Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Hardworking Pay-to-Win Knight
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Event item. The description of the songpyeon reads as follows.
[Bean Songpyeon (Common)]
Increases HP recovery and mana recovery by 50 points upon consumption.
Duration: 4:00:00.
Usable until October 14, 2089.
The effect is straightforward. Four whole hours of continuous HP and mana recovery! It's the feature that Revenge players who run a lot of auto-farming love the most.
Being a time-limited item, it's even more effective than equivalent foods by default.
Weight: 0g.
Stacks up to 99 in one inventory slot. With no weight and minimal space usage, if possible, people would stuff their alts' inventories full and use them indefinitely.
‘But that's not possible.’
Songpyeon is ultimately a limited-time item. It only drops during the Chuseok event—three days—and becomes completely unusable the day after.
"Ah, back in the day, you could collect lower-tier songpyeon and craft higher-tier ones."
According to info I dug up online, the current high drop rate is a remnant of that time.
However, some players found a bug that let them mass-produce legendary songpyeon, causing problems.
Revenge developer Nemesis Soft didn't fix the bug—instead, they removed the recipes entirely and boosted the drop rates for higher-tier songpyeon.
"Works in my favor."
I memorized the downloaded anatomy and physiology textbook projected on Cheddar's belly while manually moving my character to keep picking up songpyeon.
There's auto-combat, but no auto-pickup for songpyeon, so I had to do it one by one.
One hour passes.
Two hours go by.
Obviously, the process isn't fun. It's pure grind, not really a game. But every click means one more buffed meal for the soldiers.
Thinking about that makes skipping it stupid.
And so, I pick for three hours.
"Whoa! Got a ton."
Three hours of just songpyeon nets over 3,000 pieces! Plus 80 rare-grade ones!
"Log in."
I enter Ardenia. I've only memorized 10 pages out of the 1,000+ page anatomy book, and my focus is waning.
"Ah, if I'd studied like this in high school, I'd have gone to Steel University."
Grumbling, I step off the carriage. My inventory was full anyway—it was time to log out.
"Shall I prepare a meal?"
I shook my head at Flower, who was waiting nearby.
"Nah. Tell Smile to gather the party leaders. Got something to distribute... Oh, and call in the reserves while you're at it."
"Yes, my lord."
After sending Flower off, I pulled out a plate of rainbow songpyeon (rare) from my inventory.
"Let's see... Even rares only stack 17 per plate. Makes sense—in-game, they're just color variants."
One plate of songpyeon counts as a single item. It's 0g in inventory, but in reality, it has weight.
And plenty of it—a full plate would fill even a burly man's stomach.
‘The buff activates when the last songpyeon goes in your mouth. Share it, and it's just food.’
After sitting at the prepared spot in front of the carriage and running some tests, I distributed common and advanced songpyeon to the assembled party leaders.
With so many songpyeon, even pulling them out was work. The over-100 party leaders each took dozens of plates, stashing them in their inventories.
As I handed them out, I explained the buffs and expiration dates. Then, based on party leader recommendations and scores from the two knights, I granted class cards to the reserves.
New elite troops born. Finally, I dumped the gear taking up inventory space.
"Hundred, take these."
I pulled out ten iron longbows (common).
One of the few common items dropped by Cyclops trainees.
‘I have no idea why Cyclops samurai drop iron longbows... whatever.’
"Longbows! Perfect, the shortbows lack punch... Hm."
Hundred lit up at first, but frowned after hefting one.
"Heavy, right?"
"Yes, and the draw strength is no joke."
In-game, material doesn't matter—wood or iron, whatever. No level or stat restrictions in Revenge, so who cares?
But in reality, with physics, you have to consider gear and material properties.
"I'll start with our strongest archers. Tricky to handle, but range and power will improve massively."
"If strength's lacking, pump their strength stats. Agility's base, but with gear like this, it's about whether they can use it at all."
"Yes, my lord."
After all orders, I had dinner. Stew packed with meat, followed by songpyeon for dessert.
"Oh... It's delicious, my lord. So sweet and fragrant."
The songpyeon got rave reviews. In this medieval land lacking sweetness or umami, it was luxury food.
Even the common bean songpyeon won praise from the soldiers—something about the novel chewiness.
Anyway, the day passed, and the next.
We had the pillar of light surrounded.
"Dig a circular trench! Deeper! Then build a palisade beyond it!"
"Thousands of goblins could pour from that pillar! Hurry!"
Incredibly.
We encircled the dungeon without a fight.
"Unexpected. Thought they'd only respawn out from the dungeon—didn't expect we could enter."
No game info applies—it's totally different. In Revenge, monsters don't respawn in the field or pour from dungeons like this.
"Guess we verify firsthand... Swordsman. How long since the scout party entered?"
"Five hours now."
"Taking a while..."
I told them to pick easy mode if possible, but still.
‘Some game-difficulty snag? That's why they wiped?’
I guard the dungeon entrance, training chakra. Twenty-four hours later.
I had to admit it.
‘Total wipe.’
Dungeons at waypoints are tough but quick to clear.
Maze puzzles?
Gimmick bosses?
Nope.
‘Revenge isn't that game.’
Lose to monsters? You're just weak—not a strat issue. Failed a clear? Upgrade gear and class, not read fan sites.
"I'll go."
"My lord!"
Flower, knights, mages, soldiers—all stare in shock. Ignoring them, I equipped my mithril full plate from inventory.
Whoosh!
Warm as can be for metal, mithril armor envelops me. I eye my subordinates eyeing me.
"You've seen it plenty—goblins can't touch me, no matter how many. Their attacks can't pierce my armor, and I'm faster than their arrows."
"Then... at least let me go with you."
I shook my head at Steelstone.
"Orcs were do-or-die, so I took you. No need now. Can't drag command in if I'm stuck inside. Plan's changed... Swordsman!"
"Yes, my lord."
"Pick the top three parties. They're with me."
"Yes! Sword! Spear! Shield!"
"Yes!"
"Prepare!"
"Yes!"
Three parties—shield, two sword-and-shield, spear, archer fivesomes—line up eagerly.
"Steelstone, Hundred. Guard the perimeter and preserve forces till I return."
"Yes!"
"Smile, hit third class fast. I'll teach you AoE magic."
"Eek! Y-Yes! Yes!"
Leaving Smile's near-scream, I head to the dungeon.
Soldiers watch worriedly but don't block.
And so.
Flash!
I enter the pillar of light.
[Red Axe Hills]
Classic northern zone. Chilly, dry weather, rocky more than soil.
"...This is."
Familiar terrain. Very familiar.
"...Northern zone?"
The mountains match pre-entry. Only difference.
"Human! Human! Humans here—armored human!"
"Huh? There, there too—shield human! Humans appeared!"
"There, there—bow human!"
Goblin villages dot the mountains, goblins swarming between.
"Ah!"
I finally got it.
"Isn't this Revenge's backstory? Monsters conquering the continent? But a dungeon drops us in the field?"
Not the only issue.
"Ugh! Come at me, monsters!"
"All together! Anyone around!?"
Soldiers who entered are scattered hundreds of meters apart.
Luckily fifteen intact, but scattered like this, no survival.
Boom!
I grasp the situation and kick off. Mid-leap, open pet window.
[Armored Rhino Sting (Rare) is summoned!]
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In seconds, I leap hundreds of meters to a spearman fighting goblins.
"My lord!"
"Ride the rhino! Fall off, you die!"
That's all—I kick off again. Goblins block, but.
Thud thud!
No need to swing. Body-check shatters them—I charge.
Boom boom boom!
Speed like an arrow. Just novice lightness skill, but ogre-level physique hurls me forward each step.
Thwack!
Knee-smash explodes a goblin skull.
Slash! Slash!
Casual swings mid-run decapitate several.
"My lord!"
"Mount!"
I dash hundreds of meters, gathering scattered soldiers. Scattered near ley lines.
My superhuman rampage draws goblin eyes, letting me regroup all.
All fifteen safe. Two archers lightly wounded—potions fix it.
Then.
"Huh?"
Ley line center. Amid goblin hovels, a familiar figure.
Red Horn Hobgoblin (Rare)
Jibago
"...Ho?"
With soldiers gathered, I was set for guerrilla war—but plans change. Recalled hell-mode clear condition.
Boom!
Kick off, draw bone longsword from inventory.
Crunch!
Muscles twist. Snapped-back waist lightning-folds—
A ray shoots at the hobgoblin.
KABOOM!
Roar—its upper body explodes.
Thud.
"Huff... huff..."
"My lord! You okay?"
Soldiers surround landed me. Beyond them, goblins halt their excited charge, confused.
And then.
[Hell mode of Red Horn Goblin Fortress (Common~Rare) cleared!]
[First guild to meet conditions may declare siege!]
[Shoddy Earthen Fortress (Common) appears!]