Chapter 4

It was exquisite timing.

“I…”

Just before Yoo-seong went crazy…

-Certifying…

The public certificate had begun to work correctly.

On the evening of that day, as soon as he got home from the hospital, Yoo-seong sat right in front of the computer.

It was the market’s website. While searching for the market location, Yoo-seong found that online transactions could be made only after undergoing identity verification.

Direct dealing would be useful, but it was a bit hard to lose the whole day because Yoo-seong had another job.

‘I don’t think it’ll be too expensive.’

An ID code was written on the back of the pass given by Chae Shin-young. After the self-certification, Yoo-seong’s ID was created.

-Welcome to the entrance, Oh Yoo-seong.-

A private page, which was not visible to ordinary visitors, opened.

“Well.”

This all felt strange.

Although temporary, Yoo-seong was recognized as a member of the hunters. The market was no different from any other website. After moving the mouse around for about an hour, Yoo-seong was able to roughly figure out its structure.

‘I’ll go into ‘My Page,’ and I’ll click on ‘My Owned.”’

-Shark ape/date of capture 20XX. 05. 13

The history of the monster caught by Yoo-seong last night came to his mind.

“……Um.”

It took him quite some time to think about this.

Yoo-seong opened another Internet window and entered the word “exchange.”

After checking yesterday’s commotion on the Internet news, he heard that 32 Shark Apes had appeared.

Then naturally, the other 31 hunters with ownership would have put it on the exchange. He could set the price by referring to the amount they put up.

“I don’t need to go there myself.”

Yoo-seong smiled and drank a cup of coffee.

There had been many trading methods, but the most commonly used way to exchange was through ‘auction.’

If the lowest auction price and immediate purchase price were set, several companies or organizations that would want the body of a monster would bid.

The price of the Shark Apes on the exchange…

“…my God.”

The lowest price was 4.5 million won.

And now, none of the bodies of the Shark Apes under auction were priced below 500. Although there were differences, most prices steadily rose from 700 to 800.

Yoo-seong clicked the “Trade” button once.

He posted his own Shark Ape on the market and set the lowest price at 450 as others did. The only question was how to set the immediate purchase price.

Short-purchase was the upper limit of the auction price. If he had a buyer who didn’t want to compete, he could take the item without an auction by paying the immediate cost.

The highest purchase price set by others was between 10 and 15 million won. Some were already on sale for the highest rate of 1,000.

“…….”

Yoo-seong drank some more coffee.

Generally speaking, it was just a matter of staying and watch after setting the price.

“But I have to see this for sure.”

Even short money was his property, after all.

He had to be meticulous. Even if there was an unexpected change later, wasn’t it his responsibility?

Yoo-seong clicked on each of the posted Shark Apes and compared the details to his own Shark Ape.

After observation, Yoo-seong seemed to have a clue. The criteria for the price range of Shark Apes were its size and gender.

Unfortunately, his Shark Ape was on the short side. The gender was also male, who was cheaper than females.

But…

-Survival status: O

“……?”

There was a distinct difference.

He had clicked on all 31 Sharp Apes, but it was the only Yoo-seong that had an “O” sign on that “survival status.”

“No, was it alive?”

Come to think of it; he didn’t feel like he was going to die because a monster like that kicked his head a little… He didn’t have any movement back then.

Anyway, he had to set the highest price.

After a while, Yoo-seong typed on the keyboard.

– Immediate purchase price: 500,000,000,000 won

“Is it honestly too much?”

With a grin, Yoo-seong drank the remaining coffee.

Well, who cared? This was the only time at best. Perhaps he should listen to the hunters talking about the wild crazy.

-Trading history has been updated.

Finishing with a click, Yoo-seong lay right in bed after the shower.

“How much would it be?”

Ten million won.

No, if only 9 million won came out, it would be close to three months’ worth of revenue for Yoo-seong.

I’ve won 5th place in the lottery—what an incredible fortune.

Yoo-seong closed its eyes in a perfectly good mood. However, he could not stop giggling at the immediate price that he set.

500 million won, that was utterly ridiculous.

So Yoo-seong fell asleep, and the auction began. Obviously, Yoo-seong’s cold judgment was not wrong.

Yoo-seong’s Shark Ape was far short of receiving 500 million.

To be exact, it was about 80 million won short.

-Current bid price: 420 million won

In terms of the actual profit after-tax deduction, the total amount was 340 million won.

It was Yoo-seong’s first hunting income.

…

Even a monster of the same species may factors.

It may be endless to explain them one by one, but in a nutshell, scarcity was essential.

The harder the sample to get, the more expensive it was. From that point of view, the ‘living’ Shark Ape was a sufficiently expensive item.

It was tough to capture this creature, which resembled a great white shark as much as it looked alive. Even if a talented hunter captured it without wounds, blood vessels all over his body would burst under his temper.

There was one of the best-known methods at the moment. It caused a substantial shock to the veins of this creature’s larynx during a battle and fell into a domestic condition.

Even so, different individuals have different forces that must be given.

If he left his consciousness by hitting it awkwardly, his blood vessels would burst as soon as he glowed. On the contrary, too much shock meant that even if he fell into suspended animation, he wouldn’t live long.

“Really, you did a great job.”

The man who came out for the contract, who held the team leader’s position, repeatedly praised Yoo-seong.

“We were so nervous until you put up the sale. It doesn’t make sense that we can’t save a single living shark ape.”

It wouldn’t have been so if it were normal.

However, the crack in which Shark Ape appeared was an emergency that the Defense Department failed to capture by radar.

In the presence of civilians who couldn’t evacuate, hunters went on to shoot all the police without any time to plan a capture operation, saying that “private safety is the top priority.”

But then a miracle appeared.

Shark Ape, who fainted in a lyric state without any trauma, simply hit the occipital veins.

Needless to say, Yoo-seong had caught him.

“…….”

“You can take it slow.”

Perhaps because he thought Yoo-seong was silent because he focused on the contract, the man even arranged the agreement on the table in a friendly manner.

It was an attitude toward the hunter.

It was also a courtesy to the master who caught the Shark Ape without even belonging to a group.

What else would you think?

Even the casual attire of Yoo-seong, which was not like a hunter, seemed to give off a favorable impression.

‘Real experts in any field are unique.’

It was interpreted as the uniqueness of a truly talented person.

However, Yoo-seong was not silent because of the contract. Soon his hand wrote his name and stamped his seal.

With it, Shark Ape was transferred to the possession of a research facility where men worked, with 420 million won before taxes and 340 million won after taxes, becoming the money of Yoo-seong.

Before leaving him, Yoo-seong bowed to the man.

“Thank you.”

“What? No! What?”

With his hands waving as if he were in a daze, the man took out a business card from his pocket.

“If you get a good one next time, please contact me anytime. If you contact me separately like this, I can give you a better offer at my discretion.”

It was the man, not Yoo-seong, who bowed his head once more time just before parting.

“See you again, sir!”

The man left with a foreign car that would have surprised the usual Yoo-seong.

The man’s resume on his business card listed prestigious universities and graduate schools abroad, which Yoo-seong would know.

“No matter how much I think…”

“I think I’m the one who should say thanks.”

Thinking so, Yoo-seong laughed bitterly.

Inside the public transportation back home, Yoo-seong looked into his account on his cell phone.

456,023,367.

About 456 million won.

Of the total, 340 million won came from the sale of Shark Ape.

The remaining 110 million were the results of Yoo-seong’s steady savings over the past nine years. Nine years spent youth with sincerity rather than pleasure.

It was a one-night profit.

With that one night alone, the last nine years of Yoo-seong had been reduced to just a third.

No one disliked public money. Naturally, Yoo-seong didn’t hate the money that came to him.

However, he felt a little stuffy in his chest.

Eventually, with several stops to get home, Yoo-seong got off the bus. He bought three cans of beer and headed to the Han River.

Then he sat on the hill and drank them.

Without saying anything or doing anything, he is just sat there, looking at the river.

“…….”

Even after he finished all his beer, he was not tipsy at all. His face didn’t turn red.

When he stood up, Yoo-seong was different.

‘I… will become a hunter.’

Yoo-seong looked down.

The grey button was still floating in front of him.

He was a man who did whatever he said he would do.