CHAPTER 08
Kang-cheol finally arrived at the flea market.
“Student… something feels strange about this place.”
“Yeah… I think so too.”
The moment he reached the venue, Kang-cheol stood frozen.
The first thing he felt was overwhelming shock.
The event was far bigger than he had ever imagined.
“…I don’t think I’m going to make any money here.”
A flea market couldn’t stay small forever.
As more things were added over the years, it naturally grew.
But this…
This was much bigger than he had expected.
“So when they said ‘come to the stadium,’ they literally meant they rented the entire stadium? Student, you really live in a crazy world.”
The place normally hosted baseball games.
Now the whole stadium had been turned into a flea market.
“I… I should look around first and see how this place works.”
Leaving his belongings in the car, Kang-cheol walked around.
“Oh, damn.”
After only three minutes…
He realized he had been completely fooled by the name flea market.
Normally, a flea market meant a wide open space with people setting up simple stalls and laying out old secondhand goods.
But here…
People had somehow built temporary booths with proper walls and roofs.
For an event that lasted only a few days!
“And honestly… I can’t even call those people broke.”
Several well-known mid-sized companies had booths here too.
Some famous businesses had so many customers that their signboards couldn’t even be seen.
Other booths offered services like reheating and re-tempering weapons on-site.
Some even offered thinning, a service Kang-cheol had already ruled out because it took too much time.
“They practically moved their whole workshop here.”
“…I’m just as confused.”
He could only nod at the system’s comment.
After looking around for a while, he found the information booth.
“Excuse me. I’d like to ask something.”
“Please take a waiting number first.”
“…Right. Sorry.”
A waiting ticket… at a flea market information booth?
Grumbling to himself, Kang-cheol waited.
Five minutes later, his turn finally came.
“Isn’t this flea market way too big? I’m a blacksmith, so I was wondering if I came to the wrong event.”
The receptionist smiled.
“Haha, it’s a little overwhelming, isn’t it? Is this your first time here?”
“Well… I came once with my father. About four or five years ago.”
“Ah, then it makes sense. It changed about three years ago.”
She began explaining.
Before then, the participating blacksmiths had more or less kept each other in check.
Even though it was a low-budget event, unskilled blacksmiths were pushed out.
Hunters who constantly caused trouble were refused service.
Everything stayed orderly because one highly respected blacksmith led everyone.
He was both incredibly skilled and very influential.
“So everyone listened to him.”
“…This story sounds familiar.”
Then one day…
That workshop stopped participating in the flea market.
That happened exactly three years ago.
After that…
Unskilled blacksmiths flooded in.
Large companies also began sending apprentice blacksmiths.
As more blacksmiths came…
More Hunters followed.
The event exploded in size.
“It was called Kang-cheol Workshop. It was a very famous place. When the owner disappeared, it even made the news. It was a huge incident.”
“…Wow.”
“…”
It felt strange.
He had come here with his father before.
Yet everything the receptionist said felt completely new.
“Oh! You said you’re a blacksmith, right? If you’re opening a booth, would you like me to help you register?”
Kang-cheol quickly waved his hands.
There was no way he could introduce himself as being from Kang-cheol Workshop.
Even the receptionist clearly missed the role his father had voluntarily played during these events.
“N-No, I’m not opening a proper booth. I’m only offering sharpening. Honestly, before coming here, I thought I could just sit somewhere quiet and work.”
“Oh, you’re looking for the Free Zone.”
She unfolded a map.
“We’re here… and this area is the Free Zone.”
She repeatedly warned him.
The Free Zone was much more chaotic.
Keeping order there was difficult.
After chatting a little longer, Kang-cheol left.
* * *
“So… what are you going to do, Student?”
The system urged him.
He had come here to see the situation.
Instead…
Everything had turned out completely differently than he’d expected.
It didn’t seem easy to do business here anymore.
“I never imagined it’d be like this…”
Just then—
“So it’s really you. Damn… never thought I’d run into you here.”
A rough voice interrupted him.
It wasn’t friendly in the slightest.
“Well, ain’t this just wonderful.”
Three pot-bellied men who looked exactly like blacksmiths walked toward him.
Kang-cheol didn’t recognize any of them.
“That’s him?”
“Yep. Kang-cheol Workshop. It says so on the truck.”
“Who are you?”
The three men burst into laughter.
They clearly had never met Kang-cheol before either.
But their expressions were full of hostility.
The biggest one stepped forward and shoved Kang-cheol.
“Your old man owes us.”
“Owes you?”
“Yep. Your father did us real dirty. A real bastard. So…”
“Whoa!”
Before he could finish—
Kang-cheol casually pushed him once.
The man stumbled backward several meters before crashing to the ground.
“Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you get permission to insult someone else’s father.”
“You little brat! How dare you interrupt your elders!”
Another fat blacksmith threw a punch.
Normally…
Kang-cheol would have wondered if he could at least get compensation after being hit.
But…
…He’s slow.
The punch looked like it would hurt his feelings more than his body.
Kang-cheol dodged several punches in a row.
The man soon became exhausted and started panting.
“Take this!”
The last man rushed in.
He was holding a long pair of steel tongs used for heat treatment.
“Whoa! That’s dangerous! …Huh?”
Despite shouting dramatically…
Kang-cheol calmly grabbed the man’s arm and easily took the tongs away.
Then he noticed something strange.
“…This feels weird.”
They were made of steel.
Yet they felt unbelievably light.
Is this some hidden-camera prank?
Are these fake props?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He slammed the tongs against the ground.
They bent like soft candy.
“…These are fake props, right?”
Why isn’t anyone saying anything?
The system finally interrupted.
“Student… you’re the strong one. I told you already. You awakened so you wouldn’t struggle with physical work anymore.”
Kang-cheol was shocked for a completely different reason.
So the tongs weren’t weak…
I’m just this strong now?
“I don’t remember using this much strength before…”
“I told you! You’re a Metal Artisan! Back in my day we mined and carried iron ore ourselves!”
Since his status window didn’t show basic strength stats…
He hadn’t realized just how powerful he’d become.
Apparently…
The system’s standards and modern people’s standards were very different.
Kang-cheol looked back at the three blacksmiths.
“Ahem… Aren’t blacksmiths supposed to prove themselves with skill? What are you people doing? And these work tongs… you made them so flimsy.”
“You bent them yourself! Where’s your conscience?”
Was he criticizing their craftsmanship?
Or saying they were useless because he’d bent them?
It could easily sound like a threat.
Scratching the back of his head, Kang-cheol continued.
“Anyway, let’s talk. If you run away or refuse…”
He tapped his truck.
The dashcam blinked meaningfully.
“Wow… Student, you’re good at threatening people.”
“I’m just trying to talk.”
“You’re also good at justifying yourself.”
“…”
Kang-cheol listened to their story.
They had called his father a bad man.
But the truth was exactly the opposite.
All three admitted that his father had scolded them in the past.
Based on what the receptionist had explained…
They had been kicked out during the old self-regulation days.
“And now you’re causing trouble again?”
Whether he liked it or not…
He couldn’t simply ignore this.
After all…
One of them had just tried to hit him with steel tongs.
“So… what are you planning to do now?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“You came here to do business, right? It’ll just be awkward if we meet again later, so let’s settle this properly.”
Honestly…
If they’d simply apologized and promised not to bother him again…
That would’ve been enough.
Instead…
They misunderstood him completely.
The three whispered among themselves.
Then one placed his hands on his hips and shouted,
“So you’re trying to squeeze money out of us?”
“…What?”
Another blacksmith explained.
“If we had money, why would we come to a flea market?”
“Just say it already. You’ll keep quiet if we pay you compensation, right?”
“…Compensation?”
“Life’s already hard enough! This ain’t fair!”
Kang-cheol stared at them in disbelief.
They called it compensation.
But they were acting as though paying off someone after assaulting them was perfectly normal.
They even sounded like they wanted to negotiate the price.
How do people end up thinking like that?
“Not easy… Your father was right to scold these people.”
He could have handed them over to the event staff or the police.
No one would’ve blamed him.
“So… why not just take some money while you’re at it?”
“What are you talking about? Are you even human?”
“That’s a strange question. Are you asking whether I’m human… or whether they are?”
“…”
While Kang-cheol argued with the system…
The three blacksmiths misunderstood the silence.
“Look at those snake eyes. That kid’s dangerous.”
“He might be worse than his father.”
“What if he demands something ridiculous?”
“What else can we do? We run!”
They all shook their heads.
Whether they worked honestly or did bad things…
Everything was for money.
Trying to hit someone with steel tongs was one thing.
But losing money?
That was absolutely unacceptable.
They exchanged looks.
Nodded together.
Then shouted,
“We’re not paying any compensation!”
“We’ve got children too! We’d rather work like slaves than give up money!”
They sounded completely determined.
But Kang-cheol only stared blankly at them.
“…Okay. But I never asked for compensation.”
Now it was the blacksmiths who looked embarrassed.
“W-What?”
“I said let’s settle this. I never once asked for money.”
They looked at each other in confusion.
They couldn’t understand him.
Three of them had picked a fight with one young man.
They had lost.
Anyone could see they were in the weaker position.
Normally…
Someone would take advantage of that and extort enough money to avoid working for several days.
Yet this young man…
Didn’t seem interested in money at all.
“…Then what about reporting us?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t settled things yet.”
Gulp.
All three thought the same thing.
He’s a sucker.
If they talked nicely…
Maybe they’d get away with everything.
Then—
“You came here to do business, right?”
“Of course. If I don’t make money, my wife will kick me out.”
“You already reserved a booth?”
“Obviously. You have to invest if you want to make money. That’s why we said we can’t pay compensation. We’ve already spent plenty.”
“Oh… so you rented one of the expensive booths.”
The three eagerly nodded.
Even putting on pitiful expressions.
Kang-cheol smiled.
“Then…”
“…Let’s share it.”
As if responding to his words…
The dashcam blinked again.
