Chapter 213
Chapter 213
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: 49. Doctor of Darkness (1)
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Pangea.
The term for a supercontinent where all continents merge into one.
There was only one reason this word was being used as the name for Reset Phase 3.
“Pa, Pangea? You don’t mean the land is going to…”
Jo Sang-ik muttered in disbelief, and Yeong-woo finished his sentence for him.
“Yes. The land is going to connect tomorrow. Starting sharp at 8 a.m.”
Yeong-woo had already mentally prepared for it some time ago.
Because ‘Pangea’ had been sitting in his achievement list all along.
[Pangea]
|Witness the movement of the continents directly at the moment of the tectonic shift.
‘At any rate, I can knock out one achievement tomorrow.’
This made the importance of the nighttime dungeon he’d enter tonight even greater.
Once Pangea began and nations started clashing in earnest, it was obvious the dungeon where the world’s powerhouses gathered would turn into chaos.
‘Today might be the last chance to clear a dungeon without issues.’
With the massive event of Pangea looming, various worries arose, but so did anticipation.
What on earth would happen next?
And what awaited humanity once all the mutants returned to this world?
“…….”
As Yeong-woo stared at the timer in the air with excited eyes, Jo Sang-ik spoke in a low voice.
“I’m a little scared.”
“Yes? What are you afraid of?”
“History.”
“……?”
“I’m afraid history will repeat itself.”
“Ah.”
It was a brief exchange, but Yeong-woo immediately understood what Jo Sang-ik was worried about.
If Korea’s history could be summed up simply, it was one of foreign invasions and exploitation.
Positioned with China above and Japan below, it had suffered constant invasions, and especially from Japan, it endured decades of colonial rule and plunder.
It finally achieved liberation, but not long after, the Korean War broke out.
“Peace… can we even call it that? At any rate, it’s only been seventy years since our country escaped the ravages of war.”
After saying this, Jo Sang-ik glanced down at the sword strapped to his waist.
“But it feels like we’re starting over, back into an era of war.”
Due to the Reset, power logics had already taken firm root within each nation.
So Jo Sang-ik knew well that once ‘Pangea’ merged all continents, all-out war would erupt for whatever reason.
Especially for Korea, facing off against China and Japan.
“Fortunately, or maybe not, North Korea doesn’t have someone like you, Yeong-woo.”
“…That’s true.”
“But do you think China or Japan are the same? With populations twenty times and two-and-a-half times ours?”
“…….”
“It’s true you possess overwhelming combat power, but that’s limited to this Korean Peninsula.”
Probably only Jo Sang-ik could say such things outright to the Joseon Supreme Sword.
So Yeong-woo listened quietly.
“With the whole world gathered on one land, it means each nation’s freaks will face off too. Freaks chosen by the universe like you, Yeong-woo.”
“……?”
The nuance felt oddly off for some reason.
Yeong-woo was about to say something when Jo Sang-ik cut him off with a passionate line.
“So don’t ever lose out there! Not to foreign freaks! No matter what anyone says, I’ll be rooting for you, Yeong-woo.”
“Uh… um, thanks.”
It was hard to tell if this was genuine encouragement or straight-up trash talk, but Yeong-woo nodded anyway.
At least it seemed like he was saying a homegrown freak like Jeong Yeong-woo was better than being dominated by foreign ones.
“Surely other countries have powerhouses beyond normal limits too. But…”
Yeong-woo carefully gripped Ssaeng-a, hanging from his belt.
“I won’t lose. Don’t worry too much.”
Of course, this wasn’t just blind faith in his ‘Myth’ grade.
His backer was none other than ‘Togo,’ the galaxy-spanning arms conglomerate and pinnacle of evil corporations.
Was there any company on this planet stronger than Togo?
‘A company stronger than Togo…’
Yeong-woo couldn’t even imagine the chairman leading Togo getting beaten up somewhere.
Above all, wasn’t Togo an evil corp with absurdly high evil karma? For it to still exist after stacking that much meant it was that powerful, right?
‘Still, I need to shave off a bit of my own evil karma.’
* * *
「Day-use service has begun.」
「From now on, all buildings classified as ‘residences’ will enter an inviolable state under the day-use system.」
9 p.m. sharp.
As Yeong-woo just entered the outskirts of Gangnam, the day-use service notice appeared before his eyes.
‘Night already, huh.’
Yeong-woo’s heart raced again.
The start of day-use service meant tax payments and the nighttime dungeon event were drawing even closer.
‘I’ve got a ton of cash ready for taxes, you bastards!’
Yeong-woo grinned smugly to himself.
And just then, today’s weather was revealed.
「For reference, tonight’s weather is metal dust.」
「Beware of excessive bleeding.」
“Metal dust?”
It was a bizarre climate he’d never seen before among dust types, and he couldn’t counter it with his existing climate immunity gear.
‘I thought it’d be cold-related tonight.’
Yeong-woo had been waiting for cold weather because of the ‘Hot Stone’ from the Paju North-South War.
「Hot Stone」 - Hero Necklace
【Ignores extreme cold.】
But with tonight’s climate set to metal dust, using the Hot Stone was out again.
‘So how do I endure tonight’s weather?’
As Yeong-woo frowned and scrolled through his equipment list, he spotted one he’d forgotten about.
「Rotten Stench」 - Unique Bracelet
【Bleeding Immunity】
‘As expected, everything’s there if you look.’
It was gear he’d deactivated to see bleed damage amps.
So if he reactivated it just for tonight’s outing, he could nullify the metal dust.
‘Probably… it’ll work? It did warn about excessive bleeding.’
His father, on the other hand, was banned from going out tonight.
‘So basically, entering the dungeon solo…’
Soon, as Yeong-woo arrived in front of the Parnass Hotel, Im Sun-ah, waiting outside the lobby, spotted him and ran over.
“Yeong-woo!”
“Oh, Sun-ah.”
Yeong-woo greeted her while unconsciously scanning around for the Shandong Twin Evils’ Zhang Zaham.
“Any Chinese looking for me, by chance?”
“Chinese…? No reports on that.”
“I see.”
Well, Zhang Zaham wouldn’t have triggered Mind Seal anyway.
Even if he’d intended to cross the continent to Korea, he might’ve changed his mind right after the asset seizure notice.
‘Guess it’s really just me today.’
About 50 minutes until tax collection, and 1 hour 50 until dungeon spawn.
Unsure of today’s dungeon length, Yeong-woo wanted to head up and rest even briefly.
“Is the room ready?”
As Yeong-woo looked up at the hotel’s top floor, Sun-ah nodded.
“Yes. Everyone’s already gathered in the suites.”
Probably meaning Jeong Gu and Businessman Kim Tae-jun’s families.
“Good work.”
Yeong-woo hopped off Neugig and stepped toward the lobby.
Then he ordered the Golden Goblin hurrying behind him.
“You, extract the heart first. We need to do the transplant surgery once we’re up.”
* * *
Parnass Hotel, Room 3233.
Hearing the bell, Jeong Gu opened the door and instantly knew it had come again.
“…More bullshit.”
He saw the goblin standing with Yeong-woo holding a green metal heart.
“Move aside quick. Let me rest a bit before surgery.”
“You crazy bastard, now swapping hearts too?”
Jeong Gu sighed deeply but stepped aside, opening the way for his son.
He knew well this lone wolf couldn’t be talked down.
“Like with the spine swap, you gonna slice and dice my body again?”
“…No idea. First time doing heart surgery.”
“Obviously.”
Grumbling, Jeong Gu headed to the living room and pointed at the backpacks lined under the sofa.
“Protection money from Dobong-gu.”
“Oh……!”
Today’s final income: ten million karma.
As Yeong-woo bolted gleefully toward the moneybags, Jeong Gu plopped down in the middle of the living room.
“Taxes due soon. You got it all ready?”
“Yes. Even some left over.”
“…Lucky in the midst of misfortune.”
Jeong Gu nodded once, then glanced at the clock on the wall.
Unlike Yeong-woo, who eagerly awaited dungeon entry, Jeong Gu was waiting for tax payment—or rather, tax collection—to confirm the authenticity of the direct-line ancestor universal certificate.
Of course, circumstances already proved Jeong Yeong-woo was his son, but official cosmic documentation was another level.
‘Forty minutes left… then that kid’s true identity gets crystal clear.’
Jeong Gu blankly stared at Jeong Yeong-woo, who was happily clutching coins in both hands.
Essentially, forty minutes until he officially had a son chosen by the universe.
‘How did my life turn out like this… Did I commit some huge sin in a past life?’
As Jeong Gu sighed deeply, Yeong-woo, who’d handed coins to the goblin, turned and looked down at his father.
“You worked hard today.”
“……?”
An unexpected warm word.
Jeong Gu’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Th-thanks.”
Had all that end-of-month cash softened his personality?
Jeong Gu was puzzled but felt good.
‘He can say stuff like that too. First I’ve heard.’
But only for a moment.
Soon Yeong-woo pointed Ssaeng-a at the boundary between living room and bedroom, ordering Jeong Gu.
“Now go stand guard over there.”
“What? Stand guard……?”
“We gotta do heart surgery now, right? So block the kids from coming in.”
With that, Yeong-woo touched the green heart the goblin held in both hands.
Just like with the spine, a warning appeared, but slightly different this time.
「Would you like to equip the Legendary grade heart ‘Poison Dragon’s Heart’?」
|Warning: High-risk major surgery will be performed. (Risk rate 8%)
|Recommendation: If desired, raise medical fees to summon a renowned surgeon.
※Summon code: 024 0909#