Eye was very convenient because it showed the essence of objects. The strength the existence holds, and the disposition of that strength.

To sum it up, if he looked at a human he could see the numerical value and disposition of the energy the human has.

He could see it all including if they were lying or telling the truth! That’s why CheolHo tried to not use it on a human if possible. After he saw them only regrettable things would happen.

In that state, CheolHo skimmed over all the monster eggs on display.

‘belto, belto, Ataho, Tuleekellops …….’

For sure he could know what existence was sleeping in the eggs.

Ah, why don’t they hatch?

Basically, monster eggs hatch when they match frequencies with their family. Therefore it was impossible for the eggs rolling around in the market to hatch, or in other words they were no different from unfertilized eggs.

CheolHo mainly picked the belto eggs from those gathered eggs. Five eggs and their sizes were as similar to two fists combined.

Right before he was about to turn around because he thought that it would be enough.

‘Hm?’

At the corner of the display stand. There was one egg that had no special trait.CheolHo asked the owner of the store who was leisurely yawning.

“That egg, what type of egg is that?”

The owner glanced at the egg and then shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t really know. I only know that the egg has finished its inspection at the Awakened Association. As sir would know the monster egg’s appearances are so similar that you can’t differentiate between them. Wouldn’t that be why they have a cheap price?”

Detect Eye told this message.

-Truth.

The store owner was speaking the truth.

“I see.”

CheolHo tilted his head, thought briefly and then nodded his head. It was because of a strange curiosity.

“Give me that as well.”

***

CheolHo broke a belto egg in silence.

A belto egg had a way thicker and stronger egg shell than an ostrich egg but CheolHo broke it as simply as if he was breaking a chicken egg’s shell.

The egg white and yolk spilled out heavily. In terms of chicken eggs the amount was approximately five eggs.

-sizzle

In that place he poured in ‘hell cow’s’ milk. It was easy to say that the hell cow milk can be used as a substitution for cow milk.

When monsters were first being used as ingredients many people showed repulsion. However when monsters appeared the weak livestock disappeared as feed for all of them, and it was just as difficult to get fresh vegetables.

If there’s no teeth, it’s the gums. So biting the bullet, the monster meat that was used instead as an ingredient tasted better than expected and was okay.

Well, now with artificial cultivation it is possible to moderately supply ingredients but still monster meat was quite the popular item. Because the taste wasn’t really that bad. Above all it was really cheap. Monsters were what were killed all around the Earth.

The egg white and yolk clumped up, and the hell cow milk combined was transforming into a scrambled egg with a soft feel. He seasoned it with salt and gently sprinkled pepper.

This should be fine, belto Scrambled Egg.

While CheolHo was giggling, with a fork he scooped up the scrambled egg and put it in his mouth.

belto eggs had a much stronger and savoury flavour than chicken eggs. Using the milk of a hell cow on top of that made it feel like a heap of cheese was put into his mouth.

The scrambled eggs that had entered his mouth slowly stimulated his tongue and went down his throat.

CheolHo, took a bite and breathed out through his nose. While fully enjoying the savoury after taste, he smiled.

It was delicious

For quite some time, CheolHo appreciated that taste with his eye closed.

When he was younger he thought eating a lot of tasty things was all there was to life.

However, not anymore.

Unlike his past he didn’t have any thoughts to eat a lot and only wanted to appreciate while enjoying the taste.

At the peak of when he went around the battlefield, the time of when he ate food felt wasteful. He thought it was a luxury to eat one delicious meal. However as time went by all that was left was delicious things.

It was said that food and its fragrance was a good medium to bring back thoughts of locations.

This food was the food CheolHo ate together with his allies in the battle a long time ago. When he closed his eyes, thoughts of those times came up. Faces that he wanted to see but couldn’t see popped up and vividly got stuck in his head.

“Did I turn from a middle aged man to a grandpa?”

CheolHo sat down and leaned back on the comfortable chair with his feet resting on the table, staring aimlessly out into the horizon.

Empty.

Quiet.

Setting up a restaurant in a place like this could even be perceived as a silent gesture to not accept any customers. However, CheolHo always waited for customers. The thought of it often left him fluttered.

What kind of customers would visit a restaurant in a place like this? What kind of people?

Anyway.

The eggs that he brought home today.

I wonder what they are.

If it was the kind that was not identifiable by the Detect Eye, then there was only one potential sort left.

Dragon’s Bogu is an artifact that is created naturally as it receives the power of a dragon since birth.

Bogu is often characterised by its dragon’s innate temperaments. For example, when a fire dragon is born, its bogu would be a fire type artefact.

Therefore, Dragon’s Bogus can be effective to other organisms and creatures, but often fails to do so to kinds alike it.

Well… this is all that CheolHo is aware of.

‘Is that a dragon’s egg…?’

After examining the egg for a little while, CheolHo let out a smile…. What a crazy series of events, finding a dragon’s eggs in a random marketplace.

There was a sudden spark of curiosity in CheolHo’s eyes.

What would dragon’s eggs taste like…?

Should I try one? … after throwing a number of questions, he again let out a smile.

Ageing had definitely led to more meaningless joys. He took out a cigarette from his pocket.

In a time and era like this, the value of a cigarette had risen drastically to equal the value of gold.

But CheolHo was rich enough to make a prototype of Mount Everest out of cigarettes. It’d been a long while since he’d lost his financial sensitivity.

“$1000…”

The cigarette packaging with a picture of a camel drew back many nostalgic memories.

This wasn’t a cigarette manufactured in the modern days, but more than 30 years ago. Its unique and excellent taste, along with its scarcity had led to one cigarette being valued at $1000.

-CLICK

A flame made its way out of a zippo lighter, igniting the cigarette. CheolHo let out a deep breath of smoke with a relaxed face.

‘I cannot give up this taste’

It was a peaceful lunch.

Alcohol.

30 years ago, CheolHo was a chain smoker, and a constant drunkard.

He never bothered to exercise, while staying up every night playing games. He was simply what people refer to as a ‘nerd’.

30 years have passed and CheolHo still is a chain smoker, and a constant drunkard.

It’s safe to say that he’s successfully fulfilled the 2 requirements of having a short life, but unfortunately, he was blessed with a body that did not wither from minor obstructions like these.

So he was devastated to find out that the region’s wineries have ceased to manufacture ever since the appearance of monsters.

The Hansan sogokju, An-dong Soju etc… the popular drinks can no longer be found.

So he drinks, just soju.

Soju is a drink of peculiarity.

It’s not a drink that is made of good ingredients, but it still has enough attractions to be a popular drink. The bitter sweetness… it’s a distinct taste that can be found in soju.

Soju brings back memories.

It brings back memories of the streets of the West Great Gate. The workers heading off to work, the students on their way to school, couples on their dates…

Memories of parents that are no longer around, memories of old friends, and finally memories of comrades and subordinates that are living in this universe.

CheolHo poured the soju down in a glass. As he sipped away, he stared out into the night sky that was filled with the bright moon light. Only one thing remained unchanged from 30 years ago when he resided on earth; that moon.

When drinking soju, he prefers simple side dishes.

Bucket of fresh vegetables, or small bites such as finger foods. Often, hot and spicy soups are also good. However, tonight was going to be a simple drinking session.

CheolHo chewed on long pieces of meat which resembled beef jerkies. It was belto meat flavoured in soy sauce, then dried in the sunlight. It tasted like jerkies.

After drinking down a few glasses, he began feeling the effects of alcohol; the tipsiness.

But he could always get rid of the effect, whenever he desired. Regardless of how many glasses he drinks, it’d only take a second to get rid of the drunkenness.

But he purposely left the sensation alone.

The tipsiness made his body relaxed, and he wanted to enjoy the most of it. He lightly closed his eyes and was enjoying the positive influences of alcohol on his body.

-Chirp, chirp, chirp…

With the cries of bugs in nature as background sound, he began falling asleep.

-THUMP!

But then.

“Hm?”

A person’s shadow appeared in front of the store. After looking through the window, CheolHo found a man standing.

He quickly got up and snapped his fingers. The alcohol that was spread around his body all gathered and escaped through his fingertips, and soon, the odour disappeared too.

His mind was clear and sharp again.

To explain the theory behind it, he uses mana to extract all the alcohol out of his body, but it involved a critically high level of mana control. To CheolHo it is nothing, but to another Awakened in the magic sphere, it was enough to make them wet their pants.

Moving on.

What was important was that there was a customer in front of the store.

-CREAK

The customer entered through the door.

He was a head shorter than CheolHo. His hair was short, and in an unusually bright red colour… He was somewhat good looking but seemed quite young.

‘Can’t keep us with the trend nowadays… that hair colour’

A bit stumped by the customer’s fashion sense, CheolHo let out 2 fake coughs.

“Welcome!”

“… This a restaurant?”

said the man. He was speaking in casual language.

CheolHo let out a fake smile and nodded.

The customer seemed disinterested in CheolHo, and entered the store carelessly.

“I’m here to reobtain my item”