Secret Agent? Or Just a Crazy Girl?
Dungeon Anomaly Countermeasures Headquarters. Amid the flurry of opinions in the conference room gathered to resolve the incident dubbed the "Jam Tiger Rebellion" at the Dungeon Entrance, the massive screen up front displayed the Dungeon Shop.
It was being used as an info window to gauge the crisis—the product page of the infamous shop "Dungeon Survival," projected via beam projector onto the conference room wall. Amid the swarm of shitty comments, it offered accurate intel on the unfolding chaos in the dungeon.
In truth, the Jam Tiger rebellion at the Dungeon Entrance wasn't a huge deal. Once the government troops were deployed, even a full mob of those low-level monsters could be swept away easily. The reason this serious meeting dragged on was...
"We have to prevent any destruction of the Dungeon Entrance—it's a world-class tourist spot! Do you know how much revenue we rake in from tourists every year?!"
"But regular awakeners aren't enough, and if we send in the Hunter Corps, you have to accept some dungeon damage..."
"That's why we're all here in this meeting—to figure out how to stop it!"
Countermeasures Director Na Hyunseo's sharp rebuke silenced the room. The generals with over 30 years of veteran service couldn't muster a single retort against the booming voice of this fresh-faced woman in her late twenties.
Truth be told, Na Hyunseo—like the awakeners trapped inside—prioritized lives over structures. But the orders from above were clear.
—Zero damage to the Dungeon Entrance.
The government's stance: The safety of citizens came second to preserving the world-famous tourist hub that generated more than double the national budget annually. Representing that position left a bitter taste in Na Hyunseo's mouth.
But what could she do? In Hell Joseon, bureaucrats jumped when told to.
Ha... fucking... wanna quit...
Then came more bad news. Na Hyunseo's secretary rushed in and whispered in her ear. Her expression shifted by the second, putting all the government-affiliated awakeners in the room on edge.
"Is that true right now? The Saintess?!"
Among those trapped at the Dungeon Entrance was a heavyweight among heavyweights. More famous than the Korean president himself, a figure who elevated the nation's prestige single-handedly with her healing powers. Na Hyunseo's face twisted in fury at the report that Choi Eunji, the Saintess, was isolated inside.
"So the Saintess is trapped in there, and what the hell are you all doing about it!!!"
No decisions had been made yet, so no action could be taken—but no one dared defend themselves against her outburst, heads bowed low.
Except for one person at the far end of the table, staring right back at her. Slender build, youthful face. A schoolgirl who should be in class right now, unflinching as she met Na Hyunseo's gaze.
Her face rang a bell, but Na Hyunseo didn't recall any girl that young in the government troops. Then it clicked from the foggy memory, and she tensed up slightly.
Directly under the Blue House—a national-level secret agent. Na Hyunseo didn't know her exact abilities, but she remembered the girl's face from her prodigious childhood exploits. Her face wasn't top secret; it was public knowledge. High-rankers just had ways to mask their presence, which was why no one had noticed her here until now.
Na Hyunseo stared at the familiar girl.
"K-Kim... Kim Chaerin, Awakener?"
"Yes......"
The tiny, timid voice somehow filled the entire room. Na Hyunseo tensed further. A secret agent's presence here meant the situation was graver than imagined. Or maybe the government had appointed her director with ulterior motives, sending the agent to monitor her.
The staring contest between Na Hyunseo and Kim Chaerin froze the room in icy tension. Na Hyunseo was the one bristling, while Kim Chaerin was just fighting off sleep with wide eyes—but holding that gaze against the director who terrified 30-year vets was impressive in itself.
Huaaah... that big sis is so scaryyy...
Such thoughts swirling in her head, Kim Chaerin's eyes suddenly lit up. Her gaze shifted from Na Hyunseo to the screen behind her.
Not out of fear. The man had appeared on the screen behind Na Hyunseo.
The display showed CCTV footage from the Gate Entrance: a man and the Saintess clutching his collar, following close behind.
As Na Hyunseo rubbed her bloodshot eyes, assuming victory in the stare-down, Kim Chaerin slammed the conference table and shot to her feet with a bizarre roar.
"Euuuaaaah!!!"
The ferocious killing intent from such a petite, baby-faced girl sent chills through everyone nearby.
"I-I'll... go..."
"Uh, what? What'd you say?"
"Th-there... where is it?!"
Na Hyunseo didn't think the situation warranted a top-tier secret agent stepping in personally.
Could things at the Dungeon Entrance really be that insanely dangerous?
Seeing Kim Chaerin so desperate convinced her it was dire. Ever the Hunter Corps rep, Na Hyunseo swiftly prepared to devise a plan.
"Then, troop numbers..."
"M-me... alone. I'll go alone! Where is it?!"
Na Hyunseo, who'd thought she'd won the intimidation battle, flinched at the sudden wave of bloodlust from Kim Chaerin.
Am I... get... getting scared...?
When was the last time she'd felt such menace? Not even when her mom smacked her for skipping breakfast.
Forcing a twitchy smile, Na Hyunseo replied.
"Alone's impossible..."
"Alone's totes... possible!"
Kim Chaerin whipped out her phone, checked something, and muttered low.
"Coordinates... input. With... a girl?!"
BAM—!
"W-wait! It's... floor 7!!!"
But Kim Chaerin had already smashed through the conference room wall and vanished into the distance.
"Huaaah~ So cuuute~!!!!♥"
"Cute or not, what're ya gonna do about it?!"
"Yeah~ Try this too. Hehehe. Too cuuute~"
"Ah!!! R-right! We gotta save him quick! Never imagined he'd be with another girl!!!"
Passing through the Gate to the Dungeon Entrance, Kim Chaerin ran into an unexpected roadblock.
Black Cat Fighters. Aka Jam Tigers.
Arriving at their habitat, the Hill of Good and Evil, she melted at the sight of the smiling cats swarming around her.
Well, monsters resembling cats, technically.
Normally solitary unless mothers with cubs, Jam Tigers fled from humans on sight—impossible to see this close-up. But with dozens mobbing her, Kim Chaerin was done for.
"Euuuk! Too cuuuuteeeee~~~~"
They pawed the ground on hind legs for nyang-nyang punches or bared teeth to bite, but to a top-secret agent on par with strategic weapons, it was pure aegyo.
Handing out treats from her pockets, she fawned over them—until their numbers swelled past a hundred.
"Ugh... whaaat... stop... no more friends...!!!"
Startled, she whipped around, snapping irritably.
"O-okay! I'm going!!!"
Anyone else would've thought she was talking to someone, but she'd come alone.
"R-really? Okay. Uwaaaah! Tell your friends to stop coming!!!"
Over a hundred Jam Tigers, and even Kim Chaerin's eyes weren't seeing only cute anymore. The fluffy black fur and nyang-nyang punches were adorable, but hundreds encircling you? Panic sets in.
She chucked her remaining treats aside and bolted. They kept following.
One skill from her could've skewered them all, but recalling the meeting's key point—no damage to the Dungeon Entrance—she just ran.
The sight of hundreds—now from 100 to 200, 300—trailing her was rare indeed.
"What the? Pied Piper... nah, just a crazy bitch?"
Ho Tae couldn't help frowning as Kim Chaerin barreled into his safe zone farmland.
This spot—my Safe Zone Farmland creation skill—spanned 2 square meters of inviolable safety. Located just off the Hill of Good and Evil (Jam Tiger habitat), nameless until today: "Aerial Toilet."
"Th-there... I... got too tense...... suddenly relaxed, and I... couldn't hold it...! D-don't look...! You too! Over there!"
Does she not watch TV? Yelling "over there" at Saintess Choi Eunji while hiking up her skirt—I turned away.
Teddy bear. Yeah, teddy bear print. Or panda? Pumbao? Anyway, cute character on white panties, worn by a white-haired girl.
But... isn't that girl Kim Chaerin?
She looks just like the white-haired beauty from those government troop recruitment ads. Hasn't appeared lately, but up close? Spot on.
Celeb lookalikes model booze ads; top awakeners did military promo.
But still... she resembles Kim Chaerin, and even if not, she's way too pretty, so hey?
"Who the hell are you, pissing in someone else's house! Haa... fucking... at least turn around and piss!!!"
Showing her front—not her ass—toward me while watering my farm... I'm gonna get piss PTSD at this rate.