Chapter 37
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Delivering into the Dungeon
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She'd come into a windfall of cash all of a sudden, so Moon Chae-ryeon had spotted a few related posts while idly browsing Hunter Net.
Useful Info Category
Gossip │ Any more stock of that super tasty monster meat that hit Hunter Market last time??
That stuff was supposed to be insanely good.... I only heard about it second- or third-hand from a buddy, so I can't tell if it's legit or hype.
If any hunters know the details, spill 😭
O_O That exists?
2. First I've heard of it
⌎22
⌎333
⌎Wasn’t monster meat banned from export outside dungeons to begin with? It tastes like crap anyway 😭
3. Another thing I missed out on. New trend going around
So what’s the deal with this monster meat? Does no one actually know? 😭
I wasn't interested but now you got me curious. Take responsibility
(Greek Roman myth Orpheus Dionysus meme.jpg)
5. Oh, wasn't that the stuff someone sold on H.T.M.K. last time?
⌎O_O?!!
⌎Did you see who sold it?
⌎Nah, no idea. Bookmarked a tweet calling the seller a scammer but it's gone now...
⌎So it was fake after all?
⌎Wtf why the shade? There's multiple eyewitnesses
⌎No 😭 Then who sold it?
Gossip │ Tasted the rumored monster meat from a sis I know and it was god tier
For real 🔥 absolute banger
Where'd this monster meat even come from
Which dungeon? What dungeon drops meat like this???
(Gungye meme attached)
1. Seeing a lot of these posts lately...
⌎Yeah, agreed
2. With all these related threads, it's probably not fake... but no one has the meat anymore
⌎For real???
⌎What is this, a ghost story? No substance at all...
⌎Rumor has it someone ate it all 'cause it was too damn good
3. Folks who've tasted it once are supposedly hunting it down like mad with stars in their eyes
Whoever the seller is, they must've made bank
4. People who bought it back then say they'd pay double or more to get more
⌎What is it, drugs?
⌎(Podori meme) Gotcha, officer! He's right here!
⌎So good, huh?
⌎At this point the seller should show up on Hunter Net lol
⌎I heard they’ve dispatched people to track down the seller 😳
⌎No way... where?
⌎Some crazy redhead apparently
⌎No way, H.J.O.?
⌎This comment has been deleted
⌎Oh lol, okay.
Gossip │ Guild Moss is sniffing around for the monster meat seller
Got a friend in that guild. Guild master tasted the meat and says it boosted his stamina or something.
He's inquiring everywhere and hitting H.T.M.K. daily.
To catch the seller...
1. Seller, run for your life!
2. Moss Guild... don't they have a shady rep?
Bet they're gonna catch the seller and monopolize the meat for themselves.
⌎Totally plausible if the seller's low-rank
⌎But the meat was top quality, so probably not
3. Am I the only one curious what rank the seller is?
4. If they were strong, their name would've leaked by now... Checked all the suspects and no matches
⌎No way a newbie?!
⌎But S-rank would've hit the news quick... They're too flashy
⌎Who knows, maybe stealth skill
⌎T_T So where the hell is this guy selling it???
⌎Lol why is this dude always lurking on Hunter Net
The common thread running through all these posts was one burning question: who the hell was the seller?
Melt-in-your-mouth monster meat in limited quantities. Even among hunters, it had quietly become a hot topic for trend-sensitive early adopters, attention-seekers, and influencers alike.
'Whoever you are, thanks a ton for deleting those posts.'
Grateful to Lee Seo-ro for unwittingly helping sell that monster meat, even if he was a pain.
No matter how hard Moon Chae-ryeon tried to hide her identity, she couldn't stop the rumors.
After hearing that guilds were even mobilizing to track her down, Mimi and Manager Sol-chan vehemently opposed returning to Hunter Market.
"It could be dangerous, ma'am. Even if you're S-rank, you're still growing, so we can't guarantee the outcome if a bunch gang up on you..."
"I agree with Senior Mimi. If word of your abilities gets out, anyone might come gunning for you, no holds barred."
Were they catching her worry during this downtime? Mimi and Sol-chan were on high alert, fretting over Chae-ryeon's safety.
Of course, she'd seen this reaction coming. She'd weighed her options over and over before deciding.
"I'm not saying we just charge in blindly."
"...?"
"Then...?"
Moon Chae-ryeon rummaged in her inventory and pulled something out.
"That's!"
"Recognize it?"
It was the 'One-Time Stealth Essence,' a drop from the SS-Rank Dungeon [Mirage Quest].
The murky liquid sloshing in the transparent vial gave off a foul stench.
'The performance is solid, even if it's just a basic junk item.'
Name: One-Time Stealth Essence
Basic junk from hunting a sandworm pup.
Smear this on your face to distort it into something uglier than normal for about an hour. No one might use it, but handy in a pinch?
"Got so blinded by the profits from the sandworm meat that I totally forgot about this junk..."
Manager Sol-chan muttered blankly at the item description, stroking his brown raccoon head as Moon Chae-ryeon explained enthusiastically.
"It's one-use only, but plenty for one Hunter Market trip. Grab some disguise or stealth artifacts first, then shop for useful tools worry-free. Anyway, I look B-rank on the outside, so no one's gonna suspect me."
'Even if my identity slips, not today.'
Moon Chae-ryeon knew now. Living low-key as an S-Rank Dungeon Express Delivery Person wouldn't last.
But she had to delay that moment as long as possible,
build up her strength to protect herself. This outing was essential for that.
"Come with me, yeah? You've been getting cabin fever too."
"..."
"..."
Mimi and Sol-chan exchanged glances, then resignedly prepped to hop into her crossbody bag.
"Sounds good!"
"They say if you can't avoid it, enjoy it. Let's dive in!"
"Awesome!"
With her summons on board, Moon Chae-ryeon immediately splashed some essence into her palm and slathered it over her face.
"Ugh, the smell."
Ignoring the stench, she smeared it thoroughly. Her reflection in the mirror warped.
"Oh, ooh!"
"M-Ma'am, you've gone from Moon Palace fairy to Dragon Palace turtle geezer...!"
Her refined, delicate features sagged like an old woman's. Wrinkles etched deep like rapid aging, eyes and nose shrank, lips swelled like bee stings.
"...Wow. Killer effect."
No one could link it to her real face. Confidence surged.
"This'll do. Even a sharp memory won't peg me from this."
"Totally convincing!"
"Now we're reassured."
"Great. Let's go!"
Hunter Market buzzed with crowds as ever when she eagerly slipped in.
Luckily, no extra checks for registered hunters. Even disguised, she scanned her ID and entered smoothly.
'...Just like those Hunter Net posts. Someone really is hunting me.'
Chills ran down her spine as seekers appeared right away.
"Hey. Ever seen this person?"
"...No clue. Who is it? Criminal?"
"Nah. The woman who sold monster meat here last time."
"We sketched a composite. Info got wiped, so not exact."
Goosebumps prickled her arms.
'Insane!'
Somehow sourced, the rough sketch eerily resembled her.
"Damn. Tracked down eyewitness hunters one by one, balls-deep effort... Hope it's not a bust."
"You got this, sis! You'll nail it!"
"Better. If we catch her, we drag her back alive."
Was this 21st-century hunter talk?
Moon Chae-ryeon briefly felt like a deer fleeing a hunter.
"Sigh. Once a hunter tastes gold like that, she'll swing back for more sales..."
Fierce-looking hunters from Moss Guild scanned the entrance, but she slipped past without suspicion. More recoiled in horror at her essence-smeared face.
Safely at the artifact booth street, she opened her pouch and bought stealth and disguise artifacts.
'Ideally subtle jewelry. Portable's a plus.'
Finding ones that fit took effort, but doable.
She had five million gold seed money, after all.
Top-grade disguise item, 'Ghost Earrings' pair purchased.
1,000,000G deducted.
A fifth of Lee Seo-ro's cash vanished in one go.
'Feels too clean...'
Moon Chae-ryeon vowed to make bank.
As she finished paying and headed for kitchen artifacts and groceries,
"Hold up, this lady. Voice sounds way too young for that withered look?"
'Crap.'
Grabbing her shoulder was a Moss Guild hunter from the entrance guard detail. Bald and memorable.
"Suspicious. You using a stealth item to sneak in as the rumored seller?"
"I-I don't know anyone like that..."
She tried to defuse quietly, but he persisted.
"That rancid stench is off too. Gotta check you out."