You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 4

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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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4

 

 

Two days later, I was discharged from the hospital immediately.

 

The Doctor suggested observing my condition for a few more days, but I wasn’t actually sick and any problematic injuries had already disappeared.

 

Most importantly, missing work for several days would put my bank account in jeopardy.

 

After completing the discharge procedures, I headed straight to the Association.

 

I boarded the bus and launched the application installed on my smartphone.

 

[Golden Fragrance M]

 

It was an app that had automatically installed on my smartphone right after returning from the Auction House.

It had many functions, but only three were relevant to me right now.

 

– Killing creatures converts them to gold.

– Member rank increases based on cumulative transaction volume.

– Easy access through [Golden Fragrance M] installed on smartphone.

 

Earning gold through hunting ultimately meant I had to become a Hunter.

 

Going from porter to Hunter.

 

It was something I couldn’t even imagine just a few days ago, but now it was different.

 

I had been invited to the Gods’ Auction House.

 

I could buy Stats and become stronger, and I had the driving force to rise up.

 

Whether it’s an Elixir or whatever, as long as I can get my hands on it—

Everything will be different then.

 

Meanwhile, the bus arrival announcement sounded as we reached the Association Bus Stop.

Taking a slight breath, I slowly rose from my seat.

 

***

 

When I arrived at the Association, it was already past noon.

 

I pulled a Number Ticket from the reception machine at the entrance, waited briefly, then headed to Window 5.

 

The Staff Member sitting beyond the transparent wall greeted me familiarly.

 

“Mr. Sangin, I heard you had hallucination symptoms this time? How’s your body?”

 

“I’m fine. You know I have a sturdy body.”

 

At my words, the Staff Member smiled and held out a document.

 

“Just in case, I saved an F-rank porter request for you. It’s a night shift, but the Dungeon is small so you should be able to finish before midnight.”

 

I didn’t take the paper and shook my head.

 

“I didn’t come as a porter today.”

 

The Staff Member’s hand stopped.

 

“Pardon…?”

 

“I want to try taking a Hunter request. You have leftover F-rank Dungeon requests, right?”

 

The Staff Member’s eyes widened.

 

“There are some, but… don’t push yourself too hard. Last time you took a Hunter request, you spent a month in the Hospital.”

 

I had once taken on Hunter work when I desperately needed money.

 

I barely managed to clear it, but my whole body was torn up and I was hospitalized immediately.

 

“It’s fine. This time is a bit different.”

 

The Staff Member hesitated for a moment, then handed me a Request Form printed from the printer.

 

“It’s an Abandoned Factory F-Rank Dungeon with slimes. The difficulty is low and there are almost no dangerous elements.”

 

“That’s perfect.”

 

I took the Request Form and nodded.

 

It was a Dungeon avoided because of the acidic gas and wastewater that slimes emit, but slime byproducts actually sold for decent prices.

 

The Staff Member had shown consideration in their own way.

 

But unlike me who was satisfied, the Staff Member still couldn’t hide their worried expression.

 

“If you really can’t handle it, retreat immediately. F-rank requests don’t have heavy penalties.”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

With those words, I moved to Seongnam where the Dungeon was located.

 

***

 

The Dungeon was located in a building deep inside the Abandoned Factory Complex.

 

After the Dungeon was created, there wasn’t a single sign of human presence in the factory complex where all the Workers and Residents had left.

 

Rusted steel structures and broken glass windows created an eerie atmosphere.

 

Going a bit further in, a massive iron door came into view.

 

When I entered the code written on the Request Form into the terminal, the closed iron door began to slowly open with a heavy sound.

 

‘Now it begins.’

 

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

 

The moment I passed through the Gate—

My vision briefly twisted and the interior of a rundown factory spread out before me.

 

At the same time, humid air mixed with a sour smell hit me.

 

Most of the Factory Interior had collapsed, and the floor was covered with slimy traces as if slimes had crawled all over it.

 

I drew the Basic Dagger I had received from the Association.

The feeling of gripping the handle was different from before.

It was light, solid, and the weight was just right.

 

Just then, the first slime crawling toward me came into view.

 

It was a chance to see how much the stats I gained from the Auction House would affect me.

 

I steadied my breathing and quietly lowered my stance.

 

A slime’s weakness is simple.

 

The core located in the center of that wobbling liquid mass.

 

It received an F-rank rating because it’s a monster that exposes its weakness so blatantly, but…

 

Having an exposed weakness means its defense is that much stronger.

 

For instance, that gelatinous substance that wobbles and absorbs physical impacts.

 

If you blindly aim for the core and thrust your sword, you might not reach the core and instead have your skin melted by the acidic gel – it’s a dangerous monster.

 

The hunting method is simple.

 

Strike the core precisely with an impact strong enough that the slime can’t absorb it.

 

I gripped the Dagger tightly and quickly circled to the slime’s right side.

 

The slime flinched and raised what resembled a head.

 

Now’s the time.

 

“Haah!”

 

I twisted my body and thrust the Dagger like I was throwing it.

 

Through the squishy gel, I felt the solid texture of the core at my blade’s tip.

 

At that moment,

 

Pop—

 

Like a firecracker exploding, pieces of the slime burst out in all directions.

 

 

“…”

 

I stared at the Dagger in my hand with a bewildered expression.

 

‘Were slimes always creatures that could explode like this?’

 

[Absorbing the slime’s soul.]

[Converting soul to gold.]

[Gold held: 9G -> 10G]

 

Then golden message windows appeared one after another before my eyes.

 

‘…It really works.’

​

​Only after confirming that my gold had actually increased did it feel real.

 

Though it was only 1 gold, I had experienced just how amazing that 1 gold worth of stats could be.

 

Aside from that,

 

“Tsk, I should learn to control my strength. Collecting scattered gel is also work.”

 

Wearing Work Gloves, I grumbled as I picked up the scattered gel pieces one by one.

 

***

 

I went deep into the Dungeon and focused on hunting slimes.

 

As I killed slimes one after another, souls accumulated, and every time gold piled up, I purchased stats.

 

[‘Basic Stat: Strength +1’ has been bid on.]

[‘Basic Stat: Strength +1’ has been bid on.]

[‘Basic Stat: Strength +1’ has been bid on.]

[‘Basic Stat: Agility +1’ has been bid on.]

 

Of course, I still had no sense for controlling my strength.

 

I still couldn’t completely prevent gel from splattering in all directions, but at least I became able to make it burst in one direction.

 

At least the Strength stats were manageable.

 

The problem was the Agility stats.

 

My body had gotten faster, but my senses couldn’t keep up.

 

The sword reacted before my hand did.

I had to belatedly follow its trajectory and barely manage to regain my stumbling body’s balance.

 

‘I shouldn’t increase my stats any more until I get used to this.’

 

Since there were no problems with hunting, I decided to pause stat purchases for now.

Adapting to my body was the priority for the moment.

 

When I finished off the last slime,

 

“0.1 gold…”

 

The amount of gold being converted was starting to decrease.

 

“I guess I can’t get any more gold from slimes.”

 

Gold was one thing, but the byproducts were the real problem.

 

Even after filling the container I’d gotten from the Association to the brim, there was still plenty of mucus scattered around.

 

‘That’s all money though…’

 

Then a good idea suddenly occurred to me.

 

‘If that’s all money… couldn’t I sell it at the Auction House?’

 

I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket and opened [Golden Township M].

 

The registration method was simple. Just take a picture of the item you want to register with the camera lens.

 

I scanned the slime remains scattered around.

 

[Item Name: Slime Mucus]

[Grade: None]

[Starting Price: 0.1G]

[Item Weight: 58kg]

[Bidding Target: All][Would you like to register?]

 

“Huh.”

 

Tap. I touched the screen with my finger.

After a moment, registration was completed along with a System Message.

 

But how could something like slime mucus possibly sell in a place where gods held auctions?

 

By the time I reached the dungeon exit, no bidding notifications had appeared.

 

‘I guess it really won’t sell?’

 

The good news, at least, was that I could use the Auction House like an inventory.

 

Assuming it doesn’t sell, of course.

 

“I should be grateful for even this much.”

 

As I was about to wrap up and leave,

 

Grumble.

 

My stomach was making a fuss about being hungry.

 

Looking at the time, it was almost 11 o’clock.

 

Though the sour smell of slimes still lingered at the tip of my nose, cup ramen eaten after running night dungeons was quite a delicacy.

 

I pulled out two cup ramens from my gear bag.

 

I’d gotten them from a 1+1 promotion at a convenience store.

 

Then suddenly,

 

‘If they’re gods, wouldn’t they have never tried cup ramen before?’

 

Originally, items that sell expensively at auctions are things that are hard to obtain with high demand but no supply, right?

 

With a “what if” thought, I playfully aimed the lens at one of the cup ramens.

 

[Item Name: Man-Crying Poo Ramen (Small Cup)]

[Grade: Unmeasurable]

[Starting Price: 1G]

[Item Quantity: 1 piece]

[Would you like to register?]

 

“What’s with ‘Unmeasurable’…”

 

I chuckled and pressed the register button.

 

As I took a chopstick-full of cup ramen made with water from my thermos, a golden message window appeared before my eyes.

 

[‘Man-Crying Poo Ramen (Small Cup)’ auction bidding has begun.]

 

“…For real?”

 

The noodles I was pushing into my mouth snapped. No, I couldn’t even think about such things.

What was definitely put up for auction was convenience store Cup Ramen.

The one with a Buy One Get One Free Event Sticker attached, no less.

 

But that… got bid on right now?

 

Gods’ Auction House.

 

Perhaps this place… might be far more bizarre than I had imagined.

 

***

—————
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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