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Translator: uly
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Secret of Souls and Peng's Appearance
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= So, depending on the souls fused, the gap in avatar power opens up in huge steps?
"Yeah. Once at 5,000 souls, once at 10,000. That's when the changes kick in. To be precise, it starts from 5,001 souls."
Thanks to the jiangshi calmly devouring Ragulo, he'd gotten some pretty detailed info out of Barten.
It was unverified stuff, but linking it to Arthur's words made it seem highly credible.
= Then, my lord...
"Out of the souls you returned to me, I fused 5,000 into my original one-soul soulstone."
= Ah, so that's how you hit 5,001 souls? Meaning if you'd stopped at exactly 5,000 by fusing only 4,999, there would've been no effect.
"Right. And honestly, back then, I just thought it was a nice round number and absorbed 5,000 souls. Didn't even consider my one-soul soulstone."
= You got lucky, then. But you said there's another change at 10,000 souls.
"Yep. And if Arthur was right, you need to exceed 10,000 to use some message or whatever."
= Then...
"Even so, the fact that Arthur mentioned 10,000 souls when he saw me..."
= Yeah?
"Probably because even after fusing 5,000, I was as strong as if I'd fused 10,000."
= In my view, using telepathy might've led to that misunderstanding.
"That could be part of it, but it's clear he sized me up and didn't think I was a pushover. Anyway, that gives me another goal now."
= Got it. Fuse more souls into your soulstone to see what happens, right?
"Yeah. How many souls do we have right now?"
Geon-woo checked the number of souls he owned.
When he logged in, he'd left 200 souls with Ilryeong, then gathered more through creature hunts.
But the soulstones from Kolon the lord as rewards for wiping out the infected outdid what he'd farmed.
Tough jobs, but Kolon paid well, as always.
= Total of 1,897 souls. Excluding Solpi.
"1,500 from Kolon, 200 I already had, so we've only netted 197 from hunting?"
Geon-woo grumbled about the low hunting gains, but even that was worth over 2 billion.
Less than two months since relogging after seven years, that meant monthly hunting income over 10 billion, and with quest rewards, he'd cleared over 200 billion total.
Still felt short because he had no need to convert souls to cash anyway.
= Yes. Though killing that demon assassin would've netted maybe 20 more souls from its soulstone.
Ilryeong's words carried a hint of regret over the souls, too.
"Probably. Even low-rank demons are leagues above second-shedding infected. Still, a living jiangshi beats 20 souls."
= Naturally. With the materials we stocked up in Belloca, it's just a matter of time now.
"Good. That's what I like to hear."
Geon-woo said that as he left the Dark Phoenix nest, heading back to creature territory.
This time, he'd lay low and hunt quietly until the rumored 400 million simultaneous users actually hit—dodging player eyes.
"Big changes are coming soon. When that happens, I'll be bouncing between Onboard and Earth nonstop."
Access limited to 400 million.
Geon-woo had zero intention of losing his Ark Capsule access rights.
Vague as it was, he was convinced user status would matter big-time down the line.
So no thoughts of heading back to Earth anytime soon.
Geon-woo's steps led deeper into demon territory.
* * *
= By the way, my lord.
"Yeah?"
= Might be my imagination, but it feels like someone's tailing us.
"Huh? Another stalker?"
Was some curse on the Dark Phoenix nest?
Geon-woo had the passing thought.
Blood Rose last time, now who?
= Can't say for sure, but there's a weird vibe around.
'Weird vibe?'
= Felt something similar before, but this is even fuzzier.
- 'Ilryeong, you saying that makes one guy spring to mind.'
= If I may share my thought.
'Yeah, it's Peng, right?'
= It's Peng.
Geon-woo and Ilryeong said the name at once.
Geon-woo halted, scanning around.
"If you're here, say hi—don't creep like a stalker. Oh, and don't get your feelings hurt that I can't spot you. You're still top-tier. Peng!"
A forest thick with big and small trees.
Geon-woo spoke while glancing around, eyes never settling.
"Found you again. A bit late this time."
Peng emerged when Geon-woo's back was to his hiding spot.
Peng's loose robe came down to barely brush Geon-woo's shoulder—short stature.
Deep hood hid the face, voice androgynous.
"Doing well?"
Geon-woo turned slowly, greeting Peng.
The First Expedition's sole mystery: true name unknown.
Even gender a secret—that was Peng.
They'd recruited via codename request; even Neuron Age, the requester, hadn't ID'd him.
"I told you I'd beat you someday. Kang Geon-woo."
Peng shot back at the greeting.
Back in the First Expedition, Peng always griped about lagging behind Geon-woo, vowing victory someday.
Made Geon-woo feel oddly fond of it, like a buddy's hello.
Long-lost teammate, after all.
"Beat me or not, if you get in my way, one of us dies. You know that, right?"
Geon-woo welcomed Peng with his old sharp edge.
Among the First Expedition, the one teammate with no beef: Peng had arrived.
* * *
After a round of creature hunting, Geon-woo's crew and Peng returned to the underground hideout.
Peng had shown himself to Geon-woo and stuck around for a while.
Geon-woo readily cleared space in the hideout for Peng.
As they headed to their quarters for rest, Peng stopped and turned to Geon-woo.
"You're still shutting me out, huh?"
Peng glared, not hiding the irritation.
Geon-woo glared back at Peng's face.
But the hood's shadow hid it completely.
The robe wasn't special.
Peng's innate ability concealed him from others.
He could vanish at will.
And selectively blank out body parts like face or limbs from perception, as now.
Never shown his face once.
"Don't cross lines. I'm letting you share the hideout because we're allies."
"But our living areas are worlds apart—that's the catch?"
Peng's gripe laid bare.
The issue: hideout divided firmly between Geon-woo's crew and Peng.
"It's consideration. My mercs don't like you. Plus, we have secrets we don't share. Like you."
No one knew his mercs were jiangshi—that was secret, same as Peng.
"So I have to understand?"
"You're hiding too—can't demand truth from us alone."
"Fine, fair. Can't argue that."
After a brief spat, Peng raised both hands in surrender.
Then headed down one split passage.
To the quarters Geon-woo made for him.
Geon-woo watched Peng enter, then went to his own space.
= Peng won't sneak in hidden, right?
Ilryeong turned from peering into the open stone coffin in the inner room as Geon-woo entered.
Lately, Ilryeong stayed put a lot, refining the living jiangshi.
"Hard for even Peng to fool my senses here. Underground."
Geon-woo replied confidently to the worry.
With earth sense, detecting underground movement beat surface by miles.
Even Peng's stealth skills—no way he'd miss here.
= If you're that sure, my lord, then of course.
Ilryeong nodded at the conviction.
"So, how long till the living jiangshi's done?"
= Almost there.
"Already? It's been days."
Geon-woo's eyes widened at the unexpected answer.
Four days since settling back in creature turf.
Living jiangshi near complete?
Geon-woo eyed Ilryeong curiously.
= Was about to mention it—the demon-based living jiangshi differs a bit from our clan's method.
"Differs how?"
= Used the demon's innate energy in refining, so production time slashed.
"Oh?"
= Seems the demon's own vitality sustains it better than drugs.
"Good news. So the finished product's specs?"
= Physical abilities should exceed the original demon's, slightly. Jiangshi refining boost.
"And?"
= Mental faculties? Unknown. If it keeps full intellect, it'll be stronger than before.
"Full intellect won't let it slip my control, right?"
= Absolutely not, my lord.
"Good."
= As mentioned, it's growth-type, not complete—so more potential ahead.
"Nice! So all that's left is me mastering Heavenly Brain Split-Mind Soul Control Technique?"
= Any progress?
"Yeah! Every luck-up, my tailbone tingles—feels like 10th stage soon."
No actual tailbone buzz, but each session edged him toward 10th stage.
He figured the breakthrough in a day or two.
"Could be tonight."
Geon-woo said, stepping from the stone coffin to the training room.
= I'll finish this one soon as your breakthrough gift, my lord.
Ilryeong vowed to present the completed living jiangshi.
* * *
"What? Another black-cloaked goon?"
Peng emerged on time, startled at Geon-woo's crew.
Geon-woo plus eight black-cloaked mercs now ten.
Peng hadn't sensed Ilryeong, so he'd counted nine including Geon-woo.
Now ten.
"Whoa, you too! Something's different about you? Don't tell me—you passed 20,000 soul fusion?"
Peng sensed Geon-woo's aura and presence totally shifted.
Meant major avatar upgrade—prime suspect: soul fusion milestone.
"20,000? Where would I get that many?"
Geon-woo scoffed like it was absurd.
"But how? What'd you do?"
Peng pressed frantically.
"You think I'd tell you?"
Geon-woo smirked, stepping off like it wasn't worth answering.