Chapter 345
Chapter 345
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 345
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Kang Seol pondered Janet's question for a moment.
‘How much Madness do I have exactly?’
He hadn’t visited the Madness Shop in quite a while, so a substantial amount must have accumulated. He could tell just from the smile playing on Janet’s lips.
Her eyes kept darting toward the sparkling equipment, clearly hoping Kang Seol would buy something pricey.
‘Equipment can wait for now….’
The gear in the Madness Shop wouldn’t be much help against Azanic right away.
Most of the equipment Kang Seol wore was transcendent-grade items that had undergone reinforcement. The higher the value, the steeper the price jump for even minor improvements.
Replacing gear he was already using effectively would be insane for anyone in their right mind.
“How much Madness do I have?”
“Hmm….”
Janet hesitated slightly before answering.
“Sev….”
“Sev?”
“Seven hundred thousand or so….”
700,000 Madness.
‘That’s at least 500,000 more than last time?’
The last time he’d spent his Madness was right before leaving the south, so he’d been accumulating it for a long time. Considering the major adventures he’d tackled since arriving in the east, 700,000 didn’t seem all that surprising.
‘Plenty to go around.’
Janet flashed a grin and guided him to browse comfortably.
“Let’s see… Being chased by the dragon Azanic… Hiding in the Sleepyhead’s Underground Garden… How desperate.”
“You know everything?”
“Azanic?”
“Even the Sleepyhead. I never mentioned the owner of this place.”
Snap!
Janet unfolded her fan to hide her smirk.
Janet’s laugh.
“We know everything. We have to sell everything except trust and conscience.”
“…You don’t sell those?”
“Honestly, we’d sell them too if the price was right.”
She spoke of being hunted by a dragon as if sympathizing with some poor soul. To her, such situations must be commonplace.
“Actually, there’s something I don’t get.”
She pointed out Kang Seol’s actions.
“You could escape Azanic anytime, couldn’t you?”
“…….”
“Why stand against him? Even though you know it’s impossible.”
This wasn’t just Janet’s question.
Onlookers watching a death-defying tightrope act would feel their legs tremble even from the safety of the ground.
They enjoyed watching the performer wobble on the wire, but it also tormented them.
Kang Seol grinned.
“It’s not impossible. If things go according to plan.”
“We always keep an eye on you. Sturdy trolls, ancient mages, knights too. They’re all intriguing, but… I’m curious about you.”
Janet pierced him with her gaze.
“What’s the point of all this? You’ve already….”
“There’s a reward.”
“…Pardon?”
Kang Seol said it casually.
“Every action comes with a reward.”
“…You must be completely mad.”
Step… step…
“The item you’re looking for is probably over here.”
Kang Seol stopped in an area stocked with various seeds and unidentified powders.
Rustle… shhh…
He touched them, sniffed them, inspecting closely.
One in particular caught his eye.
“…This.”
“You spotted it right away?”
“I’ve used it before….”
It was pure vitality powder, no doubt.
In the early days of the transfer, the substance that grew a black flower to monstrous size in just one day.
He’d obtained it as a reward for resolving an issue in one of Grizz’s secret labs.
Sniff… sniff…
Kang Seol tilted his head while smelling it.
The scent was slightly different from before.
“You noticed the change too?”
“…Improved it?”
“Yes! It’s marketable now! We do anything for profit. Now, the plant grows massive before you can even spread the powder and stretch out your fingers?”
“I’ll take it.”
“How much….”
“How much do you have ready?”
“About two cartloads.”
“All of it.”
Janet beamed.
Dealing with her was always straightforward. She seemed to gauge exactly what he needed and how much, pulling out items without hesitation.
‘…How does she prepare this like she knew in advance?’
Watching her cheerful back as she gathered more items, Kang Seol had this thought.
Perhaps her very existence was more dangerous than the looming threat of Azanic.
‘Not important right now, though.’
In time, he might learn more about the dealings tied to the gods.
“Hmm… I’d like to see some seeds.”
“Seeds? Ah! Seeds are….”
“…None?”
Smirk.
Clatter!
A cart rattled in continuously.
“Of course we have them.”
Kang Seol hadn’t expected this many seeds and couldn’t help but be impressed.
“If there’s a specific seed you want….”
“Poppers, stinkweed. And do you have more of this?”
“Ah… You’re looking for the cheaper ones….”
“I’m looking for what I need.”
“Of course we have more. Shall I grab it all?”
“Please.”
Even cheap items in such quantities would eat up a huge chunk of Madness.
‘Steel reeds are essential….’
The seeds Kang Seol bought in bulk were steel reed seeds.
Once he’d stocked up heavily on those, Janet spoke up.
“By the way, this is just personal curiosity….”
“Hm?”
Janet voiced her private question softly.
“Do you know what happened in the Underground Garden in the past?”
“…What happened in the past?”
“I focus on every detail about each customer. Being chased by Azanic, fleeing to the Underground Garden—it was all anticipated. So I studied up on the Underground Garden’s history too.”
“…….”
That’s why she was top-tier. Using vast information to pinpoint what customers needed most.
She just dug a bit too deep sometimes.
“In the Forest of the Sleeping Ones, there once lived a massive beast dubbed the Immortal by people….”
“Stop. Not interested in that story.”
“…You’re not curious?”
“It has nothing to do with me, does it?”
“Well… true.”
Kang Seol knew.
The massive beast called the Immortal.
The monster that harassed him every time he visited the Underground Garden.
One day, it followed him right into the garden. And that same day, it met its end.
That’s likely why the Forest of the Sleeping Ones had no owner now.
“Your picks seem related, so I got nosy. Anything else you’re looking for?”
“And something like this….”
Kang Seol whispered the items he wanted. Janet paused, then replied.
“…These are pricier.”
“And this too.”
“…Same for that. But….”
She asked, puzzled.
“What are you planning with these? They don’t connect at all?”
Smirk…
Kang Seol smiled.
“Don’t you know everything?”
* * *
Twitch… twitch…
Kang Seol jolted awake from his dream, convulsing as he sat up. He scanned the field briefly, searching for someone.
No time left to hesitate—he acted immediately.
‘Should be here soon, right on time….’
Maybe Jamad and Tantuinu, who left first, had met it instead. Not that it mattered. Still, impatience crept in as things deviated from plan.
Right then.
“What’re you looking for?”
Kang Seol flinched and turned.
Standing upright on two legs like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, staring at him.
Rabbit-human? Human-rabbit? Giant rabbit…?
Soon, choices appeared before Kang Seol’s eyes.
[The being before you is undoubtedly a resident of the Underground Garden. You might get the info you want from it. What will you ask?]
1. Who are you?
2. Can you tell me how to get out of here?
3. Can you explain this place?
4. How was the Underground Garden made?
……
“Who are you?”
He knew the answer, but steps had to be followed meticulously.
Like plugging values into an equation to get the desired result.
“I’m the Field Keeper! In charge of this vast field! You’re human! Appeared suddenly! Need any help?”
[The rabbit introducing itself as the Field Keeper seems willing to assist. State your desire.]
1. Will you fight alongside me?
2. I want control of the Underground Garden.
3. Could I get some flowers from this place?
4. What’s beyond here?
……
“Could I get some flowers from this field?”
First step for Azanic: Acquire the designated flower from the field.
“Flowers? Flowers? What kind? Color?”
Choices appeared.
Various colors lined up, but Kang Seol stated precisely.
“Pale purple, I think.”
“Pale purple… Scent?”
“Scent….”
Kang Seol detailed the flower’s traits.
Pale purple petals, scent so faint it’s barely there, large petals, very bitter taste, and a droplet-like organ on the stem.
Navigating choices from past experience, the Field Keeper spoke.
“Oh… Got it! The flower you want!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! The blinking flower! But the blinking flower….”
The Field Keeper said glumly.
“It’s super rare. Even for me! So… it’s precious!”
“Precious….”
Almost there.
“Precious things must be traded for something equally precious! So….”
“Go ahead.”
“Got anything sweet?”
“…Sweet?”
Deadpan acting, and choices began anew.
This time, match what the Field Keeper wanted.
Kang Seol knew from the start but followed the sequence.
“Color?”
“Blood red!”
“Living thing?”
“No! Fruit from a tree!”
“Shape?”
“Like a pinecone! But much harder.”
“Taste?”
“Heavenly! Burns your mouth like fire, then cools instantly.”
In hindsight, a terribly vague description. Kang Seol chuckled, recalling his past struggle with the Field Keeper.
‘To fetch it promptly from this crap description….’
His past self seemed impressive.
“Where does it grow?”
“Hmm… Not sure… Somewhere hot, maybe?”
Final choices appeared.
[What is the Field Keeper’s desired sweet?]
1. Sorry, nothing like that exists.
2. Explain again? Slowly…
3. [Requires: Unidentified Hard Fruit] Is this what you’re looking for?
4. [Requires: Unidentified Meaty Fruit] Is this what you’re looking for?
……
Kang Seol pulled a fruit from his inventory.
[Handing sulfur dragon fruit to the Field Keeper.]
[The Field Keeper’s reaction…]
“Huh? How’d you know? This! This one!”
[The Field Keeper is satisfied!]
Naturally, the sulfur dragon fruit came from the Madness Shop.
It grew in volcanic zones, self-propagating only amid acrid sulfur fumes—extremely hard to obtain.
‘And damn far away too.’
Its spawn point was far from the Underground Garden, making it a hassle even if identified from the description.
To meet the condition meant frequent visits. Who’d endure this for mere weeds?
But some had to come for these weeds.
‘A legend adventure spot.’
Legend adventure.
A mandatory trial for those at a certain job level advancing to the next stage.
Completing it usually granted the ‘Master’ title.
‘My case was… a bit special.’
Kang Seol acquired the Master title far quicker than most.
Thanks to Mirei passing down Night Raven.
Waking his unique ultimate technique meant title before full prowess.
Uncommon; most underwent legend adventures.
‘And this place….’
Deep Slumber Underground Garden.
Here, legend adventures for assassins, druids, and botanists triggered.
As players grew stronger, it might get crowded later.
‘They’ll suffer.’
Rewards in Deep Slumber Underground Garden varied by effort. Unraveling hidden secrets yielded stronger beast forms, riskier plant seeds for some.
[Acquired blinking flower.]
[Handle with care; it’s a toxic plant.]
“Oh… But the blinking flower… it’s a dangerous poison plant. You okay?”
“It’s fine.”
And insidious poisons for others.
“I knew that.”
This was the site of one legend adventure among Kang Seol’s legendary ten horses.