Dungeon & Commander (223)
“I want to change it.”
“Change what?”
It was Do Jin-yong.
“The expedition vibe. The captain calls the shots, and we can't even object once—we just have to follow. It's about time that changed.”
The team leaders caught his meaning and fell silent, lost in thought for a moment. They hadn't expected this to be anything but a play for personal gain.
Bang Yun-a stared straight at Kim Jun and asked,
“What makes you think joining Pink Team lets us change anything?”
“If you agree to this plan, I'll tell you then.”
Kim Jun had zero intention of spilling everything at once. You had to take risks to reap the sweet rewards.
The team leaders exchanged glances.
“We need time.”
It was Bang Yun-a.
“Let me know your decision by the end of the day.”
Kim Jun stood first, stepping away to let the three discuss freely.
Just before exiting the cafe, he glanced at An Seong-ho. An Seong-ho was looking back at him. Though he'd only learned the details moments ago, An Seong-ho had already made up his mind.
He'd probably persuade Bang Yun-a and Do Jin-yong in some clever way, steering them toward a yes.
An Seong-ho gave a subtle wink.
In that instant, Kim Jun resolved to drag An Seong-ho into Uramata, by any means necessary.
“You said ten minutes would be enough.”
Han Ye-jin demanded.
He couldn't let his rising irritation show. Hwang In-su plastered on the 'friendly smile' he'd practiced in the mirror a thousand times and met her gaze.
“You think I knew Pink Team would last nineteen minutes? I was shocked too. What matters now isn't pointing fingers—it's coming up with a plan.”
His softest tone eased the venom from Han Ye-jin's face bit by bit.
“There's a way, right?”
“Of course.”
“What is it?”
“You don't wanna know. Just leave it to me.”
Han Ye-jin got it right away. This was the kind of dirty talk not fit for open discussion.
That's when Jason shot to his feet.
“Bad bastard, duel, gotta do.”
Hwang In-su understood exactly what Jason meant—and who the target was.
He let out a sigh.
Normally, he'd ignore whatever stunt Jason pulled, but with the expedition already on edge, impulsive crap like this could spark real trouble.
“A duel?”
Han Ye-jin asked.
Jason thrust out his phone. A few icons back, grinning on the wallpaper... was Yoo Min-jeong. He'd scraped her photo off the internet and set it as his background.
“A duel with Yoo Min-jeong? Are you insane?”
Han Ye-jin snapped again.
Hwang In-su tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling.
Han Ye-jin was talented and tough enough to stand toe-to-toe with most men, but she lacked finesse. Knowing Jason's type, how could she even ask that?
Fine. Guess I have to step in.
“Don't even dream of a duel. But I'll set up a meeting.”
“Really? When? Where?”
“Hmm, a few days from now.”
“Not tonight?”
“Suit yourself if not.”
“Okay!”
Jason bolted up.
“No duels, absolutely. If you pull that shit, I might just kill you myself.”
Hwang In-su mixed joke with warning.
“Haha, no do. And you, can't kill me. You weak.”
Jason cackled his way out of the meeting room, pushing Hwang In-su's patience to the brink.
Weak?
Me?
Yeah, I'm weak. Gotta protect my family. My sweet daughter's future's in my hands. Can't just kill recklessly.
Hwang In-su forced a broad grin.
“Who're you setting him up with?”
Han Ye-jin asked.
Hwang In-su drew a deep breath.
He didn't want to say it himself: Jason's crushing on Yoo Min-jeong, who likes Kim Jun, so Jason wants to challenge Kim Jun to a duel, and to stop that, I'll get him a meet with Yoo Min-jeong.
But if he didn't tell her, Han Ye-jin would flip out, accusing him of brushing her off because she's a woman.
When the captain flaunted official authority and hogged perks, the sub-captain handled all the messy aftermath.
To prevent drama, Hwang In-su spilled it to Han Ye-jin.
“What? Yoo Min-jeong likes Kim Jun? No way. Yoo Wan-seop's daughter— what's she lacking to fall for a carrier-turned-raider? I know you're smart, sub-cap, but you're wrong this time. Trust me, I'm a woman—I know.”
“Yeah, could be.”
Hwang In-su sighed for the third time.
Then the speaker crackled with an announcement: Deployment results out—gather up.
He stepped into the hall with Han Ye-jin.
She ranted that Yoo Min-jeong liked Choi Muhyun, not Kim Jun—trust her eye for this.
Hwang In-su plugged his ears with inner energy.
Noise vanished like high-end noise-canceling headphones. Han Ye-jin's voice faded to a distant murmur.
Chatter canceling.
A little trick for his wife's nagging—perfect for moments like this. Probably born from some raider who couldn't take women's chatter anymore.
All seven expedition teams gathered.
Jeong Myeong-ho took the podium.
“We're announcing the evaluation deployments now. Starting with A Group. An Seong-ho's team from Gwanpo Guild and Best Guild's Medusa Team will handle recon as A Group.”
Hwang In-su frowned.
A Group was originally just Pink Team. With them shifting to B, he'd figured An Seong-ho's team would fill A. But Medusa too?
Unexpected.
Medusa's core for C Group... pulling them forward leaves the rear exposed.
He eyed Medusa's leader. Tougher than Han Ye-jin, Bang Yun-a just glared at Jeong Myeong-ho—no protest.
That attitude was off too.
“Next, C Group.”
Jeong Myeong-ho sped on.
Hwang In-su glanced at Blue Lightning. Could that fool of a leader handle rear guard solo? They couldn't last a minute in the relic.
“Apgujeong Team from Gangnam Guild and Grintree Team from Acacia Guild. With leaders Han Ye-jin and Jason Tyler, I'm confident the rear's secure.”
Hwang In-su doubted his ears.
B Group's Apgujeong and Grintree bumped to C.
More shocking: Blue Lightning not in C—meaning B Group.
He looked to the captain. Had that arrogant prick finally lost it? Nah.
Han Ye-jin bellowed. Her team tried reining her in—futile.
Jason piled on.
Hwang In-su couldn't stay quiet. Even captains had limits.
“Pulling Apgujeong and Grintree from B leaves a hole in firepower, Captain.”
“That's why I recruited a new team. Ju Shin's Mars should cover it, no?”
Jeong Myeong-ho smirked down from the podium.
Hwang In-su felt punched in the back of the head.
Ju Shin's Mars?
Meaning Kwon Joo-chan, Icarus Machine owner, joining the Sokcho raid.
Kwon Joo-chan outleveled him. Even outleveled Captain Jeong Myeong-ho in skill and career. Why join a raid?
Answer hit like a brick.
Kim Jun.
Mars mobilized to punish the punk who sullied Ju Shin's honor.
Can't touch him out here. Choi Min-su and Yeon Un-jae as patrons, plus Uramata's new guild master Yoo Wan-seop.
In the dungeon?
Brutal murder, truth buried in darkness. That's why Kwon Joo-chan made a call he'd never normally make.
“Thus, from this moment, Mars leader Kwon Joo-chan is the new sub-captain. Bear with it. Direct raid questions to him.”
Hwang In-su was abruptly ousted as sub-cap. Too hollow for laughter.
“Now B Group: Brave Guild's Lincoln Team, Ju Shin's Mars Team, Omniverse Guild's Pacific Team, and Uramata Guild's Pink Team.”
Announcements done.
Do Jin-yong raised a hand.
“Uh, Blue Lightning's missing.”
“Cheonroe Society's Blue Lightning—head home. Sorry, can't join this raid.”
“...What?”
“Can't last a minute in the relic—embarrassing, right? Our call: your team's not raid-ready.”
He glared at Do Jin-yong, grinding his teeth.
“If I were you, I'd face-plant into a plate and die.”
“What?”
Do Jin-yong flushed red. But he didn't charge. He knew the fallout too well.
“Fat-ass pig bastard, come at me. Got beef? Say it. No guts, huh? Go suck mommy's tit at home. Don't loiter here.”
Open provocation from Jeong Myeong-ho.
Do Jin-yong attacks first? Captain crushes him easy, boots Blue Lightning clean on regs.
Do Jin-yong roared, charging.
Two steps, and he tumbled.
Kim Jun's sneaker flew perfectly; Do Jin-yong stepped on it, lost balance.
Kim Jun yelled at Choi Muhyun,
“Why throw it so hard? How am I supposed to catch it like that?”
Dashing to Do Jin-yong's side, Kim Jun bowed to Jeong Myeong-ho and the others.
“Sorry. Wasn't on purpose. Really sorry.”
Hwang In-su saw it clear: Kim Jun kicked off his sneaker, lobbing it ahead of Do Jin-yong. Choi Muhyun hadn't thrown hard.
One sneaker wrecked Jeong Myeong-ho's scheme.
Do Jin-yong swallowed rage, retreating.
Suddenly, the official captain looked foolish for his crude outburst.
Jeong Myeong-ho glared murderously at Kim Jun.
Hwang In-su eyed them alternately, head cocked.
Captain dragged Kim Jun and Pink to B for the grudge. Kim probably knows. But if I were him, I wouldn't poke the bear like that. What's this guy's angle?
When Han Ye-jin requested test order swap, Jeong Myeong-ho punted to Kim Jun—couldn't refuse outright. Likely pressured him via voice magic to reject.
Yet Kim Jun yielded to Apgujeong. Jeong Myeong-ho's face twisted—real, not faked.
Time to dig deeper on Kim Jun.
“Deployments set—prep for your roles. See you in Sokcho...”
“Hold on.”
Kim Jun.
Jeong Myeong-ho's face twisted again.
“What now, Team Leader Kim?”
“Reconsider Blue Lightning's dismissal.”
Everyone gawked. No one expected settled B Group's Kim Jun to beg for them.
“You saw how worthless that pig's team is, right?”
Jeong Myeong-ho baited again.
Kim Jun lightly gripped Do Jin-yong's wrist. Do Jin-yong trembled but held back.
“Their role was rear security—no relic entry assumed. So they wouldn't know what monsters pop inside or what bursts from the ground. Right?”
Explaining to Jeong Myeong-ho, Kim Jun checked with Do Jin-yong.
Do Jin-yong nodded furiously.
Kim Jun faced the captain again.
“The relic adaptation test was purely for B Group. Far from A or C missions. I joined without complaint knowing that—raid's goal is relic scouting. If I'd known test fails meant expulsion, I'd have objected from the start.”
Hwang In-su listened, intrigued.
Things were getting fun.
Jeong Myeong-ho axed Blue Lightning for Mars; Kim Jun resisted openly.
Justification favored Kim Jun. Reporters catch wind? Captain in hot water.
Hwang In-su pondered: Why back Do Jin-yong?
Lame hero play?
Misplaced camaraderie?
Nah. Kim Jun wasn't that type.
“So you can't accept my decision?”
Jeong Myeong-ho's voice dropped low, laced with mana—crystal clear.
Blue water rippled near his hand. Water Creation. Lose control, and blood soaks the floor.
That blows up? Captain ousted.
Like he ousted Hwang In-su.
“I think Team Leader Kim has a point.”
Hwang In-su stepped up.
All eyes on him, but he fixed on Jeong Myeong-ho alone.
Captain's gaze wavered.
Water Creation swelled... blue liquid engulfed his arm, potent enough to kill. Most noticed now. Some backed away.
“Sub-captain, you really think so?”
Jeong Myeong-ho asked.
“Sub-captain? I was just booted from that. Speaking as a regular team leader here.”
Jeong Myeong-ho's cheek twitched. Even the arrogant captain got why Hwang In-su backed Kim Jun.