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Chapter 283
Seo Dawon had been pretty busy these past few days.
Busy enough to not participate in an important job like defeating Geum Miyoung. Moreover, he recently began to stick by Kim Sangyoon’s side, and today he seemed to be enacting one of his plans by calling the Warrior out separately.
“I think we’ll get a decent amount done today.” He answered vaguely when I asked about his recent behavior. However, he showed no signs of hiding his actions. As if he was certain I would soon see what he meant…
‘…He seemed a bit…excited?’
Should I say he looked more energetic than before?
Considering how he had passingly said that ‘Kim Sangyoon has some talent,’ perhaps Seo Dawon enjoyed discovering and training those with potential. I suppose he *was* someone that created and nurtured a small elite team of top-rankers, whose abilities were one-of-a-kind.
After contemplating intently, I said to Kim Olim, who was behind the steering wheel, “About Kim Sangyoon-ssi.”
“Hm?”
“Seo Dawon said he had talent… Do you also agree?”
Kim Olim glanced at me through the rearview mirror before nodding, judging my question to be pure curiosity. “First things first, he has a good physique.”
“Ahhh…”
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“It’s perfect for a Warrior.”
I was utterly convinced by her evaluation when I recalled Kim Sangyoon’s size. Any space felt full when I was with him.
Kim Olim then explained further, pointing out aspects I was unaware of, “Warriors have to act visibly and conspicuously at the frontlines.”
“Really?”
“As it is important to keep monsters away from magic casters or healers in the rear, an eye-catching form is good. His hair color too… As a warrior, that’s a clever choice.”
“Huh… I haven’t thought that far.”
Kim Sangyoon’s red hair dominated my impression of the man; I had no idea that his red hair would be ‘eye-catching’ to not only Users but to monsters as well.
So, after thinking for a while, my mind immediately brought up Woo Ragi, who was laying in the back seat. I glanced at man out of the corner of my eye before lowering my voice to whisper to the Paladin, “Then, Woo Ragi as well… Does he dye his hair like that to attract attention?”
“Pffthahahaha!” However, Jung Garam, who had been playing games in the passenger seat, laughed hysterically without even bothering to lower his voice. Embarrassed, I shrugged, and something light flew at the back of my head.
It seemed Woo Ragi threw trash at me again. “Are you talking behind my back?”
“No? Ow, seriously! Stop throwing things at me!”
“Then why are you asking others about my hair color?”
I ignored his words with a flushed face. Even if I asked the Swordsman directly, he probably wouldn’t give me a proper answer. He’d say, “Why are you so disgusting, asking about the origins of another person’s hair color?” or “Why are you asking, you homo!”
However, I could not predict the Swordsman’s following behavior. Woo Ragi threw another piece of trash at me and smiled at my responding anger. Then, his hair was suddenly dyed black.
“Huh?!”
“Ignoramus. Don’t you know how equipment effects work?”
“What?”
“My echo blades are swords dropped by the fairy king; therefore, my hair color changes when I have it equipped. The fairy king’s childhood hair color was blonde, you know.” With that said, Woo Ragi kept his hair black for a while.
When Woo Ragi’s thin, golden hair–so fine that one might think it’d crumble if touched–turned black, the swordsman image was quite different. To my chagrin, a handsome man was still handsome no matter the hair color…
Abruptly, Choi Kyung-sik stared at me before saying something strange. “Ara? It seems that Ragi-ssi’s black hair is to your liking, Choi Lee-kyung-ssi.”
“…W-W-What are you talking about!”
“I merely asked since your face turned so red.”
As I stuttered in panic, Jung Garam now completely turned around to see me, chin tucked into his palm. Then, in a sarcastic teasing tone, he said, “Choi Lee-kyu~~ng… I guess you like anyone with black hair?”
“I don’t!”
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“Then, why can’t you look straight at Ragi-hyung?”
“I told you not to say such weird things!”
“Jung Garam. Sit straight.” At least Kim Olim was able to calm Jung Garam down; if she hadn’t, he was sure to make a mess by teasing me all day long.
However, Woo Ragi’s gaze from the back seat couldn’t easily be ignored. I sensed some movement, so I tilted my ear back to listen further; suddenly, though, I felt a cold touch on my earlobe. Right at Woo Ragi’s symbol. He prodded at my earlobe with his fingers…
“……”
“At least you have a discerning eye, Choi Lee-kyung.”
That. Was that all he had to say while prodding at my ear?
His amusement-laden voice sounded so despicable.
“Shut up…” I gritted my teeth and ground out a reply.
However, completely lacking all tact, Choi Kyung-sik was the one to answer. “Maybe, rather than that, perhaps he doesn’t look at much other than the face? Considering his affection for guild master-nim…”
“Don’t put me on the same level as Seo Dawon,” Woo Ragi muttered.
“Seo Dawon is so much more handsome than you, alright?” I retorted.
“See? In the end, you only talk about the face.”
“…Choi Lee-kyung. Don’t get too agitated and fasten your seatbelt properly,” Kim Olim warned.
Until we arrived at the location where Geum Miyoung had hidden her slush funds, I fought with all those bastards (Kim Olim excluded).
* * *
Geum Miyoung had hidden her slush funds in two different locations. A huge amount of money–in the form of bonds–was stored at a bank; the rest were stored in something like an [instant inventory].
These [instant inventories] were system spaces where items could be stored–like a User’s inventory. However, unlike a normal inventory, these instant inventories were one-time use; they were often utilized to facilitate secret transactions, with no taxes paid, and were usually difficult to track.
Of course, a huge amount of the slush funds were sleeping within the banks, but we weren’t able to acquire them because the money couldn’t be withdrawn without identification. However, cash (or fenced items) could be easily obtained and used, as their monetary trails have already been washed away.
So, we broke into corporate housing where the ‘instant inventory’ was supposedly stored based on the information obtained during Geum Miyoung’s confession.
“She said the safe was in the cellar.”
“[Mapping].”
After exiting the call, we quickly crossed the walls of her house; after stealthily entering the mansion, we utilized Jung Garam’s skill to find the hidden basement. Then, after taking out a gigantic load of potions, Choi Kyung-sik looked at me and handed me something that appeared to be an industrial mask.
“What is this?” I asked.
“I’ll going to spray around a potion, but Lee-kyung-ssi can’t fall asleep.” With that said, Choi Kyung-sik swirled his potion around.
I could see a skull mark engraved onto the surface of the glass bottle. Lackey must have thought that potion was for it; the skeleton reached out its hands. I docilely accepted the mask that was given to me.
[Potent Drug/Pharmaceutical Resistance Mask]
Type: Mask
Durability: 1
Equipment Restriction Level: 100
Special Skills: Cure +10
Description:
A good mask to wear during various drug experiments. It is an essential item for alchemists.
When I wore the mask, my face was completely covered; this, I thought, would be useful in so many ways. Once I was protected, Choi Kyung-sik threw a potion on the floor.
Cl-Clink–!
Accompanied by the loud tinkle, we could hear security personnel begin to move overhead. I could even see the red dots on Jung Garam’s floating map roaming about. I waited long enough for one dot to approach near and, as planned, ran off belatedly.
“Who’s there!”
“Stop right there!”
The guards who discovered me stepped through the corridor in which mist was wafting upwards in barely visible curls. However, they fell flat on their face after a few steps. It seems like Choi Kyung-sik’s potion worked.
The guards following behind them, after seeing their collapsed colleagues, tried to respond by covering their faces or wearing masks. But…
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Crumple–
Sooner or later, all the hallways were filled with murky smoke; the last guard resisting the effects soon collapsed. Choi Kyung-sik smirked to himself and mumbled, “They should have cracked open a window. Idiots.”
“……”
“Stop dawdling and start moving.” Kim Olim grabbed my arm and began to run. Like that, we were able to enter the cellar easily.
“This…I think it’s iris recognition…”
The problem, though, was the secret safe. In front of the safe, there was an ordinary-looking security system; it seems like an iris was needed as a password.
It was futile to pull out a dead person’s eyes; the recognition would fail. I looked back at the servants, wondering how they would break through the difficult obstacle.
At that moment, Choi Kyung-sik approached me. He placed his hand on my shoulder and smiled, “Please summon me.”