Artifact Devouring Player-Chapter 40: Open Market - (4)
Chapter 40 - Open Market - (4)
[Chapter 40]
While following Jo Jinho to the special training ground, Sanghyun happened to make eye contact with Shin Taeri.
Unlike Sanghyun, who was on the first floor, Shin Taeri was looking down from somewhere on the third floor.
Since the building had an open central structure, she could see below just by slightly leaning her head out.
She lightly nodded at Sanghyun, and Sanghyun responded with the same gesture, accompanied by a faint smile.
Jo Jinho then chuckled and spoke to Sanghyun.
"Since you saw her today, I guess you'll see her again tomorrow. Taeri's such a workaholic that she only trains."
"All day long?"
"Once she enters the private training room, she never comes out until an entire day has passed. Haha. She trains nonstop for a full day."
Jo Jinho let out a hearty laugh.
"I'm jealous—of that passion and stamina."
Sanghyun meant it sincerely.
His stamina wasn't yet at the level where he could devote an entire day to training without rest.
He had to make sure to take breaks from time to time.
His ambition always reached for the highest peak, but his body didn't lie.
To fully dedicate himself to training for an entire day without feeling fatigue, his stamina stat needed to exceed at least 700.
For Sanghyun, it was something that still required more time. Of course, he was already working hard, even at that very moment.
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
"Of course. I'll answer whatever I can."
"Do you have a mentor who teaches you or perhaps a group that provides all-around support?"
"I don't."
Sanghyun replied without hesitation. It wasn't an excuse; he really didn't have any.
If one considered his knowledge of the future as a "mentor," then perhaps it could be considered true, but clearly, that wasn't the proper context.
"Even players who are called 'Named' all start equally from level 1."
"That's right."
Jo Jinho's calm voice carried a sense of seriousness, and Sanghyun listened attentively.
"In other words, everyone experiences the moment when they're called a prospect and is judged by many during that time."
"I believe that's an inevitable fate."
"From that perspective, the way you're performing now is almost like the textbook definition of walking the royal road of a promising player."
"You're too kind."
"That's how I truly see it. Considering your potential, the only advantage I have over you is that I started my life as a player earlier than you did."
It was more than just praise—it was high acclaim.
The person listening felt it, and the one speaking clearly intended to convey that feeling.
Jo Jinho trusted the judgment of Kim Miso and Shin Taeri.
Players who had passed their meticulous scrutiny and received recognition always unleashed their potential without fail.
It wasn't some superficial intuition but the solid judgment of professionals.
Having various status ailment-inducing options was an asset that couldn't be measured in value.
Sanghyun's ability to induce stiffness, with a duration similar to Jo Jinho's own, was proof of that.
Wasn't Jo Jinho's level more than six times higher than Sanghyun's? Yet, in some aspects, they stood on equal footing.
That fact surprised and also unsettled Jo Jinho.
Being a named player didn't mean he could welcome the rise of a rival or promising talent with open arms.
It was partly due to Jo Jinho's nature—his deep-seated aversion to losing—and partly the innate instincts of a player.
"Thank you for your kind words."
"We're almost there. I meant that purely as a fellow player, so I hope you won't feel any pressure."
"It's truly an honor for me."
Is this what it feels like to be acknowledged by someone strong?
It was gratifying, and his heart pounded with excitement.
It felt like the fulfillment of a long-held wish, a happiness akin to receiving a perfect score on a report card.
Receiving recognition from a player who hadn't even glanced his way in his past life was pure joy.
"This is Miso's exclusive training ground, so I usually don't enter without permission. But she's running late."
Jo Jinho scratched the back of his head while looking at the special training room, its doors firmly closed as Kim Miso had yet to arrive.
There were still about ten minutes left before the scheduled time, but it felt awkward since she was usually early.
Jo Jinho continued speaking.
"Looks like the conversation is dragging on."
"Business meeting?"
"Ah. The chairman is here at the Eden building today. Seems like the discussion hasn't wrapped up yet."
The chairman.
Kim Miso's father, Kim Yooncheol, the chairman of Shinseong Biotechnics, and the sponsor of the Eden Guild.
He was here.
"I'm against it."
"Dad! You weren't like this before! You personally scouted Jinho Oppa and Taeri Unni when they were just levels 50 and 60!"
"That was because I had enough confidence back then."
"Are you saying you don't feel the same now?"
"Talents like Shin Sanghyun aren't rare—not just globally, but even if you look at China, Japan, or Russia."
At that moment, Kim Miso was engaged in a heated debate with her father, Kim Yooncheol.
The topic was the recruitment of Sanghyun.
Their opinions clashed, and father and daughter were locked in an intense discussion.
"Are you doing this because the prospect development project has failed so far?"
"That's part of it. Of course, it's mainly an issue with the development department. Still, I believe we need to be cautious."
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"Even if I insist strongly?"
"There are plenty of cases where players grow explosively early on due to favorable contracts with Constellations or getting lucky with skills."
"That's only when you focus on skills. Sanghyun's fundamentals are solid."
"Still, that alone isn't enough."
"Constellations or skills don't grant you fundamentals. Sanghyun has swordsmanship that feels like he's been training for decades!"
"I heard he already created a solo guild under his own name. That means his value has increased even more."
"Dad, it's not like you're short on money."
"That doesn't mean I'll just throw it away recklessly."
"Dad, can't you trust me just this once? Sanghyun is worth a significant investment!"
"Miso."
"Yes, Dad."
"Can you honestly say there isn't even a hint of personal motive behind this recruitment push? Not even a little?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Your ex-boyfriend..."
"Dad! How many times have I asked you not to bring that up?"
"I can't help but feel like this has something to do with your thoughts about your ex."
"Dad, this is really... disappointing. This isn't right."
"Miso."
"I'm sorry. I'll leave now. We can talk later. That was the last thing I ever wanted to hear from you."
"Miso! Miso!"
"I'm sorry. I'll leave now."
Bang!
With a cold expression, Kim Miso shut the door to the sitting room and walked away with a shadow cast over her face.
Kim Yooncheol stared at the empty space where his daughter had been for a long time before glancing at a photo on his desk.
It was a picture of Kim Miso's ex-boyfriend.
Despite her pleas, he had ventured into a gate raid and met a tragic death as an unfortunate player.
"He really does look a lot like him."
Kim Yooncheol muttered as he looked at the photo of Sanghyun placed next to the one of her ex-boyfriend.
He thought it was a reasonable suspicion when he said it, but now he realized, just as Kim Miso had said, that he had crossed the line.
It was clearly a huge mistake to bring back a painful memory she desperately wanted to forget.
It was something she had begged him never to mention again.
"Damn it, should I prepare to write an apology or something... This is such a headache. What's so great about Shin Sanghyun anyway?"
It wasn't that Kim Yooncheol didn't acknowledge Sanghyun's skills.
He completely agreed that Sanghyun was a promising talent who stood out.
But if someone asked whether he had exceptional value, his answer would be no—at least based on his own experience.
There were countless outstanding players like Sanghyun around the world.
He hadn't even surpassed level 100 yet, nor had he been tested in any extremely difficult dungeon or gate.
Kim Yooncheol wanted definitive proof of Sanghyun's ability, while Kim Miso argued that they needed to act preemptively.
Kim Yooncheol made a phone call.
Before the signal even rang once, a voice answered from the other side.
"Hey, Director Jang. It's me. Are you maintaining good connections with the Association?"
"Gather all the information you can on Shin Sanghyun. Start with his family—leave nothing out."
"I know. He's an orphan. But surely, there must be some ties—maybe relatives or friends from the orphanage. Investigate everything."
"There must be some investigation or discussion about Shin Sanghyun within the Player Union.
You understand what I mean, right?"
"Investigate thoroughly—enough to know the color of the underwear he wore this morning. Got it?"
The call ended.
Only then did the tension fade from Kim Yooncheol's face, which had been heated from the intense argument with his daughter.
A promising player who had caught the attention not only of his daughter, Kim Miso, but also
Shin Taeri and Jo Jinho.
Just what kind of person was Shin Sanghyun that these three seemed so captivated by him?
Kim Yooncheol wanted to be absolutely certain. If the investment was truly worth it, money wouldn't be an issue.
"Sanghyun Oppa, nice to see you!"
As soon as she saw Sanghyun, Kim Miso energetically waved at him from afar, greeting him warmly.
Sanghyun wasn't used to such innocent, childlike greetings, but he still responded to her enthusiasm.
Jo Jinho spoke up first.
"Miso, you're a bit late."
"I had a long talk with my dad."
"Things didn't go well, huh?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Very obvious."
Just as Jo Jinho said, Kim Miso's expression looked like she was trying hard to hide the face of someone who had just been in a fight.
Sanghyun didn't know what conversation had taken place, but Jo Jinho seemed to pick up on it immediately.
"Thank you, Oppa."
"Sanghyun, I hope we'll meet again soon. Stay safe."
"Thank you for your kind words."
Sanghyun politely bowed to Jo Jinho, who was quickly taking his leave.
Despite seeming older, Jo Jinho carried himself with dignity and proper manners, which Sanghyun appreciated.
"I'll guide you right away. Just a moment."
Kim Miso went through a triple security process—iris scan, fingerprint recognition, and a code input—before opening the door.
As Sanghyun followed her inside, he couldn't help but let out a gasp.
"Wow."
It was incredibly spacious.
It felt like an entire auditorium had been placed inside.
It was impressive enough that such a massive skyscraper had been built in the expensive Gangnam Station area.
But what amazed him even more was how much space the guild and its sponsoring corporation had dedicated to just one person.
On the first floor alone, there were over ten private training rooms like this—clear proof of Eden
Guild's power and influence.
"I'll turn off everything that can be turned off for now."
Tap. Tap-tap. Beep. Beep-beep.
Kim Miso began diligently shutting down all the activated devices.
The first thing she turned off was all the CCTV cameras installed inside, followed by the doors connected to the outside.
Sanghyun asked,
"Isn't security necessary?"
"On the contrary, absolute security is why I turned off the CCTV. You're an important guest, and it's my duty to protect your privacy."
"So, you're blocking any potential exposure of my training information in advance."
"Exactly. If misused, CCTV footage could provide someone with detailed analysis material."
Sanghyun smiled at her sharp response.
It was something he had considered requesting, but he hadn't expected her to think of it first.
It was clear she genuinely cared for him and was considerate of his needs. It wasn't some hollow gesture but true sincerity.
It was also an acknowledgment of his abilities.
