Chapter 105: Master K (1)

Chapter 105: Master K (1)

Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t like free stuff? Kang-hoo also liked the roulette that brought unearned income.New stories at novelhall.com

A roulette without a single loss. Just hearing about it makes one feel good. Isn’t it a gain no matter what comes out?

The roulette, activated like a hologram in mid-air, was densely filled with numerous options.

To mention just a few:

【5 Orange Magic Stones】

【1 Random Skill Book】

【Increase of 75 Magic Stats】

【Level Up by 1】

These were some of the options.

“If an increase in magic stats comes up, I’ll have to discard it.”

Kang-hoo smirked.

Due to the effects of the Barbaric Age, any chance for an increase in magic power had to be completely blocked.

Anyway, there was no pressure since anything that came out would be a benefit.

No matter how much he thought about it, it wouldn’t change anything, so Kang-hoo immediately spun the roulette.

While the roulette spun itself – Kang-hoo wasn’t even interested – under the brilliant lights.

Kang-hoo turned his attention to the piled-up messages from the constellations.

Having been so busy, he hadn’t checked the contents that the constellations were interested in.

For starters, about thirty constellations he had never heard of before had made minor contributions.

Most of them were experience buff contributions, which were the least burdensome in terms of divine power, but it wasn’t bad as every little bit adds up.

Constellations are cautious.

They make small contributions just enough to make their presence known and then keenly observe the hunter.

Once a hunter is led to receive divine power contributions, that much divine power becomes “invested.”

It’s like investing a lot of money into item or skill settings in a game and then being unable to quit.

The more you invest in a hunter, the bigger the loss if you pull away from them......

Meaningful investments have to be made carefully. The tentative response was understandable.

“Still, it’s a good start that thirty new constellations showed interest by the time I reached level 100.”

It was a decent beginning.

In the original story, about thirty constellations revealed themselves when Jang Si-hwan reached level 100.

Of course, there could be higher cases, but at least he was on the same starting line as Jang Si-hwan. It was considered a success.

Then:

【The constellation ‘Strategist of the Wasteland’ formally makes you an offer.】

【It doesn’t matter if I’m not your main constellation. I just want you to enjoy the privileges I have as a contractor.】

“......”

It was an extraordinary proposal.

To put it in a metaphor:

It’s like telling a man who already has a lover that it’s okay if he doesn’t love me, just let me stay by his side.

Not asking for anything from the contractor, but wanting them to enjoy the power of the constellation.

Usually, lower-ranked constellations do this to be with an attractive contractor.

However, the ‘Strategist of the Wasteland’ was a constellation ranked within the top 200 in the Grand War.

If they wanted, they could easily find another attractive contractor and become their main constellation.

Becoming the main constellation means that as the contractor grows, the status of the constellation also rises.

Otherwise, it doesn’t affect their own value at all.

Moreover, once privileges are provided, it creates a relationship almost indistinguishable from a main constellation, making it impossible to abandon the contractor.

The one-sided interest and love of the constellation.

For Kang-hoo, it was a bewildering but the best offer with absolutely no reason to refuse.

【I highly value your will to fight, your strategies and tactics, all of it.】

【Just being able to claim a spot and watch from it would be enough for me to have a pleasant time in the Grand War.】

Her heart was palpable.

Could it be that another named constellation would join him, alongside the Dimension Plunderer, who was already a significant figure in his own right?

He didn’t show it, but

his heart was trembling.

The constellations that Kang-hoo had plundered from the hunters he had killed

were like the Strategist of the Wasteland; they were subordinated to the contractor in a relationship of ‘servitude.’

Because Kang-hoo could only plunder constellations that had formally contracted.

For example, among the four constellations he obtained from killing the Problem Solver, three were subordinated.

The next day.

He met Jung Yuri in Seoul.

On the way to Seoul, he had another call with Yun Sang-mi, who said her condition was very good.

He felt good, thinking that the care he had provided seemed to be effective.

At the same time, he felt sorry that Yun Sang-mi had also suffered because of her involvement with him.

“I should use this before the month is over.”

Kang-hoo fiddled with a gold card he had taken out of his wallet.

It was a gold card authenticated by the Spitfire Guild. With a monthly limit of 2 billion won, there was a need to spend it wisely.

After meeting K, Kang-hoo planned to pay for the Solarkium he would buy from him with this card.

It was considered a purchase of consumables.

Hunters earn a lot of money, but they also spend a lot.

That doesn’t mean all hunters are wealthy.

It’s possible to be wealthy without spending money. However, growth would stall, and one would eventually fall behind.

Hunters capable of accumulating a lot of money usually have high pride in themselves and are more passionate.

Cases of planning to just accumulate a certain amount and then retiring from hunting life were not common.

Hunters with such a mindset usually grew slowly or died in dungeons.

Then.

“Oppa!”

He heard the cheerful voice of Jung Yuri calling him.

Turning his head, he saw her dressed casually in a white T-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket, exuding a simple 20s vibe as if she were on her way to meet her grandfather.

“You’re here.”

“Did you wait long?”

“Not at all. You arrived just in time.”

“Let’s go! I’ve prepared the car in advance, so let’s head to the parking lot!”

“Is it a rental?”

“See for yourself! It’s too bothersome to explain!”

Jung Yuri pulled Kang-hoo along.

Perhaps because she was going to see her grandfather, Jung Yuri seemed to be in a particularly good mood.

The excitement was understandable. The mere thought of meeting one’s blood relatives often brings happiness.

The car they arrived at in the parking lot was much nicer than Kang-hoo had anticipated.

“Is this a safety limousine?”

“Yes! Exactly! It’s equipped with everything from bulletproofing to a self-defense barrier system linked with magic stones!”

“......Must be expensive.”

“It’s okay. Grandma sent the car for us to use! Ah, Mr. Driver! I’ve brought a guest with us!”

Jung Yuri busily exchanged greetings.

The man who appeared to be the driver also seemed to be a hunter.

In the car behind, which appeared to be accompanying them, there were bodyguards dressed neatly in suits. They, too, were hunters.

‘Who exactly is she?’

Kang-hoo was curious about the identity of Jung Yuri’s ‘grandmother,’ a figure shrouded in complete mystery.

A safety limousine with this level of setup could be as expensive as a mobile home.

The price isn’t really the issue, but the maintenance costs for driving it are.

To maintain all these features and travel to Ground Zero, it would cost at least 90 million won per trip.

The magic stones used for the barrier maintenance had to be discarded afterward.

They can’t be reused or replaced, so it’s essentially like throwing money away on the street.

“Yuri.”

“Yes?”

“Can I know who your grandmother is?”

Kang-hoo, who usually doesn’t show curiosity, couldn’t help but ask this time.

He was also a bit ‘scared’ by Jung Yuri’s family relations.

Her grandfather is Master K, who tightly controls the Ground Zero area, and her grandmother is a hunter with even greater wealth.

Together, they appeared to be a couple of considerable influence.

Jung Yuri, after pondering for a moment, observed Kang-hoo’s expression and chewed on her lips.

As Kang-hoo’s eyes sparkled in anticipation of an answer, Jung Yuri chuckled and responded.

“Secret!”