Chapter 321
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 321
Chapter Title: Dungeon Renewal
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So while I was in the fifth phase, the event happened, and thats what caused all this mess?
Yes.
Good lord
Mom collapsed onto the sofa with an incredulous look on her face.
It was only natural shed be shocked. A single event had turned the entire world to ruins.
Probably half of Korea got wiped out.
Jeong Hoons house had survived, but that was just luck.
Most of Seoul had been obliterated, leading to countless deaths.
The same must have happened everywhere else.
What in the world is going on?
Mom leaned her head back and closed her eyes, clearly overwhelmed.
She needed some time to process, so Jeong Hoon tactfully retreated to his room.
Hoon what are we gonna do?
Jang Dae-hwi sat there with a dazed expression, letting out endless sighs.
Hed protected himself from the penalty by joining the event and was now freeloading at Jeong Hoons place.
His own house had vanished without a trace due to the penalty.
On top of that, Ha-jins place had been destroyed too, leaving him with nowhere to go. Hed come here grasping at straws.
Why? Whats up?
Its HoneyTube.
HoneyTube, boasting 140 million subscribers.
The massive channel had taken hit after hit from penalties and exploded into oblivion.
The unredeemed earnings alone exceeded billions of won.
Factor in future revenue, and it was an astronomical sumnow gone in an instant. He was dying of regret.
Jeong Hoon, the channels owner, on the other hand, didnt seem fazed.
Hed run it as a temporary thing anyway.
Sure, it ending sooner than expected was a shame, but spilled water couldnt be gathered back up. He accepted it humbly.
Hyung, from now on, points are gonna be crucial.
Points?
Yeah. If Im right things are only gonna get worse.
Escannon, the designer, had intervened.
That meant destruction was accelerating.
Even the futures he knew might become useless.
Seeing Jeong Hoons grave expression, Jang Dae-hwi fidgeted anxiously with his smartphone.
But what about the money? Its all in the bank. How do we even get it in this mess?
Jeong Hoon managed the accounts.
It was his channel, after all.
There had to be at least 5 billion won in there.
But withdrawing it now?
Its fine. I exchanged some just in case.
R-Really?!
Yeah. Not all of it, though.
Truth be told, he hadnt cashed out everything.
About 2 billion won remained in the accountfor taxes later.
But now? It was worthless paper.
Wow you always see one step ahead.
I dont know about that. If Id really seen ahead, I wouldve stopped this somehow.
Jeong Hoon gazed at the wrecked world with a bitter tone.
Hey, dont say that. Things are this manageable because you stepped up. Without you, Earth wouldve been done for.
Jang Dae-hwi knew.
If Jeong Hoon hadnt intervened in that event, Earth wouldve ended right then.
I only put out the immediate fire.
Immediate fire? You mean stuff like this is gonna keep happening?
Yes.
Survival.
It was content so overdone it was like broth boiled from bones too many timesno freshness left.
So when survival was announced for this event, users felt more dread than excitement.
Unlike playing in capsules, real life meant only one life.
Thats why regular user participation was so low.
Avatars, meanwhile, swarmed it, dragging out the modified event and accelerating destruction by years.
Damage has exceeded 30.
Then, a message appeared before Jeong Hoons eyes.
Already at 30?
It was a frown-worthy number.
Damage at 30.
A comprehensive metric based on humanity.
Everything humans had built, quantified at 100, decreasing as it was destroyed.
Previously, recovery efforts had reduced it.
But exceeding 30 reset the baseline to 30.
The penalties are getting brutal.
Pre-regression, 30 damage came after 8 more years.
Countless penalties had piled up to reach it.
Never a sudden spike like this.
Escannons intervention changed things
Realizing episodes couldnt end it, Jeong Hoon had absorbed every opportunity he could.
To face the designer.
Hed planned to keep gathering them post-event.
But Escannons meddling ruined it all.
Why?
Dungeons are being renewed.
Renewal.
Triggered at 30 damage.
As damage rose, maintenance weakened, accelerating doom.
Hed never dreamed itd hit at a point where even Darvis couldnt be cleared.
Post-renewal, all dungeons would surge in difficulty, while humanitys survival odds plummeted.
Hoo, Hoon! Outside! Look outside!
Jang Dae-hwi pointed out the window.
Countless new portals were spawning, while old ones vanished.
Yeah. The dungeons are renewing.
Dungeon renewal?
Yep. Damage broke 30.
Thats bad, right?
Jeong Hoon nodded.
Yeah. The ones running this game want Earth gone. Overall difficultys spiking.
Ha, this is insane.
A bitter smile tugged at Jeong Hoons lips, mirroring Dae-hwis despair.
If he hadnt swept up opportunities, would the future have followed its course?
Guilt made his chest tighten.
Master, you okay?
Its not your fault, Master. No need to blame yourself.
Mukho and Anima consoled him perceptively.
No, it is my fault.
Hed overreached.
Without Escannon moving, Earth would still be fine.
Hyung-nim please open the door
That was when it happened.
As he watched the renewal in grim silence, a knock came at the front door, followed by Bong-gus faint voice.
Unlike usual, it trembled on the verge of breaking.
Kim Bong-gu?
Had he finished the fifth phase?
Jeong Hoon hurried to the living room and opened the door.
Bong-gu stood outside, staggering, face streaked with tears.
What happened to you?
Hyung-nim my family my family
Jeong Hoons expression turned serious at the sobbing struggle.
Calm down and tell me. What about your family?
Its just
Bong-gu couldnt settle easily.
He pieced it out word by word, slow and halting. Jeong Hoon listened silently.
When the story ended, Jeong Hoons face had hardened to stone, beyond despair.
your house got completely wiped out?
Yes and I cant reach my family
Fuck
Jeong Hoon clenched his fist until blood welled.
He knew better than anyone the cruelty of losing family, so he understood Bong-gu.
At the same time, inescapable guilt surgedhis fault for madly absorbing opportunities to challenge Escannon, hastening doom.
Euh-huhk
Jeong Hoon silently embraced him.
No words would help now.
Long story short, Bong-gus family was safe.
During the penalty from the event, theyd been out, not home.
As penalties continued, theyd sheltered in a nearby evacuation center.
Telling them to go there as a precaution had been spot on.
You met them?
Yes. Everyones safe!
Confirming their survival restored Bong-gus energy.
And the fifth phase?
A total success!
Good job.
That made Mom, Ha-jin, and Bong-gu done with phase five.
What about Yeo Sun-woo and Yeo Min-ji?
He was curious, but no word from them yet.
Hyung-nim, more importantly, whats this dungeon renewal?
Only after checking his family did Bong-gu notice the changes.
The process continued.
Renewal completion: Almost there (92)
Reworking dungeons worldwide took time.
Old portals gone, new ones sprouting everywhere.
Jeong Hoon pointed to a massive new one forming.
Bong-gu, what level do you think a dungeon that size is?
Hmm at least 400-500?
Right. And thats not the only one in the city center.
Countless even stronger ones emanated mana nearby.
Simply put, dungeon difficulties are rising.
Wait hyung-nim, doesnt that mean destructions accelerating?
Exactly.
Still, it wasnt hopeless.
Even post-renewal, blocking penalties would let them hold on.
Jeong Hoon recalled pre-regression memories to plan.
Emergency Announcement
Then, a message arrived.
Emergency announcement?
What now?
Bong-gu, you got a message too? Check.
Bong-gu tilted his head at Jeong Hoons words.
Message? Nope.
Jeong Hoon narrowed his eyes.
No message?
Nope.
Just me?
He checked with Mom and Dae-hwi too.
They were clueless.
Its only for me.
Jeong Hoon quietly opened it.
Episode completion must reach 99.
Time limit: 7 days.
Failure: Damage reaches 100.
Ha, Escannon.
Youre that desperate to meet me, huh.
Refuse, and damage jumps from 30 to 100.
No more chancesEarth deleted outright.
This guys a real psycho.
100 means just wiping Earth out, right?
No choice.
Ill do it.
Episode to 99.
Jeong Hoon pulled out one of his plans.
The Alliance headquarters, refreshed by renewal.
There, he could gather more marks and push completion to 99.
Then Ill have to face Escannon like this.
A battle with no chance of winning, no matter how he sliced it.
Your fate will not change. Accept your destined path.
The inscription from the Temple of Fate.
Hed scoffed then, but it had lodged like a thorn in his heart.
Thats why hed frantically swept every opportunity in memory.
Fine. Ill go all the way.
His defiance wasnt over yet.