Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: Part 2, Episode 30
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“No, seriously, the dungeon just dropped out of the sky like that? That guy broke out of the game!”
On the way back after closing the gate.
Mun Se-rim protested as if deeply wronged, but Yeo Woo-hee just gave her a bored look.
“You still on about that? You’re such a moron you can’t tell reality from a game.”
“Moron...? Hey, check your report card. Weren’t there subjects where you scored lower than me? No, more importantly, Byun Woo-jin, you saw it too, right?”
“......”
Byun Woo-jin nodded obediently.
When even Byun Woo-jin affirmed the existence of the dungeon, Yeo Woo-hee and Woo Ji-yoon—who’d just been fiddling with her phone—blinked in surprise.
They hadn’t expected Byun Woo-jin to say he’d actually seen the dungeon.
“Woo-jin-ah. Don’t get swept up in Se-rim’s nonsense......”
Woo Ji-yoon said it like she felt sorry for him.
“Puhaha! Hardcore dungeon stans are the worst~ Creating something out of nothing. Miracle of the brainless conspiracy cult.”
Yeo Woo-hee cackled, mocking Byun Woo-jin and Mun Se-rim.
“No, really! I really saw it!”
“Even listening to that crap is me being nice once. Push it and you’re brain-dead. Total X or otaku vibes, ugh.”
“Yeo Woo-hee, I really wanna rip that mouth of yours.”
“Rip it and you’ll spend life in prison digesting nutrient packs.”
Yeo Woo-hee forced a grin, her eyes full of disgust, then pulled out her phone.
[Whatcha doin jagi?]
[♥♥♥]
Yeo Woo-hee sent another text to Lee Sae-byeok and blinked, waiting for a reply.
The gates were getting stronger, and with Sae-byeok still unawakened, she’d somehow ended up as the house-sitting dog.
It was actually better this way—whenever Sae-byeok went to a gate, she came back utterly ragged.
The last time, lying pathetically in bed waiting for them had been pretty pitiful, so Yeo Woo-hee, who needed periodic survival check-ins to feel at ease, sent another text.
[Whatru doin dummy!]
She’d sent it before heading to the gate, but no reply.
She’d get pissed when replies were slow while Sae-byeok was off having fun with normies or gaming.
[Saebyeok whatcha doin!!!!!!!]
As an unawakened, with her lifelong playmates too busy and unable to raid gates, she was stuck as the house dog—shouldn’t she start clinging to someone like Yeo Woo-hee, who took good care of her?
Why the opposite? Was she still hung up on last time?
Just as Yeo Woo-hee’s brow vein throbbed from the lack of reply, a notification popped up.
[Ahh sorry]
[Had sound off lololol]
[Looking for something rn]
[It’s not here......]
Yeo Woo-hee grinned ear to ear and replied.
[Looking for what?]
The 1 vanished instantly.
[Memory box under bed]
Ah, Lee Sae-byeok’s attachment box.
It held photos of the dead orphanage kids and Abyss ones, plus Sae-byeok’s mementos.
‘Did I put my photo in there and return it?’
She couldn’t quite remember. Since she’d been avoiding upsetting Sae-byeok, she felt a bit anxious.
“Ji-yoon, you see Sae-byeok’s memory box anywhere?”
Woo Ji-yoon sent a reply to someone, then shook her head.
“Ah, you got a text from Sae-byeok? It was in place as of yesterday, I think.”
“Ah, whatever. Sae-byeok’s such a scatterbrain.”
Relieved it wasn’t her who’d lost it, Yeo Woo-hee texted.
[Wait up lol]
[I’ll come help look ♥]
Yeo Woo-hee covered the persistent 1 with her finger, uncovering it repeatedly, waiting for it to disappear.
After five tries, it finally did.
[Come quick]
Satisfied with the swift reply, Yeo Woo-hee pocketed her phone without responding.
* * *
Seol Do-yoon cross-referenced notes he’d compiled from imperial secret library books with real-world gate-related papers at the desk in the association president’s office.
He’d brought the necessary books there.
Lee Yoo-hyun, who’d wrapped up work early to meet the dungeon, watched Seol Do-yoon work calmly.
‘Keep it secret from Seol Do-yoon that I’m here. He’s super persistent and might get annoying.’
With his promise to the dungeon, Lee Yoo-hyun avoided mentioning it to Seol Do-yoon.
‘Wonder how Do-yoon would act if he knew an NPC from that world crossed over here.’
Seol Do-yoon currently monopolized the player and hunter markets and info, wielding immense influence.
But few knew.
He’d set up organizations with proxies he controlled, holding shares under aliases.
So if Seol Do-yoon ever turned sour, almost no one or group could stop him.
Meaning, one bad whim and the world could plummet.
The Abyss cartel plan said it all.
He had other shady schemes too. Seol Do-yoon learning NPCs could enter this world worried Lee Yoo-hyun a bit.
Especially since current Do-yoon wouldn’t spill who he really was.
“The former president’s dead too—what’ve you been up to lately?”
“Studying at uni, living my daily life.”
When Lee Yoo-hyun casually asked, the reply was perfunctory.
“Why study so hard?”
Seol Do-yoon lifted his gaze from the paper and looked at Lee Yoo-hyun.
“I enjoy studying. It’s my kind of rest.”
“Ah......!”
No grand purpose!
He’d only seen her move with goals, so he assumed the studying was for some aim.
“Plus, turning this apocalypsing world back to normal.”
“Huh?”
“To find true peace, don’t we need to fully close the gates?”
Valid point—many researched it—but from Seol Do-yoon?
Lee Yoo-hyun half-suspected she plotted to sabotage those efforts.
Fully closing gates would devastate her pipelines.
She didn’t seem the type to end it for peace first.
As Lee Yoo-hyun stared in shock, Seol Do-yoon smiled.
“......Your face gives your thoughts away. Mind if it hurts?”
“Ah, uh. Ahem. Sorry. But fully erasing gates would dismantle all Do-yoon’s built pipelines, right? You okay with that?”
“Totally fine.”
Happy NPC, Safe Home, various hunter markets.
Profits aside, the influence was huge—but only shines with monsters and gates.
“Don’t you love money and power, Do-yoon?”
“Love it tons.”
Seol Do-yoon replied brightly.
“Then why......”
Seol Do-yoon eyed Lee Yoo-hyun’s expression.
The former president looked at her with pity at times, wariness others—but mostly warm.
The wariness wasn’t enemy-level; more like pondering how to persuade or soothe.
He got why Lee Sae-byeok opened up only to him.
X, so radiant and warm.
“Do you know why people chase money?”
Seol Do-yoon picked up her pen.
“This pen costs about a thousand won. Its value is clearly quantified: 1,000 units of Korea’s ‘won’ currency.”
“Right?”
“We can measure abstract stuff like affection with it too.”
Seol Do-yoon glanced at the watch on Lee Yoo-hyun’s wrist—Ra-hee’s hard-saved gift.
“Gifts are an example. Higher value means they care that much, roughly.”
Then her gaze shifted to the ginseng set in the corner.
“But money can’t hold all values. It’s for material trades. Thanks to folks who don’t get that, I’ve got more ways to fool people.”
Seol Do-yoon fixed her eyes on Lee Yoo-hyun and grinned wide.
“People want to express their immeasurable self-worth. But it’s invisible. So they chase clear metrics hinting at value. Doesn’t have to be money—ranks, grades, followers, etc. They flock blindly to anything quantifying their worth.”
Time check: gym time.
Seol Do-yoon packed her materials and bag, continuing.
“Unlike some who think value comes from metrics and comparisons, true value grows through mutual respect. Trust in that process preserves value long-term.”
“Yeah, I agree.”
Lee Yoo-hyun, listening intently, nodded—Seol Do-yoon subtly hid a smile.
“Lee Sae-byeok or hyung seem to know it intuitively. I learned it.”
Now she knew.
The twinge in her heart: envy of blessed personalities, anxiety over Sae-byeok’s shared traits.
“Protecting such worldviews keeps society stable relatively. Run Prisoner’s Dilemma sims in game theory a few times—answer’s there.”
“You’re really doing this to protect the world?”
“Yeah! Misunderstanding: I’m super kind and harmless. Others’ happiness makes me happy.”
“......Right. Do, Do-yoon’s kind.”
Confident claim, but Lee Yoo-hyun’s reaction screamed doubt.
Past words and deeds made belief impossible. And it was mostly lies.
“Kidding. Happiness from others’ joy? Nah, profiting off misfortune brings more. But what makes me happiest is separate.”
“......What?”
“Specifically, Lee Sae-byeok’s misfortune pinned on me.”
“Huh?”
Lee Yoo-hyun’s eyes widened in bewilderment.
“Born suffocatingly bored and empty. Envied Sae-byeok’s passionate, vibrant life.”
Same orphanage, yet Sae-byeok shone so bright.
Her words, actions, aura—all enviable.
The more appealing hers seemed, the duller and shabbier her own felt.
She’d denied and ignored it all, but realized it stemmed from inferiority.
Sae-byeok seemed too special—infuriating.
Especially hating her back, as a thorn in the eye.
To understand that specialness, she’d mimicked sometimes.
Posed as counselor helping kids, brainwashed herself into pity for unpitiable things.
Later succeeded in Abyss pity via self-pity, but kids idolizing Kim Woo-sung or supervisors made it futile.
All futile. Except one.
“When Sae-byeok resents or envies me, I feel my value breathe. Money and power are just means.”
For Sae-byeok to feel inferiority, she needed emotional leeway.
Now, monsters and gates distracted her—no focus on Seol Do-yoon.
Unawakened, her pride was crumbling.
Hope Sae-byeok kept her pride. Pride breeds inferiority.
“If I see a solution, I’ll drag Sae-byeok in, shift this plummeting world to a moderately crumbling one, and take credit every way till her last breath.”
“......Sae-byeok-exclusive villain? Ah, pfft, hahaha.”
Listening quietly, Lee Yoo-hyun finally burst laughing.
Seol Do-yoon’s cold gaze fixed on the laugh—familiar chill, so he laughed on unperturbed.
“......Ah, sorry. Won’t misunderstand you, Do-yoon.”
“Explained my values at length—get me a bit now? No need worrying I’ll snap and ruin the world. I’ll own at least these words.”
Seol Do-yoon recalled Sae-byeok’s tearful, tedious love saga.
Cherished a pet, lost it.
Cherished people, lost them.
Cherished a group, lost all.
Cherished an organization—first saved what she loved: Abyss and association.
Revived her a bit. Seemed lonely briefly, then played well with others.
Now loving this world, blending in—if it broke, Sae-byeok wouldn’t sit idle.
Hated admitting, but hesitated making her full enemy.
Her committed ideas and actions were unpredictable.
No personal reason to wreck world, but Lee Yoo-hyun probing her as potential black幕 irked.
“Ah...... Caught trying to test again?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Natural to worry. Next time......”
‘X.’
“Don’t test.”
Killing intent laced Seol Do-yoon’s gentle tone.
Cursing inwardly? Lee Yoo-hyun nodded.
“Got it.”
“Thanks. Then, President, good night.”
“Yeah, wrap up well, Do-yoon.”
Lee Yoo-hyun waved as Seol Do-yoon headed for evening workout.
No need tailing her moves to gauge thoughts for a while.
Door closed, silence filled the office.
Time to see the dungeon—Lee Yoo-hyun hurriedly packed to leave.
“That fucker’s so damn weird.”
Then the dungeon flung the window wide with a disgusted face.