119. New Ticket
After running various experiments, I learned more about the Safe Zone. First off, this wasn't a space you could enter anytime. The silver portal only opened when there were no enemies nearby—only when you were already in a safe situation. In other words, it couldn't be used as an escape during combat. Not for the explorer, nor for Jo-ryeokja or tamed monsters.
Monsters couldn't open the silver portal on their own anyway. Unlike Trinity-grade Jo-ryeokja, they needed me to open it for them to enter.
The Safe Zone also seemed to have no strict limit on the number of people. I brought over all the monsters from the shelter, and there was no restriction. For reference, I only tested it briefly before sending them all back out. The more people, the higher the stay cost burden.
The stay cost had nothing to do with strength—it was 1 coin per person per minute. Even summons like the Hedgehog Summoner God's undead spirits counted as people.
"No matter how you look at it, this isn't a place for long stays. Coins drain just from breathing..."
Coins were still draining steadily even now. I'd received so much recent support that it wasn't noticeable yet, but like grains of sand slowly falling from a full hourglass until it empties, staying here carelessly would eventually bare the bottom of my coin pouch.
Of course, I had no intention of lingering here long, but the Jo-ryeokja were the exception. I wouldn't interfere with how long Trinity-grade ones stayed. The coins leaving me were all from them anyway.
"Hmm... I'll look into Trinity-grade privileges slowly... For now, I need to bring in a fancy round table for this space."
As Rise muttered while surveying the Safe Zone, I discovered one more fact: I could expand the space using coins. And no matter how much I expanded it, the stay cost didn't increase.
If a day came when coins were nearly infinite... I could make this Safe Zone my headquarters. Obviously too much for now.
For the time being, I decided to use it as a meeting spot for Jo-ryeokja. Rise aside, their grades were still low, but they'd reach Trinity soon enough. Earth's Jo-ryeokja had chaebol heirs as solid backers, and Elris, being a hero, could easily obtain valuable, desire-laden treasures like gold.
...Earth's Jo-ryeokja might be a stretch, though.
If funds ran short, there was a solution: reverse-support special items for them to sell.
Or dispatch Omega to Earth to hack systems and send money... No, that's no good. Beyond criminal, it'd prick my conscience.
I quickly withdrew the impure thought born of momentary greed. I couldn't harm innocents.
I shifted my gaze to Rise.
"Gauntlet Duke. I brought an expensive round table for important meetings."
Rise was going back and forth through the silver portal, hauling in various items.
Oh, something I hadn't mentioned: You could bring items from your home dimension to the Safe Zone, but you couldn't pass them to other dimensions. Simply put, if Rise brought something here, only he could take it back home. Neither I nor other Jo-ryeokja could carry it out.
Anyway, staying longer wasted coins, so...
"Rise, I'll head back first."
I gave him a casual farewell and left the Safe Zone for the shelter without lingering. We'd meet often now anyway.
Labyrinth Day 63. I rotated the search team again today. Kinogine Arachne and Necro Puppeteer were fixed members. New additions: three.
"[Zapan!! Picnic with Daddy!!!]"
"[Duumba, duum-ba! Perfect spot for sweaty dancing-yot!]"
"[Walking is inconvenient.]"
Zapan, Hedgehog Summoner God, and finally the centaurides. Even as S-grades, no issue here. Unlike elsewhere, this desert wasn't dangerous for us. It felt more like an outing disguised as scouting now.
"She doesn't want to come."
I hadn't brought Bastet Daong. She disliked the desert. She preferred exploring new areas and finding weird monsters.
So I sent the labyrinth scouting team out as usual. Anyway, we roamed the desert on the Giant Caterpillar's back, recruiting villagers.
Then, the usually quiet Solorb suddenly spoke to me.
"[Heh heh. Explorer.]"
"What?"
"[I've found something useful to you.]"
"Whatever it is, I'm not begging desperately for its location."
"[......]"
Solorb's voice cut off briefly. As expected, it was going to say it'd tell if I begged earnestly.
"[I was going to tell you specially if you begged earnestly... Don't regret it later, explorer.]"
"No regrets."
"[......]"
Soon after, a faint beam of light descended from the sky. Not toward me, but straight toward the distant horizon.
I glanced up. Sure enough, light emanating from Solorb.
'Not trying to smite someone.'
Unlike the intense beam that turned Dune Striders to ash, this felt warm like sunlight—no threat.
So why shine it down?
"Solorb. What's that light?"
"[Don't mind it. Just scratched an itch and let it out.]"
"Hmm..."
I could guess. Subtly hinting at the item's location? No, blatantly.
Anyway, following Solorb's beam would lead to the item.
The Jo-ryeokja thought the same.
30 minutes toward the light's descent, we arrived.
Atop a dune, beside the gently flowing sunlight, stood a lone vending machine.
"Thought it was something special, but it's a vending machine. Thanks for the location, Solorb."
No reply from Solorb. Weirder the more I watched.
"[Zapan!!!]"
Zapan leaped off the caterpillar, dashing to the vending machine with a cheerful greeting.
"[Friend! Hiya!]"
Seemed she mistook it for kin. Fair enough—kinda similar shape.
"[Friend! Why no reply? Greet back!]"
"Zapan. This isn't a living creature."
"[Zapan?! D-dead...? ]"
"No. Never alive to begin with."
I passed Zapan and approached the vending machine, checking its tickets.
"...Huh? What's this? A new ticket I've never seen."
Top slot: Dimensional Altar Installation Ticket caught my eye.
While Kang Geon examined the vending machine, high in the desert sky, a crocodile lightly landed on Solorb's surface.
"[Perfect spot to thaw out.]"
"[Crocodile. Don't climb aboard uninvited.]"
The crocodile was the Wandering Merchant, Crocodile Merchant.
Crocodile plopped down on Solorb and said,
"[Haha. Forgive this much. Didn't I install a vending machine as requested? Even though they're supposed to spawn naturally, not artificially.]"
"[...I'll thank you for that.]"
Kang Geon couldn't hear their conversation overhead. They spoke softly; sound didn't reach the ground.
Crocodile stared down at Kang Geon on the ground, then addressed Solorb again.
"[Surprising. You favoring a specific explorer, Solorb.]"
"[Not favoring. Just slightly helping the explorer caring for my child, Bastet Daong.]"
"[Slight help, huh... ]"
Looked excessive. Crocodile kept that thought internal.
"[Still, you like that explorer? ]"
"[Not particularly. As I said, helping out of necessity for Bastet.]"
"[No intent to be tamed then? ]"
"[Obviously. I don't serve under anyone.]"
"[Haha. Sure, let's call it that.]"
Crocodile laughed heartily, pulling a liquor bottle from his bosom. He lit a cigarette and chugged.
"[More importantly, your power doesn't weaken near explorers, Crocodile.]"
"[...You notice now? You've ignored me completely. Hurtful.]"
"[No reason to pay attention. Anyway, why no weakening? ]"
"[Simple. Ancient Labyrinth revived me with missions, one being maintaining order. Need full power for that, so it never weakens. Ah, but constraints: Can't harm non-threats to the labyrinth. Unwanted kills dissolve my existence.]"
Crocodile emptied the bottle and continued.
"[Since you seem uninterested, extra info: Can counterattack attackers, even if not disruptors.]"
"[Natural. Can't just take it.]"
"[Oh, and no weakening power on others. Not an explorer anymore.]"
"[I know. No way it'd leave that on a stripped explorer.]"
Solorb then asked Crocodile,
"[More importantly... Are you content with your current lot, Crocodile? ]"
Crocodile grabbed a fresh bottle and replied,
"[Revived by Ancient Labyrinth's grace—more than enough. Life's not bad. Haha.]"
"[I see.]"
They chatted a while. After time passed and five bottles emptied, Crocodile stood.
"[I'll be off then.]"
"[Just leaving? Sell to the explorer while here.]"
"[Too much. Wandering Merchants wait for explorers to find us. We don't approach first.]"
"[Labyrinth rule? ]"
"[No. My rule.]"
"[......]"
"[Satisfied with the vending machine? ]"
"[...Fine.]"
Crocodile Merchant donned his hat, bowed gentlemanly to Solorb.
"[Truly off now. Until next time.]"
"[Yeah. Thanks today, Crocodile... no, former explorer.]"