By Zephyria “Lee Sa-young also uses the waiting room, so why aren’t you guys using it?”
With one sentence, Jung-bin, the one-hit-two-kills master who simultaneously attacked the consciences of two people and Lee Sa-young, waited for an answer with a beaming face. Honeybee, who was watching him carefully, let go of Gyu-Gyu’s collar and attempted to cut ties.
“Hmm, I was in the waiting room and just came out to buy some coffee. I was going to go back as soon as I got my coffee. But this crazy brat started it first.”
“Ah, I see.”
“You can ask the part-timer here.”
It was an excuse that took advantage of the fact that Jung-bin was lenient to cooperative people. Jung-bin, who was looking at Honeybee with slightly narrowed eyes, nodded and agreed.
“Is there any need to ask? I believe you, Honeybee.”
Honeybee, who had successfully escaped, smiled brightly.
“Then can I go? Matthew is waiting for me.”
“Of course. I’ll see you at the main auction.”
“…Damn it, you better know you survived thanks to Jung-bin.”
Honeybee made a savage gesture of running her thumb across her throat towards Gyu-Gyu and headed to the counter. Gyu-Gyu joked with a smiling face.
“Oh, how scary.”
“Ban Gyu-min.”
“Ah… there’s something even scarier left?”
Gyu-Gyu smiled weakly and stirred his Sweet Rice Drink with a flimsy paper straw. Jung-bin stared silently at the top of Gyu-Gyu’s head before slowly opening his mouth.
“The Director lifted the ban on your entry on his orders, but…”
“Don’t cause trouble?”
“I’m glad you’re aware of that.”
“Of course. I heard most of the foreign Hunters are participating in this Artisan Exhibition by phone. There won’t be any chance to pick a fight.”
Gyu-Gyu, who was rambling on without being asked, slammed his head on the table as if collapsing. Then, he only rolled his eyes to look up at Jung-bin. Jung-bin was looking at Gyu-Gyu with a face that had turned cold, as if he had never smiled warmly. Ban Gyu-min raised the corners of his lips.
“I won’t care about the means or methods when catching J.”
“……”
“So you’ll understand if problems arise, right? It’s Ham Seok-jeong’s order.”
“Oh dear, you’ve set the stage wrong. J wouldn’t come to the Artisan Exhibition.”
Jung-bin retorted coldly. But Gyu-Gyu was firm.
“He’ll come.”
“…How are you so sure?”
Gyu-Gyu, still lying face down, only raised his right hand and pointed to the sky with his index finger.
“I prayed like crazy.”
“……”
“My prayers are effective, you know. My dad’s a pastor.”
He grinned.
11 AM. The hall where the main auction was held was modest for a place where wealthy Hunters gathered. Except for a large poster of Hong Ye-seong with his thumb up on the wall behind the stage, there were no other decorations. It was as if they hadn’t bothered decorating it in case it collapsed.
To the right of the stage was the phone auction area, and the center and left were all spaces for ticket holders. As if they had learned their lesson from the last Artisan Exhibition, the organizers not only divided the waiting room but also installed partitions in the main hall to prevent Hunters from seeing each other.
‘They’re really treating us like hamsters.’
Of course, it was just a cover-up, but it was good news for Eui-jae. It would have been a headache if Bae Won-woo had even acknowledged Lee Sa-young. Whoever the super hamster who caused the mess was, he was grateful now.
Inside the partition, which was only open to the stage, was a two-seater sofa and a table. It was large enough for two people to sit comfortably, but since a secretary couldn’t sit next to their boss, Eui-jae went behind the sofa and stood. Sa-young, who was sitting with his legs crossed, recited in a low voice while looking straight ahead.
“Why don’t you sit next to me?”
“I’m more comfortable here.”
“The auction will be a bit long. A few hours.”
“I’m fine.”
“Ah….”
Sa-young, who was resting his chin on his hand, chuckled briefly.
“I thought you were lacking stamina because you were sleeping so soundly. But I guess not.”
“……”
“Tell me if your legs hurt. I’ll move so you can lie down.”
‘Damn it.’
Eui-jae frowned. Lee Sa-young had been nagging him about taking a nap in the waiting room ever since. He was the one who told him to stay and sleep, but before he could retort, the auction began.
The auctioneer on the stage held up the auction hammer and banged it down.
“Thank you to all the Hunters who have attended. Now, let’s begin the Artisan Exhibition auction! The first item is an S-grade accessory, in the form of earrings. It has fire resistance, ice resistance, and increased mental strength options.”
Hong Ye-seong, who was sitting in a plush chair on one side of the stage, was dozing off with his arms crossed. When the guard Hunter standing behind him whispered something in his ear, he finally came to his senses and took out an item from his Inventory. It was a pair of earrings with red Mana Stones embedded in them.
Hong Ye-seong closed his sleepy eyes and opened them. Golden patterns appeared above his two pupils.
Sa-young whispered without turning around.
“Hong Ye-seong is the only S-grade The Artisan in the world… It wouldn’t be strange to say he has everything good, as if he’s being favored by the System.”
“……”
“That’s the Emotional Eye.”
When Hong Ye-seong ran his fingertips over the earrings, letters floated above the red Mana Stones like blue stars. Two letters that he had also seen on the ticket.
Art Star
The Hunter who received the earrings carefully placed them on the table. Hong Ye-seong seemed to have lost interest and closed his eyes again, dozing off. The auctioneer shouted loudly.
“Now that the The Artisan’s engrave has been confirmed, let’s begin the first auction. The starting price is 1 billion!”
Eui-jae focused his gaze on the slouched back. Lee Sa-young, who had his hands in his pockets, didn’t seem to have any intention of raising his paddle. He didn’t know if he didn’t like any of the items or if he was waiting for something.
The auctioneer, who had been silent for a moment, wore a strange smile. The voice that had been cheerful and decisive became subtly lower.
“All the Hunters here will know about Hong Ye-seong’s trait.”
Deadline Finisher. A bizarre trait where work efficiency increases and speed increases as the deadline approaches. The people waiting in the back began to move busily.
“Until now, the highest grade of equipment Hong Ye-seong has made was S-grade, but…”
What Ye-seong took out of his Inventory was…
“I present to you. The first S+ grade weapon made by human hands since the Day of the Rift!”
It was a huge spear.
Very similar to the spear J used.
The fingertips of Eui-jae, who had been holding his hands behind his back, trembled slightly. Sa-young seemed to turn around slightly, but Eui-jae couldn’t take his eyes off the huge spear and Hong Ye-seong, who was hugging it.
Hong Ye-seong examined the weapon he had made, then raised his head and scanned the area below the stage with his Emotional Eye. It was as if his eyes had met the golden light. Because at that moment when his gaze reached…
“Auction canceled!”
He suddenly threw down the spear, jumped up, snatched the auctioneer’s auction hammer, and shouted. People screamed as the precious first S+ grade weapon rolled around on the stage. Regardless, Hong Ye-seong raised his voice.
“Restart in two hours! Wait in the waiting room! Here, eat this!”
Then, he took out some kind of powder from his pocket and scattered it. In an instant, the hall was covered in black smoke that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead. The murmurs of the people also became quiet as if eaten by the smoke.
“……”
Only after being trapped in silence did Eui-jae come to his senses. He looked around, but it was all darkness. Anxiety crawled up his neck. Where is Lee Sa-young? Sa-young has the ticket to the waiting room, so he has to join Sa-young…
It was then.
“Cluck.”
A strange cry was heard from the floor. In the black smoke where he couldn’t see even an inch ahead, something pure white and smooth… a stupid-looking bird was standing tall.
‘What is this?’
As if answering Eui-jae’s thoughts, the bird spread its porcelain wings wide and cried out loudly.
“Cock-a-doodle-dooooo!”
‘Crazy, it was a chicken?’
Before he knew it, he and the chicken had escaped from the black smoke and were standing in front of a gate surrounded by high stone walls. Beyond the stone walls, he could see a towering tiled roof. It wasn’t like Jeonju Hanok Village or a folk village, so why suddenly a tiled house? Eui-jae, who was blankly looking around, nudged the stupid bird.
“Hey, what are you? Where is this?”
“Cluck cluck.”
As if answering, the chicken nudged the gate with its blunt beak. The gate opened wide, revealing a wide yard covered with grass and a magnificent tiled house. In one corner of the yard, a huge kiln was firmly in place.
And on the wooden floor of the tiled house that was directly visible from the gate, Hong Ye-seong was lying on his side with his head propped up by his arm, sucking on something thin and flat. On closer inspection, it was a red ginseng stick. Their eyes met. Ye-seong sat up straight as if jumping and patted the spot next to him.
“You’re here! Come here. Good job, Cluck.”
It was such a light atmosphere that it was hard to believe that he had canceled the auction by waving the auction hammer around like a madman, terrorized people with black smoke by scattering powder, and kidnapped people with a stupid-looking porcelain chicken.
This guy… is not normal.
‘He’s not just any crazy guy.’
Eui-jae walked very carefully and stood in front of him, and Ye-seong patted the spot next to him once again.
“Here, sit next to me.”
“I’m fine. I’ll listen standing up.”
“Tsk, I told you to sit down quickly.”
The porcelain chicken wriggled and dragged a blue cushion. Then, it jumped down from the wooden floor and started pecking at Eui-jae’s ankle with its blunt beak. Eui-jae sat on the cushion, afraid that the porcelain chicken’s beak would break. The wind chime hanging from the end of the eaves shook and made a clear sound.
Ye-seong, who was sitting with one knee raised, opened his mouth lightly.
“Sorry for bringing you here like this. But I’m a bit in a hurry!”
“Isn’t this kidnapping?”
“Hey, I’m going to send you back soon. Kidnapping is too impersonal.”
Ye-seong threw the empty red ginseng wrapper behind him and laughed, “Wahahaha.”
“What should I call you? Should I call you Secretary? We’ve met before, right?”
“We have met before. Briefly in the bathroom…”
“Right, right. You’re Lee Sa-young’s secretary, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. You can just call me Secretary Kim…”
“Okay, okay, Secretary Kim.”
Hong Ye-seong waved his hand carelessly as if the name didn’t matter.
“Okay, first of all. No one can come in here unless I allow them, so you can say anything with peace of mind. I made this small and precious house with every stitch? Really comfortably. Huh? Comfortably.”
“……”
It was chilling. For some reason, the way he was setting the stage was unusual. Nam Woo-jin had also suggested a walk and then dragged him into a secluded forest to detonate a bomb. Eui-jae was glancing at the peaceful space like a preserved garden and measuring the escape distance to the gate.
Hong Ye-seong suddenly leaned in close. Eui-jae was startled and pulled his body back. Elaborate golden patterns were layered on top of Hong Ye-seong’s crazy, clear eyes. The patterns grew and shrank as if they were alive, and unidentifiable letters repeatedly appeared and disappeared.
A chilling sensation that felt like scraping skin with the edge of a knife covered his entire body. It was the moment when Eui-jae, gritting his teeth, instinctively tried to grab Hong Ye-seong’s neck.
Hong Ye-seong said without blinking.
“You have it in your Inventory, right?”
“……”
“What I made.”