CH 24

Han Cha-soo chased away the members of the Exilis Guild, demanding that they make sense.

But it was only a stopgap measure, and they hadn’t stopped coming for four days after that. If there was one silver lining, it was that they hadn’t grown tired.

“What is it today?”

“Sorry about last time!”

The next time they showed up, instead of keys to the apartment, they showed up with money to fix the front door.

After that, the visits came like water off a duck’s back. Lee Ji-hoon, in particular, came every day to make sure the renovations were going well.

I couldn’t be bothered to kick him out anymore, so I greeted him with a curt hello and he smiled as usual.

“You’ve been feeling a bit down lately.”

Instead of saying it was all because of you, Han Cha-soo took the envelope.

“I told you I was worried about you, and the guild leader told me to send you this.”

He opened the envelope and saw a live chicken lying with its legs crossed in a clear broth.

It was Baeksuk.

(Note: Baeksuk is boiled chicken)

“…….”

Is it just me, or does he look more and more like Jung Yiheon?

Still, it wasn’t polite to refuse to eat it. He would have thrown it away if I sent it back.

They abandoned their new cars in the car park like that.

He couldn’t let baeksuk be in that position. Han Cha-soo gladly took over the envelope.

“But how long is he going to do this?”

“What?”

“I think it’s better if he just come in person.”

The repeated visits to apologize were getting annoying. I also didn’t like the fact that he brought something with him each time.

It would be faster and more efficient to just set up a time to talk, since the purpose is obvious.

‘I’d like to make it clear that I’m not going to share my earrings with anyone else.’

The person who needs to hear it is nowhere to be seen, Won.

It was good for my mind and body in many ways that the original protagonists didn’t visit me in person, but it was a bit awkward if it continued like this.

“Enough with the presents, I want to see him.”

I said as I lifted the heavy shopping bag, and Lee Ji-hoon shook his head in confusion.

“As you know, he’s been very busy with the Irregular Gate case, but he’s been keeping up with everything you’ve been saying.”

Yes, when you think about it, it’s hard not to break down a door to get a pair of earrings.

It’s a long way from the days when I had my car door ripped off.

‘I told you to leave him alone, so let’s not worry about him.’

The day he smashed the floor of my front door begging him to take his car. I had contacted Jung Yiheon.

When I told him that the Exilis Guild wanted me to take the car, he replied.

-Just take it.

“Yes?”

-Geum Myeong-yeol is in a state of mind that makes the most sense when you can see it. Leave him alone. It won’t do you any harm.

I don’t think he’s an idiot. Jeong Yiheon believed that Geum Myeong-gyeol was atoning.

It was understandable, since he’d been in charge of all the aftermath of the last Irregularity Gate.

His influence must have been felt even when the government officials didn’t call him in.

‘In that sense, he’s quite helpful.’

Jung Yiheon had one other reassuring thing to say.

-Oh, and. The bug that came out of the potion last time turned out to be something other than loneliness.

“Yes?”

-But it’s clear that someone had a hand in it, so we’re doing our own investigation into that. Don’t worry about Han Chasoo-ssi, take care of you.

Even if he didn’t say it, I was going to rest well.

“It smells good. Where did he buy it?”

But now that he’s in his house, Han Cha-soo moved the baeksuk and raised the fire.

Soon the soup was boiling and a delicious smell filled the house. It was a hunger-inducing smell.

He turned the heat to the lowest setting and entered the lab.

On the large desk lay a frantic array of different drugs.

I was in the middle of organising them by use when I got an unexpected visit from Exilis.

“Where were we? Mmm, anaesthetics.”

He looked at the labels and organised them one by one.

It was the irregular gate that suddenly inspired him to tidy up the lab.

I realised that even if Han Cha-soo avoided harmful people in the original, he couldn’t avoid gates that appeared out of nowhere.

‘I need to do everything I can to prepare in advance.’

So I decided to categorize the drugs in my house by use and keep them on hand.

Assassination tends to be a bit behind the other hand-to-hand combat classes, even at A-level.

It was meant to compensate for that.

“That’s all for now, then.”

I’ll go to the Item Exchange after I fill my stomach.

With a lightness of step, Han Cha-soo ran towards baeksook, who was waiting for him.

The taxi stopped in the centre of Yeouido.

“Have a nice day.”

Stepping out of the car, Han Cha-soo scanned his surroundings with familiarity.

A neat sign was visible through the gleaming buildings.

[Korea Item Trading Association.]

It was the top of the list of state-certified item exchanges.

‘Last time I was in need of miscellaneous items, I went somewhere else.’

The Korean Item Trade Association, or ‘the Korea Association’ for short, was an institution with a high nose.

Unlike other exchanges, they are notorious for not handling trivial items.

They only carry items with a difficulty level of 3 or higher.

In particular, they prefer items that support weapons or hunter stats.

In other words, the advice was to take your obscure miscellaneous items to small and medium-sized item exchanges.

‘They don’t know what they’re talking about. These things are so useful.’

He himself was freed from the shackles of his diary thanks to the notebook.

As he pushed open the heavy glass door, he recalled the notes in his inventory.

Instead of the original diary, which had been destroyed for sure, it was going to stay in my inventory forever, safe and sound.

‘You can’t just dismiss it as a miscellaneous item.’

Even if it’s just a mask. It helps him in an urgent situation when he exited the irregular gate.

I looked at the sign, thinking about the value of underestimated miscellaneous items.

The first and second floors were management and staff offices. The actual trading of items seemed to take place on floors 3 to 12.

‘The fourth floor must be for equipment items with difficulty level 3.’

Han Cha-soo stepped lightly.

He was deeply grateful that the original had saved up for the role of villain.

“The belt, bracelet, and shoes are a total of 130 million won.”

These were all A-list items, and the prices were exorbitant.

But he could afford it.

The Heavenly Spirit Guild was a fairly generous employer in terms of pay.

In addition, the real Han Cha-soo even steal company goods in his spare time and sell them on the black market.

In a nutshell,

“I’ll pay you in a lump sum.”

Which means his wallet is very full.

‘The only good thing about being a villain.’

Han Cha-soo smiled as he cheerfully handed over the card.

But there were some things that even the villain’s deep pockets couldn’t solve.

“…7.5 billion?”

“Yes. The price of the ‘Universal Escape Stone’ you inquired about is currently 7.5 billion.”

It was the only item that could get out of the irregular gate without clearing it, the Universal Escape Stone.

“7.5 billion….”

I blurted out in disbelief, and the receptionist smiled wryly.

“Would you like to participate in the auction?”

“…….”

Han Cha-soo kept his mouth shut. I was just stopping by to see if I could buy it. It wasn’t 700 million, it was 7.5 billion.

It’s not even a fixed price, but a current price.

‘The world of auctions is scary.’

It is a Universal Escape Stone that has been dropped after 20 years. Han Cha-soo turned away with a regretful face.

‘I knew it was hard to get, but this much….’

In the original, Jung Yiheon was still able to get it, but it was all due to the protagonist’s halo.

In the end, Han Cha-soo had to give up the Universal Escape Stone.

Even if the original Han Cha-soo was a villain with no conscience, he didn’t have that kind of money saved up.

‘It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. There’s no way I’m going to get caught in another irregular gate in my lifetime.’

He was about to press the button for the seventh floor when a voice called out.

“Mr Han Cha-soo.”

A heavy voice called out from behind me, reaching for my hand.

“What are you doing here?”

The slightly smirking voice sounded vaguely familiar.

“Haa…. Guild Leader Geum Myeong-yeol.”

Han Cha-soo sighed softly and turned slowly.

He had barely calmed his pounding heart.

He almost elbowed him in the side of the head.

“That’s my question. What are you doing here?”

Why would a busy man suddenly pop out of nowhere?

Despite his sigh, Geum Myeong-yeol was a singular stranger.

“I don’t know what I’m doing here. Maybe take a lift with Han Chae-soo?”

Before I knew it, Geum Myeong-yeol’s hand was on top of mine.

It was almost too much for me to consciously notice.

I pressed the red-lit button again to cancel.

‘I really don’t know what you’re doing.’

“Guild Leader Geum Myeong-yeol, if you please.”

“Han Chasoo-ssi.”

I was afraid to speak, wondering if it was because I hadn’t accept the gift.

“Yes, please.”

Okay, let’s hear why he’s doing this.

Han Cha-soo answered calmly, and Geum Myeong-yeol looked at him like he was going crazy.

“Was I that bad?”

“…What?”

“I think I’ve been trying quite a bit to look good.”

Looking down at the confused Han Cha-soo, Geum Myeong-yeol sighed deeply, as if he could hear him.

He tugged on his arm and pointed to a plaque in the corridor they had just passed.

[Exchange specialising in matching items for couples]

“…Ah.”

You bastard, you came here thinking that I was going to do couples’ earrings with someone else.

It was not a pleasant realisation.