Chapter 182: The Eye of Lobelate

Description

The Lobelate’s Eye, which had been radiating intense light, began to be absorbed into Seong-jun’s right eye.

Shoooooo!

At that moment, an excruciating pain surged through his right eye.

“Kugh! Krgh!”

It felt like his eye was being seared with fire.

“Hey! Seong-jun! Are you okay?”

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

As his companions asked with concern, Seong-jun quickly raised his hand to signal he was fine.

He knew this pain was part of the process of absorbing the eye.

“Krgh! I’m, I’m fine.”

And then, a moment later.

[The Lobelate’s Eye has successfully settled into the target’s body.]

[You can now use the Divine Power [Power of Insight].]

[You can now always view the world through the Eye of Lobelate.]

[You can now understand and interpret all languages and writings of all dimensions the moment you see them.]

The Lobelate’s Eye had been successfully installed.

At the same time, Seong-jun’s right pupil turned gold.

“Oh! What’s this? A golden pupil?”

“That oppa just keeps changing one thing after another. His hair turned silver-white, his skin became so pale it’s translucent, and now he’s got heterochromia? What’s going to change next?”

At Yuseon’s words, Seong-jun let out a small chuckle.

Meanwhile, Seong-jun was seeing things completely different from what he had seen before.

Blue energy was rippling all over Gwang-taek’s body, red energy emanated from Yuseon and Chang-su, and a dark red energy filled Seon-hwa’s entire body.

‘So this is the world seen through the Eye of Lobelate.’

Vivid energies rippled everywhere, and the moment he looked at any object, its structure and operating principles became clear to him as if by magic.

“How am I supposed to explain this? Haha, there’s no way to put it into words.”

Seong-jun could now see things completely different from what ordinary humans saw.

But there was no way to explain it in words.

“Why? Can you see different stuff? What about ghosts? Can you see ghosts too?”

“Hmm, that makes sense. Some people do see ghosts as a type of energy. So? Like Yuseon said, can you see ghosts and stuff?”

To Gwang-taek and Yuseon, who asked curiously, Seong-jun shook his head.

“No, I can’t see ghosts or anything. It’s just that I can see the energy of people here in different colors, and I can grasp their flow with my eyes. Besides that, I can see various things that are invisible to the average person’s eyes.”

At Seong-jun’s words, Yuseon asked in fascination.

“Really? I’d like to see the world you see too, oppa. But is it like an on-off function, where you can see it only when you want to? Or do you always see it that way?”

Seong-jun chuckled and said.

“Unfortunately, there’s no on-off function. From the moment the Eye of Lobelate was installed, everything looks like this. Ah! Of course, it doesn’t matter if I close my right eye.”

If he covered his right eye, which had the Lobelate’s Eye installed, he would see the same things ordinary people see.

But when he opened his right eye, a completely different world would unfold at any time.

One could argue it was actually more troublesome, but Seong-jun didn’t particularly find it bothersome.

“Then shouldn’t you be wearing an eyepatch on your right eye normally?”

“No, it’s fine. Seeing the world like this isn’t so bad. Besides, since I can see the movement and flow of energy, I can respond quickly to unexpected ambushes or sudden variables.”

Seeing the energy of a target meant that when that target used a skill, he could visually confirm the movement and flow of that energy.

In other words, if someone tried to ambush Seong-jun or his party, he could detect the movement and flow of their energy beforehand and notice the ambush in advance.

“Oh! That’s amazing. That ability is amazing, but you’re also amazing for acting like it’s no big deal. If I saw things completely different from what I usually see, I think I’d be more confused.”

“Everyone perceives things differently. Anyway, let’s get going soon. We need to go meet Lian Mei.”

When Seong-jun said they should go meet Lian Mei, Gwang-taek asked in puzzlement.

“Huh? Aren’t you going to check that stone tablet?”

It had been said that installing the Eye of Lobelate would allow him to understand all languages and writings of all dimensions, and Seong-jun had already told his companions that.

That meant he could now interpret the stone tablet as well.

When asked if it wouldn’t be better to interpret the stone tablet while he was at it, Seong-jun shook his head.

“We don’t know what variables might occur. I plan to interpret the stone tablet back at the hideout.”

What if, the moment he interpreted the stone tablet, he became able to communicate with that god?

And what if that took far longer than expected, or unexpected variables occurred during the process?

Since it was hard to predict exactly what situation would unfold, Seong-jun decided it was better to go back to the hideout and check the stone tablet there.

“True, that could happen. Alright, let’s go.”

And so, with the Eye of Lobelate successfully installed, Seong-jun left the lodging with his companions.

Inside a private room at an upscale tavern in Beijing.

Seong-jun’s party and Lian Mei’s party sat facing each other.

“Thank you for making the time. This is Wei Chang, the Vice Guild Leader of Qinghua and an S-Rank Tank, and over here are the leaders of Qinghua’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd combat teams.”

Including Guild Master Lian Mei, the team leaders of the 1st through 3rd teams, who could be considered the core strength.

“I see. It’s a pleasure. I’m Kim Seong-jun. By the way, you said you wanted to seek advice on a personal matter, but you’ve brought the guild’s mainstays along as well.”

He already knew exactly why they wanted to meet, but Seong-jun pretended not to.

And his companions played along, acting as if they knew nothing.

At that, Lian Mei spoke with a serious expression.

“Actually, I and the main force of the Qinghua Guild are considering moving to Korea. For your reference, I know that several major guilds in China have already been in contact with the United States or Europe.”

It wasn’t just Qinghua—major guilds across China were showing signs of wanting to leave China.

Seong-jun straightened his posture and asked with a serious face.

“Hmm, so you’re planning to leave China. May I ask what led to such a decision? With Qinghua’s standing, and with you as Guild Master, Lian Mei, your treatment in China must be top-tier.”

At Seong-jun’s question, Lian Mei spoke.

“China is already running toward its end. With most of the industrial infrastructure destroyed in this incident, the economy has taken a devastating hit, and the Communist Party, which lacks the capacity to properly clean up the mess, is shaking from its very roots. The people are no longer willing to endure it either. Soon, massive protests will break out across China. They certainly won’t be peaceful protests—there’s a high chance armed demonstrations will occur.”

There had been signs of this building for a while.

As generations passed and the younger generation rose to the center of society, people were no longer swayed by false propaganda and sought to break free from restraint, pressure, and oppression.

And now, that atmosphere had intensified even further.

Into this situation came the consecutive Dungeon Break incidents.

This made the people, who had been holding onto their last thread of reason, finally let go.

With most of the industrial infrastructure destroyed, people who were barely scraping by day to day now found themselves out on the streets, and the number of those who lost their homes in this incident was too numerous to count.

With the flames of discontent toward the Communist Party reaching their peak, and with even military facilities having suffered severe damage, it was clear that if the people rose up, it would be hard to respond properly.

Lian Mei judged that an unprecedented, massive wave of protests would sweep across China like wildfire.

“So? Because there’s no future in China, you’re coming to Korea?”

At Seong-jun’s question, Lian Mei continued.

“That’s part of it, but the real issue isn’t that. It’s that the Chinese government and Association treat Hunters not as people, but as tools. Do you know how many Hunters died during this incident? Even though they could have defended efficiently with support from neighboring countries, the Chinese government and Association didn’t do that. They pushed even low-ranking Hunters, who were no match for the enemy, to the front lines and used them as meat shields.”

Having heard roughly what the situation was, Seong-jun let out a low groan and nodded.

“Ugh……”

“That’s not all. Even if the treatment is good, when an incident like this occurs, our opinions are never taken into account. The Association is nothing more than a puppet of the government, and in the end, we have no choice but to do what the government says. Even if that means throwing away our lives meaninglessly.”

In other words, the will of Hunters didn’t matter—they were nothing more than puppets or tools that had to do whatever the government ordered.

Even the Association, which should prioritize Hunters above all else, was nothing more than a puppet blindly following the government’s orders, so what more needed to be said?

In the end, Lian Mei wanted to leave China to live like a human being.

“But didn’t you say Chinese society itself might be turned upside down soon? If that happens and the regime changes, wouldn’t the treatment of Hunters improve significantly?”

With people’s discontent toward the Communist Party regime at its peak, it wouldn’t be surprising if it exploded at any moment.

If that happened, the world would be turned upside down, and if the regime changed, wouldn’t the treatment of Hunters, who were nothing more than tools of the Communist Party regime, also improve?

At Seong-jun’s question, Lian Mei shook her head.

“A regime change? Of course it’s possible. But even so, how much would really change? In the end, only the party would change, and those who actually hold power would be the same old bunch. Even if the system itself truly changed, Chinese society would be thrown into tremendous chaos. And in the midst of that, Hunters would once again be forced to sacrifice themselves.”

Lian Mei was right.

Could Chinese society, which had operated under the Communist Party system for so long, truly realize proper democracy overnight just because the party changed?

That was impossible.

On the surface, it might claim to be democratic, but the system itself wouldn’t be much different from now.

Even if an earth-shattering change that overturned the system occurred, Chinese society would fall into tremendous chaos, and this period of chaos would never end quickly.

Lian Mei didn’t want to be forced into meaningless sacrifice in the midst of that chaos.

“Alright. So what do you want us to do? From the looks of it, you didn’t set up this meeting just to seek advice from me.”

“That’s right. I’ll speak plainly. I’d like Hunter Kim Seong-jun to help us settle safely in Korea.”

At that, Seong-jun shrugged and said.

“Me? I’m just a single Hunter—how much help could I possibly be……”

Lian Mei let out a small smile.

“A single Hunter? Do you think I don’t know the significance Hunter Kim Seong-jun holds in Korea? Not just the Korean Association, but even the government is said to be careful around Hunter Kim Seong-jun. I’m sure the Korean Association will be quite reluctant to accept us. After all, we’d be a burden in many ways. But if Hunter Kim Seong-jun lends his weight, I believe it can be accomplished.”

As expected, what Lian Mei wanted was for him to persuade the Korean government and Association to accept them, and furthermore, to help them establish themselves in Korea.

In truth, that wasn’t beyond Seong-jun’s ability.

“And what do I get out of it?”

But if there’s a give, there should be a take.

“Since you must already have more money than you can spend, and your Artifact setup seems to be top-tier already, there’s nothing we can immediately offer you. If there’s something you want, please tell us. Whatever it is, we’ll accommodate you as best we can within our means.”

Due to the global Dungeon Break crisis, Seong-jun and his party had accumulated astronomical funds.

And their equipment setups were already at the highest level.

So there was nothing the Qinghua Guild could offer them right away.

When she said they’d accommodate whatever he wanted as best they could, Seong-jun smiled with a look of triumph and spoke.

“I actually have something I’m preparing for, and it might require putting our lives on the line. If you promise to help me with my work, then I’ll do my best to help all of you establish yourselves in Korea.”

In the end, there was only one thing Seong-jun wanted from them.

Fighting Bakjehwang together in the other world.

Lian Mei, the head of Qinghua, and Wei Chang, the Vice Guild Leader, had not only high ranks but also exceptional combat sense.

So if they joined, they would clearly be a significant asset.

“It’s something that requires risking our lives. Could you tell me exactly what it is? I can’t make a rash promise without knowing what it is.”

It was only natural.

It was something that required risking their lives—how could they just promise without knowing exactly what it was?

“It’s hard to explain in detail, but to put it briefly, we’ll be fighting someone. It’s a formidable opponent whose victory I can’t guarantee even from here. Of course, I’ll be the one to face him. The problem is that there will likely be strong ones around him as well. What you’ll need to do is clean up those around him.”

They hadn’t fully moved to Korea yet, nor had they promised to help.

So he couldn’t tell them everything truthfully.

That’s why Seong-jun only explained briefly.

“Hmm, will only our Qinghua be moving?”

“No. I’ll be making the same offer to Korean guilds as well. However, since I don’t know exactly how many people can go to where we need to go, if the headcount limit is smaller than expected, I plan to bring as many S-Rank Hunters as possible, and if there’s room in the numbers, I’ll bring A-Rank Hunters as well.”

Since the exact number of people who could move to the dimensional rift hadn’t been confirmed, Seong-jun planned to recruit as many S-Ranks as possible.

If the headcount was small, he planned to fill it with as many S-Ranks as possible, excluding his own party, and if there was room in the numbers, he was even considering A-Ranks.

“I see. Then let’s do this. I’ll promise to help Hunter Kim Seong-jun for now. However, I can’t force the other guild members to do the same, so after hearing the details later, I’ll ask for their intentions. How about that? It’s a bit awkward to call it a favor in return, but no matter the situation, Qinghua will unconditionally support Hunter Kim Seong-jun.”

Regardless of the other guild members, the Guild Master herself would definitely help.

And the other guild members would also be asked for their intentions on whether to help Seong-jun after hearing the full details.

In return, Qinghua would actively support whatever Seong-jun did.

Seong-jun nodded at that.

“Alright. That much seems appropriate for now. So, the deal is struck. When do you plan to come to Korea?”

“We have no justification to lead our main force to Korea right away. As you know, to go abroad, we have to undergo thorough verification from the authorities and the Association. So, when you return to Korea, just send us an invitation. If we say we’re going at the invitation of Hunter Kim Seong-jun, the Association won’t be able to easily block it either.”

Even before, the Chinese government and Association had thoroughly managed Hunters to prevent them from leaving.

Now that China’s situation was deteriorating to the worst, the management of Hunters had become even stricter.

That’s why Lian Mei asked Seong-jun to send an invitation once he returned to Korea.

No matter how the Chinese government tried, they couldn’t easily ignore Seong-jun, who was involved with S-Rank and A-Rank Dungeons that could break out at any moment.

“Very well. Once I let you know a suitable date, I’ll send an invitation to match that date.”

“Yes, I’ll contact you as soon as we’re roughly ready.”

And so, Seong-jun promised a secret agreement with Qinghua and ended the meeting.

Back in Korea, Seong-jun immediately used the Dungeon Creation Device to search for Dark Attribute Dungeons, and he was able to find three of them.

“Selfiriana. Ready?”

At Seong-jun’s question, Selfiriana brought three devices.

“Here they are. These are the newly modified and improved Dungeon Activation Devices. I removed the dungeon lockdown function, and greatly increased the duration. Once you activate the device, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the dungeon while the monsters gather in one place. The device’s duration is 4 hours.”

With the test version device, it took 30 minutes to fully lock down, and about 1 hour total until the device deactivated.

In other words, the real waves within the dungeon would start after about 1 hour.

This time, the device duration was greatly increased to 4 hours, allowing for a more relaxed dungeon exploration.

“Really? Good work.”

Seong-jun received the Dungeon Activation Devices and then looked at his companions.

“Just like in China, Gwang-taek hyung and Yuseon will form a team, and Seon-hwa noona and Chang-su will form a team. Both teams should only clear the regular mobs and then come out. I’ll clear one dungeon, then handle them one by one.”

Since all of them could use EX-class abilities, they could probably handle the boss raids too.

But there was still a slight sense of unease with only two-person teams.

That’s why Seong-jun told them to only clear the regular mobs and leave the boss alone.

He judged that it was most certain for him to go in and deal with them personally.

“Alright, got it. But don’t you think we could handle it on our own?”

“Of course, it’s possible. But just in case some unexpected variable occurs, it’s better to play it safe. And it won’t take that much more time.”

At Seong-jun’s words, Gwang-taek nodded.

“True. Since our team has me as the tank, it’s fine, but Seon-hwa’s team doesn’t have a tank, so Seon-hwa would have to do the tanking, which could be dangerous. Alright. Let’s do that.”

“Then I’m opening them.”

With the booster, he could open up to three at once, so Seong-jun immediately opened three Dark Attribute Dungeons.

Whoooosh! Whoosh! Whooooooosh!

The thought of conquering three dungeons simultaneously.

Even if he could open three dungeons at once, this would have been unthinkable in the past.

“Alright, take one each, and we’ll see each other in a bit.”

Handing one improved Dungeon Activation Device to each team, Seong-jun entered the dungeon first.

Then Gwang-taek’s team and Seon-hwa’s team also hurriedly entered their dungeons.