Return of the Frozen Player - chapter 191
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Chapter 191
Seo Jun-Ho used the Teleport Gate at the Magic Tower to get to a town in the west.
âThey said it would take three months by horse to get there.â
He couldnât spend that much time just moving from one place to another.
âI always took it for granted. Teleporting is expensive.â
Even teleporting to somewhere nearby was at least a few thousand dollars.
However, Seo Jun-Ho wasnât very worried even after he spent nearly all his money.
âThe Player Association pays me well.â
His salary was actually comparable to what a major Guild would pay their Players. He was paid according to the exchange rate on the 2nd floor, and he also received money every month.
The only problem was that there were still more than two weeks left until his payday.
âI need some money to spend before then. But 150 gold is the equivalent of about 1.5 billion won.â
He suddenly stopped walking in the middle of the road. âI can see it.â
The town was surrounded by a wooden fence that wasnât very tall. Beyond it was a pair of twin mountains. The tall peaks were in the shape of a beastâs maw seemingly facing each other. At sunset, the sun would nestle precisely between the two peaks.
âWhat a pleasing sight. It really does seem to be swallowing the sun,â the Frost Queen said, admiring the view.
âYeahâŠâ
This town was near his Quest targetâa wicked monster who had eaten 120 people so far.
âLetâs go.â
Once he entered the town, the first place Seo Jun-Ho headed to was the Adventurerâs Guild.
âHmm, the Adventurer Guild must differ in size depending on the location,â the Frost Queen muttered as they entered. The building was small, and there werenât many employees. There were only about ten Players and Adventurers in here at the moment.
âWell, it shouldnât affect how the Adventurer Guild functions.â
Seo Jun-Ho walked over to the Quest bulletin board. Out of the dozens of posters, his eyes were drawn to a single one.
[Kill Mutant Troll]
Grade: B-
Description: Kill the mutant troll that has been terrorizing West Sun.
Reward: 150 gold, 600 fame.
âA mutant troll⊠The monster was a troll?â
Trolls were known for their superior stamina recovery rate. Their blood was also often used to make potions.
Rrrip!
As Seo Jun-Ho ripped off the paper, everyone in the Guild stared at him.
âThey are watching you with both interest and jealousy. You are quite a famous figure now, considering that you are recognized even in such a remote town,â the Frost Queen observed. The Adventurers only glanced at him for a moment out of innocent curiosity, while the Players seemed uncomfortable and annoyed.
âThatâs Seo Jun-Ho, isnât he? Specterâs proxyâŠâ
âYeah. I heard heâs pretty good.â
âTsk, he doesnât understand business ethics.â
âWeâve been here a few days longer than he hasâŠâ
Seo Jun-Ho laughed, not bothering to say anything else. This wasnât Disneyland. When you arrived had nothing to do with the Quests you took.
âI am always exasperated by the jealousy of the unskilledâŠâ
âIgnore them.â Seo Jun-Ho left the Guild and rummaged around in his Inventory. âI wanted to spend at least one night in an innâŠâ
âDo you have money?â the Frost Queen asked quietly.
âI have 1 silver and 22 copper,â he said as he pulled out the remainder of his money. It was the equivalent of about 120 thousand won. It was more than enough to spend a night at an inn in a small town like this. âI canât sleep on the streets, you know.â
Considering that the inn was in a small town in the countryside, he didnât expect much. But it was more than enough to shield him from nightâs coldness.
âLetâs do some research.â Seo Jun-Ho turned on the dim magic lamp as the sun started to set. He opened up the Community forums.
âLetâs look at the oldest articles first.â
He looked up the mutant troll and West Sun.
He usually didnât go through the trouble of doing this, but this monster was especially ferocious.
âIt has killed 120 people so far. Itâs not a normal monster.â
Professional Players would do research before hunting a dangerous monster.
[10 gold bounty! An expensive monster appears!]
[40 Players and 34 Adventurers massacred in a single day by a monster in West Sun.]
[Governor of West Sun raises monster bounty to 50 gold.]
[Who will be the one to kill the monster? Players gather at West Sun once more.]
âŠ
[Governor of West Sun raises monster bounty to 150 gold. âPlease kill it.â]
[Mercenary Guild âBlueâ leaves for West Sun to clear a Quest.]
The articles were ordered by date. Seo Jun-Ho combed through each one, scoping for information.
âBased on the remnants of battle, the mutant troll is about 4 meters tall. Itâs bigger than a normal troll.â
âConsidering how long the campaigns go on for, the troll must have an amazing recovery rate.â
âIt has already killed 120 people⊠It must be an expert in fighting humans by now.â
As a highly experienced Player, Seo Jun-Ho was able to deduce important information just by looking through the articles and pictures where the battle happened.
âThatâs it for the monster.â Next, he looked into the governor.
âItâs unprecedented for a noble to raise the bounty this much just to protect the citizens.â
That was what the bald Ply had told him⊠But based on what he saw, the governor had a remarkable reputation among the townâs citizens.
âPeople of all ages adore him? Heâs just like me.â
ââŠI do not wish to acknowledge that, but this governor must be a great man.â
West Sun had been a tiny, remote village that didnât even have a town chief. However, after the new governor was appointed 10 years ago, the town quickly developed.
âIt has lower taxes than neighboring towns, it has good amenities, and most of all, it has great public security.â
Thanks to that, there hadnât been any serious violent crimes in the last 10 years. And as rumors of West Sun spread, the population even started to increase.
âI kind of understand why he put out such a big bounty now.â Seo Jun-Ho nodded in understanding. If the mutant troll was disposed of, then the town would start to grow even more. It might even become a city and receive a Teleport Gate from the Magic Tower. This mutant troll must be a massive headache to the governor even now.
âIâll get rid of it for youâŠâ
Apparently, the mutant troll would only come out when the sun started to set.
When the town swallowed the sunâŠ
***
The next morning, Seo Jun-Ho received an unexpected visitor.
ââŠThe governor?â
âYes. He heard that you accepted the mutant troll Quest and has invited you to dine with him for breakfast.â
The governor of the West Sun had sent a servant over to him to invite him for breakfast.
âThereâs no reason to refuse. You may even be able to find more information about the monster,â the Frost Queen commented. Seo Jun-Ho agreed with her and followed the servant.
The governorâs estate was unexpectedly big and tidy for a countryside nobleman.
âI thought heâd be a simpler man based on what Iâve readâŠâ
In the end, nobles were still nobles.
The courtyard beyond the gate was huge, but it was filled with animals.
ââŠThere sure are a lot of animals. A big variety of them, too,â Seo Jun-Ho observed.
âThe governor loves animals very much. He is very soft-hearted,â the servant said.
Seo Jun-Ho stared at the different animals as he was escorted to the dining room. It was filled with birdhouses, fish bowls, hamster cages, and the like.
âWelcome. Itâs a pleasure to meet you.â The governor was a delicate-looking man who had a pair of round glasses perched on his nose. âI am the governor of West Sun, Favo.â
âNice to meet you. Iâm Seo Jun-Ho, a Player.â
âPlease, take your seat.â
Favo appeared to be vegetarian. His plate was piled with vegetables. However, Seo Jun-Ho was presented with a well-grilled steak.
âI dislike meat, but you must eat something hearty before you depart for your hunt,â he explained.
âThatâs very considerate of you. Thank you.â
Favo spoke as they started to eat, âI looked into you a little bit. Youâre a great man.â
âI still have a long way to go.â
âHahaha, youâre very modest. The legend of Specter and the 5 Heroes is very famous here.â His eyes were kind as he looked upon Seo Jun-Ho. âIf a man like him has chosen you as his proxy, that means that he saw potential in you.â
âPerhapsâŠâ
As they ate, a variety of cats and dogs approached and started to feed.
âYou must really like animals,â Seo Jun-Ho commented.
âYes. They are the only thing that brings me such joy.â Favo smiled brightly at the mention of animals. When he held out his hands, the dogs walked over and started licking it, tails wagging. âI like animals because they are simple and honest. If I give them love, they return it.â
âYouâre also quite famous for being a governor that loves his citizens.â
âBut, of course, they also return the love that I give.â Humans were ultimately animals, after all.
Seo Jun-Ho wiped his mouth with a napkin as he finished his meal. âWould you be able to tell me anything about the mutant troll?â
âHm⊠Iâm not sure.â Favo stroked his chin. âTo be honest, Iâve only seen the mutant troll on a single occasion, from very far away.â
âHow was it?â
ââŠI was scared. I had never encountered a monster with such a powerful aura.â
âSo thatâs why you put a 10 gold bounty on its head.â
âLooking back, I shouldnât have done so.â Favoâs face was full of regret. âI should have placed a bigger bounty from the very beginning. If only I had done that, 120 talented Players and Adventurers wouldnât have been needlessly sacrificedâŠâ
âItâs not your fault.â It was their fault for not judging their skills objectively.
Favo stood up and escorted Seo Jun-Ho to the entrance. âI donât mean to pressure you, but I hope you succeed.â
âIâll do my best.â
He left the estate and walked for a long time before he looked back on the meal he just had with Favo. âWhat do you think?â he asked the Frost Queen.
âThere wasnât anything particularly strange. I could tell that he truly loves animals as well as his people,â the Frost Queen said. Seo Jun-Ho felt the same way.
âPly, that rascal. He kept saying that no perfect governor loves their citizens.â If he didnât suspect others so much, maybe Ply wouldnât have gone bald.
Seo Jun-Ho returned to the inn and relaxed as he ate tea and cake. And two hours before the sun started to set, he left the valley, heading toward the Twin Mountains.
At the entrance, several Players watched himâŠ
âThe target has just left the valley.â
They had but a single orderâŠ
â Hold him down. No matter what, our Guild will be the ones to kill the mutant troll.
âYes, Captain.â
Four men followed Seo Jun-Ho with their shining eyes.