Chapter 28. The New Dealer. (3)
Barbara had spent the entire week shuttling between heaven and hell. She never imagined that group training could be this brutally merciless. What frightened her even more was that, despite the excruciating pain, she emerged completely unharmed—no scars, no injuries whatsoever. With healers available, the very concept of glorious wounds had simply vanished.
She figured this must be endless torment. If her arm had snapped only once, it would have hurt like hell, but the constant cycle of healing and breaking felt like she was losing her mind. It was almost admirable how Kang-so-mi, the older sister, had endured it for months without complaint.
After such a grueling weekday, she finally got to experience the peaceful first weekend.
—On weekends, do whatever you want. Sleep, play, or rest. That’s the team rule!
Sure enough, the morning at Team House was eerily quiet. No more chaotic pre-training bustle like on weekdays. She burrowed deeper under the blanket, savoring this rare lazy freedom.
…Last night had been nothing short of insane.
It had been a literal burning Friday night. Kang-so-mi had let out dozens of loud, shameless moans that went on for hours. Barbara couldn’t possibly have slept a wink with that going on right beside her.
Unable to take it anymore, she had ended up pleasuring herself too. …It was the first time in her life she’d done so for five straight days.
Those two… really had incredible stamina.
Honestly, she had struggled just to stay quiet and listen. At her early twenties, she was still in that blazing-hot phase where a single spark could set her aflame. With those hot, stifled moans echoing right next to her, how was she supposed to stay composed?
Her sexual curiosity and libido had been at an absolute peak. …Actually, she had been dying of curiosity. What would it feel like to do that with a man? Especially now. Her kind, gentle older sister was letting out such shameless noises—how could she not wonder?
She had almost stayed up all night, lost in thoughts, before finally drifting off again. When she woke, it was already past ten in the morning. She had slept another three full hours.
Barbara yawned widely as she sat up. She brushed her teeth and washed her face quickly, then headed to the living room. Kumba was sipping Horop coffee while watching disaster news.
“Good morning. Sleep well?”
“Yeah.”
He was gruff and intimidating on the surface, but surprisingly easygoing. Honestly, there wasn’t much to clash about. They didn’t share many common traits beyond being guards. Selah was the same, of course.
“You’re up?”
Kang-so-mi had already woken hours before her, despite the torment from the night before. Her usual loud, lewd moans had been replaced by a gentle, wholesome smile. Honestly, it didn’t quite match. The day version and the night version of the same person.
“Want me to toast?”
“No, I’ll do it. I can handle it.”
“Nah, I’ll cook. I love cooking.”
Barbara couldn’t imagine Kang-so-mi being naturally kind like her older sister. Yeah, it made sense that someone like her would fall for a guy like Team Leader Kang-jun—life wasn’t fair otherwise.
Just then, Kang-jun stepped out of the room. Oh, Team Leader~! Kang-so-mi called out sweetly while flipping the toast. Barbara stole a quick glance at her older sister’s face. The look in those eyes was pure, unfiltered yearning. No lover could hide that kind of devotion.
“Barbara.”
“Yes?”
“From Monday to Wednesday next week, I’ll be heading into the dungeon for a short time. It’ll be you, Park Hana, Kim Hye-mi, and me—four people.”
Only four? Barbara couldn’t understand his reasoning at all.
“What?! Just the four of us?!”
“Yeah. We need to level up fast and get our first-class awakenings. That’s the absolute priority right now.”
Kang-jun took the plate from Kang-so-mi and sat down at the table. Hearing this, Kumba turned his head.
“What about me, boss?”
“You’ll do your own personal training. No slacking off.”
“Got it. Can I eat meat?”
“Do whatever you want.”
Kumba was perfectly satisfied with that. Because he was an ogre whose wild nature had been tamed by living alongside the ruthless Kang-jun, he had shrunk dramatically. Since he could never claim the top spot anyway, all that remained was the desire to eat his fill.
That was the usual fate of an ogre who couldn’t stand on his own. Either fight until he died or submit and live in loyalty…
But even so, he had it good. He could eat whenever he wanted and had plenty of females ready for breeding.
Barbara stared at the toast in front of her, unable to eat despite her hunger. Taking just four people into the dungeon was way too dangerous.
…Honestly, Kang-so-mi and Barbara were the weakest of the team!
“So how should we prepare?”
Kang-so-mi asked without any hesitation.
“Zush will explain later.”
“Understood.”
A newcomer who had only been with the team for less than a week found it embarrassing to say “I can’t” or “I won’t” in front of the leader. Kang-jun had made a bold declaration, then gobbled down a slice of toast and headed straight to Zush’s room.
Barbara sat quietly. The moment Kang-jun disappeared from view, she spilled everything to Kang-so-mi.
“Ah, I’m worried… Yeah, I can understand why.”
Kang-so-mi had put herself in Barbara’s shoes and felt the same unease. Anyone who didn’t know Kang-jun well would probably feel the same.
“Is it really okay? …I probably won’t be much help.”
“Don’t worry. It’s true.”
Of course she couldn’t help but worry! They weren’t that close, and…
For her, the dungeon was always a place where death lurked just beyond every shadow. She had nearly died several times.
Just four of them going in? Including two rookies? …No matter how she thought about it, it made no sense.
“I can’t explain it properly. All I can say is… trust me. You already know how amazing Kang-jun is, right? The rumors have spread everywhere in the organization.”
Barbara was stunned to see how blindly loyal her older sister was. How could someone trust her own lover that much?
The peaceful Saturday passed under a heavy cloud of worry.
As the sun dipped toward evening, Zush entered Barbara’s room. She had come to explain the dungeon exploration they would be doing on Monday.
She gave them detailed instructions on what to prepare and spoke kindly. She even included a concise plan. She was such a meticulous person.
“Um… sister?”
“Hm?”
“It’s really okay? …I probably won’t be much help, and Hye-mi sister and Kang-so-mi sister…”
The question was whether the four of them could survive the dungeon alive. Zush answered without the slightest hesitation.
“You don’t need to worry. You won’t die. Just do exactly what the Team Leader tells you to do. Understood? We have to get our first-class awakenings as soon as possible.”
Barbara grew even more confused. This was a pure, heartfelt trust. How could she possibly believe it? …She wasn’t even his lover!
After Zush left, Barbara secretly asked Kim Hye-mi the same question.
“Don’t worry, little sister. The senior is really strong. And I’m here too! Nothing will happen to you.”
“But… it’s the dungeon. We don’t know what might happen…”
“Pfft, just listen to the Team Leader, okay? Then everything will be fine. Got it?”
“…Yes.”
Barbara’s mind spun wildly as she left Kim Hye-mi’s room.
What to do, what to do…
She wanted to talk to the Team Leader, but he had already left somewhere that morning. He would return tomorrow.
A sleepless night was the same on weekdays and weekends. This time, it wasn’t moans, but worry.
The weekend filled with anxiety passed in the blink of an eye.
Barbara woke at 4 a.m. on Monday and finished the dungeon preparations in record time.
Breakfast was prepared by Zush herself. The four of them who would be entering the dungeon filled their stomachs solidly, slung their bags over their shoulders, and boarded the van waiting in the alley.
For the first time, Barbara met Manager Kang and exchanged greetings.
“You’re the new team member?”
“Yes, Barbara Olson.”
“I’m Manager Kang So-mi. Nice to meet you.”
Whoa. It was her first time riding a high-end van. Barbara momentarily forgot her worries and sank into the smooth ride. She had thought switching to the Kang-jun team was lucky, only for the dungeon exploration to start worrying her again. …But it was too late now.
The van was quiet during the ride to the dungeon. Barbara wished the others would talk loudly to drown out the nerves. She felt like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.
After about an hour, the van arrived in front of the 39th Zone Dungeon. They stepped out with only one bag each. Their shoulders felt heavy.
“Well, have a safe trip. Everyone~!”
Manager Kang waved cheerfully. Barbara kept glancing back at Manager Kang-so-mi as she shrank into the distance.
…Could they make it back alive?
They soon passed through the dungeon entrance and the final waiting area, then stepped into the dungeon itself. The lamps were lit by Kang-jun.
The bone-chilling cold swept across Barbara’s cheeks. Her skin felt like it would freeze.
Even though she had entered the dungeon many times before, every single time she felt the same fear. The sudden fear of something bursting out of the pitch-black darkness. She wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed that kind of horror, but she guessed the others felt the same.
Whoosh… whoosh…
Her flesh was numbed by the cold and fear. Walking had warmed her a bit, but the freezing air quickly drained it away. …Suddenly, she missed Earth so desperately.
Kang-jun strode forward without hesitation. Each step was bolder than the cautious Team Leader she remembered. He had always warned that even the most careful approach couldn’t make the dungeon safe. …She had thought he was exaggerating. Probably because he was young and full of energy…
The pace was fast. They quickly passed the 1st region and entered the 2nd. But since it was a one-day outing, Kang-jun said they would hurry through.
They walked for at least three hours without a break. Barbara’s breathing was already ragged. Her stamina was starting to falter.
“Take a break.”
The first rest was truly sweet. Barbara sat on the mat, unable to speak, just gulping down water. The others still looked perfectly fine, as if nothing had happened.
“Let’s move.”
After only ten minutes, Kang-jun ordered them to continue. Barbara groaned and stood up. They resumed the exploration.
After walking for a while, they finally encountered their first monster. Ah—! Barbara quickly unzipped her bag and took her position right beside Kang-so-mi.
It was a hairless, black-fleshed creature with smooth skin, dog-like in appearance. Its eyes were blood-red and its fangs looked razor-sharp. If it bit her, tearing off a limb would be nothing.
“Train hard!”
Kang-jun didn’t join the fight. Barbara was shocked. How were the two of them supposed to handle this thing alone?! She knew she couldn’t fully support as a dealer.
But before she could even shout, the monster lunged first. Kang-so-mi quickly blocked its front with her shield and drew aggro. Barbara had no choice but to push from the side with her own shield.
It did nothing. Her destructive power simply wasn’t enough to kill something like this. The monster’s paw slammed into her.
—!!
Barbara was flung backward. Instead of the gym rubber mat, she crashed hard onto the stone floor. Pain exploded through her body. It felt like blood was coming out.
“Kyaaah!”
Kang-so-mi gritted her teeth and endured. But Kang-jun kept watching indifferently. She felt a desperate urge to step in and help now.
The monster’s claws raked across her left arm. Flesh tore away in chunks, exposing white bone.
“Kyaaah!”
Still, she refused to fall. That was the result of the harsh training. Kang-so-mi’s heal mended the injured arm instantly. Kang-jun was satisfied. As long as she didn’t collapse, that was enough.
He swung his sword in a single clean cut, severing the monster’s head. Kang-jun lifted the writhing Barbara, slapped her cheek, and stared at her empty eyes.
“Barbara, you want me to kill you?! This isn’t a training room—it’s a dungeon! Mistakes won’t be tolerated! Pain is something you overcome! You must overcome it! Only then will we all survive. Understand?!”
“Yes… yes…”
Kang-jun shouted directly into her face.
Barbara lowered her head, covering her reddened cheek with her palm, clearly on the verge of tears.
“Don’t cry! Just cry if you want.”
“I won’t cry!”
“Show some backbone, Barbara. Prove your worth. Got it?!”
“I understand—aaaah!”
She forced her eyes wide open and bit down hard. A single tear slipped, but she clenched her teeth and endured until the end.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Kang-jun’s mouth as he turned away. He had been impressed by her surprising resilience. If it had been Kang-so-mi, she would have already been sobbing.
Yeah, there needed to be more people like this—tough girls.
He decided he would really rough her up for three days.
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