Chapter 49: Weapon Enhancement (1)
TL: Hanguk
After handling the matter of Mr. Kim’s family in Seoul and setting the waypoint there, I made a brief stop at the Gwanggyo Survivor Zone in Suwon before returning to Wolgwang Island.
“Is Yoon Si-ah ssi from Suwon here?”
"What are you talking about, showing up out of nowhere?"
Then Kim Hyun-soo, the leader of the top hunting team in Suwon Gwanggyo, approached me with a scowl on his face.
Judging by his expression, Kim Hyun-soo must have already heard that he’s referred to as ‘Yoon Si-ah from Suwon’ back in Seoul.
“Still, doesn’t it mean your name’s gotten as far as Seoul? That’s a good thing, right?”
“If it’s really a good thing, then they should stop using that weird nickname like they’re comparing me to her.”
“I actually saw Yoon Si-ah fighting, and honestly, she deserves to be called that.”
“…That good?”
“If you’re fighting up close, since you’re a former national kendo athlete, you’d probably have a 6:4 advantage. But if the fight starts at a distance, I think Yoon Si-ah would dominate like 1:9.”
“Really? Hmm.”
Seeing Kim Hyun-soo react seriously, I let out a small chuckle.
I figured I should stop teasing him now.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Before that, let’s fix how we address each other. We’ve known each other for six years now.”
“Sorry?”
“Don’t you think it’s about time you call me hyung? I’m two years older than you.”
As he said that, Kim Hyun-soo took something out from his inventory and handed it to me.
[Goblin Taming Necklace / Grade: Premium]
-Can tame goblin species of level 10 or below.
It was exactly the taming necklace I had requested.
Though the target monster was just a goblin, it looked perfect to use as labor on Wolgwang Island.
Moreover, there were two necklaces.
So I accepted his request without hesitation.
“Ooh, Hyun-soo hyung!”
“Getting two was really lucky. Most people want to use taming necklaces themselves, so they rarely go on the market.”
I had told him that if he found any taming necklaces, I’d buy them all, but I didn’t expect he’d really get them.
Whether it was because he liked being called Hyun-soo hyung, or just my enthusiastic reaction, he smiled with satisfaction.
“How much is it?”
“You’ve got to understand, taming necklaces are expensive by nature. Even if the monster’s level is low, with consistent care, it can keep getting stronger. I had to pay 10,000 coins each even though these are for goblins.”
So that meant he purchased both for 20,000 coins.
Considering that Woof-woof, the Grand Dire Wolf with a base level of 10, was already close to level 40, the price made perfect sense.
I immediately withdrew coins from my status window and handed them to him.
“I’ll add a 10% commission.”
“Huh? Really? Thanks.”
The amount I gave him was 22,000 coins.
It’s only natural, transactions need to be beneficial for both parties to continue.
“Please keep getting more in the future. I’ll buy every one of them.”
“You're rich? Honestly, even 20,000 coins isn’t something most people can just hand over easily.”
“What would you have done if I didn’t buy them?”
“What else? Our hunting team would’ve used them. Taming hobgoblins or poison-needle goblins seems pretty useful.”
He’s got a point.
Just because it’s a goblin taming necklace doesn’t mean you’re limited to taming only basic goblins.
“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
Then I talked about Mr. Kim’s family.
I told him that there’s a family of an acquaintance at the Yongsan Park camp in Seoul, and that if they ever ran into trouble with someone, they should say they know Kim Hyun-soo from Suwon.
Hearing that, Kim Hyun-soo nodded with a pleasant smile.
“Sure, it’s no big deal. But if they get tangled up in a complicated situation, I’m going to get something out of you.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
After shaking hands with Kim Hyun-soo, we parted ways.
During this trip to Seoul, I ended up building connections with two different factions.
I think I’ve figured out how to handle both of them.
‘Kim Hyun-soo from Suwon is my ally in the light, Choi Do-gyeom from Seongnam is my ally in the shadows.’
I might end up forming a faction of my own someday, so establishing friendly relations with the major players in the metropolitan area is definitely a gain.
‘Adding Yoon Si-ah from Seoul later wouldn’t be a bad idea either.’
Of course, I don’t have any plans to build a faction just yet.
Besides, it’s kind of silly to fantasize about things when the people involved haven’t shown any intention to join me.
Still, no one knows what the future holds.
So I’ll just treat it as a potential possibility.
***
“Argh!”
Mr. Kim recoiled in shock at the sight of the two hobgoblins I had tamed and brought from Suwon.
I entrusted the hobgoblin warriors to Mr. Kim.
“It must be hard making all this by yourself. Use these two. They’ll be quite useful as laborers.”
Hobgoblins are significantly larger than normal goblins.
They’re level 10 monsters, just like the Grand Dire Wolf, so it was only natural.
With red skin and muscular builds, they looked exactly like goblins, but their size rivaled that of orcs.
So whether it was shoveling or using a pickaxe, they’d be more effective than regular goblins.
Hearing this, Mr. Kim looked at the two goblins in admiration.
“What are their names?”
The most basic question.
To assign tasks properly, names were essential.
So I casually told him their names.
“This one with the gentle face is Kongji, and the one with the mean face is Patzzi.” (TL Note: Both names are from a traditional Korean romance story. Read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongjwi_and_Patjwi)
“……”
Mr. Kim was momentarily speechless at my naming sense.
But I think they roll off the tongue pretty nicely, don’t they?
“Kongji, Patzzi, from now on, listen carefully to that man, okay?”
-Kiik!
-Kiek!
With that, I transferred command of the hobgoblins to Mr. Kim.
“Ha, haha. I’ve got myself some reliable bodyguards.”
But that wasn’t the end of the gifts for Mr. Kim.
The highlight was yet to come.
I took out my smartphone and, as Mr. Kim swallowed dryly with a nervous “No way” I played the video message left by his wife and son.
“Dear! Tae-sik!”
The moment he saw his wife and son appear in the video, Mr. Kim couldn’t contain his joy.
It was a short video, around five minutes long.
He watched it over and over, basking in happiness.
“When I obtain an item that allows multiple people to use a waypoint, I’ll make sure you can all live together.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Mr. Kim grabbed my hand tightly, repeatedly expressing his gratitude through tears.
He then asked about the condition of his wife and son, and I told him honestly.
Both were injured, but they were now safe after being treated by Willia.
Since they were staying in a safety tent, I arranged for them to move into a government-rented apartment using coins.
Mr. Kim let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Meeting you, Baek-ho ssi, has truly been the greatest fortune of my life.”
I appreciate that sentiment.
Because I also think meeting Mr. Kim was a stroke of luck.
There was also the artifact he gave me, but more than that, I was very impressed by the skills he possessed.
My gaze then shifted to the nearly completed three-story building.
A 150-pyeong structure with one basement level and two floors above ground.
‘Even with an inventory that makes transporting materials easier, and magic blocks that automatically take care of the foundation, steel frames, and insulation when stacked, this construction speed is incredible.’
And the separate annex being built next to the main house for pets wasn’t small either.
Just like the promise he made to gift a grand mansion to his savior, a majestic house was being built on Wolgwang Island.
Unlike the shabby buildings I had put up, this one had excellent design and was even planned to connect solar power and groundwater, ensuring maximum convenience.
‘I’m already looking forward to it.’
While others struggle to survive each day out there, I’ll be sitting on a sofa next to Willia, watching movies on a projector hooked up to a DVD player.
And listening to music too.
‘From now on, if I come across any audio or video equipment, or DVDs, I’m definitely picking them up.’
They say there are always people who live well even after the world ends, maybe that’s referring to me.
***
After returning to the lodging on Wolgwang Island, I immediately contacted my father.
[Communication Ring / Grade: Special]
-A communication ring set consisting of two rings.
-Allows conversation with the paired user regardless of distance.
I had acquired this first communication item in a place called the Troll’s Nest while furiously clearing dungeons on my way north to Seoul.
Thanks to this, I could now talk to my parents in real-time without a satellite phone.
The dungeon information I received today in Seoul from a woman named Yoon Si-ah.
I wanted to ask my father about the dungeon with the mummy, which is reportedly being managed by the government organization, the Nation Revival Agency.
I heard the Nation Revival Agency obtained an item in that dungeon which allows multiple people to travel together via a waypoint.
If I can get that item, I’ll be able to bring my parents to Wolgwang Island or Gauido Island at any time, so I absolutely want to acquire it.
[I was just about to contact you, so this works out well.]
Not long after, my father received my message.
However, his voice sounded noticeably down, like something was bothering him.
“Did something happen?”
[I heard a monster appeared in Seoul that destroyed a bridge. You said you were heading to Seoul today. I was going to call to check if you were safe.]
So I explained everything that had happened today to my father.
After hearing it all, he expressed his discomfort, and this was the reason why:
[The Capital Defense Command bastards are going way off course. I mean, how does it make sense that such an incident occurs and the story only reaches Army HQ three hours later through Suwon’s Ground Operations Command (1st + 3rd Army)?!]
“Are you saying the Capital Defense Command is drifting away from Gyeryong base?”
[It’s starting to look that way. The President and the Army Chief of Staff aren’t exactly on good terms right now. I’m guessing the Commander of the Capital Defense Command has decided to side with the President after weighing his options.]
I had already heard several times that the relationship between the government and the military was deteriorating.
‘In a situation where unity is already in short supply, now the power-holders are creating divisions.’
This is why it’s hard to trust the government or the military.
They’re supposed to be indispensable in a crisis like this, but the ones at the top are too politically driven.
[These days, even the 2nd Operations Command (2nd Army) is moving sluggishly. At this rate, the country might end up splitting into three.]
The Capital Defense Command, heavily influenced by the government.
The Ground Operations Command, which still mostly follows Gyeryong base.
And the 2nd Operations Command, based in places like Busan and Daegu, showing a clear rear-guard tendency.
Just like my father said, the country might really end up breaking into three.
No matter what, I need to get my hands on that multi-user waypoint item as soon as possible.
[So the waypoint multi-transport item came from the dungeon with the mummy?]
“Yes. Even after clearing quite a few dungeons and opening treasure chests, that item hasn’t dropped. So I’m thinking it might only be obtainable from a specific place.”
[Well, it’s a dungeon I’m not familiar with either. I’ll look into it.]
“Okay, I’d really appreciate it.”
That was all I needed to say.
But my father still had something more to share.
And that was.
[This isn’t confirmed, but there’s some worrying information going around.]
“What is it?”
[You know that monster that destroyed the bridge in Seoul?]
“Yes.”
[The government suspects that the giant serpent may have been acting under the orders of an Elder Monster.]
An Elder Monster commanding an aquatic monster of level 55?
That was something I hadn’t considered.
But hearing my father say it, I could kind of see it being possible.
I had a tendency to see Creature Boa as something special because it was an aquatic monster.
If you classify it as just a regular monster, then it doesn’t make sense that it was going around destroying bridges. So assuming there was a monster controlling it makes sense.
[This is something I also heard via Suwon’s Ground Operations Command. We requested clarification from the government, but they haven’t responded.]
They're really functioning well.
My father and I both let out sighs at almost the same time.
Still, I’m glad I got wind of this information ahead of time thanks to him.
If there really is an Elder Monster commanding Creature Boa, then its level would be no joke.
[If such an Elder Monster does appear, are you planning to participate in helping Seoul?]
“I’m not sure. I can’t give a definite answer, but… I think I’d consider it. I am still a citizen of this country, after all.”
[Whatever you decide, be careful. If you sense that your life is in danger, don’t hesitate, just run.]
“Now that’s something I’m very good at, so don’t worry.”
I told my father not to worry and ended the call.
‘The Elder Monster in Seoul is still just a suspicion. There’s no need to worry about something that hasn’t even happened yet.’
Still, you never know what might happen.
I should keep this in mind while planning my next steps.
‘So then, what should I do now…?’
At this stage, there’s no need to overthink what needs to be done.
As always, my top priority should be strengthening myself.
‘But it’s time to try a different method of enhancement.’
Specifically, gathering minerals from the "Forgotten Mine" dungeon in Hongseong and using them to enhance my equipment.
***
The next day, before heading to Hongseong with the goal of mining minerals.
I received some great news.
“Woof-woof?!”
[Woof-woof has evolved into a Chief Dire Wolf.]
-Stats have increased, and 1 new skill has been acquired.
[Woof-woof (Chief Dire Wolf) / Level: 39]
-Possessed Skills
Charge: Charges at the enemy to tackle or sprint forward at higher speed.
Sever: Bites enemies with teeth imbued with magic power.
Woof-woof had evolved into a higher species of Grand Dire Wolf.
Not only had his stats increased, but he also gained a new skill, making him even stronger.
And the new skill he acquired paired well with his existing skill, Charge.
‘But… what was the condition for this evolution?’
It wasn’t level-based, nor was it triggered by hunting a specific monster.
I tilted my head in puzzlement.
“Well, good things are good. You did great, Woof-woof.”
-Awoo!
With the evolution, Woof-woof’s size had grown to the point that he could easily look down on other Chief Dire Wolves.
If I had to compare, he was like a walking village bus?
If Willia rode on his back and covered herself with his fur, he could even conceal her presence.
‘I guess he won’t be able to accompany us into dungeons with narrow paths.’
Just how big is he going to get?
-Kkuik!
Apparently inspired by Woof-woof’s evolution, Fatty seemed to want to evolve too.
[Fatty (Orc) / Level: 27]
-Possessed Skill
Slash: Swings a sword imbued with magic power.
But it looked like Fatty would need a bit more time.
“Fatty, you’re coming with us today too.”
-Kkuik!
Maybe it was because he had been acting separately for a while?
Fatty looked thrilled at the suggestion of joining us.
Smiling, I handed Fatty a pickaxe.
Of course, Willia and I each had one as well.
‘I’d love to bring Kongji and Patzzi too, but taking pets at level 10 would only get them instantly killed.’
Shortly after, we arrived at the “Forgotten Mine” in Hongseong.
“Looks like the Hongseong college team didn’t show up this time.”
Unlike last time, they hadn’t entered midway through the dungeon time limit.
‘By the way, I wonder how my subscriber’s doing.’
I figured I’d drop by later after finishing today’s tasks, and swiftly cleared the monsters as we pushed inside.
“There are a lot of minerals here. Should we just set up camp and dig?”
“Sounds good.”
Willia responded brightly, lifted her pickaxe, and struck the wall.
Clang!
But even though her level was the same as mine, it was probably her first time mining, so the impact rebounded and she lost her balance, bumping into me.
“S-sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
In contrast, Fatty was a natural, to the point where he could’ve been employee of the month.
-Thunk! Thunk!
The speed and the echo of his strikes on the mineral-covered wall were completely different from Willia’s.
“Whoa, Fatty. You’re doing great.”
-Kkuik.
He seemed to enjoy it too, as he began digging not only the visible minerals but also those buried deeper inside the wall.
And then.
-Rattle.
A crumbling sound came from behind the wall, and a fist-sized hole formed.
“Wait, did he break through to the space behind?”
Hold on, structurally, what’s behind this wall is…
A faint light began to shine through the hole that Fatty had made.
“Kyaa!”
Willia let out a scream.
It was because an eyeball suddenly appeared in the hole.
[…W-What.]
It was the boss of the Forgotten Mine, Half-Lich.
*****
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