You Have Been Invited to the Auction House of the Gods - Chapter 92
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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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92
But my expectation that things would go smoothly was spectacularly wrong.
“Your Chinese visa application has been denied.”
“…Excuse me?”
For a moment, I couldn’t understand what I had just heard.
The entry and exit of S-rank Hunters is managed separately by the Association.
I learned this the hard way during my vacation.
To refuse such a formal request made through diplomatic channels.
No matter how much I thought about it, there was no reason for the visa application to be rejected.
“Does that… make any sense?”
The association president shrugged and held out a document.
The reason for rejection was listed as ‘Other Items’.
It was a category that applied when there was a judgment that the applicant didn’t meet the permit requirements such as identity, financial capability, etc., even though they didn’t fall under any specific category.
In fact, if Jin-woo hadn’t looked it up for me, I wouldn’t have even known such a category existed.
“Why did they reject it?”
“I don’t know either. There’s never been a case like this before.”
The Association President also seemed bewildered.
And rightfully so.
I have no choice.
The association has formally gone through the application process, and contact has also been made through diplomatic channels.
The association president tried to find out through various channels, but all he got back were vague responses about “internal matters,” which is driving him crazy.
So I took a moment to review the internal matters that fall under miscellaneous items.
The ‘status, financial capability, etc.’ section.
How could that be possible?
Then was my financial capability lacking?
Just look up at Asin’s 65-story building.
Then does this mean their financial capacity is declining?
If you were to ask who the hunter making the most money in South Korea right now is—
Look up at Ashin’s 65-story building.
That’s how bad it is.
If it’s not about status or financial capability, then it must be one of those items that fall under that “etc.”…
The answer to that came from Jinwoo’s mouth.
“…There’s nothing else it could be.”
It was said as a joke, but it seemed the most plausible.
I thought, would they really conduct international diplomacy in such a petty way, but maybe that’s exactly why they could do it—because it was diplomacy?
China lost one S-rank Hunter after the Tokyo incident.
I thought, “Surely they don’t conduct international diplomacy in such a manner,” but then again, maybe that’s exactly how diplomacy works?
but as a result of that action, China’s national prestige was damaged.
“But why is that my fault?”
Listening to this was absurd.
First of all, I have no ill feelings toward him.
“But why is that my fault?”
But if the cult hadn’t intervened, things might have gone according to Zhang Qingye’s plan.
And most importantly, I never expelled Zhang Qingye from the Chinese Hunter Community.
Rather, I should be his lifesaver, shouldn’t I?
It was me who deflected the Samachae with Galmu before Carmen’s whip could sever his neck,
And most importantly, I have never expelled Zhang Qingye from the Chinese hunter community.
If anything, I’m probably his lifesaver, right?
It was also Galmu who deflected the whip before Carmen’s whip could slice his neck,
I was also the one who flash-froze his severed arm with frostfire before it could necrotize.
In a way, thanks to me, he saved his life and his career as a hunter didn’t have to end.
“There’s nothing we can do about it. That’s what diplomacy is.”
Weeds will grow back if you don’t pull them out by the roots.
The association president and Kim Jin-woo nodded with expressions that showed they had no choice.
“So what are you planning to do? At this rate, we might lose Liu Chen.”
That won’t do.
Weeds will grow back if you don’t pull them out by the roots.
Although the cult was a global organization, he had no intention of allowing it in Korea.
And the last remaining piece was Liu Chen.
“What do you mean how? We’ll have to enter without a visa.”
“Ahem… I had forgotten about this urgent schedule.”
At my words, the Association President hastily rose from his seat.
“I just gave you the documents and left immediately.”
“Yes, yes. We never discussed illegally entering China without a visa with the Association President.”
The Association President cleared his throat at my words.
“We also never talked about kidnapping a Chinese person from there.”
The Association President turned his head as he headed outside.
“Anyway, be careful on your trip.”
With those final words, he hurriedly left this place.
Having received the Association President’s unofficial approval, I immediately stood up from my seat.
“Jin-woo, let’s put out an article.”
“An article…?”
“Yeah. This would be a good title: Hunter Han Sang-in, Denied Entry to China, Enjoying Luxury Tourism in Hanoi.”
Since I needed to have never visited China.
***
Upon arriving in Vietnam, the humid tropical Southeast Asian air welcomed me.
Sunglasses, a Hawaiian short-sleeve shirt, and even several attendants.
It was the perfect outfit for luxury tourism.
Word of my Tokyo conquest had apparently spread all the way to Southeast Asia, as quite a few people recognized me.
Then again, it was a natural result since they had published several articles about going on a trip.
I deliberately walked slowly, letting myself be photographed, then got into the waiting black van.
Inside the van, there was someone waiting who looked exactly like me, wearing identical clothes.
“If you just keep your mouth shut, who would know?”
It was a goblin of the shrine troupe that had transformed through the power of divine objects.
“I’ll get straight to the mission briefing.”
The goblin of the traveling troupe pulled out a map.
The plan was simple.
The fake me gets off at a crowded stop.
While my fake self enjoys luxury tourism, I change clothes and head to the border region between Vietnam and China.
It was a simple operation where they would board a Vietnamese logistics truck traveling from there to China and then naturally enter the country.
What was surprising was that the logistics truck wasn’t actually arranged for the production.
They had identified trucks that actually travel back and forth across the Vietnam-China border, timing it to match the date of my entry into the country.
So it’s only natural that crossing borders would be seamless too.
True to their reputation as an urban legend, the Sadang faction was thorough.
After the fake me got off, the van stopped without traveling very far.
I changed into clothes enchanted with camouflage magic, then gathered a few items.
A few food supplies and one translation artifact.
Honestly, if we ran out of food, we could probably find a way to get more, but this artifact was different.
It was an artifact that couldn’t even be obtained from Hwanggeumhyang.
It can even provide real-time interpretation of all Chinese regional dialects.
After finishing my preparations, I immediately stepped out of the van.
***
I woke up to the sound of the truck rattling.
He quietly yawned and got up.
The place where I was sitting right now was the roof of a moving truck.
Since we arrived at the logistics warehouse earlier than expected, it seems I dozed off on the truck.
The sun had already set.
The lights of the logistics warehouse dimmed, and complete darkness settled in.
‘Not a single streetlight.’
Only the truck’s headlights served as the sole beacon, illuminating the road.
Thinking this worked out well, I lay back down.
We still had 5 more hours to travel to reach the border.
Unlike the sweltering day, a cool breeze brushed against my face.
I slowly closed my eyes and immersed myself in the World of Mental Examination.
Since I’d slept enough, I intended to do some training.
After driving straight for several hours like that, we arrived at the border checkpoint.
At the checkpoint, Public Security officers slowly approached the truck, shining their lights.
The conversation between the Truck Driver and Public Security went like this:
What’s your destination? What cargo are you carrying? Show us your permit.
It was an extremely official conversation.
However, they mentioned that due to recent smuggling and illegal immigration attempts, they would be inspecting the cargo.
Up until that point, I wasn’t particularly worried.
According to the information Sadangpae had investigated, this truck regularly traveled between China and Korea,
so it shouldn’t have anything to do with smuggling or illegal immigration.
That’s how it should have been.
‘Are there people in the cargo hold too?’
My Ki Sense detected the presence of people hiding in the cargo hold.
Well, while it’s illegal for people to ride in cargo holds in Korea, it’s common in rural areas and foreign countries.
“…”
But even so, they were holding something in their hands.
A faint smell of gunpowder and metallic scent vibrated through the air…
And it was the moment when Public Security lifted the cargo hold’s tarp.
I could clearly hear it.
The ‘click!’ sound of a bolt being pulled.
‘Damn, this is fucked.’
I reflexively launched my body.
Kicking off the roof, I leaped toward the barbed wire fence.
As I ignited Karmic Fire at my fingertips, the barbed wire glowed red and melted away.
Simultaneously, urgent shouts and gunfire erupted from behind.
The checkpoint’s headlights illuminated the truck as the thick smell of gunpowder rose.
When I glanced back, the border was complete chaos.
Burning vehicles, fleeing Illegal Immigrants, screams of terror.
And the gunfire of Type 67 Machine Guns silencing it all.
But thanks to that, my figure crossing the barbed wire went unnoticed.
‘Well, I did manage to enter the country.’
Leaving the gradually settling border checkpoint behind me, I slowly began walking.
***
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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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