WuxiaWorldEU

CH 18

Chapter 18

Read this chapter at loomywoods.com. If you are reading this on a different website, it is stolen content. This privacy notice for Loomy Woods Inc (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our“), describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share (“process“) your information when you use our services (“Services“), such as when you: Visit our website at loomywoods.com, or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or events Questions or concerns? Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. 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Click here to learn more. What are your rights? Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Click here to learn more. How do you exercise your rights? The easiest way to exercise your rights is by filling out our data subject request form available here, or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws. Want to learn more about what Loomy Woods Inc does with any information we collect? Click here to review the notice in full. Personal information you disclose to us In Short: We collect personal information that you provide to us. We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register on the Services, express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and Services, when you participate in activities on the Services, or otherwise when you contact us. Personal Information Provided by You. The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. The personal information we collect may include the following: Sensitive Information. We do not process sensitive information. All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information. Information automatically collected In Short: Some information — such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or browser and device characteristics — is collected automatically when you visit our Services. We automatically collect certain information when you visit, use, or navigate the Services. This information does not reveal your specific identity (like your name or contact information) but may include device and usage information, such as your IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, device name, country, location, information about how and when you use our Services, and other technical information. This information is primarily needed to maintain the security and operation of our Services, and for our internal analytics and reporting purposes. Like many businesses, we also collect information through cookies and similar technologies. The information we collect includes: Log and Usage Data. Log and usage data is service-related, diagnostic, usage, and performance information our servers automatically collect when you access or use our Services and which we record in log files. Depending on how you interact with us, this log data may include your IP address, device information, browser type, and settings and information about your activity in the Services (such as the date/time stamps associated with your usage, pages and files viewed, searches, and other actions you take such as which features you use), device event information (such as system activity, error reports (sometimes called “crash dumps”), and hardware settings). Device Data. We collect device data such as information about your computer, phone, tablet, or other device you use to access the Services. Depending on the device used, this device data may include information such as your IP address (or proxy server), device and application identification numbers, location, browser type, hardware model, Internet service provider and/or mobile carrier, operating system, and system configuration information.

05 – Finding the Hidden Mermaid (1)

“Charlotte?”

“Heehee, I tried to copy Player-nim. How is it?” Charlotte waved a paper on which she had drawn a magic circuit.

Everything was perfect–how could I have even thought that I had shown some incredible growth? I buried my face into the growing pile of paper on the floor.

Charlotte, who was ignorant of my inner feelings, laughed delightedly and spun around me.

I was only able to draw a proper magic circuit after being confined to a study for several days, but Charlotte drew a fairly convincing one in just an hour.

“Master, am I actually talented?” I asked.

“What?”

“No matter how much I think about it, I think you’re mistaken.”

“Hah, are you doubting my discerning eyes right now?”

Carlos lightly hit me with the back of his hand on my head. 1 I yelped.

“Anyone can draw a mana circuit. However, having the ability to sense mana fluctuations, distinguishing the different branches of magic, and seeing the essence of things…those are things you must be born with. And you have them. Do I need to tell you these things?” Carlos said.

“But…”

“Open your skill window.”

[NPC ‘Carlos’ requests to scan through your skills. Will you give permission?]

When I accepted, Carlos gestured at the air, as if he were commanding me to do something.

‘What is he doing?’

I invoked the [Explorer’s Eye]. As soon as I turned on the skill, my eyes could not help but look around at the mana circuit that stretched out in the room. The circuitry was vast–incomparable with that of the chimera egg.

“So this is the World’s Towers System…”

A very thin, web-like mana circuit was woven in such a complicated manner, I couldn’t comprehend the connections. I was skeptical whether it was really a mana circuit.

Carlos twisted and overlaid something atop the circuit with an indifferent expression.

‘I see–the mini-Carlos he made for me before was created by messing with this.’

His character title suddenly came to mind: ‘a blacksmith that transcends the world.’ A truly suitable name for a craftsman who could manipulate the system freely.

Carlos, who had finished his manipulations in the blink of an eye, tapped me on the shoulder. “Check it out. It’s nothing so big, but I’ve touched up some of your skills. Now, you’ll be able to check your enchant success rate. In the process, I also added a function that prevents equipment destruction if you sacrifice an item of the same rank.”

Those were absolutely necessary functions for me.

Grateful and moved, I rushed at Carlos to hug him. He grimaced in disgust as if he were displeased, but he didn’t push me away.

Honestly, I was worried about blowing up someone else’s equipment… It was definitely worth clinging onto Carlos every evening and voicing my concerns. I didn’t think he was listening to me, but he must have paid attention.

“Master is a true genius in this world! A genius!”

“Hoo~ And remember, Gaho. Don’t rely too much on your skills. This is something you must learn naturally through experience and practice.”

“Yes?”

“Your progress depends entirely on you. Don’t naively believe that the system will do everything for you.”

I couldn’t help blinking at these words, which I had never heard before.

Should we not rely on the system that has enabled us to perform such incredible feats?

“At the end of the day, the skill merely uncovered your potential. In the beginning, it was all your ability. The more you’re tied to the system, the more you become someone who can only act within its confines. Don’t forget that,” he continued.

Though I didn’t understand everything he said, I nodded.

Carlos said I would eventually someday learn the true meaning of his words before patting Charlotte, who had been laying on the ground and drawing more mana circuits, on the head. “Let’s go out. That’s enough theory.”

“Really?”

…And then, Carlos locked me in the workshop.

“Master?” I asked.

“Don’t even think about coming out until you analyze all the items in there.”

Read this chapter at loomywoods.com. If you are reading this on a different website, it is stolen content. This privacy notice for Loomy Woods Inc (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our“), describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share (“process“) your information when you use our services (“Services“), such as when you: Visit our website at loomywoods.com, or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or events Questions or concerns? Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] mail.com. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS This summary provides key points from our privacy notice, but you can find out more details about any of these topics by clicking the link following each key point or by using our table of contents below to find the section you are looking for. You can also click here to go directly to our table of contents. What personal information do we process? When you visit, use, or navigate our Services, we may process personal information depending on how you interact with Loomy Woods Inc and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. Click here to learn more. Do we process any sensitive personal information? We do not process sensitive personal information. Do we receive any information from third parties? We do not receive any information from third parties. How do we process your information? We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so. Click here to learn more. In what situations and with which parties do we share personal information? We may share information in specific situations and with specific third parties. Click here to learn more. How do we keep your information safe? We have organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Click here to learn more. What are your rights? Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Click here to learn more. How do you exercise your rights? The easiest way to exercise your rights is by filling out our data subject request form available here, or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws. Want to learn more about what Loomy Woods Inc does with any information we collect? Click here to review the notice in full. Personal information you disclose to us In Short: We collect personal information that you provide to us. We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you register on the Services, express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and Services, when you participate in activities on the Services, or otherwise when you contact us. Personal Information Provided by You. The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. The personal information we collect may include the following: Sensitive Information. We do not process sensitive information. All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information. Information automatically collected In Short: Some information — such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or browser and device characteristics — is collected automatically when you visit our Services. We automatically collect certain information when you visit, use, or navigate the Services. This information does not reveal your specific identity (like your name or contact information) but may include device and usage information, such as your IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, device name, country, location, information about how and when you use our Services, and other technical information. This information is primarily needed to maintain the security and operation of our Services, and for our internal analytics and reporting purposes. Like many businesses, we also collect information through cookies and similar technologies. The information we collect includes: Log and Usage Data. Log and usage data is service-related, diagnostic, usage, and performance information our servers automatically collect when you access or use our Services and which we record in log files. Depending on how you interact with us, this log data may include your IP address, device information, browser type, and settings and information about your activity in the Services (such as the date/time stamps associated with your usage, pages and files viewed, searches, and other actions you take such as which features you use), device event information (such as system activity, error reports (sometimes called “crash dumps”), and hardware settings). Device Data. We collect device data such as information about your computer, phone, tablet, or other device you use to access the Services. Depending on the device used, this device data may include information such as your IP address (or proxy server), device and application identification numbers, location, browser type, hardware model, Internet service provider and/or mobile carrier, operating system, and system configuration information.

‘I’m certain I heard something similar just a few days ago…’

Carlos buried me, this time, in a tomb of items rather than in a pile of books.

***

I could not tell how many days and nights I spent in that workshop.

A notification from my Hunter’s Watch marked the end of my training.

From: Choi Kwon-young

The first floor we’ll explore has been determined.

The party member formation has also been created, so please return as quickly as possible.

–P.S. Hunter Yoon Suho sends his regards.]

While I was excited at the thought of finally starting the job, I was anxious about whether or not I could fulfill my role. As I sat rigidly in the workshop like a bamboo statue, a large hand fell on top of my head.

“It seems it’s time for you to go,” Carlos said.

“Yes.”

“Go ahead, go and return.” Carlton said bluntly, before disappearing at the end of his words.

What’s the point of saying all that? My worries disappeared like melting snow flurries at his clumsy farewell; laughter automatically flowed out of my lips.

That’s right–I’ll return. With ingredients for Master.

“I’ll be back, Master.” No one heard my goodbye and I exited the 33rd floor.

***

As always, the former Seoul Station was crowded with Hunters today.

This was a familiar scene…except that the Hunters, who normally would have been absorbed in their own business, were busy sneaking glances at someone.

“You’re late.”

“What?” I asked.

“Greetings.”

Why the hell is he here to greet me?

The appearance of Yoon Suho, a rare S-class Hunter who also rarely made media appearances, stirred up a fuss.

I recalled the postscript Choi Kwon-young had written. Yoon Suho, you bastard, you’ve gone to the guild again while I was gone, huh?

Standing a head taller than the crowd, Yoon Suho stood out in many ways, even among the other awakened folk who already were known for their outstanding physiques. He was quite a spectacle with his arms crossed and his body leaning against the old, storied wall.

“Let’s get out of here for now. And don’t pretend like you’re part of my party,” I said.

“Aren’t we a party?”

“No!” I walked out of the station building at a rapid pace.

Yoon Suho followed me, one or two steps behind. “I brought a car. I parked it over there, so you can wait a little bit.”

“No need. You can go alone.”

“Why?”

“Why?? I’m the one who should be asking that–why would you do something that you don’t usually do?”

Yoon Suho fidgeted with his chin even if my question shouldn’t have been particularly difficult.

‘That habit always appears whenever he’s deep in thought.’

Even after such prolonged contemplation, the only answer he gave me was, “It’s dangerous.”

I sighed, “I’ll take public transportation, so you should go on your own.”

“Public transportation? Don’t you know how dangerous it is to come into contact with unknown entities?”

I became frustrated as I watched him mumble about whether all ‘Wastelands’ members were so ignorant of danger and failed to take safety measures. So, I retorted, “Hey–I’m a Hunter too.”

“You’re a C-class Hunter though, right?”

“It may come as a surprise to you but, according to the Special Act on Awakened People, Hunters of C-class or higher are subject to punishment if they even threaten ordinary folk.”

Yoon Suho tilted his head, as if he couldn’t understand why I had brought that up.

“If you’re so inclined to be nosy, wouldn’t it make more sense to worry about the general public who take the public transportation with me rather than worry about me?”

Though I may be met with noncommittal noises among Hunters, I was still an awakened individual. The average ordinary person considers a short walk after a meal exercise–where’s the danger?

Yoon Suho was as unbending as his tightly closed lips. Even though my abilities hadn’t been made public yet, he treated me as a future kidnapping victim.

“Hey–isn’t that Yoon Suho?”

Our prolonged argument led to passersby recognizing him. Nevertheless, Yoon Suho didn’t budge.

I felt anxious and hurried when I saw people taking out their cell phones and talking amongst themselves. In this situation, we had no choice but to make a strategic retreat. “Argh! Fine! Let’s go, let’s go!”

I reluctantly clambered aboard Yoon Suho’s car before we became monkeys in a zoo exhibit. His ink-black-colored sedan 2 started smoothly.

How much does this car cost? The ride was so comfortable that I thought I might buy one when I got paid.

As I burroweduried myself deeply into the backrest, I suddenly wondered how he was there, waiting for me. I had left in a hurry due to the unexpected summons. “How did you know I was going to be there?”

“Choi Kwon-young told me.”

That guy! He sold out his own guild member?

Choi Kwon-young never did anything that would be a loss to him; there was a high probability that, in return for telling Yoon Suho about my whereabouts, he received some information in return. Even if I complained to the guild leader, he’d brazenly say, ‘Didn’t you arrive here in comfort, though?’

Now that he had achieved his purpose in retrieving me, Yoon Suho silently played his role as a chauffeur. He occasionally shared bits and bobs of his recent activities, but that was it.

I dozed off and, before I knew it, we had arrived at the guild building.

“…But, why are you still following me?”

Yoon Suho followed me inside the building. He said he had some work to do–I supposed that it was none of my business. In front of Choi Kwon-young’s office, I checked the time.

It was a little earlier than the promised appointment time, but that was fine.

Knock Knock–

I tapped the door cautiously.

“Come in.” Choi Kwon-young replied, as if he had been waiting. When I opened the door, I was greeted by a room decorated with dark wooden furniture.

Hwang Jae-hui, buried in documents, sat behind the guild leader’s desk; Choi Kwon-young, the actual owner of this room, was sprawled out on the sofa in a relaxed manner.

Choi Kwon-young rose to his feet languidly and led us to the reception room that was connected to the office. There were already people there–probably the party members, as Choi Kwon-young had mentioned.

I found two familiar faces and one unfamiliar one.

‘I somewhat expected Han Cha-hyun, but…’

“It’s Kim-seobang!”

“Long time no see, Unni.” Cha Taeyang energetically waved her hand. Han Cha-hyun, who was sipping coffee, greeted me with a nod and sat down in an empty seat.

“Wait a minute–Yoon Suho, why are you sitting next to me?!” I exclaimed.

Before I could react, Yoon Suho sat down and began to casually check the tablet.

‘Don’t tell me…’

Choi Kwon-young smiled, his eyes crescent moons.

‘It can’t be…It shouldn’t be…’

“Now, everyone has been brought together…These will be your party members whom you’ll be working together with for the time being. I hope you all get along well.”

Following Choi Kwon-young’s words, I buried my face in the desk.

TL: I… what is Carlos?

Footnotes Section

1: 꿀밤 (hitting with the back of your hand) is also a bit of a double entendre (slapping someone with “honey,” a.k.a. something unexpectedly sweet.)2: think Asian calligraphy ink, so closer to the color of slate gray.