Chapter 4
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Delivery Into the Dungeon
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“It tastes like garbage, but hang in there just a bit. Once we’re done, the guild master will treat us to something delicious on the company card at the after-party.”
“Y-yes, sure……”
Min Hae-yul tried to tough it out. He did his best to force down the food his seniors had so carefully prepared.
He had crammed his belly full like a bear fattening up for hibernation, but hunger hit him fast anyway.
‘If I don’t eat, I’m dead……! If I can’t use my skills, I could die in this dungeon!’
But sadly, Hae-yul’s taste buds and stomach flat-out rejected ingredients produced solely inside the dungeon.
“Uweeeek……”
He finally got why they handed out those plastic bags, and that just made it all the more heartbreaking.
‘No way I can eat this. It’d kill me first…….’
This wasn’t merely “one bite and you might drop dead” bad. This was “both of you eat it and both collapse” territory.
Hae-yul’s mouth and gut, greased exclusively on gourmet grub, waved the white flag and refused dungeon chow outright.
His team members, who’d come along for the raid, looked uneasy at his intense reaction.
“Come on, just power through it……”
They agreed it tasted like trash, but they’d gritted their teeth and swallowed it down anyway to stay alive.
They’d brushed it off nicely before, but now that Hae-yul was the only one who couldn’t stomach it, the mood soured.
“Fine, then starve, Hae-yul. This dungeon’ll take about eighteen hours to clear, so skipping a couple meals won’t kill you.”
“Huh?”
“What’s with the shock? You’re hurling like that—what can we do? If you hate going hungry, choke it down.”
The team, wired from choking down the foul stuff, were on edge. Hae-yul had no choice but to mumble a meek “Got it.”
‘What now……. Two skipped meals, and my powers might not kick in right.’
One skipped meal dulled the Hellfire’s output. Two? He’d never tried, but worst case, he might not use it at all.
As trembling Hae-yul stewed in dread, the team leader’s voice cut through.
“One hour free time, then back to raiding. Rendezvous at base camp by then!”
‘Only way is to scarf something down in that hour…….’
Nine hours into the raid, hunger and fear overwhelming him, Hae-yul tried the monster hindquarter roast again.
Not wanting to burden the team, he settled for clumsily grilling a single piece solo this time.
The massive salamander-like monster’s hind leg looked pretty mouthwatering on sight, but the stench? Brutal.
‘This…… this is tasty meat……. Tasty meat…….’
He tried hypnotizing himself, but nope.
“Uweeeek……”
‘Can’t do it…….’
As tears streamed down Hae-yul’s face, a bizarre window popped up.
Taking Your Order, Customer!
A hunter delivering fast with taste and care straight into the dungeon.
If you want to order, please approve the chat connection!
“Wh-what’s this……?”
If you want food delivery inside the dungeon, press YES.
[ YES ] / [ NO ]
‘Scam alert?’
Suspicion hit first, but his stomach’s roar backed him into a corner.
‘Only forty-five minutes of free time left.’
No food by then, and things could go south.
“Order first, figure it out later……!”
YES
Attempting chat connection.
You can now receive messages from the delivery hunter.
Now, place your order!
Hae-yul typed cautiously into the chat.
o.o???
Uh…… you can deliver here?
Yes. You can order food to the dungeon. Customer^^
Th-then, what can I order! Please deliver whatever’s available right now as fast as possible!
Rice—delicious rice—was an aching, desperate need.
Moon Chae-ryeon, snagging Min Hae-yul’s order, bolted to the kitchen.
“Gotta hustle!”
Even rushed, she didn’t skip the apron or hygiene. Hands got a thorough scrub too.
‘Never ran a real shop, so no pro hygiene gear…… such a bummer.’
She’d prepped ahead for someday opening one—hygiene cert from the health office and all. Still, this stung.
As if reading her mind, Mimi toddled up and offered something.
“Owner! Hygiene mask and cooking headscarf for ya!”
Mimi’s headscarf sported a cute moon-rabbit mascot like herself, in fiery red.
“Oh! Perfect timing. Thanks!”
‘What a smart cookie!’
Chae-ryeon zipped on the headscarf, gloves, and mask, then charged the fridge.
‘Ah, wait!’
Screeech. Like an angry bull screeching to a halt mid-charge, Chae-ryeon slammed the brakes.
“Oh no……”
“What disaster, Owner?!”
Shocked by her owner’s grim face, Mimi bounced over on hind legs.
“Ingredients are running dry right now…… I was headed out to shop.”
Kkuuk—Chae-ryeon chomped her lip.
‘Awakening hits, and now this timing!’
First order of her life, no less!
Yeah. The awakening shock and rare [Dungeon Express Delivery Person] job nearly made her forget…… but she’d been about to restock the empty fridge.
Meaning, scrape as she might, ingredients on hand were super limited.
‘What to do? First customer deserves something tasty…….’
Firsts are always special. This order was hers.
No set menu, but that customer’s desperation and hunger tugged at her—she wanted to whip up her best.
‘Aimed for a three-tier bento on this debut delivery!’
Customer’s tight timeline made shopping now a gamble.
Freshness checks, origins, expirations—she’d burn time fastidious as ever.
‘Even fretting like this eats minutes.’
Decision time.
“Mimi.”
“Awaiting orders, Owner!”
Mimi snapped a soldierly salute. When’d she change? Adorably decked in red headscarf, mask, and apron just like Chae-ryeon.
“……My starter item, [Vroom Vroom Delivery Bike]—can’t use it for grocery runs?”
“Ah…… Sorry. System perms don’t reach that far, so no items usable unless you’re on a delivery, Owner……”
“Skills too?”
“Y-yes…… Apologies for the bad news.”
Her perky white ears flopped down. Owner’s gloom wilted Mimi.
Chae-ryeon felt bad for asking.
“Nah! Thanks for the heads-up. I’m good—don’t beat yourself up.”
“……For real?”
“Yup! Totally. Sucks not having stocked ingredients, but…… we’ll scrape the fridge and make something!”
‘Limited stuff? Still can craft deliciousness!’
Sleeves hiked, Chae-ryeon flung the fridge wide with gusto.
Then Eagle’s Eye swept every nook, hauling out every viable scrap.
Pro housewife at a flash supermarket sale, ghosting products left and right.
“Owner’s the best……”!
‘That speed!’
Awakening bumped stats, sure—but this? Pure honed grit.
Pre-awakening know-how forged into skill-without-skill!
Mimi cheered in awe from behind.
Chae-ryeon kitchen-dashed with her picks.
“Faster, faster!”
‘Rushing, rushing!’
Fridge haul? Mostly veggie odds and ends from past cooks.
Pre-washed, chopped, glass-jarred for grab-and-go—skipped rinse time nicely.
Protein? Singleton staples: eggs, dregs of Spam, scant Vienna sausages.
Meats? Devoured already—no helping it. Old meat lost flavor; Chae-ryeon never saved it.
‘But no feeding customers my leftover chicken!’
Solo munchies? Sure. But this was a customer.