Mad Cow Feast After the Salt Mine
When Han Ji-woo's group emerged from the Salt Mine, two hours had already passed. In that time, the crops Pao had planted had all fully grown.
“……!”
Han Ji-woo, who had been so fixated on the salt that he'd completely forgotten about the crops, was stunned. A rice paddy dyed partly golden, rows of potato leaves sprouting up, and a watermelon patch boasting massive fruits were all welcoming him proudly.
His chest swelling with grandeur, Han Ji-woo called out to his pets.
“Pao. Lucy.”
“Yeah!”
Nyang!
The two pets gazed at their master with solemn eyes. Han Ji-woo responded in kind, loading his voice with gravity.
“Let's eat.”
While Han Ji-woo prepared the meal, Pao fed the Mad Cows their fodder and salt lumps in their pen. But the Mad Cows ignored the fodder entirely, chomping only on the salt.
Han Ji-woo, trimming the beef while sneaking glances at the scene, nodded to himself.
These guys are all good as long as I give 'em salt.
There was no shortage of salt with the mine overflowing. “Hmm... but is this really the right way to butcher it?”
He'd drained the blood thoroughly, skinned it, removed the guts, chopped it into sections—but he had no idea if he was doing it properly. It was only natural; he'd never butchered a cow before.
Despite his doubts, as he continued disassembling the beef, a surprisingly large kitchen knife gleamed in his hand.
Before trimming the beef, he'd needed a proper knife and tinkered with mined iron in the Creation menu, stumbling upon the kitchen knife blueprint. Having already gone through plenty of trial and error making the Single-Horned Steel Sword, he'd figured it out relatively easily. The knife counted as a weapon too, with a solid +5 Attack.
With his already sky-high base stats, butchering a whole cow with the sharp blade was effortless. He just doubted if he was on the right track.
I dunno. It'll taste good grilled anyway.
The moment he finished his haphazard butchering with that thought—
You have completed butchering meat 50 times while possessing the Cooking stat and Observation Eye skill.
Achievement: Butcher's Talent unlocked.
Achievement reward granted.
The Cooking stat and Observation Eye skill resonate, infusing your eyes with mystical power. You can now view anatomical diagrams of all animals.
“Oh!”
Han Ji-woo quickly pulled out another Mad Cow corpse. Sure enough, an anatomical diagram overlaid its massive body. He butchered one more following the diagram. It was way easier now, with less meat wasted. Plus, he could perfectly separate cuts like tenderloin, sirloin, chuck, strip loin, ribs, brisket, shank, rump, topside, brisket—everything!
“Alright, time to grill.”
The first botched batch went to the Dungeon Tree as tribute. He wanted to savor his first beef properly.
Dungeon Tree progress: 10/100% until next quest.
As expected, devouring a whole Mad Cow only bumped it up 5%—such stingy generosity made him tsk involuntarily.
“When the mood's low pressure? Beef forward!”
Too excited to care about dignity, Han Ji-woo cracked the cheesy dad joke and piled various beef cuts onto the sizzling stone slab over the fire pit.
Sizzle—!
“Salt time.”
He pulled out a pouch of dungeon weeds he'd made earlier, filled with finely ground salt powder.
Getting the powder was simple: Combine mined rock salt chunks and stones in the Creation menu. The small yield auto-stored in his Inventory. He'd collected it into the weed pouch.
“Here goes!”
Sprinkling it with the seriousness of a surgeon, the white glittering grains fell like snowflakes onto the red meat.
Han Ji-woo grilled with unprecedented care. Overcook beef and the juices evaporate, the texture toughens—a blasphemy! True beef tasting meant feeling the myoglobin ooze out, teasing the tongue.
“Now!”
Spotting the perfect moment with eagle eyes, he shoved a piece into his mouth and chewed.
That instant.
“……!”
The salty burst merging with gushing juices delivered ultimate bliss. Each chew offered minimal resistance before melting away, leaving juices behind.
“Insane.”
The tender texture, beefy flavor-packed juices, and salt's trinity were ecstatic. His pets, tasting it too, were shocked.
“How's it taste? Killer, right?”
“It's the best!”
Nyaah!
“Right? But y'know, it'd be even better with rice later.”
He had no pot yet. Kitchen knife blueprint was quick, but pot would take time. Stomach growling, he harvested rice but saved cooking for later. Salted beef was fire regardless.
After that, the group demolished the beef in battle mode, no chit-chat.
Finishing the hearty first meal of the day, dessert time.
“Alright, greasy meal down—now something refreshing to cleanse the palate.”
A massive watermelon sat before him. He thumped it.
Thump thump.
“Ahh, been too long since I heard that sound.”
Amazed, he sliced it with the knife.
Crack!
So ripe, a light nick split it clean in two. He cut it into bites, shared with pets, and cheerfully declared,
“Dig in!”
Dungeon Floor 6.
The dungeon folk solved minimal hunger while grinding skill upgrades. Effort varied per person.
Achievements were luck-heavy, though. Good luck meant easy unlocks; bad luck, endless toil without a whiff.
No skill achievements yet.
Mitchell scoured for hidden ones amid the group, realizing how exhausting it was.
Even I'm beat. Must be worse for others.
Pre-dungeon, Mitchell was a soldier famed for ironclad mentality. Unfazed by most, he handled everything by the book, ignoring shortcuts or rule-breaks.
Even he struggled, so he worried for everyone's mental health. Pausing his training, he rallied them.
“Everyone, I know it's tough. But getting stronger here boosts survival odds below. As you know, time's short. Food runs out, we descend.”
Survivors: 46 humans, 9 goblins. Even with Han Ji-woo's boosts, feeding 55 three times a day was massive. Rationing maxed at three days—Mitchell's calc.
Then—
Due to Han Ji-woo's exploits, the dungeon terrain has changed. Updated terrain shared.
A rice paddy appeared near the lake, connected by a waterway. Curious folk gathered.
“A paddy?”
“It's a paddy.”
“Random paddy?”
“Ji-woo must be growing something again.”
Brief buzz, then back to grinding. One ignored it entirely: Czech guy Andra Marshall.
Andra spoke only when necessary since arrival. Quiet personality, plain looks, average build—barely noticeable. His skill: Hallucination, brief illusions on targets. Practiced on goblins since no humans allowed.
“Sorry, goblins.”
Each apology downed another goblin.
Others trained steadily, but less food and unknown conditions wore them down fast.
“Fuck... this sucks.”
Bam!
Ishihara Yui punched the floor. Sweat-drenched Jonathan nearby nodded.
“Didn't know it drained stamina like this. Feels like dying.”
“Not just you. Everyone's wrecked and stuck to the floor. Save breath for training.”
Jonathan scanned. She was right—exhaustion everywhere. But—
“...What's with that bouncy dude?”
He pointed. Kim Jung-min cheerfully directed a Dungeon Mole.
“Duduk-i~ You can do it again, right?”
Duduk-i: Kim Jung-min's name for it.
“Duduk-ah~ Paw!”
Duduk-i extended a front paw.
“Good~ Leg!”
It spun, offering a hind leg.
“Turn!”
Duduk-i rotated at his excited command.
“Sit! Down! Bang! Roll!”
It nailed ten commands flawlessly. Kim Jung-min hugged it.
“Genius, total genius~! Who'd you get smarts from? Me, huh?”
Watching Yui frowned at Jonathan.
“Did that asshole birth the mole?”
“Dunno, but is that even training? My heart's twisted—looks like playtime, right?”
Strictly, yes—his skill was Animal Affinity. Knowing that, the contrast irked exhausted Jonathan anyway.
Undeterred, Kim Jung-min taught more tricks.
Meanwhile, as all focused inward, Seol Ara stared at the ignored paddy, pondering.
This might...
One hour passed.
Due to Han Ji-woo's exploits, the dungeon terrain has changed. Updated terrain shared.
Fleeting hope flickered, then training resumed. Seol Ara checked her map: watermelon and potato fields marked.
Sharing, excitement erupted.
“Where, Ara?”
“Let's go now!”
“Watermelons? Potatoes?!”
“Bonfire first? How many potatoes can we roast?”
Gulping, she X-ed her arms.
“No!”
“Why?!”
“Hogging them?”
Grinning, “How long since last meal? Train hard, I'll guide at mealtime.”
“Tch, fair.”
“Ara's right. Food's there, but focus now.”
Calmed, back to grind. Mitchell approached her.
“Ara, I need a preview. Field scale?”
Guessing his intent, she led.
“Impressive.”
“Yeah, decent size.”
Recalculating: At least two more days.
From original three-day max to five.
One more hour: Rice sprouted in the paddy. Mitchell added half-day.
Stay time extended thanks to Han Ji-woo.
Han Ji-woo's face bloomed with smiles devouring watermelon. Juicier than any fruit, high sweetness—perfect.
Beef binge then dessert? Ecstasy. Handing seeds to Pao, dreaming bigger patch, he shot up.
“Nope.”
Peak ripeness decided, he harvested all watermelons into Inventory—no spoilage. Same for potatoes: Ordered Pao and Lucy to reap, stored.
Potatoes: 10-15 per vine, 50 vines ~700+. Gave Pao 200 for seeds.
Roasted three over fire, salted, shared with pets.
“Ahhh. This mild flavor. This fluffy texture.”
Today's eats—salt, beef, grapes, watermelon, potatoes—netted first food intake bonus: +5 Vitality.
Fish and crabs from lake untouched—perfect for dinner. Then—
Ferrofero has purchased and used an enhancement item for a hefty sum.
“...Huh?”
Ferrofero at it again. Messages flooded.
Ferrofero's presence amplifies.
Ferrofero tears through dimensional rift into Hidden Space.
Rift cracked open with a rumble.
Rrrrip!
Ferrofero's voice leaked through the slight gap.
“This time, I shall eliminate you, sir!”
Darkness engulfed Han Ji-woo.
What the—
Nothing but void everywhere. Then, a whisper right behind:
“You shall now fall into the Dungeon Prison, sir.”