24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 173

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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24-Hour Friendly Market Specializing in Dimensional Items Episode 173

 

Episode 173. How to Protect the Nest (9)

 

It was the most disgusting tangerine in the world.

 

I thought I could swallow it whole since it was small.

 

“Ugh-urk.”

 

I barely managed to suppress the dry heaving with my face all scrunched up.

 

Quentin’s mana stuck thickly to my throat, struggling not to go down.

 

My hair stood on end from the alien sensation, as if I’d eaten some living, squishy slime.

 

I forcefully swallowed the mana down my throat.

 

Just enduring the nausea rising up the walls of my esophagus was work enough.

 

And the entire time I was barely managing to swallow the lump of mana.

 

“….”

 

The three people said to be the strongest in South Korea forgot to say anything and just stared at me blankly.

 

When someone does something too absurd, it takes time for those around them to grasp the situation.

 

Of course, I never expected I’d end up doing something like this either.

 

After all, no sane person would swallow a lump of mana on the verge of exploding.

 

I rubbed my chest area and swallowed my saliva a couple more times.

 

The lump of mana that had been giving me unpleasant sensations, determined to endure until the very end, finally passed through my esophagus.

 

Once there was nothing left in my mouth, the first thing that came was reality hitting me.

 

‘…I really ate that thing.’

 

Surprisingly, it seemed okay now that I’d swallowed it.

 

Of course, making those people understand—who were frozen in shock and just staring at me—would be another matter….

 

I lifted my head to give them a reassuring smile that I was fine and they shouldn’t worry.

 

But at that moment.

 

Grumble-

 

A terrible sound began to be heard.

 

From none other than my stomach, which had consumed something spoiled.

 

But this wasn’t the level of thunder from hunger.

 

It was truly ear-splitting noise, as if buildings were collapsing and roads were caving in.

 

Everyone, including myself, furrowed their brows at the sudden sound.

 

And the next moment.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

I reflexively clutched my stomach.

 

Extreme pain I’d never experienced once in my life engulfed me.

 

It wasn’t simple stomach pain.

 

It was like dozens of blades spinning inside my stomach, cutting up my body—terrible pain as if something inside was twisting and breaking.

 

My body trembled so much I couldn’t maintain my balance.

 

“Aaaaah-!”

 

I never knew I could scream like this.

 

Unable to endure it any longer, I staggered and lost my footing on the ceiling in an instant.

 

Thud-

 

I crashed down with quite a loud sound and rolled around on the floor.

 

I couldn’t even feel the pain from falling.

 

Compared to the dance party the lump of mana was throwing in my stomach, falling to the floor was like sneezing.

 

“Lee Hae!”

 

“Lee Hae!”

 

I could vaguely see the three people calling my name and approaching, but I had no leisure to respond.

 

Pain like a bomb exploding inside my body was devouring me.

 

‘No, it’s probably actually exploding.’

 

With this level of pain, it wasn’t coming in waves—it was tsunami-level.

 

The mana I’d consumed was desperately trying to burst through my stomach and explode outward.

 

My whole body trembled as if convulsing, and cold sweat poured down.

 

My vision grew distant and my consciousness began to fade.

 

Just as someone roughly grabbed my arm and shook me.

 

“…Huh.”

 

I let out a small sigh.

 

The pain began to disappear like a lie.

 

My focus and reason returned as the pain vanished in a truly instant, as if nothing had ever happened.

 

I was bewildered by suddenly regaining such clear and clean consciousness.

 

I slowly raised my body, supporting myself on the floor with my trembling arms.

 

“Ah, I thought I was going to die….”

 

As I muttered self-deprecatingly and let out a deep breath, black smoke puffed out of my mouth.

 

Who would have thought my sigh would be black.

 

‘That’s kind of gross….’

 

Like someone who doesn’t brush their teeth.

 

The fact that I was having such silly thoughts made me realize I was truly alive.

 

As I blinked with my body feeling somehow lighter, I realized that intense gazes were pouring down on me.

 

When I rolled my eyes up to look, three people with serious expressions were staring at me intently.

 

Seo Jae-hyuk and Lee Hwa-yeon had mana gathered in their hands as if they’d been about to use some skill.

 

It seemed Chae Geun-dam was the one holding my arm.

 

Seeing all three frozen with pale faces was kind of funny.

 

‘I’ll have to handle this again… I’ll need to explain.’

 

“…I’m, I’m fine now.”

 

I deliberately spoke in a bright voice as I stood up.

 

While I got up, dusted off my knees, and straightened my clothes, all three remained silent.

 

Only after some time had passed did Chae Geun-dam ask hesitantly, in a tone of disbelief.

 

“Are, are you okay?”

 

“I’m perfectly fine.”

 

I actually was perfectly fine.

 

I even felt more refreshed than before.

 

My digestive power is quite impressive.

 

“What the hell did you just do? Ah~ By any chance, Lee Hae, are you crazy with a death wish?”

 

“Of course not. I’m completely on the side of wanting to live.”

 

I shrugged as I answered, then realized my mistake.

 

After showing them that spectacle, I was being too nonchalant.

 

It wasn’t the tone someone who’d been screaming about dying should use.

 

Sure enough, Seo Jae-hyuk opened his mouth with a serious expression.

 

“What exactly are you?”

 

A moderately cold voice mixed with suspicion and wariness.

 

“A market manager.”

 

When I gave my habitual situation-deflecting answer, Chae Geun-dam, who was standing beside him, slowly shook his head.

 

His head shake looked almost resolute, demanding more truth than that.

 

“Lee Hae, you know very well that this isn’t a situation that can be brushed off with such excuses, don’t you?”

 

‘Ah, I know it too well, that’s the problem.’

 

I know very well that swallowing a mass of mana on the verge of explosion doesn’t look sane.

 

But that was the only way to deal with the damn bomb Quentin threw and left behind at the end.

 

I wouldn’t get hurt no matter what, so it didn’t matter to me, but these people might die.

 

During that brief moment when the dark red mass was spinning, I quickly pondered.

 

What if I just embraced that thing?

 

But just embracing it wouldn’t be enough to stop the aftermath of the explosion.

 

Then, if I let it explode inside my body, wouldn’t I be able to prevent any damage from reaching the outside?

 

It must have looked like a suicidal act to these people, but for me, it was the best choice.

 

That’s why this awkward situation has unfolded now.

 

“What is your identity?”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon threw another direct question.

 

The atmosphere wasn’t one where I could brush it off with evasions… Right, I need to explain.

 

Of course, if I were to explain, it would be an endlessly long story… Well…

 

‘I don’t need to do that next to Quentin’s corpse, do I?’

 

The time, place, and situation aren’t quite solemn enough to reveal the secret I’ve been hiding so tightly.

 

Only the gazes looking at me are solemn.

 

As if unable to wait any longer, Seo Jae-hyuk took a step closer to me.

 

But at that moment, my vision brightened white.

 

[■ Babel System > 54th Floor Notification

 

– Main scenario ‘Nest’ has been completed.]

 

Seo Jae-hyuk, whose attention was diverted, muttered dryly.

 

“…You’ve cleared the scenario.”

 

The timing was perfect.

 

‘Oh, thank goodness.’

 

I swallowed a sigh of relief and squeezed my eyes shut.

 

It seemed the people dispatched to each city had completed their missions.

 

The three people who had been seriously demanding the truth from Lee Hae simultaneously looked up at the air and blinked.

 

[■ Babel System : ‘Guild Union’ has cleared the 54th Floor.]

 

[■ Babel System : With the perfect completion of the scenario, floors 54 through 58 will be opened simultaneously.]

 

“What…?”

 

Lee Hwa-yeon sighed in disbelief.

 

Previously, two floors of the Ganaesia Continent had been opened simultaneously, but this time, a whopping five floors were opened at once.

 

It was a scenario that had taken that long to resolve.

 

[■ Babel System : 59th Floor opening in 4D 23:59:59]

 

At this point, I wanted to throw out some ceremonial comment like “thank you for your hard work” and disappear.

 

But I awkwardly asked, still trying to ignore the serious gazes that wouldn’t let up.

 

“…Should we go outside to explain?”

 

* * *

 

After clearing the 54th Floor, the situation changed dramatically.

 

I’m not talking about my story.

 

I’m talking about our country’s story.

 

It was natural for the entire world to be stirred by the breaking news that five floors had been opened simultaneously.

 

The largest simultaneous floor opening in history.

 

Moreover, our country was taking the lead alone, even guiding other countries’ Tower of Babel conquests.

 

Since this happened in the midst of such circumstances, its impact was beyond imagination.

 

Above all, the lineup of floors opened this time was quite spectacular.

 

Each floor housed Gearsgard, Florabon, Glimerstona, and Berylsha’s Island.

 

With access to four technologies – engineering, spirit arts, alchemy, and magitech engineering – not only did our national prestige rise, but hunters also gained richer opportunities.

 

And there were 4 cities, but 5 floors were opened.

 

The last floor was Berinium.

 

The final mana crystal mine that was the reason for the cities of Aetheria to fight.

 

So our country had become a nation that possessed a mana crystal mine.

 

‘It’s all thanks to me.’

 

Mana crystals are currently one of the most valuable resources in the world.

 

Since no country has reached the 54th Floor yet, our country is currently the world’s only mana crystal mining nation.

 

Of course, it’s good that our country is sitting on a goldmine and the won’s value is skyrocketing like crazy.

 

That’s a good thing, but…

 

‘Ah, there’s too much to think about.’

 

The mana crystal mine isn’t mine, but the worries are.

 

The phrase ‘Creator’ I saw in Aetheria’s Tower of Babel.

 

I wish someone would investigate and reveal my identity and let me know.

 

Isn’t there something like a Tower of Babel detective agency?

 

‘Of course there wouldn’t be.’

 

I swallowed a self-deprecating sigh and made a clicking sound.

 

The most serious point is that this is a problem I have to solve myself.

 

“Lee Hae.”

 

Ah, I take that back.

 

The seat I’m sitting in right now is the most serious.

 

When I looked up at the calm voice calling me, Park Ji-woon, who was sitting across from me, pushed up his glasses.

 

The red aura flowing through his eyes behind the glasses was still there.

 

But Park Ji-woon’s gaze wasn’t as completely calm as usual.

 

He probably knew the general situation from the market message I sent, but he seemed not to have expected this moment to come so quickly either.

 

Park Ji-woon, who had been stroking his chin with his gloved hand, calmly opened his mouth.

 

“I heard that today’s meeting was requested by you, Lee Hae.”

 

I answered as nonchalantly as someone who wasn’t nervous at all.

 

“That’s ri-ight.”

 

‘Wow, my voice cracked on one word.’

 

Anyone could tell I was nervous.

 

But the bigger problem was that even after hearing that pleasant voice crack, no one laughed.

 

If someone had at least burst into laughter, I might have calmed down a bit.

 

Even though I organized this meeting, I’m starting to feel sorry for myself.

 

Then, Park Ji-woon slowly opened his mouth.

 

“What’s the reason you demanded to call all the 7 Major Guilds and the Babel Management Bureau?”

 

Receiving that question, I was bearing the gazes of 8 people all at once.

 

Right, this is the Babel Management Bureau Top-Level Conference Room.

 

I was now sitting together with the heads of the 7 Major Guilds.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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