Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 22

The black marketeer’s dark eyes gleamed slyly. Feeling inexplicably cornered, Kim Jin-woo unconsciously frowned, masking his expression.

“Something I need… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He tried to play dumb, but the black marketeer wore a face as if he knew everything.

“About four days from here, there’s the Labyrinth of King Anaxitus, the Gyo Ryong [a type of dragon]. I’ve met Anaxitus a few times, and he seemed quite impatient and violent.”

Was it just his sensitivity, or did it sound like a threat? Kim Jin-woo’s face hardened.

“What do you want?”

“It’s not I who wants something.”

He wanted to punch that annoyingly chattering mouth right away, but he held back. There were more than one or two reasons to be wary of the black marketeer.

“What can you offer?”

“Now you seem a little more interested.”

Even at such a small remark, the black marketeer clapped his hands in delight.

“We at Black Merchant have everything you could possibly need. From the funds necessary to upgrade your labyrinth to mercenaries, we have it all. It may not be now, but if you wish, we can even procure human slaves.”

The black marketeer’s attitude was hard to grasp.

One moment he seemed like a cheap peddler, then he’d suddenly turn into a sly con man, and at other times, he exuded a dangerous aura that made him difficult to handle carelessly.

“Moreover, we at Black Merchant understand the struggles of newly started labyrinth owners better than anyone else. Lack of funds, lack of manpower—there are many things lacking. Therefore, we even show the patience to wait until our customers can pay.”

Even as Kim Jin-woo was lost in thought, the black marketeer continued to chatter.

“In short, credit is also possible.”

The black marketeer’s offer, delivered with a friendly smile, was as sweet as honey. Especially considering Kim Jin-woo’s situation, where the forces of other labyrinths could invade at any moment, it was an offer he should be begging for.

“The conditions are too good. It’s such a good offer that I can’t refuse.”

“We at Black Merchant always put our customers first.”

At Kim Jin-woo’s words, the black marketeer smiled obsequiously and rubbed his hands together.

“If you wish, we can write up a contract right here and now. Just say what you want. From brave and loyal mercenaries to sparkling Down Gems, we can get you as much as you want……”

“I refuse.”

“Pardon?”

The black marketeer, who had been talking for a while, momentarily wore a dumbfounded expression at Kim Jin-woo’s sharp tone that cut him off. Seeing the black marketeer’s face, he said firmly.

“There’s no such thing as a free favor in this world. Especially not down here.”

“No! That’s not true! This is merely part of Black Merchant’s belief in sharing the hardships of new labyrinth owners……”

“There’s a condition, isn’t there?”

Again, he didn’t listen to the black marketeer until the end. The black marketeer hesitated before rambling on.

“The condition is just… a very minor, really minor collateral.”

He had a feeling. At the black marketeer’s words, Kim Jin-woo said as if there was nothing more to think about.

“I’ll have to decline that offer.”

“Think again. Anaxitus’s subordinates could invade at any moment. You won’t be able to stop them with your current forces.”

Now that persuasion wasn’t working, it was outright intimidation. But Kim Jin-woo, as if he had already made up his mind, didn’t listen to the black marketeer.

In the end, the black marketeer talked for a long time before leaving Naga’s Labyrinth with a confused look.

“Dominic.”

‘Yes?’

“Do you think I made the wrong choice?”

After the black marketeer left the labyrinth, Kim Jin-woo looked at the darkness beyond the gate with an equally dark expression.

‘Master, the black marketeer’s words are not false. If the enemy invades, we cannot stop them with our current forces.’

Dominic, who rarely contradicted him, unusually expressed concern about his decision this time.

“But I can’t make a deal with someone I can’t trust. If what you say is true, they have nothing to gain from this. So why would they try to help me? There must be something they want.”

‘But…….’

“Enough! I can’t bring in a tiger to chase away a wolf. Let’s stop talking about this here.”

‘Yes, Master.’

Although she still had a face that didn’t understand, Dominic followed his words. But she couldn’t help but wear a worried expression, and she didn’t brighten up at all.

“I just have to win. Win.”

His words, repeated towards her, were ambiguous as to whether they were really directed at her or at himself.

***

After the black marketeer left, Kim Jin-woo immediately left the labyrinth. Perhaps because he had been exposed to the unique cold of Naga’s Labyrinth for a long time, his condition wasn’t very good. Leaving the labyrinth with an uneasy heart, his breath immediately cleared.

But there was no time to rest. With the enemies possibly invading at any moment, he had to hurry and take care of things.

“What brings you here today?”

“I came to ask you something.”

As always, Old Man Baek greeted Kim Jin-woo, who had come without notice, with a blunt face.

“Do you think this is some kind of call center? Coming here whenever you have questions?”

He grumbled, but the way his eyes sparkled showed that he was anticipating what Kim Jin-woo was going to ask.

“Do you know a place called Anaxitus’s Labyrinth?”

“Anaxitus?”

“Yes. It’s the king of those called Gyo Ryong [dragon people].”

Kim Jin-woo said the name he had heard from the black marketeer, and Old Man Baek frowned deeply and pondered.

“Wouldn’t it be better to go to the Labyrinth Management Office for something like that? They seem to have quite a lot of data there.”

“The Labyrinth Management Office is all well and good, but they talk too much.”

Just the head of the management office, with his pitiful bald head, was a chatterbox who would blab about all sorts of things.

If he asked him something, it would surely be all over town in no time. So Kim Jin-woo chose to pay Old Man Baek for the information instead.

“Anaxitus, huh…….”

He didn’t seem to remember, as Old Man Baek hesitated for a long time.

“Don’t you know?”

“Just be quiet. You’re making me nervous.”

Kim Jin-woo bit his lip, having been scolded for urging him in his anxiousness. Old Man Baek, his already wrinkled face contorted this way and that, was lost in thought.

“Am I getting old, or is it just hazy? Is it urgent?”

“The sooner, the better.”

“Hmm. Then come back tomorrow. I’ll search my head or someone else’s.”

“I understand.”

It wasn’t that he had gained anything, but it wasn’t too early to be disappointed. Old Man Baek would surely find a clue somehow.

Kim Jin-woo, who had left the appraisal shop, contacted Lee Jun-young this time.

“What wind has blown Jin-woo to seek me out first?”

“I have a few favors to ask.”

Before he knew it, Lee Jun-young had come to his house like the wind.

“What is it?”

Having been greatly indebted to her last time, she immediately asked what he needed, as if she wasn’t even considering refusing.

“Could you possibly get me the things I’m about to mention?”

“What things?”

Her face, which seemed somehow excited, was a bit burdensome, but Kim Jin-woo quickly explained what he needed. After hearing the whole story, she wore a strange face, but soon said she understood and left.

And less than a day later, Lee Jun-young came to find Kim Jin-woo.

“I got them as you said, but what are you going to use these for…….”

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to repay the favor.”

Seeing him offer thanks instead of an answer, Lee Jun-young licked her lips.

“Well, we use them too, but you shouldn’t use them in the wrong place, okay? We don’t interfere with what you use down there, but if you reveal them publicly, you might run into trouble.”

After giving a few instructions, Lee Jun-young quickly disappeared, saying she had something urgent to do.

Feeling grateful to her for fulfilling his unreasonable request despite her busy schedule, he sent her a text message saying he would be sure to repay the favor, and she quickly sent back a reply.

[I haven’t finished repaying my life debt yet.]

Was she saying to ask her if he needed anything? He chuckled at the kind message and looked at the bundle she had handed him before leaving the house.

“How did it go?”

Kim Jin-woo, who had entered the appraisal shop, omitted the greetings and immediately brought up the main point, and Old Man Baek clicked his tongue.

“What’s the rush? Sit down first.”

Old Man Baek said to him, who reluctantly sat down.

“Let me ask you just one thing first.”

“Ask away.”

“Why do you want to know this?”

It was a difficult question to answer. So he chose to remain silent rather than lie.

As if he had expected his attitude, Old Man Baek clicked his tongue once and began to speak.

“Anaxitus’s Labyrinth is quite deep. It’s the labyrinth of the Gyo Ryong, which I haven’t encountered much even during the Under War [a large conflict between labyrinth owners]. That’s why it took me a while to recall it.”

“If it’s deep, how many floors…….”

At Kim Jin-woo’s question, Old Man Baek looked at him with clear eyes and opened his mouth.

[There are intruders in the labyrinth. You must return to the labyrinth immediately.]

Instead of the answer he was waiting for, a message window popped up out of the blue. Old Man Baek, who was about to open his mouth, looked at Kim Jin-woo, who was suddenly startled, with a puzzled face.

“What’s wrong, all of a sudden?”

Old Man Baek asked the reason, but he couldn’t answer. He was out of his mind because of the red flashing message window.

“Damn it!”

“Hey, you?”

Kim Jin-woo, who had jumped up from his seat, ran out of the appraisal shop before Old Man Baek could even grab him.

[Naga soldiers who were patrolling the outskirts are now engaged in battle with the enemy. All remaining forces are gathering at the gate to prepare for the enemy’s invasion.]

Seeing the message window flashing frantically as if to announce the urgency, he hurried home.

He wanted to open a portal right away, but he couldn’t open a passage to the labyrinth in the middle of the city. Besides, there was something he had to take with him.

In the end, unable to find a way, he suppressed his anxious heart and headed home. Kim Jin-woo, who flew home in one breath, grabbed the bundle that Lee Jun-young had given him.

[Enemy forces have reached the gate and begun to engage in battle with the forces waiting there.]

“Portal!”