Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert
Author: Woo-Gak
Chapter 466
Chapter 466
“Zeon has returned.”
At Seo Taeran’s report, Jin Geumho lifted his head.
“He was out for quite a while this time.”
“Yes. It appears he returned ten days ago along with the Bloody Raid Team from the Western District.”
“Ten days ago?”
“Yes. He hasn’t gone out since, so confirmation was delayed. I apologize.”
“Forget it. How could you confirm someone who won’t step outside his precious slum home?”
Jin Geumho waved off Seo Taeran’s apology.
“It won’t happen again.”
“You said he came back with the Western District team?”
“Yes. They met by chance in the desert and traveled together. Also, the Bloody Raid Team hunted an S-class golem. It’s been confirmed that Zeon helped.”
“An S-class golem?”
Jin Geumho’s eyes gleamed.
Unlike lesser monsters, S-class ones always drew attention.
“Yes. A golem made entirely of metal.”
“Kim Hyunsoo got himself a windfall.”
“…”
“What?”
“It’s just… strange to hear you use that expression, Mayor.”
“Ha. We used to say that all the time back then. Anyway, a metal golem, huh? Then the treasure’s ended up in Kim Hyunsoo’s hands.”
“I heard the Western District is in full celebration right now.”
“I’m sure. To those machine-worshipers, a metal golem must be a treasure chest. Once they analyze it, they’ll gain a lot.”
A metal golem was a treasure in itself.
Metal refined with Kurayan’s techniques had limitless potential.
Its mana conductivity and durability far exceeded Earth’s metals.
If they could uncover the metal’s composition and ratio, the Western District’s technology would advance another level.
“A shame. Such a precious thing, ending up in their hands.”
“Shall I try negotiating? Even if not all of it, we might get a portion.”
“No need. There’s no reason to beg and lose face. It’s a pity, but we have our own substitutes and materials.”
“Understood.”
The City Hall operated its own raiding and hunting teams.
The underground storage beneath City Hall was filled with monster corpses and dungeon items piled high like mountains.
Researching all of that would take decades.
The S-class golem was tempting, but there was no need to stir conflict with Kim Hyunsoo over it.
“And…”
Seo Taeran spoke carefully.
“What else is there?”
“Monsters are appearing closer to Neo Seoul than before.”
“The anti-magic field is weakening.”
“Yes. It’s not at a dangerous level yet, but at this rate, in a few years monsters could reach the slums.”
“Hm.”
Jin Geumho let out a low hum.
He rose from his seat and approached the window.
From there, the vast landscape of Neo Seoul and the distant desert spread out before him.
No monsters were visible anywhere.
Neo Seoul’s anti-magic field extended far beyond human sight.
Monsters feared it, never daring to come near.
Because of that, Neo Seoul had escaped their threat and built its civilization.
If that protection disappeared, the outcome was obvious.
Countless monsters would descend upon Neo Seoul.
To them, the city would be nothing but a feeding ground overflowing with prey.
After a silent moment watching the desert, Jin Geumho spoke.
“Let’s go underground.”
“To which level, sir?”
“To the place where the dragon’s corpse lies.”
“Yes, sir.”
They entered a high-speed elevator and descended deep underground.
When the doors opened, a vast subterranean space unfolded.
At its center lay the enormous corpse of a dragon.
Dozens of workers surrounded it, busy at their tasks.
They stripped away scales, extracted muscle tissue.
Elsewhere, others drilled into bone to collect marrow.
At a glance, it looked like miners digging ore.
And in truth, it was no different.
The great dragon was a mine of resources.
It was no less than a rich mineral deposit.
Neo Seoul had harvested rare materials from that corpse for research, and through them, achieved its current prosperity.
“The problem is, the more we extract from the dragon, the weaker the anti-magic field becomes. Ironic, isn’t it? The more Neo Seoul advances, the greater the threat grows.”
“Should we slow down the mining rate?”
“You know that won’t buy us much time. We’re already on a train that cannot stop. The moment we halt, it’s the end.”
“I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You’re simply following my orders. As long as Heaven’s Punishment is completed, it will be fine. Once it’s done, Neo Seoul will be protected even without the anti-magic field.”
“I’ll push the research faster.”
“You know rushing won’t help. Let them continue as usual. They’re already giving it everything they’ve got.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If only we had one more dragon corpse. If only it were a mature one, not such a youngling.”
Jin Geumho’s face twisted in regret.
Seo Taeran’s eyes widened.
“That’s not a fully grown one?”
“If it had been a mature dragon, neither I nor Daeoden could have taken it down back then.”
A hundred years ago, both Jin Geumho and Daeoden had been inexperienced.
Their combat and judgment had been crude.
They’d only managed to slay the dragon because it was young and lacking experience.
Had it been larger, or wiser, both of them would have died that day.
“Are there more dragons on Earth?”
“As far as I know, seven crossed over. That one was the youngest and weakest.”
“Then that means others still exist.”
A chill ran through Seo Taeran’s body.
Even dead, the dragon radiated overwhelming presence.
He couldn’t even imagine how fearsome it must have been alive.
If a corpse felt like this, how terrifying would a living dragon be?
“Can the others be hunted?”
“Hard to say.”
Jin Geumho’s tone was doubtful.
Even back then, it had only been possible because of Daeoden.
Only Daeoden, who wielded the power of death itself, could sever a dragon’s life.
No other awakened could truly kill one.
To slay a dragon required not thousands of moderately strong awakened ones, but a single overwhelmingly powerful individual.
Someone like Daeoden.
Unfortunately, Neo Seoul no longer had anyone like him.
Then Seo Taeran asked cautiously,
“What if Zeon joins us?”
“In that case… the story might change.”
---
Zeon had finally stepped out of his house.
Aside from a brief visit to Old Kleksi’s shop, he had stayed shut in for nearly fifteen days.
Levin had begged him to go out, but Zeon hadn’t budged.
Only after resting that long did his body and mind fully recover, and the will to move returned.
The place he headed first was the Western District.
The moment he entered, the air changed—thick with the smell of metal and oil.
It felt less like the human world and more like a realm of machines.
Having seen El Harun, the difference here struck him even more sharply.
Then—
“Sir Zeon!”
A familiar voice called out.
He turned to see Oh Jin-ho thudding toward him.
Zeon smiled.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been upgraded.”
“Upgraded?”
At his words, Zeon studied him closely.
Now that he looked, Jin-ho’s frame had changed quite a bit.
Still huge, but far more streamlined.
Before, his mechanical limbs looked like plates of metal clumsily bolted on. Now, every joint was smooth and refined.
It was clear he’d been fitted with higher-grade parts.
“Looks impressive.”
“Not only that, I’ve been assigned a support AI.”
Oh Jin-ho couldn’t hide his pride.
Being assigned a support AI in the Western District was no small matter.
It meant he had become one of Kim Hyunsoo’s closest aides.
“Seems you were rewarded well for helping with the golem.”
“That’s right. It’s all thanks to you, Sir Zeon.”
Oh Jin-ho bowed deeply.
Zeon looked embarrassed.
“I didn’t really do much…”
“If you hadn’t destroyed the golem’s core, none of us would be here to thank you.”
“Well, I suppose…”
“So what brings you here?”
“Oh, I came to sell something.”
“Sell?”
“The monster remains I took from the dungeon as my share. I figured the Western District would pay better.”
“You’re really selling them to us?”
Oh Jin-ho’s face brightened.
The remains Zeon had received were enormous.
The Bloody Raid Team’s vehicles hadn’t been enough to carry it all, so they’d left everything to Zeon.
And in the Western District, metal was more valuable than magic stones.
Magic stones could be mined or harvested from monsters, but metal was scarce.
Metal was the alpha and omega of the Western District.
Originally, Zeon had planned to hand his share to the Goblin Market.
But after almost a month of rest, he changed his mind.
He decided it was better to sell it where it was needed most.
So he endured the hassle and came to the Western District himself.
“As long as I’m paid fairly, I’ll sell it here.”
“Excellent decision. The labs are in chaos right now, you know.”
“The labs?”
“Yes, ours. Apparently, the metals we retrieved have some very special properties.”
“Special properties?”
“I can’t give details, but for mechanical-type awakened like us, it’s beyond ideal.”
“That’s good news.”
For Zeon, anything that strengthened Neo Seoul’s defenses was a good thing.
“Please, come with me. I’ll make sure you get the best possible price.”
“That would be appreciated.”
Zeon nodded and followed him.
Jin-ho led him to the tallest building in the Western District.
It was where the main body of Triox Five and Kim Hyunsoo’s residence were located.
They went down to the basement together.
Normally, strict security checks would have been required, but since Jin-ho was with him, there was no need.
He opened a heavy steel door and said,
“This way. We’re researching the S-class golem here.”
“Is it all right for me to enter such an important place?”
“It’s fine. Triox Five already granted permission.”
“Really?”
“Yes. My support AI, Black Tiger, told me.”
The name Black Tiger was one Jin-ho had chosen himself.
Zeon couldn’t hear it, but the AI was speaking to Jin-ho in his mind even now.
As they entered, researchers turned to stare.
An older man among them approached Jin-ho.
“What brings you here?”
“I brought a gift.”
“A gift?”
“Sir Zeon, if you would.”
At Jin-ho’s cue, Zeon opened his subspace and released everything stored within.
A mountain of metallic monster remains poured out.
Researchers blinked in disbelief, then erupted in cheers.
“Wow!”
“Is this…?”
“Yes, the metals from that dungeon.”
“Incredible. This much material…”
The researchers stared at the pile with awe.
But Zeon’s expression wasn’t bright.
He felt a sharp gaze from somewhere.
It wasn’t human.
From a camera mounted on the ceiling, a red light flickered.
‘Triox Five.’
“Zeon has returned.”
At Seo Taeran’s report, Jin Geumho lifted his head.
“He was out for quite a while this time.”
“Yes. It appears he returned ten days ago along with the Bloody Raid Team from the Western District.”
“Ten days ago?”
“Yes. He hasn’t gone out since, so confirmation was delayed. I apologize.”
“Forget it. How could you confirm someone who won’t step outside his precious slum home?”
Jin Geumho waved off Seo Taeran’s apology.
“It won’t happen again.”
“You said he came back with the Western District team?”
“Yes. They met by chance in the desert and traveled together. Also, the Bloody Raid Team hunted an S-class golem. It’s been confirmed that Zeon helped.”
“An S-class golem?”
Jin Geumho’s eyes gleamed.
Unlike lesser monsters, S-class ones always drew attention.
“Yes. A golem made entirely of metal.”
“Kim Hyunsoo got himself a windfall.”
“…”
“What?”
“It’s just… strange to hear you use that expression, Mayor.”
“Ha. We used to say that all the time back then. Anyway, a metal golem, huh? Then the treasure’s ended up in Kim Hyunsoo’s hands.”
“I heard the Western District is in full celebration right now.”
“I’m sure. To those machine-worshipers, a metal golem must be a treasure chest. Once they analyze it, they’ll gain a lot.”
A metal golem was a treasure in itself.
Metal refined with Kurayan’s techniques had limitless potential.
Its mana conductivity and durability far exceeded Earth’s metals.
If they could uncover the metal’s composition and ratio, the Western District’s technology would advance another level.
“A shame. Such a precious thing, ending up in their hands.”
“Shall I try negotiating? Even if not all of it, we might get a portion.”
“No need. There’s no reason to beg and lose face. It’s a pity, but we have our own substitutes and materials.”
“Understood.”
The City Hall operated its own raiding and hunting teams.
The underground storage beneath City Hall was filled with monster corpses and dungeon items piled high like mountains.
Researching all of that would take decades.
The S-class golem was tempting, but there was no need to stir conflict with Kim Hyunsoo over it.
“And…”
Seo Taeran spoke carefully.
“What else is there?”
“Monsters are appearing closer to Neo Seoul than before.”
“The anti-magic field is weakening.”
“Yes. It’s not at a dangerous level yet, but at this rate, in a few years monsters could reach the slums.”
“Hm.”
Jin Geumho let out a low hum.
He rose from his seat and approached the window.
From there, the vast landscape of Neo Seoul and the distant desert spread out before him.
No monsters were visible anywhere.
Neo Seoul’s anti-magic field extended far beyond human sight.
Monsters feared it, never daring to come near.
Because of that, Neo Seoul had escaped their threat and built its civilization.
If that protection disappeared, the outcome was obvious.
Countless monsters would descend upon Neo Seoul.
To them, the city would be nothing but a feeding ground overflowing with prey.
After a silent moment watching the desert, Jin Geumho spoke.
“Let’s go underground.”
“To which level, sir?”
“To the place where the dragon’s corpse lies.”
“Yes, sir.”
They entered a high-speed elevator and descended deep underground.
When the doors opened, a vast subterranean space unfolded.
At its center lay the enormous corpse of a dragon.
Dozens of workers surrounded it, busy at their tasks.
They stripped away scales, extracted muscle tissue.
Elsewhere, others drilled into bone to collect marrow.
At a glance, it looked like miners digging ore.
And in truth, it was no different.
The great dragon was a mine of resources.
It was no less than a rich mineral deposit.
Neo Seoul had harvested rare materials from that corpse for research, and through them, achieved its current prosperity.
“The problem is, the more we extract from the dragon, the weaker the anti-magic field becomes. Ironic, isn’t it? The more Neo Seoul advances, the greater the threat grows.”
“Should we slow down the mining rate?”
“You know that won’t buy us much time. We’re already on a train that cannot stop. The moment we halt, it’s the end.”
“I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You’re simply following my orders. As long as Heaven’s Punishment is completed, it will be fine. Once it’s done, Neo Seoul will be protected even without the anti-magic field.”
“I’ll push the research faster.”
“You know rushing won’t help. Let them continue as usual. They’re already giving it everything they’ve got.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If only we had one more dragon corpse. If only it were a mature one, not such a youngling.”
Jin Geumho’s face twisted in regret.
Seo Taeran’s eyes widened.
“That’s not a fully grown one?”
“If it had been a mature dragon, neither I nor Daeoden could have taken it down back then.”
A hundred years ago, both Jin Geumho and Daeoden had been inexperienced.
Their combat and judgment had been crude.
They’d only managed to slay the dragon because it was young and lacking experience.
Had it been larger, or wiser, both of them would have died that day.
“Are there more dragons on Earth?”
“As far as I know, seven crossed over. That one was the youngest and weakest.”
“Then that means others still exist.”
A chill ran through Seo Taeran’s body.
Even dead, the dragon radiated overwhelming presence.
He couldn’t even imagine how fearsome it must have been alive.
If a corpse felt like this, how terrifying would a living dragon be?
“Can the others be hunted?”
“Hard to say.”
Jin Geumho’s tone was doubtful.
Even back then, it had only been possible because of Daeoden.
Only Daeoden, who wielded the power of death itself, could sever a dragon’s life.
No other awakened could truly kill one.
To slay a dragon required not thousands of moderately strong awakened ones, but a single overwhelmingly powerful individual.
Someone like Daeoden.
Unfortunately, Neo Seoul no longer had anyone like him.
Then Seo Taeran asked cautiously,
“What if Zeon joins us?”
“In that case… the story might change.”
---
Zeon had finally stepped out of his house.
Aside from a brief visit to Old Kleksi’s shop, he had stayed shut in for nearly fifteen days.
Levin had begged him to go out, but Zeon hadn’t budged.
Only after resting that long did his body and mind fully recover, and the will to move returned.
The place he headed first was the Western District.
The moment he entered, the air changed—thick with the smell of metal and oil.
It felt less like the human world and more like a realm of machines.
Having seen El Harun, the difference here struck him even more sharply.
Then—
“Sir Zeon!”
A familiar voice called out.
He turned to see Oh Jin-ho thudding toward him.
Zeon smiled.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been upgraded.”
“Upgraded?”
At his words, Zeon studied him closely.
Now that he looked, Jin-ho’s frame had changed quite a bit.
Still huge, but far more streamlined.
Before, his mechanical limbs looked like plates of metal clumsily bolted on. Now, every joint was smooth and refined.
It was clear he’d been fitted with higher-grade parts.
“Looks impressive.”
“Not only that, I’ve been assigned a support AI.”
Oh Jin-ho couldn’t hide his pride.
Being assigned a support AI in the Western District was no small matter.
It meant he had become one of Kim Hyunsoo’s closest aides.
“Seems you were rewarded well for helping with the golem.”
“That’s right. It’s all thanks to you, Sir Zeon.”
Oh Jin-ho bowed deeply.
Zeon looked embarrassed.
“I didn’t really do much…”
“If you hadn’t destroyed the golem’s core, none of us would be here to thank you.”
“Well, I suppose…”
“So what brings you here?”
“Oh, I came to sell something.”
“Sell?”
“The monster remains I took from the dungeon as my share. I figured the Western District would pay better.”
“You’re really selling them to us?”
Oh Jin-ho’s face brightened.
The remains Zeon had received were enormous.
The Bloody Raid Team’s vehicles hadn’t been enough to carry it all, so they’d left everything to Zeon.
And in the Western District, metal was more valuable than magic stones.
Magic stones could be mined or harvested from monsters, but metal was scarce.
Metal was the alpha and omega of the Western District.
Originally, Zeon had planned to hand his share to the Goblin Market.
But after almost a month of rest, he changed his mind.
He decided it was better to sell it where it was needed most.
So he endured the hassle and came to the Western District himself.
“As long as I’m paid fairly, I’ll sell it here.”
“Excellent decision. The labs are in chaos right now, you know.”
“The labs?”
“Yes, ours. Apparently, the metals we retrieved have some very special properties.”
“Special properties?”
“I can’t give details, but for mechanical-type awakened like us, it’s beyond ideal.”
“That’s good news.”
For Zeon, anything that strengthened Neo Seoul’s defenses was a good thing.
“Please, come with me. I’ll make sure you get the best possible price.”
“That would be appreciated.”
Zeon nodded and followed him.
Jin-ho led him to the tallest building in the Western District.
It was where the main body of Triox Five and Kim Hyunsoo’s residence were located.
They went down to the basement together.
Normally, strict security checks would have been required, but since Jin-ho was with him, there was no need.
He opened a heavy steel door and said,
“This way. We’re researching the S-class golem here.”
“Is it all right for me to enter such an important place?”
“It’s fine. Triox Five already granted permission.”
“Really?”
“Yes. My support AI, Black Tiger, told me.”
The name Black Tiger was one Jin-ho had chosen himself.
Zeon couldn’t hear it, but the AI was speaking to Jin-ho in his mind even now.
As they entered, researchers turned to stare.
An older man among them approached Jin-ho.
“What brings you here?”
“I brought a gift.”
“A gift?”
“Sir Zeon, if you would.”
At Jin-ho’s cue, Zeon opened his subspace and released everything stored within.
A mountain of metallic monster remains poured out.
Researchers blinked in disbelief, then erupted in cheers.
“Wow!”
“Is this…?”
“Yes, the metals from that dungeon.”
“Incredible. This much material…”
The researchers stared at the pile with awe.
But Zeon’s expression wasn’t bright.
He felt a sharp gaze from somewhere.
It wasn’t human.
From a camera mounted on the ceiling, a red light flickered.
‘Triox Five.’