Chapter 106: Upcoming Events
Chapter 106: Upcoming Events
“What’s with the armory shop? Lately, I’ve been hearing commotion about the finest weapons getting sold there. Even some small guild headmasters who know me ask to be linked to the shop and have their orders booked. What a surprise!”
Chief Yoon bowed to Chairman Yu after she entered the Hunter Association’s headroom. She put the americano on the desk and continued to read the reports her division staff had compiled and put together beforehand.
“There are two new items in the shop in addition to the three items that get sold through the auction event the other day. Three of these items are sold on a deposit system from the seller to the shop. If they get sold, there will be profit sharing between the seller and the shop.”
Chairman Yu chuckled. “That’s new. Usually, they buy and sell Magic Crystals and Magic Stones more often. It is because the quality of goods and weapons is only suitable for D-rank hunters and below.
“And now, these new items are capable of attracting the attention of both C-rank and B-rank hunters. No wonder they’ve been busy contacting me. That’s because, in the Black Market, these items will get valued at high prices. So it’s no wonder they were fighting over it when the shop shared about it. Prices are much more affordable if what’s get reported in the data is true.”
“Yes, sir. Even though the income is only from the distribution of the seller and the shop, it can get considered quite a lot, especially if the transaction happens more frequently. So the shop can be said to be profitable in terms of marketing and revenue.”
“What about the client? Do we know his identity?”
Chief Yoon shook her head. “Unfortunately, we don’t know for a while, sir. Master Ma-no doesn’t want to make the provider feel uncomfortable by disclosing the information before he asks his permission first.”
Chairman Yu tapped on his desk with the fingers of his right hand while his left hand was busy massaging his temples.
“Leave it as it is. There’s no need to pressure Ma-no to reveal the identity of the one who entrusted the goods to the shop. Let’s keep it as it is so that the provider feels comfortable doing business with us. Also, tell Ma-no if anyone asks or anything. with him about provider information. He can use my name to put pressure on those people.”
The Hunters Association was happy if there were items of good quality and could increase the overall strength of the hunters who bought them. In the Black Market, most buyers were coming from wealthy guilds, especially those with sponsors. It caused prices to spike, and hunters with average capital were unable to compete. Not to mention the membership fee that must get paid annually.
Hunters Associations in several countries, including South Korea, have previously protested against the existence of the Black Market. But, they and the International Hunter Association couldn’t do anything in the end because the guilds behind it were those from America, Germany, and China.
They couldn’t keep poking around the dragon’s lair if they didn’t want to spark a civil war between the hunters.
“Speaking of the International Hunter Association. What did they say about that traitor?”
Chairman Yu straightened his back and exhaled deeply. He thought back to the incident where they had basically got utterly beaten by Ma Dong-seok. It was a fact that they wouldn’t be able to hold the traitor guilty if they couldn’t detain him.
“In a week, the inspection team will come here. The International Hunters Association told us to cooperate with their investigation later.”
“Then what about the woman who picked up the person? Did they tell us the information?”
“That’s the traitor of the United States, Jenny Gray. They just said her name and no other info other than that. They don’t like it when we sniff out their traitor and tell us not to dig any further. They say it’s their business.”
Chief Yoon rolled her eyes, displeased with the attitude of the US Hunters Association. “Tch! Stubborn! We have to share what we have in order to catch those traitors. They’re one of the most important threats against the Portal Gate creatures.”
Chairman Yu agreed with Chief Yoon. All Hunters Associations should help each other more often to catch those people. Moreover, their individual strength was definitely on par with Apex-ranked hunters. Currently, only ArchMage could defeat them.
Sometimes, he got tired from all of it. Like, the never-ending Portal Gates and humans with Mana Blessing who betrayed the ordinary people. About items and weapons that were never enough to arm the hunters in their task of repelling the creatures of the Portal Gate.
He turned around and faced the large window, having a look outside. He thought about when the era of peace for humanity would come. He felt sad whenever he thought of the hunters who didn’t want to fight but just died to protect their country.
“Oh, right. What about the auction? What did they say?”
“They asked for a delay of two weeks to raise funds to compete with the Demigods, Artates, and Shadow.”
Chairman Yu was silent for a moment then replied. “Accept that.”
Chief Yoon nodded her head. She would reschedule the time for the auction and tell the other guilds to prepare for it.
The Hunters Association wanted to reduce their stock of Portal Gates as soon as possible. The money from it then would get used to improve some hunters, the ones with the potential to reach higher ranks.
“We’ve also secured a source that can supply us with any quantity of Magic Crystals and Magic Stones as long as we can afford them.”
“Where?”
“South Africa.”
Chairman Yu gave his approval. So far, there were good and bad things going on. That at least didn’t discourage him about the hope of wiping out the Portal Gates. He believed that one day. There would be a time when South Korea would not have to live in fear, and the Portal Gates would no longer exist in their land.
On the 13th floor of the Hunter Association building, Ji-woo came to hand over two Red Broadswords to the armory shop. Ma-no greeted him along with Ji-hye.
“Ah, Ji-woo~si. What business did you come here for it? Wasn’t the money for these items already being sent to you yesterday?” Ma-no said while glancing at Ji-hye to confirm what he just said.
Ji-woo smiled. “Yes, that’s right. I’ve received it, 490 million won. And, I’m here on other business. As I said before, there will be many opportunities for us to work together.”
Ma-no smiled broadly at those words. He believed Ji-woo would put some more stuff in the shop. So far, the quality has always been top-notch, no doubt about that.
Ji-woo took out two Red Broadswords from the duffel bag and gave them to Ji-hye. After receiving it, she immediately moved the weapons and prepared them to get placed on the two platforms for display. She also had to prepare the information to pass on to the hunters.
However, Ma-no restrained Jihye from doing that. According to him, they no longer need to inform the hunters of the store’s new items and just let them get displayed on the platform. Let it fall into the hands of those who got destined to own those things.
And Ji-woo agreed with that. He wasn’t in too much of a hurry because he had 527 million won in his account. After all, since there were already two times where the shop sold magic items of good quality, the hunters would know that there was a new item in less than 24 hours.
It was because some hunters must have had their comrades or men watch over the armory shop. Some people wanted to know whether items with that quality would be available again in the future. Some wanted to grasp the origin of the client that put the things on sale.
“Looks like it will be difficult to visit this shop in the future, Sir.”
“I’m sorry for your inconvenience, Ji-woo~si. I make sure your information doesn’t spread to others and is only available within the scope of the Hunter’s Association. Which I guarantee won’t bother you.
“I will also prepare or hire new employees who are ready to pick up and deliver items from or to your place if there is something you need.”
“No need to bother, sir. I have people I can order. So there’s no need to do that.” Ji-woo smiled sinisterly, remembering the figure of Dong-hyun, who should have become the errand boy for him.
Ji-woo bowed to Ma-no and Ji-hye. He then went back. Arriving at the bottom floor, he saw several hunters with sharp eyes like eagles watching the movement of him getting out of the elevator toward the exit.
He laughed sarcastically. Who didn’t know they got stared at when they looked at them like that?
Anyway, he guessed that some of those hunters must have realized that he was the one who supplied the items to the armory shop. For him, it didn’t matter. Everything could get arranged as long as they didn’t make a fuss and annoy him.
However, there was also the possibility those hunters didn’t care about it. They might not connect it with the identity of the provider who brought the goods to the store.
If that was the case, then the goddess of luck really was there for him. Or perhaps, the hunters were too stupid and didn’t notice it at all. His usual appearance was far from the impression of a person capable of providing such magic items and weapons.