Chapter 35

Kang Yuseong returned home and took a Healing Potion he had prepared earlier.

The Healing Potion reconnected severed muscles and mended broken bones, significantly recovering the damage from his bleeding. It truly was a potion not found in the current era.

“Phew…”

Having concluded a rather arduous battle, he lay in a hot bath, closing his eyes.

China would not dare to make a move carelessly now.

However, that didn’t mean they would abandon their ambitions.

They would undoubtedly try to swallow South Korea in some form or another.

Moreover, given their fiercely proud nature, it was highly probable they would seek significant retaliation.

But things were completely different now compared to the past.

In the past, they were caught off guard and pushed back helplessly, but now, even the major guilds would have caught onto China’s ambitions and would be preparing.

That was precisely what Kang Yuseong had ultimately aimed for.

He had intended to sound a warning not only to China but also to the domestic guilds.

And his intention would surely succeed.

Tap-tap-

Kang Yuseong raised a finger and tapped the edge of the bathtub.

It was his unique habit when concentrating on something.

With each tap of his finger against the tub, his thoughts converged on a single point.

Ability Plundering.

He slowly opened his eyes.

By sweeping through Chinatown, he must have gained a considerable amount of Karma Power.

*Flash!*

He brought up the Karma Power window.

[Accumulated Karma Power: 26,840]

A staggering 26,840 points had accumulated.

He probably would have obtained a much lower amount if they hadn’t been murderers, but because he had killed the slaughterers in Chinatown, which had turned into a veritable abattoir, he had gained a high number.

‘Twenty-six thousand… eight hundred forty.’

He activated Thieving Eye.

[Thieving Eye cooldown remaining: 10 hours.]

Ten hours.

A considerably long time.

Six hours had passed since plundering Flame Orb magic from Jang So-dan, but there were still ten hours left.

If the interval had been shorter, he could have plundered an ability from the Red Dragon as well.

It was a shame, but at least he could use the accumulated Karma Power to shorten that time, which was fortunate.

He invested all his Karma Power into reducing the Thieving Eye cooldown.

After investing 25,000 points, the Thieving Eye cooldown was reduced to one hour.

Reducing it further from one hour to thirty minutes required 15,000 points, so it was impossible to shorten it beyond that.

‘This is good enough.’

Being able to use Thieving Eye at one-hour intervals was already a significant improvement.

Of course, plundering abilities would require separate Karma Power, but he could accumulate that again.

After shortening Thieving Eye’s cooldown, he then opened the Necromancy ability settings.

[Summon, Stage 1] Ghost Summoning Skill.

[Using Stage 1 Ghost Summoning Skill allows you to resurrect up to twenty corpses within a 20-meter radius.]

[The maximum stats of the summoned corpses are proportional to the summoner’s stats. The maximum mental link duration with corpses at Stage 1 is 5 minutes.]

[You can upgrade to the next stage by using Chakra Points.]

[Chakra Points required: 2,000]

‘Hmm? Next stage?’

Kang Yuseong grew curious at the mention of the next stage.

In fact, Necromancy, specifically Ghost Summoning skills, was a skill only he possessed in this world.

This meant he didn’t know how this ability would develop or what its ultimate form would be.

Kang Yuseong invested the Chakra Points.

2,000 Chakra Points wasn’t a large amount for him.

*Flash!*

[Summon, Stage 2] Corpse Manipulation Skill.

[Stage 2 Corpse Manipulation Skill allows you to re-establish a mental link with corpses. Corpses will move according to the summoner’s will, linked to the summoner’s mind.]

[Stage 2 Corpse Manipulation Skill includes the abilities of Stage 1 Ghost Summoning Skill.]

[Corpses animated by Corpse Manipulation Skill gain unique abilities.]

[Unique Ability: Blood Siphon. Sucks the target’s blood to strengthen the mental link or trigger ‘Blood Awakening.’ If Blood Awakening occurs, attack power and attack speed significantly increase, while defense decreases.]

In other words, the corpses could awaken, increasing their attack power and attack speed.

And upon careful review of the description, it seemed the corpses’ attack and defense capabilities were significantly influenced by the summoner, Kang Yuseong’s, own abilities.

It meant that a Necromancer couldn’t just stand around idly.

For the corpses Kang Yuseong commanded to be strong, his own abilities needed to be formidable.

‘Well, I guess it’s a rather tricky skill.’

Kang Yuseong gave a wry smile.

But he soon nodded.

Even this was something, wasn’t it?

Being able to command corpses gave him immense power.

It meant having loyal allies who would never betray him.

‘Come to think of it…’

He recalled his past, when he was a Monarch.

At that time, he had encountered a Ghost Summoner while hunting monsters over level 300.

In fact, most monsters ranked over level 300 were almost all Dragon-class monsters.

Dragons like Ice Dragon, White Wing, Death Dragon, or Black Horn.

But the Ghost Summoner was unusually powerful, not a dragon, yet ranked over level 300, and quite high-leveled at that.

And the attack team that faced him had suffered tremendously.

At that time, Kang Yuseong had learned a bitter lesson.

If mastered properly, Ghost Summoning Skill was truly invincible.

A one-man army was not just a dream.

When one mastered the ultimate Ghost Summoning Skill, they wouldn’t just command unintelligent corpses.

They could even have formidable monsters like Phantom Knights or Ghost Reapers under their command.

Kang Yuseong, having personally experienced its terror, knew how frightening this Ghost Summoning skill was.

That’s why, despite its difficulty, it was a skill he couldn’t give up.

And along with that, he had another appealing skill.

*Flick!*

*Whoosh!*

A crimson flame erupted above his palm, which he extended from the bathtub.

This was the Flame Control skill of Jang So-dan, a Magic User.

A formidable magic capable of controlling Flame Orbs with immense destructive power.

And Kang Yuseong knew very well what the ultimate form of this flame skill was.

Hell Fire.

Or the superheated flames known as the Fire of the Abyss.

Of course, there might be other skills Kang Yuseong didn’t know about, but having witnessed Hell Fire firsthand, its intensity remained unforgettable.

The devil’s fire that burned and erased everything.

*Sizzle!*

Kang Yuseong extinguished the flame.

Then he let out a short laugh.

“Well, I’ve got a lot on my plate now, don’t I?”

Perhaps because Kang Yuseong’s Thieving Eye level was still low, all the abilities he plundered had to be leveled up from level 1.

The Chakra Points required for this were considerable.

Of course, Kang Yuseong had a solution for that, so despite his words, his expression wasn’t particularly worried.

‘Phew…’

That was for later; for now, he just wanted to rest.

He closed his eyes and sank into the hot bath.

The sensation of every cell in his body vividly coming alive felt like a hallucination.

* * * * *

“—Regarding the horrific incident that should never have happened, the Chinese government has explicitly drawn a line, declaring it the ‘personal actions’ of certain members of the Black Society. Furthermore, the Chinese government expressed deep regret regarding this matter and declared its intention to purge the Black Society executives involved.”

After finishing his shower, Kang Yuseong came out to the living room and watched TV.

On the TV, breaking news about the Chinatown incident was constantly flashing.

And China had also issued a statement.

Watching it, Kang Yuseong’s brows furrowed coldly.

He had, of course, expected it.

He already knew they would definitely cut off their tails.

But seeing it confirmed with his own eyes was another matter entirely.

“Disgusting.”

Kang Yuseong spat out.

They call themselves a great nation, great people, yet whenever such incidents occur, they always step back and offer only excuses. This was true for the crab fishing boats that appeared in the West Sea a long time ago, when they were caught in the Northeast Project, and now, in this Chinatown incident where an abominable event occurred…

And it would be true in the future, too.

Indeed, political or diplomatic means wouldn’t work with them.

If they were going to escape so vilely and cunningly, there was only one answer.

Force.

There was no choice but to punish them directly with overwhelming power.

‘Just wait. Soon… that time will come.’

Kang Yuseong stared coldly at the TV.

Kang Yuseong, who had been intently watching the Chinese government official, who was vehemently asserting that they had done nothing wrong and that only those executives who acted personally were at fault, turned off the TV.

He couldn’t do anything more now anyway.

If China had clearly drawn a line, that was the end of it.

The Chinatown incident would conclude with this.

However, Kang Yuseong had no intention of letting it end there.

If he did, he wouldn’t have set up the entire scheme in the first place.

‘It’s just beginning.’

His first plan to bring down that giant, China, had already begun.

And it was time to execute the next plan.

* * * * *

The next day, Kang Yuseong prepared himself and set out.

The place he visited was the factory that steadily produced Stamina Potion-I.

There, a dozen people were sweating profusely, manufacturing the potions.

With recent orders surging, they were working overtime without hesitation.

“Oh, Mr. Kang! Why are you coming so late?”

The manager saw Kang Yuseong and quickly pulled at his sleeve.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah, well… compared to the orders, we’re terribly short on equipment and manpower. Everyone’s going to collapse from overwork.”

The man in his fifties pleaded with a mournful expression.

Kang Yuseong smiled and nodded.

He had already grasped the situation regarding Stamina Potion-I to some extent before coming here.

It was truly a revolution.

The potions were selling like hotcakes, an understatement for how quickly they were flying off the shelves.

900 bottles were gone in an instant, and the factory was running day and night, barely meeting the minimum quantity. They were probably working themselves to death.

‘I should invest a bit now. There’s no talk of copycat drugs yet.’

Kang Yuseong had already monopolized all the ingredients for Stamina Potion-I, so for the time being, those ingredients wouldn’t be available domestically.

He would have plenty of time.

The crucial point now was how quickly he could sell the potions in the limited time remaining.

“I will supplement the manpower and equipment. Please do your best.”

The manager’s face finally brightened.

“Understood!”

Watching him turn and return to his post, Kang Yuseong fell back into thought.

What was needed now was security.

If people found out that Stamina Potion-I was being made here, many would target it.

But he had already made preparations for that too.

* * * * *

“Excuse me? A dormitory?”

After leaving the factory, Kang Yuseong immediately went to find Baek Myeong-han.

“I think that would be more efficient. It would also be good to expand the attack team members a bit more. I believe it’s time to start tackling B+ Dungeons.”

A B+ Dungeon referred to a dungeon that was exceptionally difficult even among B-class dungeons.

Baek Myeong-han stared intently at Kang Yuseong.

“Hmm… well, I’m in favor of it. But it seems like there’s another reason, isn’t there?”

Baek Myeong-han was also a man with keen eyes.

Kang Yuseong gave a wry smile and nodded.

“Have you… by any chance, heard of Stamina Potion-I?”

Baek Myeong-han nodded.

Who wouldn’t know about it these days?

“Of course, I know it.”

“Actually… I own that factory.”

“What?”

Baek Myeong-han looked startled.

“Don’t be too surprised, just listen. Stamina Potion-I is a medicine I accidentally discovered while experimenting with ingredient combinations. I never expected it to sell this well. But now it’s selling uncontrollably…”

“No, of course! How many people would pay a premium for a medicine like that? Wow, and you own that medicine…”

Baek Myeong-han looked at Kang Yuseong with new eyes.

“So, I need some people to guard that factory.”

“Ah, so that’s why the dormitory…”

Baek Myeong-han finally understood and nodded.

Kang Yuseong also nodded and continued,

“I plan to continuously supply the attack team with Stamina Potions. We’re all family, after all, so there’s no need to be stingy.”

Baek Myeong-han smiled.

“Well, even if you didn’t, everyone would understand. But we’d be grateful to receive them. Haha!”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Team Leader Baek.”

Baek Myeong-han nodded vigorously.

“Don’t worry about that. I don’t know about those with families, but I’ll definitely convince the bachelors.”

“Thank you, Team Leader Baek.”

Kang Yuseong smiled and patted his shoulder.

Now the security aspect was also resolved.

Money was accumulating rapidly.

His target of 1.5 billion won also seemed close to being achieved.

When that time came, he would embark on his next plan.

That, indeed, was his core weapon.

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed sharply.