Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Oduak Owner's Gift
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As we pushed open the door and stepped inside, a woman in a crisp uniform greeted us. She was a striking beauty with a tall figure, and a beauty mark beneath her left eye immediately caught my eye.
"Welcome to Oduak."
"Sa Seung-hee, owner."
Choi Seung-gi offered his greeting, and Sa Seung-hee pointed at him with her index finger before promptly raising her thumb in approval.
"You've been through a lot. I figured it'd be tough to host such busy folks."
Sa Seung-hee said that to Choi Seung-gi, then wore a regretful expression.
"That said, I'm sorry, but it seems this conversation might be a bit awkward with President Choi Seung-gi here."
That was the cue to leave. Choi Seung-gi gave a crisp bow and promptly exited the shop.
"Ah, our coffee's pretty good—have a cup first while you settle in."
That was the first thing Sa Seung-hee said after Choi Seung-gi left. Han Sang-ah and I took seats as she guided us, sipping our coffee while we waited for her.
"This coffee's delicious."
That was Han Sang-ah's verdict after her first taste. All coffees taste the same, I thought, taking a sip of my own before nodding in agreement.
"It is."
A moment later, Sa Seung-hee approached, balancing a tray.
"Yukgaejang for both of you—sound good?"
The spread she laid out for us was yukgaejang, rolled omelet, gondre herb rice, braised lotus root, and watery radish kimchi.
After digging into the yukgaejang, I looked up at Sa Seung-hee.
"What, did you spike the yukgaejang with some kind of elixir?"
Sure, there are yukgaejangs out there thicker or spicier than this. But if you're introducing the dish to someone who's never had it, nothing beats this. No more, no less—it's the ideal flavor that pops into your head the moment you hear "tasty yukgaejang."
What is this? Did they toss a whole cow into the pot and simmer it down? The depth and richness were unreal.
No wonder people lose their minds and flock here just to eat something—anything.
"Glad it suits you."
As I marveled, half the yukgaejang in Han Sang-ah's pot had vanished.
"You scarf yukgaejang like some early-morning soccer grandpa chugging an energy drink."
"If you're gonna leave some, pass it my way?"
"Hands off, or I'll skewer your forehead with these chopsticks."
A fresh pot of yukgaejang filled Han Sang-ah's bowl. Sa Seung-hee had brought an extra serving. And it wasn't just the yukgaejang—everything on the table was phenomenal.
How do you even describe it? Normally, you praise home-cooked meals by saying they're as good as restaurant food, and restaurant food by calling it homey. But this? No clue. It was just insanely good.
"Thanks for the meal."
"Music to my ears."
Only empty plates remained on the table. Truth be told, Han Sang-ah and I were tempted to crunch those down too. Should I thank the Gold Yang Group chairman? If we'd stuffed ourselves with ramen and kimbap, we might've missed out on this.
"Ever since I asked Choi Seung-gi to put in a word, I've been holding back two portions just in case."
With those words, Sa Seung-hee slid two plates in front of us, each topped with a slice of pumpkin pie.
"Folks call it 'ssamssam pie' around here."
This was the infamous pie that got a hunter beaten to a pulp by 33 others after cutting the line to snag a piece.
My verdict after one bite was straightforward.
"My sister really wanted to recruit you as a chef. You sure you won't reconsider?"
That was Han Sang-ah's assessment.
"Impressive they stopped at a beating and didn't kill him."
And that was mine.
If someone cut in line for this while I was waiting, I'd have snapped. Human pleasures come in all forms, but the bliss of great food stands unrivaled against anything else.
Sa Seung-hee's cooking was straight-up state-of-the-art in that department.
"Thanks for the amazing meal. Appreciate the hospitality, but now—down to business."
The food was incredible, sure, but she'd gone out of her way to summon us here and treat us for a reason.
Still, with bellies full of deliciousness, I wasn't in the mood to come out swinging from the start. That's why hospitality matters.
"It's nothing major. You two held a press conference in Donghae City a few days back, right?"
"Yeah, I remember."
Sa Seung-hee smiled, wiping her hands with a handkerchief as she continued.
"It piqued my interest."
With that, she slid some documents our way.
"What's this?"
"In Changchun City, Jilin Province, China, there's an Erosion Core called Violet Cloud Valley."
Thanks to its proximity to Gonsalok—one of the Great Eight—it's successfully grown into a Rank 1 Erosion Core.
Violet Cloud Valley in Changchun formed near the Erosion Zone of Gonsalok, another of the Great Eight.
That made it off-limits for most hunters, allowing it to grow undisturbed into a full-fledged Rank 1 Erosion Core.
The issue? The documents I was staring at held incredibly detailed intel on Violet Cloud Valley.
"You gathered this yourself?"
"What do you think hunters chat about over meals and tea at Oduak?"
Fair enough. But these files screamed long-term effort.
"Mind if I ask why you go to all this trouble?"
"Monsters killed my husband. I miscarried from stress while evacuating."
Sa Seung-hee dropped the bombshell casually.
"The future I dreamed of with my beloved became a frozen past. The child we dreamed of vanished before it could even see light. Need more reason than that?"
Nope, that covered it.
"I occasionally invite standout hunters and hand over stuff like this."
She said, lightly running her finger across the table.
"Might help, right? I lack the talent to become a hunter myself."
Finishing up, she leaned against a nearby table, eyeing Han Sang-ah and me.
"Most hunters I've pegged as promising have succeeded. Made bank, became famous and respected."
"And you've been disappointed in them, I take it."
Sa Seung-hee smiled at my words.
"Disappointed... It's just how it goes. They got what they wanted and were content."
She tapped the table with her fingernail.
"Once I get what I want, I'll be content too. So how could I be disappointed in them?"
Come on, total bluff. She looked crushed. Yet here she was, handing this intel to us like the others—probably clinging to that sliver of hope.
"Violet Cloud Valley, huh."
A faint purple mist greets hunters entering the Erosion Zone, thickening the closer you get to the Erosion Core.
"Hallucinations and neurotoxin. Nice combo."
True to its name, the star is the purple mist blanketing the zone. Main monsters are undead types.
"Other zones influenced by Gonsalok spawn nothing but undead hordes."
Gonsalok, one of the Great Eight, is infamous for its vast, terrifying undead army.
Each one rivals the core of a Rank 2 or 3 Erosion Core, and their numbers are insane.
Nearly a million undead lurk near Beijing where Gonsalok sits. Spot an enemy, they swarm and shred in seconds—then freeze like corpses till next time.
Surviving hunters described it like an apocalyptic host biding its time.
"Chinese stuff's always mass-produced low-quality. Anyway, Violet Cloud Valley."
Monster types, terrain, mist effects, what happened to recent entrants versus first explorers—all meticulously detailed in Sa Seung-hee's files.
This woman hated Erosion Zones and monsters.
"We might let you down someday too."
"Doesn't matter. As long as one more Erosion Zone or Core gets wiped from the map."
That was enough for her. I pocketed the files.
"With intel this solid, Violet Cloud Valley's our next target."
Rank 1 Cores see few challengers, fewer returnees. Scant info's the norm, so this was gold.
Lower risk for us.
"Planning to raid it right away?"
I shook my head at Sa Seung-hee's question.
"Nah. Got a promising recruit in the works. Gonna polish him up first."
Plus tons of prep needed. Lee Se-eun set a great example dismantling that Bratsk fridge.
Raiding a Rank 1 demands heavy prep. Can't just waltz in, smash the core, and bail.
Lee Se-eun showed it once, but with my experience, I grasped the framework—and could mimic it decently.
"I get you need time."
"Bet you've had plenty drag their feet after this spiel, then ghost you."
Sa Seung-hee burst out laughing.
"Felt like a loan shark. Later, they'd trot out excuses the second I called."
She kept it light, like no big deal—probably worried we'd bail on Violet Cloud Valley if she pushed.
"Sa Seung-hee, thanks for the help. I know it's just words now, so you might not buy it, but here's one promise."
Exactly when she brushed it off casually, I had to show conviction. She'd dealt with promising hunters before, only for them to flake.
Not a perfect analogy, but her vibe was like an abused stray—These ones'll ditch me too, right? Or resigned acceptance.
I took a deep breath.
"My goal's wiping every Erosion Core off the planet. Han Sang-ah here aims to smash at least one Great Eight—Club Shandai."
"Whether you help or not, we'll chase our goals full throttle."
I stood.
"Meal was incredible. Files'll be a huge help. Want us to wash dishes?"
Sa Seung-hee laughed, waving me off.
"It's just homestyle yukgaejang plates. You think I'd make invited guests do dishes? Rude much?"
"Can we head out then?"
She nodded, bowing to us as we rose.
"Swing by for meals now and then. Not too often, though."