Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Mental Contamination Report
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Jin Sea's golden eyes swept over the Dahe Guild members, who looked as if their souls had been sucked out of them.
And then that gaze shifted back to Mary.
"Everyone else looks a bit tired..."
Jin Sea continued in a soft voice.
"But you, Hunter... you look remarkably fine."
Mary let out a snicker.
"You'll see the details in the report soon enough, but... the dungeon interior was no joke when it came to exhaustion."
"Maybe that's why."
"Yeah. Who knows."
Since she hadn't asked out of genuine curiosity in the first place, Jin Sea brushed it off casually.
Mary's eyebrow twitched faintly at the sight.
And with that, the two exchanged no further words.
Mary turned and headed back to her Dahe Guild group.
"...She's getting on my nerves."
Jin Sea muttered while watching her retreating figure.
A forgotten rumor resurfaced in her mind.
Or rather, it was less a rumor and more an open secret.
A few years back, the story went that Yoo Seon-woo had nearly joined Dahe Guild.
Paired with Mary, the top prospect of the Golden Knights at the time, in a 1+1 contract.
But right before it went through, Wi Jae-wan had swiftly hijacked Yoo Seon-woo.
He'd judged that an Otherworlder worth targeting by Dahe must have tremendous potential.
Yet when they checked him out, Yoo Seon-woo didn't have standout combat stats.
In the end, the real reason that 1+1 deal nearly happened wasn't his hidden skills or performance...
It was probably Mary's "demands."
The possibility that she'd proposed using herself—a premium asset—as collateral to bring Yoo Seon-woo to Dahe.
Of course, this was 100% pure speculation on Jin Sea's part.
The widespread rumor stopped at "Yoo Seon-woo nearly went to Dahe with Mary in a 1+1."
So the nagging irritation was unavoidable.
They even seemed pretty close.
And her coming straight to ask about his well-being screamed ulterior motives.
The A-rank hunter who'd been face-down on the ground writhed and barely managed to rise.
As if his mind had cleared, he clutched his head in a gesture of self-reproach.
Jin Sea watched the whole scene indifferently.
Definitely.
Something was up.
Her eyes narrowed.
I headed to the Association.
For now, just a simple request: counseling records for Hunters who'd stayed long-term in dungeons.
Not that I'd definitely need them, but...
Even if not, stuffing something into my brain was better than rotting away in the counseling office.
"Ah! Counselor, you're here!"
The archives staff recognized me and greeted me warmly.
I'd already familiarized them with my face quite a bit.
"You've had a hard day. Looking for some files."
I'd already searched via kiosk earlier.
ZU-1 through ZU-21. Those covered treatment cases for dungeon PTSD.
"Everything from ZU-1 to 21?"
"Yes, please~"
I watched her rise from her seat and disappear into the stacks.
- Rattle!
And soon enough.
She reappeared, struggling to push a cart.
Atop it teetered a precarious mountain of documents taller than me.
"......"
What the hell...?
I was momentarily speechless at the volume.
She scratched her chin awkwardly.
"That's... quite a lot, huh?"
I nodded silently instead of replying.
Then quietly loaded the paper mountain into my car.
And my destination: home.
Counseling and work at the office.
But research and studying at home.
That was my peculiar routine.
Doesn't seem much different, but poring over files in my study stuck better in my head.
Overkill? Can't argue.
I drove home.
The moment I arrived, I dumped the files in a heap on my study desk.
Brewed a strong cup of coffee too.
Returned to the study with the steaming mug.
And sat before the paper mountain.
Before diving into research...
I booted up my computer and checked real-time breaking news.
The dungeon had collapsed, and the mana backlash should've subsided by now, but ripples could spawn new issues.
At the top of the screen sat a freshly posted article.
Dahe Guild Succeeds in Solo Clear of S-Rank Gate 'Chain Hell'... Miraculous Feat with Only Minor Injuries
I slowly read through the article.
No major injuries for sure.
Minor ones at worst.
Good.
The desk files were just precautions anyway...
No issues was the best outcome.
But mental disorders aren't obvious at a glance.
They could look fine outside while rotting inside.
So I do what I do.
I opened the first file in the stack.
- Flip. Flip.
How much time passed?
Eyes strained, back ached.
I pored over those tragic records, absorbing the counselors' expertise and pain, trying to make it mine.
Glancing out the window, sunset had fallen.
"Ugh..."
Fatigue creeping in...
But not even halfway done.
Is this right...?
Dungeon PTSD must be that common.
I skimmed the remaining stack.
- Rustle...
Midway, flipping with one hand.
- Thud.
Something heavy caught.
"......"
An alien texture at my fingertips.
Amid fresh white A4s from the Association, a single yellowed, edge-frayed page stained with fingerprints.
"Agh!"
I screamed instinctively, as if I'd seen something I shouldn't, and flung it to the desk corner.
Heart pounding wildly.
Another yellowed file.
I stretched out, squinting to flip the first page.
And checked the title.
Please no.
CASE 1: Considerations on Mental Contamination from Dungeon Conquest
- Slam.
I closed it again.
This handwriting, paper texture.
Definite.
Not even ZU series classification.
[M-15]
What the hell is this...?
Unsolicited files kept sneaking into my stacks.
And last check, author anonymous.
A flash of insight hit me.
"Buddy. Quick."
I called the system.
[............]
But oddly, no response.
What?
"Buddy??"
[... Ah, yes! You called?]
"Can you investigate traces in this paper and ID the subject?"
The guy who'd breached the remote counseling program's firewall before.
Might be possible.