A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 99

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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 99

Bella and Eun-nyang E.
Their classes were Buffer and Torture Technician respectively—professions with virtually no synergy in terms of job mechanics.
Yet in reality, the two of them shared common ground.
Though it seemed to be in a rather unfavorable direction, if I was being honest.
‘Still, it would be awkward to refuse either of them.’
Setting aside the dynamic between them, both were people genuinely trying to help me.
I’d already received considerable assistance from them regarding the Chae-rim situation.
Refusal was never really an option to begin with.
In the end, all I could do was mediate as best I could.

* * *

Before long, the promised day arrived.
I’d purchased skewered chicken from a vendor in the Town Square and shared a modest chicken feast with Chae-rim, which she seemed to genuinely enjoy—a satisfying time for us both.
In the process, I also gathered information about the chickens being raised at the Western Poultry Farm.

[Active Buffs]
[Succulent Umami-Rich Chicken Skewer (Masterpiece)]
[Strength +7 Stamina +8 Luck +1]
[Endurance Recovery Speed Increased]
[Duration: ∞]

Chicken skewers were an unexpected windfall.
They were a masterpiece on par with the bread Andy used to distribute.
Both the taste and buff performance were satisfactory.
For me, there was no reason not to convert the buff permanently.
“….”
Meanwhile, the atmosphere right now was the complete opposite.
A chill hung in the air, growing colder by the moment.
This coldness had set in ever since Cha Eun-kyung and Baek Seo-hyun arrived together.
“The carriages traveling through the Western Poultry Farm have excellent quality.”
“There are chickens being supplied consistently, so stabilizing the distribution network is essential.”
“Most of it is money flowing from the Back Alley.”
When I spoke, one person would respond.
The other would contradict me instead.
Since the exchange kept shifting, it was hard to blame any single person.
If there was fault, it probably lay with me.
“…Who did you say was gathering tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow it’s the Demon King Coffee CEO and the math instructor.”
“The Woo-hyun Construction representative.”
Even their plans to introduce contacts had collided.
When I brought up the redevelopment of Ath Village to Cha Eun-kyung, she even connected me with a major figure—the Woo-hyun Construction representative.
Baek Seo-hyun’s connections were equally impressive.
Just tomorrow alone, she had arranged two of the busiest people currently in Liam.
Both were people who would be of great help in developing Liam.
Muuren Village gradually came into view.
Despite being fairly close to Liam, which had grown into a thriving city, the security here was reportedly not properly maintained.
Behind the village’s current state lay the deliberate intention of a certain nobleman.
“As I mentioned before, Muuren Village here is intentionally managed as a lawless zone by Count Ponsen, an influential noble of the Meriam Kingdom. So we’re only taking the orphans and leaving. You understand, right?”
“Lee Seo-jun is sharp. So there’s no need to repeat myself.”
For the first time, both sides shared the same opinion regarding the danger Count Ponsen posed.

[Bella: In this game, all nobles are superhuman. Below the rank of baron, perhaps, but even Seo-gwang at this point cannot guarantee victory against a count-rank noble. There are over hundreds of past rankers who were crushed by Count Ponsen.]
[Eun-nyang E: Stay close to me in Muuren. It’s dangerous if trouble starts.]

I’m not sure why they’re whispering this, but that’s how it was.
It feels like I’ve regressed to childhood.
“Stop. I need to verify your identity.”
Before I knew it, we’d reached the entrance to Muuren Village.
The guards’ demeanor was oppressive from the start.
The peaceful atmosphere I’d felt in Liam was nowhere to be found—only desolation.
“Verified. I hope you’ll keep your business brief.”
“Hmm.”
I passed through the City Gate beyond the guard.
There were quite a few people inside the village, but no players were visible.
They were all NPCs.
“I was thinking of villages in China, but this place has a completely different atmosphere.”
The village’s security wasn’t as poor as I’d expected.
Despite the abundance of rough-looking individuals, cargo carts moved along the main roads, maintaining a semblance of order.
The carts were covered with cloth, so I couldn’t discern their contents.
“When those in power openly manage a lawless zone like this, it becomes this. Muuren is a profit-driven lawless city, after all.”
“There is some management happening, though.”
“Right. Everything the Kingdom hasn’t authorized happens here. When someone gets caught, they simply cut off the tail appropriately.”
The village’s order was maintained.
Through mutual interests and force.
I had no intention of getting deeply involved here.
If the two of us were this concerned about Count Ponsen’s military power, the right move was to grab the orphan and leave.
“Where should we go to reach the Back Alley?”
This time, Cha Eun-kyung took the lead.
“I’ll go first. Lee Seo-jun, watch our backs.”
I thought it made sense for me, being reasonably sturdy, to take the vanguard, but apparently Cha Eun-kyung saw it differently.
Either way, since both of us had guaranteed combat strength, it didn’t matter much.
“Understood.”
Additionally, despite being inside the village, Cha Eun-kyung wanted to maintain a certain level of formation.
That meant there was danger even within the village.
I discovered the reason in just ten minutes.
Tap.
A strange man brushed past from behind, bumping my shoulder as he went.
“My apologies, sir.”
My first suspicion was pickpocketing.
And the most likely target would be the pouch at my waist.
Even if all he found was dried meat, others would assume it contained money or valuables.
But since he hadn’t actually touched anything, I had no grounds to apprehend him.
“Oh no!”
At that same moment, a passerby from the opposite direction stumbled and began pouring water from a bucket toward me.
For a moment, I considered dodging, but I judged that allowing the structure to collapse would be far worse, so I took the water head-on.
‘Ordinary water. No stamina loss.’
Soon after, another middle-aged woman nearby thrust forward what looked like a dishcloth, speaking urgently.
“Wipe yourself with this!”
For some reason, the sequence felt familiar.
I’d seen something similar in Shotz.
One person splashes filth, another wipes it away while drawing attention.
And yet another lifts your bag—an evolved form of pickpocketing.
But knowing about it and falling for it were different matters when the perpetrators were NPCs and we were modern people.
Besides, our bodies weren’t ordinary like in reality, and all of us possessed formidable stats, making us nearly impossible targets.

[Bella: Seo-jun. Don’t respond. This is a scam.]
[Eun-nyang E: It’s a scam. Ignore them.]

Teaching them a lesson felt awkward in this situation.
For NPCs, antagonizing foreigners and living here afterward was never easy.
‘Has scamming evolved further in this place?’
It was a problem I could solve with a bit more thought.
Especially if these people had noble backing.
“Come on! Just take it! Everything will get soaked!”
“That won’t be necessary.”
I lightly dismissed the middle-aged woman’s insistence and retrieved the Jar of Refreshment I’d stored in my dimensional pocket.

[Jar of Refreshment (Relic) (Bound)]
[An earthen jar inhabited by a low-grade water spirit. It assists the user according to ancient covenant.]
[Luck +10]
[Water Attribute Resistance Slightly Increased]

‘Dry my wet clothes.’
Tsutsu-tsutsu-tsu!
It was the most fitting counterattack for the situation.
This gave me justification for refusing the towel.
Moreover, the Jar of Refreshment wasn’t merely a relic-grade artifact—it had now become an item bound to me.
Which meant no pickpocket could ever steal it.
“Huh?”
“Let’s each go our separate ways. And stop conducting business here.”
“….”
A sudden silence fell.
Since Baek Seo-hyun and Cha Eun-kyung weren’t taking further action, my judgment must have been sound.
“…Tsk.”
Only then did the con artists scatter in perfect unison.
“Well done, Lee Seo-jun.”
“That was the right call, wasn’t it?”
“Absolutely. If you pick a fight with NPCs here, you’re headed straight to Muuren City Hall. Unlike Liam, this place treats NPC residents with far more priority.”
My suspicion had been correct.
The con artists were people manufacturing pretexts to throw us into Muuren Prison, and the pickpocket buildup was merely a smokescreen.
This was a village where one could never afford to let their guard down.
“It’s troublesome in a different way, this place.”
“It is.”
We drew steadily closer to the Back Alley.
And we reduced our conversation.

[Bella: We’re almost at the Back Alley. Let’s communicate through whispers from now on.]
[Kael: Understood.]
[Eun-nyang E: No talking from here on. This place has ears everywhere.]
[Kael: Got it.]

Instead, I switched to whispers.
There was the inconvenience of having to speak separately with each group, but I wasn’t willing to give anyone leverage against us, so I accepted the burden.

[Bella: There are so many eyes watching. Will we be alright? This doesn’t look easy.]
[Kael: Tell me about it.]

Bella’s observation was precise.
The surrounding NPCs were going about their business, yet they continued to observe our movements from the corners of their eyes.

[Kael: Cha Eun-kyung. The surveillance here seems quite strict. How are you planning to smuggle the orphans out?]
[Eun-nyang E: I’ve got this covered.]

As it turned out, I’d also discovered a way to extract the orphans from this place.
Cha Eun-kyung possessed a hidden class that granted her formidable authority over the citizens of Meriam Kingdom—an Interrogation Specialist.
With just a sufficiently ominous pretext, surely they wouldn’t refuse passage here.
Splash.
Before long, I found myself stepping into a back alley where even filth went uncleaned.
It was the moment when my ashen footsteps—which ordinarily made no sound at all—lost their effect.

[Bella: Ugh! They’ve even implemented the smell so authentically. I’m starting to regret coming.]
[Kael: I know. This is unexpected.]
[Eun-nyang E: Left from here. That’s where the orphans are concentrated.]

As we ventured deeper into the back alley, orphans began appearing scattered throughout.
Poor health, and traces of violence everywhere.
I’d anticipated it, but I never expected it to be rendered so starkly.
“Traveler! Is there anything I can do for you?”
A cheerful voice, yet eyes devoid of life.
It was clearly a sales technique honed through someone’s instruction.
Sadly, this type of orphan fell into the category of difficult quest targets.
I was about to send them away kindly, but Cha Eun-kyung answered instead.
“There is.”
“Just tell me anything! I can do it well!”
“Gather all your peers. I’ll be waiting at that tavern over there.”
Cha Eun-kyung clearly had a scheme in mind.

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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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