Chapter 103
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Multiplying Ginseng
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Huge, yet adorable.
A meeting of contradictions in a single expression.
But was the power of infancy that great?
The seemingly clumsy largeness didn't diminish the baby bear's charm; it amplified it.
“Aaaah! It’s so soft! It’s just like a giant teddy bear!”
“I knew this would happen.”
Was it because she had plenty of experience riding Yongbi and Danbi?
Kang Yeon-ah somehow managed to keep her balance while stroking its fur.
Normally, he would have stopped her since they were running, but Seong-hyeok didn't pay it much mind, as if he’d expected it.
“Kkueng! Kkueeeeng!”
“Hehehe!”
Perhaps because he was used to Kang Yeon-ah's touch from a young age, Maha accepted her petting with pleasure, showing no signs of rejection.
Since he was running without issue, Seong-hyeok fed the hard-working Maha some honey-cured jerky.
Chomp, chomp, chomp-!
“Kkuing! Kkuiing!”
The sweet and savory taste was a synergy of jerky made by the apiary’s top chef, Yeon Su-hee, and high-quality honey.
Thanks to that, Maha’s mouth chomped even faster than his running feet as he charged forward.
An enormous appetite befitting his large frame.
But could blood truly be denied?
“Kkueeeeeeng!”
The cry of Nar, the youngest of the fur-balls.
Just like his brother, he looked back and forth between Seong-hyeok and the jerky in his hand with sparkling eyes.
“What, you want some too?”
“Kkueng!”
His head nodded rapidly as if to say, “Why even ask?”
Well, it wasn't good to discriminate between brothers when it came to food, so he placed a piece of jerky in Nar’s mouth as well.
Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp-!
Chomp, chomp-
The sounds of the foodie prodigies echoed from above and below.
“Oppa, give me some too. Let me feed them!”
“Alright. I’ll feed Maha, you take care of Nar.”
“Okay! Leave it to me!”
Seong-hyeok, whose beekeeping habits left him feeling antsy.
The potentially tedious expedition to Thailand passed in a flash, thanks to the two food connoisseurs’ eating show.
* * * * *
The sturdiness and speed unique to baby bears.
Add to that a steady supply of fuel (?), and the trifecta was complete, allowing them to reach their destination in no time.
Still, was this place worthy of holding a 5-Star+ grade Treasure item?
“Kik! Kiiik!”
“Kik-kik-kik-kik!”
“Kieeeek!”
Monkeys were rampaging as if having a seizure.
With scales like armor covering their bodies instead of fur, they were clearly no ordinary monkeys.
[Armor Monkey Lv. 30 (★★+)]
[Armor Monkey Lv. 28 (★★+)]
[Blood Armor Monkey Lv. 35 (★★★)] - Elite Monster
…….
Monsters with levels that couldn't be easily ignored.
Not only were they extremely aggressive, but they also seemed capable of strategy, as the monkey covered in red scales ordered an attack.
Tatadadadat!
Using the trees, the monkeys displayed brilliant agility as they closed in, tightening their encirclement.
It was a decent judgment call, but it became a fatal misstep because their opponent was none other than Seong-hyeok.
“Dimensional Beehive.”
Whiiing~
Wheeeeeeeeeeeng!!!
As the saying goes, there’s always someone flying above the one who runs.
From within the Dimensional Beehive emerged 1.5 million honeybees.
“Kik! Kkik!”
“Kieeeek!”
The sheer number of them was overwhelming, but when the great generals like the massive Teunteun-i and Deundeun-i appeared, their armor gleaming, they completely turned the tables on the encirclement. The monkeys, realizing the gravity of the situation, attempted to flee.
A swift judgment call, typical of cunning monkeys.
However, no matter how skilled they were at escaping through the trees, they were no match for the body slams of the winged honeybees.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-
Craaash-!
“Kieeeek!”
[You have hunted an Armor Monkey Lv. 29 (★★+). You have acquired EXP, 15,882 Coins, and Armor Monkey Hide (★★+) has been dropped.]
[You have hunted a Blood Armor Monkey Lv. 35 (★★★) - Elite Monster. You have acquired EXP, 68,315 Coins, and Blood Armor Monkey Fang (★★★), Blood Armor Monkey Hide (★★★) have been dropped.]
…….
As a rule, those who disturb a beehive do not meet a good end.
The hunt ended in an instant, the monkeys overwhelmed by sheer numbers and buried under a barrage of body slams without the bees even needing to use their stingers.
Whiing~
Wheeeng-!
As if starved for praise.
The bees, carrying their spoils, swarmed toward Seong-hyeok, rubbing against him.
A smile bloomed on Seong-hyeok’s face at the affection from the bees, who were like his own children.
“Good job. Fly around, scout the area, and gather some honey. You have permission to attack anyone who ignores your warnings and approaches.”
Whiing~
Even while in Thailand, he was trying to collect honey on the side.
A statement befitting Seong-hyeok, a beekeeper to the bone.
With the surrounding area secured, what remained was a simple task.
“Nar, I’m counting on you.”
“Kkueng!”
The youngest baby bear, Nar.
Unlike his brothers who specialized in movement and combat, he possessed the special ability, Blessing of the Discoverer.
While spreading out the bees was usually the most effective method of investigation, since the target was a Treasure item, Seong-hyeok had brought Nar along, trusting in the power of this blessing.
And sure enough?
Sniff- Sniff, sniff-
“Kkuing! Kkueng!”
After a short while, Nar began to jump up and down, as if he had caught a scent.
When Seong-hyeok approached, the little bear immediately started digging into the ground as if he’d been waiting.
“Wow. He’s fast!”
“That’s quite impressive.”
His digging skills were in no way inferior to the Dig tribe back at the apiary.
“Kkuing-kkuing!”
“Kkueng!”
With Maha joining in to help, a large pit-like hole soon opened up, revealing something within.
[You have discovered Multiplying Ginseng (★★★★★+) - Treasure (Inactive)!]
It was, just as the information from the trade had indicated, the 5-Star+ grade Treasure item, Multiplying Ginseng.
But the joy of obtaining another Treasure item after the Ring of Greed was short-lived.
“Huh? What’s wrong with this?”
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[Multiplying Ginseng (★★★★★+) - Treasure (Inactive)]
※ This item is currently inactive as it has not yet attained its full power. It must be infused with vitality to enjoy the effects below.
※ Upon equipping, this item binds to the user and cannot be transferred to others. To obtain ownership, the bound target must be killed.
* Classification: Special Object
* Effect: When its roots are planted deep in the ground, it periodically multiplies, creating random, high-quality ginseng nearby. (Can be accelerated by soil condition and additional effects.)
* Effect - Retrieve (Active): Retrieves the planted Multiplying Ginseng. It will return to its bound owner regardless of location. However, upon retrieval, all ginseng that has multiplied from its roots will lose their efficacy. (Mana Cost: 1,000 / Cooldown: 30 days)
* Effect - King of Adaptive Ginseng (Passive): When the owner possesses a power befitting the Multiplying Ginseng, it awakens different abilities. (?)
* Durability: ∞ / ∞
* Description: A ★★★★★+ grade Treasure that holds the power of multiplication. When activated, it exhibits vigorous activity and multiplies a large amount of high-quality ginseng in the soil around where it is planted.
※ Caution…….
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The ‘Inactive’ option was something he had never seen on any item he had discovered so far.
“I can’t use this?”
A Treasure item obtained by mobilizing all his time and points.
Especially one that multiplies ginseng, a consumable.
And he couldn't use it, right after seeing how well it could work with processed honey products?
His brief bewilderment soon passed.
‘No, there has to be a way.’
Seong-hyeok calmed his chaotic thoughts.
After all, in matters that required a sequence of steps, completing the first one meant the next was sure to follow.
To proceed, he first needed to handle the first step: ‘ownership.’
[Do you want to bind the ownership of Multiplying Ginseng (★★★★★+) - Treasure (Inactive)? YES / NO]
※ Caution! Upon acquisition, you will be exposed to all players and may become a target.
The same warning as with the Ring of Greed.
An excessive amount of Treasure could make him a ‘target’ for others, just as the warning said, but who was Seong-hyeok?
He already possessed the Ring of Greed, and although she wasn't the owner, Greendale, who had the Ring of Lust, was also at his apiary.
Whether he had two Treasures or three, if he was going to be a target anyway, it was wiser to absorb their power and grow quickly.
“YES.”
[You have met the conditions for a quest. -> Binding of the Multiplying Ginseng]
[The Multiplying Ginseng reacts to the scent of honey emanating from you.]
[The Treasure-exclusive quest, Resurrection of the Multiplying Ginseng, has been granted.]
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[Treasure-Exclusive Quest: Resurrection of the Multiplying Ginseng]
- The Multiplying Ginseng desires an energy supply for its revival. Please invest in it until its satisfaction reaches 100%. -
※ Current Satisfaction: 0%
※ Investing higher-grade consumables will fill the satisfaction gauge more. However, the efficiency will decrease if the same type of item is invested repeatedly.
* Failure Condition: None
* Reward: Activation of Multiplying Ginseng, Awakening of King of Adaptive Ginseng (Passive)
______________________________
As he accepted without a moment’s hesitation, the method to activate the Multiplying Ginseng appeared, just as he had expected.
Furthermore, judging by the quest description, the difficulty of this method was quite low for Seong-hyeok.
Why, you ask?
[You invest Guardian's Five-Colored Venom Wine (★★★-) into the Multiplying Ginseng. Satisfaction increases by 0.1%. Current Satisfaction - 0.1%]
[You invest Guardian's Five-Colored Honey Tea (★★★-) into the Multiplying Ginseng. Satisfaction increases by 0.2%. Current Satisfaction - 0.3%]
[You invest Guardian's World Tree Wild Honey Five-Colored Wine (★★★★+) into the Multiplying Ginseng. Satisfaction increases by 2.5%. Current Satisfaction - 2.8%]
…….
Seong-hyeok, the master of an apiary with a honeybee army numbering in the millions.
The vast number of bees produced a massive amount of byproducts, not to mention the various processed goods created due to the Mad Inquirer's Karma.
Utilizing these, filling the satisfaction to 100% would be no trouble at all.
“Are you all done?”
“Yeah. Yeon-ah, could you set up an exit?”
“Leave it to me!”
The acquisition of the Treasure item was completed smoothly without any major issues.
But was there perhaps another reward for venturing all the way out to Thailand?
[Player Jeongrichung has left a message.]
『Seong-hyeok. I finally found it. The information on Elves you wanted!』
Jeongrichung’s message flew in like a news bulletin.
And as luck would have it, the location indicated in the data he sent was, surprisingly, Thailand.
As if by coincidence, it was so close to Seong-hyeok that he could practically reach it by falling over.
As if to confirm this fact?
[Ruby Gem Scout Bee (★★★-) attempts to scout.]
[Ruby Gem Speed-Kito Legion Commander Bee (★★★★) attempts to scout.]
[Disaster-class Dungeon, Village of Holy Elves (★★★★★+), has been discovered!]
[The Holy Elves have detected you and the Treasure you possess.]
“What, what is this?”
Whiing~
Wheeeng-
The ever-reliable scout bee and Ssing-ssing-i, always coming through with a big find.
As if to render the information trade with Riggle meaningless.
They had found a Disaster-class dungeon, something not easily located.
A new village of Elves.