Chapter 51

No mutts came through the barrier, and the Double-Headed mutt returned as well. Nevertheless, there was a possibility that some could still pass the barrier. If not right now, there would be some crawling out when unknown conditions were activated. At least, that was what happened in the past.

My body hurt like hell. Disguising the dungeon as a hospital had been a smart choice. I had lost my backpack, but everything I needed was equipped here such as running water, bandages, all kinds of narcotic analgesics, and a bed. I laid down on the bed while reminding myself to not turn on the light since the ward had not opened yet and was unoccupied. However, it would never be operated as a real hospital.

Unless a tutorial or lifestyle quest popped up after Trial Tests appeared, raiding dungeons were the only way to obtain points. Of course, there were other F-class dungeons in the purchased lands I had, but finding and entering them didn't guarantee any points or boxes. After all, I had already received the rewards for the First Discovery.

I chose this dungeon only because out of all the F-class dungeons in Korea, this was the only one where I knew how to defeat the boss monster. However, after coming back, I realized that I could never do this alone. Earlier, if I had chosen the wrong door, would I have been able to return? If not, how would I have been able to manage to survive? The sense of defeat overwhelmed me.

I turned to look out of the window. Other than the ugly barrier, the view of the rural village was truly peaceful. It seemed like the blue barrier that had divided the fantasy from reality.

I repeatedly picked up and put down my phone several times before I finally pressed the number. After wavering for a long time, I decided to choose the high risk and high return method, as this was the only way I could retry the dungeon. It was a miracle that I came back alive, and I had almost made my parents sad about my demise.

Even if there were not as many people as in the past, I at least needed a healer. And…

Yeon-Hee: Hello.

Seon-Hu: You haven't been hospitalized yet.

Yeon-Hee: Are you Seon-Hu? Really?

Seon-Hu: Hello, Teacher Woo.

I saw Woo Yeon-Hee's car approaching the wall. The headlights had been wandering for a long time and it looked like she had finally found the way. She didn't come out of the car, and when I knocked on the driver's window, her head turned toward me. She looked frightened. I shone a light on my face using a flashlight and waited for her to come out.

"Seon-Hu, this place is…" Woo Yeon-Hee's voice shook.

"Was it difficult to find?" I asked.

She was gripping her phone tightly. "I was so worried. Anyone would be concerned if you hang up like that. But why did you call me here..? Can you tell me that first? I'm getting scared."

"You would know that I'm not trying to do something bad. Or not?" I questioned.

"What are you talking about? Stop scaring me," she crossed her arms as if she was guarding herself.

I responded, "I'm sorry. It looks scary because you arrived at night. That's why I told you to come tomorrow morning if you were going to be late. I'll tell you as we go."

Woo Yeon-Hee noticed my condition as I turned my back to her. She cursed as she ran after me to stop me.

"Seon-Hu! Oh my…Why? Why are you injured so badly?" she almost wailed as she looked my body up and down.

"I'm fine. Please come in," I said.

Woo Yeon-Hee then spotted the hospital plaque, and she remained still. I could understand her feelings, and I realized that I should've done a few things earlier. I told her to wait, turned on the light at the entrance, and came back. By then, she had already gone back to her car and locked the door. Her driver's seat window was barely open, only about the size where I could fit one finger in.

"N..no…I don't think this is right. Let's get out of here…" Her body trembled.

I said, "Don't be afraid. You know that I didn't call you here to harm you. This is a mental hospital, but there's no one there. There's only you and me."

She stared at me suspiciously before finally saying, "That's even weirder."

"I would understand if you were a civilian, but you're not. Can't you feel that I have no intention of harming you?" I questioned.

"The rumors have spread, right? It was pretty loud, but Seon-Hu. I'm not like the rumors…"

She was talking about the incident in the teacher's office that had occured at the beginning of the semester. Her mother had come to the school, and she was a terrible lady. In front of her daughter's fellow teachers and students, she shouted at the principal that this school was employing a mentally ill person as a teacher. Of course, no one had seen her mother since then.

Woo Yeon-Hee raised her voice as if she had realized something important.

"W…what did you say? That I can feel your mind?"

I said calmly, "You're not crazy. I can explain everything about why you can sense the emotions of others. So make up your mind. You can leave and live as a madman forever, or follow me."

Before long, she carefully opened the car door and looked at me as she stood. Her expression had slightly changed.

"Seon-Hu…What are you doing? What is it that makes you so nervous?"

She reached out her trembling hand to me.

Woo Yeon-Hee was my dungeon box, and we sat on the bench in the garden of the desolate ward. I even turned on the lights despite what the villagers might see, but she was still trembling.

"Don't be afraid," I said.

She widened her eyes at my blunt attitude.

"It's all because you are shaking with fear inside…How can you pretend nothing is wrong?" she asked.

"Listen to me carefully. I'm the only one in the world who knows that you're not crazy," I said.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I'm just like you. You can call them superpowers, but I call them traits. You must know if you've seen the status window, and that's how they are defined in the first place," I continued.

Woo Yeon-Hee's face hardened, and it looked like time had stopped for her. After a while, she was on the verge of bursting into tears.

"Don't cry. You should be happy that you're not alone, right?" I smiled at her.

She was close to tears. "I've told people so many times that I'm not insane. So many times…"

"You shouldn't have told civilians, especially your family," I said, and she buried her face in her palm.

"Raise your head, Woo Yeon-Hee."

Her sobbing subsided, and she lifted her sad face that was covered with tears and snot from her runny nose.

"P…Prove it," she was challenging me.

"What?" I asked.

She persisted, "That you're like me. Why are you just watching me instead of comforting me?"

"My abilities are different from yours. Fortunately, mine is specialized in combat," I explained.

"Why is that fortunate?" she asked.

"Follow me. I can prove it here, but I have something to show you first. Let's take a look at that first," I said.

She seemed to have felt something from what I mentioned, and she didn't follow me.

"It's alright. This fear…It's kind of like a survival instinct that I need. Are you going to stay there? Come with me."

I hesitated before reaching out with my hand, and, again, it struck me that her hands were tiny. The lights in the ward were still out, so she got closer to me. I took her to the basement, then to the material room.

She was fascinated by the blue light, and I pulled her back from going down the stairs like she had been lured by a ghost. I warned her as she tried to argue.

"You'll die if you step on that."

"What is this…" she mumbled.

I responded flatly, "The reason why we have abilities."

I turned on the light in the material room, and the bloodstains on the floor revealed themselves. I pushed Woo Yeon-Hee away as she got closer to me, then took off the bandage wrapped around my arm and neck. She began to shift her weight from foot to foot and was already looking for medication to treat my wounds.

"Have you ever thought it was strange?" I asked.

"Huh?" she questioned back.

I continued, "Our regenerative ability is different from that of civilians. If we leave the severe wound alone, it heals by itself. It's just a matter of time. By the way, what skill did you get? I'm sure you received a reward for your awakening."

"Empathy…" she answered absentmindedly.

"That's just a trait. If you don't remember, check the status window. Haven't you done it a lot already?" I questioned.

After a moment, she replied in a hesitant voice, "Treat Fear."

"Any other skills?" I asked.

"No, Seon-Hu. Stop pressuring me and listen," she said.

"I'm not done explaining. I don't need to prove anymore that we are the same, right?" I continued.

I took the silent Woo Yeon-Hee to the courtyard. It was natural that she needed time to think things over. Her eyes were vague for a long time and then she started crying again. She tried to stop her tears by looking up at the sky and gently pressing her eyes with her palm, but nothing worked.

"Oh gosh, I can't stop crying. I shouldn't be doing this in front of you," she said with tears in her eyes.

"I'll explain the reason why I called you here. You can continue crying, but make sure you focus on what I say because it's about your fate and life. Are you ready?" I said.

"Wait, Seon-Hu. Why are you so blunt?" she asked.

I smiled and said nothing for a long time. Then, I tried to use a gentle tone like the one I used when I trained those who were unfortunate in my previous life.

"Yeon-Hee, there's no age in the world you belong to."

It only cares about classes.

Chapter 52

"So…You're saying…that…I'm a hero or something?"

Well, there were many people who had claimed that at the beginning of the Trial Tests. However, they didn't exist at the end of the tests. He, I and the other survivors had turned into the exact opposite.

"I've never said that. I meant monsters exist, and we could get rid of them before they attack one day," I said.

"How can you be so sure?" Woo Yeon-Hee asked.

"That they will attack us one day? I guess you do believe in monsters," I responded.

Woo Yeon-Hee looked at the bandage wrapped around my shoulder rather than answering. I had recovered a lot compared to the time when the mutt tore away my flesh. It looked hideous as my nerves had been smashed into pieces and my white bone was left exposed. Woo Yeon-Hee would have never seen a wound like this before.

She asked, "Can you show me?"

"The wound?" I questioned back.

"No, the monsters," she replied despite her blank eyes.

She was immersed in the story I was telling, and she seemed to put us into a narrative fantasy where the chosen pair kills monsters and saves humanity.

"Think of it, Woo Yeon-Hee. You're surrounded by darkness, and monsters creep out in every direction to kill you," I said.

I shook my head at her as she was about to open her mouth, then covered her eyes with one hand.

"You're trembling in fear alone, but you are desperate to survive. So, your hand touches a monster when you try to feel your way out, and you have no choice but to shriek and open your eyes. It's so painful, and that was when you made eye contact with the monster chewing on your hand," I continued.

She might have imagined the scene, or perhaps she was feeling fear from me as I described the dungeon. Anyway, Woo Yeon-Hee was shaking.

I told her more, "Then, you see the other monsters in the dark you have forgotten. They surround you and rush into you. You can only see a few for now, but you know that there are many more that you can't see. You try to scream, but you can't because one of them bit your lower jaw. You can't see what happens next since you are dead."

"..."

"But it's obvious. Monsters will ravage your body. Some will eat your limbs, and others will start fighting over your stinking intestines," I continued.

I took my hands off her eyes.

"Open your eyes."

Woo Yeon-Hee followed my command, and she was as frightened as she was when she first arrived here.

"Whatever monster you thought of, things are worse. Is it still like a fantasy movie to you?"

I leaned over her stiff face and finished the story.

"This is a horror movie," she said.

Woo Yeon-Hee's emotions were rubbed raw, and, if she was a civilian, she wouldn't have been so deeply immersed. She acted as if she was alone in the dungeon I described, and she shuddered for a while with a pale face. A while later, she looked at me like a three-year-old child who had lost her way.

"But you're saying…that we have to do this, right?" she questioned.

"It's up to you," I answered flatly.

"...I guess I have to," she replied.

I shrugged. "You can either prepare with me or forget about everything and get killed leading an isolated life."

"Forget everything and live like a dead man?" she asked.

"Isn't that obvious?" I responded.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

I patiently explained, "Monsters' attacks won't start soon, but you wouldn't have been able to survive until that day without my interference. You can't say you would have endured your family's gaze, society's bias, and how you view yourself. Before you came here, you were just a psychopath who couldn't even deal with your mother."

"Seon-Hu."

I retorted, "Just listen. Today, I gave you a reason to live. Something that would only come out of a challenger box. You won't commit suicide until monsters come. Don't you think so?"

Woo Yeon-Hee remained silent.

"I don't mind you deciding not to be the heroine of a horror movie, but if so, then live quietly until the day the monsters come."

I leaned against the bench after I finished talking.

"You're lying," she said.

"What?" I looked at her.

"It's a lie that you don't care. You need a teacher…No, you called me because you needed me not as your teacher but as one of you."

She was hesitant but certain.

I looked her directly in the eyes. "That's right, but I'll find a way to win in the dungeon without you. So, you shouldn't feel pressured because it's a matter of your life."

I meant it. I did need her for another try, but I didn't want to grab her hair and drag her forcefully in there. I stood up.

"You don't have to decide here. Go back and think about it," I said.

"...You said I'd bump into it one day, right? Even if I don't want to," she questioned.

"Yes," I answered.

"About my traits and skills…I'm a healer who treats hurt minds," she continued.

"You're right about your major responsibility. If you don't understand, go and play video games. Those would be your best resources to learn," I said.

Woo Yeon-Hee nodded with a tense face, and I passed down my emotions with a deep breath. She really had to make up her mind now.

"I'll take you outside. Follow me," I said.

I had to force Woo Yeon-Hee to stand up.

"Go home and think about it while imagining yourself being surrounded by monsters. Oh, and this."

I handed over two contracts that I had prepared to Woo Yeon-Hee. The first was to become my partner, and the second one was to become my employee. She had to realize how dangerous it would be to work with me by seeing those documents.

"Read through them at home. You don't need to come back if something bothers you. If so, we didn't meet today. Keep that in mind, Woo Yeon-Hee," I said.

Woo Yeon-Hee hurriedly turned the steering wheel as she saw a sign to a rest area. Her driving was risky enough to cause an accident, but she was fortunate since her minivan was the only vehicle entering the rest area. She stopped her car in the outer line of the parking lot. She didn't remember how she managed to drive even though she wasn't drowsy. The cause of her fast heartbeat was not because of her reckless driving, but the emotion she felt towards Seon-Hu.

Many people in the world lived with fear, but Woo Yeon-Hee had never felt such intense dread from others. She had thought that she was the only one with such feelings, like when her mother stormed into the school and made a mess.

"His fear was so intense…" she whispered to herself.

Woo Yeon-Hee hugged herself, but the tremor didn't disappear. She ended up thinking of Seon-Hu again. She had also acknowledged for a long time that he was a unique being that couldn't be explained verbally. Not only was he physically too mature, but his mind and soul were also sturdier than adults. However, to think that he would harbor such fear. She was more shocked at that emotion compared to how Seon-Hu explained that she was not crazy.

"Monsters. Dungeon…"

She couldn't stay in the car any longer. Instead, she sat down on the bench in front of the crowded washrooms and tried to focus on the music coming from the speakers. Nevertheless, she suddenly felt a bit out of sorts with the scenes of normality: kids begging their parents to buy snacks, couples arguing over short skirts, and men smoking or stretching.

"Status window," she murmured.

[Name: Woo Yeon-Hee

Mental Strength: F (12)

Total points: 50

Trait(1) Skill(1)]

A few hours back, Woo Yeon-Hee considered this only a hallucination. However, the mere sight of it now calmed her down. She wiped away the tears and returned to her car as she recalled that Seon-Hu had given her an envelope containing two different contracts.

The documents included words she had not seen in reality, like parties, cooperation, betrayal, points, and dungeon boxes. The only one she was most familiar with was the death compensation that was written in the second contract.

「If you die in the dungeon, KRW three billion shall be paid at once to the designated beneficiary.」

She realized that the world wouldn't recognize this contract as anyone would laugh at it when bringing it to court. However, Woo Yeon-Hee's face was serious as she recalled the barren ill, the newly built hospital, and Seon-Hu, who seemed to own all of them.

"It must've been so tough to be alone. Woo Yeon-Hee, your pain… was nothing compared to his."

She bit her lips tightly at the thought.

Chapter 53

Woo Yeon-Hee didn't show up the next day nor the day after. She had initially resisted returning home, but I thought she had changed her mind when she went home and rejected my offer. The contracts full of terrifying phrases such as death compensation and penalty provisions were originally given to young hunters by the guilds.

However, I saw her car approaching the wall.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me." Woo Yeon-Hee grinned.

"Come in," I responded.

She remarked, "It's better to come during the day since this place seems to be haunted at night."

"If you came back with ridiculous words like mission or fate," I began lecturing her.

Then, she interrupted me.

"No, I'm here for this."

She showed me the envelope containing the contract.

"...I'll be honest with you, I can't take responsibility for your life. Joining me in the dungeon could mean death because things are really bad now," I said flatly.

She pretended that she didn't hear a word I said as she jabbered, "I didn't know what you like, so I brought some fried chicken. Do you like it?"

"Don't change the subject," I replied.

"I do appreciate your words since you're right. I was only thinking about the way to die without pain before you called me here," she answered.

However, her face wasn't that of a suicidal person, and she even looked refreshed with her smile.

"Are you not going to let me in?" she questioned.

Woo Yeon-Hee not only brought over fried chicken and a contract envelope, but she had also brought her daily necessities and other items.

"I thought I wouldn't need medication. Oh, and I brought your underwear since you might not have changed yet," she said.

She had brought clothes, underwear, and men's skincare products. Based on that, it looked like she had decided to accept the terms of her contract and follow me. She spoke quickly as I stared at her.

"Oops, sorry. I'll be outside, so let me know when you're done changing."

She went out and came back after a few minutes.

"I knew they would fit you well," she said in satisfaction.

"It didn't take you two days to just prepare these, right?" I questioned.

She explained, "I actually read the contracts on my way home that night. I thought about returning right away, but my life depends on it."

"Did you understand the content?" I asked.

"I read them countless times, and realized that you're betting your life on insignias and items," she replied.

"So, what's your decision?" I questioned.

"I chose this."

Woo Yeon-Hee took out the second contract and chose money over insignias or items. It was a realistic decision. She would receive two hundred million won as a contract signing fee, an annual salary of 1.5 billion per dungeon entry, another five hundred million for survival, and her death compensation was three billion, three times the annual payroll.

I had converted the amount of payment the new hunters earned in the past to this era's currency. Although this contract usually would be provided only for E-class Awakened, I granted it to her due to her class rarity.

"Who's your beneficiary?" I asked.

"My father," Woo Yeon-Hee replied.

"Okay, let's go," I said.

"Where?" she questioned.

"What do you mean where? Also, don't you want your contract signing fee?" I asked.

I was honestly surprised that Woo Yeon-Hee didn't act as I expected. Instead, she seemed to be more conscious of the cash I got out of the atm. While I withdrew money from several cash machines, she seemed to be on the lookout. I loaded my bags with money into the trunk and got in the passenger seat.

Woo Yeon-Hee's face was slightly rigid. As soon as I got in, I had to stop her from hitting the accelerator.

"Relax. What's wrong? Do you feel like it's a criminal fund?" I asked.

In early 1998, two hundred million won in cash was a lot of money as that amount could purchase an apartment in Gangnam that was approximately a thousand square feet. Woo Yeon-Hee looked worried about what she was thinking.

I reassured her, "Don't worry, it's not illicit. But don't deposit your money at once since tax reports could be troublesome. Let's go to Gangnam, not the hospital."

She seemed small and timid, but she didn't hesitate to step in when she had to speed up. It wasn't that she had decent driving skills, but it was more like the urgent driving of a concerned person. I thought I might die on the highway before even entering the dungeon.

"Slow down," I said.

She asked, "Where are we going?"

"My office," I replied.

"..."

Woo Yeon-Hee slowed down a lot as I ordered.

"You must have a lot to ask, but you're so quiet. You weren't like this at school, though," I remarked.

"Think what you wish," she replied.

I responded, "You're waiting for me to speak? That's a good mindset."

"I didn't sign the contract lightly. I received…the money," she said.

"Okay, I'll tell you who I am. Hey, hey! You're speeding up again."

"Sorry," she said.

"When did you first get your powers?" I asked.

"In middle school…"

Woo Yeon-Hee added on after a beat.

"After my first period."

"I was born like this, so I've been doing this for a long time," I responded.

After hearing that, Woo Yeon-Hee stared at me with her eyes wide open. I pointed upfront towards her windshield rather than continue talking to her. The car shook for a bit before it found the lane again.

"I don't understand why you chose the second contract. What are you thinking, Woo Yeon-Hee? From my understanding of your relationship, I really didn't think you were going to leave any money behind for your family when you die," I said.

Her relationship with her family was the worst.

"The Escape Insignia doesn't come easily. If you become my employee according to that contract, you won't receive any," I continued.

"You won't throw me away, right?" she questioned.

"Of course," I answered.

"That's all it matters. You're my teacher now, I'm counting on you," she said.

"Was there any trouble?" I asked the security guard in the lobby.

"No. What happened to your shoulder? Are you alright?" The guard asked back.

"I traveled for a while because my business has been bad and got hurt. It's all good. Thanks for asking," I replied.

While I was waiting for the elevator, I saw Woo Yeon-Hee watching me through the mirror. Her face still remained stiff. Our eyes met through the mirror, and she spoke like she couldn't help it.

"What do you mean by 'since birth?' I don't get it," she said.

I answered readily, "I was born as a baby with adult maturity."

She didn't ask if that was possible since she could feel others' emotions. She must have been attempting to understand.

"I'm different from you, Woo Yeon-Hee. I've been trying very hard to hide my true identity from my family, and I'm still doing it now," I continued.

"But…"

I interrupted her, "Yes, my parents are aware that I'm different from others in terms of physical strength and mental capacity, but that's it. What can I say? Should I tell them that I was born with the strength to fight monsters?"

We arrived at the office floor. After going through a security system with fingerprint recognition, the light turned on. Woo Yeon-Hee wasn't surprised by what she saw and walked to the target with the daggers stuck on it. She tried to take one out but was too weak to do so. She turned her head away in embarrassment.

"I don't want to be a burden. Dungeons are dangerous places."

Woo Yeon-Hee's tone was quite serious.

"I hope you actually mean it," I replied.

She looked me in the eye. "I'm sincere.".

"You'll have to keep that mindset. As soon as you become useless…"

Woo Yeon-Hee said the words I had been about to say, "I'll be abandoned."

She was calmly accepting the tragedy.

"You don't need to try proving your determination now. Come here and sit," I said.

As Woo Yeon-Hee sat down at the table, I brought my notes over. Then, I showed her the page with the mutt drawing.

"You said you wanted to see the monster," I said.

"Did you…draw this?" she asked hesitantly.

"Don't ask me silly questions. They're just as large as me, and dozens of them will jump at you," I responded without answering her previous question.

"Do they walk?" she asked.

"They walk, run, and fly," I replied.

"Fly?" Her eyes widened.

I explained, "They jump, but from our perspective, they look like they're flying in. Can you fight against these things? It's just a small picture here, but you won't be able to even move when you actually face them."

"Yes, that's why you should help me prepare for it," she answered.

It would've been better if she had the physique of a female warrior - tall with a strong build. However, her short height only reached my chest and she looked so frail that it seemed like a tiny poke was enough to cause her to suffer heavy injuries. Even her determined expression seemed cute.

"You don't have to fight, and you shouldn't," I continued.

"Huh?" she questioned.

"It's all over when that moment comes. It would mean that I'm either dead, surrounded or missed some of the monsters. However, I should prepare you enough such that you can at least shoot arrows. Well, despite the fact that I didn't recruit you for that."

"I…" she hesitated.

I looked squarely into her eyes. "What did you expect? Did you think you'd be trained as a military special forces soldier? You won't be able to use any skills even though you are learning them now.".

Woo Yeon-Hee's face went blank as if all the tightness in her body suddenly loosened.

"My ability is empathic healing, right?"

She said it right.

"So, let's give it a try. Let's see if you're going to be just a healer or whether you have any potential as a damage dealer," I said.

I had been waiting for this. After all, I had received a challenger box when I became the first Awakened and when I found the dungeon for the first time. So, what would happen if I created a party for the first time?

[You have invited Woo Yeon-Hee to the party.]

At the time my sixth sense was activated, Woo Yeon-Hee also looked at the air. She must have received another message.

"Repeat after me. Accept," I said.

Her trembling mouth opened carefully.

"Accept."

[Woo Yeon-Hee has joined the party.]

[Congratulations. You have created a party for the first time among the Awakened.]

First! First! First! I loved that word so much and almost screamed with joy. I stared at the air while clenching my teeth.

[You have received a bronze box as your first-time reward.]

A challenger box had been given to those who became the first Awakened and those who first discovered the dungeon. On the other hand, a bronze box was provided to those who first formed the party. I could understand that. I was grateful for getting one since forming a party was not that much of a challenge. Or maybe…Having Woo Yeon-Hee join my party could be considered a risk.

Chapter 54

There was an Awakened who always received what he hoped for, so he rushed to open dungeon boxes without hesitation. His luck had been unimaginably good, and his courage came from it. However, his fame became his misfortune which led to a fatal blow as he trusted his luck too much.

Anyway, we suspected that he had a hidden ability of luck and always felt he was on another level from us. The time I felt the biggest gap between him and I was when he broke through by a slim chance and consecutively got higher rewards than was usually possible for the box's class.

[You have received the Speed Insignia.]

It was a seal that temporarily raised my Agility to a higher class. However, if I used the trait 'The Man Who Overcomes Adversity' along with it, I could raise the stat up by two classes. I could dodge and evade quicker and strike more ferociously, and that was enough for me. However, the insignia class and the number of uses were beyond my expectations.

[Speed (Insignia)

Effect: Increase your Agility class by one.

Class: E

Duration: 30 minutes

Number of uses: 3 times]

The insignia was graded an E-class, which theoretically could only come out from silver boxes, and I could even use it three times! This reminded me of the poor fellow who made a fuss about his fortune. Perhaps, his luck had come to me since I received an opportunity to come back in time.

As a result of that, I had been taking all the first-time titles that the First Evil and First Virtue had previously occupied, and I got an Escape Insignia in the dungeon. Now, I received even a higher reward!

"I also got the box," Woo Yeon-Hee interrupted me from my thoughts, and she had her head raised with a smile.

"It told me it was a skill called 'Physical Healing.'"

If I had lost my mind, I would've hugged her because I had thought the goddess of luck was actually on my side! It was hard to calm down my excitement. I didn't want to expose myself to her, so I kept my mouth shut and flared my nostrils. When I checked myself in the washroom afterwards, my face was as flushed as Woo Yeon-Hee's had been.

"She must have sensed my feelings," I murmured to myself.

This was why we, hunters, kept our distance away from hunters with mental skills like her. They made us feel naked, and if they had malicious intentions…

I returned to the office, and Woo Yeon-Hee was staring at nothing. However, her focus was clear, and she must have been checking the effectiveness of the skill.

"You are now closer to becoming a healer," I said.

She couldn't hide her joy and asked, "Ain't I a hunter only with mental skills?"

"It doesn't mean your skills will be limited to that. You'll receive skills specialized in healing but mostly mental skills based on your original trait. If you're lucky, you can get attack skills too," I replied.

It was lucky for both of us as her getting an attack skill would have been toxic for now. Then, I terminated the now useless experiment.

[You have canceled the party.]

I unwrapped the bandage on my shoulder, and Woo Yeon-Hee was smart enough to notice why I was showing her my wound. Soon after she tried to use her new skill. Her face filled with surprise, and a message appeared on my status too.

[Your injury will be slightly recovered.]

Of course, F-class skills didn't bring amazing effects or regeneration skills immediately, but she was doing everything by herself for the first time. She actually applied the sixth sense that she had vaguely felt and succeeded in using the new skill.

I praised her, "Well done, Woo Yeon-Hee. That's how you do it."

As I remembered the time when I trained the traumatized newly Awakened with hope the intercom rang.

Guard: Hello Sir, you have a visitor. Should I send him up?

Seon-Hu: Who is it?

Guard: I'm sorry, but I'm not good at speaking in English. May I put him on? He's a tall white man, and he seems to be in a rush.

Seon-Hu: …Please send him up.

"Should I go home?"

Woo Yeon-Hee had already finished packing to leave.

"No, stay there," I answered.

After a while, Jonathan knocked on the door loudly. When I opened the door, his flushed face was the first thing I saw. He was a foreigner with a baseball cap who appeared to have been traveling around Seoul.

"You were here. Why didn't you pick up my phone…!"

Jonathan's high-pitched voice suddenly ceased and he began to look at my shoulder and face in disbelief and shock.

He started yelling again, "You said nothing was going on. How much did you get hurt? Oh my gosh, look at you!"

"Why didn't you give me a heads up that you were coming? Don't you know how famous you are now?" I said.

"Is that the problem now? What happened?" he questioned.

"There was a small accident. You weren't tailed, right?" I asked.

"Whatever," he responded.

"What?!" I shouted.

"Don't worry, I was careful. You should've told me if you were hurt like this. But…who is this?" He questioned.

"Wow, you just saw her?" I said.

Jonathan had finally noticed that Woo Yeon-Hee was in the office. She stood stiffly as if she had been left alone in the dungeon. She must have been surprised by Jonathan rather than my English skills as she knew who he was. When the IMF crisis broke out, she tried to explain it to the students. Jonathan took off his sunglasses to check my wounds.

"Say hello to my middle school homeroom teacher…Well, not anymore."

I introduced her, and Woo Yeon-Hee began looking at Jonathan like he was a Hollywood star. She was more shook compared to when I told her about our world as she sensed my calmness.

"I don't need to introduce him because you already know who he is, right?" I asked.

Jonathan reached out his hand to Woo Yeon-Hee's face as she was about to blow.

"I didn't know Sun's homeroom teacher was such a cutie," Jonathan said in English.

Woo Yeon-Hee didn't seem to understand the whole sentence since she wasn't an English teacher, and her English skills likely rusted over time. She was only able to use familiar words and interpret them in her own way. She looked flabbergasted as she shook her hands with Jonathan. I brought a pen and a piece of paper.

"Write the beneficiary's name, resident registration number and address here in English. But if you can't, do it in Korean," I said.

"Right now?" Woo Yeon-Hee's eyes widened.

"Do as you are told," I responded.

Woo Yeon-Hee filled out the paper in her seat, then I handed it to Jonathan after she finished.

"Who's this?" Jonathan asked.

"Her father," I replied.

"But why?" he questioned.

I flatly said, "If I suddenly disappear one day, send three billion won to that guy."

I first sent Jonathan to a room full of computers to give me some time with her alone.

"Didn't you say it was just the two of us?" Woo Yeon-Hee asked, looking at the door Jonathan had gone in.

"Yes, he is a civilian," I answered.

However, that didn't explain much, so she continued staring at the door.

"You surprise me sometimes," I said.

"Why?" she questioned.

I replied, "You recognized Jonathan."

"You seem to have forgotten, but I used to be a teacher."

Did she mean that she had tried to teach her students about important things in the world? However, teaching about the IMF to middle school kids was wasting her breath.

"Until a while ago, we were just…and now the IMF and Jonathan? This has gone too far this time, so can you help me understand this situation?" She was confused.

I replied casually, "Dungeons won't feed us, so I had to make a living. Where do you think the money I gave you came from?"

"But you…"

Woo Yeon-Hee stopped talking, and her shaking eyes became steady. She widened her eyes as she must have realized something.

"You must have had no interest in school life," she nodded.

"Jonathan will execute our contract, and he is the best in the world to do that. You know who he is, right?" I said.

"Yes, and I know that you've lived a wonderful life," she responded.

"So from this moment on, do as I tell you. For you and for my sake," I replied.

After receiving an answer that she would do so, I sent her back. We arranged to meet again at the office tomorrow morning.

I opened the door of the room where the uninvited guest was. He was staring at the note Woo Yeon-Hee had written. His head turned to me.

"Why should we give this stranger three billion won? Why did you make an assumption that you'll go missing? Writing that will was not sudden. What's going on around you?" Jonathan asked.

"Everything about me is a mystery, right?" I smiled.

"Sun!" he yelled at me.

"But don't dig in too much since everyone has their own reasons. I'll tell you everything later," I said.

"Again?" Jonathan's face was filled with disappointment.

I said jokingly, "Hey, aren't you pushing the patient too hard?"

"You're in serious danger. If this is about your government, don't hide. Why don't you come with me to New York? I didn't like Korea from the beginning," he said.

Was it time to tell Jonathan that I'm Awakened? However, I remembered that we still had twenty years to go, and I sat in front of him and spoke sincerely.

"Please don't ask. However, if you have to listen, I'll tell you. Just keep in mind that I never wanted to," I said.

Jonathan messed up his hair, then said impatiently, "That's unfair."

Jonathan hugged the bag he had brought. I thought he'd run out of the office with anger, but that wasn't the case. Instead, he took out a thick book.

「Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained」

A picture of Jonathan's made over face was embedded in the cover, and the title could be translated as "No adventure, no profit."

"Do you like the title?" Jonathan asked.

Chapter 55

"I learned a lot."

Jonathan broke the silence as he looked at the book as if it was something incredibly precious. Since I, the real author, could win over Jonathan, an expert in finance and economics, the public would fall for this. I had created the entire book based on my knowledge of financial theories that were not yet published, so no one could notice the truth except me, the actual author. I included an extensive, in-depth and persuasive description of our success as a red herring, similar to how magicians diverted the audience's attention away from the real trick.

As I expected, everyone was passionate about the publication, and even highly respected websites such as Financial Times and Wall Street Journal were talking about the book.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

Jonathan replied, "It's the third reprint already. Sooner or later, it will be translated into Korean."

"So many more would have contacted you for your popularity now," I responded.

"Yes. Even the people who're building cities in deserts are calling me," he said wryly.

It seemed like oil money was also in contact with Jonathan.

"Then, the government will approve soon. What about Blue Rock and ANC?" I questioned.

He answered readily, "They asked me to wait with our pencils sharpened.".

"So?" I asked.

"I did as I was told, and they prioritized mergers more than client buyouts. They knew that Jonathan Investment had just begun to grow," he said.

I emphasized, "Don't forget that the stakes of offshore companies could be tied to the New York firm depending on the interpretation. Okay?"

"So we only finished the client buyouts. They mentioned the asset management structure, but we said that there's an acquisition that's already in progress. Technically, it's not a lie. With the approval from the government, the offshore funds that the New York firm can manage alone are over fifty billion dollars. So Sun, about England…" he said.

"No. Didn't you doubt Gillian's abilities in the beginning?" I responded firmly.

"Let's straighten things out. How can I evaluate the group account manager at Morgan Group? I was just comparing him to you. I researched a bit and realized that Gillian had a massive contribution to the design of the program there. Did you know about that?" he asked.

I replied, "I told you already that Gillain will manage our private property."

"Yes, you did," his ego deflated a bit.

"So Jonathan, you should concentrate on taking over the investment companies with Jeffrey Kay. Send your incompetent friends to the sales department, and recruit the best elites in Wall Street," I said.

He responded, "Okay, let's get this out of the way. Elites? They have nothing to learn under me. I should be learning from them."

"They're just looking for a chance to establish their own footing and don't care about learning anymore. All they want is fame and money. We will get a reputation after the government's approval," I replied with a shrug.

"Sun, you are…"

Jonathan looked at me.

"You are in danger. If you need the fame you gave me, take it back and use it. I'll take care of the rest," he said.

I had no choice but to accept his suggestion, as I was still filled with despair and fear from my encounter at the dungeon.

"I apologize for belittling your friends. I told you to only look at their loyalty from the beginning," I said.

"No need to be sorry since I wouldn't be willing to let them manage our funds either. Losers should stick amongst themselves, but don't worry about it. They are good guys who are grateful to us," he responded.

There could be people other than Woo Yeon-Hee who would recognize Jonathan, so we stayed in. We ordered soft tofu stew for takeout, which was the only Korean food Jonathan enjoyed. He even remembered the name of the restaurant even though he complained of how spicy it was. However, the place must have closed due to the IMF crisis. In the past, the large majority of their customer base were the employees of foreign companies. However, as they all left, the restaurant's sales would have fallen to the point where they couldn't maintain their store. This was common in this period.

"This place is not good."

Jonathan put down his spoon.

"You said you didn't like Korea from the beginning, right?" I questioned.

He sighed. "That came out in a fit of anger.".

"Really?" I stared at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Korean citizens are the only ones who have sacrificed voluntarily for this country after the IMF, and the government basically forced them into such a drastic situation. Nothing else," he explained.

Jonathan mentioned the Gold Collection Campaign, which had collected more than two hundred tons of gold. He, of course, knew about it and even witnessed housewives bringing gold wedding rings. The gold was used to resolve the nation's financial problems, but some of that money filled the pockets of corrupt officials. I didn't tell Jonathan about this since he would tell me to immigrate to New York.

"Have you thought about it?" I asked while heading to the computer, and Jonathan replied as he followed me.

"What?"

"It's not just our country. Where do you think all the foreign funds that came into Asia are right now?" I questioned.

Jonathan brought a chair and sat next to me. Then, he began looking at the websites I opened with real interest. Stock markets in Eastern Europe and Latin America were thriving.

"Are these your next investments? Isn't it too late?"

He asked and quickly came to a correct conclusion by himself. We had plenty of opportunities, but we were catching our breath at the moment. We were busy laundering the money we earned in Hong Kong. Eastern Europe and Latin America were just the appetizers, and the main dish was somewhere else.

"The money used to burn Asia and the money that came from the people taken by surprise are going to Eastern Europe and Latin America right now."

I pointed to the monitor, and Jonathan looked as if he was expecting me to do another magic trick. I continued my explanation, "There is one more place, Russia."

Jonathan turned on the computer as I mentioned that country out of the blue, and he started chasing my hint. He scrolled through reports on Russia released by the Russian Finance Bureau and various financial institutions, and he seemed to have reached an inevitable conclusion. Just like those who had been fooled by my book, the global financial sector was being deceived by Russian data. Even Russian authorities believed their data was genuine.

Jonathan suddenly rejected his conclusion, "Do you know how many nuclear weapons Russia owns? They cannot be destroyed."

Jonathan was accurate and to the point. That was the public's general perception of Russia as well. I got up to see the reports he had read. He took his hand off the mouse when he found what he was looking for and said while stretching his back, "The short-term interest rates have reached forty percent. It's definitely a sign."

"The market thinks differently," I replied.

Jonathan's tone wasn't refuting me but expectant.

"It's because of the IMF. Some of the foreign investment funds that came into Korea and international capital are now entering Russia. You can confirm the position of the hedge funds regarding Russian government bonds," I explained.

"And?" He looked at me.

"Another reason why I'm focusing on Russia is their current regime's incompetence. You said that our government is not doing anything right, but they are worse. Russia's emerging elite? They are doing everything they can to take their money out of the country," I continued.

Jonathan looked back at the report and said, "The export data is incorrect, then? If you're right, their foreign currency reserves would be empty."

He seemed to slowly realize the seriousness of the situation in Russia.

"Let's look at something else," I said.

His eyes widened. "Again?"

"About the impact of the IMF…What do you think will happen to the Russian bonds held by Korea? Korea is selling everything like real estate and business, and Russian bonds are not important to us," I explained.

"You mean…If your country starts to dispose of Russian bonds, ha! Something like Hong Kong will happen again!"

Jonathan then spoke with excitement.

"Yes, Russia will go bankrupt," I nodded.

There were plenty of other reasons that I didn't explain to Jonathan.

We had earned so much profit in the Asian financial crisis because I knew the exact tipping point where the decline began. Otherwise, using the highest leverage meant opening a dungeon box with a 99.999 percent chance of receiving a curse. Such an investment could only be executed by the Almighty One, who the Eight Virtues had ardently trusted.

I used to be able to use that method, but I needed more data now since history had changed due to the butterfly effect of my actions. For Jonathan, it would be a collection of evidence that Russia was doomed, and for me, it was confirmation that the general trends were still maintained.

"Bureaucrats suck. They can't even follow the global trends. When will they stop using fax machines? At this rate, they will commit an affair by fax and divorce using it, too," Jonathan said while folding his phone.

"Calm down," I said.

He responded wryly, "Haha. I should go back to New York by the earliest flight since I can't receive a fax here. I'll spend tonight near the airport."

"Why don't you look at the investment proposal before you leave?" I questioned.

"Investment proposal? You're totally certain that Russia will go down?!"

Betting on things was easy, but a massive amount of work was required by excellent experts to exploit the situation and walk away with the pot.

Gillian, who nestled in a British tax haven in the Isle of Man, would be waiting for the proposal to come.

The Isle of Man wasn't Gillian's hometown as he had been born in Northern London. Since the island was administratively independent, it was ambiguous to call it his home country. However, they still shared the same sea and had the same queen.

Gillian headed to his favorite bar. Foreigners who had come to the tax haven usually locked themselves in their mansions. He stopped accepting their invitations and going to their mansions after he came across this bar as it reminded him of his school days. Premier League games were always being broadcasted on television, and there were men who would rage and rant at the games even though they were watching a season-old replay.

He usually came here alone without his co-workers as he considered soccer holy. He especially avoided female employees, thinking they would know nothing about soccer. However…

"Jessica? How did you find this place?" Gillian asked.

"I followed the sound."

Jessica looked at the television, and Gillian was surprised. There were many other places Jessica could go besides here like restaurants on the beach, mansions that the rich kept inviting her to, and financiers' salons. However, Jessica has come here just by hearing the sounds of Manchester United thrashing Arsenal. She was as smart as her wits and would have succeeded anywhere. Therefore, Gillian believed she would shine even more in the financial world. That was why he believed her and gave her access to his business email account.

Gillian realized that Jessica was different from her usual self. She was never easily excited, but she looked somewhat flushed.

"Did the investment proposal arrive?" Gillian asked.

"I don't want to use the word genius hastily, but these people are!" Jessica replied in excitement.