Lee Taecheon and Baek Dohee spoke with serious expressions.
Though they were conversing in the Guild Master’s office, the subject of their discussion wasn’t about the guild.
Their topic was Baek Doun—his friend, her older brother.
Lee Taecheon clicked the mouse.
A hologram projector sitting on the table lit up.
Baek Doun appeared on the screen, emerging from a forest.
His clothes were soaked with blood and he looked badly injured, but upon closer inspection, there wasn’t a single wound.
“This was filmed in the Flame Mountain Dungeon.”
“As I thought… So it was Oppa who turned the dungeon into a forest.”
“Yeah. I checked all the CCTV footage, but only Doun was caught on camera.”
“What about the footage?”
“I gathered all of it. Deleted the originals, too.”
Lee Taecheon confidently held up a USB drive.
The USB, barely the size of a fingernail, was soon crushed between his index finger and thumb.
The USB, now powdered, fell into the trash.
“No one will be able to find it elsewhere.”
“Well done.”
She let out a long breath, looking slightly relieved.
The “elsewhere” Taecheon referred to wasn’t another guild.
He meant the government and the Hunter Association.
For the first time in the world, a dungeon had been transformed into a forest.
The government and association would do anything to uncover the reason and the cause.
In countries with vast territories and too many gates to manage, this could become a powerful weapon.
There was far too much land in the world that had turned into dungeons and could no longer be used for its original purpose.
“The World Tree on the smartphone…”
“Hm?”
“That’s what caused it, right?”
“Probably. I don’t know exactly how, though.”
Lee Taecheon crossed his arms and stared at the hologram.
On the screen, Baek Doun exited Jae’s Forge and got into a car, driving off after a few minutes.
Jae’s Forge, Jae’s Forge…
Watching the footage, he blurted out,
“Doun left from Jae’s Forge before heading to Flame Mountain Dungeon. Are they dating?”
“…What?”
“Yeah?”
At Taecheon’s casual remark, Baek Dohee fixed him with a stare.
Her eyes, wide and bright as jewels set in snow, were beautiful, but he felt fear, not admiration.
His folded arms began to tremble.
It was a fear ingrained deep within him over the course of his life.
“Uh, Dohee?”
“Is it really important right now to know if Oppa is dating someone? When people targeting Oppa might start popping up like mushrooms after rain?”
“No, but think about it. It’s important too. If Doun is dating Yoo Jae, he’s finally breaking his single streak, right?”
Bang!
Baek Dohee slammed her fist onto the table.
Taecheon clamped his mouth shut just as he was about to say more.
“Let’s talk about what’s important. The important things.”
“Uh, yeah. Right, let’s do that.”
Five seconds of silence passed.
Baek Dohee spoke first.
After letting out a heavy sigh and apologizing, she continued,
“For now, let’s keep this a secret between us.”
“Of course. If the government or association finds out Doun did this, they’ll definitely try to use him.”
“Haa… Why did Oppa end up with such an overwhelming ability?”
“I have no idea.”
“…….”
“But there’s one thing I do know.”
Lee Taecheon clenched his right fist tightly.
“We have to protect Doun…”
Unlike two years ago.
Though Taecheon trailed off, she understood what he wanted to say.
She’d been by his side when he felt powerless, sharing his despair and frustration.
“You’re right, Oppa.”
Baek Dohee stared at the video of Baek Doun climbing into the car, drenched in blood.
Then, as if making up her mind, her gaze turned resolute.
“Call Kim Sangchul and Lee Jaewook up here, please.”
“Got something for them to do?”
“Yes. I just can’t relax with only a tracker on him.”
“…….”
So you really did put one on him.
Taecheon murmured inwardly, smiling faintly.
Lifting the phone from the table, he thought,
Doun, just wait a bit. I’ll find that tracker and let you know.
When it came to things like this, Taecheon was always on Doun’s side.
A sudden shiver ran down his spine as he drove.
He glanced around, but the scenery was perfectly ordinary.
Cars were stopped at the signal, and then started moving as the light changed.
He was in the group of cars starting to move.
He checked the navigation and his surroundings to confirm his destination.
“I think it’s around here.”
The ‘Potion Maker’ Yoo Jae had recommended lived in the Gasan Digital Complex.
She’d added that this was someone trustworthy enough not to go blabbing after seeing the World Tree leaf, but the reason was a bit funny.
Apparently, just like herself, the person had such a small social circle that there was nowhere to spread rumors.
Even though there was a vast world called the internet out there.
He also brought along the glass bottle of violet liquid he’d found in the box at the Crowd hideout.
He planned to show the World Tree leaf and have the contents checked as well.
“It’s definitely a buff potion, but I don’t know what exact effect it has. My appraisal skill isn’t enough.”
When Yoo Jae had checked the liquid with her appraisal skill, that was the result.
Honestly, he’d guessed it was probably a buff potion.
It resembled the one Ji Sangwook drank in the Tower of Trials.
Though the liquid from the box was an even deeper violet.
Yoo Jae had advised him to take it to an expert for a proper appraisal.
He’d promised to share the result with Woo Yeonhu before heading out.
[You have arrived at your destination. Navigation ended.]
“…This is it?”
He’d arrived at a shabby, old two-story building at the edge of the industrial complex.
Only two stories high, but there was a parking lot next door, so he parked there.
On the building,
[Crystal Workshop – Potion Creation & Item Appraisal Specialists!]
A rectangular sign read.
It looked as if it hadn’t been maintained at all since it was first made, battered and worn.
If not for Yoo Jae’s introduction, he would never have come to a place like this.
The name on the sign, Crystal, was the name of the person Yoo Jae had mentioned.
Was it Hong Sujeong?
He pressed the doorbell on the rusty green iron door and waited a few seconds.
“Hmm. There’s no way she’s not here…”
Yoo Jae had said she’d contact her when leaving the forge.
If the place was empty, she’d have let him know.
He rang the bell again, but there was still no response.
Left with no choice, he pounded on the iron door as he rang.
“I’m here on Yoo Jae’s recommendation! Is anyone there?”
“…-yo!”
Finally, a tiny voice sounded from behind the iron door.
The only clear syllable was “-yo,” but she’d probably said, “Coming out!”
Then came the sounds of things being knocked over in a hurry.
The rustling from behind the door grew louder and louder.
When the noise was practically right behind the door, it creaked open.
“Sorry! I didn’t hear the bell! Oh, hello!”
“Ah, yes. Hello.”
A young woman wearing huge round glasses greeted him brightly.
It was Hong Sujeong, the owner of Crystal Workshop.
Her glasses were so thick that you could barely see her eyes.
Apparently, her barely visible eyes were looking at his right hand.
“Wow, you really do play the game, huh?”
She must have heard about him from Yoo Jae.
He laughed awkwardly and pulled his right hand behind his back.
Why say something to make someone embarrassed for no reason?
“Oh, what am I doing? Please, come in!”
With that, Hong Sujeong led the way inside.
As he followed her in, he understood why she’d made such a racket coming out.
And why she hadn’t heard the doorbell.
The building’s interior was overflowing with books and all sorts of tools for potion-making.
It barely resembled a workshop; it looked more like a laboratory.
“I was really surprised when Jae contacted me.”
“Surprised?”
“I never thought she’d introduce someone to me. Especially a guy—I couldn’t believe it.”
“Oh my. Are you two friends?”
He nearly dropped a stack of books as he navigated a passage full of books.
Whew, seriously, tidy up a little.
“Yes. We went to high school together. What about you?”
“Me?”
“What’s your relationship with Jae? Are you her boyfriend?”
“No. Just a blacksmith and a customer.”
“Oh, really?”
Hong Sujeong smirked and gave him a sidelong glance.
Actually, her head just turned his way, so it looked like a glare.
Because of her thick lenses, he couldn’t really see her eyes and tell if she was looking at him.
Still, the upward curl of her lips suggested she was enjoying herself.
Well, it made sense. If your friend introduced you to a guy, you’d get curious too.
If Taecheon ever brought a girl over to introduce, he’d be full of questions too.
Even if that wasn’t the case.
After passing through the book-lined corridor, they finally reached what seemed to be the workshop.
“Uh, hmm.”
Hong Sujeong spun in a circle, searching for something.
She was probably looking for a place for him to sit.
The workshop had only one oddly shaped chair and a potion workbench.
Did she really expect to welcome customers like this?
“I’ll just use this as a seat.”
He pointed at a huge pile of books. Hong Sujeong scratched her neck apologetically.
“Uh, are you sure that’s okay? You can use the chair if you want.”
“It’s fine. Books make great ramen stands—no, I mean, substitute chairs.”
Joking, he sat himself down on the pile of books.
Then, he pulled out the glass bottle of violet liquid from his magic pouch and handed it over.
“‘Violet Violence’?”
“You know it?”
Oh, as expected of an expert. She recognized it at a glance.
Hong Sujeong shook the bottle, closed her eyes, and held it up to her ear.
She seemed to be listening to the sound the liquid made as it sloshed.
“Yes, it’s a newly circulated buff potion that’s become very popular because it’s cheaper than others. The problem is…”
“The problem?”
“It hasn’t passed the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s tests.”
“So it’s illegal?”
“Yes. No one knows what it’s made of or what side effects it might have. It’s a mysterious potion.”
Well, of course. It was something that had belonged to Crowd.
No way it would have passed the ministry’s safety inspection.
“How did you even get this? I couldn’t find it anywhere no matter how hard I looked!”
He just shrugged without answering.
No way he could say he’d taken it from an A-rank terrorist organization.
“Fine, you don’t have to tell me. The important thing is that I have it in my hands now. You want me to analyze it, right?”
“Yes.”
“A thorough analysis will take a week to two weeks.”
“That long?”
“Long? That’s because it’s me. Anywhere else would take a month or more, not just two weeks.”
Hong Sujeong spoke with pride.
As a layman, he couldn’t really appreciate how amazing that was.
So he simply said,
“Wow, that’s really impressive.”
He sounded a bit soulless, so she stuck out her lips in a pout.
“…I’ll let you know the result through Jae.”
“Yes, that works.”
“By the way, what’s this thing that’s supposed to surprise me?”
She set the Violet Violence bottle on the workbench and asked.
Apparently, Yoo Jae had mentioned the World Tree leaf.
He took the leaf from his magic pouch and placed it on the bench.
“A leaf? It’s pretty big, but… This, wait—!”
Muttering as she stared at the leaf, Hong Sujeong abruptly shot to her feet.
Then she buried her face in the leaf.
She sniffed at it, nose pressed deep, and even stuck out her tongue to lick it.
“No way! This is a World Tree leaf!”
Hm, her appraisal methods are certainly… unique.
“A World Tree leaf. Where on earth did you… No, wait. That’s not the point. The important thing is that it’s right here in front of me—whoa… The smell. It’s amazing. This is crazy, crazy!”
She mumbled feverishly as she examined the World Tree leaf.
Watching her mutter endlessly, he decided it would be best to wait for her to calm down.
If he tried to interrupt, she might bite him.
She looked like a dog tearing into its food.
How many minutes passed?
At last, she seemed to regain her composure and asked him,
“What do you want to do with this?”
Well, she said “composure,” but her cheek was still pressed against the leaf.
“…I was thinking of making a potion or maybe cosmetics.”
“Hmm, a healing potion would be better.”
“Aren’t cosmetics more profitable?”
“They are, but things have changed lately.”
“How so?”
“No high-grade potions suitable for A-rank hunters are coming out these days. If you make healing potions with this, you’ll make a fortune.”
“Oh, really? Then I’ll go with healing potions.”
“Great choice! Excellent thinking!”
With that, Hong Sujeong hugged the World Tree leaf tightly.
Face still pressed against the leaf, she gazed up at him.
“…….”
“…….”
Huh?
He’d seen that look somewhere before.
Ah, right. When Yoo Jae had kicked him out of the forge…
Sigh. Friends really are alike in the weirdest ways.
“I’ll be off. Let me know when it’s done.”
“Yes! It won’t take long!”
With a sigh, he left the workshop immediately.
As he opened the rusty iron door, a familiar face appeared.
“Oh, you’re done already?”
Messy hair.
Dark leather jacket.
It was Seo Ji-hyuk of the Scales Guild.