Chapter 268
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 268
Chapter Title: Those Seeking GGW
‘Are Chinese friends always this forward? Lin Sha was the same way back then...’
Checking the private message from Xiao Lan, Han Minguk recalled an old connection from ages ago.
His first threesome in this world. Thinking back to that passionate day brought a smile to his lips unbidden. And even now, he was still together with Choi Yuna, the female hero who had shared her body with him and Lin Sha that day.
At any rate, the gist of Xiao Lan's grandiose message boiled down to one thing.
An invitation to dinner tonight. And a discussion about tackling the Nanjing Dungeon.
‘Even at the lunch meeting...’
They'd said the strategy info was at PLA headquarters, but it looked like they'd shipped it over to Korea already. Well, even if that was the surface excuse, the real intent was obvious.
‘She wants to get closer to me and the GGW raid team.’
GGW hadn't even been active for three full years yet, but they were already preparing to conquer 【S】-rank dungeons, having cleared 【A】 and 【B】 ones.
And this was a raid team made up of heroes who'd only been officially active for three or four years.
To exaggerate a bit, no raid team in human history had grown this fast. Factoring in how heroes typically peaked around year seven or eight, GGW hadn't even hit their prime yet.
On top of that, China was a massive country with rough surroundings.
Border regions sharing a line with Russia's Siberia saw frequent clashes with darkness monsters, and the northwest around the Taklamakan Desert had already fallen to them.
Then there was the Beicon disaster among the Twelve Calamities, which had threatened national security multiple times. The most recent dungeon break had happened in China, too.
‘And Korea shares a border with that China. Plus, R’s is a Korean clan.’
It was clear they wanted to build good ties with a solid clan like Rose Shield and the GGW raid team—both for joint fronts and to prep for when their own country was in peril.
“China?”
“Yeah. Wants to meet tonight.”
At Han Minguk's words, Oh Hyun-jung sluggishly lifted her upper body from where she'd been sprawled in the chair like a corpse.
Thanks to GGW's Nanjing expedition, she'd been run ragged all day organizing raid schedules and support teams without a break.
On top of that, there were mountains of contracts to negotiate with PLA. Han Minguk had been helping with that torturous paperwork in the clan master's office.
“Where?”
“Raon Hotel. Guess they're staying there.”
Not surprising. Everyone knew Raon was the best hotel in the country.
“They said their feet were on fire over Nanjing, but... looks like it really is urgent.”
“Feet on fire? Don't they have some leeway?”
Han Minguk gave her a puzzled look at her words.
With about two years until the dungeon broke, there didn't seem to be any rush.
“That's only if there's a raid team that can clear it. The problem is, no one can tackle Nanjing. PLA already failed and lost an 8-star hero... And Tensenga can't cling to it for months when they have other top dungeons to hit, right?”
“Ah...”
“Anyway, with America too busy defending their own turf to help, even if they have time before the break, it probably doesn't feel that way.”
Listening to Hyun-jung, Han Minguk found himself nodding along.
For the record, “losing a hero” didn't mean death. It just meant their mana had been corrupted by the monsters.
At any rate, an uncleared dungeon was a headache.
Especially one even a Shield-class raid team couldn't handle... That land might have to be abandoned, like in Africa.
“So, you're meeting them?”
Popping a cookie from the table into his mouth, Han Minguk mumbled around it in response to Hyun-jung's question.
“Yeah. They say Chinese folks have strong pride, right? Might as well give face to the ones who invited us.”
“Well... Getting chummy with PLA and Xiao Lan wouldn't hurt the clan. Nanjing was a painful fail, but they're still Shield-class, and Xiao Lan's the real deal.”
Han Minguk nodded absentmindedly at the clan master's words, then paused as he recalled Xiao Lan's youthful appearance from earlier.
‘That young hero is really that strong...?’
Honestly, until he saw her fight, he hadn't fully bought it. And wasn't this the same China famous for bluffing?
But he shook his head soon after.
‘Nah. In any world, the top characters never skip the loli.’
Considering how most games and novels shoehorned in a childlike girl among the strongest, Xiao Lan was probably legit powerful.
Though by this world's standards, “strong” didn't feel all that impressive.
Still, befriending someone like that was fine by him. Thinking ahead, the more capable raid teams in his corner, the easier it'd be to smash the Twelve Calamities and dungeons.
Like how Daegu had fallen easily with Memoria and top ranker clans helping.
“Guess you'll get some good food for once.”
Han Minguk shrugged at Hyun-jung's meaningful gaze.
“I eat fine at home.”
“Really? With Hyun-ah cooking? That girl's no chef.”
“...Little sisters, huh? You know her too well.”
“She doesn't even know how to run the washer. Anyway, Raon Hotel... Urgh...”
Recalling the hotel's famous restaurants, Hyun-jung clutched her stomach. Then, with genuine regret, she continued.
“So many tasty spots... Sigh, too bad. If I had time, I'd go too...”
As clan master, she had way too much on her plate. Han Minguk sent Xiao Lan a message accepting the invite.
“Heroes really are something else, huh?”
Xiao Lan smiled at the phone message.
“Pardon?”
Midway through their fun time, she'd checked a sudden message and lit up with a pleased expression. The beauty covering herself with a thin blanket tilted her head.
“Something good happen, Raid Leader?”
She was one of PLA's second-string heroes on this Korea trip—one of Xiao Lan's many women in the clan.
“Yeah.”
Unlike her childlike looks, Xiao Lan was a total carnivore, with not just Tzuyu but several PLA women under her thumb. Like a guy with his own harem cartel.
“Dinner with Hero Han Minguk. Here at the hotel, so tell the manager to pull out all the stops.”
“Which restaurant?”
“There's a Chinese-style one in the basement, right? That.”
“Got it!”
The female hero's eyes widened at Han Minguk's name.
She scrambled into her clothes and dashed out. Left alone in the bedroom, Xiao Lan slipped into the white robe strewn on the bed and headed to the table.
Glug.
The wine from earlier, opened to set the mood, was still there. Savoring a sip, Xiao Lan's lips parted slightly.
“Han Minguk. I wonder what you taste like?”
Unlike most men she'd met, he definitely had a sex drive.
Recalling how he'd kept staring at her chest during the afternoon meeting made it even clearer. That was the gaze of a man who knew pleasure.
And for China's sake, she planned to seduce the capable hero Minguk, rub skin and advance their bond. Mostly to satisfy her own urges, of course.
The dinner Xiao Lan prepared was so lavish it threatened to topple the table.
Well, technically, the Raon Hotel staff had cooked it—PLA just footed the bill.
At any rate, the spread was impossible for one person. Even if the whole GGW raid team showed, there might've been leftovers.
‘Chinese hosts never skimp on food, right?’
And guests shouldn't finish it all, either.
Leaving some showed you'd been stuffed, saving face for the host. He'd heard that somewhere.
No wonder the buffet-style refills had felt off... Anyway, impossible to eat it all, even if he wanted to.
“I'm stuffed.”
Finally, Han Minguk set down his chopsticks, leaving a bit behind.
He patted his belly as he spoke. Not bursting, but satisfyingly full.
“Really? Satisfied with the meal?”
Xiao Lan eyed him observantly.
Then tapped the table. A female hero promptly handed her documents. Naturally, Han Minguk's gaze shifted there.
“What's that?”
“PLA's intel on the Nanjing Dungeon we attempted. Got it straight from HQ at your request, Hero Han Minguk.”
She slid the papers over with her words.
Han Minguk took them and scanned the contents.
The Nanjing Dungeon, estimated 【S-8】 or 【S-9】 difficulty, was known to have nine named bosses total. But no raid had sighted the last one, so it wasn't confirmed.
‘And the special specimen among them...’
The notoriously tricky 3rd and 5th named.
PLA had snagged a Silver-grade mana crystal from the 3rd. But nothing on a crystal from the 5th, despite its high difficulty.
‘So the 3rd is definitely special.’
Regrettably, no info past the 5th. Looked like PLA hit a hero corruption during the 6th and bailed.
Xiao Lan licked her dry lips, watching Han Minguk pore over the docs with a serious face.
A handsome guy in a sharp suit flipping pages one by one—it was sigh-worthy.
China had plenty of good-looking guys and male heroes, but maybe because he was an 8-star like her?
This man felt fundamentally different from the rest.
‘Ready?’
Her eyes flicked meaningfully to another hero, who nodded back. While their silent exchange went on, Han Minguk was laser-focused on the trial logs. True to 【S】-rank, even the 1st named had complex attack patterns.
“Um, Hero Han Minguk.”
“Yes?”
He glanced up at the sudden voice. Xiao Lan beamed.
“We prepped Nanjing trial footage upstairs on a laptop and tablet. Want to watch together?”
“Really?”
His eyes widened at her offer.
He liked how thorough they were. Showed their urgency, sure, but access to intel and footage could slash clear times.
No reason to refuse.
“Yeah, let's head up.”
Han Minguk followed her straight to her room.
As promised, a massive wall TV was hooked to a tablet, ready to play with one click.
“Grab some snacks from downstairs.”
“Drinks too?”
“Sure.”
As Xiao Lan chatted with her heroes, Han Minguk started the first named boss footage.