After Ten Millennia in Hell

He looked at Oh Kang-Woo, who had a relaxed expression.

Kang-Woo wasn't bluffing. It seemed like he truly thought that the conditions weren't good enough.

As if he found that situation funny, Kang-Hyun laughed, "Hehehe. Yer an interestin' lad."

"If you have nothing more to say, why don't you leave?" Kang-Woo said arrogantly.

This wasn't an attitude a Player should have in front of Kang-Hyun, who was renowned as the strongest Ranker in Korea.

"Hahahaha!" Kang-Hyun laughed loudly.

He wasn't sure how long it had been since someone had spoken to him in such an arrogant way.

"Ah've taken a likin' to ya. In that case, whut's yer definition of satisfactory conditions?" Kang-Hyun asked.

"Hmm," Kang-Woo murmured while narrowing his eyes and gazing at Kang-Hyun.

Although Kang-Woo seemed relaxed, the gears in his head were turning incredibly fast.

'Baek Kang-Hyun, huh?'

It was a name he had gotten tired of hearing about. Kang-Hyun hadn't been able to become a world ranker, but he was known as an unmatched monster in Korea. He was even stronger than Cha Yeon-Joo.

'I wasn't expecting him to be like this.'

Kang-Woo had thought that Kang-Hyun would be like a solitary martial artist, but he ended up being the complete opposite. The image that Kang-Woo had of the number one Player was completely destroyed.

'If he's here now, does that mean he has heard the rumors?'

The incident involving the Demon Cult… Kang-Woo had contributed too much to it for him to go unnoticed. Just like Baek Hwa-Yeon had warned him, Kang-Woo would have to put up with the fact that rumors were inevitably going to spread.

'But I wasn't expecting for him to come himself.'

Kang-Woo was surprised.

'I guess both he and Yeon-Joo like to do things themselves.'

He looked at Kang-Hyun and said, "Sorry, but it doesn't matter what conditions you offer me. I have no interest in joining a guild."

Kang-Woo didn't even have to think about it. He was happy with his current alliance with the Red Rose Guild and the Hwarang Corps. What he liked the most was that he didn't have to follow their orders; they were on equal standing. However, if he joined a guild, things would change. He would inevitably have someone above him.

'I can't let that happen.'

Even if they guaranteed his freedom, he didn't like to be under someone else.

'And there's no need for it either.'

The situation had changed from when he had accepted Yeon-Joo's offer. Kang-Woo had become strong enough that he didn't need someone else's support.

"Hmm. Ya sure there's nuthin' Ah can offer ya?"

"I'm satisfied with the money, car, and house that I have now. I'm not after things like that."

"Hehe. Then whut's it that ya want?"

"Not sure. Why don't you figure that out yourself?"

"Hahaha! Nice! It's been a while since Ah've met sumone that treats me this way!" Kang-Hyun laughed while nodding. "Then whut bout this? If ya join us, Ah'll give ya one Legendary-grade equipment fer free."

"..."

Hesitation filled Kang-Woo's eyes for a short moment. Kang-Hyun noticed that, and he smiled.

"That seems to have gotten yer attention."

"Hmm... I won't deny that."

Legendary-grade equipment were things that couldn't be bought easily even with all the money in the world. First and foremost, there weren't many of them. Player equipment were created by Players with crafting-related Traits working in tandem with scientists who researched modern weaponry.

The materials used for those equipment were, of course, monster corpses and mana stones. Making Legendary-grade equipment was almost impossible because it required materials that could only be collected from boss monsters of S-rank Gates.

'Moreover, those materials don't always appear.'

Most importantly, there was an imprinting issue. Equipment of the Legendary grade and above had an imprinting function, which meant the equipment imprinted itself on its very first wearer. In other words, no one else would be able to use it after that.

Moreover, there were typically numerous conditions that needed to be met for the imprinting process. So, it was common for Players to be unable to use their equipment despite having worked painstakingly hard to obtain it.

'This one's a bit attractive.'

Unique items were already quite good, but Kang-Hyun was offering something even better…

'I believe Yeon-Joo's chains were also Legendary-grade.'

It was true that Yeon-Joo was strong, but she was even stronger with her chains. The chains were quite powerful, especially with their Energy Drain passive.

The most important point, however, was that equipment of the Legendary grade and above usually raised a Player's stats by an absolute value.

'Although I'm sure there won't be any that raises demonic energy.'

Kang-Woo was indeed interested.

Nevertheless, Kang-Woo shook his head after much thought.

He said, “I'll pass.”

It was a sweet proposal, but it didn't matter how sweet it was. He wasn't the type of person that was willing to be under someone else's command.

"Hehe. Ah knew ya would," Kang-Hyun replied with a smile and stood up. "This is mah number. Gimme a call if ya ever change yer mind."

"Okay."

"Sorry fer disruptin' yer meal. Oh, and if yer gonna mix, ya gotta mix this too."

Kang-Hyun grabbed the plate of diced radish kimchi next to the udon and poured them into the kimchi stew.

"Now this is true flavor!" Kang-Hyun exclaimed.

"...Putting kimchi in kimchi stew?"

"C'mon, yer missin' out. They're different textures!"

"Well, I'll give it a try."

Kang-Woo smirked and ate the kimchi stew with the diced radish kimchi.

That abomination was no longer kimchi stew; it was closer to organic waste. Unable to even bear looking at the kimchi stew, Han Seol-Ah turned away.

“Is it good, Kang-Woo?" Echidna asked.

"Of course."

Slurp!

After finishing the kimchi stew, Kang-Woo stood up.

"Shall we get going?"

"Was it really okay to refuse his offer, Kang-Woo?" Seol-Ah said.

"Why? Do you think it's a waste not to accept fifty billion won?"

"N-No! Nothing like that. It isn't my money in the first place. He didn't seem like the kind of person to retaliate, but I'm just worried that he might do it."

"If he does..." Kang-Woo said while smiling, "I'll just have to make him thoroughly regret it."

* * *

After walking around the department store one more time, Kang-Woo headed to the parking lot.

"Haaaah~ I had so much fun today!"

"Yes. I had fun buying tons of clothes that I tried on and got compliments from Kang-Woo."

The two girls smiled with satisfaction.

"That's a relief," Kang-Woo said with a slightly tired expression.

He was extremely exhausted mentally from walking around the department store all day. Nevertheless, he wasn't in a bad mood at all. He thought that it was good that Echidna and Seol-Ah had gotten closer.

"I'll drive the car over, so wait here," Kang-Woo told the two girls.

"Okay, Kang-Woo."

After grabbing the shopping bags from Echidna and Seol-Ah, Kang-Woo went to bring the car around. This time, Echidna sat in the passenger seat. Kang-Woo drove out of the department store with driving skills that had improved a lot compared to when he had first earned his license.

"But still, it's too bad," Seol-Ah mentioned.

"Hmm? What is?" Kang-Woo asked.

"The Legendary-grade equipment. You were interested in it, weren't you?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess it's a bit of a shame."

Kang-Woo clicked his tongue. He couldn't help thinking about the Legendary-grade equipment.

"Fufu. But I'm glad you refused the offer."

"You're glad?"

"Yes. I got this... unsettling feeling from him."

"Hmm."

Kang-Woo thought about Kang-Hyun, who had smiled a lot and spoken in a rural dialect. Kang-Hyun couldn't be further from unsettling.

'I guess it's what they call women's intuition.'

Kang-Woo thought that he should ask Yeon-Joo about Kang-Hyun later on.

"I don't like the idea of being under someone anyway," Kang-Woo replied.

"Fufu. That's true. I can't imagine you following someone's orders."

"Don't follow someone else's orders, Kang-Woo," Echidna said, grabbing his clothes with an anxious expression.

To her, Kang-Woo was a sacred being. She didn't even want to imagine him following someone else's orders.

"Don't worry. That won't ever happen," Kang-Woo responded.

As he turned the car's steering wheel, a hush settled over the vehicle. It seemed like Echidna and Seol-Ah were tired because of how much they'd wandered around the department store.

‘Legendary-grade equipment, huh...?'

In the silence, Kang-Woo naturally thought of the Legendary-grade equipment again.

'I'm feeling even more regretful since it was practically right within my reach.'

For a moment, he thought that he should maybe ask Yeon-Joo for a piece of Legendary-grade equipment, but he knew how valuable they were. Even Yeon-Joo wouldn't be able to get him one that easily.

Vrrr. Vrrr.

"Hmm?"

His smartphone was suddenly vibrating in his pocket. Kang-Woo placed his smartphone on the car mount and put on earphones.

"Hello?"

[It's Baek Hwa-Yeon. Are you free to talk now?]

"I'm driving, but... It's fine. What is it?"

[I was wondering if you could come to the Hwarang Corps headquarters right now.]

"Now?"

The Hwarang Corps headquarters was in Suwon, where the S-rank Gate was. It wasn't that far from Seoul Station, but it wasn't that close to Kang-Woo's current location.

[Yes. I assure you it will be worth it.]

Kang-Woo could hear a bit of excitement in Hwa-Yeon's voice.

He tilted his head and asked, "What has gotten you so excited?"

[The government has decided on your reward. You can come get it in our headquarters, so I would like you to stop by.]

"Whoa."

Come to think of it, Hwa-Yeon had said that he would be rewarded by the government.

"What is it?"

[Fufu. I hope you realize how much effort I've put into giving you an appropriate reward that reflects your accomplishments.]

The way that Hwa-Yeon was speaking was unlike her usual self. Kang-Woo wondered what kind of reward could make her so excited.

"I will decide if it's appropriate or not after hearing what it is."

[Hahaha! I'm positive you'll be satisfied with it. You will be given the Legendary-grade equipment that has been in the Mir Guild's hands.]

"..."

Kang-Woo's eyes shone.

He had just been grieving about the Legendary-grade equipment. Yet, before he could get over it, he'd received unexpected good news. It was as if someone had scratched a part of his body that he couldn't reach with his hands.

The corners of his mouth curled up.

'This is why you have to live like a good samaritan.'

Kang-Woo felt as if his good actions had been rewarded.