SWNOVELXO Chapter 149
Chapter 149
“Yoon Hyunchul, you have a visitor.”
The next day.
When Yoon Hyunchul’s name was called, Suho quietly stood up.
It was just past noon.
As Suho prepared to leave, Kim Goong-won bowed deeply.
“Take care, Hyungnim.”
“Yes.”
After unsealing Kim Goong-won’s blood points, Suho finally began moving with the prison guards.
The guards led him to a special visitation room, a familiar location.
Inside the visitation room, there were two guests waiting.
Upon seeing them, Suho smirked and took a seat.
Once the guards exited, only three people remained in the room.
Suho was still smiling.
It was no wonder.
One of the people here to meet him was himself—“Ahn Suho.”
However, his true identity was Kim Geon, disguised as Suho using the Meta Suit.
Accompanying Kim Geon was the real Yoon Hyunchul, dressed sharply in a suit.
Suho spoke to Yoon Hyunchul, who stood by like an attendant.
“Mr. Hyunchul, please sit down. The cameras are off, so no one will disturb us.”
“Then, I’ll make myself comfortable.”
Though Yoon Hyunchul’s face had changed due to Reverse Utilization Technique, his gaze had softened significantly since five days ago.
It was as if the hostility had nearly vanished.
Perhaps he had enjoyed good times with Yoon Hyun-hee over the past few days.
Turning his attention to Kim Geon, Suho asked,
“You found the place alright?”
“Yes, since I’ve been here once before, it wasn’t particularly difficult.”
“Good, now let’s switch roles. Geon, mimic the person beside you exactly.”
Before delving into detailed discussions, they first rearranged their positions.
Kim Geon took on Yoon Hyunchul’s appearance through Reverse Utilization Technique, Suho returned to his own form, and Yoon Hyunchul reverted to himself.
The role-switching was completed quickly.
After putting on his own clothes again, Suho used blood-point manipulation to release the points he had temporarily sealed on Yoon Hyunchul.
“I’ve released your blood points. How do you feel?”
“I feel great. It’s like I’m back to normal.”
“That’s good to hear. By the way, you seem to be looking much better. Did you have a good time?”
“Yes, we talked about a lot of things we’d been holding back and shared comforting moments together. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you once again.”
Yoon Hyunchul rose from his seat and bowed, showing the top of his head.
Seeing him like this, he truly seemed like a changed person.
But this was why Suho had given him a chance.
If there had been even a hint of malice left in him, Suho would never have made the foolish decision of releasing a death row inmate into the world.
Although it’s often said you can’t read a person’s mind, Suho had the Ring of Emotions.
‘The ring has been incredibly helpful in conversations.’
The Ring of Emotions could detect even the slightest traces of negativity.
Suho then gave a thorough explanation of what had happened in Cheongok during his absence.
He described what he had fed the inmates and the resulting conditions they experienced.
Of course, he didn’t go into detail about the Siphon Star Parasite.
There was no need to share those specifics.
Instead, he told Yoon Hyunchul about a new ‘tiger’ he had unleashed in Cheongok—Jo Gwangho.
Upon hearing that Suho had restored Jo Gwangho’s strength, Yoon Hyunchul asked with concern,
“Do you trust Jo Gwangho?”
“I don’t trust Jo Gwangho. I trust you. If he bares his fangs at you despite my warnings, subdue him. Just don’t kill him—cripple him again.”
“I understand. I can handle that on my own.”
Indeed, Yoon Hyunchul was reliable.
But unless Jo Gwangho was a fool, he wouldn’t dare bare his fangs at Yoon Hyunchul.
He had been strictly warned not to set his sights on the throne as a price for reclaiming his strength.
Suho continued to chat with Yoon Hyunchul, discussing where he had been and how he planned to live from now on.
Though he hadn’t visited many places during his five days, he had managed to go everywhere he wanted.
Notably, he was able to visit his late girlfriend’s columbarium and thanked Suho once more.
Suho chuckled.
“Don’t worry about Miss Hyun-hee. I’ll take care of her, and I’ll pull you out for a vacation from time to time, just like this time.”
“Thank you. If you can do that, I’ll do anything you need in Cheongok. Hyun-hee is actually waiting for me outside.”
“Oh, I see. I asked you to come alone, but she insisted on coming anyway.”
“Haha, yes. She really wanted to thank you in person.”
After talking a bit longer, Suho checked the time and then rose from his seat.
He bid farewell to Yoon Hyunchul and left Cheongok with Kim Geon.
And there, at the entrance of Cheongok, they found Yoon Hyun-hee waiting for Suho.
With an awkward expression, she asked cautiously, knowing Suho’s skill in disguise.
“Um… Are you really Mr. Suho?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Upon hearing this, Yoon Hyun-hee smiled brightly.
She bowed deeply, just like her brother.
“Thank you so much. Thanks to you, I was able to have a wonderful time with my brother.”
“It was nothing. I enjoyed my time at Cheongok as well. But why did you come? It’s quite a distance.”
“Well, I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. I had to come to show my appreciation.”
“Haha, really, it’s fine. Please, get in the car. I’ll drive you to the station.”
The three of them got into the car.
As they drove, they talked about how they would spend their future.
After discussing it with her brother over the past few days, she had decided to return to the Aram Orphanage.
Rather than indulging in a comfortable life with the support funds Suho promised, she wanted to return to the orphanage, her second home, and take care of the children.
“That sounds wonderful. I’ll drop by the orphanage now and then.”
“Oh, there’s no need to trouble yourself. I’m sure you’re busy with work.”
“I’m going because I want to.”
After dropping Yoon Hyun-hee off at Cheongok Station, Suho turned his car towards Seoul.
“I’ll drive.”
“Are you sure?”
Once Yoon Hyun-hee had departed, Suho was left alone with Kim Geon.
Kim Geon naturally took the wheel, and after driving a while, Suho spoke.
“I may ask you to handle Cheongok matters more often.”
“Of course, anytime.”
“So, are you comfortable with life at Nexus?”
“Yes, everyone treats me very well. Thanks to you, I’m grateful every day.”
Suho chuckled at that.
Kim Geon was someone who understood gratitude.
That’s why Suho had chosen him.
Suho asked,
“How’s the training going?”
“Yes, I think I may soon find a way to counter your avatar.”
“A countermeasure? Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious.”
Interesting.
Suho raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“It won’t be easy.”
“It’s not easy, that’s why I’m using the entire Banshee Team for a combined assault.”
“Really?”
It didn’t sound like a lie.
Before becoming a hunter, Kim Geon had been the top-ranked player in the world in the game Ops.
‘In Ops, Railgun was a jack-of-all-trades capable of everything from physical to tactical prowess, including leadership and support.’
That was why he held an unshakable position as the number-one ranker.
Once an Ops veteran, always an Ops veteran.
Suho smiled.
“Alright, when you manage to defeat my avatar, let me know. I’ll assign you a new mission.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best. By the way, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“It’s… actually about your combat techniques.”
Hearing this, Suho smirked.
‘He’s seriously committed to countering my avatar.’
Suho was pleased to answer.
After all, there was no reason to keep such things hidden.
If someone developed a counter to his techniques, Suho could simply research that counter and overcome it.
In that sense, answering these questions was also beneficial to himself.
Thanks to this, the two men were able to head to Seoul without any boredom. After dropping Kim Geon off in Paju, Suho began preparing for his next step.
The first task was to check the Siphon Star Parasite Pillss.
[ Fully-Grown Siphon Star Parasite Pills ]
– Grade: A
# A bug that absorbs its host’s energy to grow.
# Filled with the host’s experience and life energy, it has reached its peak maturity stage.
An A-grade Siphon Star Parasite Pills.
After feeding on life energy for over four days, it had matured perfectly.
Before heading home, Suho instructed a Cheongdam Residence staff member on what to buy, then made his way back.
The house was empty.
Seo Giwon and Nam Haewon, having no other commitments, were still in Paju, immersed in training.
After showering, Suho found the staff members arriving with the items he had ordered.
Gathering everything, Suho headed to the basement.
There, he spread out the Siphon Star Parasite Pillss and various ingredients brought by the staff on a large table.
‘It’d be best if Haewon could synthesize this, but…’
The elixir he was about to create wasn’t something he wanted others to know about.
Not only was the elixir highly valuable, but the Siphon Star Parasite Pills’s base ingredient involved human life energy. To avoid potential issues, fewer people needed to know.
‘Eventually, the circulation of Siphon Star Parasite Pillss was banned due to the Insect Demon.’
Therefore, it was more efficient, albeit less effective, to use a combination formula and make it himself.
Suho utilized a basic synthesis formula he had previously learned.
Immediately, the synthesis cauldron characteristic of the formula appeared, and he placed the Siphon Star Parasite Pills and other ordered ingredients into it.
[ You have placed the fully-grown Siphon Star Parasite Pills into the synthesis cauldron. ]
[ You have placed fragments of the Apothecary’s Vessel into the synthesis cauldron. ]
[ You have placed the Artisan’s Shard into the synthesis cauldron. ]
In total, there were three ingredients.
The Apothecary’s Vessel fragments were essential for any elixir made through synthesis, and the Artisan’s Shard was a mandatory item for elixirs related to skills.
‘Adding these two basics with a fully-grown A-grade Siphon Star Parasite Pills should create the elixir I want.’
It might seem like a simple synthesis formula.
However, to create an elixir for the Demon Insects, Suho had to use twenty-five A-grade Siphon Star Parasite Pillss, each with specific options.
In Cheongok, Suho had obtained 502 Siphon Star Parasite Pillss.
Assuming there were no failures, he had enough materials to produce about twenty elixirs.
‘The number of Vessel Fragments and Shards is the key to the elixir formula.’
Fortunately, the latter two items were readily available in the market.
So, the true core ingredient was the Siphon Star Parasite Pills.
After placing the materials, Suho initiated the synthesis process.
[ Starting synthesis. ]
[ Synthesizing… ]
[ Huh? The cauldron’s condition is…! ]
Just then.
A mysterious message appeared from the system, and then the cauldron began emitting a golden light.