WETRIED TRANSLATIONS
The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth
[Translator – Aren]
Chapter 37 - Liminal Grand Hotel (3)
Among everything, one time particularly caught Park Minho’s eye.
It was the ability to turn his own shadow into an anomalous entity.
'My own shadow?’
The catalog read:
[Entry No. 031]
[Item Name: Shadow Modification Circuit]
[Are you forced to give up greater power due to the limitations of your physical body? Then why not modify your shadow? Your shadow is your greatest ally. As long as light exists, your shadow will always be there, waiting for your command.]
The biggest advantage of this item was that the shadow could be developed independently of one’s own Awakening or abilities.
"Oppa, I’ll be right back.”
At that moment, Seol Suyeon was led away into an inner room by the hotel staff.
"Oh, okay…”
Half-distracted, Park Minho gave a vague response and continued flipping through the catalog.
A shadow turned into an anomalous entity through the modification circuit could be used in countless ways.
It could fight directly, provide healing or buffs to its owner, or even be detached entirely and sent out to scout the labyrinthine Backrooms.
However, the Shadow Modification Circuit was an extremely rare auction item. Only one was being offered this time. And that wasn’t the only thing that caught Park Minho’s attention.
[Anomalous Ability Theft.]
[Gold is omnipotent. Spend gold coins to steal the abilities of anomalous entities you encounter. Up to three abilities can be stored within your shadow.]
[Stolen abilities can be sued continuously. They will not conflict with your original abilites.]
[The cost varies depending on the ability.]
'I can use my shadow like an assistant?'
Park Minho loved the idea instantly.
The biggest upside was that one couldn’t lose it. THat had been a real problem. Even back at the goshiwon, he’d lost the dimension-compression backpack he’d painstakingly packed.
'Something like that could happen again anytime.'
But a shadow was different. If you somehow lost your own shadow, you’d basically be dead anyway. So there was no point worrying about that.
Park Minho kept reading.
[The shadow does not possess an independent personality. It obeys only your commands.]
[Entities that have their abilities stolen will lose those abilities, and you will be designated a Thief.]
[Many Shadow Modification Circuits have appeared in previous auctions. However, we can confidently state that this is the most powerful and noteworthy one yet.]
The only downside was that stealing abilities consumed coins. But for someone as rich as Park Minho that wasn’t really a problem.
If anything, this meant he could roam the Backrooms and basically shop for abilities by hunting entities.
'I want it.'
The problem was that the starting bid for something this powerful wasn’t cheap.
[Starting Bid: 30 Gold Coins.]
That was roughly 10 billion won if exchanged. Once bidding started, there was no telling how high it would go.
'Still, I’ve got to at least try to get it.'
Park Minho marked the item with a pen provided nearby.
No matter how he looked at it, this felt like the best way to properly use his massive stash of coins.
'Most people probably can’t afford to spend coins even if they want to, so the competition might not be as crazy as I think.'
It was Park Minho who was abnormal for hitting jackpot after jackpot. Resources in the Backrooms were always limited.
'There’s a lot of other good stuff too.'
There was even an Energy Core, just like the one he already had. It’s starting bid was 80 gold coins.
'That’s insanely expensive, damn… I really hit the jackpot back in the biological Backroom.’
He’d practically just picked it up off the ground. That was what you’d call a freebie.
'I already have one, so no need to buy another.’
Just as he was fully absorbed in the catalog, the hotelier cleared his throat.
"Ahem."
"...?"
"Your partner will be out shortly. She has made quite an effort with her appearance, so burying yourself in the catalog would hardly be gentlemanly.”
Fair enough. If he handled this wrong, that prickly, sulky Seol Suyeon might come right back.
"Thanks for the advice.”
"Not at all.”
Park Minho realized he was actually kind of excited. For some reason, his heart was even racing a little.
But admitting that felt a but embarrassing. So he muttered something half-hearted instead.
"Eh, I’ll just react a bit, I guess.”
It was just seeing a pretty girl and saying she looked pretty. Nothing special. At least, that's what he told himself.
-Click.
However, the moment the door opened, Park Minho froze like he’d been struck by lightning.
Because the Seol Suyeon he knew was nowhere to be seen. Normally, she slouched, had messy hair, and wore thick rimmed glasses that practically hid her features.
And after everything she’d been through in the Backrooms…well, that didn’t help her looks either.
So subconsciously, he must’ve thought that even if she dressed up it wouldn’t be a big deal. Even though he already knew how pretty she actually was.
But now, seeing her fully dressed up, he couldn’t help but be stunned.
How should he put it?
She didn’t even look like the same species anymore.
Her pale skin, untouched by sunlight, was wrapped in a striking red dress. Gold ornaments shimmered along the curves of her body, and atop her elegantly braided hair was a rare feather accessory that shimmered like an aurora.
But the most striking feature was her eyes.
With makeup that emphasized the mysterious, universe-like gaze of Princess Cavaletto’s eyes, she looked like something otherworldly.
"Why are you staring like that? Was it too much?”
Seeing that Park Minho wasn’t saying anything, Seol Suyeon grew anxious and started fanning herself nervously with her feather fan.
But Park Minho now realized that the hotelier hadn’t been exaggerating. True beauty could transcend even the differences in aesthetics between species.
"S-so how is it? Oppa…?”
He hesitated, unsure how to respond, then gave a roundabout answer.
“You look prettier than your model.”
"What…?"
By ‘model’ he meant the model she used as a VTuber. And since her persona, Sommong, was a high-tier corporate VTuber, her model was famously well-made and beautiful.
Better than her model? Seol Suyeon looked incredulous, but at the same time, the corners of her lips twitched upward, and she subtly covered her lower half of her face with her fan.
"Like, seriously? How can a real person be prettier than a 2d model? Wow, Oppa…you’re the type to really flatter people, huh?”
She said that, but it was obvious she was fully pleased with the praise.
"But why are you covering your chest?”
Looking closer, Seol Suyeon hadn’t lowered the feather fan from in front of her chest at all.
“W-well…it’s a bit revealing.”
"Revealing?”
"It’s cut really low…!”
At that, Park Minho’s gaze naturally drifted downward.
"Wait, how bad could it be…?”
"Are you curious?”
"Huh? Yeah......"
Park Minho answered honestly. Seol Suyeon hesitated for a moment, then beckoned him closer.
“...I’ll show you, but only a little.”
She slightly moved the fan aside, revealing the upper part of her dress.
"...!"
Park Minho immediately understood why she’d been covering it.
It wasn’t that revealing, but……
"Seems like your model was pretty accurate…”
Her VTuber persona, Sommong, was famously well-endowed. Fans even joked that she had national-treasure-tier assets.
But now that he saw the real thing, he could confidently say that she actually surpassed it.
"Yeah, it’s probably for the best if you keep it covered…”
Faced with something beyond description, Park Minho quickly scrunched his nose. It felt like he might get a nosebleed, just like the characters in manga. Of course, he didn’t bit for some reason, the tip of his nose tingled and throbbed.
"Now then, shall we head in?”
Fortunately, the hotelier stepped in, giving Park Minho the chance to act normal and quickly retreat inside.
* * *
The three members from TBU stood in line to enter the auction.
VIPs had a separate entrance, but regular bidders like them had no choice but to wait. Surrounded by various anomalous entities, they looked visibly tense.
“Team leader, we’re treated pretty well back in the organization, but here…we’re total nobodies.”
Team Leader Kim Sungjin nodded.
“To carry yourself confidently here, you’d need to be at least a high-tier Awakened.”
"If you’re high-tier, do you get VIP treatment?”
"You really don’t know how things work, do you? A high.tier Awakened is just strong enough not to feel intimidated. You’d still only be on par with the average guests here.”
"Ah……"
"If you want VIP treatment, you’d need someone like the Chairman himself.”
"Wow, damn…seriously?”
"Yeah. Humans don’t get special treatment here. Watch closely. You won’t see a single human going through the VIP entrance.”
"Didn’t they say an explorer going by Pitbull once got VIP treatment?”
“Yeah. But even Pitbull’s gone quiet. No one knows if he’s alive or dead anymore…”
Just as the team leader clicked his tongue, the hotelier suddenly appeared. Having been here multiple times, the team leader immediately understood what was happening.
"Looks like a VIP. Sometimes the manager personally escorts them like that. Keep a close eye.”
"Understood."
VIPs were noteworthy anomalous entities. Even if they only stayed briefly, TBU kept detailed tabs on them.
"I wonder what kind of monster it’ll be this time.”
One of the team members, barely containing his excitement, suddenly let out a dumbfounded sound.
"Huh...?"
Because the VIPs were human. He blinked several times, thinking he must’ve seen wrong. But no, the pair walking in, dressed in a tuxedo and gown, were undeniably human.
And even more shocking was that they were familiar faces.
"Wh-what?”
"Those two…?”
"Ah...?"
They were the same people they had dismissed just hours ago as some lucky nobodies who had wandered into the hotel.
Back then, they had appeared truly insignificant, but now, they walked forward confidently, drawing everyone’s attention as if it were only natural.
Even the anomalous entities, who normally looked down on humans, were reacting with admiration in their own ways.
[……Aah, such nobility……!]
A many-eyes Observer-type entity raised all its eyes at once, its body trembling.
[What a mesmerizing shade of purple…]
Beside it, a humanoid entity in a faded formal suit removed its worn silk hat in a gesture of respect.
All around, other anomalous beings were visibly stirred, unable to hide their excitement.
One of the team members, staring blankly at the scene finally asked,
"Team leader, who are they……?”
"......You think I know?”
One thing was certain. Kim Sungjin had just made a massive mistake. A hasty judgment that cost him dearly.
If a human could receive this level of treatment in the hotel, then no matter what, they should have been recruited into TBU.
"Areum."
The team leader called out to the youngest member, Heo Areum.
"Yes, sir.”
"Head back to the room and report this to headquarters immediately.”
"Sir, contacting Floor 7 from here will cost a lot of coins, won’t it?”
"Is that really the issue right now? Go report it and ask for follow-up instructions! This might be more important than the energy core!”
"Yes, sir!”
After practically driving her off, Kim Sungjin tried desperately to catch Park Minho’s eye.
But he walked right past him as if he didn’t even exist.
"Ah......!"
Kim Sungjun felt a wave of dread sink in. Their first impression had definitely been bad.
Even if he’d been polite on the surface, the subtle condescension must’ve been painfully obvious to him.
And now, thinking about how to approach and recruit them from here filled him with nothing but despair.
'I screwed this up from the start……’
* * *
In truth, it wasn’t that Park Minho hadn’t noticed Kim Sungjin’s group. At that moment, he had simply brought his face closer to Seol Suyeon’s fan, hiding his expression.
"Suyeon, those guys who looked down on us earlier are over there.”
"They’re standing in line?”
"Looks like it. And damn, they look shocked.”
"They were really annoying earlier, but this kind of feels good.”
The two of them snickered as they walked past.
Anyway, after that little incident, they entered the auction hall. The venue resembled an opera house.
VIPs were seated in private booths called Royal Boxes.
"Enjoy your time.”
The manager gave a polite bow before stepping away. Across from them, in another Royal Box, several VIPs had already arrived. They were all whispering among themselves while staring at Seol Suyeon’s eyes.
But one entity among them stood out. A humanoid figure wrapped in bandages like a mummy, wearing a rusted crown kept staring at Seol Suyeon. Judging by the attendants standing beside it,this was someone of extremely high status..
"That ones’s scary. Why does it feel like it’s staring at me?”
Nervous, Seol Suyeon clung tightly to Park Minho, linking arms with him.
"I don’t know. It does look terrifying…”
Its eye sockets were completely hollow and around its neck hung a frayed rope, like one used for hanging.
A truly grotesque being.
However as the auction began, it eventually turned its gaze away.
"Phew…”
Seol Suyeon let out a sigh of relief. Still tense, she didn’t let go of Park Minho.
"Oppa, is there something you’re aiming for?”
"This."
Park Minho pointed at the Shadow Modification Circuit in the catalog. Seol Suyeon read through it slowly, then nodded in admiration.
"That’s really good."
"Right? I’m definitely trying to get it.”
The time was Entry No. 31, so there was still some time.
"Tsk..."
Determined to secure it, Park Minho grew increasingly more anxious.
Then, in the middle of the auction, something unexpected happened. A massive, overwhelming telepathic voice suddenly echoed through the hall, dominating the atmosphere.
-Ruuuuumble.
The entire acution hall trembled as if struck by an earthquake.
[All of this is worthless…tirvial……]
The voice grated like metal scraping against metal.
The crowd erupted into murmurs. Soon, everyone realized who had sent the message.
Because it had stood up. It was the Hanged King wearing the rusted crown.
The auctioneer panicked and tried to calm him.
"Your Majesty, the Hanged King! Please, what is the matter? If there is anything inconveniencing your royal self, inform our staff and we will resolve it immediately.”
Judging by how flustered the host was, the mummy-like king was clearly a major figure.
But the king refused.
[……Worthless…what I desire is only one thing……]
Park Minho frowned in confusion.
What could this being possibly want, causing a disruption like this? Then, the king pointed directly at Seol Suyeon.
[……Name your price. I want the Princess’s eyes……]
The host quickly responded, flustered,
"Your Majesty! Only listed items can be bid on!”
Instead of answering, the king opened his hand and lower it. From his palm thousands of gold coins poured out.
-Claaaatter.
[There is nothing I cannot buy.]
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