The conversation didn’t start off with depth.
Instead, Kang-hoo and K kept exchanging silent glances, revealing their mutual curiosity.
Though no words were spoken, there was an unspoken agreement to have a private conversation once Jung Yuri left the room.
What Moon Hyeong-seo brought, under K’s instructions, was Fortis Tea.
Fortis is a plant with a mild awakening effect, only harvestable in specific dungeons.
In reality, it was used more for its ability to remove fear than for its awakening properties.
This was K’s thoughtful gesture, noticing that Kang-hoo was nervous at their first meeting.
“I’m truly grateful. Thanks to you, our Yuri has ended her wandering.”
“The choice was Yuri’s. I merely unraveled a small thread.”
“That thread, even her grandparents tried to unravel, but she just wouldn’t grab onto it.”“Grandfather! That was… At that time, everything was frightening. Could I not trust people?”
“I know, I know. That’s why I’m thankful again to young Sun-kyu. Truly grateful.”
“That’s right.”
From K’s words, it became clear how difficult and painful Jung Yuri’s period of suffering must have been.
Such is the nature of trauma.
The perpetrator may not even realize they’ve caused trauma, or if they do, they might not take it seriously.
But the victim lives in pain every moment, unless they can overcome and manage it themselves.
For this reason, Kang-hoo felt even more compassion and sympathy for Jung Yuri.
A pure soul had been tainted by the likes of Chae Gwanhyeong.
Afterward, they exchanged pleasantries and discussed everyday matters for about 10 minutes.
Since the topic was Jung Yuri, Kang-hoo listened quietly.
Though there was much to say, the conversation essentially revolved around Jung Yuri’s purity and passion.
It made him think that her grandparents would be a strong support for her moving forward.
He wondered if he could hear about the grandmother’s existence, but the conversation didn’t steer in that direction.
And then,
“Yuri.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
“I’d like to have a word with young Sun-kyu alone. Could you give us a moment?”
“Ah, should I?”
Jung Yuri didn’t find the conversation between Kang-hoo and her grandfather odd.
She understood that Kang-hoo’s visit was for business, such as purchasing goods.
Of course, it also provided Jung Yuri an opportunity to introduce her benefactor, but the purpose was clear.
“Please check the storage for high-quality Solarkium, especially the Mad Solarkium.”
“I will! Can I go with Hyeong-seo? It’s boring alone, and I thought we could chat.”
“Even if you told him not to, he’d follow. He’s more loyal to you than to me, actually.”
“Ah, that’s not true.”
“Do you even understand what that guy feels?”
“He’s all about Grandfather, isn’t he?”
“Anyway, try to pre-select the premium ones. And clean them if possible.”
“Yes, I got it! Brother, have a good talk with Grandfather!”
“Okay.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jung Yuri left the room.
The room, built with soundproof walls and doors, ensured that no sound escaped.
After a moment of silence,
And after moistening his slightly dry mouth with the sweet-scented Fortis Tea,
K quietly broke the silence, looking at Kang-hoo who was observing him.
“Kang-hoo.”
“Yes.”
“You truly pursue a lonely and solitary destiny. Isn’t it difficult? It’s not an easy path.”
Kang-hoo flinched for a moment but responded with a faint smile.
The words from K could be seen as cold reading. They could apply to anyone.
Kang-hoo retorted,
“Master K, you must also feel loneliness at times, especially when you’re pessimistic about the future.”
“Ha-ha. You thought my previous statement was just cold reading. Isn’t that a too obvious retort?”
“It’s something I sensed from the worry in your eyes.”
“Right. Thoughts are free for you. Anyway, I can sense it. You are a very special person.”
Could he see something?
It’s possible.
A fixer he had previously killed had tracked him purely through the flow of mana.
Such ability must encompass a spiritual concept of power, which includes insight.
Just because he can see through things doesn’t mean Kang-hoo can be completely honest about everything.
It’s commonly referred to as revealing heavenly secrets.
A single word can drastically alter the timeline, acting as a catalyst.
“I do want to live a special life.”
“People like you have a clear end. A hero or a villain. What do you think, too simplistic?”
“No. I just think it’s better to be a dignified villain than a hero with a tainted reputation.”
“Right. I’ve been too abstract in my conversation. Anyway, I’ve wanted to say that from the start.”
Kang-hoo nodded.
What K might have seen in him wasn’t that important.
Regardless of how K viewed or judged him, it wouldn’t change his direction or thoughts in life.
However, his curiosity about K deepened. What kind of abilities does he possess as a hunter?
What’s certain is that he’s thoroughly concealing his power. Numerous pieces of constellation information prove that.
“I think I know why you wanted to see me. Will you speak first, or shall I tell you what I suspect?”
“Would you tell me?”
“Like Yuri said, you’re not one to speak first. Alright, I’ll tell you what I suspect. You have a fatal issue with your body.”
“……”
Thinking this was merely cold reading seemed unlikely, given the unusual hand movements that followed from K.
He spread his arms.
Creating a flow that seemed to gather energy around him, spiraling.
“It’s absolutely invisible on a microscopic level. But macroscopically, it can be faintly observed.”
“What do you see?”
“Your reaction to mana is abnormal. With this flow, you shouldn’t worry about mana.”
K pinpointed his essence.
Not that he diagnosed the congenital mana hypersensitivity disorder itself.
That was for Kang-hoo to know, and for K, meeting him for the first time today, it was indeed a deep insight.
As Kang-hoo hesitated to speak, K emphatically added his reasoning.
“The reason you specifically seek out Solarkium, Mad Solarkium, must be to manage pain. But it’s only a temporary solution.”
By now, it was clear he had seen through everything.
Kang-hoo felt there was nothing left to hide. In a way, it was a relief.
There was no need to explain his condition in detail. It seemed K had already made his judgment.
“I admit it. I came to seek your opinion on this matter.”
“It seems I’m the one eagerly spilling words even though you have the concerns.”
“I thought it wouldn’t be easy to explain. You might not believe it.”
“So, you thought if I seemed not to understand, you’d hold back.”
“That’s right. I’m willing to pay whatever related costs.”
“Let’s get straight to the conclusion.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know the exact answer either. However, I have researched a similar condition before.”
“What condition?”
“It was about three years ago, I believe. I can’t reveal his real name, so let’s call him Hunter A. The problem was an overreaction to buff skills.”
“Does receiving buffs cause his body to not hold up?”
“Exactly. We did a lot of research back then, even collaborated with researchers abroad.”
“Could you tell me who?”
“Mihai Bancu. A researcher from Romania. You probably won’t know him unless you’re interested in this field. It’s a name unheard of otherwise.”
Contrary to K’s expectation, Kang-hoo was familiar with the name. Of course, that wasn’t the main point.
“How did the research go?”
“To put it simply, it was a waste of money. We tested every hypothesis, even those that seemed like delusions.”
“Any progress?”
“Yes, one of my hypotheses was correct. Balancing. It sounds simple, but it was a difficult task to implement.”
Kang-hoo was intrigued.
How did he approach it? Kang-hoo found himself swallowing nervously without realizing it.
Then, K slapped the sofa and stood up. Was this the end of the conversation?
“……?”
“Shall we proceed with the transaction first?”
Indeed, he was a natural businessman.
It felt like receiving a reality check rather than being in a novel.
K’s cunning business tactics were annoying yet somehow likable.
As designed (?) by K, the transaction for Solarkium proceeded smoothly.
He already had 28 normal Solarkiums, so he didn’t purchase any more.
Instead, he bought 20 Mad Solarkiums, each costing 100 million won.
The amount precisely matched the limit of the gold card provided by the Spitfire Guild.
During the transaction,
Jung Yuri wasn’t by his side as she was out walking with Moon Hyeong-seo.
Instead, each Mad Solarkium was well-packaged with a heart-shaped sticker on it.
Despite being a simple sticker, it made him chuckle. Perhaps it was its innocent charm.
Kang-hoo checked the card statement, which showed a payment of 2 billion won, and smirked bitterly.
Indeed, it was expensive.
“Every time I see Mad Solarkium, I’m reminded of its insane price.”
“It’s not easy for me to procure either. The success rate of natural cultivation is too low.”
“Considering that, it might actually be a reasonable price.”
“The price has been lowered recently due to less demand. At its peak, it cost 300 million won each.”
“Not many are looking for it these days?”
“There are too many alternatives. Everyone wants a mix of awakening agents and painkillers.”
“Are you talking about drugs?”
“I don’t deal with drugs. But many who buy from me do add drugs to the products.”
Buying 20 Mad Solarkiums seemed to be a stroke of luck after all.
Reflecting on it, Kang-hoo couldn’t think of any place he could directly go to acquire them.
He had a vague idea of a few locations, but the search area was too vast.
It would take days to visit, which wasn’t feasible at the moment.
“The packaging seems sturdy, good for storage.”
“By the way, how do you have a gold card from the Spitfire Guild?”
“It just happened?”
“That guild is quite strict about its dealings. They wouldn’t just give a gold card to an outsider.”
“There’s a bit of a story.”
“Must owe you a personal favor, huh? Heh, you’re becoming more interesting by the minute.”
K’s eyes sparkled.
From their first meeting, he had thought this young man was extraordinary, but the more he learned, the deeper his curiosity grew.
What kind of story does he have?
And why does his body seem to be cursed with troubles?
He was very curious.
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