Chapter 483
Chapter 483
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 483
Chapter Title: 1,000 Km
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1,000 Km
Run 1,000 km. You'll feel refreshed!
⏰ Time Limit: None
🎁 Reward: Strength +3, Stamina +3, Agility +3, Vitality +3
This was the quest I'd chosen this time. There were quests to enter other worlds, but the rewards weren't great, and the Playful Life world didn't seem fun either, so I picked this easy and quick one: the 1,000 km run.
These were my current stats.
'The running reward will boost them even more. If I combine the rewards into points... 600 points! That's no small amount.'
1,000 km.
It might seem like an insane distance to an ordinary person, but for a C-rank Hunter like me, it wasn't that far. If I pushed myself, I was confident I could finish it in two days.
'But just running by myself sounds boring... Is there a marathon or something? Running alone is dull, so I should drag Park Su-ho along. He's my junior, after all. We should suffer together.'
My one and only friend, Oh Jun-hyuk, had decided to join the Association and was busy running around. From his texts, he still hit the clubs whenever he had free time.
I scoured the internet for decent marathon info.
'There's one in a week... but that's for civilians only. And I need 1,000 km, not 42.'
Hunter marathons? Didn't exist. And no Hunter could join a civilian event. Unless they ran the damn thing.
'If nothing else, I'll just lap the local track.'
I messaged Park Su-ho. Partly to check his availability, but also to see how things were going with Ha Seung-hee.
-Yeah, Yu-jin hyung. What's up?
"Nothing much. I'm thinking of walking the national highways around Korea. You know, like a hiking trip. ...You busy?"
-Same as always. Hiking trip sounds good. Just us two?
"If you're not in, I'll go solo."
Jin Se-young and Han A-young were busy, and Han Ha-rin clearly wouldn't be into this. Even Gong Ji-young, my recent sex friend, was with Su-mol Guild and couldn't spare three days easily.
-Solo? Isn't that dangerous?
"Dangerous? I'm a C-rank Hunter."
Monsters sometimes popped up in rural or creepy areas with low population. But they were mostly E-rank or below—no big deal for me.
-With your skills, you'll be fine. Hiking from Seoul to where? Busan?
"Nah. Seoul to Seoul. Circling the country roughly."
That should cover about 1,000 km.
No reply from Park Su-ho. He was probably pondering. He needed money, but as a steadily growing Hunter, a few days off wouldn't hurt. Plus, he'd care about our friendship.
-...Yeah. I'll go with you, hyung.
As expected.
-How about recruiting someone online to hike for pay? Just having a Hunter along could net tens of thousands of won.
Park Su-ho's mind went straight to cash.
"Can't bring civilians. I'm planning to run, not walk. They couldn't keep up. You should be fine, though—your physical stats are top-notch."
-Stamina's no issue. How about raiding dungeons along the way?
"Dungeon raids?"
-Yeah. Hard to find closed dungeons in Seoul outside opens, but other regions are different. D-rank and below are easy to spot.
"Easy to find? Hunters ignore them?"
-Most C-rank and up think sub-D-ranks aren't worth the cash. Open C-ranks pay better, or they go overseas for more. So low-rank regional dungeons get left alone a lot.
"D-ranks don't touch them?"
-They leave 'em on purpose. If a dungeon's abandoned long enough, the Association puts a bounty. They wait for that implicitly.
I knew about bounties on abandoned dungeons, but not that Hunters farmed them deliberately.
"For real? The Association allows that?"
-They can't say much. It's been going on forever.
"News to me."
-...Only Hunters who've given up climbing or are desperate for cash know.
"Ah, got it."
-What do you think about raiding dungeons on the hike? I'll follow your lead, hyung.
"Sounds good. But I won't raid every one we see."
-Got it. So when do we start?
"Tomorrow if possible. You in?"
-Yeah. Lunchtime tomorrow?
"Perfect. See you then."
-First time doing this... What should I prep?
"Gear for dungeons, at least."
Park Su-ho and I set off running. The route: down to South Gyeongsang, across to South Jeolla, back to Seoul.
We fueled up with hearty seolleongtang for lunch.
"Hyung, nothing beats seolleongtang. Tastes great, fills you up, cheap as hell. The value is unreal."
"I prefer beef soup myself."
Post-lunch, we bolted toward Busan. We covered 5 km fast on a quiet dirt road, neither of us winded.
"Su-ho, aiming for D-rank already? You're flying. Might even beat me."
"Not there yet. And I don't have your talent to hit C-rank in a year. I'm growing fast thanks to my ability, not skill."
I let out a dry laugh. Felt like smacking the back of his head.
No talent, just ability? That was me. Park Su-ho was the talented one. Above-average looks, smart, sharp combat sense, diligent. Perfect son material.
'...Pisses me off more the longer I think. Fake a trip and bash his skull?'
Already annoyed.
'Normally, I'd be balls-deep in Han Ha-rin right now!'
Park Su-ho, meanwhile, seemed thrilled.
"Haven't run like this in ages. Weather's perfect."
"Yeah, great—except it's hot as balls."
"Hyung, heard rumors you're joining Su-mol Guild? True?"
"Rumors spread that fast? Don't buy it. Just teamed up briefly. No plans to join."
"Someone like you could get in easy. I'd jump if I were you."
"Doesn't suit me."
Might need to show up at uni to kill the rumors.
"So, how's it going with Ha Seung-hee lately?"
Ha Seung-hee.
Chaebol heiress who just entered the Hunter Department. My junior girl, but things were rocky between us.
"Trying to get along like you said. We text every other day... but it's awkward."
"Connections matter in this world. Better to stay on good terms."
She approached knowing his ability, but seemed to have some feelings too.
We ran flat-out for two hours, hitting 60 km. Steady 30 kph, no breaks.
"Huff... Hyung, quick breather?"
Park Su-ho was drenched. I was fine. My stamina edged his.
"Sure."
We chilled under a tree. He chugged his water. His phone buzzed.
"Message from Seung-hee."
"What’s it say?"
"Just 'whatcha doing?' Didn't tell anyone about this spur-of-the-moment hike."
He replied, then fiddled with a dungeon map app.
"Hyung, E-rank dungeon with a fresh bounty nearby. Closed-type, but with your skills, easy peasy. Wanna hit it?"
"Never done closed... E-rank should be fine, though."
"...For real, first closed dungeon?"
"Yeah. No need usually."
I'd avoided risks IRL. Stuck to opens even for dungeons. Closed ones trapped you till conditions met.
'Association helps if you're stuck too long... but can't fully trust 'em.'
Closed dungeons paid, but worst case, a week trapped.
"I've partied on a few. No biggie. Boss was tough, but you’d crush it."
"Hmm. Let's try."
"Yeah. Close by, bounty just dropped. Applying now. Success!"
Park Su-ho stood.
"More rest?"
"Nah, hyung. Gotta hustle. Proof pic in three hours or it cancels to next applicant."
His urging got us running again.
Park Su-ho led us to a wooded hill. He snapped a pic with the portal behind us and uploaded.
"Now we go in?"
"Nah, need Association approval. Solo no-go, but C-rank you? Instant."
"Sweet. No apps like this back in my day."
"Out four months ago. Domestic only, no C+ ranks. Approved! They'll send someone, but we can start raiding."
Closed dungeons: unknown environment, monsters.
A bit tense, I entered with Park Su-ho.
Inside: tropical rainforest.
Hotter, muggier than Korean summer. I scanned around, frowning. Stone pagodas dotted the jungle. Weird shape—like three twisted together.
Not natural. Man-made for sure.
"......"
Park Su-ho acted off. Staring blankly at the pagodas. Shocked, like he knew them.
"No way... why's this here...?"
"Yo, Park Su-ho. Snap out. What's up?"
"...Hyung."
"You know something about those pagodas?"
His face was bad. Shocked, terrified. He hesitated, then spoke.
"...You know my ability, right?"
"Tattoo World. Links worlds via tattoos. Grows with your Tattoo World. Been months—made progress?"
"...Yeah. Veroprin City, linked to me... grown over 30%. Exploration range expanded... and those pagodas were there."
"......Those in your Tattoo World?"
He didn't seem to be lying.
"This dungeon isn't your Tattoo World inside, is it?"
"...Dunno."
"Then you know the monsters?"
"Those pagodas symbolize the Hopul tribe. If it's like my world, they're here. ...Dungeon, so not certain."
"Hopul tribe? Spill more."