Chapter 146

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 146

Chapter Title: Sisters? Mother and Daughter?

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After a short break, the try run resumed.

The dungeon timer had shifted far to the safe zone after clearing the Corpse Bats, but Team GGW wasn't tackling the dungeon because of the timer.

What Minguk needed were the Yellow-grade crystals only available from 5-star special entities. That was the only way to raise his star rank.

"You fucking bastards!!!"

Hyun-ah, the tank, bellowed with mana infused in her taunt, drawing the monsters' attention.

Influenced by her magic power, the monsters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠began charging with glowing eyes. And moments later...

Boom! Boom!!!

Yuna's arrow rain combined with Ye-rin's ice magic and Na-yeon's mana orbs, shining brightly as they cleanly erased the monsters from existence.

They weren't on the level of world prospects like Shirahui Maina or Tanya Ruth, but the power of their special classes and gear was enough to crush the regular monsters in a [B-1] dungeon effortlessly.

The boss monsters were no different. They'd already memorized all the patterns from cleared runs. With that, Minguk successfully cleared the Corpse Bat dungeon once more and stepped out to check the time.

'2 p.m....'

Even accounting for his 7 p.m. schedule, he had time for at least one more run—maybe two if they hustled.

"Gonna run it again?"

He was staring at the dungeon entrance when Hyun-ah's awkward voice reached his ears. It was laced with all sorts of emotions.

'She must be tired.'

The clears themselves weren't hard. But fighting monsters with your life on the line was exhausting, both physically and mentally.

Heroes didn't take long breaks for nothing. Most rested at least two days after a single clear.

Of course, they'd tackled multiple dungeons a day in Vietnam. But that was due to the special circumstance of the diffusion phenomenon. If they failed, Southeast Asia would crumble, and tens of millions would die.

"Hmm... Still thinking about it."

"For real?"

She said that, but Hyun-ah's face showed she didn't buy it.

No wonder. Given their history, they wouldn't easily believe him if he said he'd end the raid schedule. Not that he meant it anyway.

It was just a nudge to enjoy the break. With plenty of time left, of course he planned another run.

"We all know you're going in again, right?"

"If it's our Raid Leader? Let's push a bit harder till 6. Raid Leader's got a schedule at 7 today."

Behind Hyun-ah, he heard Choi Yuna and Ye-rin chattering. Somehow they'd clocked his schedule and were psyching each other up to tough it out. Watching them, Minguk felt like a sleazy boss exploiting honest workers.

But there was one way for a sleazy boss to earn praise from the workers.

'Just give them the killer reward they crave.'

And Minguk was the male hero who had it—or rather, was it.

"Ahem."

With a cough to gather the team's attention, Minguk smiled and spoke. After over a year in this gender-reversed world, he knew his worth.

"If we start the try now, we can clear it twice if we're fast, or once if slower."

"Eh, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠once maybe, but twice is pushing it."

"How long have we been back from Vietnam... Sniff sniff. Isn't the schedule too packed from day one?"

Grumbles erupted from all sides as soon as he finished.

One more try would mean three [B-1] clears today. Of course, it was mostly whining without real bite.

They'd joined knowing Team GGW's packed schedule.

"Don't you get overtime pay for late nights, and bonuses for hard work?"

The grumbles quieted at his follow-up. Wandering eyes focused on him.

"So, the hero with the highest contribution gets a date voucher. Deal?"

"Whoa?!"

Giselle shot to her feet at his words. Tanya did the same.

They'd dated Minguk in Hanoi. And that time had been...

A time when they'd felt something intense no ordinary man—or even average male hero—could provide.

'Ecstasy as women, pure and simple.'

Just thinking about it still made Giselle tremble. Her past men? Not one came to mind.

The others showed interest too. All had shared his bed at least once. Imagining what came at the end of a date already had their bodies heating up.

Shin Na-yeon, still underage, and Kendall, distant from men, were the quietest—but even they perked up at "date."

"We don't know when those Twelve Calamity monsters will attack humanity. Thinking of the people who'll suffer, we can't afford to slack."

Tanya stood using her shield as a cane, her shamelessness drawing dumbfounded looks. But she wasn't done.

"One lap means one date. Two laps, two dates. Right, Raid Leader?"

"That's right."

At that, the women lounging comfortably began rising.

It was 2 p.m. With his schedule ending at 6, they'd need to drop monsters faster than before for two clears. One was the baseline.

"Buffs! Load me up with buffs!!!"

"I'll use Sharp Mode! Shields up!"

And the raid began.

A magazine specializing in heroes, Hero Revolution, had once published this:

- Research shows heroes in clans with male heroes grow faster in skill than those without. Likely due to the human desire to impress the opposite sex.

That Hero Revolution study wasn't wrong.

Team GGW was unleashing 120% of their potential, incinerating monsters with fierce perfection.

'Gotta use this trick more often.'

Minguk smiled warmly at his heroes charging with fire in their eyes.

If firing up the team cost dates with beauties, there was no reason not to. Come to think of it, Kang Chae-young from Vietnam popped into mind. Good times.

Given the timing, he wasn't contacting her now, but...

'Once the media quiets down, I'll reach out first.'

Kang Chae-young was too outstanding for a fleeting fling.

Ppuu had boasted that on the way back from Vietnam.

But flipped around, it meant the Garuda bitch would burst from the Tower of Birds in five years, fully powered.

And she'd hold a massive grudge against Minguk for crushing her son-like clone. He still vividly recalled her wails echoing in his mind each time he downed the clone.

So who a freed Garuda would target first was obvious.

Minguk planned to strike her first. For that fight, good ties with skilled heroes were key.

"Got it!!!"

"Who knew we'd pull this off!"

"Wooooah!!!!"

Team GGW poured their souls into it and cleared the [B-1] dungeon twice in the remaining time.

Even for a Corpse Bat dungeon with fewer boss spawns than average [B-1]s, it was astonishing speed. Human desire was truly mighty.

The top contributors snagging Minguk's date voucher? Kim So-jeong and Tanya Ruth.

But Minguk had to postpone their dates. Besides Team GGW's schedule, he had another appointment.

With Jo Eun-young, Rose Group's vice president and the figure behind R's prime.

"Pleased to meet you. Han Minguk."

Minguk entered the meeting spot with Clan Leader Oh Hyun-jung and lightly bowed to the woman sitting with Jo Su-young.

He already knew who she was.

Vice President Jo Eun-young, who stepped back after R's legendary raid leader Park Da-young retired, focusing solely on group ops.

'Why the sudden meeting?'

After appointing her daughter Jo Su-young as clan owner upon Park Da-young's retirement, she'd shown zero interest in clan matters.

But with Team GGW's winning streak, maybe Rose Group's name buzzing sparked a change?

Per the clan leader, Rose Group heavily backed this GGW contract. Even Minguk's new apartment was their doing.

"I've heard a lot about you, Raid Leader Han Minguk. They say you're the one to restore R's golden age."

"Grateful, but I'm still just 4-star."

"A first-year at 4-star means huge potential... Even Park Da-young couldn't dream of [B-1] clears her first year, let alone diffusion events. Humility's nice, but I prefer confidence."

"Got it."

Smiling outwardly, Minguk met Jo Eun-young's gaze as he replied.

She was late forties, but chaebol perks?

'Not a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hero, but damn, she takes care of herself.'

No wrinkles for her age, skin plump and firm.

A small pair of glasses accentuated her intellectual vibe. Reminded him of Japanese actress Aizawa Minami, whom he'd fancied back home.

Anyway, no one would blink if you guessed mid-thirties. Despite Jo Su-young being her daughter, they looked like sisters sitting together.

The chat that followed was mundane.

Mostly Vice President Jo Eun-young asking, Minguk answering. Topics varied. She showed keen interest in R's and dungeon strategies.

Especially Vietnam's diffusion. Oh Hyun-jung had explained why.

Rose Group had many factories in Vietnam producing their goods.

Team GGW's role in quelling it skyrocketed their image—near national enterprise status.

True to chaebol setup, the food was exquisite. But that was it.

'Just networking?'

He'd assumed some agenda, but apparently not. Whatever.

Dining with untouchables from his old world wasn't bad. Especially beauties.

Glancing around, wealthy women sat with handsome men.

"......"

Turning back, his eyes met one woman's. Jo Su-young.

Her brows curved like half-moons. Tonight's plans seemed set. But then...

The quest popped up out of nowhere.

Recalling that one item from the upgraded Chaos Shop that caught his eye, Minguk closed his eyes. Looked like he'd need to change tonight's goal.

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