Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: If You're Stuck, Ask an NPC
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Time passed once more. In that span, we took down three more Field Bosses in nearly a single day. With so many people stationed there permanently, it was far easier than the Sports Center hunt.
Especially since we'd kidnapped a ton of healers and supporters from the Missing Persons' Forest, the fights had gotten a whole lot smoother.
But here's the kicker: even after bagging three of them, my level only crept up by one.
'Level 15 shot me to 16 just from showing up to the fight...'
From 16 onward, though, gaining levels got tough again. Even pouring everything into those three to max my contribution, I only got one more level. Field Bosses were starting to feel inefficient now.
Regular zombies or Skeletons barely gave any EXP anymore. Trash mobs had lost their appeal for leveling. Sure, you still had to clear them for coins, but with levels stalling, it was a real headache.
'Probably a balance thing. My skills spike power each time one unlocks, so they've tuned it that way.'
And the biggest shocker from leading the slaves on those group raids?
Classes everyone figured were basic—Warrior, Archer, Fighter, even Mage. Past level 15, no new skills. Just upgrades to the ones they already had.
Their original skills were kinda meh, but levels patched that up. Problem is, anyone who'd pushed to 15 already had their builds locked in stone.
'Classes like mine keep adding skills... but no telling how long that'll last. Without items or ways to reset builds, picking skills blindly just chokes you later.'
Basic jobs hit skill upgrades at 15 instead of adds. No clue how rarity or tiers divide classes, but the most common ones halting at 15 threw me off.
Who knows if more skills come later or it's just upgrades forever. Point is, there's a hard cap on acquisitions.
Trend says even me, my harem crew, and rare-job holders will hit a wall eventually. Builds need to be planned meticulously. Well, that's assuming levels keep rising fast.
At least the fresh awakeners from Hyoseon Girls' High were a silver lining. No more random grinding for them—I'll have them learn from the vets and build systematically. Nail down a clear concept first.
'How the hell, a full month into the apocalypse, are there still people who haven't killed a single zombie...? Elderly and disabled aside, sure...'
Didn't realize till I turned the auditorium's disabled into Alcid infectees. Some elderly and disabled hadn't offed a single zombie. Worse, they weren't alone.
Plenty of able-bodied folks had just run and hidden, never fighting back. Total dead weight. So I dragged over zombies and Skeletons and tossed them in their laps: "Kill."
Boom—24 new awakeners. All basic classes, sadly, but hey, awakeners. Even snagged some rare Mages among the basics. Anyway, that happened.
"Fuckin' bored."
"Yeah. This... peace?"
I sat on the rooftop with Merhere cradled in my arms, gazing down at the sports field.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Non-awakened folks hustled about, harvesting fruits from the trees sprouting everywhere. Hee-sun Noona—rocking some scavenged tracksuit bottoms—and the Plant Farmer In-hye were hard at work on their farm.
Word was, Noona dug it out from sports day merch. Comfy for labor, apparently.
"Master. Know what Hee-sun's planting?"
"Uh... March, so potatoes and lettuce, she said."
"Right... Potatoes. Excellent staple crop."
They'd been at it since morning: tilling soil, deploying plant-growth skills. In this apocalypse, the pastoral vibe was oddly soothing. Made my mind ease up.
'Spirits evolved too, right...'
With the mountain backdrop and school thick with trees, Hee-sun Noona's nature affinity skyrocketed. Last night, she evolved her Salamander to Ifrit and Undine to Nereid. No more beast or slime forms—they were pint-sized humanoids now. Proper elementals.
'Firepower jacked way up...'
Strong enough for frontline duty. Back mountain tests: Ifrit's fireballs rivaled Mage spells, Nereid's ice lances packed lethal punch. Both snapped trees like twigs.
Had me thinking Druid might be late-game king. Felt like rolling with two Mages already. Imagine when those mid-tiers hit Spirit King...
Living natural disaster. Plus, teaming with Plant Farmer In-hye for crops netted her a Gnome contract. Rooftop Helgen shifts with Ye-won-i scored a Sylph.
Gnome stuck to terrain smoothing and soil fertility—no offense. But Sylph? Low-tier wind blades, full-on Wind Cutters. At this rate, Hee-sun Noona's claiming top spot.
'One Ifrit, two Nereids... Gnome and Sylph... and still one slot open.'
Five contracts down, one left. Druids max at six spirits. Insane.
'Might as well push harder. Hunt down Nus's Bracelet, hit the Corrupted Forest...'
Hee-sun even had a class set. "Daughter of the World Tree," backed hard by the Myriad Ghost Realm—fits the flair. Mine now, of course...
Her set's the Nus series. Started with the Life Ring from that random merchant, then Necklace on Forest Keeper evolution.
Those two were lucky breaks. Bracelet? Doubt it's random. Merchant stock or black market grind?
"Merchant's still AWOL."
"Yeah. Friday already."
"Tomorrow, maybe."
Over a hundred here now—merchant spawn guaranteed. Just random day and hour. All we could do was wait.
"Jeweler and weaponsmith incoming when... haaawn..."
"They'll show. Near certain."
"Yeah. Jeweler mentioned last visit... Weaponsmith overdue. Never seen one."
"Easy, Master. Bound to hit us up. Buyers thinning out."
"True enough."
Most survivors wiped. To offload gear, they'd swarm here. Betting full merchant roster this week.
"Meeting Cheshire tonight?"
"Yep. Skipped last week."
"Wish she'd join us."
"I'd drag her out if possible."
Cheshire's black-market bound. Underground soul shard hunt, from what I heard.
'Fanatics and demons...'
Demons were Myriad Demon Realm parasites. Some broke off, nested in the underground. High-ranking boss holding court, spawnlings crawling everywhere...
'Demon hunt, then. A-ram's a must.'
Her soul shard's with that underground demon boss. Demon Slayer job—feeds off demonic qi for buffs.
'Tonight, nail down underground plans with Cheshire...'
Last time, said I was too weak. Needed Dragon Slayer Zeke-tier for entry...
'No waiting that long.'
Worst case, summon Kyseria for a ride. Underground summon might dodge Earth penalties—longer uptime? Maybe.
Mulling extraction as a scout slave hit the roof.
"Bro!! Guest downstairs, first floor!"
"Huh?"
"Kinda... unique lady."
"Not a slave. Came for me?"
"Yeah. Doll joints on wrists and neck..."
"Ah, the Jeweler..."
Popped up in the mart lobby last time too.
"On it. BRB."
Left Merhere, bolted downstairs. Pumped—boss loot coins meant I could snag her whole stock.
"Long time no see, Cultist."
"Welcome."
A stunning woman sat primly in the principal's office. Lace-trimmed black gothic dress screamed "collector's doll."
Those glittering eyes? Gemstone perfection. Maybe literal gems.
"Stocked up on coins this time?"
"Yeah. Knew you'd drop by."
"Perfect. Love it. Reception's way classier than last visit."
Last time, gems on a checkout counter. Now? Office desk chats. She dug the vibe—mood queen. Looked thrilled.
"Alright, wares first."
Out came rune-etched leather. Spread on the desk, fingersnapped.
⚙ SHOP ITEMS ⚙ Dancer's Earrings: Leaves afterimages in the wearer's movements. More images at high speed, bewildering foes. Price: 10,000C Krone's Trinket: Infuse with mana to make weapons drip deadly poison. Trinket darkens with use. [Caution: Fully blackened, teleports user to Dark King's Ruins.]
Price: 60,000C Cracked Ankh: Boosts skill effects further for Holy-aligned players. [Caution: Ankh shatters, user plummets to the Abyss Floor.]
Price: 34,000C "O..."
"Thoughts?"
"Buying the lot."
Dancer's Earrings screamed A-reum. No downsides, pure Dancer synergy. She'd hit harder now.
'The other two, though...'
Both interdimensional traps. Krone's to "Dark King's Ruins," Cracked Ankh to "Abyss Floor."
'Abyss Floor sounds like deep Indicron turf—fine there. But Dark King's Ruins...?'
Power-up potential reeked.
"Knew you'd deliver. Next time same vibe... special service awaits."
"Service...?"
"Mmm... very special..."
Sultry tone, face blank as a doll's. Couldn't emote.
"Uh, appreciated... but know anything about Nus's Bracelet?"
"Nus's Bracelet?"
"Yeah. Hunting it."
"Hmm... Nus... the Mad Stag King?"
"You know it?"
"Think so. Lord of the Oak Woods. Called Corrupted Forest now."
Jackpot. She knew.
Stuck in a game? Hit up the NPCs. While at it, quiz her on Curse Dolls like Galaxy and magitech automatons too.
She screamed living doll. Bound to drop answers.
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