Chapter 37

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Chapter 37: A Bloodline Accompanies (2)

Two days after returning from the Mei family estate, Kwon Jiseok received a call.

“What? Sacred Emperor’s Water*?”

Kwon Jiseok shouted in disbelief. The caller’s demand was absurd.

“Hey! How am I supposed to get that? No, more importantly, why should I even get that for you?”

In response to Jiseok’s protest, the caller, Kwon Hanul, clicked his tongue and said:

—“Why are you suddenly trying to back out?”

“You bastard...”

—“You lost the bet and agreed to grant me a favor of my choosing, didn’t you?”

At that, Kwon Jiseok flinched. It was a terrible memory he had long forgotten.

—“You’re not pretending to forget just because you don’t want to do it, right?”

“What the hell do you take me for! You think Kwon Jiseok would stoop to something so petty?!”

—“Then get me the Sacred Emperor’s Water.”

Cold sweat trickled down Jiseok’s back.

Even for him, obtaining Sacred Emperor’s Water was like plucking a star from the sky—utterly impossible.

The price alone was astronomical, and even finding one on the market was near impossible.

That’s how rare and precious Sacred Emperor’s Water was.

“Can’t you ask for something else?”

—“No.”

“I’m not saying this because I don’t want to help. That thing’s just really hard to get…”

—“I thought so.”

Thought so? What the hell does he mean by that?

—“I just asked in case, but I figured you wouldn’t be able to get it.”

“What the—are you mocking me now?! You wanna die—?”

—“I’ll hang up now.”

Click.

The call ended. Kwon Jiseok gripped his phone tightly, trembling with rage.

“That bastard’s asking for death!”

* * *

Kwon Hanul ended the call and stepped out of the restroom.

He’d taken the call there because this wasn’t his residence.

In fact, it wasn’t even a building. It was an airplane—a private jet owned by Kwon Seonwoo, the Chairman of Hyukcheon.

Given the jet’s luxurious amenities, making a call was no issue.

Hanul walked toward the lounge area.

There, he saw Kwon Seonwoo seated comfortably, with Joo Hayun preparing tea beside him.

As Hayun placed a steaming teacup in front of Seonwoo, she spoke.

“I changed the tea leaves. I hope it suits your taste.”

“Tea brewed by you is always excellent. I’ll enjoy it.”

Kwon Seonwoo’s voice was unexpectedly gentle. Hayun smiled warmly.

Watching them, Hanul felt a tangle of emotions. They looked more like grandparent and grandchild than he and Seonwoo, who were actually blood relatives.

“Would you like a cup as well, Kwon Hanul?” Hayun offered.

Hanul took a seat across from Seonwoo and accepted the teacup.

A single sip filled his mouth with rich aroma. Seonwoo’s compliment hadn’t been idle.

As Hanul sipped, he cautiously studied Seonwoo, then asked, “Are you really bringing me along just to carry luggage?”

Seonwoo only lifted his gaze. His eyes, under thick brows, flashed sharply.

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“No, not exactly…”

“Then shut up and don’t say anything unnecessary.”

Hanul had thought they’d grown a bit closer lately, but Seonwoo was as prickly as ever.

Just then, Hayun interjected softly.

“It’s the first time the Chairman has personally brought someone along.”

“There will be a lot of luggage today,” Seonwoo replied.

“Couldn’t you just have the other subordinates handle it?”

Seonwoo shot Hayun a glare. She feigned ignorance and looked at Hanul.

Ah.

Her expression made things clear.

She hadn’t said that without reason—she was hinting at something.

‘There’s definitely some other agenda here…’

But Seonwoo rarely revealed his true thoughts, making it impossible to read him.

Truthfully, even if Hanul ended up carrying luggage, he wouldn’t lose out.

The Delos Auction House was the world’s largest auction. Just visiting would be a valuable experience.

‘Of course, that’s not my real objective.’

People from various powerful families would gather at Delos. Interacting with them might allow him to gain new bloodlines.

‘To reach the top of Hyukcheon, I need real strength—and recognition.’

To be acknowledged as part of Hyukcheon’s bloodline, he had to operate on a global stage.

To do that, he needed at least three stats elevated to S-rank.

‘I’ve heard some bloodlines can drastically enhance stats like strength or magic.’

If he could obtain such a bloodline, he could greatly shorten the time needed to reach his goal.

While he was lost in thought—

“We’ve arrived,” Seonwoo murmured.

At his words, Hanul looked out the window.

In the midst of a dark ocean, an island glittering with dazzling lights came into view.

Delos Auction House.

Famed as the world’s largest and finest auction, it was held exclusively at sea.

However, despite always being hosted on the ocean, the location changed every time.

Sometimes in the Atlantic, other times deep in the Pacific.

This was possible because the Delos Auction House was built atop a relic.

<Whale in the Well>

This relic allowed both oceanic navigation and deep-sea submersion, freeing Delos from any fixed location.

Thanks to this, not once since its inception had Delos suffered theft or intrusion.

The private jet landed smoothly on the island.

The group was greeted by a middle-aged woman impeccably dressed in a tailcoat.

“Welcome, Chairman of Hyukcheon.”

She bowed deeply—kneeling, not merely bending at the waist.

The attendants with her did the same.

They weren’t treating him as a guest—but as their lord.

‘Incredible.’

“Madam, it’s been a while. But your attendants seem less capable than before.”

“You wound me. These are elite hunters tasked with guarding the auction house.”

“Didn’t mean to slight you.”

Clearly familiar, the two conversed without formality.

“Please, follow me.”

The woman guided them into the island’s interior.

After descending via elevator and walking a long hallway, they arrived at a spacious room like a hotel suite.

“Please enjoy your stay.”

The madam closed the door behind her. Once she left, Hanul asked Seonwoo, “When do we head to the auction floor?”

“Head down? What nonsense is that?”

“Didn’t we come here to participate in the auction?”

Seonwoo’s eyes turned half-lidded, as if looking at a country bumpkin.

“Hayun, turn it on.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hayun walked toward the wall of the suite.

Strangely, this wall was completely bare—no furniture against it, giving it a desolate feel.

Joo Hayun pressed a button affixed to the wall. Instantly, the once-empty wall became transparent.

“Huh?”

Through the now-clear glass, the view outside came into focus.

A massive hollow space unfolded. Square windows were spaced evenly along the cylindrical walls, which had been carved smooth like a giant column.

Below lay a vast stage. On it, a man held a microphone and shouted loudly.

“Alright, next item up for auction! A rare magical beast—a unicorn—captured with great difficulty by the T-Bone Guild in America!”

A section of the stage floor opened, and a large cage rose into view.

Inside the cage, a wounded unicorn panted heavily, its breath ragged.

“As you all know, unicorns are magical creatures imbued with powerful spiritual energy. Every part of their body is valuable—hair, blood, tendons, liver, gall bladder, heart, you name it.”

The man went on incessantly.

“We’ll begin bidding at 5 million dollars!”

From the multitude of windows lining the massive chamber, numbers began lighting up one after another.

“5.1 million! 5.4 million! 5.7 million! We have 5.7 million! Any higher? Ah, 6 million! 6 million dollars!”

It was then that Kwon Hanul realized it.

Each of those glass windows represented a separate auction participant.

Hanul had always imagined auctions to be noisy gatherings where many people shouted bids in a large hall.

But Delos Auction House was nothing like that. Here, bidders stayed in luxurious private rooms, participating remotely.

“Now do you understand?”

The voice had a distinct tone, almost as if saying, You country bumpkin.

‘Yeah, yeah. We get it—you’re impressive.’

“Well then, let’s just sit back and relax.”

Despite coming all the way here, Kwon Seonwoo didn’t place a single bid. He simply sat and watched quietly.

Hanul also took a seat beside him, observing the items presented on the auction stage.

Monsters he’d never seen before, artifacts with incredible powers.

It was a rare and valuable experience, broadening his horizons, though a sense of frustration lingered.

I thought I’d get to see other clans here.

With such a closed structure, there was no way to meet fellow participants.

They’re probably hiding everyone’s identities for security reasons.

Everyone gathered here held positions of influence or were highly skilled individuals.

It made sense—they didn’t want tensions to flare unnecessarily.

Still, it’s disappointing.

He couldn’t gain access to any bloodlines this way.

As Hanul licked his lips in regret, a new item appeared on the stage.

“Alright, next up… Unbelievable! I can’t believe this item made it to Delos Auction House! You’ll regret it if you miss this opportunity!”

An auction staff member brought out a glass bottle shaped like a gourd.

Inside, a golden liquid shimmered and sloshed.

Pointing to it, the host shouted,

“This is Sacred Emperor's Water!”

At the mention of Sacred Emperor's Water, Kwon Hanul jolted upright before he realized it.

He hadn’t expected to see the very item needed to germinate the seed of the Golden Apple.

“As you all know, Sacred Emperor's Water has the power to lift seals! No matter how strong the seal, with this—swish swish swish—it’s undone! Such a precious item, we’ll start at 10 million dollars!”

10 million dollars.

Over 1 billion won—a staggering amount. And that was just the starting price. The bidding climbed rapidly, unrelenting.

“11 million! 12 million! 12.5 million! Such fierce bidding right from the start! We’re now at 13 million!”

Obviously, Hanul didn’t have that kind of money.

He had no choice but to watch silently.

“What are you thinking about?”

Seonwoo suddenly spoke.

“I was just thinking… everyone’s so rich. I’m envious.”

“A child of Hyukcheon envious over such a paltry sum?”

“But the Hyukcheon Group’s wealth isn’t mine, is it?” Hanul said, tapping his pocket. Seonwoo chuckled at the gesture.

“That all?”

“I’m realizing how vast the world really is.”

To protect the participants, Delos Auction House concealed everyone’s identity.

Private rooms were provided for that reason.

Even so, Hanul could feel it—the overwhelming presence of the other bidders, emanating through walls and glass alike.

It felt as if he’d been thrown unprotected into a raging storm.

And this was with the walls in place. He trembled imagining what it would be like to face them in person.

“You’re sensing it well. Everyone here is a world-class powerhouse. Some of them, even Hyukcheon can’t ignore.”

The world was a vast place.

Hyukcheon was certainly powerful—but not invincible.

“The Hyukcheon family leads the Hyukcheon Group. Do you know what’s most important for a leader?”

“To conquer dungeons and retrieve the spoils.”

Seonwoo smiled at Hanul’s answer.

The group’s current status was thanks to the artifacts they’d recovered from dungeons.

Imagine an artifact producing infinite resources, enough to replace oil.

Whoever owns that reaps immense profits.

The duty of Hyukcheon’s bloodline was to outcompete rivals and seize such artifacts.

That was how the group thrived and endured.

“If you form a team, you’ll have to compete against them. Think you can handle it?”

Everyone here was far stronger than Hanul.

If he fought one-on-one, he’d surely die.

Could he truly survive if the day came to face them?

“Of course.”

Hanul answered without hesitation.

“You think you can win?”

“Not now. But I’m not fighting them today, am I?”

Hanul had his bloodline. Even one of his powers could make him strong, and he had several.

He couldn’t be afraid of them.

“Hah. What a cocky brat.”

Seonwoo laughed dryly.

“When I brought Chan-seong here, he thought it over for a while, then said he could do it.”

Knowing Kwon Chan-seong’s personality, he’d probably analyzed it carefully before answering.

“When I asked Jiseok, he answered in a burst of excitement.”

Given Kwon Jiseok’s nature, it was no surprise he spoke without thinking it through.

“But you—you’re the first to act this bold. Just as Myung-woo said, you’re an arrogant punk.”

Seonwoo laughed and shook his head.

“Fine. You’ve passed.”

Passed?

Wait, bringing me here was a test?

Geez, what a difficult old man. As Hanul grumbled internally, Seonwoo spoke again.

“As a reward, I should give you a small gift.”

Just then, the host’s voice boomed through the glass.

“Alright! Bidding has reached 20 million dollars! Are we done? No more bids? Then I’ll close the auction—”

In that instant, Seonwoo pressed a button on his chair’s armrest and said, “30 million dollars.”

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

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