Chapter 312: Chapter 312

After the gate opened, people awakened with special abilities. However, in those early raid days, those abilities were very weak. It was a blank state, for nobody knew how to use their newfound powers or how to fight monsters!

In that situation, they couldn’t just fight bare-handed. At the very least, they needed artifacts to help them. However, in order to get those artifacts, they had to go around dungeons and kill monsters. It was rather paradoxical: they had to fight monsters to acquire the means to fight monsters.

Regardless, it was humanity’s treasures that had become a ray of light for humans. The magic power that poured from the gate turned the historical treasures into artifacts.

Of course, there were some ridiculous situations like the time when a bell hanging in the Bosingak Pavilion had been turned into an artifact, which obviously couldn’t be used. There were also cases of treasures turning into artifacts with useless abilities, only to be exhibited in a museum.

Despite that, for the first generation of hunters, the transformation of those treasures into artifacts had been like unexpected rain in a long drought. Since the government gave the artifacts to the hunters, they managed to properly fight monsters and raid dungeons.

...However, things weren’t that easy.

In the early raid days, a lot of destruction and chaos resulted from the fights with monsters, which meant that stealing and smuggling were widespread. Under such circumstances, the value of useful artifacts skyrocketed, some of them disappearing as people took advantage of the chaos amidst monster fights to steal them.

Even in the present, government officials would publicly state, “If you have a soul, please return the stolen treasures. We assure you that if you return them, there will be no repercussions,” in order to find the missing treasures.

In response to that, the thieves from unscrupulous and shameless nations (in fact, most countries were like that), would make an excuse like “Oh, it was stolen? I didn’t know that. I can’t return it because I didn’t know it was stolen when I got it.”

Therefore, Choi Yeonseung had no choice but to act quickly. However, wasn’t negotiating with stolen goods something that only scumbags did? Of course, the person before him was a bit of a scumbag…

“As you and other hunters are aware, the Chinese government has been monitoring and tracking the treasures that were scattered in the past. It’s China’s natural duty as their rightful owner.”

“...”

He didn’t know…?

Choi Yeonseung was stunned by his impudence, but he kept his mouth shut and waited. He wondered what Kang Luomin was talking about.

“In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, foreign powers, the Westerners included, plundered the countries of East Asia and stole countless treasures. You, too, should know about this since you’re Korean.”

Kang Luomin brought up history in order to somehow identify and empathize with Choi Yeonseung: two comrades who had been looted!

...Of course, this didn’t make much sense to Choi Yeonseung. Some of the worst things Choi Yeonseung had experienced during his lifetime had been in connection to China.

“If those treasures had been in China, you wouldn’t have lost land to that constellation in such a shameful manner,” replied Choi Yeonseung firmly. “And as far as I know, most of your treasures were taken to Taiwan during the civil war. Weren’t the rest destroyed by your own hands during the Cultural Revolution? I know that the Westerners stole a lot of things, but the rest is your own fault...”

Kang Luomin pretended not to hear it. It was an unfavorable story for him.

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung! Think back to the past! The German guy Oppert! He tried to rob the tomb of the Korean imperial family!”

“Well, throughout history, the Germans have done some despicable things.” Choi Yeonseung nodded. However, in spite of Kang Luomin’s attempt to appeal to Choi Yeonseung’s patriotism, he didn’t really care. Those days, very few Koreans still had loyalty for the long-lost imperial family.

No matter how much Kang Luomin tried to inflame him, Choi Yeonseung just thought to himself, ‘Oh, yeah… That happened I guess.’

“Anyway, will you get to the point already? I’m bored.”

“Ah, right. In any case, the government is working to find the treasures that were looted by foreigners in the past and return them to their original owners.”

“Huh? I’ve heard of no such thing. Have they been doing it in secrecy? What?” asked Choi Yeonseung incredulously.

Kang Luomin looked slightly embarrassed when he replied, “Well, in the cases where we couldn’t negotiate... Ahem.”

“...So you stole it?”

“No, not stole… We just… used some non-negotiating means.”

“...”

Choi Yeonseung was impressed by China. Of course, the other countries had stolen those treasures first, but China ignored international law and stole them back. Only countries that didn’t care about criticism could pull off something like that.

“In any case, I discovered some Korean treasures in the process.”

“Oh...”

“We can find them and negotiate using the power of the Chinese government if you want.”

“No, it’s fine. If I know where they are, I can get them on my own.”

“Even so, finding them by yourself would be difficult...”

Choi Yeonseung was an A-grade hunter and had a huge company, but there was still a limit to what he could do by himself. In comparison, China was an entire nation. If they put their minds to it, they could really shake everything out.

‘I bet this asshole feels really proud right now,’ Choi Yeonseung inwardly swore. There was yet another reason why he didn’t want to borrow the power of the Chinese government.

‘Those bastards... They would’ve taken it themselves if they got the chance!’

There was no way they searched for and found the Korean treasures as a gesture of goodwill. They obviously thought they could get their hands on them later when they got the chance.

Choi Yeonseung could tell that because whenever he received a Chinese treasure as a gift, or had the chance to get it himself, he would just take it and give it to Dragon Industry instead of returning it to China… He naturally could read his adversary’s mind because he thought like him.

Choi Yeonseung said, “I’ll get help from the Chinese government if I don’t manage to acquire them by myself. If the information is true, I’ll supply you with artifacts.”

“You really mean that?!”

“Yes. We’re running additional production lines anyway, so we have many extra artifacts.”

“...”

Kang Luomin’s face distorted at Choi Yeonseung’s words. Why had he begged like this for the artifacts if Dragon Industry had a surplus of them? They could’ve negotiated on equal footing, since Dragon Industry had to sell their products regardless…

“What’s with that look?”

“...No, it’s nothing. I’m grateful,” said Kang Luomin in a low voice, trying to hide his frustration and embarrassment. He was in a very unfortunate position, so he just had to put up with it.

‘Even if I have to change technicians, I’ll make sure I surpass Dragon Industry next time...!’

Kang Luomin swore in his heart that he would blow them out of the water. He was certain that Yie Nie would develop better artifacts next time and surpass Dragon Industry!

***

“It’s good that it’s France,” said Choi Yeonseung in a casual manner.

In response to Choi Yeonseung’s relaxed attitude, Demon No. 139 asked as if he didn’t understand, “It seems like the countries of this world don’t get along well with each other, and they don’t cooperate unless they need to. Is this really okay?”

“Yeah, it’s a different story with France.”

Unlike other countries, France owed a lot to Choi Yeonseung. Moreover, the president himself was highly indebted to him.

-Ah. Yes. Please. Yes. I was surprised... Yes.

President Georges readily agreed after a phone call. Of course, if other officials had heard this, they would’ve rushed in a panic to stop him. A country couldn’t just give away its cultural treasures to others. That was especially true if that cultural property had originally been of another country.

However, President Georges had little interest in such old things.

-You’re the benefactor of Georges Monta… no, of this country. Can’t I give them to you? Please take them with you!

“...???”

Demon No. 139 couldn’t wrap his head around it. Could the king of a kingdom really do this?

“President Georges is a bit of an odd case. I was surprised as well.”

They could see a large sign in the distance reading ‘The Toulouse Museum.’ There were several famous places in France, such as the Louvre Museum and the Musée d'Orsay, but the French couldn’t just exhibit the treasures stolen from other countries. They had stored them separately in secret places like a safe underground area.

“By the way, No. 139, is the Demon of Contract and Order okay? I heard that his territory was taken away...”

“You don’t have to worry. He will regain his territory soon enough.”

‘That’s not very encouraging…’

Usually, constellations that said they reclaim their territory without any countermeasures didn’t actually get it back.

Moreover, seeing that the household member didn’t know anything about it, the constellation himself had to be quite shocked.

‘Ah… But the demon constellation is better than the explosion constellation...’

From Choi Yeonseung’s perspective, the demon constellation was superior. However, Choi Yeonseung had been preparing to conquer the Second Realm someday, so he couldn’t help feeling flustered now that the owner of the realm, his opponent, had suddenly changed.

Since it had come to this, should Choi Yeonseung actually consider joining forces with the black magician constellation?

“Welcome.”

The museum’s curator welcomed Choi Yeonseung. The latter recalled what President Georges had said.

-Those people will absolutely be against returning the treasures. They’re a bunch of idiots who don’t know what’s truly important! You don’t know how much of a fuss they made last time when I returned the treasure of South Korea. So just tell them that I am going to take it out for a while and put it on display for an event with South Korea. As long as you get your hands on it, you can return with it in South Korea.

“I heard that this is an exhibition for the citizens who got injured in the Alland riots, right?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s a great exhibition, and the artifacts themselves would be pleased to be part of something so meaningful. In fact, I misunderstood a bit. I was uneasy about the president’s arbitrary return of the relic last time.”

The staff member had no idea that the president was trying to trick them into giving away the artifacts. They never would’ve imagined that the president would use such a dirty strategy.

“But they used to be Korean treasures, right?”

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung, cultural assets don’t belong to any country. Cultural heritage belongs to all of humanity.”

“...?”

For a moment, Choi Yeonseung felt like he was getting a headache. What was this person saying?

“No. If it’s a Korean cultural asset, it should be in South Korea. What’s with this ‘humanity’ nonsense? Won’t all of humanity be able to see it even if it’s in South Korea?”

“I mean that these cultural treasures should be owned by a country that has the ability to manage them...”

“Hey! Shut up! Are you nuts?!”

Another staff member, who had some sense, hurriedly poked him in the side. He didn’t want to see whether the A-grade hunter would blow away the curator’s head for basically saying, “We don’t trust your country.”

“Why? I’m just telling the truth. Hunter Choi Yeonseung will understand because he’s not blinded by perverse patriotism.”

“Shut up...! You know what, just dig your own grave!”

Choi Yeonseung kept himself from killing this asshole. He wouldn’t find the treasures if he did so.

Creak.

“Here it is.”

‘That’s the Heavenly Goryeo Crown.’

Choi Yeonseung nodded when he spotted the artifact. It was a crown that shone due to its magic power.

Besides the Heavenly Goryeo Crown, there was also an authentic replica of the Daehwaeom, the Inlaid Flower Pattern Gate Jar, and so on. The treasures lined up one after the other. Choi Yeonseung put them into his space necklace as it was safer than other storage areas.

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung. I know how you feel, but you have to fill out the paperwork... I heard that the period is one week, is that correct?”

“I don’t think so.”

“It isn’t one week? Is it two weeks?”

“I don’t know what the president said about this. He just told me to take the treasures for the exhibition. I’ll check with him and get back to you.”

“...”

“...”

The people at the scene turned pale.

“Thief! Thief! Hey! Stop him!’

At the employee’s scream, two hunters waiting in the next area rushed over. After all, this was a museum with extremely valuable treasures, so the security was obviously extremely tight. Not only were hunters guarding the treasures, but there were also all types of defensive magic.

‘What kind of lunatic would try something like this?’

“There’s a big thief who actually made it all the way here?” Who is it...?”

The French hunters who rushed over made eye contact with Choi Yeonseung. Then they blinked in disbelief.

“...Hunter Choi Yeonseung, are you perhaps here to catch the thief?”

“What are you talking about? Catch Hunter Choi Yeonseung!”

At the curator’s call, the hunters glared at the curator in dismay.

Had he lost his mind?