Chapter 129

“You can’t get a large quantity, so just give up.”

Cho-i Hyeon smiled brightly. While Jueun Hyeon was interpreting Cho-i Hyeon’s words in her head, Taehyeok Sa used Telekinesis to grab three materials at once. Well, the pale, blood-drained skin wasn’t an item or anything, so it didn’t go into the inventory.

“Wait, so that’s really human skin!? Not some monster skin?”

“You’re a scary person. What, is it okay to just peel off monster skin? You’ll hurt the monster’s feelings.”

“You’re not a monster.”

Taehyeok Sa immediately picked up Cho-i Hyeon as well and stood at the door.

“I’ll take these materials for now. I look forward to working with you again next time.”

“W-wait a minute!”

Thump. Despite her urgent call, Taehyeok Sa indifferently closed the door. Cho-i Hyeon, clinging to his side, asked.

“Since we don’t have any use for it anyway, maybe we should have just given it to them?”

“No, it might cause trouble.”

“Alright, then.”

The two of them left the materials research institute and got into the car. As soon as Taehyeok Sa got in the car, he turned on the navigation and started typing in an address. Then Cho-i Hyeon looked at the navigation and asked in a puzzled voice.

“This isn’t Paehyeok.”

“I have somewhere to stop.”

“Where?”

“You said you wanted equipment made.”

“Oh, so we’re going to the person who makes equipment?”

Taehyeok Sa nodded lightly and started driving. Cho-i Hyeon was already excited at the thought of going to someone who makes equipment.

“What are you going to make for me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Huh? You don’t know?”

“It’s up to the person making it.”

“What kind of nonsense is that!”

“You’ll understand what I mean when we get there.”

Taehyeok Sa’s car moved smoothly and arrived at a neighborhood on the Gyeonggi-do outskirts. The car stopped in front of a house, and Cho-i Hyeon was momentarily puzzled by its exterior.

“This is…”

“What.”

“It’s a fortune teller’s house, isn’t it?”

“More precisely, it’s a shamanic shrine.”

“Shamanic shrine or fortune teller’s house, what are we doing here?”

“Well, the person who makes equipment is here.”

“A Shaman?”

Taehyeok Sa pressed the doorbell without answering. A beep sounded, and the main gate opened without a word. Taehyeok Sa entered the gate as if accustomed to it, and Cho-i Hyeon looked around and entered. The house was a normal-looking two-story residence. If it weren’t for the large sign on the gate that read “Celestial Maiden Bodhisattva.”

“Is anyone home?”

As Taehyeok Sa, who had entered the front door, spoke in a low voice, a sharp voice came from inside.

“Come in!”

Upon entering, a normal living room came into view. In one corner of the living room, numerous statues and lit candles were placed. Cho-i Hyeon, finding the Entity fascinating, looked around once before turning to where the voice came from. There was a sliding door in the house, and Taehyeok Sa opened it and entered as if it were natural. As soon as he entered, something flew towards him. Swish-! Something that might have been red beans or rice was scattered towards them. Taehyeok Sa quickly dodged to the side, but Cho-i Hyeon, who was behind him and busy looking around elsewhere, couldn’t avoid it and was hit squarely.

“Hey, you son of a bitch, do you want to die?”

Cho-i spat out, making ‘phew phew’ sounds, as if it had gotten into her mouth. After spitting it out, she realized it wasn’t rice or red beans, but millet. Taehyeok Sa, regardless of whether Cho-i Hyeon was spitting out the millet that had gotten into her mouth, greeted the other person in a calm tone.

“Long time no see.”

“What, it was you?”

He clicked his tongue and said,

“I thought it was a customer.”

The other person was a broad-shouldered man with a short, sporty haircut. What, but why “Celestial Maiden Bodhisattva”? Cho-i was observing him, but he, who had been looking at Taehyeok Sa, soon looked at Cho-i and frowned.

“Why are you carrying something like that again!”

“Hey, why are you picking a fight as soon as you see me?”

“Ugh, tsk tsk. It’s pitch black, pitch black.”

“What, can I hit that? Can I hit that?”

“No.”

Taehyeok Sa spoke to her in a firm, almost commanding tone, and Cho-i Hyeon glared at him as if she didn’t like it. The person, whether a Shaman or not, stared blankly at the two of them and then sighed.

“So what is it this time? You’re not here for a compatibility reading, are you?”

“I’ve brought the ingredients.”

“Ugh. I knew it.”

He turned his gaze to Cho-i Hyeon, who was next to Taehyeok Sa.

“You’re not going to use it yourself, you’re here to help them, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“Anyway, you always prioritize others’ matters over your own.”

“Excuse me?”

Cho-i Hyeon retorted. She couldn’t believe his tone, as if he were someone who sacrificed his own needs for others. Taehyeok Sa remained silent, and Cho-i Hyeon looked back and forth between the two.

“You’re playing around.”

“So what are you?”

“Are you trying to pick a fight again?”

“Hold on.”

Taehyeok Sa quietly stopped Cho-i Hyeon. But the person, whether a Shaman or not, frowned deeply, stared at Cho-i Hyeon, and then spoke.

“I can’t see anything.”

“What?”

“I can’t see anything, whether it’s the future, the past, or the present.”

“So you usually see those things?”

“Of course. Do you serve something?”

“Serve? What do I serve?”

“There’s only one time I can’t see anything.”

“What is it?”

“Either a dead corpse or…”

“…”

Cho-i Hyeon briefly looked away. What the Entity said wasn’t wrong.

“Or if it’s stronger than the Celestial Maiden I serve.”

“I don’t serve anything separately…”

Then, Cho-i Hyeon suddenly remembered ‘the Entity’ within her body. Could he possibly consider that a god? Suddenly curious, Cho-i moved closer to the table where he was sitting and took a seat.

“You really can’t see anything?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m asking.”

“Then you can see him?”

Cho-i Hyeon pointed to Taehyeok Sa. He nodded.

“I can see him.”

“What about his future?”

“You shouldn’t ask about others’ futures so carelessly.”

“It’s okay to tell me.”

Taehyeok Sa sat cross-legged next to Cho-i Hyeon. Cho-i looked at him and then pressed the man for an answer.

“He says it’s fine. What about his future? There’s no answer, right?”

“That’s right.”

“What? You’re actually agreeing?”

“There’s no answer.”

He looked at Taehyeok Sa with a deep frown.

“He is fated to stop what cannot be stopped.”

Taehyeok Sa smiled at those words. Cho-i Hyeon had heard something similar before. Yes, that’s right. Taehyeok Sa had seen the world’s destruction in a dream, and he said he would stop it. His words and the man’s answer matched.

“What, are you two in on this together?”

“I’ve never conspired with anyone in my life. There’s no need to.”

“So you’re a real Shaman.”

Taehyeok Sa replied to her in a calm tone.

“There aren’t many ‘real’ ones left.”

“Yes, so Celestial Maiden. How will you make the equipment for me?”

“It’s not Celestial Maiden, it’s Eunbeom Jeon.”

“Alright, Mr. Eunbeom Jeon.”

“You have to perform a ritual.”

“Perform a ritual?”

Eunbeom Jeon grinned and looked at Taehyeok Sa.

“So, how much did you find out about the ritual cost?”

“I’ve already deposited it.”

Then, Eunbeom Jeon briefly turned on his smartphone to check the amount deposited into his account. He then said with satisfaction,

“Good. As expected, you’re generous.”

“Even shamans use internet banking these days.”

“Only internet banking? I also use a microphone when performing rituals.”

“Awesome.”

Cho-i Hyeon covered her mouth with a surprised expression, as if she hadn’t known. Taehyeok Sa spoke to Eunbeom Jeon in a calm voice.

“When can you start the work?”

“Immediately.”

“That’s fast.”

“I haven’t had much work lately, you see.”

Eunbeom Jeon got up from his seat and headed to the second floor. Cho-i Hyeon and Taehyeok Sa immediately followed him. On the second floor, there were more and larger altars with candles lit, making it bright even without the electric lights on. The second floor, illuminated by soft yellow light, was empty.

“Since the ritual fee has been paid, we should start right away.”

“Don’t you need a few days to prepare for a ritual?”

Eunbeom Jeon immediately answered Cho-i’s curious question.

“That would be for a normal ritual, but not this one. I just need the materials.”

“Wait, you’re making equipment with a ritual?”

Cho-i Hyeon looked at Eunbeom Jeon as if she didn’t understand. Eunbeom Jeon, on the other hand, looked at Cho-i Hyeon as if asking what the problem was.

“Then what did you think it was?”

“No, I naturally thought it would be like a blacksmith, hammering things.”

“How do you make equipment like that? Do you think equipment is a joke? Do you think equipment is expensive for no reason?”

“No, wouldn’t most people not think that? Wouldn’t most people not think of making equipment with a ritual?”

“Well, there are some who make it that way. Over there, overseas. Most of the work goes that way.”

“Why?”

“Because they’re more precise.”

“What do you mean by precise? Aren’t you precise?”

“Not quite.”

“What? What is it, exactly?”

As Taehyeok Sa shrugged his shoulders, Cho-i Hyeon looked at Eunbeom Jeon with a face that showed she understood nothing. And Taehyeok Sa quickly went downstairs to get the materials. Eunbeom Jeon made Cho-i Hyeon sit in the middle, then sat opposite her and began to explain.

“First of all.”

“Yes.”

“My method can create the highest quality equipment.”

“Oh, really?”

“Blacksmiths working overseas can only make equipment up to their own rank, but I’m different. I can create equipment above my rank.”

“Then isn’t that amazing?”

“However.”

“However?”

“…It’s random.”

“Huh?”

“The probability of getting trash is higher.”

“Huh?”

“But if it works out, the quality will be higher than anything else…”

“What is this, it’s completely gambling…”

“Hey now, gambling! Something will definitely come out! You just don’t know what will come out.”

“So that’s gambling…”

“Hey now, hey now.”

‘This person is impossible to reason with.’

Cho-i Hyeon looked at him with a cold, disheartened expression. Cho-i Hyeon wasn’t in urgent need of equipment anyway. It would be a shame if the materials were wasted, but…

‘I can get shed skin and bone fragments again anyway.’

Shedding her skin would be incredibly painful, but since she still had two more molts left, complaining wouldn’t change anything. And just then, Taehyeok Sa came up with the materials: the hardened shed skin and the Mantis Bone Fragment.