Chapter 160

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 160: Hot Night (4)

8:00 PM, notice for the lodging room posted.

9:00 PM, lodging room service begins.

10:00 PM, tax collection.

Yeongwoo entered the lobby of the Parnas Hotel, drawing a timeline in his mind.

-Quiiiiii!

While riding Neguig, an iron horse that makes a groaning sound.

Kwaaah!

As Negwig, halfway through tearing the carpet in front of the lobby, came to a stop, the Taewon Group employees who were standing in front of the entrance door retreated, startled.

Then, recognizing Yeongwoo’s face belatedly, they bowed their heads.

“Ah, Mr. Yeongwoo…!”

“Strongest Sword, nice to meet you for the first time!”

The reason they recognized Yeongwoo’s face was because of the commemorative coins he had scattered.

“The lodging service is starting soon. Are you working?”

When Yeongwoo asked this as he got off Negwig, the employees habitually lowered their heads again.

“We were instructed to guard the lobby until you arrived, Mr. Yeongwoo.”

“…Ah.”

From Taewon’s perspective, Jeong Yeongwoo had to be considered an ally without question.

So they were even paying attention to such minor etiquettes.

“Anyway, now that we’ve arrived, you can go off duty. Is Secretary Lim upstairs?”

As Yeongwoo asked for Lim Suna, the deputy secretary, the employees picked up their walkie-talkies.

“Yes. She’s probably getting your room ready. I’ll call her right away……”

“No need. Since I was going up anyway, I’ll take care of it.”

As Yeongwoo gestured that they could go now, Jeonggu looked at him strangely.

Outside… the Yeongwoo among the elite, including the Strongest Swords, and the Yeongwoo in front of civilians felt completely different.

‘Why is this bastard acting like this all of a sudden?’

Was this the same monster who had been cutting his own arm just a while ago?

At least since coming to Gangnam, Yeongwoo had been behaving like an ordinary member of society.

Speaking in a socially acceptable manner, displaying unbelievable humility and modesty for Seoul’s strongest Sword.

If it weren’t for the titles above his head and all the equipment on his body……

‘He looks completely normal.’

Of course, the more the rice ripens, the more it bows its head.

However, isn’t Jeong Yeongwoo a variety closer to a carnivorous plant than a rice plant?

‘Well… it’s much better than running wild inside and outside his territory.’

Anyway, Jeonggu realized once again through this incident that Jeong Yeongwoo was still fundamentally human.

“Go ahead. Until 9 o’clock, the electricity won’t come on, so you’ll have to take the stairs.”

As Yeongwoo signaled to Jeonggu to get off, the Golden Goblin and the Golden Trail immediately stuck to their master.

“……”

Finally, Jeonggu jumped off, and Negwig, which had turned into a parking mode, moved from the front of the hotel entrance.

“Eek? What’s this……?”

Jeonggu panicked as he saw Negwig transformed like an egg.

Where on Earth could there be a creature that changes like this?

It was a characteristic that clearly showed its otherworldly origin.

“When it’s not going to move for a while, it naturally does this.”

“But won’t the strange weather come soon…?”

“It never fails. Maybe it’s because it’s not from Earth.”

「Negwig」 – Unknown Grade

【Adapts to any planet.】

Negwig.

A mount of unspecified grade gifted by Dogo.

No matter how much experience one has, there are always things in this world that are impossible to encounter.

And one of them is the iron horse Negwig.

“Don’t worry about it and leave it. If it breaks down, I can take it up with the chairman.”

Yeongwoo said this and then suddenly thought.

‘Wait a minute. Then where is the Audi I gave? Does the chairman have it?’

* * *

Parnas Hotel Room 3233.

Former Gangnam’s Strongest Sword, Taewon Group’s “Executive Director” Jeong Hyunsik’s former residence, currently used as the accommodation for the successor, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, the Strongest Sword of Joseon.

Even though the electricity wasn’t on, the grandeur of the room, which used to cost 15 million won per day before the reset, was still impressive.

“W-What kind of room is this…?”

As Jeonggu slowly looked around the dim room, Lim Suna illuminated the surroundings with an electronic lamp and followed along.

“It’s the largest room among all available rooms in Gangnam-gu. It’s also a space that Gangnam’s Strongest Swords traditionally use as their office.”

Lim Suna explained in a stable tone, as if she were a museum curator.

Although Yeongwoo found the expression ‘traditionally’ somewhat amusing, it was a nicely packaged phrase to hear that the successor was using the former occupant’s office.

“Your son has been a great help to our Gangnam-gu. So, in a gesture of gratitude, Taewon Group is providing support, even if it’s just the accommodation fee.”

“Ah, my son… I see. Anyway, thank you.”

Since Jeonggu was also showing a weak side in front of civilians, he couldn’t bring himself to correct Suna’s expression of ‘son’ and stammered.

“Then how much is the daily accommodation fee here?”

After a while, when Jeonggu asked, Suna responded as if she had been waiting.

“Yes, it’s 62,000 karma, sir.”

“… 62,000 for one night?”

Of course, for Jeong Yeongwoo, who spent millions in shopping overnight, 62,000 was just a small amount.

But for Jeonggu, who had been living in Dobong-gu, which had become a tough place in Seoul after the reset, 62,000 karma was by no means a small amount of money.

Especially if it was just for one night’s sleep, it was even more so.

Kwung!

Then came the sound of Taewon’s employees setting down a shelf full of coins outside the door.

A while later, they brought cash to be used as the rent for this room.

Seeing this, Jeonggu sincerely expressed his concern to Yeongwoo.

“Aren’t you… tormenting these people too much? Even if it’s just a small change for you, for ordinary people, it could be a few weeks’ worth of living expenses.”

Yeongwoo chuckled.

“Father is more generous than he seems.”

Yeongwoo also had similar thoughts to Jeonggu on his first day in Gangnam.

But now, isn’t he in a position to have been of enough help to Gangnam-gu, as Suna said?

He had distributed 30,000 karma to all residents through the Golden Ratio.

“I probably gave hundreds of millions to Gangnam-gu today alone. So it’s okay to get a room here. And Taewon Group is not like ordinary people.”

After Yeongwoo said this much, he asked Suna, “Did you inform Jongsu and Inspector Kwon Taeyoung? Do they want to watch TV?”

“Yes. Both of them have decided to visit during the lodging room time.”

“And what about the chairman’s family?”

“I will personally escort them in 20 minutes.”

“Good.”

Tonight, the “Yeongwoo party” would gather together in this room for the first time. Then Jeonggu interjected.

“Why on earth are you calling people together and making such a fuss about the TV…?”

“You’ll see later. The reason this room is expensive is because of the TV.”

Yeongwoo omitted explaining the concept of television in this world because he didn’t have confidence in it.

Anyway, Jeonggu, being a Strongest Sword, would probably understand it well enough when he saw it.

Except for the channel that reflected the returnee’s room.

“Suna.”

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

“Yes, Yeongwoo.”

“Could you please leave for a moment?”

Suna looked back and forth between the father and son Strongest Swords before stepping back.

“I’ve been taking up your time without realizing it. I’ll leave the lights here and go. Please rest comfortably.”

As Suna quietly closed the door and disappeared, Jeonggu looked at the monster with an anxious expression.

“Why are you kicking her out when you’re supposed to stay around here until the lodging room?”

It was actually a fearful statement made because of being alone with the son.

And sure enough, the crazy orphan said something frightening again.

“I need to change my spine.”

“…!”

“No one knows what might happen, but it’s impossible to proceed with the children around. If things go wrong, it’s like playing with fire.”

“Then… how about in front of me? I’m your father, after all.”

“Your official stance as a father is ‘I have no children,’ wasn’t it?”

“Well… that’s…”

Jeonggu was speechless.

He had just used the term ‘father’ himself, so how could he only pretend to be an orphan when it suited him?

‘This shameless orphan.’

As Jeonggu wore an unwittingly angry expression, Yeongwoo’s gaze shifted to the empty air.

「Do you wish to equip the unique grade spine ‘Body Modification’?」

| Warning: There is an unconventional installation procedure. Please install while wearing minimal clothing.

Now was the time for Yeongwoo to respond to the system’s warning.

With that, Yeongwoo removed the cloak and armor he had on his upper body and, while looking at the warning message, said,

“I will equip it.”

Then, as soon as Yeongwoo finished his last syllable, something astonishing happened.

Zzzz!

A white laser shot out from the living room floor, beginning to form a large rectangular frame.

Zwoosh!

With a length of about 2.5 meters on one side, this rectangular prism was designed to be longer on the horizontal side than the vertical side.

“Now, wait a moment. What’s this? Are you really replacing the spine?”

Jeonggu, seeing the white rectangular prism that looked like a surgical table, took a step back unconsciously.

And at that moment, Yeongwoo also broke out in a cold sweat.

Replacing corneas?

That was manageable as they were at the level of lenses.

Transplanting someone else’s organs?

It was a bit unsettling, but it wasn’t beyond Yeongwoo’s capability.

Cutting off his own arm?

That was actually easier than the previous two options.

However…

‘To replace the spine while lying on a temporary surgical table sent from space…? Even I find that terrifying.’

Perhaps it was because he was undressed, but Yeongwoo couldn’t help but shiver involuntarily.

Seeing this, Jeonggu shook his head.

“That’s right, look at you, now you’re worried too, aren’t you? This is really unacceptable. Even though I’m not your father, I want to strongly advise you not to lie down there.”

Advice given as an adult and as a fellow human being.

However, instead, Yeongwoo thought he should definitely get on the operating table after hearing this.

Although it was already quite an expensive piece of equipment that he had bought, he had thought he would wear it regardless.

However, in the meantime, Jeonggu’s grumbling about ‘not being his father’ annoyed him.

“You’re not my father, so please don’t meddle unnecessarily.”

As Yeongwoo approached the operating table with a visibly irritated face, Jeonggu grabbed his forehead.

“You ugly bastarf. So you’re getting a spine replacement? Lie down there and just rot.”

An enraged Jeonggu muttered “bastarf” and collapsed on the living room floor.

And in the meantime, Yeongwoo had approached right in front of the operating table.

Grab!

Finally recognizing Yeongwoo, the operating table projected a hologram into the air and slowly drew a strangely shaped, silver-white metal object.

It was none other than.

「Body Modification」 – Unique Spine

【Martial Arts Slot +1】

Now, it was the unique-grade spine that Yeongwoo would soon be wearing.

‘…Fuck.’

Seeing the problematic spine, curses involuntarily escaped as a heavy sigh passed.

But if he wore that spine, he would be able to unleash two martial arts simultaneously in the future.

‘The path to becoming a master is truly treacherous.’

After taking a deep breath, Yeongwoo carefully climbed onto the operating table.

Swoosh.

Then, the operating table, which had only drawn laser frames until now and appeared to be hollow inside, smoothly supported Yeongwoo’s body.

「Please lie down with your back facing upwards.」

‘Are they really going to remove and replace the spine?’

This was a space-style procedure.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be strange even if they physically removed the spine.

‘But even so, would they replace the equipment in such a crazy way?’

After all, when he wore the mutation talisman, didn’t he have to cut Jeong Hyunsik’s abdomen and swallow the equipment attached to his disguise?

「The correct posture has been confirmed. The surgery will proceed shortly. Please do not move.」

“…!”

At the truly unusual guidance, Yeongwoo widened his eyes, and Jeonggu made a “asshole” gesture as he looked at him.

Then.

Pewwwww!

An enormous laser beam shot down from the ceiling of the room, tearing Yeongwoo’s skin along the spine line.

Ziiiiiiing……!

“Aaargh!”

Naturally, tremendous pain ensued, but the pain nullification effect of the mutation talisman ‘Berserker’ did not activate.

His pain had narrowly missed the activation criteria for the Berserker.

“You fucking bastards! Shouldn’t you give me anesthesia…?!”

As Yeongwoo screamed in agony, the next guidance message appeared before his eyes.

「Now, you will start to feel a little uncomfortable. Please do not move.」

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]