Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Several days had passed since Johan and Kim Jae-kyung had come to him, but Dongdaemun showed no movement at all.

At a glance, it seemed they had been frightened by Zeon’s force, but Zeon knew very well that was not the case.

“He must be quite cautious.”

To put it nicely, he was cautious. To put it badly, he had a sinister personality.

He had sent Kim Jae-kyung to test him, and now that Zeon did not seem easy to deal with, Johan was clearly weighing him carefully.

Zeon did not know how long it would take Johan to finish gauging him completely, but at the very least, he did not seem likely to move anytime soon.

“Thanks to that, I bought some time too, so I should prepare.”

When Zeon put on his robe, Briel came running over in a hurry.

“Where are you going?”

“The Goblin Market.”

“I want to go too.”

“You too?”

“Yes! I have things to buy.”

“Do you have money?”

“No!”

Briel’s expression fell.

Despite having nothing to her name, her greed was large, so whenever Zeon went to the Goblin Market, she clung to him and followed him with all her might.

Of course, Zeon paid for everything.

Briel suddenly raised her head and looked at Zeon.

“Think of it as an investment.”

“An investment? In you?”

“Yes! If I make one jackpot item with alchemy, you’ll hit the jackpot too.”

“So have you succeeded at anything?”

“I-I’ll succeed soon. I’m almost there.”

Briel spoke as if making an excuse.

The expression with which she looked up at Zeon was incredibly earnest.

In the end, Zeon had no choice but to allow it.

“Fine. Let’s go together.”

“Thank you!”

Only then did Briel’s expression brighten.

She hurriedly put on her pointed hat and went outside.

Perhaps because she had already been to the Goblin Market once, she walked ahead.

“Hehe! I hope I can get Ghost Dragonfly wings this time. Ah! What else do I need? I wonder if there’s a mana stone from a Sandworm? And......”

At Briel’s madness-filled voice, Zeon shook his head slightly.

‘How did I end up stuck with such a crazy little elf......?’

If it had been Deioden, he probably would have cut Briel down at once, covenant or not.

That was because he hated other races more than anyone.

But Zeon was not Deioden.

He did not particularly hate other races, nor did he particularly like them.

As long as they did not directly harm him, he had no reason to reject them on purpose.

While he was thinking this and that, they arrived at the Goblin Market before he knew it.

“Wow!”

Just as focus seemed to return to Briel’s hazy eyes, she immediately ran toward the shop in front of her.

Having been there once, she was even skillful at bargaining.

“She’s become completely human for a High Elf.”

Zeon had never seen a High Elf before.

But he had met countless ordinary elves and fought them as well. Because of that, he knew how proud they were and how strong their pride was.

If these elves were a higher class than them, he could not even imagine how great their self-importance must be.

That was when it happened.

“Mr. Zeon!”

Someone called Zeon.

When he turned his head, one of the merchants of the Goblin Market was looking at him.

“What is it?”

“U-um, the Guildmaster told me to bring Mr. Zeon to her.”

“Guildmaster?”

“Among ourselves, we call Lady Yu Se-hee the Guildmaster.”

“Ah! I see. I didn’t know. But why does she want me?”

“I do not know the reason either. She only told me to bring you as soon as she heard you had entered the Goblin Market.”

“Is that so?”

Zeon followed the merchant, wearing a puzzled expression.

After walking for a while, they arrived in front of her office, and the merchant spoke carefully.

“I have brought Mr. Zeon.”

“Come in.”

Yu Se-hee welcomed Zeon from inside the office.

However, Zeon’s gaze was fixed not on Yu Se-hee, but on the man standing beside her.

He was tall and handsome, wearing a perfectly fitted suit, a tight necktie, and a white dress shirt. On top of that, his hair was neatly combed back.

‘He came from Neo Seoul.’

It was an outfit that could never be found in the slums.

Clothing like that was of no help at all against the desert sandstorms. Only the people of Neo Seoul, who blocked sandstorms with high walls and magic, wore such clothes.

The man smiled and greeted him.

“My name is Tajik. As you have probably guessed, I came from Neo Seoul.”

“I’m Zeon.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zeon.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

Zeon also smiled and greeted him. However, his eyes had sunk deeply.

‘When an out-of-place person appears in an unsuitable place, trouble usually breaks out.’

Over the past seven years, he had experienced more situations than he could count. Among them, there had been many situations like this.

Because Zeon had grown through such experiences, he could hide what was inside him with a smile.

Yu Se-hee asked with an anxious expression,

“Have you been well?”

“As you can see. But why did you call me?”

“I have a favor to ask......”

“Yes?”

“Do you have time right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Please enter a dungeon for me.”

Yu Se-hee went straight to the main point without any prior explanation.

Zeon frowned.

That was because this appearance did not suit the usual Yu Se-hee.

“A dungeon?”

“Yes! A dungeon. It will be a good opportunity for you too. If things go well, you may even obtain an item.”

“An item......”

“Yes! What do you think?”

“......”

When Zeon did not answer easily despite Yu Se-hee’s expectant gaze, Tajik, who had been quiet until now, stepped in.

“Ah! I will explain instead. Three days ago, an unidentified dungeon was discovered twenty kilometers from Neo Seoul.”

“An unidentified dungeon?”

“Yes! But we lack personnel to explore it, so Lady Se-hee is asking Mr. Zeon for help.”

“Is there any reason you would lack Awakened? Neo Seoul should be overflowing with them.”

“That is true, but unfortunately, another dungeon was discovered elsewhere at the same time. A very large dungeon, at that......”

“Naturally, Neo Seoul’s Awakened will gather at the larger dungeon.”

“That is correct.”

The larger the dungeon, the higher the probability that the value of the items obtained from it would be high. Because of that, Neo Seoul’s Awakened were focusing on clearing the large dungeon.

Besides that, for various reasons, it was difficult for Neo Seoul to mobilize many Awakened.

“So this unidentified dungeon has been entrusted to the Goblin Market.”

“I see. But I think it will be difficult for me to enter the dungeon.”

“Is it because of Dongdaemun?”

“You know my circumstances well.”

“Haha! It is not because of Mr. Zeon, but because Dongdaemun is a subject of attention.”

“Then you must also know why I can’t enter.”

“What if I mediate for you?”

“Pardon?”

“I cannot resolve it completely, but Dongdaemun should restrain itself somewhat.”

“Is that possible?”

“I have a slight connection with Lord Johan. If I ask, he will probably listen.”

“That’s impressive. To think you can exert that kind of influence over Dongdaemun.”

Zeon was purely impressed.

The Johan he had judged was not someone easily swayed by others. He was not someone who would listen to another person’s words either.

If that Johan would listen to Tajik, it meant Tajik was either a burdensome opponent or an impressive existence.

“Would this be enough to make you feel like entering?”

“I’m asking too, Zeon.”

Before Zeon could answer, Yu Se-hee stepped forward.

For some reason, her expression looked very urgent.

It was difficult to refuse when she was going this far.

“Understood. When does the raid team depart?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Understood. I’ll join you tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you for accepting such an unreasonable request. I’ll definitely repay this debt.”

“I understand.”

Having Yu Se-hee owe him a favor was not a bad thing for Zeon either.

In any case, as long as Zeon lived in Shinchon, he had no choice but to continue being involved with the Goblin Market.

The problem was the man named Tajik.

His attitude toward Yu Se-hee and the influence he could exert even over Dongdaemun.

Tajik was clearly either a big shot or someone with a big shot backing him.

In other words, Neo Seoul had also begun to take an interest in Zeon.

After sorting out his thoughts, Zeon rose from his seat.

“Then I’ll leave first. I have a few things to prepare.”

“If you need anything, buy as much as you like. I’ve already told the merchants, so they’ll give you anything.”

“Understood.”

Zeon gave Tajik a slight nod as well before leaving.

Once he disappeared, Tajik opened his mouth.

“He is an extremely composed man.”

“Who? Zeon?”

“Yes! Among the people I’ve met so far, he is the hardest person to read.”

“To that extent?”

Yu Se-hee looked at Tajik in surprise.

She did not know much about Tajik either. But she knew he was a man trusted by Xiaolun.

Xiaolun, the overlord of southern Neo Seoul.

The weight of that name was by no means light.

It meant he was a power holder who ranked at least among the top five in Neo Seoul.

Tajik was someone such a Xiaolun trusted.

That meant he possessed remarkable ability and skill.

If someone like him acknowledged Zeon, then Zeon’s value had to be even greater.

“If I break his spirit a little, could he be used in place of the Crocodiles?”

Tajik murmured in a small voice.

“What did you just say?”

“Nothing. I was merely talking to myself.”

A faint smile rested on Tajik’s lips as he answered.

***

Zeon stopped for a moment and looked back at Yu Se-hee’s office.

‘Tajik, huh...... He smells rotten.’

Everyone gave off a different scent.

Some of it was innate, but the scent also changed depending on what kind of life one had lived.

Those who had spilled a lot of blood smelled of blood, and those who had handled dirty work smelled damp.

For him to give off such a strong rotten stench meant there was a high probability he had done many filthy things.

‘There’s a high chance this matter is covered in filth as well.’

Zeon shook his head.

This was the problem.

The owner of Earth was not humanity.

Perhaps it had been in the past, but it certainly was not now.

Aside from the few areas where humans lived, most of the world had been seized by monsters.

The roads on the ground were blocked, and even the sky routes were blocked, so communication between colonies was poor.

If that was the case, then they should restore communication networks between colonies and gather their strength. But the leaders of the colonies had no such intention and were focused only on petty infighting.

At this rate, when would all the monsters be subjugated and the world of humans be restored?

Zeon thought it would be impossible forever.

That was when it happened.

“Where did you go? I was looking for you for ages.”

Briel was running toward Zeon.

She had bought so much that her back was piled high with bundles.

“What did you buy so much of?”

“Ghost Dragonfly wings, a mana stone from a Sandworm, and Fire Wolf mane hair. The best Ghost Dragonfly wings are taken from a queen hunted right after it molted. They’re barely affected by gravity, so they have many uses.”

“You don’t have to explain in that much detail.”

“Really? I still have a lot left.”

“How did you pay?”

“When I said Zeon’s name, they gave it to me on credit.”

At Briel’s shameless answer, Zeon’s forehead creased terribly.

This High Elf was being dyed by the human world faster than he had expected.

In the end, Zeon said one thing.

“From next time on, earn your own money and buy it.”