Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 169: Telepathy II (4)

At a company’s warehouse in Seoul.

Thud… Thud… Thud… Thud…?

Han-Yeol was in a discussion with a man when someone suddenly approached him.

"Han-Yeol-nim."

"Ah, Purva."

It was the Gurkha Mercenary in charge of the security of both Han-Yeol and his mansion. Most people would have the stereotype that soldiers were not that smart, but the Gurkha Mercenaries were elites in Nepalese society, and most of them were quite intelligent.

Purva was fluent in both Nepalese and English, and he was currently learning Korean as well. He had dedicated himself to learning Korean after hearing that his job would become extremely stable if he spoke the language, and he had been reducing his sleep every night just so he could study.

"A letter came to the mansion. Albert told me to bring it to you," Purva said.

His pronunciation and grammar were a bit awkward, but it was more than enough for him to convey what he wanted to say.

"A letter?"

"Yes, a letter."

‘Who sends a letter in this day and age?’?Han-Yeol wondered.

Most tasks were done over the internet after the twenty-first century, and the emergence of dimensional gates and mana stones further fueled the IT industry and made internet access more convenient.

Of course, it wasn't that people stopped using letters altogether, but the only letters Han-Yeol had ever received in his life were letters asking him to pay up.

"Who is it from?"

"I don't know. The recipient is Han-Yeol. No, Han-Yeol-nim."

Purva seemed to be struggling with using honorifics for people despite studying hard.

Han-Yeol opened the envelope given to him by Purva and inspected its contents. The letter was written on luxurious paper and neatly sealed with wax. Judging by its presentation, it seemed that this letter was not random.

‘I don’t think it’s a bill… Maybe it’s from some cult?’?Han-Yeol found the fact that there was no recipient highly suspicious, but he decided to open it since he did not find anything amiss or dangerous about it.

‘Hmm? An invitation?’?

[We invite you to the Hunter Assembly.]

Han-Yeol read the contents and discovered that it was an invitation to the annual Hunter Assembly, with the agenda for this year being 'Hunter Alliance.'

The Hunters' Association was a public organization established to protect the rights of Hunters, funded by the taxes paid by Hunters. On the other hand, the Hunter Assembly was a completely private organization that received its funds from membership fees or donations paid by its member Hunters.

‘Oh right, I heard that there’s a secret gathering of Hunters somewhere. They must’ve been talking about this,”?Han-Yeol realized that he had heard about this gathering before.

There were rumors that the top two hundred Hunters secretly gathered once a year, but Han-Yeol had not heard anything more than that. Nowhere could he find information regarding where, when, what, and why they were meeting.

However, Han-Yeol received an invitation to this secret gathering.

‘Does that mean I'm a part of the top two hundred Hunters now?’ he wondered, feeling pleased by the fact that he was invited.

He pondered it for a little longer before ultimately making his decision. He shrugged his shoulders. ‘I guess there's no harm in going.’

There was no reason for him to refuse. After all, it was not a criminal gathering in the first place, and there would be no harm in observing the top two hundred Hunters.

‘I can go and expand my network,’?he thought.

The only Korean Hunter he personally knew was Yoo-Bi. Well, it was a bit challenging to categorize her as a 'Hunter' since she was more of a crafting-type Hunter.

Of course, the count of Hunters he knew would increase to two if Sung-Jin awakened, but that didn't make the situation any different.

‘A year has passed since I became a Hunter, yet I only know one other Hunter... Have I grown too complacent with the Horus raid party?’?

He didn't see anything wrong with it. Besides, the Horus raid party was a formidable group, and having personal connections with Tayarana, Mujahid, and Mariam was a significant advantage in itself.

However, Han-Yeol was still Korean at the end of the day. He felt most comfortable speaking Korean, so he wouldn't lose anything by befriending Korean Hunters.

Then, he suddenly became curious about something and thought, ‘But why is this gathering so secretive?’

Being a Hunter was not an occupation that operated illegally. In fact, they were regarded as a 'high-class' profession by most people.

‘I would’ve made it extravagant for everyone to see. I wonder what the assembly higher-ups are thinking…?’?

Having tasted fame for the first time in his life at twenty-nine years old, Han-Yeol found it challenging to comprehend the assembly's decision. It would have been understandable if they were keeping the gathering a secret due to engaging in illegal activities, but that didn't seem to be the case at all.

He checked the date on the back of the invitation and discovered that the gathering was scheduled for next Tuesday.

‘I suppose I can go hunting over the weekend, take Monday to rest, and then attend the gathering. Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I might even find time to go shopping before the gathering starts…’

Han-Yeol's schedule was not bound by weekdays or weekends, given his immense wealth and numerous options. However, it was beneficial to have a schedule.

Although he couldn't compare to the ultra-wealthy individuals out there just yet, Han-Yeol had confidence that he would surpass them once all of his businesses were up and running.

After memorizing the content of the letter, Han-Yeol handed it to Purva. Purva received the letter and held onto it before taking a few steps back.

"Oh, do you have any other models of this helicopter?" Han-Yeol inquired.

"Which specific model are you looking for?" responded the sales representative from the Korean branch of Eurocopter, who immediately attended to Han-Yeol after he finished reading the letter.

Eurocopter was a company established to compete against the United States' Boeing Company, and Han-Yeol was a crucial customer they were determined to win over in Korea.

"I like the design and specifications, but it's too slow. Don't you have a faster helicopter?" Han-Yeol asked.

He was currently in search of a helicopter that could be utilized during emergencies, where speed was undeniably crucial. Han-Yeol had asked the government if he could fly with Mavros occasionally, but their response indicated that making special arrangements for him would be challenging.

Considering that Mavros was, at the end of the day, a monster, his presence could invoke terror among the general population when flying over cities, as his mana could be detected by monster radars. It was truly unfortunate that he couldn't freely fly with Mavros, but for the sake of public order, compromises had to be made.

As an alternative, he had decided to opt for a high-speed helicopter that could transport him to the outskirts of urban areas before switching to Mavros.

"Ah, what do you think of the HEC-999 model if you're in search of a high-speed helicopter?"

"This is?"

"This model is quite rare and expensive, but its specifications are among the best out there. We specifically designed this model for our VVIP customers, and currently, only a select few in developed European countries like Germany, Italy, and France are utilizing it."

"It can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h with its five engines, and even if three of its engines are damaged, it can continue flying. Additionally, it is equipped with an alert system and reinforced armor plating capable of blocking most surface-to-air missiles, in case the automatic anti-missile guns fail to intercept any incoming missiles."

"Furthermore, it is completely soundproofed, providing isolation from external noise. The passenger cabin and cockpit are separated by a soundproof partition, ensuring that the pilot will only hear communication through the internal system."

"Lastly, the helicopter has dimensions of 5.7m in height and 23.3m in length, offering a spacious interior."

After hearing the sales representative's explanation, Han-Yeol was captivated by the HEC-999. Its specifications were so impressive that it made the Apache helicopter seem like a mere tin can.

"I like it. How much is it?" Han-Yeol inquired.

"It costs four hundred million Euros, which is approximately five hundred billion won," replied the sales representative.

One helicopter would amount to five hundred billion won. To be precise, it was 488,964,000,000 won.

The staggering figure made Purva flinch as he counted the numbers with his fingers. The annual budget of the Nepalese military was around 3.9 billion rupees, equivalent to thirty-nine billion won when converted.

While some might argue that Nepal was a relatively poor country, thus explaining their low budget, it was astounding that Han-Yeol's personal-use helicopter would cost more than ten times a country's annual defense budget.

"What do you think, Purva? Isn't it awesome?" Han-Yeol asked.

The cost of the helicopter wouldn't make a dent in Han-Yeol's pocket, considering his abundant wealth even if he didn't go hunting.

“Ah, y-yes… It is too much awesome,” Purva replied.

He thought to himself, ‘The price is…’

The mercenary couldn't help but fixate on the helicopter's price tag rather than its specifications. It was a challenging feat for him, given that the helicopter's value surpassed his country's defense budget for over ten years.

Purva was suddenly reminded of his impoverished homeland. Nepal was a struggling nation that heavily relied on three main sources of revenue: drugs, tourism, and Gurkha Mercenaries.

However, with the rise of Hunters, the income of their mercenaries significantly declined, leaving the country even more impoverished. Consequently, their economy teetered on the brink of collapse, with only drugs and tourism remaining as revenue streams.

While drugs had the potential to generate substantial profits, they remained illegal and harmed a country's citizens in the end.

‘We could’ve become rich if we focused our efforts on raising Hunters…’?Purva thought.

Unfortunately, fate was not in their favor, as Nepal lacked an abundance of hunting grounds. The country's sole hunting ground was situated near the border with Bhutan, and it was relatively small, incapable of sustaining an entire economy.

‘Sigh…’?Purva let out a sigh.

‘What’s wrong with him?’?Han-Yeol wondered after seeing the mercenary sigh.

Anyway, Han-Yeol proceeded to sign the purchase agreement for the HEC-999, totaling five hundred billion won. He transferred ten percent of the total price as a deposit and planned to settle the remaining amount upon receiving the helicopter.

Additionally, the agreement included a clause stating that the company would reimburse him double the amount if they failed to deliver the helicopter within three months.

***

The weekend came to an end, and the dreaded Monday arrived. However, Han-Yeol took his time leisurely, lounging around while savoring his Geisha Coffee and engrossed in a book. Whenever he read a book, his ability would activate, allowing him to enhance his skill level if the book was relevant to his abilities.

Reading had become a habit for him, and he started exploring various books, even those unrelated to his skills. Due to his busy schedule, he hadn't been able to find much time for reading lately. But finally, on a Monday when everyone else was toiling away at work, he managed to carve out some precious moments to indulge in a good book.

Zzzz! Zzz…! Zzz…!

Meanwhile, Mavros peacefully slumbered, completely carefree.

The book Han-Yeol had chosen to read that day was titled 'New World Order'. Despite having numerous books on his shelf, he opted for this particular one.

He firmly believed that he would become a significant figure in the country within a few years. Although he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment, he was certain that it would come to pass as long as he continued leveling up and acquiring new skills.

This conviction motivated him to prepare himself as both a Hunter and a businessman. The book he held in his hands represented the first step towards realizing his lofty ambition.