Chapter 51
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: EP.51: Raid Team That's Not Quite Newbie
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"But hey."
While heading to face the fourth boss monster after defeating Orc General Kraks, Han Minguk turned to his teammates with a question that had been nagging at him since the Kraks fight.
"That Working Girl who got wrecked by Kraks... why'd you treat her so coldly?"
Strictly speaking, hadn't she been fighting monsters for humanity's sake only to have her mana corrupted? Minguk rummaged through his predecessor's memories, but he couldn't find any reason to be that harsh toward her.
If it was just because getting taken by a monster felt filthy, that'd be understandable. But even while treating her like that, this world still demanded that Working Girls fight the creatures of darkness—another sacrifice.
"Hmm..."
The teammates exchanged awkward glances, and Kim So-jeong was the one who finally spoke up.
"It's true that Working Girls are pitiful. But we have our reasons for acting that way too. Male heroes might not get it, but..."
"Reasons?"
"Yeah. If you're too friendly with a Working Girl, you might end up becoming one yourself."
"...What the hell does that mean?"
Something must've gone down. Kim So-jeong's explanation continued, and the stories coming out of her mouth were a bit shocking.
Not all Working Girls acted that way, but some gave in to their desires and betrayed humanity. They offered up fellow heroes to monsters—either to satisfy their lust or because their minds had twisted.
"They sweet-talk a fellow hero and lure them into a dungeon. Then they hand them over to the monster that ravaged them. Done. If a tank or healer goes rogue, wiping out a whole raid is child's play."
"There are people like that? That make any sense?"
"It happened for real once. A famous Chinese raid leader turned into a Working Girl and then killed herself."
It was an old incident that Minguk's predecessor hadn't known about, but it was common knowledge among female heroes who weren't male heroes. The rule was: if you meet a Working Girl you can't trust, suspect her first and stay cautious.
And it was because of these Working Girls that hero clans had developed. You could tackle dungeons with reliable comrades.
"So that's..."
He could kind of understand now why they'd treated that Working Girl like air.
But another question popped up. Working Girls were heroes whose mana got corrupted after being forcibly taken by monsters. That corruption gripped them with intense lust, drawing them irresistibly to monsters.
'More precisely, they're seeking something to satisfy that lust. And since all the men in this world are withered husks, they target powerful monsters instead.'
What about a male hero, though? One with the stamina to satisfy multiple female heroes?
Minguk posed that question to the team.
"Who knows? But is there even a male hero like that? Honestly..."
Jeong Ye-rin trailed off. But Minguk could guess the rest. Psychological resistance, probably. His gaze shifted to Kim So-jeong. With her experience, maybe she'd have a different take.
"Sure, there might be guys with weird tastes."
"Yeah. But men aren't exactly overflowing with lust to begin with, right? Let alone with a Working Girl... She might show up the next day as a mummy."
"No male hero would ever want to take in a Working Girl, no matter how you slice it."
The conversation ended there. At least he'd learned something about Working Girls.
The group that felled Orc General Kraks also took down the fourth and fifth boss monsters over the next two hours.
But while fighting the fifth one, did the team's tension start to slip? In an absurd blunder right before the end, Kim So-jeong and Oh Hyun-ah died.
Fortunately, the survivors finished off the boss. After the fight ended, Revival Stones brought the two back.
"Sorry, Raid Leader..."
"It's rare to see Kim So-jeong mess up like that. We cleared it in one try anyway, so we'll let the mistake slide. But we'll have to push your turn back a week or so."
"Ah... Got it."
At Minguk's words, So-jeong gave him a regretful look before bowing her head. It was a bit absurd, but this method was the most effective for keeping the team's focus sharp.
And two hours later.
True to form as the final boss of 'Black Orc Fortress,' Orc Lord Kuram wiped out Minguk's raid three times. Luckily, no one got captured by Kuram and turned into a Working Girl.
But Team GGW didn't repeat the same dumb mistakes, and Minguk led with precise calls. In the end, Choi Yuna's arrow pierced Kuram's heart.
Beep!
Territory of “Black Orc Fortress” cleared.
2 Achievement Points awarded to Hero Pad.
Hero Compendium count updated.
The Hero Pad chimed just as Orc Lord Kuram collapsed. Clearing a 【B-6】 difficulty dungeon must've earned extra—2 Achievement Points.
Minguk checked his total: 31. Insane for a first-year rookie hero.
"Tickets! Tickets, tickets!!!"
Jeong Ye-rin, up by rotation, opened the loot chest. She chanted for a Gold Ticket like a spell, only to flop to the floor in despair moments later.
They'd ambitiously tackled and cleared a 【B-6】 dungeon, but nothing boosted the team's specs. Two Revival Stones were a gain, though they'd used four.
"At least selling all this loot will give us some cash."
They'd downed six bosses and scored 13 gear items. As So-jeong spoke, Minguk stared at the dazzling hero gear and sighed in frustration.
"How is none of this usable by anyone on the team?"
"Auction house curse... We geared up too early."
Seven pieces were tank-only. And Hyun-ah was the team's sole fully geared hero—meaning she'd dumped a fortune at auction.
"Just bad luck. All the useless stuff just for us..."
The maknae Yuna piped up, defending the tank.
Truth was, useful stuff dropped too—but they already had equivalents, so no point.
Anyway, the 【B-6】 Black Orc Fortress clear was a success. But outside the dungeon, something shocking awaited Minguk and the crew.
"Think they'll actually clear it? Heard they're all rookies..."
A soldier guarding the 【B-6】 dungeon 'Black Orc Fortress' in Seongbuk-gu asked her superior. Her helmet bore three yellow stripes over her bulletproof vest and K42 rifle. Her boss, puffing a cigarette, shrugged.
"Who knows? Honestly, feels like R’s clan is overreaching..."
The female sergeant in charge recalled the cocky male hero who'd entered the dungeon. She'd witnessed three or four Revival Stones shatter. But given how long R’s team had been in, that was peanuts.
In her three years here, she'd seen raids burn through dozens of stones in a day.
'Going for a slow clear?'
But their supplies were meager—no sleeping bags, barely food. Her gaze drifted to the waiting room where an R’s clan member was hanging out. Looked like the morning rookie raid was a promising squad they cared about. With a male hero, no surprise.
"S-Sergeant."
"Hm? What?"
She tilted her head at the voice. The calling corporal was staring off, ignoring her rudely.
But she wasn't the only one. All dozen guards fixated ahead, transfixed.
The sergeant casually turned. Her eyes bulged. She fumbled for her radio.
"This is Seongbuk-gu 【B-6】 Black Orc Fortress! This is Seongbuk-gu 【B-6】 Black Orc Fortress! HQ, come in, over!"
- This is HQ. What's up?
"The, the dungeon! The dungeon's mana is dispersing!"
- An explosion?
"N-No! Repeat: Dungeon collapsing. Not an explosion."
Not exploding—collapsing. Sounded similar, but worlds apart.
Two ways to end a dungeon here. First: let the timer run out, then boom.
But explosions sterilized the land, unleashed monster hordes—like a natural disaster. Humanity managed dungeons to prevent that at all costs.
Second: mana dispersal, natural collapse after deep clears. Rare as hell.
Humanity's ultimate goal in the war against darkness: shatter dungeons. Reclaim the land stably.
- #[email protected]#!$
HQ erupted in noise post-report. But the mana storm garbled the radio. Then five heroes burst from the dungeon.
R’s clan's Team GGW, led by Minguk.
"Kyaaah! What's with the wind?!"
"Forecast said clear skies today, though?"
"Weather service is all the same."
"Sudden storm brewing?"
Minguk shielded his face from the gale and looked up.
"...It's crystal clear? What's up with here?"
He looked baffled. Seoul's skies were perfect today.
"H-Han Minguk, Raid Leader? R’s clan's newbie Team 4?"
Soldiers in uniform swarmed him. The ones who'd exchanged brief greetings on entry. They all looked shocked—beyond shocked. Minguk tilted his head, sensing trouble.
"...The dungeon!"
Hyun-ah, glancing back, shrieked in horror. The portal-like entrance crumbled like a sandcastle.
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