Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Changes and Stability
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This Gate's mission was to restart the Atmus ranch.
Securing the Energy Stone would likely sort itself out in the process.
'Gates with Energy Stones do seem a little harder...'
The Gates we'd entered with the rest of the group usually had just one mission.
Gates that also included securing an Energy Stone seemed to have higher difficulty.
We hadn't cleared enough Gates yet to run proper stats, but that was the trend so far.
"So the ranch system isn't running properly, right?"
"That's right. That's why I was praying and received a revelation."
Jang Ho-seop was chatting with the dwarf Pango.
Pango Mulcrude was a dwarf who ran a ranch in a remote area.
He had companions, but unfortunately, their vacation had overlapped with an unusual flood, leaving him isolated alone.
"If we replace the mana converter, that should fix it. But this thing's supposed to be semi-permanent... Weird that it all broke at once."
The place was so remote that they were well-prepared for isolation.
The problem was this completely unexpected system failure.
He had repair methods and tools ready, but he couldn't handle it alone.
"Most issues can be fixed from the control room over there. But this one requires going right into the ranch..."
Whatever his situation, we understood our job.
We just needed to replace the mana converter, and it was supposed to be as simple as changing a light bulb.
"But not with three people. Wait here."
"Until when?"
"How should I know?"
Pango said it was easy, then claimed three of us couldn't handle it.
The reason we were three was because we'd brought the unconscious woman.
"Why is that?"
"Our ranch is a long cave shape. Divided into four rooms."
"Got it."
"Right now, we've herded the Atmus into the last room."
Pango gave a detailed explanation.
His tone was gruff, but he said everything that needed saying.
He was different from the prophet we'd met in the first Gate.
"You said we have to go inside the ranch."
"Yes."
"To do that, we need to open each room's door manually. But that's a headache. This cave used to be a mage's dungeon originally..."
After hearing Pango's full explanation, I understood why three people weren't enough.
We needed at least four to solve the problem.
"Then until that employee shows up..."
"Exactly. But the weird part is... the revelation clearly said five people."
Jang Ho-seop shut his mouth.
Since we'd just dumped the body carelessly, Pango would find out eventually.
"Don't worry too much. We have plenty of food. By the way, your culture's unique, huh? Is that how women dress normally?"
Pango pointed at the unconscious woman.
Jang Ho-seop had unwrapped the bandages from her legs and tied them over her vital areas.
He'd covered her chest and groin like underwear to spare her embarrassment, but it looked even stranger.
"No, that's not it. And we don't know her either."
"Really? That girl's something... But why's she sleeping?"
He'd been guarding this cabin alone for so long that he was bored, maybe.
Thinking we'd caught on, Pango switched to chit-chat.
"She's not sleeping, she's..."
"Mulcrude."
Jang Ho-seop was about to join the idle talk.
I cut him off.
"Just call me by name."
"Yes, Pango. We don't have much time."
"Is that so? Hmm... Shame. Can't be helped."
His words said disappointment, but his attitude and tone showed none.
Why was he so laid-back about his own problem?
Anyway, I'd said what I wanted.
"And we're not three people. We're four."
"Huh? Who's the fourth?"
"Can't Pango come with us?"
I could feel him fluster at my words.
"Me? No, that's not it. Why would I go in there in this state...?"
"Please. Help us out."
Jang Ho-seop clapped his hands.
Wondering why he hadn't thought of it himself.
"Right! Pango can come with us!"
"No, listen. Do you really have to drag a cripple like me into that stinking place?"
Pango called himself a cripple.
He was a peculiar dwarf.
"Come on, cripple? Back home, there's someone who can't even move all four limbs but stays active as ever."
"Th-there's someone like that?"
"Yes. Pango can do it too. Don't limit yourself."
Pango was a dwarf with only one arm and one leg.
We finished preparing and headed behind the cabin.
We soon reached a tall cliff face.
A massive iron door was embedded in the middle of the cliff.
"This is it. That crutch thing... Way better than I thought."
"Glad to hear it."
Pango used mechanical prosthetic arm and leg.
Both were broken and needed repair, so he couldn't join us.
So we'd hastily whittled some wood from the cabin into crutches.
"Adjust the armpit part a bit, add springs for shock absorption..."
Apparently, this world had no crutches.
At least not in Pango's common knowledge.
"Incredible. Such a simple idea for the armpits, how'd I never think of it..."
Pango kept marveling at the crutch idea.
Even though his prosthetics were far more impressive.
"Um... what about me? Am I a sacrifice again...?"
The woman who'd woken up looked around anxiously.
She was a Japanese woman named Yui, offered up as a sacrifice to the Gate.
Low level too.
"Yui, just follow along and do as you're told. No danger."
Jang Ho-seop reassured her.
Couldn't even meet her eyes properly.
She hadn't heard about the ranch.
She'd just been given work clothes from the cabin and followed us blindly.
"Okay... Please take care of me, Ho-seop."
"Ahem. Don't worry. You'll get back safe."
Jang Ho-seop grinned dopily at Yui's polite bow.
Pango tucked the crutches under his armpits and pulled the handle by the iron door.
Pssshhh!
The door opened with a loud hiss.
"Oh? Automatic door?"
"Semi-automatic. Powered by mana engine..."
The cave interior came into view.
Pretty spacious.
Flat floor, lights like bulbs embedded in the ceiling.
Traces of handiwork everywhere.
'Dwarf handiwork, not human?'
We entered the cave under Pango's guidance.
Another thick iron door on the opposite side.
"Ugh... The smell's awful."
"Ventilation's busted, makes it worse."
The Atmus raised here were truly useful magic beast resources, he said.
I asked if they were dangerous since they were magic beasts, but Pango said no.
"See that brown cover on the ceiling?"
"Yes."
"Lock next to it. Flip it open, and it just..."
Jang Ho-seop set up the ladder he'd brought.
I climbed up and swapped the mana converter easily.
"See? No big deal."
"Yeah. You're right."
"On to the next room then."
We moved a few steps to the second door.
Pango pointed at the floor this time.
"Open this, button comes up."
Looking closely, there was a hand-sized cover on the floor.
Slide it aside, a round stone popped out.
Pssshk!
Press it, and the seemingly seamless floor split left and right.
A hidden space big enough for three adults.
"Used to be a trap against intruders. We modified it."
About 3 meters deep.
Lethal devices removed, floor flat now.
Rungs on the wall like a ladder.
"Can't open from inside, by the way. Someone has to open it from outside."
I glanced at Yui.
Jang Ho-seop handed Yui a lantern.
"Here. If you're scared... Oh, Pango. Air flows, right?"
"It does, but not great. Better close your eyes briefly? We don't use it often..."
Yui grabbed Jang Ho-seop's hand, begging him to come back.
He promised seriously.
I didn't get it.
Why get attached to a woman we'd never see after clearing this Gate?
"Alright... Going down."
Yui descended the ladder.
Her feet hit the floor.
Bang!
The trap door slammed shut hard.
Startling everyone.
Clank clank.
Gears whirred.
The massive iron door to the next room began opening slowly.
"Whoa... Must be super heavy."
Jang Ho-seop marveled at the sight.
He was right.
The door was incredibly thick.
Tons at least.
Impossible by human strength.
"Like this all the way to the last room. Trap senses lifeforms, transplanted to the floor. For emergencies like this."
"Why go to such lengths? Can't just leave it open?"
"Cost. What else? Full explanation's complicated..."
This was why we needed at least four.
Had to swap the converter in the last room too, and someone had to stay in the trap to reach it.
"Let's go. Quick in and out. I went in once before... Not fun."
We entered the second room.
Empty too, smell worse.
Swap the converter.
This time, Pango went into the trap.
Even with crutches, moving around was inconvenient for him.
"Hope you come back fast."
"Yes. We'll hurry."
He descended nimbly on one arm and one leg.
Bang!
Trap closed, third door opened.
Swap converter amid the worsening stench.
"Bro. Pango's gruff but seems nice, right?"
"Yeah."
"That prophet was super uncooperative. Lucky."
Guess it comes down to the person.
The System just gives missions, doesn't provide helpful people.
One question: this Gate was way easier than expected.
'Thought Energy Stones meant higher difficulty...'
No idea why, but clearing smoothly was good.
Down the ladder, at the final door.
"Whew... My turn."
Found the floor-colored cover, slid it aside.
Pressed the round stone.
Trap opened, Jang Ho-seop peered down for the ladder rungs.
Plop—
That instant.
Something leaped up in front of Jang Ho-seop's face.
"Eek?!"
He recoiled in shock.
Tiny presence, didn't even ping Target Detection.
Like an insect.
"What is it?"
Jang Ho-seop approached the trap cautiously.
I went too, looked down.
Trap walls and floor different color from surroundings.
Took focus to notice.
'Toads?'
The trap was crawling with toads plastered to walls and floor.
No empty spots, easy to miss at a glance.
Ranch interior dim too.
"B-bro? This is..."
Legs bent at right angles, plump bodies.
Door open, but barely moving.
"Pfft. Get in."
"Huh? N-no. Don't you see them?"
"I see. You're fine, don't worry."
I said it casually.
"Bro, please... Please save me."
Jang Ho-seop begged.
Perfect.
The guy who'd treated the Gate like a joke, all excited like a field trip.
"This isn't it. I-I'll go to the next room. Or at least chase them off..."
Thud.
I shoved him anyway.
To teach him the Gate's bitter side.
"No... Gaaah!"
Jang Ho-seop flailed to grab me, then screamed as he fell.
Bang!
Trap slammed extra loud.
Now I saw: this trap had tiny gaps.
'Won't get hurt bad.'
A bit worried he fell backward, but he had levels, he'd be fine.
I turned away without regret.
The final door opened slowly.
"Ah."
I'd planned to swap quick and get Jang Ho-seop out.
But I stopped short of entering the room.
"The Atmus..."
Pango had said it.
Herded into the last room.
"Bigmar, huh."
Like the toads filling Jang Ho-seop's trap.
The fourth room brimmed with bigmars.
Clank.
I set the ladder down and stepped inside.
"Kyaa! S-so what happened?!"
Yu-na shrieked briefly and asked.
"Ho-seop went in."
"Full of toads? You just... sent him in?"
"Yeah."
We'd cleared the Atmus ranch safely and exited.
Telling the group about the Gate.
"I went to the fourth room, full of bigmars."
"What? Suddenly bigmars?"
"Yeah. Atmus are bigmars. They treat them like livestock there."
Jang Ho-seop hadn't said a word.
Really pissed this time.
"How?!"
"Thought I'd kill all the bigmars first, then swap the converter?"
Killing them all might've screwed Pango over.
Mission first, so unavoidable, I thought.
"But they didn't attack. So I just set the ladder, swapped, and left."
Turned out unnecessary.
"Yi Hyun, hold on. They didn't attack even after sensing you?"
Kim Soo-jung, who'd been patting Jang Ho-seop's back, asked wide-eyed.
"Yes. Walked right through them, no attacks."
The group stared at me with the same expression.
Wondering why.
We were trying to raise bigmars too.
Couldn't increase numbers because of their savage nature.
"There was a way. Super simple."
And I'd returned with the answer to their curiosity.