Chapter 148: The Greatest Artifact of this Era? (1)
Chapter 148: The Greatest Artifact of this Era? (1)
Translator: miraclerifle
‘Seo Ju-Heon. He’s such an interesting man.’
Zhen Cai Yuan licked her lips after coming to find Ju-Heon in New York.
Seo Ju-Heon. Who was he?
Everything he had done until now would make people call him a terribly crazy bastard.
In fact, many artifact users who had gone against Ju-Heon would openly call him a lunatic.
How could they not?
‘What’s yours is mine!’
‘The law is far but the fist is close!’
‘Give me artifacts instead of women!’
‘Power, money? Fine! But I don’t need those things from you guys!’
‘You made one of my people cry? Then how about you shit blood?!’
Those were just some of the things he had said.
These people would lament that Ju-Heon was someone whom they could not talk to.
That was why Zhen Cai Yuan was amused.
‘It's actually difficult to smack artifact users in the back.’
Artifact users were actually very malicious people.
Why?
Based on the personalities of artifacts, nice people would become pushovers to the artifacts or be the shrimps that blew up in a fight between whales.
On the flip side, people who handled artifacts well, the high-grade artifact users, were likely to be cruel humans.
But Ju-Heon was an even worse bastard who could play around with those malicious people.
He was a bastard who was completely out of his mind.
How could she not be interested?
‘I don’t know whether he is just a lunatic or it is because of an artifact.’
Zhen Cai Yuan started to smirk.
Whatever the reason may be, it wouldn't be bad for her to personally check Ju-Heon out.
Her Supreme Leader artifact was quite wary of Ju-Heon.
‘I'll eat him up if he seems useful.’
She licked her lips mysteriously.
Zhen Cai Yuan.
The reason she was able to become a Professor at the young age of 27 and become a Nobel Prize candidate was all because of her artifact.
She was able to absorb other people's athletic abilities, physical abilities, expert subject knowledge, etc... and make it her own.
The Supreme Leader artifact’s ability was ‘to eat abilities.’
She had been talented prior to that, but she was developing even more as she ate people.
Naturally, the men she ate all ended up dying after becoming weak or faced sudden deaths.
She slightly opened the door to Ju-Heon's room. Ju-Heon was inside with Zheng He’s artifact to investigate artifacts.
“Captain-nim. Are you working?”
Zhen Cai Yuan triumphantly smiled.
She already knew the relationship between Lee Seol-A and Ju-Heon.
How could she not when she had overheard a good amount of Ju-Heon and Lee Seol-A's conversation in Salieri's tomb?
It had been possible because the Supreme Leader's artifact had temporarily taken control of Salieri’s tomb.
That was the reason she had chosen Lee Seol-A.
But if there was something she could not understand...
‘Part of TKBM... The last tomb...’
Zhen Cai Yuan could not understand those sentences.
She had not been able to listen thoroughly as the conversation had been cut in the middle, but some of those key words had made her curious.
‘Is it maybe an artifact that shows you your past life or something?’
It would make sense if it was something like the Buddhist samsara-related artifact.
‘Either that or he could have created fake memories to lure Lee Seol-A away.’
That might even be what makes Ju-Heon so dominating.
Maybe that was the reason.
She started to shake from excitement.
She was filled with delight.
Information she did not know about... An ability she did not know about...
She desired it. She desired this man’s body too much.
Those thoughts were making her antsy, but she started to smile.
‘Just hold on. It’ll all become mine once I eat him up.’
Zhen Cai Yuan calmed her heated mind and walked over to Ju-Heon.
“Umm, Captain-nim?”
On the other hand, Ju-Heon who looked at Zhen Cai Yuan seemed shocked.
He then looked at his watch with confusion.
“Captain-nim?”
“Ah. You're back so soon. I was going to come get you.”
“Ah, that’s okay.”
Her acting was perfect.
It would be weird if it wasn’t.
[Ancient Roman Poet Ovidius’s << The Metamorphoses >> Original Text (A-Grade:Treasure-Grade - Consumable Artifact)]
[A Cognitive Psychologist’s Memory Research Dictionary (B-Grade: Rare-Grade - Consumable Artifact)]
Zhen Cai Yuan had used a delusion-causing artifact in addition to the transformation artifact.
It was something that would make the target believe that the person in front of them truly was that person.
That was why it would automatically work even if she just called him Captain-nim without trying to pretend to sound like Seol-A.
Zhen Cai Yuan started to smile.
‘Someone like me wouldn't stupidly try to act.’
Imitating someone else’s actions or tone...
Those kinds of things were only for clowns.
This delusion-type artifact was enough.
The proof was in the fact that Ju-Heon did not seem very suspicious until Zhen Cai Yuan got close.
“Captain-nim.”
He wasn’t suspicious even when she got right in front of Ju-Heon's face.
But as Zhen Cai Yuan tried to activate her artifact of gluttony...
"Seol-A.”
“Yes sir?”
Ju-Heon was staring right at Zhen Cai Yuan's face for some reason.
Zhen Cai Yuan internally started to frown after seeing his suspicious gaze.
‘Did I get caught?’
No, that wasn’t possible.
Zhen Cai Yuan was many times better than Ju-Heon at handling artifacts and hiding their auras.
In fact, Ju-Heon really did not feel the aura of an artifact right now.
However...
Ju-Heon said something that sounded completely unrelated.
“You got older in the short time I didn't see you.”
Zhen Cai Yuan slightly frowned after hearing that.
“Excuse me?”
She could almost not control her expression.
“Excuse me......? What are you saying all of a sudden......”
“You suddenly look at least ten years older. Your skin looks so terrible.”
‘Grr.’
She oddly felt upset, but she couldn't say anything.
She was Lee Seol-A right now. Zhen Cai Yuan started to smile.
“I guess I'm a bit tired after traveling to China.”
“Oh, is that so? Then what about that woman?”
“Excuse me?”
"Did you meet that woman in China?”
“That woman?”
"What’s wrong? Zhen Cai Yuan, that lunatic. That crazy bitch with the flower in her hair.” [1]
Zhen Cai Yuan's eyebrows started to twitch after hearing that.
‘This bastard isn’t doing this on purpose, right?’
Publicly, she was known as a Biology professor with a strict personality.
She didn’t know why someone like that needed to hear such things from Ju-Heon, but......
“Unfortunately, that crazy professor was absent.”
She had to play along for now.
It was degrading to say that about herself, but she was not the type to make such an obvious mistake in a place like this.
‘He’s fated to die in my hands anyway.’
Maybe that was the reason. Zhen Cai Yuan started to smile.
“Anyway, Captain-nim. I have something to tell you regarding information that China has.”
The artifact of gluttony activated at the same time. Zhen Cai Yuan used her stocking-clad foot to slowly touch Ju-Heon's leg.
She lightly touched his ankle at first, then moved up to his calf...
Then up to his thighs and then more inward... It seductively and stealthily climbed up as if she was trying to take Ju-Heon's clothes off.
A seductive and provocative fragrance started to spread as well.
But it was completely different from the feel of the artifact of lust. It was similar to the scent of a carnivorous plant leaving honey out to attack its prey.
‘Come to me.’
Her eyes started to squint dangerously.
Most men would not be able to resist this amazing fragrance and would pull their pants off and charge toward Zhen Cai Yuan.
Their tent below would become extremely hard as if it was about to explode, their breathing would become heavy, they would be steaming at the nose as they licked Zhen Cai Yuan's voluptuous body as if it was full of some precious honey.
They would cautiously touch her body as if it was something extremely precious while also coming at it like a crazed beast!
Of course, she would enjoy them until she handed them to become fodder for the artifact of gluttony.
In that case, they truly turned into pieces of meat.
She continued on.
The fragrance of gluttony became even stronger. Her gaze became more wicked as well.
‘Alright, come to me!’
But at that moment...
Boom!
Zhen Cai Yuan’s view suddenly changed. Ju-Heon had roughly pushed Zhen Cai Yuan down.
“!”
The problem was that he was being quite rough.
“Hold...!”
Zhen Cai Yuan couldn’t help but become anxious.
But Ju-Heon didn't miss that opening and pulled apart Zhen Cai Yuan’s blue shirt.
Plop!
The buttons ripped off from the force and her full cleavage appeared through the open shirt.
She then heard a sharp laugh.
“Do it properly if you're going to disguise yourself.”
“?!”
“This is not Seol-A's size.”
“!”
“And over here! Seol-A has veins that split into sixteen strands right underneath her boobs! Got it?”
‘W, what did he say?! He’s just saying whatever he wants!’
“Whatever, just stop with the terrible act. You crazy professor.”
What was going on?
Ju-Heon actually knew from the beginning that it was the professor.
[The aura of an odd artifact of confusion can be felt.]
That message popping up helped, but......
‘An artifact of confusion, my ass!’
“Only a blind person wouldn’t be able to tell! The person is completely different!”
What was different?
For Ju-Heon whose memory was out of this world, even the slightest change in facial features would be a different person.
Well, he did rile her up more because he had noticed it for sure.
Zhen Cai Yuan viciously smiled at that point.
Her pride would not let her keep pretending now that things were like this.
She just found him despicable.
“Then you acted like that from the beginning even though you knew I wasn’t Lee Seol-A?”
“Did you only realize that now? You lunatic?”
Crunch.
Ju-Heon found it amusing regardless of whether Zhen Cai Yuan was getting angry or not.
‘Anyway, this damn woman.’
“I applaud you for charging in here, but let me tell you something since I have the chance to do so. Even if the world splits in half or the two of us are the only people on a deserted island... I will never ever do it with you.”
“What......?”
It felt as if he was repeating something he said in the past, but it didn’t matter.
She was smiling while pretending to be calm, but the way her eyes were shaking were quite funny to watch.
Her pride had been hit very hard.
But what could he do about it?
“At least bring a Divine-Grade transformation artifact next time if you feel wronged. Did you really think a mere A-Grade one would work?”
“What?”
“How can you even say that you used a transformation artifact? The lines on your palm don't match hers at all either.”
‘What the hell? Palm lines??’
“And on her butt......”
It was at that moment.
Slam!
“Captain-nim! Please don’t remember weird things like that!”
“Oh, you’re here.”
Lee Seol-A, whose face was as red as a tomato, burst in.
But the huffing Lee Seol-A looked like a mess.
Her clothes were ripped and raggedy, making it seem as if he could see her underwear here and there.
But Lee Seol-A started to shout as if it wasn't the time to worry about those things.
"Captain-nim, please be careful! That woman...!”
It was at that moment.
Boom!
[An overbearing aura has surrounded the house.]
[An overbearing aura has surrounded the house.]
A chaotic aura filled the entire house once those messages popped up.
‘A Tomb Appearance!’
Ju-Heon's entire penthouse then turned into a tomb.
Lee Seol-A sighed realizing that she was late.
"That woman is able to create tombs!”
Ju-Heon clicked his tongue as this was not an ability he had seen in the past.
‘Is it the Supreme Leader artifact's doing?’
He was certain.
This shape, the aura of the artifact...
‘I’ve never even heard about a tomb like this.’
He had never seen the shape of this tomb before.
It was a tomb created by the Supreme Leader artifact.
Zhen Cai Yuan must have felt extreme levels of indignity as she was smiling with an extremely venomous aura around her.
“Damn it, it’s because of you.”
“......?”
“I would have sent you off while you were enjoying yourself if you just gave me your body.”
Ju-Heon couldn't help but frown and move back as soon as she said that.
He had received serious burns on his arm just by being around her.
[This aura is much stronger than your Tolerance can handle at its current level.]
[This aura is much stronger than your Tolerance can handle at its current level.]
[This heinous aura can turn a human into a pile of meat in a few seconds.]
That seemed to be true.
Zhen Cai Yuan was giving off a completely different aura than before.
That wasn’t all.
There was an odd tone in her voice, as if she and someone else were speaking together.
“My artifact hates humans quite a bit.It won't let you out in one piece.”
A chilling aura started to spread throughout the tomb.
Boom!
Ju-Heon quickly picked Lee Seol-A up after feeling that dangerous aura.
"C, Captain-nim?!”
Ju-Heon did not respond and just threw a fire extinguisher at the large window to crack it.
Lee Seol-A's eyes opened wide as she got an ominous feeling.
"W, wait... you’re not!”
“Heal your injuries on your own. Meet up with Jaeha.”
Ju-Heon ruthlessly threw Lee Seol-A out the window as soon as he said that.
By the way, this was a penthouse on the 40th floor.
“Kyaaaaaa! Captain-niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!”
Lee Seol-A had been flung out of a 40th story window.
Ju-Heon wiped his hands off as he started to speak.
“I'm just glad I only had to throw one thing out.”
Oh Seung Woo and Yoo Jaeha happened to not be here right now.
Ju-Heon then tried to jump out as well.
Ju-Heon was someone who could quickly get a grasp of the situation.
He would have to be crazy to stay and face something that was giving off such a heinous aura.
This bitch was even crazier than Keira.
However...
“And where do you think you are going?”
An extremely angry Zhen Cai Yuan, who seemed to have fused with her artifact, created a wall outside the window with her aura.
She had blocked all exits so that Ju-Heon could not escape.
"Tsk.”
The aura blasting out of her was so terrible that it was difficult for him to breathe.
[The Supreme Leader is releasing Level 1 aura.]
[The Supreme Leader is releasing Level 1 aura.]
[Warning. You cannot fully defend against this with A-Rank Tolerance.]
[You may die within 10 minutes from exposure.]
[Your body is being exposed to a terribly venomous aura and is starting to become contaminated.]
Ju-Heon started to frown as he looked at his arm.
It was because the skin was starting to peel off.
That wasn’t the only thing.
[#$&#!]
[#$&#!]
The artifacts that were in Ju-Heon's house started to cough up blood and shake in fear.
Crack, crack.
All artifacts C-Grade or lower started to crack after being touched by the Supreme Leader’s aura and the majority of them were feeling intense fear of death.
[#&#]
It’s the Supreme Leader, the Supreme Leader!
But Ju-Heon was still calm. He was thinking about breaking out with his Tomb Destruction skill, but he didn't think the B-Rank skill would be enough to do so.
‘I have no choice.’
If he was going to fight against it, he would need to use a Divine-Grade artifact with a high level of attack.
Ju-Heon put his hand into his pants pocket.
However...
“......Anubis, this damn shitty dog bastard.”
It had been the first to run away.
He wanted to summon it, but this tomb was a tomb where he could not summon artifacts.
Zhen Cai Yuan was releasing an overbearing aura as she walked toward him.
“Alright, just give up and become my nourishment. Seo Ju-Heon.”
“No thanks. You damn bitch.”
Ju-Heon gave her the finger to say fuck you as he peeked somewhere.
1. Supposedly, it was a thing where the crazy girls would put flowers in their hair to make themselves not look as crazy.