Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Knight's Adaptation and Dungeon Sweep
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Well, it seemed Yoo-cheong's recommendation wasn't for nothing—Jung-han was adapting to modern conveniences and learning at a rapid pace, quickly grasping the lay of the land.
At the same time, she overhauled the haphazard financial operations run by a rotating skeleton crew, properly establishing the framework and pillars. In just one month, she had become an indispensable talent in managing Iron Fortress's finances and supplies.
"As expected, a specialist's touch is something else."
"Right? Trying to cut corners everywhere just wastes more time and money in the end."
"In hindsight, I should've summoned her sooner. We've got enough breathing room now for this."
Yoo Seongwon could keenly feel just how much impact a single talented individual could have.
Without Jung-han, he had been run ragged, barely able to catch his breath, on the verge of going insane. Now, with her handling things, his workload had lightened considerably, allowing him to bring Shin So-mi and her daughter along to clear dungeons like this.
They were currently cleaning up the area where the frontline city would take shape.
"But there aren't many tough dungeons here. At most B-rank, and since they're Slaughter King-affiliated, no tricks—just straightforward monster rushes. The bleak scenery is the real issue, though..."
"Well, after years fighting the Slaughter King, you get used to it. I've seen views like this a million times."
"Getting used to it feels like its own problem."
The spot they were in was the B-rank dungeon 'Giant Butchery.'
The dungeon's layout was a dank cave interior, with massive giant corpses—piled like mountains—hanging butchered in various spots.
The main enemies were giant parasitic bug monsters that fed on them, along with smaller devil-type monsters.
The boss was a colossal demon monster even bigger than the giants, wielding a hefty blade—the 'Giant Butcher' they'd seen plenty in field battles against Slaughter King forces.
The two were advancing leisurely, chatting like it was a date. This was partly thanks to Yoo Seongwon, an off-the-charts existence that even S-rank monsters backed away from, but mostly because Ayoung up ahead was pulling all the aggro.
"Eyaaah! Die! Die! Die, you bugs! Turn into my EXP, all of you!"
Gone was her usual bubbly cuteness. Fully geared in combat suit and mask, Shin Ayoung was facing down the swarming giant bugs and devils lunging at her.
She had long mastered hunter combat styles untouched by constellations, wielding magistone firearms, wires, explosives, and power fists in a one-woman rampage.
But her movements carried an impatience, prioritizing monster kills over her own safety in a frenzy.
"Looks like she's in a real hurry."
"S-rank is right around the corner. She's thrilled about getting the (Hero) Blue Dragon Bloodline skill as a reward for toppling Blue Dragon Guild—said she can soar again."
After the Balancer stripped her of qi usage for a while, forcing her into a non-qi class, her stats had skyrocketed, letting her reclaim lost techniques.
Especially now that she'd hit top A-rank, S-rank ambitions were kicking in hard.
"Well, Ayoung's passion is admirable. By the way, what'd you get, sis? I know you snagged a skill too..."
"Me? Eyes, of course. Losing my detection and far-sight wrecked me at first... but getting something comparable back feels great. It's (Hero) Dragon's Eye."
As a former Judgment Eyes class, she had mystic sight others lacked, so when Blue Dragon's Blessing descended, she naturally chose Dragon's Eye.
Yoo Seongwon didn't second-guess it—her hunter experience outstripped his own—and just looked ahead.
"Hmm, but we should help soon? She's losing her rhythm. Numbers aren't dropping; they're piling up."
"Yeah. One bad hit and it's trouble. Time to assist."
"Got it. I'll take left."
Nod.
Yoo Seongwon pulled a spare Titan Stake from his inventory, while Shin So-mi aimed her magistone hunting rifle.
They fired and threw in unison.
Gunshots and whistling air rang out together, sweeping the monsters around Shin Ayoung like a storm and shredding them.
"Ooh! Nice assist!"
"Hmm, aiding an ally doesn't violate 'knight's honor.' Plus, we were spectating from the rear, so technically in combat..."
"...Whew. That power never gets old. I used high-purity magistone rounds—pricey stuff—and you outdid them. No wonder old-gen hunters hit sage mode."
"I'm the outlier. Your shots pack S-rank punch."
Proving it, the right cave wall and floor bore massive craters from her sniping, monster corpses scattered everywhere.
Indeed, proof that humanity could grow strong without constellations.
But the opposite side? Even bigger scars, with monsters pulverized into nothing but blood puddles.
"Anyway, that cleared it up nicely... Almost done now."
"Yeah, but monsters'll swarm back soon. Huh?"
"Uncleeee!"
Mid-rampage, Shin Ayoung barreled toward them.
Annoyed at the interruption of a solvable crisis? Or spooked by the Titan Stake's insane power?
Drenched in monster fluids, blood, and sweat, she stormed up to Yoo Seongwon, huffing in protest.
"Uh, what?"
"It's fine to save me! But don't nuke the boss too!"
"...Huh? Did I? Didn't notice."
"It's not just the rank—I'm here to build the skills for it... Sigh~"
"Well, you were in real danger just now... Anyway, boss is dead, can't be helped. Haa~ Let's loot and bounce."
No intent behind it, and with the boss gone, her light grumbling wrapped things up.
Afterward, the trio recovered magistones and materials while watching for monsters, then exited the dungeon.
Outside stretched ruins and forests—a stark reminder of the neglected north's reality.
"If the world ended, it'd look about like this. Even outside the dungeon, something feels off."
"What's with the sudden mood? I just wanna hit the trailer and shower."
"Can't I get sentimental? Anyway... Heavenly Sword Army soldiers? Everything good?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. We guarded your 'Iron Chariot' thoroughly."
"No suspicious persons or traces spotted."
While Yoo Seongwon's group dungeoned, two Heavenly Sword Army elites had watched the trailer.
This was Slaughter King's turf—scavengers could lurk—so guards were essential.
"Hyah! I'll drive. You two wash up and gear-check."
"Got it."
"Ah~ If I could drive, I'd shower with Mom and Uncle~"
Ignoring Ayoung's weird quip, Yoo Seongwon fired up the trailer and rolled out.
An hour later, navigating empty roads and rough terrain, they reached the temporary camp near Kaesong—the future heart of the frontline city.
Safety was still iffy for pro construction crews, fortification incomplete, so only Yoo Seongwon's crew, Heavenly Sword Army soldiers, and goblin troops were there.
They were deep into construction.
"Your Majesty returns! All troops, salute!"
"Just work! Told you no salutes!"
"How can we not?"
"No means no!"
After bickering with the sentries, Yoo Seongwon parked inside the temp fortress and stepped out.
Core Heavenly Sword Army—Yoo-cheong, Jin-seok, Jung-han—were tied up at Iron Fortress, so surprisingly, Gaulpf commanded here.
An abyss being, yet legendary knight in life and afterlife, he directed fort construction, escorts, and scouting adeptly.
"Back from dungeon, Gaulpf. All quiet?"
[I'd almost prefer trouble, Contractor. Too boring here. Even envy stolid Krokbane helping with construction.]
"No news is good news. Ah, gimme a cola—cola! Where's Akaron and Seom-myeol?"
[Still out on long-range recon.]
Mounted on high-speed flyers, the two knights scouted far for scavengers or dungeons.
Intel gathering was always priority one.
Yoo Seongwon gulped cola while taking Gaulpf's report.
"Hmm, decide policy when they return? Might need to haul more materials myself."
[Just order them?]
"Jung-han said... save where we can. So I was gonna fly the Eldraen... Contract's got time left, prepaid, so she nags to maximize it. Better than paperwork headaches, though~"
Jung-han freed up a lot, but Yoo Seongwon's camp still brimmed with tasks.
He griped, but preferred hauling, dungeons, or manual labor over desk work.
Labor among labors, of course. Nobody innately loved work.
[Hah hahaha! You've met your match. That knight Jung-han is one thing, but you, Contractor, actually listening? Hah hahaha! Still, I crave battle. Not like there's none, though.]
"Fighting nonstop for a year—that's the abnormality. History shows peace outlasts war~"
[Calling this peace? Some irony there. Hah haha.]
"'We' are at peace. Gulp!"
Crunch!
Crushing the cola can like a compactor into a tiny lump for recycling, Yoo Seongwon corrected Gaulpf.
Yes, just 100km south, fights raged over Blue Dragon Guild's legacy.
The artificial island grab should've ended it, but guilds squabbled invisibly for more, openly in provinces.
『Scavenger-guild clashes escalate; Daegu subway station destroyed today, facilities damaged, citizens complain. The Association...』
They usually avoided civilians, but with the Big Three collapsing and order fraying, guilds fought openly.
Scavengers, media darlings, knew society sustained them—unlike Slaughter King's lunatics, they had 'rules.'
Guilds? Not so much.
『Jeonnam's 'Neo Shinan Undercity': Reports of Russian, Chinese, Japanese mafias and scavengers infiltrating for Blue Dragon Guild loot. Association on alert. Navy...』
With Korea safer, foreign Awakener crime syndicates eyed the spoils too—outlook grim.
Olympus Guild profited handsomely from Blue Dragon's fall yet ignored order, holing up in Seoul.
『Olympus Guild claims multi-front action, but recent 'Sky Island' deployments are mostly dungeon clears, sparking controversy.』
Thus, post-Big Three Korea sank deeper into chaos.
Government and Association begged Yoo Seongwon—the sole force to restore order—to step up, but his camp stayed swamped, and he had zero interest, ignoring them.
‘Don't touch Yoo Seongwon! Ever!’
‘Touch him and you're dead!’
‘When he's chilling quietly, pamper him! Don't poke the bear!’
Guilds and scavengers feared the untouchable Blue Dragon toppler—no incursions near Iron Fortress; they even checked guilds eyeing him.
"So I said my piece: ‘Don't touch civilians or weaklings—fight among yourselves.’ Job done. They listen, so no reason to join."
Even if obeyed to the letter, indirect fallout abounded: subways halted by guild clashes, logistics stalled, power outages. Public anxiety swelled; media, once fed by him, turned sour.
"Pfft~ Reporters yapping nonsense? Ignore 'em."
No SNS, no news interest—pressure futile. Self-sufficient Iron Fortress made them untouchable domestically anyway.
"And for the frontline city plan, this chaos is ideal. No direct provocation, no fight. Got it? Time will force their hand anyway. Hyah. Shower time."
For the plan to shine, contrasts needed sharpening.
Hell next door would make this heaven gleam brighter.
Wrapping up, Yoo Seongwon headed to the trailer to wash and change.