Chapter 175: The Seeker Who Heralds Ruin (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 175: The Seeker Who Heralds Ruin (3)
[An Emergency Quest has occurred.]
“……”
At this point, I’m starting to think the entire world is conspiring to stop me from having sex.
…Why is it doing this to me?
I’d love to just ignore it, like I did with the quest during my date with Shin Yu-jeong, but I’ll hold back for now.
After all, the reward from that quest ended up being a huge help.
Besides, my companion this time isn’t quite as important.
[‘The Seeker Who Calls for Ruin’ is attempting to cross over to Earth through a dungeon.]
[You must find and eliminate the Seekers hiding in the dungeon.]
[Failure to eliminate the Seekers within the time limit will increase the probability of a catastrophe.]
[A very special reward is hidden on the body of each Seeker.]
[Additionally, an even more special reward will be given to the top 5 participants who eliminate the most Seekers.]
[A minimap that automatically marks the locations of Seekers within a 30km radius of the user will be provided.]
[To everyone on Earth.]
[I wish you the best of luck.]
[Time Remaining: 71:59:59]
[Remaining Individuals within the Republic of Korea: 300/300]
“…Huh.”
The atmosphere here feels unusually grim.
‘The Seeker Who Calls for Ruin,’ ‘a catastrophe will strike’…
I have a bad feeling about this. A nagging suspicion at the back of my neck tells me I'll seriously regret it if I just ignore this because it’s inconvenient, like I did last time.
“There's a hotel nearby… Should I book a room right now?”
Jo Yun-kyung asks, showing me a picture of the hotel on her smartphone screen.
Her face is filled with anticipation.
It seems she's as worked up as she can be.
I feel bad about this.
“Sorry. Something urgent came up, so we can't have sex.”
“What? Hey…! How can you just spring that on me!”
At the news that we can't have sex, she despairs as if she's lost everything.
I stand up, lean over, and whisper softly in her ear.
“I'll come as soon as I'm done, so wait for me looking your absolute best. Make me want you so badly I can't stand it.”
“Hngh…”
What’s with her?
I only whispered in her ear. I have no idea what part of that turned her on.
Jo Yun-kyung asks, her expression growing more sensual as she squirms.
“Wh-when are you coming…”
“Hmm.”
The time limit is about 72 hours…
“I should be able to make it within three days at the latest.”
“Th-three days? Hey, that's too late…!”
“Well, I'm off.”
“Hey, wait, Kim Do-jin…!”
Leaving her calling out desperately behind me, I walk straight out of the café.
A small hologram window floating in the upper right corner of my vision catches my eye.
Is that the minimap?
When I focus my gaze on it, the tiny hologram window instantly expands.
“Oh.”
Slightly impressed, I check the minimap. A red dot marks my location, and several blue dots, presumably the Seekers, are scattered around.
There are seven of them.
That means there are seven Seekers hiding within a 30km radius of here…
“The remaining count was definitely 300…”
I take a closer look at the quest log.
The phrase ‘within the Republic of Korea’ in front of the remaining count bothers me.
“Does that mean the 300 of them are spread evenly across all of South Korea?”
In other words, to hunt the Seekers, I'll inevitably have to travel all over the country.
“The starting line seems to be about the same for everyone.”
My eyes are drawn to the special reward given only to the top five.
If only five out of 504 people can get it, the reward must be pretty damn good.
“It won't be easy to aim for, but…”
This is where the path splits.
Do I play it safe and steadily kill Seekers, or do I take a different route from everyone else?
If I'm aiming for the top five, the first option is impossible. The second is high-risk.
I might try to get it all and end up with nothing.
In cases like this, my answer is always the same.
“Go big or go home.”
Still ranked 504th out of 504… no, wait, I think I could beat that woman I met last time, so am I 503rd now?
Anyway.
For someone crawling at the bottom, the only way to climb up quickly and surely is to gamble.
On my way home, I take out my smartphone and call Yoon Ji-an.
“Ji-an, let's go on a two-night, three-day trip.”
-Huh…?
I need her help.
* * *
Kim Seong-tae looked at the document thrust before him with a puzzled expression.
“So you're saying… this is what Mr. Kim Do-jin requested?”
“…Yes.”
Yoon Ji-an nodded, a troubled look on her face.
And for good reason.
The document she presented contained requests that were not easy to grant.
“An Association-exclusive Express Pass… and permission to enter every dungeon within the Republic of Korea…”
The Association's Express Pass for dedicated roads used for urgent official business trips, and on top of that, an all-access dungeon pass.
“…Is he planning a national dungeon tour or something?”
“W-well, I'm not sure. I was only told to pass on the message…”
“Hmm.”
These were excessive requests to grant to a mere sponsored Hunter aspirant.
An Express Pass only Association employees can use, and permission to enter every dungeon.
Normally, he would have rejected it flat out.
‘What on earth is he planning to do…?’
The request was so outrageous, and because it came from Kim Do-jin, it piqued his interest.
He was in a league of his own.
Getting into the university through special admission, immediately taking the top spot, and as if that wasn't enough, becoming a promising Hunter with the nation's fervent support.
Since all of this happened in just a few months, how could he not have high expectations?
“Uhm…”
While he was deliberating, Yoon Ji-an spoke up cautiously.
“Mr. Kim Do-jin asked me to tell you something if you looked like you were hesitating, Director.”
“…Go on.”
“He said, ‘If you're going to back me, back me all the way’…”
“Ha.”
Arrogant and impudent.
If an ordinary Hunter aspirant had said that, he would have been offended.
But hearing that Kim Do-jin said it, he understood.
The timing of having Yoon Ji-an deliver the message was also perfect.
“Very well. Should I issue both under your name, Ms. Yoon Ji-an?”
“Ah, yes!”
“Go and tell Mr. Kim Do-jin.”
He continued with a meaningful smile.
“Since I'm backing him all the way, his results had better be just as spectacular.”
* * *
I finish packing for the trip by tossing some clothes and underwear into a spacious bag.
Add my wallet and Kkamseul-i, and I'm ready.
Vzzz-
Just as I finished getting ready, I got a call from Yoon Ji-an.
When I go outside, I see her car parked in front of the building.
I head straight down, get into the passenger seat, and enjoy our reunion after a few days apart.
“H-have you been well?”
She barely manages to greet me, her face turning bright red as if remembering that night.
Should I just forget about the Seekers and all that crap and head straight for a hotel…?
Why does this damn body of mine try to get hard at every possible moment?
I force down my desire and greet her.
“I've been fine. Shall we talk on the way?”
“Ah, yes. We'll get going then.”
As she drives out of the alley, the navigation system inputs the destination.
[Starting guidance.]
Yoon Ji-an's eyes widen as she checks the destination on the GPS.
“Are you going to Busan?”
“That's the first destination, yes.”
There's only one reason I want to go to Busan.
It's to start there and work my way back up to Seoul, clearing the dungeons where the Seekers are hiding.
I don't know how many there will be, but most of the ‘Ones with Aptitude’ will start in Seoul, so I'm doing the opposite.
If there are more Seekers distributed in the provinces, I'll have the advantage. If they're concentrated around Seoul, my gamble fails.
It's a bit of a burden that I'll have to spend time traveling while others are steadily eliminating Seekers around Seoul, but… isn't that what a gamble is all about?
“If Busan is the first destination… are there more after that?”
“Of course.”
I should probably tell her the schedule in advance, since she'll be with me for the whole two nights and three days.
“Starting in Busan, we're going to travel to dungeons all over the country.”
“What? All the dungeons in the entire country?”
I shake my head at her shocked expression and add an explanation.
“Not all of them, just a few worthwhile ones here and there.”
Hearing my answer, she tilts her head in confusion.
“There are plenty of dungeons in Seoul, so is there really a need to go all the way to the provinces?”
“Hmm… let's just say it's part-trip, part-work.”
Her point is valid, so I don't really have a good excuse.
Time to appeal to emotion.
“Why…? Don't you want to go on a trip with me?”
“N-no, that's not it at all! I was just curious!”
“Glad to hear it.”
Works like a charm.
“The schedule is pretty tight for two nights and three days.”
“That's fine.”
She replies cheerfully, then purses her lips.
It looks like there's something else she wants to say.
After a moment's hesitation, the words she utters are quite heart-fluttering.
“A-as long as I'm with you, Do-jin… I'm happy with anything.”
To think that the stoic Yoon Ji-an would be the first to say something like that…
My heart swells.