Chapter 199: It is always darkest underneath the lamp 1 (1/2)
“What did you say? TKBM excavation team recruitment announcement?”
Yoo Jaeha, who had returned after successfully completing his mission, dropped his jaw in shock.
It was great that he received a storm of praises from his Captain upon his return, but what?
“You passed the TKBM open recruitment test?! Really?”
“Yes. They told me to start working tomorrow.”
The first thing Yoo Jaeha did was scream. Maybe that was to be expected.
It was that motherfucker Chairman Kwon's company, but TKBM was quite a famous global corporation and just talking about getting into it was quite prestigious for a person.
As for their excavation team… It might be a dangerous job but something that everybody wished to join.
But he managed to be accepted to such a place on the first try?
‘I bet there were a ton of applicants after hearing that Chairman Kwon had woken up.’
“Wow, shit, TKBM is the cream of the crop……”
Well, it wasn’t hard for Ju-Heon since he was just going back into his old company.
“No, wait, you damn person! Control yourself! Don’t you even feel bad for them?!”
“……What? Why?”
“You're not satisfied with doing what we did to Chairman Kwon that you're going to murder the regular employees?! The employees are innocent!”
Ju-Heon, who was sitting with his legs crossed, started to frown.
“Hey. You keep treating me like a villain every so often, who do you think……”
“What’s wrong? It’s true! Why are you pretending it's not?!”
“No. I did this just to dodge the individual inspection……”
“I understand. Just tell me what to do. Do I just need to abduct all of them? Abduct them and sell them off to a tuna fishing boat? Or maybe the Aoji Coal Mine? If not that, then maybe to dig for oil in the Middle East? Anyway, you damn Monarch of Crime, I guess I should just be glad that you're not participating in the organ trade……ugh!”
Ju-Heon stomped on Yoo Jaeha.
“Sure. I'll cut you up and sell your organs first.”
Flash.
Yoo Jaeha screamed once Ju-Heon took a dagger out with fluid movements.
“Joke, it was a joke! It really was a jooooooke!”
A gasping Yoo Jaeha lowered his head and started to beg for forgiveness. As Chloe was watching this situation with curiosity…
”Aigoo, of course I know. I definitely know it! The reason you applied for TKBM was to cause a shit… No, because of that detection artifact, right?”
”As long as you know.”
Ju-Heon snorted and put the dagger away.
That was right. Pandora must have been quite annoyed with Ju-Heon running wild that they personally offered their detection artifact. They also offered the assistance of Expert Detectors who were famous in Ju-Heon's past.
This punk would end up being recruited for wars in the future, but he already had his fancy radars all over Europe.
That was why Ju-Heon’s location would be revealed the moment he arrived in Europe, even if he was far from the tomb.
There was a lot of discussion in the press about Detectors right now.
[A successful detection has led to the capturing of more illegal excavation teams!]
[All teams who had tried to sneak into the tomb without getting Excavation Rights have been captured as Tomb Raiders……]
[Of course, the captured excavation teams are complaining that Pandora is only issuing < Excavation Rights > to certain people…]
[Pandora responded that they have shared Excavation Rights with people who have met the qualifications and labeled these people as terrorists. They hope to increase the punishment……]
Of course, these Expert Detectors were not the issue.
They were quite annoying, but Ju-Heon’s excavation team was called a Tomb raiding team for a reason.
They were experts when it came to dodging detectors. However…
[The Detector artifact that Pandora offered, could this be that Pandora system artifact?]
[Ah, Pandora’s brain artifact that is said to be able to track anything down? Pandora is currently using that to track the movement of artifacts and artifact users.]
[We don’t know the identity of the artifact, but it is seen as the pillar of Pandora.]
[Wouldn't this be the first time that this artifact is being used in an excavation site?]
[We're not sure if it is indeed that artifact. Pandora has not made a public announcement and they are all rumors so far.]
It would be quite the headache if the detection artifact that came out this time was indeed the Pandora system artifact.
That was a sort of super computer that controlled the central system. The Pandora system artifact was on 24 hours a day to gather a lot of information for Pandora.
Of course, it was questionable whether they would accept the potential damage and send that off for a single tomb.
‘They might have pulled their swords out now.’
That was why even Ju-Heon had to be wary.
Julian started to laugh while looking at the news about the Monarch of Detection on the TV.
Although they were claiming some bullshit about how this was all for the benefit of the citizens…
“In reality, that person was called because of our infamous captain.”
They all started to laugh.
“I guess it is that guy. Ju-Heon, there are rumors that he is creating your coffin.”
“Oh really? I won’t even look at it if it isn’t made of diamonds.”
“But they seem to be quite wary of you. Especially if they are willing to bring out the Pandora system artifact.”
The provocative articles were proof of that.
[It will be impossible for Seo Ju-Heon to enter this tomb.]
[Iron wall of an inspection. “We will be able to tell the moment Seo Ju-Heon arrives in Europe.”]
There was more.
[The Pandora-EU alliance has sent 1,000 soldiers. “Seo Ju-Heon? We will definitely arrest the Tomb Raider who is destroying World Peace.”]
Ju-Heon started to pout.
They were doing all this for a team that only had 5 people.
“These bastards have no morals.”
“Is that something you of all people should be saying? Anyway, you can just destroy all of the radars with Divine-Grade artifacts if we get caught. However…”
Julian looked at Ju-Heon who was sitting on the couch.
“You understand? There’s no need to waste time or artifacts because of those bastards.”
Tombs were a fight against time.
They would get nothing if another excavation team managed to get the artifact first while they are tied down.
Ju-Heon happily nodded his head at the opinion of his strategist.
He naturally had the same thought.
Beyond that…
Bang!
Ju-Heon placed his long legs on top of the table as he started to snicker.
“It’s still darkest underneath the lamp.”
“Excuse me?”
”Whether it is the hired Expert Detectors or the Pandora system artifact… None of them would dare to use a detection artifact on Pandora-affiliated teams like TKBM. No, they can’t do it at all.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Would you like it if I placed a CCTV in your room?”
“N, no. But I'd enjoy it if it was the other way around. Irene would pay me good money for those recordings.”
Seol-A started to glare. Ju-Heon just continued to speak.
“Pandora is, in the end, a collection of allied teams. Even if you have an alliance with the country next to yours, you’re still not going to reveal your forces to each other.”
“Then…”
“That is why they will only do weak detections in the name of trust.”
“Is that why you are sneaking into TKBM?”
“Yes, as long as I joined their team, I can manage to avoid the Monarch of Detection's inspection. They won't check the contents after confirming our association.”
Yoo Jaeha nodded his head.
“For that reason, Kongming, Seol-A, and I are the three people going to this tomb.”
“Huh? What about me?”
“Yoo Jaeha, you will deal with the artifact auction. There is an item that we must win in this auction. Chloe, you are back-up.”
Chloe quickly started to speak.
“I'll come too.”
“No. There’s something I want you to take care of for me with Irene.”
“But……!”
“No.”
Chloe flinched after seeing Ju-Heon's gaze.
Ju-Heon was originally slightly younger than her. Furthermore, Ju-Heon seemed much younger as it was currently 15 years in the past. It wasn’t that he seemed like a kid, but he was at an age where an old man like Chairman Kwon would look down on him.
But his presence and charisma was at least as strong, if not stronger than back then.
‘His Dominance is much stronger than back then.’
Even then he was one of the top ten artifact users.
‘He's definitely beyond the Monarch grade now. He could probably aim for one of the Four Emperors positions.’
He still didn't have the special filthy feeling that monopolizers gave off as they forced people down. That was why Chloe found it interesting and amazing.