Chapter 37: Chapter 36

“Stop!”

Wang Jun-gul, who had been looking greatly flustered, urgently reached out his hand to restrain. Not towards Ryu Seo-ha’s side, but in the opposite direction.

At the end of his gaze, sharp spears pointed this way were briefly caught. They were the weapons of hunters who had appeared from somewhere hidden.

Choi Gang-hu’s cold attitude, which had been showing displeasure, wasn’t just because of the numerous items suppressing the flow of mana.

“If a man has decided to trust once, shouldn’t he keep his word? If there’s a problem, I will take responsibility!”

His voice, which trembled despite shouting, echoed through the bedroom. However, Ryu Seo-ha couldn’t turn his head to properly check the situation. All his nerves were focused on the mana at his fingertips.

“…!”

In the midst of this, he couldn’t help but be startled when he felt a touch on his back.

“Shh. Calm down.”

Only when Choi Gang-hu’s soothing voice settled in his ear did the stiff shoulder line loosen a little. A tiny amount of mana began to flow in from the palm touching beyond the collar.

“Can you feel my mana?”

While nodding slightly to answer, he was confused. It’s not surprising that Choi Gang-hu shows a skill close to the rare art of injecting one’s mana into another’s body. Their mana is compatible too.

The problem was the Chairman’s current state. It’s not the first time seeing the demonization phenomenon. In the early days of the Great Change, quite a few people in Chinatown directly consumed magic stones. It seemed like a quick way to get stronger at first glance. In the end, as they all lost their sanity and turned into monsters, such reckless attempts gradually decreased.

Still, healers’ treatment often slowed the progression of the mutation, so he stepped up readily. Was it overconfidence in his rank and experience?

“Let’s try moving slowly together.”

Choi Gang-hu, with his hand pressed against Ryu Seo-ha’s back, guided Ryu Seo-ha’s mana while moving his own mana towards the Chairman’s body. Carefully, like someone offering their elbow to guide a visually impaired person.

“The effect of the characteristic has been applied without problem, so don’t worry about anything.”

Choi Gang-hu comforted the startled Ryu Seo-ha as if the swollen muscles, though looking bad on the outside, were part of the healing process. With a faint sense of relief, Ryu Seo-ha closed his eyes and began to focus on controlling his mana.

At first it felt like repulsion, but now it seemed as if the Chairman’s body was pulling in his mana. Maybe the items installed everywhere were disrupting mana-related senses.

“Ryu Seo-ha didn’t do anything wrong.”

The somewhat unstable flow of mana found its proper path. Only then could he clearly feel the health condition of the other person, just like when treating others. The Chairman’s body was recovering rapidly.

“I’ve experienced similar phenomena when dealing with guys like this before.”

As if a powerful synergistic effect had occurred, the intensity and scope of recovery had jumped significantly. It was clear that the mana contained in the magic stone and the mana he was flowing in were interacting in some way. Whether collision or acceleration.

Perhaps the unusual phenomenon that just appeared was due to a specific property of magic stones that hasn’t been discovered yet. For example, when it settles in a human body, it might repel or attract each other’s energy like a magnet.

Ryu Seo-ha’s mana was heavily influenced by Choi Gang-hu to the point where it was compatible with him. Choi Gang-hu’s unique characteristic was [Predation]. It was the ability to completely digest and make his own whatever he swallowed.

He, who had fallen into the Abyss, consumed whole magic stones for survival and was able to increase his mana without experiencing demonization thanks to [Predation]. Even after returning, he would chew on magic stones like snacks.

“Is, is it alright now?”

Wang Jun-gul, who had hesitantly approached, asked carefully. Ryu Seo-ha, emerging from his thoughts, nodded as he slowly removed his hand from the Chairman’s body. The Chairman, who had regained human form and vitality, could be seen.

The muscles had returned to normal as if they had never swollen. Only the hair that had turned black from the roots, which was previously graying, and the lightened wrinkles on the skin were different from the usual Chairman seen on TV.

“Consciousness, what about consciousness…?”

“He’s in a sleeping state. He’ll wake up soon.”

Doctors who had been standing by nearby began to check the Chairman’s physical condition using various medical devices. Ryu Seo-ha, who was asked to wait in the next room for a moment, slumped as soon as he leaned against the back of the chair.

Whenever mana gets entangled, he keeps encountering new phenomena. It was tiring. If only related studies were established, he could at least prepare by referring to them. But this is something you can’t know for sure until you experience it directly.

“Are you alright?”

“…Yes. Thank you for your help.”

He was fiddling with the water bottle handed to him by Choi Gang-hu, then hesitated slightly before speaking again.

“Have you dealt with demonized people before?”@@novelbin@@

It was because he was concerned about the statement of experiencing similar phenomena. In the original work, demonized people appeared after the first S-rank dungeon conquest. Now, they were rarely found because the side effects were widely known.

“Before, when I was trying to find Ryu Seo-ha.”

Choi Gang-hu nodded lightly and answered in a nonchalant tone. Does he mean when I was kidnapped by the cult?

“Attack skills were applied more strongly than I intended too.”

Come to think of it, it was briefly mentioned in the original work. I thought it was a MacGuffin because there was no follow-up after that. Suddenly, the face of the Chairman, who looked at least a few years younger, came to mind. That too was an unintended additional effect.

Was the effect of the characteristic amplified as well? He considered whether he could use that to solve the lifespan problem, but soon shook his head. It’s impossible for an ordinary person to consume magic stones without side effects.

Choi Gang-hu is the protagonist of this world after all. Even if he believed in [Sanctification], there was no guarantee that he could treat it before losing sanity. Gambling with his life had to be left as a last resort.

❖ ❖ ❖

In conclusion, the Chairman recovered perfectly. The repaired delegation’s chartered flight departed for Italy first, and Ryu Seo-ha and Choi Gang-hu decided to stop by Shanxi Province.

It was to receive some of the various compensations specified in the sworn statement. Refusing the offer to prepare a grand party and medal ceremony, the two were guided directly to their destination.

Pingyao Ancient City. They climbed one of the 72 watchtowers after passing through the city gate in the middle of the 12m high city wall. Wang Jun-gul, who took charge of the guidance himself, infused mana into a specially made key and tapped the floor.

Just as it felt like the ground beneath their feet was sinking, a place decorated with modern interior unlike the outside scenery unfolded before their eyes. It was the ‘Treasury of the People’s Republic’, which was only mentioned as a rumor in the original work.

“This is the second largest treasure vault in the Republic. It’s the first time a foreigner has set foot in it since its establishment.”

It was like dozens of museums joined together. Countless items were classified and displayed endlessly according to grade, series, and form. As if worried they might affect each other, they were separated one by one in transparent glass cases with partitions. It felt like witnessing one of the reasons why centralized control by the Communist Party was possible even after the Great Change.

“We lend them out free of charge to hunters who dedicate themselves to the country, and sometimes award them as rewards to hunters who achieve special military merits.”

Wang Jun-gul explained with a proud face. He said that all items acquired within Chinese territory become state property and are used to glorify the nation.

Is the location selection based on the proverb that it’s darkest under the lamp? Even if the place is discovered, security would be ironclad since one can’t even approach without the mana of the person set as the warehouse keeper and the key item with ownership setting.

“Then take your time to choose.”

Wang Jun-gul handed over a thick ledger and stepped back. When he opened the stiffly coated paper, the list of items stored here came into view at once.

The compensation Ryu Seo-ha demanded for the treatment was largely threefold. To clearly reveal the whole story of this incident and sincerely cooperate with the Korean government in the follow-up; to allow him to use the hotline with the Chairman at any time.

And to give him the right to own three items chosen from China’s treasure vault. As it happens, Ryu Seo-ha knew that one piece of equipment that Choi Gang-hu would obtain only after experiencing the so-called sweet potato episode in the original work was in the treasury of Shanxi Province.

Ruyi Sword (如意劍)

Equipment Grade: Unknown (Presumed S-grade)

Comprehensive Series: Unknown (Presumed Transformation type)

Possessed Skill: Unknown (Presumed Spatial type)

Basic Appearance: Taper-type arming sword

Wear Restriction: Total stats 500 or higher, Mana quality S-grade or higher

Appraisal Summary: Currently unusable, Collection value A-grade or higher

His eyes, which had been quickly scanning the briefly summarized list, stopped at number 1542 on the list.

“This one, I’d like to check the actual item if that’s okay?”

“Of course! Please follow me!”

The three had to walk for quite a while to reach the corresponding glass case.

“But the Ruyi Sword is only presumed to be S-grade, with no properly revealed performance…”

Wang Jun-gul, who had volunteered as a guide, expressed doubt with an expression of complete incomprehension. It’s understandable. It must be quite a rare case where even S-grade appraisers couldn’t discern its clear performance.

Items with skills specialized in disruption as passives often partially interfered with the appraisal of hunters of the same rank. In such cases, the item level is estimated based on the level of wear restriction and the grade of the appraiser.

“Wouldn’t it be better to choose a clearly identified S-grade item instead…”

Wang Jun-gul trailed off as if he found it a waste. Even among S-grade items, weapons are valued much higher than other equipment, but what use is it if it can’t be used right away?

Currently, Choi Gang-hu was the only awakened person in the world with a total stat exceeding 500. Since his true nature hadn’t been properly revealed yet, it was understandable to think that this hard-earned opportunity was being used on a decorative collectible.

Wondering if he was worried that he might be disappointed later, Ryu Seo-ha’s steps, which had been moving diligently, came to an abrupt halt. It was because he had discovered an unexpected item. The ‘Phoenix Egg’ that would only appear in the latter half of the original work.