SMH 158

Chapter 50 – Blood Christmas (2)

TL: Boko

Editor: Frost

It was the day of his Christmas party. More people had shown up at the Blue Dragon Hotel than normal. Most of them were reporters who had heard the news.

Although they showed up at the Blue Dragon Hotel, they weren’t able to go into the banquet hall, as Sung Joon had employed numerous guards to keep people out.

He couldn’t help but to emphasize safety, as there were so many high profile people that had been invited.

“When is Hunter Kang Sung Joon showing up?”

“The party is going to start soon…”

The reporters conversed, waiting in the parking lot for Sung Joon. They planned on asking him a question or two once he got out of his car.

However, contrary to their expectations, Sung Joon had come on a helicopter and was in the middle of landing on the roof of the Blue Dragon Hotel.

Sung Joon had gotten the urge to buy one after seeing Han Seok ride one.

“Please, this way.”

As soon as Sung Joon got off the helicopter, a hotel employee that was waiting for him lead him to the banquet hall.

Most of the attendees were already waiting for Sung Joon in the banquet hall. All eyes were on him once he opened the doors and entered.

“It’s the SS-rank Hunter, Kang Sung Joon.”

“He seems more handsome in person.”

Sung Joon could hear the others talking about him as he walked to the center of the banquet hall.

They were speaking quietly, but he could hear them. It seems like they didn’t know how much greater a Hunter’s hearing was compared to a regular human’s.

He couldn’t really call it ‘talking behind his back’, as they were all complimenting him.

No one tried to initiate a conversation with Sung Joon before he got to the center of the banquet hall. People were intimidated by his title as South Korea’s first and only SS-rank Hunter, so they couldn’t easily approach.  

“Mr. Kang Sung Joon. It’s been a long time.”

Once he got to the center of the room, someone spoke. He turned his head towards the familiar sounding voice and he was met with the sight of the South Korean president.

The president was able to initiate a conversation with him as he was already acquainted with Sung Joon and had a high position.  

“Ah… You came, Mr. President.”

“I heard you destroyed the main warp gate in the raid. You pretty much saved Seoul, Mr. Kang Sung Joon.”

“I just did what anyone would have done.”

Sung Joon replied, and the President smiled faintly. Sung Joon turned his attention towards the man attending to the President.

‘Son Young Jin.’

The refined, suit wearing man was the Minister of Health and Welfare.

He needed to talk with him, so that he could discuss animal testing for his new drug.

The president seemingly noticed that Sung Joon was looking elsewhere, looked around, and then spoke.

“It seems like you have business with Minister Son Young Jin.”

“I had something I wanted to ask him.”

Sung Joon didn’t deny it. Then, the president smiled.

“I can give you up to Son Young Jin for today. You’re… alright with this, right?” the President looked at Young Jin and said.

“I’m ok with that,” Young Jin replied.

Seeing that, Sung Joon smiled. The Minister of Health and Welfare, Son Young Jin, was famous for being close to the president.

And because he wasn’t on bad terms with the president, so he thought the discussion would progress favorably.

“Then I’ll leave you two alone.”

The President smiled and left with his guards. Sung Joon surveyed his surroundings. There were way too many people here. Eventually, he looked at Young Jin and said.

“Would you like to go somewhere quieter?”

“Is it something important?”

“No, it’s not serious per say, but I don’t think we benefit from everyone else hearing about it.”

“I understand.”

Young Jin nodded his head. He understood what Sung Joon was really saying. There were too many eyes watching here.

“Please come this way.”

Sung Joon took Young Jin to the waiting room attached to the banquet hall. There was already a table and chairs set up inside.

The hotel workers placed some food and wine on the table and left.

Sung Joon took a sip of the wine and explained the situation that the Seo Guk research facility was in. Young Jin listened courteously with a serious expression.

“So you need permission to test the drug on animals?”

He had merely explained the situation; he hadn’t made any requests yet. Even so, Young Jin figured out what Sung Joon wanted.

Sung Joon just nodded his head, and Young Jin began calculating in his head. However, he soon shook his head.

Taking risks with an SS-rank Hunter was impossible. Rather than being half-assed, it was much better to gain Sung Joon’s good will by granting his request.

“I can get you permission for animal testing without much difficulty. You’ll get the official documents soon, so you can proceed. You won’t have any problems with the ethics board or the clinical testing board.”

Young Jin could guarantee that.  It was difficult to influence these committees, but he could use other means to get them to comply.

“Thank you very much.”

“No, thank you. Please take care of us from now on.”

Sung Joon and Young Jin went back to the banquet hall, and joined the party. At the beginning, they were afraid and couldn’t approach him, but as time passed, the surrounding people began to crowd around him.

He was only freed once it was past midnight, and walked over to a window to relax. It had been tiring and suffocating to be around so many people for so long.

“It’s stifling, isn’t it?”

It was Seol Ah’s voice. Sung Joon turned his head towards her voice. He saw Seol Ah there, wearing a white dress.

It felt awkward seeing her like this, as he was so used to seeing her in a suit all the time.

“The dress… looks nice.”

“That’s a relief… I put in a bit of effort for today.”

Seol Ah was relieved he liked it. Contrary to when they had first met, her voice had become much gentler.

“When did you get here?”

“I got here when the banquet first started. I thought I’d just get in the way, so I just watched.”

Sung Joon asked, and Seol Ah replied. She didn’t want to get in his way, so she observed him quietly.

“I see,” Sung Joon said as he looked through the window. He didn’t show it, but he appreciated her consideration.

Once Sung Joon began to look out of the window, Seol Ah smiled faintly and took a step forward.

“Did your business go well?” Seol Ah asked. She was already aware of the animal testing issues that the Seo Guk research facility faced.

“Yes, it went well.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Their talk, which seemed to be going smoothly, was put on hold. The banquet was over in a flash, but Seol Ah could tell that she and Sung Joon had gotten closer.

* * *

“Why did it have to be Christmas Eve that I get my appointment for a dungeon conquest…” Sung Joon looked at the fair sky and muttered, as though lamenting his misfortune. He didn’t have anyone to spend Christmas with, but it felt like he was losing out for some reason.

It would be a pain to cancel his appointment, as he planned on entering the Awakening Dungeon.

“Sir Kang Sung Joon!”

Zelos came rushing over to Sung Joon, who was mulling over his thoughts, in the garden.

“Could you come to my workshop please? I have a present for you.”

“You prepared a Christmas present for me?”

“It just turned out that way.”

Zelos went towards his workshop first, and Sung Joon followed behind him; Zelos was the first one to arrive at his workshop.

He took a small earring atop his testing table and gave it to Sung Joon.

“What is this?”

Sung Joon couldn’t hide his curiosity and took out his measuring tool. The moment he attempted to appraise it, Zelos spoke.

“I ‘adjusted’ it, so the measuring tool won’t be able to appraise it.”

“What do you use it for?”

“It collects traces of dimensional mana.”

“That’s possible?”

Sung Joon asked, and Zelos nodded his head.

“It’s possible within the Awakening Dungeon. If it’s as you explained, Sir Kang Sung Joon, then the Awakening Dungeon forcefully opens the dimension, so the dimension itself should be unstable. It won’t be difficult to collect dimensional mana in that situation,” Zelos explained simply.

Sung Joon had some knowledge regarding magic, so he could understand what he was saying without much difficulty.

“I believe it’ll speed up my work if you gather dimensional mana for me.”

“Then what happens?”

“I’ll be able to find a way to open a warp gate from this side.”

Sung Joon’s eyes shined. If what he said was true, then they, who have been stuck on defense all this time, can start going on the offense as well.

“That’s good news.”

Sung Joon checked his watch. It seemed like he would have to start heading over to the dungeon now.

“I’ll be waiting for the good news.”

“Alright.”

Sung Joon took his Hunter sedan to the entrance of the dungeon. He had an appointment for an A-rank dungeon solo play.

He could’ve soloed an S-rank dungeon as well, but because it took a lot of mana and stamina to clear the Awakening Dungeon, he deliberately chose an A-rank dungeon to save on both.

Sung Joon was skilled enough to clear A-rank dungeons without much difficulty.

Ultimately, he wouldn’t use much mana and stamina due to his liberal use of ‘Absorption’.

– Verifying conquest, measurement complete. A-rank dungeon, clear.

– Verifying the existence of a new item.

Once he killed the boss, the Orc Blademaster, his measuring tool responded. A magic stone and the Orc Blademaster’s sword was left behind where its body had disappeared.

“It’s an item,” Rishubalt said. Sung Joon nodded his head and picked up the blade. And used his measuring tool to appraise the item.

A-rank.

Verifying Bleeding Curse effect.

Verifying Muscular Strength Amplification effect.

This was the result of its appraisal. It was an A-rank item, but if he compared it to the ‘Awakened Roel’, then its abilities weren’t very good.

Rishubalt came to his side, looked at the appraisal results, and shook his head.

“It won’t be long before you advance even further, and it can also help increase your synchronization rate, so I recommend you continue to use the Roel.”

“I should just sell this.”

A-rank items sold for a lot. Sung Joon placed the ‘Cursed Sword’ into his inventory, turned his attention to Rishubalt again, and spoke.

“Rishubalt. The Awakening Dungeon.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Rishubalt raised his hands, the surrounding landscape melted away. And Sung Joon was greeted with new scenery.

When all was said and done, Sung Joon stood in the middle of the plains, and he saw a giant fortress in front of him. First, Sung Joon checked the flag.

‘A Vampire… Is it a Marquis?’

In the center of the red flag was the Vampires’ unique pattern. He could also see the mark that indicated nobility without much difficulty.

“It’s definitely a Vampire Marquis,” Sung Joon said confidently. Whenever the Species Alliance’s armies showed up, the Vampire’s flag was always present.

There was no way he could forget it.

“A Vampire Marquis is about at a low tier SS-rank level.”

Rishubalt calculated the Vampire’s strength level with Earth’s power levels so it was easily to understand. Sung Joon calmly drew his sword and spoke.

“Stealth.”

After he spoke the activation words, he melted into the darkness.