In the Name of God - Chapter 106.2
About an hour later.
Stepping out of the firearms section, I hung my head low and let out a sigh.
The numbers that had just vanished from my bank account along with the payment notification flickered before my eyes.
The 1 billion credits for the White Mithril handgun, plus the custom modification costs negotiated with the craftsman.
The expenses were larger than expected. No, calling them just “larger” was an understatement.
‘To think I have less than 50,000 won left until my next payday.’
While talking with the craftsman, I got excited and scraped the bottom of my bank account clean without even realizing it.
For a split second, I considered taking out a loan to add even more modifications, but figured Seong Do-wan would probably step in if I did, so I stopped myself.
Feeling as though hunger and cold were already creeping up on me, I naturally looked toward Lee Sunho. The person who had silently followed me like a shadow met my gaze the instant I turned to him, as always, and smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you and feed you well.”
“Thanks.”
It’s truly admirable how Lee Sunho figures out what I need without even being told.
Leaning my head casually against his shoulder, I spoke to Kwon Jeong-han, who was looking at us with a strange expression.
“I might be a beggar now, but I still have enough to buy you a meal for acting as our guide. Make some time soon.”
Though a bowl of soup at a local diner was probably all I could afford now.
“Forget it. I got to see some pretty cool stuff thanks to you anyway.”
Kwon Jeong-han let out a hollow laugh, likely recalling the conversation between me and the craftsman.
I’d like to shave down the frame slightly and overlay it with a lapis lazuli circuit. Make it an embossed design rather than engraved, so it grips the entire barrel like a corset.
You’re trying to regulate the White Mithril’s resistance value using an external circuit? If you do that, the chamber pressure will exceed 45,000 PSI! The barrel will melt down from a single shot.
We’ll use a double-walled titanium alloy for the chamber and bump the recoil spring up to at least 18 pounds. The recoil will be managed by splitting the gas pressure vertically with a dual-port compensator.
…I roughly get what you’re thinking. Then what about the rifling? With your current specs, standard rifling will cause the rounds to fracture from frictional heat.
The rifling can be cut as polygon type. We’ll reduce the contact friction surface and increase gas sealing to let it slide out smoothly. I’ll also give it a mana coating the exact moment it fires.
A mana coating at the exact moment of firing? Are you completely out of your mind?
Perhaps it was thanks to rolling around the battlefield and handling various firearms until my hands were worn raw.
Engaging in a technical showdown with a stubborn craftsman was quite an entertaining pastime. From the perspectives of Lee Sunho or Kwon Jeong-han, who didn’t use firearms, they probably couldn’t fully comprehend what we were discussing.
Musing over the conversation with the craftsman, I looked at Kwon Jeong-han with a deadpan expression.
“Even if it weren’t for the guiding thing today, I was planning to treat you to a meal at least once. You turned out to be a much better guy than I thought.”
“Me?”
“Then who else?”
“…”
Kwon Jeong-han wore an enigmatic expression, as if he had just heard the most absurd nonsense imaginable.
Putting aside today’s guiding favor, hadn’t he faithfully followed my instructions during the large-scale raid? Even after leaving the dungeon, instead of shifting blame, he had shouldered and handled the troublesome aftermath all by himself.
If a guy who quietly volunteers for the dirty work without making a fuss isn’t a “good guy,” then who on earth is?
Still looking embarrassed, Kwon Jeong-han only let out an awkward cough.
I smirked and shifted my steps.
“Now, let’s head ‘down there’.”
“Down there?”
I gave the black card key a light shake toward Kwon Jeong-han as he followed behind me.
“Since they told me to stop by when I have time and even gave me a card key, I might as well go right away. Aren’t you curious what’s down there?”
Nodding, Kwon Jeong-han quickly walked ahead, faithfully fulfilling his duties as a guide. He was strangely earnest.
Cutting across the bustling weapon section, we stopped in front of the dedicated elevator located at the deepest part of the corridor. As the doors opened with a clear chime, I stepped inside and held the black card up to the reader just as Kwon Jeong-han had instructed.
Then, accompanied by a sharp warning beep, an automated voice sounded.
-In accordance with security regulations, only a single card key holder may enter this zone.
-All personnel other than the card key holder, please step out.
Kwon Jeong-han, who had stepped into the elevator with me, paused. Lee Sunho, who was always glued to my side, stood quietly outside the elevator as if he had expected this all along.
“Is it normally like this?”
“Beats me. This is my first time seeing this.”
Kwon Jeong-han looked up suspiciously at the internal CCTV camera with his back to the elevator entrance. Judging by his reaction, this was a restriction markedly different from when using VIP exclusive card keys.
“What are you gonna do?”
At Kwon Jeong-han’s reluctant question, I gave him a light shove on the back.
“Can’t be helped. I’ll go check it out alone, so you two behave yourselves in the 1st floor lobby and don’t start fighting.”
“Why would we fight?”
Kwon Jeong-han asked back with his eyebrows raised, but I didn’t miss how he stealthily glanced sideways at Lee Sunho. Truly, something seemed to be going on between the two of them.
Lee Sunho, who I thought would stubbornly insist on coming along, was surprisingly calm.
“Have a safe trip. Take care of yourself.”
I felt a slight sense of oddity at the word “yourself,” but brushed it off as nothing as I watched the elevator doors slowly close.
Before long, the elevator closed—
Snap—!
“……!”
Every light inside vanished in a single instant.
As if swallowed whole by a pitch-black shadow.
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