Chapter 160
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: The Defection
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Fuck, why the hell is there no contact?
Lee Hwarang hadnt spent a single peaceful day since getting suspended.
Hed climbed so high, only to face a brutal year-long ban that would knock him right back down.
He rushed into Mooncom.
No word from Park Jin-hyuk either, so Mooncom was his only intel source.
This is mosaicked, so you wont know, right?
-(photo)
Park Jin-hyuk. This lolololol
No way, bullshit
Why would Shinwas Park Jin-hyuk be in the Warriors Sanctuary? Make sense lol
Now that its mosaicked, everyones just guessing wildly.
Didnt someone get banned for spewing nonsense like that?
(OP) Bullshit. How many people saw it here.
Witness here I saw it too
Lee Hwarangs face stiffened.
This bastard... he knelt?
Just the thought of his friend kneeling to that damn prick made rage boil up inside him.
Hey, you busy?
Right then, a text came in from Park Jin-hyuk.
Lee Hwarang hurriedly called him.
The line connected before the second ring.
Hey! What the hells going on?
Saw Mooncom?
Yeah. Fuck, why the hell are you kneeling to that bastard?
You kept whining, so I went and knelt a bit. Asked him to lift the ban.
...Hah, Im gonna lose my mind. So, what happened?
They cut it down to three months.
Three months... thats it?
Unbelievable.
If theyre gonna reduce it, at least do it properly.
Anyway, my parts done. Youre on your own from here.
Wait! Isnt there any way to cut it more?
Nope. Hanging up.
What...? Hey!
The call ended.
Lee Hwarang frantically called back, but it didnt connect.
What the hell...?
This wasnt like him to just cut off like that.
Feeling uneasy, Lee Hwarang started scrolling through Mooncom again.
Thats when a new post popped up.
Im leaving Shinwa.
-339 Level Lord Knight Park Jin-hyuk here.
As of this moment, Im quitting Shinwa.
I was once an executive, but due to certain events, I got demoted to grunt status, and Ive lost all loyalty to the guild.
Lee Hwarang only read the first three lines before dialing Park Jin-hyuk again.
If hed posted on Mooncom, he had his smartphone out.
Fuck! Why are you ignoring my calls?!
It was enough to drive him mad.
Weekly Quest
-Reward: Experience
-Description: Search a designated area and report back.
A repeatable clear quest, so the reward was experience.
Leveling was so tough that players farmed extra EXP through daily, weekly, and monthly quests.
Jeong Hoon accepted the scouting quest.
Roughly patrol the forest outside the city and report back for EXP.
Just think of it as a casual stroll.
Yes.
Jeong Hoon accepted the quest and headed out.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Breaking news! Park Jin-hyuk says hes quitting Shinwa!
Right on cue, a whisper arrived from Yeo Min-ji.
Looks like its started.
The advice Jeong Hoon had given him.
Quit Shinwa and join Hoyoung.
Sa Jae-hyeok wouldnt let him go easily, but he wouldnt want Lee Hwarangs mess surfacing either, so hed have no choice.
If it comes out that Shinwa attacked Hoyoung, theyd get slammed for breaking the unwritten rules.
If he had any brains, he wouldnt risk his life over Park Jin-hyuk.
Park was exceptionally talented as a warrior, but fell way short of Sa Jae-hyeok, and standing next to a giant like Lee Hwarang made him look like a sidekick.
To Sa Jae-hyeok, Park Jin-hyuk was truly a chicken ribuseless to keep, a shame to discard.
Given his personality, hed likely cut Park loose.
Itll really grind his gears once Park joins Hoyoung and starts shining.
That was exactly what Jeong Hoon was aiming for.
Chop off Lee Hwarangs limb while screwing Sa Jae-hyeok againone stone, two birds.
WhisperHoon - Minzi: Park Jin-hyuk will come to Hoyoung soon.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Huh? Why Hoyoung;;
WhisperHoon - Minzi: Guild join, obviously.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Whoa... Youre not saying we should take him in, right? Were not a trash cleanup crew?
WhisperHoon - Minzi: lol No need to take him.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Ah lol okay?
WhisperHoon - Minzi: Yeah. Just to screw over Sa Jae-hyeok and Lee Hwarang one more time.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Hmm... So I can hear him out and kick him if he sucks?
WhisperHoon - Minzi: Yes.
WhisperMinzi - Hoon: Got it.
Jeong Hoon closed the whisper.
So, where are you scouting?
Jeong Hoon headed for the Warrior City border.
Cross just a bit further, and youd enter Archer City territorywithout clearance, youd be an intruder pelted with arrows.
The reason for scouting this dangerous spot was simple.
Undiscovered dungeon.
An undiscovered dungeon not yet revealed.
Jeong Hoon had found a few since returning.
But this one was on another level.
Whether first discovery or not, just enter and clear for massive rewards.
The issue: it wouldnt be found until long after reality merge.
By then, tons of players had already died.
If it opened sooner, wouldnt more players benefit?
Reason to reveal this dungeon to players.
Once it surfaces, countless players would swarm it.
But it required specific conditions to open.
Huh? Whatre you doing here?
Nearing the border, he ran into Riandor out for a stroll.
On some business.
I see. This place is a bit risky... but youll be fine.
What brings you here, Riandor?
Just wandering since I had nothing better to do.
Really?
Jeong Hoon glanced beyond the border.
He sensed a few archer presences in the grass.
Until a few years ago, this was Archer City territorythey were always eyeing a chance to reclaim it.
Riandor built his cabin here to keep them in check.
The moment they crossed, war would restart.
You feel them too.
Yes.
Warrior City warriors stationed nearby were watching them closely too.
No worries. Those cowards wont charge in.
Really?
Riandor laughed heartily.
Look over there.
He pointed at the ground.
Not far off, a red line stretched across.
Detects intruders?
Nah, cross it, and a debuff auto-triggersrips your body apart.
I see.
Hmph, not thrilled about it, but the Mage City lord lent some power.
Reason Archer City couldnt invade freely: Mage City was involved.
The Mage City ruler sided with Warrior City.
Unlike Riandor, the mage hadnt stepped down.
He and Glinsman were tightold allies.
Hence the alliance.
Archer City hastily allied with Thief City in response.
They hated warriors too.
The other cities just mind their own borders.
The rest didnt ally.
They wouldnt move unless their turf was touched.
Alright, time to open the dungeon.
Open a dungeon? Here?
Riandor tilted his head.
Yes.
Jeong Hoon grinned.
Warrior City.
Bandits were diligently plowing the tenant farmers fields.
Todays quota is 7,000 pyeong.
7,000 pyeong.
Kukri itched to smash the heads of the resting tenant farmers with his shovel while supervising.
How much longer this hellish grind?
Just kill them all and bolt?
Too scared of the boss.
Wherever he fled to Reas, shed hunt him down.
Attacking tenants was suicide.
Then
Hey! Kukri!
A voice called from afar.
A man hed never seen.
Hah, who the fucks this?
Not a tenant by lookssome stray?
Perfect.
Time to vent.
Kukri gripped his shovel and stomped over.
You called me?
Say one word.
Ill cave your skull with this shovel.
His grip tightened.
The boss wants you. Your leader.
Leader...?
The word loosened his hold.
Yeah. And quit glaring. Im the bosss favorite subordinate.
....
Tch. No answer? Should I tell the boss?
N-No, sir.
Come on. Ill cover with the tenants.
Michael said that and asked the tenants permission.
Of course! Take him anytime!
Couldnt obstruct their benefactor.
The tenants readily agreed.
Michael returned after a while.
Boss! Got em!
Behind him stood Kukri and five bandits.
Good work. Go rest inside.
Wait!
As he turned to send Michael off, Michael urgently called out.
Jeong Hoon cocked his head.
Why?
Its been forever since I got summoned out... Anything else I can do?
Uns summoned since the second chaos, finally calledthis chance rare.
Didnt want to go after one task.
Sure? Then one more before you go.
Jeong Hoon happily obliged.
Thank you! You lot! Straighten up!
With permission, Michael immediately barked at Kukri and the bandits postures.
Y-Yes!
Kukri snapped to attention, aligning perfectly with the bandits.
Boss! What next?
Here, take this.
Jeong Hoon handed over a torch.
Cloth-wrapped wood soaked in oillight it, and itd blaze.
One each?
Jeong Hoon had prepped them.
Yeah.
Jeong Hoon had Michael, Kukri, and the five bandits each take one.
Next, he ordered them to split off one by one to assigned spots and wait.
They took positions, lit the torches.
The flames roared to life.
...Placing them separately like that opens the dungeon?
Riandor looked baffled.
Youll see.
Jeong Hoon walked to a spot and stopped.
Weeds grew up to his waist.
If memory serves, right here.
The undiscovered dungeon discoverer: chronicler Damien Loud.
He noticed something off while recordingtoo late.
Jeong Hoon had watched back then, knew the method.
Jeong Hoon sliced the weeds with Leviathan, then dug with a shovel.
Clink!
Something hit soon after.
Jeong Hoon cleared the dirt by hand.
A hexagonal plate emerged.
Weathered metal etched with hieroglyphs.
Untranslated by New World.
Yet Damien Loud deciphered it.
Seal the hexagons paths with fires essence, breathe life with holy power.
Fires essence: flames.
Torch the hexagons ends, infuse holy power into the plate.
Jeong Hoon extended his hand, channeling holy power.
The plate glowed brightly.
Vrrr
It vibrated, liquefied, and sank into the earth.
Jeong Hoon stepped back.
Soon, the ground glowed bluish, forming a portal.
A dungeon meant to appear much laternow open.
Youve discovered an undiscovered dungeon! 1,000 achievement points awarded.
My god...
Riandor watched from afar, stunned.