The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 168: Pride Of The Fighter (2)

While talking more, Kang-hoo realized that Kang Bok-hwa’s memory was beyond imagination.

It was actually due to the constellation ability she had contracted.

In any case, Kang-hoo felt a bit uneasy.

He wondered if she had been targeting him for a long time and investigating him behind the scenes.

If that were the case, it meant he hadn’t noticed at all and needed to recalibrate his senses.

Like Master K, Kang Bok-hwa felt grateful to Kang-hoo for giving her granddaughter a turning point.

Perhaps that’s why she was full of curiosity in the blossoming conversation over a cup of tea.

“I heard about Eclipse. I think many people were surprised by the news.”

“I’m sorry for changing the subject, but please feel free to speak casually.”

However, Kang Bok-hwa politely refused Kang-hoo’s offer with a benevolent smile.

“It’s okay. It’s my principle. I try to keep manners with all guests, regardless of age or gender.”

“Grandma! If you do that, what about grandpa…”

“Yuri, shh?”

Kang Bok-hwa’s blazing gaze immediately fixed on Jung Yuri, who then quieted down.

It seemed that the hierarchy of this house was Kang Bok-hwa, Jung Yuri, and Master K, in that order.

Of course, in a good sense. It meant they were doing their best in their respective fields and loving each other together.

Nodding his head, Kang-hoo continued his response to her words.

“Understood. I apologize for interrupting. It seems like the news about Eclipse has spread widely.”

“It’s an organization that has garnered a lot of hatred all around? People are enthusiastic about news of justice being served.”

Kang Bok-hwa’s reaction was similar to that of the general public or hunters towards Eclipse.

It would be strange if there was no reputation at all.

Kang Bok-hwa thought so, but Kang-hoo himself seemed a bit annoyed.

He appeared to be slightly irritated by all the fuss over something that was taken for granted. However, he didn’t seem arrogant at all.

“It’s an honor that you recognize it.”

“I hope you don’t misunderstand my presumptuous words.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Do you know that more people are watching Shin Kang-hoo than you might think?”

“I can’t specify who exactly, but I know I’m receiving quite a bit of attention.”

“Be careful of places that seem the least interested in you. If they should be interested but remain quiet, it means they are doing a lot of background research.”

Her seemingly indifferent remark deeply resonated with Kang-hoo’s mind.

There were many places that openly showed interest in him. On the negative side, it was organizations like Eclipse or the Kashimar Guild.

On the positive side, it included groups like Cheong-an of Lee Ye-rin, Kim Su-kyung’s mercenary group, and Lee Hyun-seok’s The Abyss.

Among them, the Jeonghwa Guild was absent.

Jeonghwa Guild, which was more sensitive to domestic news than anyone else, had never shown any interest in Kang-hoo.

Of course, from the abundant talent pool of Jeonghwa Guild, Kang-hoo might not seem like a very exceptional hunter.

But Kang Bok-hwa had a slightly different opinion. It was a sufficiently plausible thought.

“Thank you for your words.”

“As I get older, I tend to worry a lot about things. I hope you understand, Kang-hoo.”

“No, you have given me good advice. It made me rethink things.”

“Shall we start talking about the items then? Yuri, shall we look at the items we talked about with grandma?”

“Let’s do that.”

“Great, grandma! But did you get it?”

“I had a hard time finding it. I went all the way to Cuba to get it. Isn’t that much better than grandpa?”

“Thank you, grandma! You’re much better than grandpa!”

“And yet, you say the opposite in front of grandpa, right?”

“Huh, how did you know?”

“I just guessed, but you can’t lie, my Yuri…”

In the midst of the cheerful banter between the granddaughter and grandmother, Kang-hoo found himself smiling unknowingly.

Jung Yuri seemed to know the structure of the secret room well, leading the way ahead of Kang Bok-hwa.

Kang Bok-hwa walked beside Kang-hoo, matching his pace, and shifted the conversation that had momentarily focused on Jung Yuri.

“Thank you for looking after Yuri. Both my husband and I are often too busy when we are busy.”

“I haven’t done much to take care of her…”

Did Jung Yuri overstate his involvement? He hadn’t given her much attention to say he had taken care of her.

When she came out of Ground Zero, he had sent a few messages of concern.

But since then, he had only trusted her will and accepted her calls.

“Not as a grandmother, but as a fellow hunter, she’s a very talented child. She will work well with Kang-hoo.”

“I agree with that.”

Kang-hoo recalled matching with Jung Yuri before. Indeed, she had good basic skills.

She had a different charm from Park Dong-jae.

She had almost no restrictions on spatial movement and was as adept at hit-and-run tactics as he was.

In other words, if considering mobile warfare and guerrilla warfare, teaming up with Jung Yuri was quite a good idea.

“Many guilds overseas are collecting information about Kang-hoo. Haven’t you heard?”

“To be honest, I haven’t kept up with all the domestic news either.”

“If you ever need to go to Japan, be careful. Both in a good and bad sense, there is quite a bit of interest.”

“Is that so? Thank you.”

The words made Kang-hoo, who was soon to go to Japan where An Yeong-ho was, think deeply.

She wouldn’t exaggerate for no reason, and she must have obtained reliable information from somewhere.

With various overseas sales routes, it wasn’t strange to have similar routes for information.

Following Kang Bok-hwa into the secret room within the secret room.

There were countless items stored there.

The humidity and temperature were meticulously checked and managed, far different from ordinary storage methods.

Each item had its origin written on it. For items on loan, “loan” was also noted.

For loans, Kang Bok-hwa would first pay a portion of the deposit and take the item.

If it sold, she would pay the remaining balance to the original owner and keep the difference as profit.

The deposit was usually set at about 20% of the item’s price.

In other words, without trust in the intermediary, this sales structure couldn’t start at all.

This shows how much trust Kang Bok-hwa had in the business world.

Inside, Kang-hoo inspected mainly breastplates.

The current breastplate he wore, the Insight of Asura, was a 5th-grade item that raised his health by 500,000—a decent item.

Since he had enough money to upgrade to a 2nd-grade item, he wanted to find something useful.

“If you’re looking for items with good special effects, this Rose Gold line is great.”

Kang Bok-hwa pointed to the rose gold-colored frames coated on the front of the display case.

Following her guidance, Kang-hoo inspected the breastplates in the line and indeed found many with useful options.

“Can I focus alone for a moment?”

“Of course. In the meantime, I need to proceed with a transaction with Yuri.”

“Yes.”

It seemed that even with her granddaughter, Kang Bok-hwa conducted transactions properly. Jung Yuri seemed to take it as a given.

While Kang Bok-hwa stepped away for a moment, Kang-hoo scanned the breastplates.

It was a pleasant dilemma of figuring out which item was less attractive rather than which was the least valuable.

‘Even the market operated by Yu Cheonghwa wasn’t like this. The same goes for the VIP market.’

The value of the items seen in the secret room seemed much higher than combining the two markets.

Of course, it could be because they gathered high-priced items.

On the other hand, it was impossible to estimate the total value of the items in this room.

5 trillion? 10 trillion?

No, it could be even more.

The dilemma didn’t last long.

What Kang-hoo wanted from the breastplate was ‘stability’ rather than stats.

Given the nature of the assassin’s job, exposure to danger was inevitable.

So, having some kind of insurance for such situations would be great.

Coincidentally, such an item was here. It was an option he wouldn’t have even seen in other markets.

The transaction proceeded immediately.

The price was 100 billion won without any discount.

It was the most common fixed price formed according to the grade.

Neither Jung Yuri, Kang-hoo, nor Kang Bok-hwa mentioned any negotiation.

They seemed to think that negotiating itself would devalue each other’s worth.

Thus, it felt like a cool transaction where the purchase was decided and the payment made immediately.

Considering the typical market scenario, this transaction flow was unusual.

“Would you like to try it on right away? The fitting room is over there. Check the texture carefully too.”

Kang Bok-hwa guided him to the fitting room after receiving the payment.

Asking to check the texture meant that if it wasn’t satisfactory, they would take extra care.

Changing the lining without affecting the item was always possible.

Of course, skilled craftsmanship was needed, and it seemed they had enough such manpower internally.

Kang-hoo, entering inside, immediately took off the Insight of Asura and wore the new breastplate.

【Pride of the Fighter - Breastplate】

【Grade: 2nd Grade】

【Agility +350】

【Anti-Magic +50】

【Resilience +50】

【Guardian – Defends against a fatal blow that could lead to instant death once. This ability then disappears.】

‘It’s worth it just for the Guardian.’

Kang-hoo had been interested in this option from the beginning.

A fatal blow that could lead to instant death usually meant a direct strike to the heart.

Of course, there would be many conditions if you looked at it in detail, but the intuitive meaning could be summarized in one word.

One coin.

It’s a term symbolizing a life in games.

Kang-hoo valued the Guardian at that level.

If you could buy a life for 100 billion won, it was definitely a profitable deal.

Unless he wasted the opportunity, it was definitely worth it. Kang-hoo had several insurance policies.

For example, the teleportation ability was a kind of life insurance. It allowed him to escape in emergencies.

‘The texture is nice. It feels like wearing well-fitting underwear that clings to your chest.’

Satisfied with the fitting, he was about to step out of the fitting room.

Crack!

From outside the secret room, precisely from what seemed like another room, came a cracking sound.

Kang-hoo, not knowing what it was, turned to Kang Bok-hwa, who smiled and responded.

“Hoho. It seems a customer with ill intentions failed while trying to steal an item from the VIP room. There’s a barrier that completely blocks teleportation skills.”

“……”

As expected of a born merchant, her precautions were meticulous. One nasty petty thief met their end that way.