WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Gate Summoner Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 6: Searched for Information. Picked Up a Bug.
──────
<Hunter Gallery - Information Archive>
─────────────
【Amber】
─────────────
An organic gemstone formed from tree resin that hardened and fossilized tens of millions of years ago.
It is often discovered with insects or plants trapped inside, earning it the name “time capsule.”
▪ It is also occasionally found inside the supernatural phenomenon known as [Gates], and its value varies greatly depending on the purity of the mana it contains.
Recent research has found that darker amber has higher mana purity.
▪ However, if you discover amber containing an insect, plant, or bizarre being of unknown origin, immediately report it to the Hunter Association.
The damage caused when insects, plants, or bizarre beings trapped in amber are released into the world is beyond imagination. At the least, it may require a building to be sealed off. At worst, an entire city may need to be quarantined.
▪ Similar cases have occurred in Korea.
For details, see the document “Erosion Quarantine Zone: Suraksan” <Link>.
─────────────
‘Hmmm... I see.’
Kang Yul closed the Gallery window and examined the amber.
Its surface was cloudy, perhaps due to the scratches, but its deep vermilion color remained clear.
The darker the amber, the higher its mana purity. Going by quality alone, this had to be top-grade.
Considering that it was the size of a watermelon, this amber was valuable enough that it would be difficult to put a price on it.
The government or corporations would probably come running to get their hands on it if it were put out into the world as it was...
‘But there’s a bug inside.’
When Kang Yul shone a light on the amber, he could see the shape of a bug curled up in its center.
He could not tell exactly what kind of bug it was from its shape alone, but at a glance, it looked like a larva curled into a ball.
‘I thought I’d found something good, but it’s another dud.’
If there was a supernatural life-form inside the amber, it could not be sold.
Of course, he could sell it secretly if he wanted to.
But the moment the transaction was discovered, a Hunter under exclusive contract with the Association would surely find Kang Yul, shout, “You traitorous bastard selling out your country for money!” crush all four of his limbs, and throw him in prison.
...You think that was overreacting? It was not.
Korea had already been through several such crises, so smuggling supernatural life-forms was a crime serious enough that even immediate execution would not be questioned.
There were already several areas transformed into inhuman hellscapes that way, and Suraksan, which he had just read about in the archive, was one of the most notable cases.
<Hunter Gallery - Information Archive>
─────────────
【Erosion Quarantine Zone: Suraksan】
─────────────
【Supernatural Life-Form: Spore Colony】
【Danger Level: C】
▪ A supernatural life-form consisting of vast colonies of eyeball-like mushrooms.
It continuously releases spores, eroding the surrounding ecosystem and transforming the area within a certain radius into a dreamlike forest.
Living creatures that enter the eroded area become mentally hazy and feel intense happiness and peace.
Mushrooms then begin multiplying inside their bodies. Eventually, the mushrooms use the body as nourishment and cause death.
▪ These mushrooms have high market value because they are a key ingredient in tranquilizers.
▪ The Suraksan erosion incident was confirmed to have begun when a private Hunter failed to manage the artificial propagation and cultivation of the mushrooms. The Hunter voluntarily reported it to the Hunter Association immediately after realizing the mushrooms were multiplying abnormally.
▪ An Association subjugation team was deployed at once, but all of Suraksan had already been eroded when they were dispatched. It was determined that complete removal was impossible.
─────────────
It had not been caused by amber, but it was frequently mentioned whenever people brought up domestic cases where supernatural life-forms had created inhuman hellscapes.
Considering that it had caused erosion on that scale despite being discovered and addressed early, the academic consensus was that all of Seoul would have been eroded if the outbreak had properly taken hold.
Even now, the area was gradually expanding, giving the Association quite a headache.
Ordinary people could not approach because of the high mana density, so Hunters had to manage it.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand.
‘What am I supposed to do with this pretty nuclear bomb that’ll explode if I touch it...?’
Kang Yul stroked the amber and sank into thought.
He could not put this amber out into the world.
Considering the risk if he was caught after selling it secretly, it was not worth selling.
It was also too large to fit inside the box, so he could not sell it to the Friendly Merchant.
The best option would probably be to break off and sell bits of the amber...
‘But that would basically be the same as releasing this bug into the world.’
Kang Yul recalled the notification he had seen earlier.
[When the conditions are met, it will awaken from its sleep and follow you.]
It would awaken and follow Kang Yul “when the conditions were met.”
That could mean it would only follow Kang Yul if he awakened it through a specific method.
And it could also mean that if he awakened it any other way, it would not follow him.
Kang Yul did not think a crude method like “break open the amber and take it out” would be a very good way to wake it.
‘Who likes being forcibly woken while they’re asleep?’
That was true not only for people, but probably for bugs too.
So, if he was going to wake this bug, he needed to find another method. A “condition” that would let it wake up in a good mood...
‘Come to think of it, didn’t the Friendly Merchant say they could appraise items too?’
It had suddenly come to mind.
The Friendly Merchant had written in a post that they could roughly assess an item’s value from a photo or simple description alone.
Then perhaps they could appraise this amber too?
‘It’s not like it costs anything. I should give it a try.’
Kang Yul entered the Gallery and searched for “Friendly Merchant.”
When a long list of posts written by the Friendly Merchant appeared, Kang Yul left a private comment on the newest one with a photograph of the amber and the information, “Mountain-Eating Worm - Bakkai.”
He would have preferred to send a direct message, but Hunter Gallery’s system was unusual, so he had to leave a comment for now.
Since it was called Hunter Gallery, users had to verify a record of Hunter activity before they could make a registered username. Kang Yul had spent all his time shut inside, mining, so he had no such record.
‘I should probably enter a Gate sometime soon.’
Anyway, after leaving the comment, Kang Yul checked the Gallery frequently as he waited for a reply.
But no reply came, even after three days.
The same was true when he left a comment on a newly posted thread.
‘What? Am I getting left on read?’
Tired of waiting, Kang Yul decided to ask about the amber through a trade using the box.
He put in dirt and asked for information worth as much as the dirt.
Specifically, information on the identity of the bug sleeping in the amber, or the “condition” that would wake it pleasantly.
This time, there was a response.
Click!
Instead of the dirt that had filled the wooden box, there was a single note inside, as if the trade had been completed.
But it was slightly different from the notes he usually received.
‘A black note?’
The Friendly Merchant had always sent white notes. Seeing a black one this time made Kang Yul feel a chill.
But after coming this far, there was no option not to read it. He picked it up and unfolded it.
──────────
DON’T TAKE IT OUT
IF YOU DO, YOU’LL DIE
NEVER LET BLOOD TOUCH IT
──────────
“...”
The black note bore a warning scrawled in red ink, as though it had been written in great urgency.
It warned that he would die if he took it out.
It warned that he must never let blood touch it.
...But there was one problem.
‘Blood already touched it...?’
Three days ago, at that.
When Kang Yul thought he had finally found a mineral, he had dug through the dirt with bare hands and touched the amber with his bleeding hand.
But if that had been the “condition” to wake the bug pleasantly, then the condition had already been met long ago. So why had the bug not awakened?
‘...This little punk, don’t tell me?’
Kang Yul looked at the amber on the floor.
What if the reason it had not awakened yet was that it needed time to wake up pleasantly?
Maybe it was dragging its feet because it did not want to get up.
After all, unless someone had forced them awake, the moment right after waking up was the best time to fall asleep again.
And at that moment...
Crack...!
As if Kang Yul’s guess had been correct, the amber on the floor cracked and began rocking from side to side.
Like a chick breaking out of its shell, something broke through the amber and revealed itself...
No, wait. Why did it look like that...?
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
Kang Yul closely examined the bug chewing through the amber.
Its long yellowish-brown body resembled an earthworm, and its densely interlocked teeth almost looked like fur.
Other than being only the size of a finger, it was extremely similar to a supernatural life-form Kang Yul knew.
‘Is this... a Worm...?’
But Worms were normally supernatural life-forms known to be large enough to swallow a building in one bite. Why was this one so small?
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
