Chapter 492
‘What’s with these guys?’
Jinhyuk’s gaze shifted to the right.
There stood a group of men and women who looked to be in their mid-to-late twenties.
They were hesitating, as if they had something to say.
“Um…”
Kang Sua stepped forward as their representative.
“What is it?”
“I’m Kang Sua from the Prime Service Guild. We usually cover trending events in the Tower of Trials, and I’ve really been impressed by your achievements, Player Kang Jinhyuk. Since I got the chance to meet you in person, I just had to come over.”
“Hoooh…”
Jinhyuk’s nose tilted slightly upward.
“I’ve heard all sorts of amazing things—how you’re not only handsome and skilled but also take such good care of your teammates. I’m a huge fan!”
“Hoooooh…”
His nose looked like it might pierce the sky.
“Unbelievable. I can’t believe the rumors got this twisted. Did you bribe someone to spread that nonsense?”
Chun Yoosung clicked his tongue.
“Ahem! Ahem! You came to the right person, clearly. So, is there something I can help you with?”
“Yes! Actually, I was hoping we could join this raid with you, Player Kang Jinhyuk. Would that be possible…?”
Kang Sua hurried to add:
“Of course, any byproducts or loot that drop will belong entirely to Player Kang Jinhyuk. We’ll also split the ViewTube edits and ad revenue—fifty-fifty.”
Wait a second.
Did she say ad revenue…?
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
That wasn’t a bad deal at all.
Prime Service was known for paying in ‘Uncheol’ (Meteor Iron) from the start of their contracts.
Given how rare and expensive Uncheol had become due to constant enhancements, this was a very enticing offer.
Especially now that he needed to enhance [Napoleon’s Coronation] through Orun.
“That would be the dumbest decision of your life—mmph, mmph!”
Jinhyuk promptly shut Chun Yoosung’s mouth.
There was no reason to reject new slaves who were volunteering on their own.
When a pumpkin rolls into your lap, you don’t throw it away—you stash it in your pocket.
“We don’t mind, but the path ahead is a bit rough. Will you be okay with that?”
“Of course! I may not look it, but I’ve cleared 15 dungeons, 3 labyrinths, and 1 ruin!”
“That’s not bad at all. Though… about the split…”
“Split?”
“50-50 feels a bit low.”
“I-I mean, that’s the industry standard… What kind of split are you suggesting, then?”
“Sigh… The thing is…”
Jinhyuk let out a deep sigh naturally.
And right then—
Ding!
[Due to your outstanding acting skills and natural tendency for deception, a new skill has been unlocked.]
[Heavy Sigh]
Acquisition Difficulty: C
Effect: Increases negotiation power by +30% during trades or deals. Shakes the target’s mentality. Additional stat boosts based on the depth and length of the sigh.
[The acquired ability has been stored in ‘The World’s Memory.’]
Usually, skills were gained through scrolls or special quests.
‘And I got it like this?’
After meeting Rick Hennessy a few times, he must’ve met the right conditions for duplication.
It wasn’t because he scammed people just by breathing or anything…
…Definitely not.
[Lv1 Skill ‘Heavy Sigh’ has been activated.]
As the skill triggered, Jinhyuk let out another sigh.
Whooooosh.
This time it was on another level—a sigh that sounded like it came from a boy struggling to feed his starving younger siblings and ailing mother.
“Honestly, the risk we’re taking in this raid is far from ordinary. It’s not to look down on you or Prime Service, Ms. Kang Sua—it’s just that this place is seriously dangerous. And if something were to happen to any of you, it would stain our name as well.”
“T-That’s… fair. Then, how about 60-40?”
“When you’ve got to stay sharp, keep your senses on edge, guide others through the hidden routes of this floor… it really wears you down 24/7. And the more elite the manpower, the more they need to be paid.”
“70… 70-30…?”
Giving up 70%?
“I’m fine with it, but Yoosung over here doesn’t seem too happy about that. Right, Dolsoe—er, Yoosung?”
“Call me that again and I’ll slice you in half.”
“See? He’s got a lot of complaints.”
“Haaah… Fine. 80-20. Not a percent more.”
Normally, this is where most would’ve compromised.
The terms were already borderline robbery.
But—
“If it were up to me, I’d take that offer. But due to inflation, rising labor costs, and increased raw material prices, I’m afraid I’ll need 10% more. Let’s wrap this up cleanly at 90-10. I’m only offering that 10% as a courtesy because you’re from Prime Service. Honestly, I’m barely breaking even.”
“Did inflation happen… while we were talking?”
“The Tower of Trials is known for its rapid economic fluctuations.”
Jinhyuk flashed a bright smile.
Kang Sua’s lips twitched, but she no longer tried to renegotiate the terms.
“…Fine. Let’s work together.”
“Absolutely. I’m dead without my credibility.”
[A contract has been formed between Veteran Corporation and the Prime Service Guild.]
90-10 was absurd—but it wasn’t a bad deal.
They could still gain recognition from being affiliated with Veteran Corporation.
‘Not bad at all.’
Which is why Kang Sua didn’t notice—
The twisted smile creeping onto Jinhyuk’s lips.
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
[You have entered the 32nd Floor of the Tower of Trials.]
Shhhhhh…
A cool wind brushed against their skin the moment they arrived.
Thin air and barren terrain.
This was the start of the 32nd Floor: [Lightning Plateau].
“Wow, so this is what it looks like. What a breathtaking sight.”
“Thanks to you, we’re getting to witness something incredible. Oh! I’m Ranger Jonathan from the Prime Service Guild.”
“I’m the long-range damage dealer, Romanovski. Looking forward to working with you. Hahaha.”
“I’m the tank, Ahn Ilman. I know you’re famous and all, but I’m the type who needs to see things with my own eyes to be convinced… hope you understand.”
“I’m the healer, Sandra. I still have a lot to learn, but I’ll do my best to keep everyone healed.”
Including Kang Sua, there were five of them in total.
Each introduced themselves one by one.
‘Prime Service, huh…’
The [Eye of Gluttony] scanned the four of them thoroughly.
He’d heard the name a few times recently, but this lineup was surprisingly interesting.
One of the five didn’t seem like a ViewTuber at all.
‘This might actually be more fun than I thought. Looks like it won’t be just babysitting tourists after all.’
A sour, rancid scent pricked at his nose.
He had a hunch something was going to hit him in the back of the head…
Still, for now, this group would serve as their temporary raid party.
“From here on out, you’ll need to be careful—there’s a chance lightning will strike at random.”
Jinhyuk picked up a stone lying on the ground.
Among countless others, this one faintly glowed blue.
Right then—
Crack!
A massive bolt of lightning fell from the sky.
The stone was instantly scorched pitch-black.
Crackle! Sizzle…
But the palm-sized stone absorbed the tremendous lightning entirely.
Jinhyuk, holding it, wasn’t hurt in the slightest.
“G-Good heavens…”
“To think such a powerful bolt would fall this early on.”
“Horrifying. No wonder the Eagle Eyes struggled so much.”
The expressions of the onlookers changed completely.
‘T-This place is way more dangerous than I thought, isn’t it?’
Kang Sua also muttered with a stiff face.
The excitement and anticipation she felt when they first arrived were now completely gone.
“How did you know that stone could block lightning?”
Romanovski asked with a slightly suspicious tone.
Well, the 32nd Floor had only been open for a few days.
Knowing something like that already could certainly seem odd.
Fortunately, the Tower of Trials had one convenient feature—one could always come up with a plausible excuse for these things.
“I’ve been to a similar ruin before. We cleared it in much the same way. Try checking out the 27th Floor sometime—‘Storm Coast.’ You might find some useful tips there.”
“Ah… I see.”
“As expected of someone who’s been everywhere. Amazing.”
Everyone voiced their admiration.
Everyone, except one—
A divine being who remained hidden nearby.
[The deity ‘Howling Thunder’ wears an expression of disbelief.]
[He asks if the credit shouldn’t be going to him.]
Jinhyuk heard the grumbling in his head.
Truthfully, it wasn’t the stone that had absorbed the lightning—it was the power of Thor, the god of thunder.
Even if you held a strangely shaped rock, it couldn’t possibly withstand that kind of bolt.
‘Of course, there’s no need to let anyone know that.’
Jinhyuk watched his party diligently gather stones from the ground.
Even Chun Yoosung was pretending not to care while carefully picking out stones.
Go ahead. Look all you want.
As if that’ll make any difference.
‘If you want to keep all your limbs intact, your only hope is to follow my orders obediently.’
He was even planning to make sure the more compliant ones didn’t get roasted on the outside or inside.
As for the rude or suspicious ones—they were on their own.
“For now, let’s find a spot to set up camp. Yoosung will scout ahead. In the meantime, everyone else, please gather as many of those oddly colored stones as you can.”
“You’re telling me to scout?”
“Oh ho. Our dear Dolsoe seems to have gotten a bit too comfortable lately. Shall I treat you to some grass-root porridge for dinner tonight?”
“…Just offering a personal suggestion, that’s all. I’ll go scout now.”
Grumbling under his breath, Chun Yoosung left.
The others also began to move, each taking on their assigned role.
Once Jinhyuk was alone, he spoke toward the empty air.
“Thanks to you, we got off to a smooth start.”
Crackle…
The space shimmered, and a burly man appeared.
A divine being of war from Norse mythology.
The Thunder Lord, [Thor].
“Ahem! I heard you found a way to revive Yggdrasil, so of course I had to come. Plus, thanks to you providing a safehouse through those Egyptian fellows, I’ve been able to stay relatively safe. A debt repaid is a duty fulfilled.”
“Are the Olympians still chasing you that aggressively?”
“They know better than to leave behind loose ends.”
Indeed…
Those persistent, merciless bastards wouldn’t let this chance slip away.
Anubis would protect him for a while, but…
That was only temporary.
To solve the problem at its core, reviving Yggdrasil was essential.
“If we can just gather all the materials, I’ll be able to germinate the seed.”
“For all our sakes, I hope that’s true. However…”
Thor trailed off, watching Jinhyuk carefully.
As if trying to confirm whether Jinhyuk had missed something—
Or if he was pretending not to notice.
Jinhyuk answered the unspoken question right away.
“If it’s about the rat, I’ve got a rough idea. But they’ve done a good job of hiding their scent. I can sense they’re there, but not who they are specifically.”
“Knew it. As expected, you noticed.”
Thor nodded.
“One of those five over there isn’t human.”
So meticulous, not even the [Eye of Gluttony] caught it.
A suspicious third presence had joined the party.
Wearing the skin of a human.
