You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 33

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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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33

 

 

 

After the raid ended, the additional payment and remaining balance for the Protection Service were paid in full without exception.

 

Especially for the Protection Service, it was quite a large amount that could have caused complaints, but Vanguard Guild paid it all at once without a word.

 

That was because the body camera footage of the Porter who participated in that raid was made public.

 

Oh, of course this matter was clearly stated in the contract.

 

That the Porter’s body camera footage could be released for marketing purposes to promote the system.

 

That’s why you need to read contracts carefully.

This was also one of the means to protect Guild Members.

If they had known about this clause, they wouldn’t have acted that way.

 

Again, the original purpose was promotion.

 

How the Porter system works, how it moves together with the Raid Team.

And whether the rumored 0% loss rate was real.

 

All parts where there was conflict with Vanguard Guild were completely edited out.

 

What was released was only a portion of the entire raid – the monster corpse dismantling scene and the Protection Service part.

 

It was hard to believe these came from monster corpses torn like rags,

the quality of the by-products was absolutely incredible.

Not just the quality? The speed was also no joke.

 

It was Asin’s first commission that had drawn great attention from the beginning,

and since the results exceeded imagination, the video spread instantly.

 

└ 5:28 Wow, is it possible to dismantle like that there?

└ Passing 8-year veteran Porter here. I’ll keep passing by.

└ 12:41 Wow, look at the size of that sword.

└ ??? : Would there be an A-rank Hunter who could do something like this?

└ (Somewhat paraphrased) If you can’t do this, you’re not an A-rank Hunter.

 

The problem came next.

 

└ But why is the monster in that condition?

└ That looks like it was done on purpose?

└ Crazy. There are still guilds doing this kind of thing.

└ They did that and then asked for help because it got dangerous? Ridiculous;

└ Shouldn’t the Association step in and stop this kind of thing?

 

The video comments were quickly flooded.

 

As the issue grew, the media poured out reports about the evil practice of ‘Porter taming’.

 

Accordingly, the Hunter Association moved quickly.

 

Disciplinary procedures against Vanguard Guild were immediately initiated.

 

Seo In-cheol, who was the raid leader, had his license suspended, and the Guild Members who participated with him were banned from participating in raids for three months.

 

And using that as an excuse, they began thoroughly investigating the evil practices that had been going on.

 

As if they had been waiting for this opportunity.

 

All investigations and enforcement proceeded without hindrance.

 

‘No matter how I think about it, that Association President guy is more like a python than a tiger.’

 

It felt somewhat unsettling, but I decided to let it pass for now.

 

‘I’ll have to collect with interest later.’

 

Because I didn’t have time to worry about trivial matters.

 

Along with the Association’s immediate action, inquiries about Asin’s Porter system exploded.

 

Not only commissions, but contract inquiries for Protection Service poured in from those called VVIPs.

 

Of course, most of them turned back quickly after hearing the price…

 

Do they think getting carried by an S-rank Hunter is such an easy thing?

 

I think I spent a full month running commissions day and night, weekends included.

 

Literally, Asin was raking in money.

 

Money was good, fame was good, everything was good, but what pleased me most among all of it was the changed attitude of the Hunters.

 

‘Now they can’t treat us carelessly.’

 

Whether voluntary or not, there were almost no Hunters left who treated Porters carelessly in raid teams.

 

Because it’s all recorded in contracts, in the system, and on body cameras.

 

Now everyone knew that if they looked down on Porters even superficially, they would be reported directly to the Association.

 

It was frantically busy days.

 

When the notification sounds that had been ringing on my terminal several times a day finally quieted down a bit.

 

I summoned all the Guild Members.

Oh, including the Guild Master too.

 

***

 

“Hyung-nim, are we really going to eat all of this?”

 

Kim Jin-woo’s lips curved upward as he looked at the meat spread across the table.

 

The table was packed with various side dishes and food.

 

In the center of the table, charcoal was glowing red-hot in the brazier.

 

The charcoal had flared up intensely once before settling into a gentle, steady heat.

 

It was the perfect state for grilling meat right now.

 

And this wasn’t just any ordinary meat either.

 

I had specially requested this meat from Team Leader Lee Woo-ram at Cheongram Trading Company for today.

 

Since that meticulous man had selected this premium Korean beef, I couldn’t even imagine how delicious it would be.

 

And behind me hung a banner…

 

“Ashin Guild… Unity Event…?”

 

Lee Seo-rin looked at me as if she found it absurd.

 

“Well, it’s just a fancy way of saying company dinner.”

 

This was our first guild dinner since establishing Ashin.

 

Even though these people showed such fierce camaraderie at work, they seemed awkward in this atmosphere and were being distant with each other.

 

It was Elder Shin Yong-bok who broke that atmosphere.

 

“The charcoal is this good and what are you all doing sitting around! Hurry up and put the meat on!”

 

“You’re right. That was close, Elder.”

 

Park Ju-yong cheerfully began placing meat on the grill grate.

 

Following his lead, the other guild members also started grilling meat.

 

“Hyung-nim, leave the meat at our table to me. I may not look it, but I have a Western cuisine cook certification.”

 

Kim Jin-woo held up tongs and scissors with a determined expression.

 

As the meat sizzled and cooked, laughter gradually spread around the table.

 

This was the first time.

 

The first time all the people gathered under the name Ashin had sat at one table like this.

 

With a clink, glasses were passed around.

Some held cola glasses instead of soju glasses, while others moved around with empty bottles, striking up conversations.

 

People laughed.

 

The laughter spread to the far end of the table.

 

Though we’d been running dungeons together like our lives depended on it, this was the first time we sat down like this to drink freely without worry.

 

After the glasses had made several more rounds and meat grease was sizzling on the grill grate.

 

“This is a first.”

 

The voice wasn’t loud, but everyone’s attention focused on it.

 

“Working while… being treated like a human being.”

 

Suddenly, the table fell quiet.

 

It was something no one had been able to say easily, even after running dungeons together for a whole month.

 

But everyone had been feeling it.

 

The changed treatment and status of porters since coming to Ashin.

 

In the subdued atmosphere, Elder Shin Yong-bok suddenly stood up from his seat.

 

“You brats! Is this a funeral?! Our guild master… no, vice guild master personally prepared this for us!”

 

I know. Even I sometimes get confused and think of myself as the guild master.

 

“So, our vice guild master should say a few words.”

 

Elder Shin Yong-bok smiled as he filled my glass.

 

I grinned and slowly raised my glass.

 

“Everyone has worked hard this past month. Compared to Elder Shin Yong-bok, I haven’t lived that long, but… somehow, by enduring and persevering, a day like this has come. But what should we do? This is just the beginning.”

 

Several guild members burst into laughter.

 

“The next few months are fully booked. It’ll be busy and tough. But I know you’re all enjoying it. This is exactly when accidents happen. I’m talking about getting careless. I know.”

 

I looked at each guild member with serious eyes.

 

“If any of you fall into danger, I will definitely come to rescue you. So don’t lose hope and hang on tenaciously.”

 

“Everyone heard the Vice Guild Master’s inspiring toast, right? Still, don’t cause trouble for the Vice Guild Master and keep your wits about you, got it? Safety!”

 

“First!”

 

The sound of clinking rang clearly to the end of the table.

 

***

 

I surrendered to the company dinner that continued until dawn and left my seat first.

 

Since the venue was arranged in the guild building, it was home after just taking the elevator up a few floors.

 

I lightly washed up like that, poured a glass of cold water, and sat on the sofa.

 

I closed my eyes and recalled the scene from the company dinner.

 

Yes, this was what it was for.

A place where no one would fall beneath their feet.

A place where no one falls beneath your feet.

If they create something like that, their efforts won’t seem to have been in vain.

That was when it happened.

Ding—! A message window popped up with a sound.

[A note has arrived from the ‘Anvil that Tempers Fire’.]

[Do you want to confirm?]

An anvil that forges fire.

He had been a VVIP customer who consistently purchased from me from when I first started my ramen business until now.

‘Did this guy leave a note nagging about when I’m going to make the big-sized spicy stir-fried noodles again?’

I checked the note without giving it much thought.

But the moment I checked the title, my expression couldn’t help but stiffen.

[You, were you human?]

[Sender: Anvil That Forges Fire]

It seems like the Spicy Stir-fried Noodles VVIP is starting to suspect my true identity.

***

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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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