Ch.633Chapter 24. Real Estate Never Die (11)

Everything that comes from Korean soil belongs to Koreans.

I’m not arguing for resource nationalism, but how to utilize resources is a national and macroscopic issue.

It’s not something that can be arbitrarily decided by an individual or group.

This is especially true when the resource in question could be worth thousands or even millions with just one acquisition.

Even more so when it’s growing on national land, not private property.

“Take a look at this.”

The scholar-masked member of Hwalbindang raised his hand and summoned magical power.

The rectangular container sitting alone in the cable car floated up into the air and landed on the scholar’s palm.

Inside was a honeycomb with pieces of tree bark attached, apparently harvested from inside a tree.

“Geumgangsan honeycomb! This looks like a decades-old honeycomb, rarely found south of the 38th parallel.”

[Do honeycombs last that long?]

“Tsk tsk. This is a honeycomb made by native bees that absorbed the essence of this land and grew in a place untouched by human hands. It’s a honeycomb created over several generations!”

The scholar lightly flicked the container with his fingers and smiled proudly.

“In the Joseon Dynasty, this would have been worthy of being served at the king’s table, with plenty to spare. The value of this honeycomb alone could cover a village’s annual taxes!”

I know very well that it’s financially valuable.

I also know it has value beyond what meets the eye.

Because it’s an object with significant supernatural value.

Just as minerals imbued with environmental will create mana gold.

The wild grass, flowers, and trees growing in this land are also imbued with environmental will and become filled with mana.

And the honey, refined from the essence of those flowers, also contains environmental will.

In other words, it’s mana honey.

“Look at how pure and noble this color is! Eating this would surely increase one’s magical power, perhaps even trigger an awakening. One might become addicted to honey, but the mana contained within is that pure.”

[I know it contains mana…]

“Of course. That’s why these foreigners are harvesting it, smearing it on their bodies and licking it up.”

The scholar pointed accusingly at the cable car he was standing on and growled.

“How dare they covet our native resources. These Italians should go back to baking their gorgonzola pizzas and dipping them in European honey. They shouldn’t be depleting another country’s resources.”

[Regardless of your logic, is it right to attack them like this?]

“Why not? When would we report this to the police or call the Association? With two A-rank ability users here doing this. I don’t understand why you’re angry in the first place.”

The scholar shook his head.

“Are you not Korean? Are you a foreigner wearing a scholar mask? These days even foreigners are fluent in Korean.”

[I am Korean, but I’m also a citizen of Earth.]

“…I don’t appreciate joke-stealing.”

[I’m also not fond of men under 25 speaking like old men, especially considering they’re ability users.]

“…This bastard.”

His mask is about to slip.

The actual mask remains in place, but the expression underneath has surely twisted.

“Who are you?”

[Just a passing scholar.]

“What? Haha, wearing a scholar mask doesn’t make you a scholar. A true scholar would join me in beating these foreign honey thieves, not defending them.”

[If wearing a scholar mask means acting like a ‘toxic scholar,’ I’d rather discard the mask.]

“…What?”

A crack appeared in his mask.

“Did you just call me a ‘toxic scholar’?”

[The most troublesome type of people in the world are young fogeys. Kids who think they’re more enlightened than others and won’t stop preaching.]

I’m buying time.

While irritating the Hwalbindang scholar’s mental state, I’m simultaneously giving the Italian couple time to clean off the honey on their bodies and get dressed.

…Since they only have one appropriate means to wipe off the honey, it’s taking them quite some time to get dressed.

[If you wanted to act like a true scholar, you should have criticized the dangerous act of shaking the cable car, not the honey theft.]

A real scholar would have criticized the indecent behavior in a public place.

[Instead of pointing cameras and collecting evidence photos.]

The reason I’m showing myself directly to him and preparing for battle is also because of that camera.

[You intend to use it as evidence of their theft, but once something exists as digital data, there will always be people who abuse it.]

“……”

[Did you think ‘that won’t happen’? The world is more corrupt than you think. When even Haeguneul’s leeches are hiding in underground corners, you don’t really believe those photos will be used only for your intended purpose, do you?]

“……”

The Hwalbindang scholar remained silent.

He was clearly trying to scrutinize me, staring intently.

“What… is your purpose?”

[Purpose? At least I’m not a hypocrite who hides my true intentions behind fancy words like you.]

“……”

[Aren’t you here to steal the honeycomb? To bake gorgonzola pizza at home and spread this honeycomb honey on it?]

A man with Hwalbindang’s logic.

Someone active within Hwalbindang.

[Outwardly, you claim you can’t let foreigners take Korean resources, but in the end, you won’t return the item to its original place—you’ll use it all yourselves.]

“……”

[Isn’t that always your way? If something can no longer return to nature, you justify using it for a ‘meaningful purpose’ rather than discarding it.]

A native chicken raised in a village was killed by a Russian ability user.

Hwalbindang successfully subdued the Russian ability user who was trying to fry the chicken, but the chicken was already dead.

Afterward.

The native chicken was deliciously boiled into soup by Hwalbindang.

Hoping that no other native chickens would fall victim to foreigners in the future.

[You took photos to use as blackmail material, and if I weren’t pressuring you, you would have disappeared with that container. Am I wrong?]

“…Judging by your manner of speech, you seem to be ‘genuine’…”

The Hwalbindang scholar placed his hand on his mask.

“Don’t you hate Haeguneul?”

The man who removed his mask glared at me with a pale, snake-like sharp face.

“Why are you interfering with me?”

[You’re a ‘Ghost.’]

“You even know about ‘Ghost’… Hmm, you’re definitely not someone acting as an ‘individual.'”

Hwalbindang. Member. Executive. S-rank villain. ‘Ghost.’

His power is similar to or greater than that fortune teller over there.

“Those people were connected to Haeguneul. They received advertising and sponsorship from Haeguneul, and they’ve been sucking honey from that. After Haeguneul’s downfall, it seems they tried to suck honey from places beyond Haeguneul’s reach…”

Ghost lightly tapped the container holding the honeycomb.

“I can’t just let something like this go to people who dealt with Haeguneul. Don’t you agree?”

[I told you. That’s typical Hwalbindang logic.]

It’s about time.

“E-Excuse me!!”

The blonde Westerners, the Italian couple, now fully dressed, stuck their heads out of the cable car and shouted.

“Delete those photos!”

“That’s unauthorized photography! It’s a violation of our portrait rights!”

The couple pointed angrily at Ghost’s camera with flushed faces.

They began to get so agitated that the cable car shook violently.

“…Portrait rights for thieves? Nonsense.”

“We’re not thieves! How dare you call us thieves!”

The couple was angry but approached Ghost somewhat submissively.

They both sensed it.

Ghost’s power.

That he was a far stronger being than the two A-rank ability users representing Italy.

“We simply asked permission from the bees and took an old hive!”

“Like in the toad song! We even built them a new home!”

“Typical thief’s logic.”

Echoing my words, Ghost sneered at the couple.

“If you’re going to steal, go steal in Japan. Why try to steal from Geumgangsan? Foreigners have no right.”

“Are foreigners not allowed to collect forest resources?!”

“We aim to ‘win’ the World Cup! With that honey, we could awaken and become stronger!”

“Ha.”

Ghost let out a derisive laugh.

“A-rank users who will be crushed by Armored Taejo in the preliminaries sure talk big.”

“!!”

“With such a mediocre level of power…”

“Ugh…”

The male half of the Italian couple began to tremble, clenching his fists.

“You water-diluting espresso drinkers…!”

“Hmm?”

“What’s wrong with wanting to get stronger by having some honey? It doesn’t even belong to anyone!”

One thing.

That couple isn’t necessarily “good people” either.

Hwalbindang has its problematic logic, and the couple shaking the cable car while sucking honey is also problematic.

The only reason I intervened here is:

“Oh? Are you insulting iced americano now…?”

“Shut up! That’s not even coffee!”

“Is that so? Well, you see, I drink my coffee…”

Ghost pulled something rather large from his clothes.

“By the liter.”

A thermos that looked to hold at least 1L.

“Ugh…”

“H-honey! No, don’t! Get a hold of yourself…!”

“Y-you have the nerve to prevent others from getting stronger…!”

Finally, it happened just as I predicted.

“Give me that honeyyyyyy!!”

The eyes of the A-rank Italian ability user had turned black around the whites, as if espresso had been poured directly into them.

[The fight over elixirs is the same everywhere.]

A-rank demon.

The honey sucker has appeared.