Park Yoon-gu said to Jeong-min,
"I was sent after hearing that you passed through the shelter's main gate. You said you wanted a deal? I was ordered to escort you politely. Let's go."
Yoon-gu led the way, guiding Jeong-min.
Jeong-min slowly followed behind Yoon-gu.
Yoon-gu took Jeong-min to an office with a sign that read 'Human Resources Department.'
Inside, there were several desks, and a small private office was located in the back.
Looking around the empty office, Jeong-min said,
"Looks like everyone's gone? The office is empty."
"Ah... well... it seems everyone went to lunch. It's lunchtime..."
"Hmm... so everyone leaves the office together for lunch..."
"Ahem!"
After clearing his throat, Yoon-gu led Jeong-min to the private office in the back.
"Please go in. Manager Gwak is waiting for you. Oh, would you please store that in your black inventory?"
Jeong-min glanced at Yoon-gu for a moment before opening his inventory and placing [Ruunan's Sword] inside.
Then, he opened the office door and went inside.
There were three people in the small office.
Gwak Jo-won was sitting on the sofa, and next to him was a skinny, small man.
And a young man with a similar build to 1st Team Leader Seong-dong was standing to the side.
Jo-won stood up, extended his hand, and greeted Jeong-min.
"Hello, Jeong-min. It's so nice to see you again."
Jeong-min shook Jo-won's hand and greeted him.
"Hello."
"Yes, please have a seat."
As Jeong-min sat down, Jo-won introduced the men on either side of him.
"You haven't met them before, have you? These are the 3rd and 4th Team Leaders of the Daesung Shelter's combat unit.
They heard that you saved 6th Team Leader, who is one of our colleagues, and they said they wanted to meet you in person and thank you. So, I arranged this meeting."
The small man sitting next to Jo-won smiled and extended his hand to Jeongmin.
"Hello, I'm Jeong Gi-chan, 3rd Team Leader of the Daesung combat unit. Nice to meet you."
Jeong-min shook Gi-chan's hand and simultaneously activated 'Eye of Appraisal' to examine Gi-chan.
[Jeong Gi-chan
Strength: 13
Stamina: 14
Agility: 17
Intelligence: 21 [MP: 37/37]
Gold Held: 380 Gold
Skills Held: Flame Wall(Lv. 1), Eye of Discernment(Lv. 2)]
'...Eye of Discernment? What kind of skill is that?'
Jeong-min focused on the skill 'Eye of Discernment' among the skills displayed in Gi-chan's status window.
[Eye of Discernment(Lv. 2): Consumes mana to discern the truthfulness of what the other person is saying.]
Jeong-min chuckled as he read the skill's description that appeared before his eyes.
'So there are all sorts of skills... In other words, this guy is a human lie detector?'
While Jeong-min was thinking, the large man standing next to him greeted him in a low voice.
"4th Team Leader Kang Sang-do."
Jeong-min also used 'Eye of Appraisal' on Kang Sang-do.
[Kang Sang-do
Strength: 26
Stamina: 24
Agility: 17
Intelligence: 9 [MP: 18/18]
Gold Held: 530 Gold
Skills Held: Super Strength(Lv. 1), Martial Arts(Lv. 1)]
'This one... has easy-to-understand skills.'
Jeong-min returned the greeting to Sang-do and then looked at Jo-won.
Seeing them exchange greetings, Jo-won said to Jeong-min,
"By the way, I heard you wanted a deal? Did you decide to sell us potions?"
Jeong-min shook his head and said,
"No, the item I want to trade today isn't potions, but... weapons. Specifically, three swords."
"Swords...?"
As if it was an unexpected answer, Jo-won's expression became subtle.
Jeong-min opened his inventory and took out a sword.
It was one of the weapons he had taken from the inventory of the deceased some time ago, but it was difficult to use due to its low stat increase option. Jo-won looked at the sword Jeong-min was holding out and said,
"Swords... well... we have an artisan in our shelter who has weapon crafting skills... He makes all the weapons we need..."
"It's a sword with stat increase options."
Jo-won, who had been looking at Jeong-min for a moment as if he didn't understand, was startled and looked at Gi-chan next to him.
Gi-chan nodded to Jo-won and then grabbed the sword's hilt and lifted it.
"Let me check... status window!"
Gi-chan opened his status window and looked at the air, saying to Jo-won,
"It's true... it has an additional stat of 5 to my strength and stamina stats... How is this possible..."
Jo-won's eyes widened in surprise at Gi-chan's words.
Sang-do, who was standing next to him, also seemed quite surprised, looking at the sword Gi-chan was holding with wide eyes.
Jo-won licked his lips and said,
"A sword that raises stats by a total of 10... That's amazing. You said you have three of these swords?"
Jeong-min nodded.
"Yes, one of them isn't a sword (劍) but a dao (刀), but... the stats it raises are similar."
"Amazing... really amazing... But... how did you get such amazing items? Did you make them yourself?"
Jeong-min shrugged and said,
"That's... a trade secret? Let's just say that. So, are you interested in buying them?"
"Of course. Of course, we have to buy them. What kind of supplies do you want... no, let's talk about that later."
Adjusting his posture, Jo-won said,
"By any chance, are you really not willing to sell the potions you used before? We're willing to buy them at a good price..."
"No. I only came to sell these three weapons today."
"Ah... yes... I see."
Jo-won glanced at Gi-chan sitting next to him and then asked Jeong-min,
"Didn't you refuse to join our shelter before? Has your mind changed about that?"
"No, I have no plans to join this place."
"I see... Are you affiliated with another guild or shelter?"
Jeong-min glanced at Gi-chan and shook his head.
"No. I'm not affiliated with any place."
Jeong-min didn't miss the sight of Gi-chan nodding slightly to Jo-won.
Jo-won asked Jeong-min with a lighter expression,
"You're not affiliated anywhere... But I can't figure out how you possess such amazing items... In this harsh world, alone without any affiliation... Ah, you do live alone, right?"
"Yes, I was lucky enough to find a safe place... and I live alone."
Gi-chan nodded again slightly, and Jo-won, seeing this, buried himself in the sofa and said,
"Living alone without any affiliation... and freely using weapons and potions with unbelievable performance... Ah, of course, the potions are also... a trade secret?"
Jeong-min nodded with a smile on his face.
"Hmm... I see... Ah, one last question. Do you have any combat skills, Jeongmin?"
Jeong-min shook his head and said,
"No, I don't have any combat skills among my skills."
Since he had stored [Ruunan's Sword] in his inventory before entering the office, even the one 'Strike' skill he had was gone.
Naturally, Jeong-min's words were judged as true, and Jo-won looked at Jeong-min with a smile on his face.
Jeong-min could feel the air in the office getting colder.
"If you're not affiliated anywhere, I think it would be good for you to join our shelter. This is for your safety, Jeong-min. If someone like you, Jeong-min, were to live defenselessly outside and die to a monster, it would be a great loss for our shelter, no, for humanity."
"That's strange. I was already rejected for membership by this shelter before."
"That's because you concealed the skills you possessed. If you had told us accurately, there's no way the shelter would have rejected your membership."
"Hmm... I don't know what I concealed... Anyway, I have no intention of joining this shelter."
Jo-won smiled awkwardly and said,
"Ha... this is... There's only one spot left, so I was going to save it if possible... but I can't help it."
"...?"
"Let me summarize. Here's my offer. I'll buy all of Jeong-min's weapons under good conditions. And furthermore... for Jeong-min, who is living alone and lonely in this harsh world, I will prepare a good place within the shelter and treat you well. We can talk about items other than potions later."
Jeong-min tilted his head and said,
"I clearly refused that offer, didn't I? I told you I have no plans to join this place."
Jo-won smiled coldly and stared intently into Jeong-min's eyes.
And in an even colder, strange voice, he said to Jeong-min.
-No, Jeong-min will join the Daesung Shelter. You will, won't you?-
Jo-won's eyes, which were facing Jeong-min, seemed to glow red, and then Jeong-min felt as if Jo-won's words were echoing loudly.
Jeong-min listened to Jo-won's words with a dazed expression and felt that he should follow Jo-won's words.
At that moment, a message appeared before Jeong-min's eyes.
[Skill 'Detection' has been activated. Recognizes 'Brainwash' skill.]
"...Brainwash...?"
As Jeong-min muttered, Jo-won clutched his head and screamed.
"Kuaaak!"
After screaming once, blood flowed from Jo-won's nose and dripped down.
Jo-won looked at Jeong-min and muttered.
"How..."
As Jeong-min's dazed mind returned, anger surged.
'Gwak Jo-won was an Awakened...'
Jeong-min was angry at his own carelessness for not using 'Eye of Appraisal' on Jo-won.
Separately from that, he was even more angry at Gwak Jo-won for trying to trick him.
Jeong-min glared at Jo-won's face and said in a low voice.
"What were you trying to do just now?"
Avoiding Jeong-min's eyes as he stood up, Jo-won shouted desperately.
"4th Team Leader! Subdue him!"
Hearing Jo-won's shout, Sang-do clicked his tongue and rushed at Jeong-min.
With one hand, he grabbed Jeong-min's arm and twisted it behind his back, and with the other hand, he wrapped it around Jeong-min's neck.
In that state, he whispered softly into Jeong-min's ear.
"Don't resist. Then you won't get hurt."
Seeing Sang-do subdue Jeong-min, Jo-won shouted while clutching his bleeding nose.
"Well done, 4th Team Leader. If he resists, break his arm. No, it might be okay to just break it now. Let's put him in the shelter's hospital and talk to him slowly."
"...He's already subdued. I don't think it's necessary to go that far."
A blood vessel popped out on Jo-won's forehead.
"4th Team Leader? Just do as I say without complaining? I'm in a very bad mood right now?"
Hearing Jo-won's sarcastic words, Sang-do gritted his teeth hard once and said in a low voice.
"...Don't overdo it. I've already helped you as you wanted. If you want more, I don't think I can take it anymore."
Gi-chan, who had been watching anxiously from the side, stopped Sang-do and said,
"Aigoo, 4th Team Leader! Why are you so inflexible? What's so difficult about it... Team Leader Gwak, please calm down. What good is it to make each other's faces red when we're all family?"
As the 3rd Team Leader mediated, Jo-won, who had been staring silently at Sang-do, slumped back onto the sofa and said,
"Well... it's already over... I think I got a little carried away. I apologize. 4th Team Leader."
"You guys are playing around."
Everyone looked at Jeong-min with surprised eyes at Jeong-min's words, who was being subdued with Sang-do's arm around his neck.
Jo-won said to Jeong-min as if he was dumbfounded.
"...What did you say just now?"
"I said you're playing around. You call someone in and put on a show among yourselves, and then you try to use some strange skill, and when it doesn't work, you attack without warning... Ha... so that's what Leia meant when she said that... really..."
After finishing his words, Jeong-min grabbed Kang Sang-do's arm that was around his neck and lifted it up.
"Uh..."
The arm that had been twisted behind his back also quickly came out of Sang-do's hand when Jeong-min applied force.
Sang-do stared blankly at Jeong-min, who had escaped from his hand so easily.
"4th Team Leader! What are you doing! If you just let him go like that...!" "Ah, no... that's not what I meant..."
Kang Sang-do reached out his hand again to grab Jeong-min.
Jeong-min reached out his hand and grabbed it.
The two people held each other's hands.Unlike Kang Sang-do, who was straining with all his might, Jeong-min's expression was very calm.
"Ugh...!"
Veins popped out on Sang-do's arm, and an enormous power began to pour out.
Jeong-min's eyes flickered with interest as he glimpsed the power transmitted through their clasped hands.
'His strength has suddenly surged. Is this the effect of the Super Strength skill?'
Despite using the Super Strength skill, Jeong-min's arm didn't budge.
Despair filled Sang-do's eyes.
Jeong-min, with his hands still clasped, pulled his head back and then rammed it into Sang-do's face.
"Ugh!"
With a loud crash, Sang-do tumbled backward.
Leaving Sang-do writhing on the floor, clutching his face, Jeong-min looked at the team member.
The team member's face was pale blue.
As Jeong-min approached, he hid behind Jeong Gi-chan, who was standing next to him, and screamed.
"3rd Team Leader! Use your skill! Use your skill!"
"S, skill? It would be dangerous to use my skill in a place like this?" "Just, just use it!"
Gi-chan looked at the team member with a horrified expression.
Jeong-min stood still, listening to their conversation.
"3rd Team Leader?"
Gi-chan, startled, looked at Jeong-min.
"Even if you use your skill, 3rd Team Leader, I can get out of here without any harm. It's probably everyone else except me who will be in danger." "Don't talk nonsense! Do you really think you can get out of here?"
Jeong-min glanced at the screaming team member and then looked back at Gi-chan.
"I'm perfectly capable of doing so. Is what I'm saying true or false, Mr. Lie Detector?"
Gi-chan flinched and then looked at Jeong-min and said.
"...True."
"So, don't do anything unnecessary and just stay still."
After speaking, Jeong-min rushed at Gi-chan,
Thwack
Jeong-min's fist was buried in Gi-chan's abdomen.
"Kkeueok..."
Gi-chan let out a strangled groan and collapsed forward.
Jeong-min took a step towards Gwak Jo-won, the only one still standing.
Then,
[Skill 'Detection' has been activated. The 'Stealth' skill is revealed.]
At the same time as the message appeared before his eyes, Park Yoon-gu's figure, approaching from the office door with a small knife, was revealed.
"Hmm?"
When Jeong-min looked at him, Yoon-gu realized something was wrong and charged at Jeong-min with large strides.
Jeong-min lightly dodged Yoon-gu's thrusting knife and then swung his fist, striking Yoon-gu's face.
Crash
Yoon-gu, who had fallen to one side with a loud noise, didn't get up again, as if he had fainted.
Jeong-min looked at the team member, who was now truly the only one left standing, and said with a smile.
"Now it's just the two of us. Mr. HR Manager...?"
The team member's face turned even more pale blue at the sight of Jeongmin's smile.