Chapter 10 ….
“Wow, what a big spender we have here! Congratulations! This water gun is now yours! Please take it right away!”
The host handed the 1,000-gold-winning water gun to an employee.
The masked employee brought it over to me.
“I’d like to give a more detailed explanation about this auction item. Do you have a moment?”
He spoke kindly, even through the mask.
Of course I did.
That “explanation” was exactly why I came.
When I nodded, the employee guided me into a private room in the back.
By spending 1,000 gold—1 billion won—on a single purchase, I was now officially a VIP of “Susu Field.”
VIP customers could access more expensive and higher-quality items first.
“For bold customers like you, we thought you might need something even better than a water gun. For example, how about this handbag made from Lamia leather?”
Inside the private room, various items were displayed. The employee showed me a handbag.
When he opened it, an eerie whisper sounded.
Come here, child. I’m your friend.
…A mental-type charm item.
Seriously. They always do precisely the things they shouldn’t.
Mental-type items were strictly regulated worldwide. Even harmless ones were usually illegal.
Like, say, this one.
“What about that?”
I pointed to a bean-sized wireless earbud at the end of the display. The employee spoke in a sleazy tone.
“You really have a good eye. I could tell from the moment you bought our most dangerous item—the Slime Water Gun!”
…Please don’t “tell.”
Avoiding the pressure radiating from behind the mask, I reached for the earbud.
Bean Earbud (??)
– Allows you to hear someone’s true inner thoughts for 30 seconds.
– The strongest desire in their heart is translated into words.
– One-time use only—be careful!
“Looks like there’s someone whose inner thoughts you want to hear.”
I replied vaguely.
“Yes…”
You know… like criminals. Or criminals. Or maybe someone very much like a criminal.
“How much is this?”
The price that came out of his mouth was massive.
Way too expensive for something one-use…
But for an investigator, it was irresistible.
While I hesitated—
Splat. Blorp. Blorp.
Something odd touched my right leg.
Startled, I looked down. A pale green slime was stuck to me.
“Kyuuu?”
“Argh! Why is this thing here again?! Alex! It escaped the cage again!”
The employee panicked and called another staff member.
I peeled the slime off my leg to see its face. The moment it looked at me—
“Kwaaah…”
It threw up a little. Pale green slime juice splattered my clothes.
My clothes began melting.
Cute face. Terrible attack power.
Right—VIP shops also sold pet monsters.
“We are so sorry, customer! We ruined your valuable shirt! Are you okay?!”
“Uh…”
Alex—who had grabbed the slime and carried it away—stood far away scolding it. “See? This is why you keep getting abandoned!”
The slime looked genuinely heartbroken.
Sorry, little guy. But I think I know why you ran back.
“We feel terrible. We’ll offer that earbud at a special discount.”
Oh?
I was pleasantly surprised, but kept a straight face and smiled politely.
I am rich… I am rich…
I just spent a billion won, remember?
“…Please be more careful next time.”
I pretended to dust off my shirt like a picky customer who ordered same-day delivery from LoX Shipping.
“Of course. Truly sorry. If there’s anything else you want…”
“I heard this place can also make customized equipment?”
His eyes widened.
Maybe even surprised.
“Ah… so you didn’t come here by coincidence. You can tell me. Are you from Kumho-dong…?”
Kumho-dong? What?
I thought for a moment, then smiled and placed a finger over my lips.
“Shh. Knowing more might get you hurt.”
“…!”
No idea what he misunderstood, but in a shop where anonymity was guaranteed, I didn’t really need to worry about misunderstandings.
Whatever he thought, he now fully believed I was some kind of big shot, and began explaining customized equipment.
“As you know, custom gear can only be used by the person it’s engraved for. It’s crafted personally by the maker and optimized for your abilities. Of course…”
“It’s expensive, right?”
“Yes. Starting at 30,000 gold.”
30,000 gold.
30 billion won.
I swallowed hard, but…
I am rich!
I hypnotized myself and said:
“Can I meet the maker first?”
The employee hesitated, then handed me a key.
“Take this to the room at the end. You can meet the maker there.”
* * *
As I walked down the hallway, strange footsteps followed mine.
Step. Squish. Step. Squish.
…I turned around and apprehended the culprit.
“Kyuu…!”
That thing again.
The same slime that got dragged off earlier was now latched onto the back of my shoe.
It trembled pitifully.
“Kyuuuu…”
From behind, employees were talking.
“Where did that slime go?”
“That abandoned one? Weren’t they going to turn it into slime juice and sell it? Guess it’s gone.”
Slime juice.
The slime clung tightly to my hand, looking like it knew its fate.
I had bigger problems than this poor thing…
I stuck it back on my heel and whispered:
“You have to stay quiet. Understand?”
“Kyuu-kyuu!”
It responded confidently… but I didn’t really trust it.
I needed to focus on meeting the maker.
The reason I spent 1 billion won for a water gun was behind this door.
I inserted the gold-key into the black door and turned it.
“Kyuu…”
So much for “staying quiet.”
The moment I saw the inside, I understood.
The room was huge—filled with weapons, strange lighting, a sofa that moved on its own… so many bizarre things.
But the strangest thing was…
A boy zipped between all the items at incredible speed.
“No parts… These parts fit, but the calculations don’t match! This won’t do! It’s not perfect! The Chairman won’t like it! The Chairman only likes perfect me!”
Thick glasses so large his eyes looked like dots, wild hair, scribbling nonstop, touching equipment—never resting.
I spoke his name.
“Gang Il-yeon.”
His movements froze.
He slowly turned like a creaking robot.
The light above his head flickered, and I frowned.
He walked toward me and took off his glasses.
“You are…”
His face was familiar.
Sun and Moon.
Gang Wol-yeon and Gang Il-yeon.
They didn’t get along—like sun and moon—but blood bound them. They were each other’s weaknesses.
“Hello. You really don’t look anything like Wol-yeon.”
I smiled brightly at Wol-yeon’s greatest weakness.
