Dungeon & Commander (219) - Mission: Operation 3
“I had no idea.”
“At first, I thought the master was just messing with us.”
“You should’ve at least given us a hint.”
Yeom Sang-taek, Sa Yeonggyo, and Skyla unleashed a torrent of words the moment they climbed into the van.
Go Cheolmin gave an awkward smile.
When he’d first heard the story from Yoo Wan-seop, he’d been utterly flustered.
In truth, it was a ridiculous proposal.
He’d been dumbfounded, unable to even imagine it—but once Yoo Wan-seop explained the necessity, Go Cheolmin found himself nodding along. Position and pride meant nothing. What mattered was what you did for the guild, what sacrifices you made.
From guild master to second tanker.
The gossipmongers would latch onto that. They’d whine about the fallen guild master’s shattered pride, and the media would buzz like crazy.
Didn’t matter.
Go Cheolmin was no longer Uramata’s guild master. He was Pink Team’s second tanker.
“Team leader.”
Skyla spoke up.
Kim Jun, who’d been gazing out the rear window lost in thought, turned to her.
“According to Pink Team tradition, age doesn’t matter, right?”
“Damn right.”
Kim Jun replied.
Up until then, Go Cheolmin had no clue what was going on. Meaningful glances passed between the team members, all with a hint of mischief on their faces.
Suddenly, Choi Muhyun piped up.
“Cheolmin-ah.”
“What?”
Go Cheolmin couldn’t believe his ears.
“It’s Pink Team tradition. We drop the formalities. Once you’re on Pink Team, age is irrelevant.”
Only then did Go Cheolmin recall how Skyla, Yeom Sang-taek, Yoo Min-jeong, and the others treated each other like close friends, bantering casually. Skyla was about seven years older, yet they got along without a hint of formality. He’d chalked it up to her growing up abroad.
He never could’ve imagined this.
“Whoa, look at his face. Cheolmin’s totally flustered.”
Sa Yeonggyo burst into laughter.
Go Cheolmin didn’t know what expression to make. His face burned hot, but strangely, his chest felt lighter.
Memories from the old days surfaced.
Back when raids were all that mattered.
Yeah, screw the guild master mindset, the etiquette, all of it. Age? Experience? Who gives a damn?
I’m an active tanker!
“You lot, ignoring me is ignoring a tanker. If the tanker falls, the team falls. Right?”
Go Cheolmin shot a look at Choi Muhyun.
Choi Muhyun, who’d been grinning and teasing him, nodded seriously. Tankers shared a fierce camaraderie among themselves.
“Yeah! Who dares ignore our tankers?”
Choi Muhyun’s bellow turned the van into chaos.
Yoo Min-jeong and Skyla fired back fiercely, with Yeom Sang-taek and Sa Yeonggyo chiming in right after.
Kim Jun silently watched his team.
The van carrying Pink Team arrived at the Brave Raid Center’s underground parking lot in under ten minutes.
A team in dark green training gear was already waiting by the elevator.
Acacia Guild’s Grintree Team.
They were part of B Group for this Sokcho Dungeon raid.
“Whoa! She’s gorgeous! Totally my type!”
Team leader Jason Tyler lunged toward Yoo Min-jeong but froze mid-step.
Kim Jun had slipped in front of her.
“Elevator’s here.”
Kim Jun pointed at the open doors, staring Jason Tyler down.
“Owner of the ugliest mug, blocker of my beauty quest—what’s your name?”
His peculiar speech sounded like singing one moment, rapping the next.
“Kim Jun.”
“I’ll remember that. You’ll pay. I’ll make you kneel and sob. I swear it…”
His teammates dragged Jason into the elevator first.
“What’s his deal?”
Sa Yeonggyo asked.
Yeom Sang-taek explained about Grintree Team and their leader, Jason Tyler.
“Raider from Chicago, USA. Level 5 wind-attribute dealer, but rumors say he’s stronger than that. His playboy image overshadows it, but he’s the real deal. Got kicked out of two raids over women, nearly expelled, but his skills saved him.”
Yeom Sang-taek had clearly grown. The timid guy from before was gone.
Go Cheolmin smiled faintly at the sight.
“Casanova mercenary, huh.”
Sa Yeonggyo summed it up.
Rumors swirled that guilds hoping to bench Jason had used honeypots to lure him away.
As far as Go Cheolmin knew, it wasn’t just rumors—it was fact.
That casanova merc had no sense of duty.
He dove into dungeons for money and fun. If something more entertaining came along, he’d ditch his team without a second thought.
The other elevator arrived.
As they rode up in silence, Choi Muhyun broke it.
“I’ll give him mercenary, but not casanova.”
“Why?”
Yeom Sang-taek asked.
“The real casanova’s someone else.”
Choi Muhyun side-eyed Kim Jun.
Go Cheolmin didn’t quite get it. Had Kim Jun ever chased women?
“A true casanova doesn’t chase women. He makes them come to him.”
The moment Choi Muhyun said it, Go Cheolmin saw Yoo Min-jeong, Sa Yeonggyo—even Skyla—flush red.
No way?
Kim Jun himself showed no reaction, lost in thought about the Grintree leader they’d just met.
The elevator stopped at the fifth floor.
As they stepped out, stares hit them like arrows. Every team scattered across the wide space was eyeing Pink Team.
Jeong Myeong-ho’s Lincoln Team.
Hwang In-su’s Pacific Team.
Grintree Team from earlier.
Apgujeong Team, led by Han Ye-jin with her model-like figure.
Bang Yun-a’s Medusa Team, An Seong-ho’s team, Do Jin-yong’s Blue Lightning, and others by the windows—all watching Pink Team.
Most eyes were on Sa Yeonggyo.
The Association President’s granddaughter, now even more famous after soloing in Africa, had joined Uramata Guild—Pink Team under Kim Jun—as second buffer. It shocked everyone.
Jeong Myeong-ho approached.
The captain planted himself not in front of Kim Jun, but Sa Yeonggyo. A blatant snub.
“I’m disappointed. Never imagined you’d join a guild like that.”
“Me too. Never imagined you’d pull such a cheap stunt.”
Sa Yeonggyo wouldn’t lose a verbal spat.
Jeong Myeong-ho’s cheek twitched as he glared at Kim Jun, as if to say it was all his fault.
On his way back to Lincoln Team, Jeong Myeong-ho paused in front of Go Cheolmin.
“Even you won’t be able to protect Pink Team.”
Go Cheolmin shrugged.
The guy knew exactly why Go Cheolmin had become Pink Team’s tanker. That was why Yoo Wan-seop had asked.
Go Cheolmin sighed.
This raid wouldn’t be easy either. Twists and turns piled up, making the outcome unpredictable.
Yet he felt good.
He was finally back on the battlefield.
This was the first time every participating team had gathered here—not in a dungeon, but in reality.
Well, long before the Dungeon Association got organized, they’d met up to get faces straight and plan raids. So not the first time.
But everyone together over something like this? Not in the last ten years… no, twenty.
Jeong Myeong-ho eyed the chattering crowd.
He wanted to grab them one by one and toss them out the window.
“Whew.”
Lincoln Team’s main dealer, O Yun-jin, approached. While Jeong Myeong-ho played captain, she was trusted enough to lead the team in his stead.
“Time’s up, Captain.”
“Got it.”
The pressure hit hard.
What he’d started had spiraled way beyond expectations.
Jeong Myeong-ho had just met that reporter to exploit Kim Jun’s blank perception ability. How was he supposed to predict Yoo Wan-seop’s press conference?
Yoo Wan-seop, who’d lost an arm on Devils Day and barely survived, vanished one day. Everyone agreed he’d never recover. Psychological trauma aside, losing his sword arm was fatal.
No one expected him to return—as Uramata’s guild master.
Jeong Myeong-ho hadn’t either.
So the evaluation placement system announcement wasn’t his fault. Period.
Yet the hate poured in from all sides.
Because Yoo Wan-seop had painted him as a hero.
In the conference, Yoo Wan-seop called Jeong Myeong-ho a lone warrior against old habits and corruption, urging everyone to support him.
Jeong Myeong-ho had reached for a coin in the trash, only to become an environmental activist saving the planet.
He couldn’t explain to the haters, and even if he did, they wouldn’t listen.
Guild master Im Cheong-ha had summoned him, warning that any reckless damage would bring fitting punishment. One slip, and he’d be out of Five Star—or worse.
He felt O Yun-jin’s gaze.
Jeong Myeong-ho sighed and stepped to the mic.
“Everyone!”
His voice held steady, thankfully.
People looked his way and gathered slowly.
“Thanks for coming. We’ll now begin the adaptation tests for the Sokcho Dungeon raid. It’s simple: Teams enter the simulator one by one. Your choices and reactions will all factor into the results, so give it your all. We’ll start with Lincoln Team in order…”
“Hold on.”
Someone raised a hand.
Jeong Myeong-ho hated interruptions from inferiors. The culprit: Apgujeong Team leader Han Ye-jin from Gangnam Guild.
Model figure, killer fashion—but that didn’t give her the right to cut him off.
That bitch dares!
Jeong Myeong-ho masked his irritation and faced her.
“What is it?”
“This test is new. Since we’re doing adaptation tests, why not make it public? And draw lots for the order.”
Hwang In-su nodded, and even Jason Tyler agreed.
Jeong Myeong-ho scowled inwardly.
Those bastards!
The three had coordinated. Han Ye-jin proposes two changes, the other two back her.
He couldn’t flatly refuse. It’d breed suspicion. But public tests made rigging harder.
No choice. I’ll make the results work somehow.
Jeong Myeong-ho flashed a big smile.
“Results will be crystal clear. You okay with that?”
A veiled threat. You mess up, everyone sees.
“We’ll manage. It’s a test.”
Han Ye-jin shot back.
Hwang In-su and Jason Tyler stayed silent—no opposition. They were serious about going public.
“Alright, then. Public it is.”
His gut boiled, but he couldn’t ignore B Group leaders’ demands.
System changes needed time, so Jeong Myeong-ho announced a one-hour break.
“We’ll now draw the first team for the test.”
Jeong Myeong-ho reached into the opaque box and pulled out a bead.
All eyes locked on it.
“Cheonroehoe’s Blue Lightning Team, get ready.”
He held up the bead, showing ‘Do Jin-yong’ written on it.
“Alright, let’s do this right! Fighting!”