Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant novel Chapter 50

Before entering the Earthkeepers' mine, Suho had planned to visit another location.

In order to obtain everything he wanted from the mine, a few preparations were necessary.

So, he called a taxi and headed to Paju.

More specifically, the outskirts of Paju.

Though Nexus Academy was also located in Paju, this area was on the edge of the city, often referred to as the most valuable land in the region, the "Safe Zone." The place Suho had just arrived at was once a hub for various businesses but now lay in the outer line of Paju.

‘Currently, it’s practically wasteland.’

Why had it become a wasteland?

It was obvious.

With frequent gate appearances, there was no longer any Hunter workforce to manage such an isolated area.

Of course, it wasn’t truly a wasteland in the literal sense. fгeewebnovёl.com

Though it had been abandoned by most, ironically, it had become a haven for a particular group of people—illegal traders.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve been here.’

As Suho gazed at the cityscape, reminiscent of a slum, he fell into reflection.

This place was called “Paju Village.” While Dongdaemun Market was the largest open market where Yang and Yin merged, this was one of the largest black markets in the country.

After paying the fare, Suho got out of the taxi.

The taxi driver, visibly tense, fled as soon as Suho stepped out of the vehicle.

This was a natural reaction.

Crimes were rampant here, and taxis from outside the area were prime targets for thieves.

So, Suho had deliberately not brought a car.

Though he had borrowed a car with Seo Giwon from Jo Jin-hwi to reach the Academy, Paju Village didn’t offer safe parking like the Academy did.

Suho triggered the “Monochrome Solitude” from his **Mumu Mumu** item and leisurely began to walk through the village.

The atmosphere was eerie.

Unlike the usual bustling market energy, there were homeless people or drug addicts sprawled out across the streets, discarded like forgotten objects.

‘If it weren’t for the gates, Paju wouldn’t have ended up like this.’

The current South Korea—or rather, the current world—was experiencing a surge in drugs, crime, hunger, and poverty, all of which had escalated dramatically.

And it was all because of the gates.

The sudden surge of gates had caused devastation in many parts of the world, increasing the wealth disparity and darkening the world’s shadows.

That’s why Suho thought he needed to put an end to the gates as soon as possible.

Among the homeless in Paju Village, there were even teenagers.

Suho continued walking and eventually stopped in front of a shop.

It was an odd store with a thick shutter down, and it had a door attached to the shutter itself, a fairly common sight in Paju Village.

This setup offered a degree of security and safety.

When Suho knocked on the door, a small window in the shutter opened, revealing only a pair of wrinkled eyes from an old man.

“Who’s there?”

Without caring much, Suho responded to the question.

“I’m here to buy a mine.”

“Identification?”

At his question, Suho momentarily deactivated the **Monochrome Solitude**. Immediately...

“Ah, Hunter Ahn Suho?”

The shopkeeper’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly startled.

Suho nodded.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“W-Wait a moment.”

The window was closed, and Suho heard multiple clinks from inside as locks were undone.

Finally, the door opened, and a small, wiry man greeted Suho.

“Ah, welcome. It’s an honor to meet you, Hunter Ahn Suho.”

Suho nodded and entered the shop.

The man quickly shut the door behind him and re-locked it.

After the last lock clicked shut, the man hurried over to the counter and stood there like the owner.

Suho asked with a smile, noticing the man’s odd demeanor.

“Doesn’t the mask make you uncomfortable?”

“...Huh? Oh, no, what do you mean?”

“The imitation mask you're wearing,” Suho pointed out. “If I’m the only guest, you can relax.”

“....”

The shopkeeper paused for a moment, then chuckled.

“How did you know?”

“Just could tell.”

“The imitation mask is visible?” the man asked with a laugh, then grabbed his chin and pulled, causing skin to tear away as a mask was revealed in his hand.

Suddenly, the old man with wrinkles became a youthful woman.

“Impressive. Only someone who has conquered two sealed gates would be able to see through that,” she said with a smile.

“Yes, well. But more importantly, are you in business?” Suho asked.

“Of course. If I wasn’t, would I have let you in?”

Suho knew who she was.

Her name was **Choi Yun**, and she was the most famous gate broker in Paju Village.

No, she was one of the most prominent gate brokers in the entire country.

It was true.

Suho had bought several gates from her in his past life.

She asked, “How did you find out about this place?”

“I could figure it out if I wanted to.”

“Hmmm...”

Suho’s vague answer made her smile faintly.

She was curious.

After all, **Choi Yun** had only just started her gate business.

‘She’ll become famous once she joins the Union, the country’s largest underground guild.’

Given the timeline, she was most likely already a member of the Union.

However, she was still preparing her business quietly.

With Suho mentioning the term "mine"—a code for gates—and detecting the **Imitation Mask**, which altered her appearance, it was no surprise that her curiosity was piqued.

But Suho had no intention of satisfying her curiosity.

She asked, “Alright. Then, what kind of gate are you looking for?”