A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 7

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 7

“What are you doing! Hurry up and collect them!”
At the merchant’s shout, the laborers who’d been sluggish snapped to attention and began hauling away the rabbit carcasses.
“Are you… are you alright?”
With the weight lifted from my shoulders, control over my body returned like a tide washing back to shore.
Blood flowed freely through my veins once more, and vitality surged through me.
“…Phew. Yes. What do you think of the rabbits’ condition?”
I hastily struck a deal with the first merchant company I’d encountered.
However, if they wouldn’t offer a fair price, I’d have no choice but to negotiate with another merchant.
“Silverpenn! These haven’t even been bled out yet?”
Draining blood immediately after killing an animal was standard practice, certainly.
It reduced the carcass weight and was absolutely necessary if I wanted to harvest the hides properly.
But I lacked the specialized tools for such work.
I didn’t even have a dagger.
Rabbit hide was thin and tore easily, requiring delicate handling.
So I’d chosen speed and a rational argument instead.
“It hasn’t been an hour since I killed them. It’s better to process them at a facility with proper equipment than risk damaging the carcasses with crude work here.”
This place wasn’t just a merchant wagon.
A makeshift tannery capable of handling all processing operations was set up here.
There was even a simple cooking facility for salting and smoking rabbit meat.
This merchant company purchased raw materials from the Eastern Forest cheaply and processed them on-site.
“Hmm. Wait a moment. You’ve brought only the finest specimens?”
Silverpenn’s eyes narrowed sharply as he began carefully assessing the value of each item.
“…The rabbits have no wounds?”
“I knocked them unconscious, then broke their necks.”
“Even with a broken neck, there should be marks on a rabbit.”
“At some point, I developed a technique to kill them cleanly without leaving traces.”
I took considerable pride in my skill with hides.
In the previous game’s brutal world, hides were among the most useful materials.
High-quality animal hides especially were classified as the most precious commodity in that world.
“Remarkable! How extraordinary! I never knew such a thing was possible!”
Silverpenn repeatedly flipped the rabbits over, marveling at each one.
Some hides would inevitably show damage upon thorough inspection, but with so many rabbit carcasses brought in, such minor issues were negligible.
“They’re all genuine, correct?”
Just how much value would high-quality rabbit hides command?
If a merchant company was permanently stationed here, the rabbits from this place certainly held more value than rabbit hides in the real world.
“Yes! Of course! May I begin removing the hides?”
It seemed there was still a verification process remaining.
I obediently followed the workers and observed their labor.
The worker drained the blood from the rabbit carcass, made an incision along the abdomen, and began peeling away the hide.
The process of carefully removing the fur along its natural grain.
Though somewhat rough, it wasn’t egregiously flawed.
‘They’re following proper technique.’
Next came the task of using a crescent blade to scrape away the fat and membrane clinging to the inner surface of the hide.
Swish. Scrape.
This wasn’t bad either.
But it was far too slow.
At this pace, processing all the rabbits I’d brought would take an entire day without completion.
“Silverpenn.”
“Yes?”
“Would it be acceptable if I handled the work myself? At this rate, the value of my rabbits will diminish.”
This was a matter of freshness.
There were methods to preserve freshness through magic or mystical means, but at least among the goods this merchant company had brought, I saw nothing of that caliber.
“You understand not only hunting, but also hide processing?”
“Yes.”
The previous game was impossible to sustain long-term without acquiring all manner of miscellaneous knowledge.
Conversely, the ability to apply knowledge and skills learned in reality within the game proved to be tremendous enjoyment.
Tanning was among the techniques I’d taught myself.
“Give me the blade. And one rabbit as well.”
The worker’s expression darkened with wounded pride as he glared at Silverpenn, who nodded with a serious expression.
Scrape.
The process resembled the previous worker’s approach.
No—my technique was far faster and more precise.
Animal butchering was something I’d honed while being hunted by countless monsters.
Back then, I had to preserve as much meat as possible and secure the highest quality hides to survive.
Shred. Shred.
“…An outsider possessing such skill.”
The membrane removal was complete.
The subsequent processing varied by craftsman, but typically involved salting the separated hide to remove moisture and then drying it.
The softening and tanning that followed would be entrusted to the merchant company.
It wasn’t work that could be finished in a day or two.
“Here you are. And the next rabbit, please.”
“Ah, yes!”
Therefore, what I was doing was merely the preliminary work.
Since the hide would deteriorate no further, this alone would be sufficient to protect its price.
Scrape.
“Ohhh….”
The crowd of spectators had grown.
Gaining fame through techniques I’d genuinely mastered—not through game-granted bonuses—was far more exhilarating than I’d anticipated.
My self-worth, which had been languishing at rock bottom, was rising like floodwater.
Yet, separate from that satisfaction, I had no desire to become widely known.
Swish, swish.
If I were aiming for production-focused work, it might be different, but this game still had vast unexplored territories even after years had passed.
And yet I wasn’t venturing out to explore them?
I couldn’t bear that contradiction.
Swish!
“Ooooooh!”
I accelerated my work pace.
Since I’d become such a spectacle, I might as well extract a proper price for it.
‘I’ll pull in at least 2 Silver.’
2 Silver for thirty minutes of work.
Since 1 Silver was trading around fifteen thousand won, that would roughly break even.
And if I added the rabbit pelts on top, I could secure up to 3 Silver.
Slash! Swish!
Just like with the scarecrows, the sensation from my previous game was returning to me.
‘Hmm? This feeling…’
A euphoria similar to what I’d felt upon leveling up surged through me.
Simultaneously, a message materialized before my eyes.

[Hidden Achievement Unlocked!]
[Successfully completed 30 consecutive perfect pelts!]
[Luck increases by 1.]
[You have obtained a clue to the Hidden Class ‘Torture Technician’.]
[First Discovery Bonus!]
[Wisdom increases by 1.]
[Whispered rumors about you spread throughout the Kingdom.]
[Unallocated Points: 2]
[Strength: 12 Agility: 14 Stamina: 14 Wisdom: 13 Luck: 18]
[Eternity: 2]

The message was nothing less than an Achievement tied to a Hidden Class.
Information like this alone could be sold for a fortune.

—Seo-jun. Thanks to you, I’ve obtained a clue about a Hidden Class. The job title sounds extraordinary too. I think this clue alone could fetch over five thousand, but I’m thinking of keeping it to myself for now. Can you explain the situation and give me a bit more advice?

As a result, Sung-chul (Elder) successfully underwent a hidden class advancement and joined the Seo-gwang Guild, which ranked in the top four domestically.
At the time, Sung-chul (Elder) made quite a fuss about the job’s performance, but in my judgment, it was information that shouldn’t be sold.
The gains from monopolizing information far outweighed what I could earn by selling it.
‘My situation seems somewhat different.’
First, the job title “Torture Technician” didn’t appeal to me.
Besides, I’d discovered it through animal skinning, and if thirty consecutive perfect skinning sessions were the requirement, there would be plenty of others capable of achieving it besides me.
‘Moreover, having rumors spread throughout the Kingdom would be awkward.’
From the moment I acquired the Eternal Stat, I’d planned my movements around the Beginner Villages of each nation.
Therefore, I had no intention of affiliating with the Kingdom.
This character possessed a status that grew stronger the more I ventured out.
‘I should try selling this. After all, I said I was the first.’
Just how valuable was this hidden class, anyway?
To raise the price by any means necessary, I decided to share the link to the video I’d replayed hundreds of times during my self-study.
“Here you are.”
First, I needed to leave this place.
If rumors spread throughout the Kingdom, I could be dragged in and forced to advance as a Torture Technician.
“Silverpenn. Could you set a price for this?”
“….”
“Silverpenn?”
“…Ah? My apologies. I’ve truly witnessed remarkable technique. May I ask your name?”
The situation with Bella, whom I’d encountered at the eastern gate, was entirely different.
From the moment I decided to sell the information, anything revealing my identity would work against me.
“I have my reasons for preferring not to be known. I’d like to complete the transaction as quickly as possible, if you don’t mind.”
“I see. Assessing the value of such technique is difficult for me as well. Since you seem pressed for time, let me propose this.”
Silverpenn extended a gold coin toward me.
“There’s no rush. If you’d grant me a private audience, I’ll give you this gold coin.”
What Silverpenn offered was a gold coin—actual gold.
In modern currency, that was worth roughly 1.5 million won.
It was absolutely not money I could earn by selling dozens of rabbit hides.
He was placing considerable value on a private meeting with me.
“Allow me to introduce myself late. I’m Silverpenn, vice-master of the Russell Merchant Company. Our Russell Merchant Company is known for being foreigner-friendly. This should prove to be a favorable transaction for you as well.”
Another opportunity had presented itself just as I needed to leave quickly.
In my assessment, a private audience with the merchant company’s vice-master carried significant implications.
“Since I’ve only experienced one merchant company thus far, I believe I need to learn more. I’m afraid I must decline the gold coin.”
Reluctantly, I declined the gold coin and decided to proceed cautiously.
After all, I’d already earned considerable money just from the hidden class information.
“Instead, I’d like to purchase various exploration equipment, including a sturdy backpack. If you could provide items matching the value of the rabbits I’m selling, that should suffice.”
“Then I’ll assess only the labor and goods you’ve provided. For the labor of a master-class tanner and a thirty-minute technique demonstration, twenty silver; for the rabbit carcasses at the highest quality standard, ten copper per unit, totaling three silver and forty copper. Does this seem acceptable?”
A total of twenty-three silver and forty copper.
In modern currency, roughly 345,000 won.
Even accounting for the fact that it was simple manual labor, the compensation was absurdly luxurious.
“…Should you find it insufficient in any way.”
“It’s sufficient.”
The amount was absolutely not lacking.
If anything, it was generously excessive.
There was good reason why illegal residents gathered here in the Beginner Village to operate the Farming Operation.
And if there was a dedicated herding specialist on top of that, hunting efficiency would skyrocket beyond reason.
“I’ll use that money to purchase exploration supplies.”
“Yes. I’ll prepare them at once.”
Following Silverpenn’s instructions, the merchants scrambled into frantic motion.
And what I received was.
“A backpack, torches, flint, a waterskin, rope, a leather blanket, oil, a tarp, medical supplies, a multipurpose dagger, three days’ worth of dried rations, and insect-repelling herbs. Is there anything else you might need?”
Once again, Silverpenn had gathered everything with meticulous care and generosity.
“This is sufficient.”
“Yes. I’ll place everything in your backpack. The change has been put in the front pocket, so please verify it.”
I figured he’d handled it well enough on his own.
If I ran short on funds, I could always catch more rabbits to make up the difference.
And now that I had a backpack, I could carry considerably more rabbits back with me.
“Thank you. Then, I’ll be going.”
“Thank you for your patronage! Please remember Silverpenn of the Russell Merchant Company!”
I left quickly.
Too many people had crowded around.
With exploration supplies now in hand, it was time to venture deep into the Eastern Forest and search for the Golden Fox.

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