24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 68

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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 68

Episode 68. On the Verge (2)

I need to run away.

I roughly wiped away the cold sweat flowing down the back of my neck and crouched down as low as possible.

Even though this robe has the ability to hide my presence, I don’t know what kind of ability users might be among them.

It’s not that I’m scared.

‘I’m just being cautious!’

Having proudly admitted my weakness, I held my breath and watched their movements.

“How long did the director say it would take?”

“He said he’d wrap things up and come back within 30 minutes.”

The conversation about crushing me could be heard quite clearly from nearby.

The director they’re talking about couldn’t be anyone else.

‘Don’t tell me Park Ji-woon is coming here personally?’

That busy-looking guy is gracing us with his presence?

I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again.

I had criticized Babel Nation’s management as haphazard, but if Park Ji-woon is the one looking for me, I can’t take this lightly.

The Park Ji-woon I met in person wasn’t someone I could easily deceive and get past.

Even with me acting up right in front of him, he maintained an unshaken expression and consistently showed composure without revealing what he was thinking.

Since he was such a difficult person to read, I couldn’t predict what measures he’d take if he found me.

‘Let’s get out of here first.’

Anyway, I had confirmed that there was nothing more I could check on this floor, so I just needed to somehow escape and hide away.

But there was a problem.

If they were determined to catch me, they’d already be camping at the warp gate area.

Getting out of Floor 52 is easy.

But the only places I could move to from here were the Tower’s safe zones on the 25th Floor and 50th Floor.

That was more like a convenience provided by Babel.

From the 25th Floor and 50th Floor, you can freely move to other floors through warp gates, but not the other way around.

Even I, with the Merchant’s Mark, am no exception.

Even with what seems like an all-powerful title within the Tower, I can’t suddenly move from Floor 52 to Floor 30 or anything like that.

Babel Nation isn’t stupid enough to forget that, so they’re probably expecting me to appear on either the 25th Floor or 50th Floor.

So they just need to guard the warp gates on the 25th Floor and 50th Floor.

…Still, couldn’t I activate some wishful thinking?

With a hopelessly pale face, I sent a message.

[Could someone check if there are Babel Nation administrators in front of the warp gates?]

The response came immediately.

Of course, it wasn’t in the direction I had hoped.

[> Middle Manager Message

– Gasp, I just saw that the people from Babel are surrounding the warp gate in a circle…? ㅜㅜ Why are they doing that, it’s scary ㅜ Unnie, how did you know? Ι Kang Yeon-hee (Babel Manager)

– Right now there are people in uniforms who came into the building and are watching the warp gate. Ι Alessandro Hale (Babel Square Store)]

“Hah, really.”

I got it exactly right, which made me let out a hollow laugh.

‘Ha, what should I do.’

I bit my innocent lip and seriously racked my brain.

Should I buy an item from the market that can change my face?

I was about to hastily search the market when I shook my head.

‘Babel Nation isn’t stupid either.’

They’re looking for the troublemaker who turned the tide of Floor 51’s scenario, so would they only look for the face they saw?

They’d probably just grab everyone coming and going and check their IDs.

Babel Nation has the right to search everyone entering and leaving the Tower.

‘…Or not? Am I overthinking this right now?’

I want to think positively somehow, but it’s not working well.

How did I end up committing such a big deed as beating Seo Jae-hyuk in South Korea…

Just as I was swallowing a sigh from the overwhelming reality check.

[⁕ An Irregular Dimensional Market is currently open on the 75th Floor :)]

My eyes widened at the notification from Sam-i, who had never said anything helpful before.

The timing couldn’t be better!

[⁕ You can use ‘Merchant’s Mark’ to visit the 75th Floor Irregular Dimensional Market 🙂 Would you like to visit the Irregular Dimensional Market?]

The dream of Babel Kid, which I thought would disappear, isn’t dead yet.

On the 75th Floor, there isn’t a single person among Earthlings who could find me!

Babel Nation bastards, go ahead and search all you want.

Without any hesitation, I nodded and shouted.

“Of course!”

* * *

As soon as I arrived, what I heard were the shouts of merchants.

“Isn’t this a scam!?”

“Where are you calling me a scammer!”

A buffalo-headed merchant and a short slime were roughly confronting each other.

I nodded with a gentle smile on my lips.

Thank goodness.

This wholesale market where I can’t see any Babel Nation marks at all.

I chose the right place to escape to.

It’s peaceful.

“Hey, this damn-“

“What? Did you just call me a dog? You × bastard-“

So peaceful, very much so.

Avoiding the two merchants who were tangling up for reasons I wasn’t even curious about, I walked trudgingly in one direction.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to an Irregular Dimensional Market, but there’s a place here where I can sit and rest.

It’s shabby and not cool, but there’s a Friendly Market stall!

Who knew an empty shop stall and an old chair that looked ready to break would be so welcome.

I leaned my tired body back and pulled back the hood of the robe I’d been wearing the whole time.

I even took off the mask I’d been wearing and let out a refreshing sigh of admiration.

“Whew.”

You don’t notice the discomfort while wearing it, but once you take it off, you feel an amazing change.

The wind tickling my bare face felt quite cool.

I raised my head and surveyed the market scenery.

The sight of colorful tents lined up everywhere was as splendid and bustling as a festival.

“Did you just hit me?”

“I did. What are you gonna do about it, report me or something!”

…Well, even if it looks like a fight scene, isn’t any fight a festival when others are watching?

‘Now I’m feeling a bit more relaxed.’

My heart was still pounding, but my shocked feelings were slowly settling down calmly.

I could spend some time here and then slip out quietly.

‘When I leave, should I go outside first and then come back in?’

[⁕ You can exit outside the Tower of Babel from the 75th Floor as well :)]

What’s gotten into you, Sam-i.

Answering even when it’s not market-related.

Maybe because I was so shocked just now, even the usually mischievous Sam-i looked endearing.

Then I’d have to go outside the Tower of Babel… stop by home to create an alibi and come back to the 50th Floor…

“Ah, this is getting annoying again.”

Right now they might not suspect me specifically, but if anything goes wrong, I could get caught immediately.

The overwhelming feeling that I had to be careful with everything made me sigh deeply first.

But.

“What’s the point of thinking about it now.”

Right now, let me give myself applause for safely escaping the 52nd Floor.

Taking a breather here won’t change anything anyway.

As my heart began to beat a little more calmly, I slowly came out of the stall and started walking.

I even put my hands behind my back with the kind face of someone who clearly seemed to have money.

When I came here before, I was intimidated by the tremendous prices, but now it’s different.

‘I’m rich now.’

I was gradually recovering the Gold I had nibbled away… to be precise, devoured on the 51st Floor.

I hadn’t fully recovered, but compared to when I was fired from my part-time job and struggling to pay rent, I was now no different from nouveau riche.

So if I wanted to buy something, I had enough leeway to casually ask how much it cost.

At that moment, something caught my eye.

“Huh, this…”

“You recognize it!”

A merchant with blue skin and five eyes smiled brightly as he greeted me.

The sight of five identical lemon-sized pupils curving into crescents was quite creepy, but I successfully maintained my Middle Eastern rich man concept and nodded naturally.

“Speaking of this item. Just pluck the strings and an amazing melody pours out.”

“I can’t play music.”

“Oh my, customer. Of course the melody comes out even if you can’t play!”

“…Can I be a bard then?”

“Absolutely! When you play this, everyone around will fall into a peaceful sleep. And this is a secret.”

The merchant carefully lowered his head and whispered in my ear.

“High-ranking people use this a lot for treating insomnia.”

Two of the five pupils winked at me.

…This blue-eyed guy is pretty good at marketing.

What I was fiddling with was a harp that shone in five colors.

I wasn’t looking at it because it was pretty, but because it was one of the items that scared me when I was a newbie at the Dimensional Market.

Back then I was afraid I might have to pay for it, so I couldn’t even touch it, let alone look at it.

‘It obviously looks expensive.’

Even though its only effect was treating insomnia, the light surrounding the ivory body was a subtle five-color glow.

Does half the value come from the visuals?

“How much is it?”

“Since you recognized it right away. Hmm… I really rarely give discounts like this. I’ll take exactly 2,810 Gold!”

The kindly discounted price was 28 million won, so my first impression wasn’t wrong.

The blue-eyed merchant even politely clasped his hands together, watching me with expectant eyes as if asking whether I’d buy it.

‘This is so pressuring.’

But who would pay 28 million won for a sleep-aid harp? I’m not a sucker.

“Can’t you make it cheaper?”

“Ah, customer. I’ve already given you the maximum discount. Taking off more would be… I have to make a living too.”

The skilled comment that really seemed learned from some Southeast Asian night market made me chuckle briefly.

‘Is this thing even real?’

Until just now I wasn’t even curious about authenticity, but his pitch sounded so much like a snake oil salesman that I started getting suspicious.

I secretly used my Appraisal skill on the blue-eyed merchant who had instantly lost credibility.

[Magic Harp (A)

A harp made by a mermaid wizard

Made by the younger sibling of a pretty mermaid who sings well

/Potential/ A harp with sleep well magic]

I doubted my eyes.

…Did an elementary schooler write this description?

‘Is that typo for real?’

I forgot I was in a standoff with the blue-eyed merchant and just stared at the description window with my mouth agape.

Perhaps reading my intention to withdraw from purchasing in my expression, the blue-eyed merchant started desperately trying to persuade me.

“Customer, customer, this is truly the only harp of its kind in all dimensions.”

“Ah… yes.”

“You seem to doubt it, but this, this is a really old harp!”

If an elementary schooler made it, even if they worked their whole life it wouldn’t be more than 15 years old.

“Even though it was salvaged from deep in the ocean, not a single spot of rust appeared. Isn’t that proof it was preserved by magic?”

That magic… seems like elementary schooler magic, you innocent blue-eyed guy.

My wallet that was about to open closed again.

I said firmly.

“How would I know that? It’s not like I can read the past.”

[⁕ You can read it :)]

“…”

What are you saying, you stupid AI…

When a person is dumbfounded, they just lose all expression.

“Oh, customer, are you perhaps upset?”

The politely frightened blue-eyed merchant stepped back and smiled awkwardly.

But right now I couldn’t even see the blue-eyed merchant’s moonwalk.

‘What… can I do?’

[⁕ As your skill ‘Item Appraisal’ reached level 3, you can now read the memories of items :)]

I reflexively blurted out.

“Hey, you-“

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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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