Mobilizing the Beast Crew
While slurping down a cup of instant ramen, Han Yaseong decided he needed to dig up the entire temple ruins site.
Even Yadong-i didn't know the precise spot. Who knew—maybe there was a massive spaceship buried underground. Or at least an entrance leading into one. That golden gold bar had to be meant for something specific, like activating a mechanism or unlocking a door. It was surely a key of some kind.
"Gonna have to keep digging tomorrow, too."
Exhausted and bone-tired, Han Yaseong flopped onto his futon. He closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and was out like a light.
The next morning, the digging resumed. Han Yaseong fueled up with a hearty breakfast, then marked out a wide area around the temple ruins that Yadong-i had pointed to before. He swung his pickaxe relentlessly, loosening the hard-packed earth. By lunchtime, he'd worked over an area of about fifty pyeong in every direction, striking the ground countless times.
Even that much left his whole body aching and stiff. He had to pop some white fruits for healing and yellow ones for recovery just to keep going. His muscles screamed in protest, making it impossible to work properly. At this rate, he'd end up sick as a dog.
"This won't do."
Han Yaseong slumped onto the dirt, chugging water as he rested and surveyed the churned-up ruins. Digging this vast expanse alone would take months, even years. It was a total waste of time—not to mention wrecking his body. You had to pace yourself with pickaxe work; hammering away hundreds of times a day was a recipe for breakdown. And shoveling? That was even worse. If pounding the ground was this brutal, actually scooping out the dirt might shatter every bone in his body. He'd barely survived yesterday's ordeal and had zero interest in repeating it.
Maybe he should pop over to the other world and rent an excavator. But that was impractical. Instead, his mind wandered to buying a massive jackhammer, the kind that chewed up asphalt with a deafening du-du-du-du. Then again, those things cost a fortune, and even if he broke up the ground, he'd still have to shovel out the dirt by hand. No real gain.
"I need a better way."
Mulling it over, Han Yaseong brushed off his butt and stood. He'd think of something over lunch. He headed to the stream to wash up, then back to camp, where he set a pot of water on the burner for ramen. No sign of Yadong-i—probably off playing somewhere.
Staring at the bubbling pot, he felt a pang of regret. Why put himself through this? He could just hit Forest 1, scoop up those gem shards, and cash in. No need for extra detours into other woods. Those shards alone were worth billions. Combined with the one he'd given Senior Choi Yujin's dad, he'd pocket at least a hundred billion. That made him filthy rich—more than a salaryman could earn in a thousand lifetimes.
But no, he was chasing bigger game: the whole gem mountain. It made him feel greedy, like he was pushing too far.
Except that wasn't it.
"It's not about the money. Really, it's not. I just want to explore this world."
Money didn't matter anymore. Trillionaire this, pentillionaire that—it was all a hazy dream that faded by morning. Just a means to summon pretty idols for a romp. Han Yaseong's real goal, his true dream, lay elsewhere: pure, uncharted adventure. He wanted to scour this planet from end to end. What lay where? What beasts roamed? That was the thrill. Money? A nice bonus if it came, whatever.
But after spotting that one-eyed giant ape monster, fear had crept in, halting his explorations. Now he needed real power—something immense, hidden somewhere out there. Enough to beat that ape, he figured. That's why Yadong-i had fought tooth and nail to fetch whatever it was.
Anyway, he had to dig. Had to see what was down there. But the sheer grind of it exhausted him in advance.
"Get the animals to do it."
Han Yaseong wolfed down his ramen and reached his decision. If it was too much alone, do it together. Feed the wild beasts of this world and put them to work digging. Plenty of Yadong-i types lived underground, mole-style. They'd be pros at it. Bribe them with food, and they'd labor like workers. Sounded promising.
Resolved, he finished his noodles, mixed in the rice, let out a massive belch, and stood.
That's when Yadong-i strolled into camp. Gyaring! It scowled at the empty bowl, grumpy despite showing up late. Looked healthy, like it'd been out playing.
Irritated, Han Yaseong snapped back curtly. "You dig too. Or no more food."
Gyaring! It grimaced, hating the idea.
But Han Yaseong held firm. "It's too hard alone. How long would it take just me? I'll get the other animals helping too—team effort. Then next trip to the other world, I'll bring ribs, chicken, pig's feet. Deal?"
Gyaring... Yadong-i rolled its eyes, weighing the pros and cons. Sneaky little thing—always scheming to avoid the short end of the stick.
Still, it was a valuable partner; no sense mistreating it. "Eat this first, then call the wild animals and get 'em digging." He tossed over a can of mackerel. Yadong-i cracked it open and devoured it with sloppy gusto.
Han Yaseong's thoughts drifted to Senior Choi Yujin. If she were here from the other world today, he'd be buried in that gorgeous body right now, lost in paradise. Instead, he was stuck digging. But "no pain, no gain"—he couldn't leave yet. Had to find something first. Even if sex with her was heaven, power came first. With absolute strength, that one-eyed ape would be a joke.
Yadong-i finished the can, belly full, and tried curling up like a dog to nap. Han Yaseong shut that down. "Hey, digging time. Don't forget the deal."
Gyaring. Grumbling, it shuffled outside. Han Yaseong grabbed his water bottle, chocolate bars, snacks, and followed.
Together they reached the ruins. Yadong-i scanned the surrounding woods and let out shrill kyak-kyak cries. The forest rustled alive as other Yadong-i poked their heads from the underbrush.
The calls must be a summons for wild animals.
"Hey, all of you—come here! Dig this ground, and I'll give you treats!" Han Yaseong shook his chocolate and snacks. A handful rushed over at first, then more, swelling to nearly twenty.
With this many, today's dig would be a breeze. He eyed the clustered beasts, dangling the food. "Dig here, get snacks. You guys are good at it."
Gyaring! Yadong-i chimed in, playing hype man. Perfect foreman material. Han Yaseong appointed it on the spot and set everyone to work.
Pak-pak! The Yadong-i dug furiously with their paws. Mole-life made them naturals. Plus, he'd already loosened a wide swath with the pickaxe that morning, so the soil was soft. Over twenty of them scattered about, pa-pa-pak!, and the dirt flew fast.
Way more efficient than solo shoveling. This was why folks—or beasts—needed teamwork.
Han Yaseong couldn't slack; he swung the pickaxe to break more ground, aiding the diggers. Yadong-i just supervised, so he roped it in with promises of dinner.
A couple hours later, the fifty-pyeong area was dug down over fifty centimeters. Nothing yet—no artifacts. Not even water or bugs. Probably needed a meter or two deep. But the animals, spent, stopped pawing and stared expectantly: Pay up.
A bit disappointed, Han Yaseong divvied out all the chocolate and snacks—no sense risking a strike. The beasts chomped happily, savoring their wages, then scattered with full bellies.