Ch.4516. VIP Exchange and Wind Cutter (2)

The auction host guided the two people to a box.

A large metal container. And through the transparent glass window at its center, the A+ grade gear, Wind Cutter, was visible.

Tension was etched on the host’s face.

“I assume both of you know what kind of item this gear is and that’s why you wish to purchase it?”

“Of course. Only a gear of this caliber would be fitting for me, Dmitri Boroviev, a member of the White Magic Tower and a knight of the Snow Knight Order.”

Instead of answering, I simply nodded. The metal container also had a smartphone-sized display attached to it showing the gear’s condition.

‘An MCI of 20, huh.’

The host continued.

“As you can see, the will residing in Wind Cutter is extraordinary. Just wearing it normally creates this MCI penalty. If there might be any issues with your threshold, please keep that in mind…”

“Don’t worry! I possess exceptional mental fortitude befitting my status. I’m quite different from that B-rank hunter over there.”

Living so obliviously, his mental structure must be as simple as a single-celled organism. For Dmitri, that level of mental contamination might truly not matter.

Ignoring his reaction, I looked at Wind Cutter beyond the metal seal.

A dagger with a gleaming silver blade. It was different from ordinary daggers. Even just looking at it, it exuded a sharp edge that seemed like it could cut flesh.

“Well, since both of you have satisfied the bid limit and the contract distribution qualifications, all that remains is for this Ancient Gear, Wind Cutter, to make its choice. However, once this seal is opened, Wind Cutter might potentially harm either of you, so please be careful.”

“No need to worry about that! It’s just a dagger after all. It won’t be able to do anything to me, Dmitri.”

“Understood.”

The host placed his hand on the seal. The moment the seal is released, Wind Cutter will choose its owner.

I wasn’t nervous. I had a feeling that if Wind Cutter sensed the Red Jade within me, it would naturally be interested in me.

“Now, this seal…”

And at that very moment.

The lights illuminating the trading hall and the platform suddenly went out.

In an instant, the place was enveloped in darkness.

“What’s this? A sudden power outage?”

“Even buildings like this have power outages sometimes.”

“Well, we just need to wait a bit. A trading hall of this caliber would surely have emergency generators prepared.”

As the attendees were making such nonchalant remarks, I immediately closed my eyes when the lights went out.

‘I need to adapt to the darkness as quickly as possible. Just in case.’

It was a habit. My habit of always being on edge. If the unexpected situation was due to a villain, I didn’t want to miss any villain.

When I opened my eyes again, the dark surroundings came into view more quickly. Wind Cutter’s seal, that box, was intact.

And looking around, there was no unusual movement inside the VIP trading hall.

‘Was I worried for nothing?’

But an inexplicable unease remained. I kept my senses heightened and remained vigilant.

“What’s going on? You there, I mean, Mr. Host. What’s with this sudden power outage?”

In the light emitted by Wind Cutter, the host’s face was visible. I could see him using his smartphone to make contact.

“This is strange. They say even the self-generator isn’t working. That shouldn’t be possible…”

His words made me feel even more ominous. There’s no effect without a cause. And soon, my unease became reality.

My smartphone, and simultaneously the smartphones of others, rang.

***

Like a disaster alert, a harsh notification sound rang from the smartphones like a siren.

“Huh, this is a security alert? Level 4, it’s level 4!”

“For the entire trading hall building?”

A villain security alert that can only be checked on association-certified smartphones. And it was immediately at level 4.

“Level 4… there’s a villain in our trading hall!!”

The host exclaimed in shock. Security guards quickly surrounded the seal containing Wind Cutter. Seeing this, Dmitri clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. To interfere with such a precious moment of becoming one with Wind Cutter. I don’t know what small fry it is… Hey! You call this an exceptional trading hall? Can’t even catch a common criminal! What are the security guards doing?”

As Dmitri berated the host and the belated security guards, I inwardly questioned his words.

‘A common criminal?’

The villain security alert from the association’s control center. Pyongyang is a very large metropolis among Korean cities, so its control and inspection scale is by no means small.

Like when I caught Rex before.

It was common sense for the control center to first issue a level 3 alert, the previous warning level, if they detected even slightly suspicious movement.

‘But this means the villain is so stealthy that even the control center missed their movement.’

Dmitri continued to grumble in dissatisfaction.

“Let the security guards handle the villain, and quickly hand over this Wind Cutter to me. It’s already a foregone conclusion who will become its owner without even looking.”

“That’s not possible. This is an unexpected situation. The final bid for the auction will be after this situation is resolved…”

“Damn it! I came all the way here, and now I have to wait longer?”

“No, more than that… the gear hasn’t even decided which one of you it will choose as its owner yet, has it?”

The host looked at Dmitri incredulously.

“That will obviously be me. That hunter Lee Min-soo over there is just a B-rank hunter. Moreover, he’s not even a wind attribute mana user like me, but a fire mage. From the start, compared to me who has systematically built up magical theory at the White Magic Tower…”

And at that moment, Dmitri, who had been rambling, fell silent. I too heard someone calling me.

‘Is this Wind Cutter’s will?’

I felt a sharp wind that seemed to tickle, no, pierce my brow. And that will spoke to me.

– Prove your worthiness to be the owner. Right now.

I simultaneously said to Dmitri.

“It seems we need to catch the villain first. Wind Cutter seems curious about your and my abilities.”

Dmitri didn’t object to that. It seemed he felt the same will.

“Tch. Hey, Mr. Host. Keep Wind Cutter safe. I don’t know how many small fry there are, but I’ll catch them quickly and return.”

“I’ll be back shortly too.”

The two men locked eyes. Then they quickly turned and descended from the platform.

‘This trading hall is a place frequented by skilled hunters. Yet a villain boldly infiltrated. Does that mean there’s something particularly tempting here?’

Expensive gears are being traded here in the VIP trading hall, so they’re not after the gears. And since this isn’t a building ordinary citizens would enter, it’s not an indiscriminate terror attack either.

‘The target is definitely an item. If not gear, then… a monster acquisition?’

My purpose for coming here was for the gear, but due to my dealings with Pyotr and Solaris, I was also interested in other items traded here.

If there are high-level dungeon acquisitions in the future, I might have to supply them here too. And I recalled a particular acquisition recently stocked in this trading hall.

‘The Evil Dragon’s Horn. Could it be that?’

A special monster found in high-level dungeons, the Dragon. Of course, compared to the dragons from the legends of Ailetan, that otherworld, they were mere subspecies.

But the horn of that corrupted pseudo-dragon is an item villains covet greatly.

And, from the information obtained in Hong Kong, it’s the very item that the famous demon-head of Muguk, Talhonma Seo Mun-yeom, and his subordinate clans have been eyeing recently.

‘Seo Mun-yeom. That person is surely related to the Red Lake.’

Yeon Se-hwi, one of the Five Great Heavenly Stars and a Heavenly Demon, is also an extremely formidable master and a very dangerous wanted person. It’s possible that a subordinate of Seo Mun-yeom has infiltrated this place.

While quickly organizing my thoughts, I arrived at the table where Soso and Pyotr were. At that moment, the host shouted.

“Attendees, please remain in place! This location is safe as hunter security guards are on standby! So please don’t move around carelessly! And if there are hunters with capacity to spare, please cooperate with us!”

At those words, Pyotr said to me.

“Isn’t it a cliché that the place said to be safe is usually the most dangerous?”

“No. If a villain has infiltrated, everywhere is dangerous. Just stay here, Mr. Pyotr.”

“Wait. Are you thinking of catching the villain yourself?”

I nodded. It was an opportunity to get clues about the Red Lake, and Wind Cutter was testing me. I couldn’t just sit still in this situation.

“I shall move with thee as well.”

Hearing that Soso was leaving too, Pyotr looked aghast.

“Anyway, as the host said, it should be safe if you stay put. So don’t worry too much.”

Leaving Pyotr behind, I went outside the trading hall. It seems Dmitri had already gone out too. Outside the trading hall, I saw the security guards who had stopped us earlier.

“It’s, it’s terrible!”

***

The security guards didn’t look good.

There were quite a few injured. And the hunter who had drawn his sword against Soso seemed to have serious injuries. Even the leader appeared to have injured his leg.

“What happened?”

When I asked the leader, he urgently replied.

“The monster byproduct trading hall on another floor. Villains infiltrated targeting items there.”

“And the villain now…?”

“They’ve already stolen the Evil Dragon’s Horn and fled. It doesn’t seem like an ordinary villain. While trying to stop them, my subordinates…”

The leader looked at Soso. Soso is an A-rank hunter. Moreover, for that security guard who knows Soso’s identity, the meaning was clear.

‘So they’re saying it’s not an ordinary villain.’

The trading hall where the Evil Dragon’s Horn was kept. There would have been security guards there too. So they’re saying the villain leisurely stole the item and even dealt with those security guards.

‘They infiltrated this heavily guarded place. And if it’s a villain related to Seo Mun-yeom, could it be that person?’

I checked my smartphone. The control center that issued the level 4 alert seems to have confirmed the villain based on the recent attack data.

“Guibo Jang Gye-shin? An A-rank villain, and of all people, a subordinate of Seo Mun-yeom.”

Soso said, checking her smartphone at the same time. My prediction was correct. Guibo Jang Gye-shin. Among A-rank villains, he specializes in stealing items rather than terrorism.

Of course, he’s on a different level from petty thieves. Not a pickpocket but a robber. And as a subordinate of Seo Mun-yeom, he’s someone who has mastered demonic arts.

“Team Leader Yeon. Let’s hurry up to the upper floors.”

At those words, the leader was startled.

“How did you know he fled upwards?”

“With a level 4 alert, the lower floors of the building are already filled with hunters sent by the association for support. Then the only escape route is upwards. He might be meeting with other accomplices on the rooftop.”

“You, you’re right. That Jang Gye-shin crossed swords with us as if he was in a hurry and quickly went upstairs…”

“We need to move quickly then.”

Soso nodded. The leader shouted towards us.

“Jang Gye-shin… he’s not just a simple thief. He’s extremely dangerous and makes stealthy attacks, so be sure to be careful…”

Leaving those words behind, the two of us moved. We headed towards the emergency exit. There were already signs of someone having passed through there, perhaps he went up that way.

“We must hurry.”

Soso was about to run up the stairs. But I firmly grabbed her wrist.

“Wait a moment. If it’s Jang Gye-shin, he might have set traps.”

“Traps? You mean demonic formations? If it’s those, we can just break through them all.”

I shook my head.

“It’s different from Elder Yeon Mun-woo. A villain’s trap is a murderous one, designed to kill. It’s common sense that there would be double traps, not just ones that break.”

Soso still seemed to want to go up recklessly, but then she became aware of me holding her wrist and blushed.

“Min-soo… if thou sayest so… I, I understand.”

So I took the lead instead of Soso. And at that moment, there was a wind tickling my forehead.

‘Is it Wind Cutter?’

A wind full of provocation, as if testing me, ruffled my bangs.

‘Then, I’ll satisfy you.’

With that, Soso and I hurriedly climbed the building’s stairs. Shortly after, the two of us encountered the corpse of a hunter.