Chapter 72 : ivine Physician? Divine Loyalty! (6)
Chapter 72: ivine Physician? Divine Loyalty! (6)
A great deal had happened in the outside world over the past two days. First of all, I had dozens of missed calls from the Narrow-Eyed Man, so when I called him back, he immediately began talking at machine-gun speed.
「The Branch Master is truly grateful.」
It sounded like he was on the move somewhere, because the wind crushed his voice. It felt strange. If he were traveling by road, I should at least have heard car horns, but there wasn't a trace of ordinary background noise.
「Working together with the Chaos Order, we've already captured about ninety percent of the insurgent forces. Speed was everything for this operation, but we've been moving so fast that it almost feels like we're going too fast! We're still traveling together with the Chaos Order right now!」
“Yahoo!”
The echo of his final shout lingered for a long while. The call ended after the Narrow-Eyed Man promised to contact me again before tonight. He looked insanely busy for the moment.
'Looks like I owe Jin Sobang another favor.'
Well, I had only introduced him to one person.
Still, they did say that in the continent, even 'guanxi' was considered a tradable commodity.
“I'll squeeze him dry next time.”
There was something deeply satisfying about extracting compensation from Jin Sobang. Not only was he rich, but his reactions were incredibly generous.
As a result, inside Lee Taebaek's head, 「Concept: Bandit (True)」 and 「Concept: Psychopath (True)」 successfully held a grand summit meeting.
Next were the mountain of messages from my landlady. I skimmed through the attached photos.
「Go-eun: First Day of Construction at Branch 2.JPG」
「Go-eun: 6 Hours into Day 1.JPG」
「Go-eun: 9 Hours into Day 1.JPG」
「Go-eun: What... It's already finished (……)」
In short, the construction of the Baekbaek Order's Second Branch had practically been completed in just two days.
I had only looked at the photos. The actual messages were so full of explanations that my eyes hurt just looking at them.
'Beep.'
Lee Taebaek closed the window. Silently, he fiddled with the now-dark terminal several times.
'This is one of those moments that really makes me wish I had an AI.'
I'd splurged on this expensive terminal—'or rather, extorted it from Jin Sobang'—yet it didn't even have a summarization function.
In Raken's, AI had played only a minor role. The Status Window was already cluttered enough with things like personal shops, so having an AI constantly chattering as well would only get in the player's way.
Still, since the game advertised itself as an open-world experience, they had made AI purchasable.
The only problem was that the price was absurd.
As a result, all the perverts who had dreamed of using one as a substitute girlfriend—in other words, as a personal sex toy—had no choice but to give up. The overwhelming consensus had been that for the same amount of money, they'd rather visit the red-light district.
“No matter where you go, it's nothing but lunatics.”
I'd thrown that setting in without much thought, yet who would've guessed it'd have such a positive side effect? I imagined everyone walking around arm-in-arm with androids that looked like porcelain dolls...
'Fuck.'
The thought was horrifying.
'Forget AI, Lee Taebaek.'
“Unless it's an AI that's truly indistinguishable from a real person.”
Running a hand through his hair, Lee Taebaek finally climbed out of bed. The turbidity had dyed the bedsheets brown. His nose had either gotten used to the smell—or simply gone numb.
He stripped the bed and shoved everything into the washing machine. After dumping in an entire bottle of detergent, he headed for the shower.
While casually taking off his clothes, his eyes drifted toward the mirror.
“Oh.”
He knew perfectly well how pathetic and narcissistic it was to admire his own body.
But this was impossible to ignore.
After all, this was the first time in his life he'd ever had a six-pack.
'Now I understand why everyone goes crazy over martial arts novels.'
Back on Earth, you'd have to lift weights until you nearly died just for the chance of seeing abs.
In the Central Plains, you simply swallowed a Spiritual Medicine, closed your eyes, and—bam—instant abs.
Of course, there was always the risk of Qi Deviation.
Even so, Martial World Practitioners became addicted to Spiritual Medicines and addicted to Qi Regulation and Meditation.
Unlike Earth, where progress crawled along, growth here could be felt immediately.
Seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn't help nodding in agreement.
'Shhhhhhh—'
It felt as though his spinal cord were freezing.
Steam rose from his skin. By the time the icy water disappeared down the drain, it had turned into lukewarm grime.
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Name: Lee Taebaek
Level: 25 (↑3)
Life: 39 Mental Strength: 46 Strength: 34
Agility: 42 Mana: 37 Faith: 50
Trait: Administrator Mode Activated
Authority (Temporary): Buff, Nerf
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'Leveling sure has been smooth sailing.'
It felt like only yesterday that I was a pathetic Level 1 weakling trembling before an Electric Chair.
Now every one of my stats comfortably exceeded 30.
'Though that's not necessarily a good thing.'
If I kept living in the Lower District, there probably wasn't anyone at this level I couldn't beat. Even if all three executives of the Ten Gang Alliance came at me together, I could slap them to death while yawning.
That was how explosively Lee Taebaek had grown.
But...
Where would he be operating from now on?
The Upper District.
A place where the City Government police deployed in aerial vehicles and MegaCorp private military forces patrolled the streets.
Those organizations poured astronomical sums into training their combat personnel.
Their standards would be on an entirely different level from common gangsters.
'Come to think of it... this body used to be one of Siesta's Enforcer Hounds.'
When he'd realized that the nonsense he'd casually spouted just to fool Kang Hyunseong had actually turned out to be true...
It felt as though the groin that had shriveled up in shock loosened once more, just like it was doing now under the freezing water.
What an unbelievable coincidence.
It was so absurd that it almost felt like destiny.
“Things are going to be pretty awkward if I run into Siesta.”
He muttered as he lowered his gaze.
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NEW! Distributable Operator Points: 3
[Skills]
Passive Skills: None
Active Skills: Iceberg, Cooling, Snow Mist
Unique Scale: Locked
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“Hm?”
The sudden surprise nearly made him swallow tap water.
'Why is there so much new stuff?'
This wasn't even the Operator Menu.
He'd only intended to take a quick look at his basic Status Window while showering.
“Well, looks like this shower's going to take a while.”
The thing that immediately caught his attention was Operator Points.
The system had constantly nagged him to accumulate them.
Now it was saying he could distribute them.
'Does that mean I can finally remove the 'Temporary' label from Buff and Nerf?'
With the anxious heart of a contract worker waiting for a permanent position review, he selected Authority (Temporary).
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Buff (Temporary Authority)
Description: Increases two attributes among the caster's 'possessions' and Life, Mental Strength, Strength, Agility, Mana, and Faith for 300 seconds (……).
' Points Required for Permanent Upgrade: (0/20)
Nerf (Temporary Authority)
Description: Greatly weakens all abilities of any target the caster physically touches for 120 seconds (……).
' Points Required for Permanent Upgrade: (0/20)
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“Damn it.”
I'd spent too many points unlocking the Operator Menu.
And now each Authority upgrade wanted another twenty points.
'What a damned bandit.'
Then again...
I'd always suspected Operator Points weren't meant solely for unlocking menus.
The Status Window had been dropping hints for quite some time.
“I might as well start investing.”
As he sighed, white breath escaped his lips.
The warmth generated from heating his Dantian had long since faded, making this nothing more than an ice-cold shower.
Lee Taebaek quickly moved his eyes.
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Buff (Temporary Authority)
' Points Required for Permanent Upgrade: (1/20)
Nerf (Temporary Authority)
' Points Required for Permanent Upgrade: (2/20)
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Personally, he judged Nerf to be far more useful.
Buff was already an absurd Authority.
But Nerf was on an entirely different level.
Now he understood why Operators constantly swung the blade of Nerf around.
Buff required careful balance considerations.
But Nerf?
Just click once, and you'd have all the time in the world to think about what to do next.
“Phew.”
'That's one more overdue task taken care of.'
Could freezing water really carve away the greasy filth clinging to one's soul?
His body and mind felt lighter.
“Brr... that's cold.”
His fingertips and toes had turned bright red.
“I'm going to get frostbite.”
He hurriedly finished showering and stepped out.
Droplets trickled from his bangs, dotting the floor one by one.
When he went downstairs, the laundry had just finished.
It had even completed the drying cycle.
Lee Taebaek held a sock to his nose and sniffed.
Then he picked out the clothes that smelled 'good enough' and put them on.
Naturally, he also took the Para Blade and the Colt MK5 Python.
After checking the blade and polishing the barrel's shine, he fastened them to his back and waist—the places where they belonged.
No matter where he went, there was no way he could leave these two companions behind.
Even if he forgot his underwear.
'Creak.'
Lee Taebaek opened the door and stood in the sunlight for a moment.
Shielding his eyes with one hand, he looked up at the clear sky.
“How long has it been since I last saw the sun?”
It had been gloomy even before I'd begun Qi Regulation and Meditation.
Lee Taebaek inhaled the air—which wasn't exactly clean—and slowly let it out.
He walked toward the garage behind the building.
He pulled away the tarp covering it.
Red Hare revealed its breathtaking form.
Its owner gently stroked the saddle of his beloved mount.
Lights flickered on across its body, and the engine rumbled to life.
“Sorry for neglecting you.”
Lee Taebaek spoke as though comforting it.
'Grrrrr...'
Red Hare let out a sulky growl before forgiving its master.
Without another moment's hesitation, he swung himself onto the seat.
Then he started the engine.
He was starving after going so long without food, and the cold had seeped into his bones.
At times like this, there was only one thing worth eating.
Red Hare roared thunderously.
The ground couldn't withstand the violent rotational force of its wheels and shattered beneath them.
Attaching his mask over the lower half of his face, Lee Taebaek lowered his head.
In the blink of an eye, Red Hare would carry him to his destination.
GROOOOOOOAR!
It was every bit as hungry as its master.
---
His destination was a mala-tang restaurant.
Around ten people sat at the bar, divided into groups of three.
Each group ate as though they were complete strangers.
Naturally, they were members of the 3rd Battalion or the Resistance.
“You're back again.”
The 3rd Battalion's second-in-command, Zhang Quan, jerked his chin.
Lee Taebaek nodded in return before speaking.
“Can you make it Level 11?”
“Our shop only goes up to Level 10.”
“So you're planning to limit your own establishment?”
“Damn it.”
People glanced over while whispering among themselves.
At the center of all those gazes stood Lee Taebaek.
“Sit down already. Today I'll make it spicy enough to burn your prostate clean off.”
Zhang Quan folded the newspaper he'd been reading.
He stubbed out his cigarette on it, turning the paper into kindling.
Then he tossed it beneath the wok and began cooking.
'Hell.'
What an unbelievably stylish old man.
I'm already getting excited before even eating the mala-tang.
Seeing something like that in an age where romance has died...
You couldn't help but get fired up.
Lee Taebaek was watching the fiery cooking performance beyond the counter.
Just then, someone lifted the restaurant's canvas entrance.
Everyone's attention instantly shifted toward it.
An overwhelming stench pierced their noses and stirred up the very front of their brains.
The aroma of mala-tang, which had dominated the restaurant until now, practically bowed respectfully and retreated.
“Uh... uh... uh?”
Hearing a woman's shrill voice, everyone whipped their heads around.
The source of the stench slowly wandered inside.
The beggar ignored every stare directed at him as he walked straight toward Lee Taebaek.
Then gentle smile lines formed around his eyes.
“You've achieved quite a lot since I last saw you.”
Elder Seopunggae's tone was soft.
“Come with me. There's somewhere we need to go.”
For a brief instant, Lee Taebaek stood there dumbfounded.
Then he loudly pulled back his chair and stood up.
“I've been waiting.”
“Let's go immediately.”
The customers hurriedly pulled their chairs aside to clear a path.
Just as they were about to leave them behind—
Without turning around, Lee Taebaek spoke.
“Before the mala-tang gets cold.”
The owner, Zhang Quan, quietly watched his departing back.
Then, at last, he smiled like a true hero.