Destined to Die [bl]

There were two things in this world that shouldn't be inherited. The first was poverty, and the second was illness.

I was lucky enough to avoid the former, thanks to my parents, who were Class A hunters. I had a nice childhood where my birthday cakes were always covered with fresh strawberries, and I never had to opt for a toy that was 10,000 won cheaper just so my parents could afford it.

Of course, compared to the people in the auction videos I was watching now, I would've been considered poor.

What was it like to bid a billion won for a single dot on a white canvas? I, who ate a triangle kimbap for lunch, would never understand the world of the rich until the day I died, which would be…

"In a year's time already, huh."

Too bad. If I could've lived to be eighty, maybe I would've won the lotto. Instead, I would die a year from now. And in the meantime, I'd continue spending my life complaining about the rising price of things as insignificant as eggs. I used to curse the cruel hand I was dealt, but now I was beyond resignation, reaching a stage of mental victory. 

"Should I maybe take out a life insurance policy now, or… Ah, wait, there'd be no beneficiary."

It had played out like that. Thanks to my wonderful parents, I'd avoided poverty, but instead, I'd inherited illness. A curse, to be precise. My mother had been cursed after failing to save one of her colleagues after entering a rift, and that curse had been her punishment. 

.

The curse, with its vile name, had consumed my mother, and now, it'd come for me.

The receiver of the curse would die exactly ten years from the moment they received it. And no matter what happened until then, death couldn't touch them. I was only seventeen when I inherited the curse of mortality, and back then, I didn't fully comprehend that concept.

But now I understood. I wouldn't die even if I did something foolish. If I fell into the sea and suffered hypothermia, I'd live. If an iron rod crushed my head, I wouldn't die. If the skin on my body was charred and melted, I would continue to live. I knew this because I'd now been through many situations that would've killed an ordinary person.

Yet I survived. 

So, I took advantage of the curse to make money.

My mother had used her cursed body to fight on the front lines of dungeons. For a hunter who fought monsters and creatures for a living, an immortal body was a valuable weapon, but unfortunately, I hadn't inherited her bravery or fighting spirit.

Instead, I used my indestructible body to make money. I considered myself an 'errand boy' for convenience, as I'll do anything for a price. Whether it was harvesting monster skin or picking flowers from cliffs, no job was too big or small as long as it didn't break the law.

But my latest assignment was a bit special. The client had asked me to attend one of the largest artifact auctions in Korea and make a bid on their behalf. So, I borrowed a high-end suit that didn't suit me and went to the auction. I also familiarised myself with the auction process via video to avoid making any mistakes.

[Have you arrived at the auction house?]

The client rang me, most likely worried I'd run off with their 500,000 won down payment. He'd mistaken me as a slave to capitalism if he'd thought that. If the bid was successful, the job's payout was a whopping 1 million won. So, there was really no reason for me to do something stupid like running off.

[Yes, I'll be registering to participate shortly. Don't worry.]

[Thank goodness. Then I'll leave it to you.]

I was honored that they trusted me, but I still had doubts. I didn't know why they'd trusted me with bidding when I didn't even have a business card. They could've left it to a professional agent or company. Thinking about that, I was worried I may've made a mistake. I sent a cautious message to the client.

[Is there anything in particular I should look out for?]

[Not really. As long as they don't attend today's auction, it should go smoothly.]

[Who's 'they'?]

[There's a strange group of people these days who diligently and exclusively collect cursed artifacts.]

I almost wrote, 'But you're also a weirdo willing to pay 100 million for a cursed item…' before quietly deleting it as I recalled the agreed amount of money that would soon hit my bank account. I'd find out whether the strange collectors had come to the auction soon enough.

Right at that moment, an announcement came through the speakers.

I hurried to the lobby, where a staff member who seemed to have been waiting for me greeted me.

"Welcome. Are you participating or watching?"

"Participating as a representative."

"Then please fill out these papers."

The artifacts up for auction were nothing like those found in museums. The items in the auction were treasures that promised to enhance the owner's physical abilities, temporarily change the weather, perform miracles beyond one's wildest dreams, and similar extraordinary feats.

Artifacts with such remarkable powers were called spirit objects.

"Have you ever participated in an auction before?"

"No. It's my first time."

"Then I recommend taking a look at the catalog."

There were twenty spirit items up for auction today. Unfortunately, this auction wasn't the main one, so it only featured D-grade items and below. Still, I'm sure they're worth more than I could possibly imagine. I directed a question to the clerk as I flipped through the catalog.

"So everything in this catalog will be auctioned today?"

"Yes. That's correct. You'll be able to bid on the items in the order they're listed."

"Oh…"

As I flipped through the pages, I came across the item the client asked me to bid on.

The D-class spirit object: .

It was said to be the only surviving flower from an ancient civilization that was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. Since then, a great fire has always broken out wherever this flower blooms. I didn't know why anyone would want to spend so much money on a flower that was considered an omen of disaster. As someone who lived in a small one-room apartment, I could only imagine how a rich person felt spending hundreds of millions of won.

I took out my cell phone, snapped a photo of , and sent it to the client.

[This is it, right?]

As if he'd been waiting to hear from me, I received a reply immediately. 

[Yes. Like I said, my budget is 100 million. Anything more will be difficult.]

[Ok. I'll do my best].

100 million won for a single flower; the lives of the wealthy were truly beyond me.

After I filled out and handed the paperwork over, the staff gave me a paddle with a number written on it. Number 323. That would be my name today, not Hajae Shin.

"I hope you get the item you're after."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

I walked past the heavily guarded door and into the venue, paddle in hand. The doors opened to reveal a large auction room the size of a concert hall. Beneath a loosely tied red velvet curtain was a stage where the auctioneer would present the items, surrounded by luxurious leather chairs for the in-person attendees to sit. Against the wall stood the auction house staff in suits, ready to take telephone bids.

I looked around at the overwhelmingly extravagant interior and nervously adjusted my tie. As expected, the wealthy liked to hire people, so agents like me occupied most of the seats. Immediately after I sat in the seat labeled '323', the lights went out in the auction room.

With hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, the auction was about to begin.

As the auctioneer took the stage, you could feel the tension in the room. Even as the auctioneer explained the details of this auction, I remained solely focused on . I must get it. Not for the client but in order to receive the payout. Who wouldn't be eager to receive 1 million won in cash if the bidding was successful.

A sigh escaped my lips.

There were many D-ranked spirit ohjects, and they didn't have any extraordinary abilities and were mostly ornamental. So common sense would dictate that 100 million should surely be enough. However, I still needed to remain vigilant. This wasn't the 'cursed artifact collecting group' the client had mentioned, but a bunch of rich people who used money as if it were water.

Nervously fiddling with my paddle, I finally heard the words I'd been waiting for.

>.

An employee walked onto the stage carrying a box covered with a red velvet cloth. The employee then lifted the cloth to reveal a bouquet of seemingly ordinary flowers inside a glass box. But, despite the ordinary appearance of the bundle of flowers, everyone in the room knew they contained a unique item.

There was a special spirit infused into that bouquet.

"Rather than explain this spirit item using my words, I'm going to show you what it does."

The auctioneer gestured, and an employee took a small torch from his pocket and lit the bouquet. In an instant, the petals burned black and fell off one by one, but the red flower in the center remained untouched amongst the ashes. As if to prove its name, the more intense the flames became, the more beautiful the red color shined. 

"Wow…"

Gasps were heard from all over the room. Damn. The price of an already expensive artifact had just doubled with that one performance. As expected, the auctioneer noticed the spike in excitement and quickly spoke up.

"We know there were a lot of customers out there who appeared at last year's auction and were disappointed when they missed out on this item. In light of this, I hope our interested patrons can take advantage of this opportunity today."

The client told me that three  bouquets sold for 10 million won last year. Although it was beautiful, it hardly grew anywhere due to its strict requirements, and it also had a penchant for bringing disaster. So, this time, as well, it'd surely go for a reasonable enough price. 

But the auctioneer announced a price that far exceeded my expectations.

 is 50 million won, with bids accepted in 1 million won increments.>

Barely able to close my gaping mouth, I raised my paddle and hoped that my client would be the only one willing to spend 50 million won on a single flower. 

Much to my dismay, paddles shot up everywhere like moles. The number of bidders was already at least 20.

The auctioneer skilfully called out the price dictated by each raised paddle.

<50 million. 51 million. …We're getting 52 million…. Customer 201 has put in a phone bid of 53 million. We're up to 54 million… 55 million… 56 million has just been submitted in writing.>

The price continued to increase rapidly; it sounded like the auctioneer was simply counting out loud in intervals of a million. The energy in the room was tense and fast-paced, feeling no different from a battlefield. When the bid reached 60 million won, the auctioneer spoke quickly as if he'd been waiting for this. 

Unswayed by the amount, the paddles of the audience members refused to go down.

62 million won. 64 million… 67 million. As the bidding climbed higher and higher, the competition dwindled until, finally, that amount came out of the auctioneer's mouth.

<100 million won. Number 323 has bid 100 million won.>

All eyes turned to the paddle I was holding.

I wondered if this was what it would feel like to play on thin ice. I felt sick to my stomach like I was going to vomit. It's 100 million. 100 million. With a wave of my hand, 16 years' worth of monthly rent for a modest single room was on the line. I nervously chewed my lip and glanced to the side. Luckily, there were no competitors. Even though it'd maxed out my client's budget, I was happy it seemed enough to score the winning bid. Now, I just had to hope the auction would end without anyone else bidding.

But unfortunately, things often don't work out the way you plan.

As he spoke, the auctioneer pointed his bidding stick toward someone in the corner.

…What?

If you were to stop someone on the street and ask them what the most famous spirit item is, nine times out of ten, they'd give you the same answer: . This double-edged blade was the weapon that pierced the side of Jesus during his crucifixion, and it was the first spirit object ever to be found.

 was a mystery until the 19th century. And then, one day, it appeared suddenly in the middle of Vatican Square. Well, more accurately, it fell from the sky and lodged itself into the ground.  then caused a massive explosion.

And its influence activated other spirit objects all over the world. In addition to real historical objects, such as the guillotine that executed and ended the reign of King Louis XVI, legendary items such as , which originated the peace of the Silla Dynasty, have been reborn as spirits.

All spirits are imbued with powers associated with their origins; for example, those who touch  would suffer their family's downfall, and those who hear the sound of  would enjoy good fortune. Through the power of these spiritual objects, humans could experience miracles repeatedly.

However, before an ordinary artifact could become a spiritual item, it had to undergo a process called a 'runaway'. When an artifact's power explodes, it creates a rift in space and time and opens a gate to another world. If nobody enters the crack and subdues the spirit, monsters emerge from the rip, causing damage, chaos, and casualties if not dealt with. 

The only people who could prevent such a disaster were individuals who had 'awakened'.

When the  exploded, humans with abilities similar to spirits were born. These individuals had both the power to defeat monsters and their bodies could withstand entering into the rifts that had been blown open. They were given many different names, including psychics, gatekeepers, and messengers of the gods. It wasn't until recently that the name was narrowed down to a single title.

Those who collected spirits were known as 'treasure hunters.' Or more commonly, as just 'hunters'.

After entering the gate and taming the spirit, the hunter faces a crossroads. They could claim the spirit object for themselves or give it away. If they choose to give it away, it goes up for auction, and due to the nature of the artifact and its subsequent value…

, which sat on that stage right now, was probably acquired by a hunter for a small fortune. But it couldn't possibly go for more than $100 million. There's no way!

"What kind of bastard…"

I quickly turned my head towards number 99, eager to glimpse the smug face. I expected to see a rich man sitting there, but number 99 looked like an ordinary guy. He was probably representing someone like me. I immediately put down my paddle and texted my client.

[It's hit over 100 million; what should I do? Just walk?]

As the auctioneer observed me, I got a text back.

[Go to 150 million.]

I picked up my paddle, and the auctioneer pointed at me.

I thought this would put an end to it, but the other paddle didn't lower. Unlike my anxious movements, this guy didn't even hesitate. And so up it went, 120 million, 130 million, 140 million… The bidding that escalated as quickly as a lit fuse hit my upper limit once more. 

Aah, I barely swallowed the lump in my throat. I lowered my paddle in a panic, and the auctioneer silently stared at me, wordlessly asking if I wanted to put forth another bid. I raised my hand slightly, indicating that I needed a moment, as I quickly called my client.

[Someone placed a bid for 150 million won].

[Who was it?]

[I don't know; I think they're using an agent.]

[Oh, no…. that's probably them.]

By 'them', did he mean that strange group that only collected cursed items? I didn't really care who they were. Whether they're a cult, a powerful guild, or whether it's a renowned hunter, to me, they were simply a bastard trying to stop me from putting food on the table.

My client hesitated a moment before he made a difficult choice. 

[It can't be helped. Give up.]

I closed my eyes tightly. If he wanted to give up, there was nothing I could do. I silently shook my head at the auctioneer, and his gaze moved away from me.

There were no more interruptions.

The sound of the bidding stick hitting the podium rang out cheerfully, and the owner of the  was now number 99. With a hint of envy, I leaned up slightly to look at number 99, but his face was expressionless without a hint of joy. It was as if he'd known he would win the auction.

"…Bastard."

With  gone, there was no point in staying for the rest of the auction. I stood up, left my paddle on the table, and left the room. I was about to text my client with the auction results when something caught my eye.

"Huh…?"

A man passed in front of me and headed down the corridor. It was number 99, the guy who'd just won the spirit object. The door he entered had a sign that read, 'No entry, authorized personnel only.' As I stared at him, wondering if he was allowed in there, I received a message from the client.

[Thanks for your efforts. And don't worry, you'll still receive 80% of the request fee.]

Even though I'd failed to win the auction, he would still give me 800,000 won. I guess it was true that amounts like that are a drop in the ocean for the rich. His words instantly put me in a good mood, and I included an emoji I didn't usually use.

[Thank you.^0^]

[By the way… is there any way you could find out who won the auction?]

[Well. I did happen to see the winning bidder head down the hall just before.]

I wonder if he was on his way to meet with his employer.

[Do you think you could follow him, by any chance?]

[The person who won the bid?]

[Yes. If you can find out who it is, I'll send you 100 million won.]

Two months' rent! I jumped to my feet and looked around. With the auction still in full swing, I noticed no one guarding the venue's doors. It was only after taking a careful look at all the CCTV locations that I followed number 99 into the restricted corridor. As I walked, it wasn't long before I heard around the corner just ahead of me.

"Yes. You… mentioned."

Judging by the firm use of honorifics, it was very likely that customer 99 was on the phone with his employer. I peeked my head out from around the corner very carefully to make sure he didn't spot me. The person I saw in front of me was a man wearing a black mask that covered his face.

At that moment, I felt my blood run cold. 

Despite the mask, I recognized the person immediately. It was someone I knew—someone I wasn't supposed to appear in front of again, even if I were to die. 

"Why are you…?"

I muttered to myself in a state of shock. At that moment, the black-masked man turned around. Instantly, my entire body froze. I had to get out of here. If he caught me, it was over. 

As soon as he stepped in my direction, I turned and bolted. Barely able to catch my breath, I continued running until I was out of the auction house.

It was the same as back then. The day I abandoned him seven years ago. 

****