The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 48

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

Episode 48

 

Daesan Group’s stock price exploded.

 

Since Daesan Guild is not a publicly traded company, the stock price of its parent company, Daesan Group, exploded instead.

 

And that wasn’t all.

 

Along with reactions asking when the new product would be released, the large-scale recruitment announcement mentioned at the end of the interview caused even Daesan Guild’s official website to crash.

 

Daily phone calls and email inquiries were just a bonus.

 

Everything was caused by Choi Hyun.

 

Jang Hae-hyeon said with admiration.

 

“I expected a big response, but to this extent… It’s beyond imagination, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, I think it’s beyond imagination too.”

 

“How are the preparations going?”

 

“As reported in advance, the redesign of all equipment currently produced by Daesan and the corresponding patent registrations have been completed, and the combination methods have been distributed accordingly. Training for the new Big 4 policy is also being conducted, and material procurement is proceeding smoothly.”

 

“What about recruitment?”

 

“As Choi Advisor said, we decided to give bonus points to Players with Manual Dexterity skills and Super Focus skills, and we also decided to give differential bonus points based on other Crafting skills and Repair skills they possess.”

 

“Perfect.”

 

“The 500 billion won we agreed to receive from Taeseong has also been secretly paid in full. Since you decided to reinvest the entire amount, we’ll gradually incorporate it into equipment and materials to digest it.”

 

Jang Hae-hyeon nodded.

 

Everything was perfect.

 

So perfect that he wondered if it could be any more perfect than this.

 

“But where is Choi Advisor right now?”

 

“I heard he’s going to the Association today.”

 

“The Association?”

 

“Yes, he said he’s done everything he needs to do, so he won’t need to be around for a while… He said he’d tell us the details after returning from the Association.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

He was curious but decided to wait.

 

Like the marshmallow story, Choi Hyun’s moves were the kind that would return double what you expected if you just waited a little.

 

“I’m looking forward to it. In the meantime, let’s do what we need to do. That’s how we can follow Choi Advisor and save the world, right?”

 

“I think that’s a good idea, President.”

 

The two returned to their daily routine.

 

* * *

 

Korea Hunter Association.

 

A national institution that handles everything related to Awakened individuals that occurred in South Korea after the Great Upheaval.

 

Choi Hyun visited this place.

 

“Oh, Hunter!”

 

A familiar face appeared.

 

It was Jeong Cheol-min, who had received the tip about Han Yeong-min’s mercenaries during the Hunter exam previously.

 

Seeing him, he greeted warmly.

 

“How have you been?”

 

“Oh, I’m always doing well thanks to you. I actually saw you on TV. I already thought you were an amazing person, but wow, now you’ve become even more amazing than I imagined?”

 

“Haha, not at all. By the way, what happened with those exam mercenaries from that time?”

 

“Ah… Those guys got lighter punishments than expected. They consistently testified that they participated just for fun, and since they’re active Hunters working in the field, there was some consideration.”

 

Hunters don’t have immunity from arrest like congressmen or diplomats, but if it’s confirmed that they’re actively working in the field, there’s some consideration in sentencing.

 

Moreover, rather than imprisonment or fines like ordinary people, most punishments involve sending them punitively to Gates or Dungeons.

 

‘Actually, this is a worse punishment. It’s driving them into a death trap.’

 

Of course, under the premise that they can be controlled.

 

If they’re judged uncontrollable, they’re immediately imprisoned with maximum sentences.

 

So unintentionally, while there might be some Awakened crime rates, Hunter crime rates are relatively low.

 

Choi Hyun nodded and said.

 

“Those guys will die soon anyway. More importantly, what I mentioned on the phone…”

 

“Ah, regarding that matter, I’ll escort you right away.”

 

The Association has five departments.

 

The Management Department handling operations.

 

The Awakened Department managing Awakened individuals.

 

The Resource Department managing items.

 

The Land Department managing problems occurring in Gates, Dungeons, and various territories.

 

The Special Department handling all other Awakened crimes and special incidents.

 

Jeong Cheol-min worked in the Land Department.

 

His previous participation as a supervisor in the Awakened exam was because Association staff are used rotationally to prevent potential corruption in supervision.

 

Thanks to this, things became easier.

 

Eventually, they arrived at the Land Department Special Management Division.

 

Upon arriving at the place called the Special Management Division, Special Management Division Chief Oh Seok-hyeon warmly welcomed Choi Hyun.

 

“Oh, Hunter Choi Hyun! It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Oh Seok-hyeon, Chief of the Land Department Special Management Division.”

 

“I’m Choi Hyun.”

 

“I heard about it. You want to tackle Black Areas? Let’s continue talking in the conference room.”

 

A seat was prepared in the conference room.

 

The conference room had some materials set up for today’s meeting.

 

It wasn’t something Choi Hyun had requested.

 

He had just casually mentioned it, but they had prepared everything on their own.

 

They were excited too.

 

Most Hunters avoid tackling Black Areas, but Choi Hyun had stepped forward wanting to tackle them first.

 

As soon as they sat down, Jeong Cheol-min immediately brought out drinks.

 

Oh Seok-hyeon said.

 

“But is what I heard really true?”

 

“Yes, that’s right. I want to tackle Whispering Darkness among the Black Areas.”

 

“Wow… That place is really difficult… Since you requested Whispering Darkness, I prepared materials for it. Would you like to look at the materials first?”

 

“It’s fine. I’ve already familiarized myself with all the publicly available information. Whispering Darkness is a labyrinth type with 3 floors, right?”

 

“Yes, that’s correct.”

 

“Also, no separate monster waves are occurring, so the management risk is low, but it’s still designated as a Black Area due to its high difficulty level.”

 

Whispering Darkness.

 

Commonly called ‘Whispering Dark’.

 

Moreover, Dungeons are usually divided into three types: Field type that exists only as plains without floor distinctions, Tower type with floor distinctions where you go up, and finally Labyrinth type where you go down underground.

 

In that sense, Whispering Darkness was a labyrinth-type dungeon.

 

“Yes, that’s correct. There are no monsters inside, but instead the dungeon itself is full of powerful mental attacks, so all Hunters who attempted to conquer it so far couldn’t reach the dungeon core and had to give up.”

 

Whispering Darkness had relatively few casualties.

 

That’s because they utilized the fact that there were no monsters in Whispering Darkness by tying ropes to challengers’ bodies before entry.

 

After that, they would send survival signals periodically, and when those signals stopped, they would pull the rope to rescue them.

 

Oh Seok-hyeon scratched his head and said.

 

“Whether using potions or items, mobilizing everything, we could somehow barely reach the 3rd floor, but that was the limit. From the moment of entering the 3rd floor, unless you have considerable mental strength, you’d all get mental illness… Of course, everyone was cured. Though it took some time depending on their level.”

 

It couldn’t be incurable.

 

After all, it was damage caused by the System.

 

Choi Hyun nodded and said.

 

“I see. But I’m fine. I have a way to conquer Whispering Darkness.”

 

“What kind of…?”

 

“Sorry. That’s personal, so I think it would be difficult to tell you.”

 

“Ah, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t normally ask about such things, but I was so anxious that I made a mistake for a moment.”

 

“It’s fine. Then there’s something I’d like to clarify before challenging Whispering Darkness.”

 

“Yes, what is it?”

 

“As I understand it, when new Dungeons or Gates occur, the Association first checks them and finally opens them to the private sector conditionally.”

 

“Yes, we currently try to handle whatever we can at our Association, and if we still can’t do it, we give priority conquest rights to qualified Guilds through auctions or other conditions.”

 

There’s no buying and selling.

 

Gates and Dungeons are disasters.

 

You can think of them as a kind of nuclear weapon.

 

If managed poorly, big trouble follows.

 

That’s why the ultimate ownership belongs to the country, and they conditionally transfer the priority conquest rights.

 

“So here’s what I’m saying. Those priority conquest rights – I heard you can receive bonus points by conquering Black Areas and get the right to conquer first.”

 

“Yes, that’s true. Since Black Areas cost an enormous amount in taxes just to manage, if you handle Black Areas for us, we provide various benefits not only priority conquest rights but also to the individuals and organizations that clear them.”

 

“Then in my case, Daesan would receive those benefits, right? Since I’m working as an advisor for Daesan.”

 

“Ah, you’re an advisor, not a guild member?”

 

“Yes, is that not allowed?”

 

“It’s not that it’s not allowed… but just to be safe, let me look up the relevant regulations.”

 

“If being an advisor doesn’t work, then there’s also the option of becoming a full member. Still, please check just in case.”

 

“Understood. Anything else then?”

 

“That’s all for now. Shall we go conquer it right away?”

 

“Right now?”

 

“Yes, right now. For me, Sokdum isn’t really that difficult a place.”

 

“Ah, yes…”

 

What kind of bluff is this?

 

The same thought crossed his mind briefly, but this wasn’t just anyone – this was none other than Choi Hyun.

 

It wouldn’t be too late to see it firsthand and judge then.

 

“Understood. I’ll prepare right away. Shall we travel together?”

 

“I brought my car, so I’ll travel separately. Could just Cheolmin come with me for entry purposes?”

 

“Let’s do that. Cheolmin, you know where Sokdum is located, right? Please guide him there.”

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

The car departs toward Sokdum.

 

And before long, they were able to arrive at the Black Area located on the outskirts of Seoul.

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