Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 51

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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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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (51)

There’s No Need to Hate It That Much

At that moment, at a town house on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.

“….”

Hunter Lee Gang-mok, lying alone on his bed, was staring blankly up at the ceiling with a vacant expression.

It had already been quite some time since he’d been holed up at home like this.

‘How long?’

He wasn’t sure.

He had long since put away all the clocks when he started his reclusive life. That left only his smartphone as a means to check the time, but even that had run out of battery.

“…Damn it.”

Bad thoughts and terrible memories kept crossing through his mind. The pain was so unbearable that he couldn’t take even a single step outside this house.

Not long ago.

Lee Gang-mok had received a call from Lee Si-hyeok, his life savior, and went out to meet him at the arranged location.

He met with Lee Si-hyeok, and just as he was about to ask something.

He lost consciousness with a sharp headache.

‘What the hell….’

He couldn’t remember anything after that.

He had fallen into an unconscious state like a vast ocean, drifting for days without waking up. Only the memory of reflexively answering Lee Si-hyeok’s question while unconscious remained.

He hated it.

He loathed himself terribly for only being able to watch situations flow by without being able to do anything.

―Thud!

Lee Gang-mok slammed down the cup of cold water he was drinking and clenched his teeth tightly.

The traumatic incident came flooding back.

His colleagues being eaten alive by carnivorous ants. Himself, who could only run away even with that horrific scene before his eyes.

He had barely escaped outside the Gate as a cowardly deserter, but cruel fate had once again pushed him to the brink of death.

The person who saved Lee Gang-mok just before his death.

…was none other than Lee Si-hyeok.

Despite not being a Hunter, despite not having a single combat skill. He had risked his own life to save another. He had defiantly overturned fate.

That’s when Lee Gang-mok made his decision.

He would become the same kind of person as that man.

He would no longer live steeped in elitist consciousness, but live an upright life.

“Damn it…!”

But he had failed again.

This time too, Lee Gang-mok had helplessly lost consciousness, and when he opened his eyes, the Pitch Black Mining Gate that had appeared again had already disappeared.

Even so, Lee Si-hyeok had casually asked if he was okay and extended his hand to him.

It was so miserable that Lee Gang-mok couldn’t bear it.

Inferiority complex? Jealousy? It wasn’t anything like that.

Guilt about himself. Blame, regret, despair. Emotions he had never felt once while living affluently were tormenting him.

Of course, he didn’t know exactly what Lee Si-hyeok had experienced there.

However, the Obsidian Mining Site that Lee Gang-mok knew wasn’t a place that could be easily conquered. It was a place with brainwashing so powerful that all previous raid teams had lost their memories.

No matter how Isaac Reynolds might have been by his side.

‘…Something must have been sacrificed.’

He deliberately didn’t ask for details. Just hearing about the process would have been too painful.

Moreover, beyond the crack he saw right after regaining consciousness, a massacre was unfolding that was beyond description as horrific.

What more needed to be said.

So Lee Gang-mok left the mansion without looking back as soon as he woke up. He wasn’t sure why he had been at the Snow Flame Empress’s Grand Mansion, but it felt like he absolutely had to do so.

Because he wanted to run away?

No. He had desperately realized that he was far too inadequate to protect someone with his own strength alone.

He wasn’t a genius like Lee Si-hyeok. His efforts were also insufficient.

In the end, Lee Gang-mok decided to do what he did best.

―I have something to tell you, Father.

He had visited his father, Chairman Lee Young-hoon, with whom he had barely spoken since their relationship soured in the past, without even calling ahead.

Naturally, Lee Young-hoon was flustered, but Lee Gang-mok didn’t hesitate to tell him about what he had experienced.

From the group memory loss incident he had experienced at the Obsidian Mining Site in the past.

To how the aftereffects had recurred, and Lee Si-hyeok had personally stepped forward to resolve everything.

Though there were many gaps since he hadn’t seen it directly, Chairman Lee Young-hoon immediately grasped the context from that alone.

―…He’s a benefactor.

Researcher Lee Si-hyeok is a benefactor to the Termion Family.

Chairman Lee Young-hoon, no, his father promised to give Lee Si-hyeok sufficient compensation.

Only after hearing that promise could Lee Gang-mok feel somewhat at ease.

His only ability, money.

With that, he had at least done the minimum of what was right.

“….”

…Had he really done anything? He still felt it was far from enough.

That’s probably why it had festered and remained as trauma like this. He was even afraid to go outside because others’ gazes felt like reproach.

There would be only one way to resolve this.

‘I have to repay the debt somehow.’

Then his heart might feel a little more at ease.

At least he wouldn’t be ashamed before the colleagues he had sent ahead first.

Lee Gang-mok, who had been repeatedly washing his face with dry hands, charged his dead smartphone.

‘…They said they were meeting today.’

Earlier, he had heard from an attendant that a meeting between his father and Lee Si-hyeok was arranged for today.

It probably just ended.

Lee Gang-mok suppressed his nervousness, turned on his smartphone, and called his father.

The call connected immediately.

―The discussion went well. Don’t worry.

True to his thorough personality, Chairman Lee Young-hoon got straight to the point.

But contrary to those words, Lee Gang-mok couldn’t relax his tension. He hadn’t heard the more important part yet.

“What did our benefactor… request?”

What he had requested as compensation was the key.

It must not be insufficient or lacking. Only by showing sincerity that was more than enough, even excessive, could he do the minimum of what was right.

―Request, request….

But unusually, Lee Young-hoon hesitated.

“What’s wrong? Was there some problem?”

―No, there was no problem. Rather, I was flustered because it was too clear.

Flustered?

―Researcher Lee Si-hyeok didn’t request anything material.

“What? Then…?”

―It was closer to a kind of groundwork for the future. He’s drawing up quite a grand plan.

At the still incomprehensible words, Lee Gang-mok tilted his head.

Sensing this, Chairman Lee Young-hoon added.

―Do you know that the Global Artifact Seminar will be held soon?

“I’ve heard about it. Why are you suddenly asking about that?”

―That’s when we’ll make our move.

A long explanation followed after that.

And the moment all the words ended, Lee Gang-mok couldn’t help but ask back reflexively.

“…Are you insane?”

 

* * *

 

After finishing his conversation with Chairman Lee Young-hoon.

―Ding! 3rd Floor.

Lee Si-hyeok immediately came down to the 3rd floor where the research lab was located.

‘The conversation took longer than I thought.’

Originally, he had planned to just exchange light pleasantries, but Chairman Lee Young-hoon had more debts than expected.

So after pondering it over, he asked for some help with the seminar he was currently planning.

‘I don’t particularly need anything else right now anyway.’

Gate byproduct purchasing rights, security personnel from Termion Security, etc. He had already received most of what he needed.

Moreover, with his continuous successes, money wasn’t lacking either, so investing for the future would be the right move.

“How long has it been?”

Lee Si-hyeok reached the end of the corridor and stood tall in front of the door.

The nameplate with ‘Lee Si-hyeok’ written on it somehow felt unfamiliar. It had been quite a while since the last time he brought the drunk Department Manager Yoon Seo-jin here.

“Blackie, can you see?”

“Mang?”

“This is daddy’s… no, uncle’s workshop. Amazing, isn’t it?”

Come to think of it, the title ‘daddy’ would be more fitting, but it felt somewhat embarrassing so he quickly changed it. What kind of daddy when he wasn’t even married yet?

“Mang, mang!”

Blackie shook its head as if curious.

Since it had stayed quiet during the meeting with the chairman, he patted its head a couple of times as a reward, and it let out a joyful cry.

Just as he was about to enter the research lab.

“…?”

He felt a presence from the other end of the corridor.

A familiar atmosphere.

When he quickly turned his head, he saw someone hastily hiding in a nearby research lab. What was that? Lee Si-hyeok narrowed his eyes.

“Wait inside for a moment, Blackie.”

“Maang….”

He remembered being tailed by Chronos Industry before.

With Isaac around, that shouldn’t happen, but he should still check it out.

He slowly walked toward the research lab where someone was hiding.

Unless they broke the window, the person had no way to escape.

He would definitely encounter them in the research lab. Lee Si-hyeok gripped his self-defense artifact tightly and opened the research lab door.

Clunk.

And upon seeing the back figure he encountered, he froze in place.

“….”

First of all, it was a woman.

A woman in a research coat with wavy reddish-brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She was sitting in a chair with her back turned, and her earlobes were quite flushed red.

“Excuse me….”

Lee Si-hyeok barely managed to part his frozen lips and speak.

“…What are you doing here? This research lab is vacant.”

The woman only flinched her shoulders in surprise but gave no answer.

“Well, when someone talks to you, at least show your face? Stop just showing me your back.”

“….”

“Department Manager Yoon Seo-jin?”

“…?!”

Flinch. Yoon Seo-jin almost involuntarily jumped up.

Lee Si-hyeok watched this and couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.

“Come on, why are you acting like this? We’re meeting after a long time, aren’t you even happy?”

“Well, that’s….”

She finally began to react.

Yoon Seo-jin smiled awkwardly and turned around.

Ha, ha, ha. Her laughter was awkwardly broken.

“How, how did you recognize that it was me, Si-hyeok?”

“What method would there be for recognition? We haven’t just met once or twice, I can tell at a glance.”

“I, I see.”

Why is she stuttering so much? Lee Si-hyeok furrowed his brow.

This person had many suspicious points, including running away as soon as they met.

He was quite happy to meet her after a long time. Moreover, since she was also participating in the seminar, he had things to ask her about.

But seeing her act so strangely made things very awkward. This wasn’t like Yoon Seo-jin at all. She was someone who always showed a relaxed and sharp attitude.

“But Si, Si-hyeok. Could you please keep some distance….”

Wait a minute, could it be.

At Yoon Seo-jin’s additional words, Lee Si-hyeok remembered something.

Before heading to the Obsidian Mining Site, one incident that had occurred between Yoon Seo-jin and himself!

‘That’s right! She threw up on me!’

At the Expo dinner gathering, Yoon Seo-jin and Lee Si-hyeok had secretly slipped out and taken a taxi.

Because that taxi shook too much….

She had vomited what she ate directly onto Lee Si-hyeok’s clothes!

And Yoon Seo-jin, who had passed out completely, knew nothing about it until she realized everything at the end and ran away without looking back.

This was the first time they met since then.

‘I see.’

So that’s how it was. That’s how it was….

Now he understood Department Manager Yoon Seo-jin’s behavior.

She was just embarrassed about what happened back then.

‘It’s been so long I had forgotten.’

Lee Si-hyeok chuckled and spoke to Yoon Seo-jin, who was frantically waving her hands in the air telling him to stay far away.

“You don’t smell.”

“What, what did you say?”

“I said you don’t smell at all. If you’re that worried, let me see.”

He instantly closed the distance and approached her.

Then he began exaggeratedly sniffing with his nose.

“Si-hyeok, what on earth are you doing…!”

“Did you put on perfume?”

“…What?”

“Perfume.”

“You’re right, but how did you know that? No wait. Si-hyeok, are you really okay with it?”

Yoon Seo-jin asked back as if she was dumbfounded.

“What do you mean? About you throwing up back then?”

“Do you have to put it that way?!”

“Come on, it’s not such a big deal. People can throw up and act drunk sometimes in life. I couldn’t even remember it until you just reminded me.”

“You couldn’t… remember?”

“There’s no need to remember every little thing.”

Rather, the artifact he had made just before that was much more vividly remaining in his mind.

Necessary memories and unnecessary memories.

That depended on whether it was related to magical engineering. Lee Si-hyeok tended to boldly set aside memories that weren’t.

“Anyway, you don’t need to do that. Department Manager, you acting like this makes it even stranger.”

“Well, then….”

Yoon Seo-jin cleared her throat and stood up from her seat.

She straightened her clothes and lifted the corners of her mouth. A confident smile. It was the usual Yoon Seo-jin.

“That’s right! People can do that sometimes in life. I’ve been constantly worried because I couldn’t thank Si-hyeok properly. I guess I’ll do it now.”

“You don’t particularly need to.”

“Gratitude is gratitude. You know I’m thorough about these things.”

Anyway, now that Yoon Seo-jin’s condition had returned to normal, it was time to ask the questions he had intended to ask.

Since he was participating in the seminar while hiding his identity, he couldn’t ask directly, but he had thought of something in advance.

Lee Si-hyeok looked at her sitting next to him and began speaking.

“By the way, Department Manager, I heard you’re participating in the seminar this time.”

“Ah, the seminar? That’s right. The Association contacted me. Did you come after seeing the news article, Si-hyeok?”

Right after Lee Si-hyeok had notified the Association of his intention to participate, portal sites had been flooded with seminar-related news.

Lee Si-hyeok nodded.

“I even confirmed that Eterion Magical Engineering Institute is the host venue. But isn’t Eterion your alma mater, Department Manager?”

“…That’s right. Why do you ask?”

Suddenly, an inexplicable gloominess seeped into Yoon Seo-jin’s voice. It might have been his imagination, but it was definitely a tone that contrasted with her previous manner of speaking.

“I thought it would be comfortable for you. Since it’s an academy you attended, you’d be more familiar with it.”

“Yes… Well. I suppose so.”

Could it really be because of the incident he had seen in the classified document?

She seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it any further.

‘Should I stop here?’

He had never intended to dig deep into it anyway.

Since his participation couldn’t be discovered, there was a risk of being found out if he pried too much, and he didn’t want to make her recall what was probably a traumatic incident.

Still, through that brief questioning, he had grasped everything he wanted to understand.

‘That incident definitely happened for real.’

And the reason Yoon Seo-jin had shown such intense hostility toward Pyo Jae-hwan from before was probably related to that as well.

It wouldn’t just be because he was a researcher at Chronos Industry, their competitor.

In that case, his future plan was simple.

He would participate in the seminar, engage in research exchanges and other activities, while secretly investigating the Eterion incident.

Lee Si-hyeok organized his thoughts neatly and looked at Yoon Seo-jin.

She was poking at research materials aimlessly with a slightly dejected expression.

“Department Manager, shall I show you something interesting?”

To cheer her up as well, Lee Si-hyeok carefully took Blackie out of his pocket.

The creature seemed to be sleeping with its eyes and mouth tightly shut, so it just looked like a cotton ball.

“…Oh my, what is this?”

Department Manager Yoon Seo-jin’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“It’s my new family member.”

“Family member?”

“It’s a little guy I brought home recently.”

Then he poked Blackie, and the creature’s eyes snapped open.

“Isn’t it cute?”

Soon Blackie spotted Department Manager Yoon Seo-jin and opened its mouth wide with a “Waah!”

It seemed happy, even grinning cheerfully.

“But this little guy isn’t just cute, there are actually practical ways to use it too…”

Then Lee Si-hyeok’s words were cut short.

Something felt strange.

Department Manager Yoon Seo-jin’s reaction. He couldn’t sense any at all. When he turned his head slightly to look, she was frozen stiff, just blinking her eyes.

“Department Manager?”

Then she slowly got up from her seat.

“Hii, hiiiiek!”

She screamed and fled from the research lab.

Before he could even catch her, she ran down the corridor, got on the elevator, and disappeared.

“…”

‘What was that?’

Could she dislike animals?

Come to think of it, Blackie’s appearance would probably divide opinions extremely.

With just two eyes and a mouth sitting alone on a black cotton ball, it could seem somewhat grotesque.

Added to that, given Yoon Seo-jin’s usually neat personality, she would probably detest this kind of animal-like thing.

“Ma, maaang…”

Still, there was no need to hate it that much…

Only Blackie’s pitiful cries echoed through the empty research lab.

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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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