You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 54

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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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54

 

 

 

The vacation ended faster than I had expected.

 

No matter how good a resort might be, there’s ultimately no place like home.

 

I brewed a cup of coffee as usual and opened Golden Fragrance like any other day.

 

‘The products Jia planned this time… they’re selling quite well?’

 

K-Convenience Store food and cosmetics were still popular in Golden Fragrance.

 

It felt like the Korean Wave was catching on even among the gods.

 

Watching the gold accumulate in real-time had long since become one of my pleasures.

 

Beyond the computer that was just for show, Jin-woo and Jia were busily tapping away at their keyboards.

 

Then, with a familiar energy, a ‘pop’ sound echoed through the office.

 

I wondered if my salary thief lifestyle was finally coming to an end.

 

“You said it would take a long time, but you came back faster than expected.”

 

When I turned around, Dolsoe stood there dressed in plain clothes.

 

“I’ve lived for hundreds of years, haven’t I? I was an old friend of Yamyeong, the leader of Sadangpae.”

 

“So you found him?”

 

At my question, Dolsoe nodded.

 

Even though things could proceed faster than expected, his expression wasn’t particularly bright.

 

“I did find him, but…”

 

Dolsoe trailed off.

 

“But… there’s been a bit of a problem.”

 

“A problem?”

 

“There’s been an issue with Sadangpae itself… It would be faster if you just saw it directly.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Dolsoe nodded as he spoke.

 

Well, he wasn’t wrong.

 

Even though this was someone Sister An Hyeon-su had recommended and was Dolsoe’s close friend, I hadn’t verified it myself.

 

I needed to confirm what kind of person this Yamyeong was and whether Sadangpae was truly an organization that could help me.

 

Since when did I hire people based on just pieces of paper?

 

If Sadangpae was truly necessary, I could solve their problems and make them my people, and if not…

 

‘Sorry to Dolsoe, but it would be a bust.’

 

I stood up from my seat.

 

It was time to go to work.

 

***

 

“Are you sure this is really the right place?”

 

I looked at the entrance with a bewildered expression.

 

“It’s right, I tell you. Stop asking.”

 

And for good reason—the place Dolsoe had led me to was a bustling market where a five-day market was in full swing.

 

Central Market, located in Yongin, not even on the outskirts but right smack in the very center.

 

According to Dolsoe, this was where Sadangpae was located.

 

‘It’s a much more public place than I expected?’

 

“Young man, don’t just stand there, move aside please.”

 

“Ah, yes, sorry.”

 

Behind me as I stared blankly at the market sign, a cart loaded with goods passed by.

 

I looked up at the market sign once more.

 

On a metal sign with red paint half peeled off, ‘Yongin Central Market’ was written in large letters.

 

Below it, all sorts of people were bustling back and forth, and through the gaps, the savory smell of oil stung my nose.

 

“Mister Kim, if you’re done sightseeing, follow me so you don’t get lost.”

 

“I’m a grown adult, there’s no way I’d get lost…”

 

But aside from that, I’m a demigod.

 

He’s a bit lacking, but still one of the world’s top ability users who could easily overpower most S-rank Hunters.

 

And yet he’s telling me not to get lost…

 

“That’s not what I meant. I’m saying be careful because the goblins might play tricks on you.”

 

Dolsoe looked at me with a face full of worry.

 

Of course, his hair was half-covering his face, but that expression was unmistakable.

 

“Got it. I just need to follow close behind you, right?”

 

“That’s right. Then let’s depart.”

 

With those words, Dolsoe turned his body toward the market packed with crowds.

 

The market alley had no room to even step foot.

But with the large Dolsoe clearing the way, it was actually quite comfortable for me following behind.

 

The problem was that Dolsoe was so big that even when I looked up, I could only see his back…

 

We pushed through the crowds into an alley, then from there entered a side path.

 

Dolsoe’s steps gradually quickened.

 

We passed a pancake shop reeking of oil, amid the mixing sounds of frying and people’s voices from all directions—

 

‘What’s this…?’

 

Suddenly something changed.

 

The surrounding scenery wavered as if caught in a dream.

 

The atmosphere, the air, the flow.

 

Everything from when we entered the market was gradually being tinted.

 

Instead of oil smells, thick rough smoke with a strong fragrance stung my nose.

 

Instead of market vendors’ voices, unfamiliar dialects and archaic speech patterns brushed past my ears.

 

And when that dizzying transition ended,

 

“Huh…?”

 

I was lost.

 

Dolsoe’s back that had been clearing the way was nowhere to be seen.

 

I turned my head to look around.

 

Just a few steps ago it had been an ordinary market—

 

But at some point, the street stall vendors’ clothing had changed.

 

A merchant wearing a pressed gat, a man in straw shoes, aunties in hanbok skirts and plain jeogori.

 

‘So this is what he meant by possibly getting lost.’

 

This was no longer Yongin’s Central Market.

 

On a long pole erected at the entrance, cloth fluttering in the wind bore the identity of this place

 

“Dokkaebi Market…”

 

***

 

“Young man, try this too.”

 

A goblin resembling a kind-hearted tavern keeper cut some injeolmi and handed it to me.

 

“I’ll enjoy it.”

 

I gave a light greeting and put the rice cake in my mouth.

 

Before I knew it, both my hands were full of various foods and items.

 

The trouble started when I decided to explore the market, thinking Dolsoe would surely find me.

 

The passing merchants kept handing me things, saying they liked me.

 

So before I knew it, not just my hands but even both my cheeks were full of food.

 

Apparently I’m quite popular with the goblins.

 

The Dokkaebi Market wasn’t much different from human markets.

 

Injeolmi, buckwheat jelly, boiled pork, makgeolli, and such.

The catch was that most things were just what goblins would like.

 

Well, I did occasionally see some mystical items…

 

But with my standards raised by Golden Incense, they just looked ordinary to me.

 

Even as my market tour was winding down, there was still no sign of Dolsoe.

 

‘I’ll just call him out myself.’

 

I had forgotten, but I could use Ghostly Energy to summon Dolsoe.

 

I steadied my breathing quietly and lightly summoned my ghostly energy.

 

Energy gathered at my fingertips, and just as I was about to conjure Dolsoe’s form,

 

“Mister Kim, were you there?”

 

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

 

A familiar voice came from behind me.

 

It was Dolsoe.

 

‘Hmm… what do we have here?’

 

At first glance, he looked exactly like Dolsoe.

The large build, plain clothes, even the hair covering his face.

 

Even if Jin-woo handles most of the guild’s affairs, would I fail to recognize my own guild member?

 

He had copied the appearance and even the aura perfectly, but that bastard wasn’t Dolsoe.

 

“I thought you’d left after waiting. Come along quickly.”

 

“… Right.”

 

I followed behind him with a strange smile.

 

Dolsoe kept turning toward deserted alleys.

 

Before I knew it, the Dokkaebi Market had vanished from sight, and only long stretches of stone walls filled my vision.

 

Walking without knowing where I was going, it felt like following a predetermined railway track.

 

“You’ve worked hard getting this far.”

 

He said.

 

The surroundings were quiet.

My energy, sounds, and senses were all growing faint.

 

As if I’d taken strong cold medicine, my mind was floating and drifting away from reality.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Mister Kim, why did you come looking for Sadangpae?”

 

Dolsoe’s voice, with a changed tone, rang in my ears.

 

But regardless of my will, an obsession that I must answer that question filled my head without reason.

 

“To meet Yamyeong.”

 

“What do you plan to do after meeting them?”

 

“Accept them if necessary, and if they’re useless…”

 

I chuckled and wrapped Karmic Fire around Galmu.

 

“There won’t be much need for lengthy consideration.”

 

“Why are you suddenly acting like this?”

 

As I drew up my ghostly energy, my blurred vision became clear.

 

“So this is the kind of ability…”

 

Looking around, the stone wall path that stretched between yellow canola flower fields had been broken for a long time.

 

What I could see behind the stone wall path I had walked was an old abandoned warehouse.

 

Dark, damp cement walls and a rusted iron door.

 

The Karmic Fire that flowed down along Galmu to the floor surrounded me and the fake Dolsoe with walls of blue flames.

 

“M-Mister Kim!”

 

The fake Dolsoe looked at me with a panicked expression.

 

“What are you doing, Mister Kim…”

 

I aimed Galmu with an indifferent expression.

 

“How dare a bastard who doesn’t even know me call the King by name.”

 

It was a dokkaebi with quite a unique ability.

 

But that didn’t justify trying to control me.

 

‘I should teach him a proper lesson.’

 

With that thought, I brought Galmu down.

 

Just as the sword blade was about to fall on the fake Dolsoe’s head—

 

“Mister Kim!”

 

A familiar voice came from behind along with rough breathing.

 

“You can’t kill him! That bastard is Yamyeong.”

 

***

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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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