Ch.168168. Murim Alliance

The Murim Alliance was massive.

The interior was almost department store-sized, and the porcelain and paintings visible throughout gave off an antique atmosphere that made me think the entire history of China might be represented here.

After waiting briefly in a room on the first floor, a woman entered.

She was extraordinarily beautiful.

Looking somewhat Chinese yet also giving the impression she might be Korean, she greeted us brightly.

“Hello, Mr. Kim Suhyun. Ms. Kim Sujeong. It’s an honor to meet you. The Murim Alliance Leader would like to see you personally, but I’m afraid your interpreter cannot accompany you upstairs.”

Her polite and respectful manner of speaking made it difficult to refuse.

“I will handle the interpretation, so I ask for your understanding.”

Besides, it made sense.

They were preparing for the possibility that an interpreter of unknown background might not translate properly.

Well, since she speaks Korean fluently too, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Just a moment.”

Ah.

I decided to use the farming points I had been saving so carefully.

The Hunter Association staff’s interpretation would be difficult for me to understand.

I couldn’t fully trust the other side’s interpreter either, and most importantly, having my words go through an intermediary meant my true intentions might not be properly conveyed.

Above all, it would be difficult to grasp the other party’s intentions as well.

I was planning to learn this eventually anyway.

[Acquiring Dimensional Language (SSS+) ability for 20 farming points.]

The abilities I can learn with farming points are unlocked either as rewards for completing main quests and sub-quests or become available for purchase with points.

Like how I learned gathering skills belatedly.

The Dimensional Language ability itself had been unlocked since I first entered the Rift Dimension, but the reason I kept postponing it was that despite its grand name, spending 20 points to unlock it seemed wasteful when its only use was basically not having to learn other countries’ languages on Earth.

Since I could communicate with other races in the Rift Dimension without learning Dimensional Language anyway, it seemed better to learn another skill than to spend 20 valuable early points on an ability that was useless in the Rift Dimension.

But now that I’m handling important matters in the real world and meeting hunters from various countries, it seemed necessary to learn Dimensional Language eventually.

Fortunately, I had points to spare.

[Dimensional Language]

– Rank: SSS+

– Passive Skill (Dimensional Language)

– Freely communicate in languages of all dimensions.

Though it seems a bit simplistically designed, getting an SSS+ ability + passive skill for just 20 points is incredibly efficient, like an early-game package deal in gaming terms.

“Let’s go.”

As soon as I learned Dimensional Language and spoke to the interpreter, she looked at me with surprise.

“You speak Chinese?”

“What? When did you learn Chinese, oppa?”

Kim Sujeong had the same reaction.

I looked at Kim Sujeong and said:

“I learned it with points.”

“…You can do that too?”

“I’ll explain later, let’s go for now.”

Since Dimensional Language works similarly to the Rift Dimension’s automatic translation, when I speak to Kim Sujeong, others hear Korean.

When I speak to Chinese people, they hear Chinese.

I hear everything in the language I’m most comfortable with, so I don’t need to worry about how others hear me.

We took the elevator to the top floor, where an elderly man with an impressive physique stood up from his seat in a spacious room and approached us.

“Ho ho. Pleased to meet you. I am Li Weixing. To think the famous Farmer Hunter would come all the way here. I’m delighted.”

He made eye contact while speaking and looked at the interpreter.

The interpreter naturally tried to translate, but I stopped her.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Kim Suhyun.”

“Oh! You speak Chinese quite fluently. Did you live in China?”

I wasn’t sure if the informal speech was just a Chinese language thing, but he seemed quite friendly, which gave a good impression.

Of course, when it comes to negotiations, things would be different, and people in such positions often wear a mask of kindness, so I wasn’t particularly fooled.

“It’s just my ability. A clever ability.”

“Hahaha! Indeed, a young famous person should have such abilities. Please sit.”

Li Weixing was a hearty person.

“Ms. Kim Sujeong. You seem about the same age as my granddaughter. Would it be alright if I spoke with Kim Suhyun alone?”

I said to Kim Sujeong:

“He wants you to wait outside.”

“…Yes. That might be more comfortable for me too.”

Given the whole concept of Murim Alliance and Murim Alliance Leader, I had expected something like a martial arts master, but his actual presence and level were so impressive that it wouldn’t be strange to call him a true Murim Alliance Leader. Kim Sujeong probably felt intimidated.

The Chinese interpreter left the room with Kim Sujeong, leaving only the Murim Alliance Leader and me in the room.

While drinking the prepared tea, the Murim Alliance Leader asked:

“I heard you would give my granddaughter an SS-rank ability.”

“It’s a bit disadvantageous for me to exchange it for the Ice Spirit Cold Liquor, but I think you’ll be satisfied.”

Bringing up the topic first means he’s interested in what I’m offering.

Otherwise, he might have beaten around the bush to raise the price.

Of course, negotiation is natural in any deal, but showing this attitude suggests he doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to give his precious granddaughter an SS-rank ability due to excessive greed.

“I am interested. But is such a thing possible?”

The issue is trust.

Is it possible?

In this world, no one can bestow abilities on others.

At least not until now.

No one has ever heard of such a case, and if it existed, the world would have been in an uproar long ago.

Even now, after ten years, there are countless ordinary people worldwide who want to awaken and become hunters.

And an SS-rank ability, no less?

SS-, SS, SS+.

Though the gap between these three is as vast as heaven and earth, SS-rank abilities collectively are considered superhuman, placing their wielders in a different class of humanity.

Regardless of the specific ability, an SS-rank power is said to be enough to support three generations of a family without working.

In fact, hunters with SS-rank abilities all manage to become wealthy one way or another.

Ability users who won’t die unless they meet with an unfortunate accident in a dungeon.

Can you buy that with money?

Is it exchangeable for an item?

No matter what item it is, the buyer should be eternally grateful and serve the seller for life.

After all, whether it’s an SS-rank item or an SS+-rank item, you might eventually obtain it, but an SS-rank ability is something you can never acquire no matter how desperately you want it.

“If you didn’t believe me, you wouldn’t have called me here.”

“If you weren’t Kim Suhyun, I would have certainly turned you away at the door.”

The hottest hunter these days.

Each country might rate me differently, but at minimum S-rank.

Probably considered to have at least two such abilities.

America has officially stated as much, and given that China knows about me too, it’s not just based on watching a few YouTube videos.

“…If it’s possible, I’ll exchange the Ice Spirit Cold Liquor.”

“But can you decide that alone, Alliance Leader? You didn’t clear the dungeon by yourself, did you?”

“Of course. It’s a matter everyone has agreed upon.”

“They agreed to it? Or it’s been agreed upon?”

“Hahaha. Don’t worry about that. I’m well aware of how foreigners view China.”

He’s quite a hearty old man.

He doesn’t feel ashamed about it at all and even seems to take advantage of it.

“Okay. Then let’s make the deal like this. Choose one of two options.”

I made two proposals.

“First, I receive the Ice Spirit Cold Liquor, then take your granddaughter with me briefly. If she’s already chosen an ability, we’ll be back quickly; if not, it might take a little longer. When we return, you can verify her ability, and we shake hands and say goodbye. This way, I don’t have to worry about any change of heart, which is good for both of us.”

“…You need to take her with you?”

“It won’t take long. Oh, and by the way, it can’t be done in front of others. The explanation is complicated, and it’s a secret I can’t reveal. If you’re curious, you can ask your granddaughter after she returns, since she’ll be going anyway.”

“…Wait.”

In the middle of my proposal, Murim Alliance Leader Li Weixing showed a shocked expression for the first time.

“Choose an ability… Did I hear that correctly?”

He asks twice, wondering if perhaps the Korean speaker misspoke in Chinese.

I nodded.

“You heard correctly. She can choose one SS-rank ability. There are several options, but most should be possible.”

I could see the Murim Alliance Leader’s eyes waver.

I drew a line and said:

“The deal is to give your granddaughter an SS-rank ability. It’s impossible to give another ability to someone who already has an SS-rank ability. If that were possible, why would I make such a disadvantageous deal? I’d just learn another one myself.”

That seemed to be the right answer, as his expression changed to one of regret before returning to his friendly smile.

“Ho ho. Please forgive an old man’s greed.”