Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 19

Dungeon Journal – Episode 20

# 20

Dungeon Journal

Episode 20

Not long after Jung Chan-sik warned them, a group of Seekers emerged from the darkness. About thirty Seekers, having seen the signal on their motion detectors, were fully armed, as if they had come out for an interception.

However, upon realizing that it was not a monster attack but a visit from fellow Seekers, they wore somewhat deflated expressions. Nevertheless, they still didn’t lower their weapons.

“Damn it.”

Lee Jun-young cursed under her breath.

Kim Jin-woo, who was right next to her, looked at her with a puzzled expression, then noticed her gaze fixed on one of the men in the group across from them.

He was a Dungeon Baby, a giant who looked over 190 centimeters tall, wielding a ridiculously thick blade. The man grinned slyly and greeted them.

“Well, well, who do we have here?”

“Song Jong-cheol, you son of a bitch…”

Jung Chan-sik also glared at the man called Song Jong-cheol with a look full of animosity.

In fact, not only him, but the other Dungeon Babies were also glaring at their opponent with fierce eyes.

“It’s been a while, but you shouldn’t be so harsh. I’m happy to see you.”

His words were barbed, and his eyes were filled with blatant hostility.

“I heard you went to catch spiders and got wiped out as a group. But you’re already back? Wow, you’re diligent. I wouldn’t even dare to come in if I were you.”

Kim Jin-woo, watching the man’s antics, was aghast at the sound of teeth grinding.

Even if the regular Seekers didn’t, the Dungeon Babies shouldn’t be so hostile to each other. Other things aside, the sense of camaraderie among those who belonged neither to the surface nor the underground was quite strong.

But now, they looked like they couldn’t wait to tear each other apart, let alone feel any camaraderie.

“Stop with the nonsense and go your way.”

“I was just about to leave anyway. We warmed the floor nicely and cleaned up the surroundings, so don’t worry and take a rest. We’re already short on people, so you shouldn’t get wiped out again, right?”

The strange war of nerves finally seemed to end as the man named Song Jong-cheol retreated slightly, his eyes gleaming.

“Hey, you there, a friend I haven’t seen before?”

Kim Jin-woo frowned instead of answering Song Jong-cheol, who pointed directly at him. He had been displeased with his attitude of mocking the deaths of others from the first time he saw him.

In the midst of all that, he couldn’t possibly feel good about the taunting words thrown his way.

“I don’t know what your level is, but if I were you, I wouldn’t stay on that team for long. It’s a team that hasn’t even registered with the Association. Don’t get involved with them and take care of yourself.”

Song Jong-cheol’s words crossed the line and sounded like a threat, and Kim Jin-woo was about to step forward when Lee Jun-young grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

He grew even more confused at her gesture of shaking her head.

The Lee Jun-young he knew was definitely not someone with a pushover personality. She was a woman with the courage and ability to lead others even in the perilous underground.

He couldn’t understand why she was letting a man who was openly mocking them get away with it.

“Anyway, be careful. If you’re really desperate, you can follow our tail. Who knows, you might even get a Down Gem?”

Song Jong-cheol, who didn’t stop taunting until the end, disappeared into the darkness. The group, who hadn’t moved for a long time even after they disappeared, belatedly began to move.

“What’s with that guy?”

Kim Jin-woo asked with a displeased expression, and Lee Jun-young explained.

“There’s a Seeker Association. It seems like the country is giving them some power these days. They’re a bunch of thugs who arbitrarily control access to the labyrinth and act like bullies.”

“Are you just letting them do that?”

He couldn’t understand how they could leave such a rogue group alone, even though there were so many Dungeon Babies. She gave him a bitter look at his question.

“It’s hard to believe, but a considerable number of people have already joined that Association. Now, there are more teams that have joined the Association than those that haven’t.”

“What kind of place is it…”

How could they be so rude and arrogant? Other than that, they shouldn’t mock the deaths of fellow Dungeon Babies like that. Jung Chan-sik intervened and calmed him down at his voice full of anger.

“There’s so much money moving around in the underground that a group like that is bound to emerge. They seem to have a cause of their own, but in the end, it’s just a fight over territory.”

He belatedly understood. It had already been nearly 10 years since the Dungeon Babies had come to the surface, so it was only natural that some Dungeon Babies would start thinking differently. Song Jong-cheol was probably just that kind of person.

“Don’t worry about it, Jin-woo. They’re not people we’ll ever see again anyway.”

Contrary to Lee Jun-young’s words, Kim Jin-woo’s group had to meet Song Jong-cheol’s group again less than three days after entering the 6th floor.

“Did you get anything good?”

A question that seemed to have an ulterior motive, Jung Chan-sik glared fiercely instead of answering.

“What are you doing?”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. We just happened to cross paths. Why are you being so harsh to fellow Dungeon Babies?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Do you think I don’t know you’ve been following us since yesterday?”

As Jung Chan-sik spoke through gritted teeth, Song Jong-cheol smiled slyly.

“Let’s not be like that. Good things are good; let’s share information and share good things.”

He had suspected it, but it was too blatant. At this rate, the gangsters in the market seemed to be of better quality.

“You might end up going to hell if you act tough for no reason. You know? Who cares about what happens in this underground?”

“You son of a bitch.”

Jung Chan-sik cursed and gave a signal without being seen. Kim Jin-woo’s group, who had a good sense, quickly formed a battle formation.

“Whoa, whoa! Let’s talk it out. You’ll only lose out if you get hurt.”

“You son of a bitch, just try anything. I’ll kill you and go, even if it’s just you.”

Since there was more than twice the difference in numbers, Jung Chan-sik took a somewhat defensive stance.

However, Song Jong-cheol hardened his expression because the murderous intent and venom in his eyes were real.

“Chan-sik, are you really going to do this? How long are you going to be at odds with the Association? We need to unite so that others don’t treat us carelessly.”

“Is that why you’re taking over a few labyrinths, controlling them, and collecting taxes? You crazy bastard. Is it good to take the money that fellow Dungeon Babies risked their lives to earn?”

Perhaps stung to the quick, Song Jong-cheol took off his mask and snarled fiercely.

“There’s a limit to how much I can do for people from the same labyrinth. I have a position, so I’ll be embarrassed if you talk like that.”

At his words, the Dungeon Babies and Seekers surrounding the group revealed their weapons and exerted pressure.

“Do you think the management office will stand still?”

“Are you trusting the powerless Labyrinth Management Office? They’re already out of the picture.”

As Song Jong-cheol showed his momentum, the other Dungeon Babies also fiercely encouraged their momentum. Kim Jin-woo and his group also showed a sharp momentum against it.

A crisis situation on the verge of explosion.

Kim Jin-woo quickly scanned the opponent’s strength. Nine Dungeon Babies and twenty regular Seekers. Almost twice the strength compared to this side.

Perhaps if a battle broke out, everyone except him would be wiped out.

Kim Jin-woo’s gaze swept over Lee Jun-young and the other Dungeon Babies and stopped at Jung Chan-sik. Even knowing the disadvantage, they showed their fighting spirit.

But the regular Seekers were different. They were preparing for battle as ordered, but the way they rolled their eyes made it seem like they could turn around at any moment if the battle started.

He was worried. He had the power to overcome this situation.

He didn’t even need to open a portal. Just revealing his level would put a considerable burden on the other side.

Dungeon Babies born in the deep layers have a different level of power than ordinary Dungeon Babies born in the lower layers.

“Ha! Why are you making such fierce faces? It’s a joke, a joke.”

Kim Jin-woo was measuring the distance with Song Jong-cheol and moving his feet slightly when the situation suddenly changed. Song Jong-cheol smiled slyly again and pulled his group back.

“Did you think I would do something like a knife fight between fellow Seekers? I was just kidding. How much is that Down Gem worth anyway?”

Song Jong-cheol’s face, shamelessly spouting nonsense, looked extremely hateful.

But would he know? That he had been on the verge of the afterlife just a moment ago. He probably never would. That’s how subtle the murderous intent Kim Jin-woo revealed was.

However, Lee Jun-young, who was right next to him, felt that subtle and intense murderous intent.

Forgetting the situation, her face was pale as she stroked her skin, which was covered in goosebumps. That’s because the murderous intent she felt from Kim Jin-woo was something she had never experienced before, something that ordinary creatures couldn’t even compare to.

“Well, good luck. We’ll be on our way.”

“Get lost quickly.”

“What a temper. You’ll get into big trouble because of that temper of yours someday. This is affectionate advice from someone from the same labyrinth.”

Song Jong-cheol clicked his tongue and disappeared with his group.

“Let’s go back. We can still go further, but I hate getting backstabbed during battle.”

It was a long time after Song Jong-cheol’s group disappeared that Jung Chan-sik finally opened his mouth.

“Anyone opposed? No? Then let’s go.”

Since the results from the 6th floor were not completely absent, no one in the group opposed.

No, even if there was, Jung Chan-sik would have eventually persuaded them to leave the underground.

It took a week for the group to escape the underground after experiencing a few more battles. It was a forced march in its own way.

They hurried because they didn’t know what kind of tricks Song Jong-cheol’s group would play.

“First, the profits will be divided as agreed, and Jin-woo will be given the Down Gem as promised, right? I’ll send it as soon as the calculation is finished, so let’s part ways here today. I have to stop by the Labyrinth Management Office and meet the director.”

“It’s no use talking. The director doesn’t have any power anyway.”

“I still have to say something. I can’t just let a guy who wears a hat in the Association, which was created for the Seekers, act like a thug like that.”

“Go ahead. Director, you’re going to lose more hair than you already have.”

The group exchanged rough greetings and parted ways in a somewhat heavy atmosphere.

***

Kim Jin-woo visited Teacher Baek after a long time.

“I heard you’re going to the labyrinth, and your face has turned white in the meantime.”

Teacher Baek, whom he had met after almost a month, was the same as ever.

“I have something to ask.”

Kim Jin-woo, who had omitted greetings, brought up the main point first. Teacher Baek clicked his tongue but answered his question faithfully.

“It’s been quite noisy these days because of that. It seems like Song Jong-cheol is stirring things up quite a bit. But the Association itself is beneficial to the country and the Seekers, so everyone is watching.”

Unlike what he had seen in the underground, Song Jong-cheol’s reputation was not that bad.

Rather, it was dominant that he had contributed to drastically reducing the sacrifices of ordinary Seekers by somewhat systematically changing the system of Seekers, which had been disorganized.

“More than that, do you have anything to sell these days?”

“I only received dividends this time, so I don’t have anything special to bring.”

After finishing the story, he got up from his seat. Teacher Baek grumbled that he only filled his curiosity and left, but he didn’t forget to tell him to come again.

Kim Jin-woo frowned as he left the appraisal office.

It seemed that the situation in the labyrinth was not the only thing that had changed while he was away from the underground. He sighed at the complicated political situation.

In the end, nothing changed. The Dungeon Babies, who had been like brothers, were now fighting like demons in front of money, so his heart was bitter.

“Damn it. It’s so clear.”

He looked at the blue sky, which he hadn’t seen for a while, and kicked the floor for no reason.

***

‘Master, have you arrived?’

Naga’s labyrinth, which he had visited after a long time, was the same as ever. He showed Dominique, who greeted him with an unchanging face, a somewhat lackluster smile, and she asked with a worried expression.

‘Did things not go well?’

“It’s not that… I just had some things happen. Was there anything special in the labyrinth?”

It seemed like it would take a long time to explain, so he glossed over it appropriately, and Dominique said with a face that she had just remembered.

‘Ah, the construction of the ranch and tavern that you ordered before has been completed.’

Kim Jin-woo, who had been out of his mind for a while, belatedly recalled the facilities and clapped his hands.

“Ah, has it already been that long?”

‘Yes. And a guest is waiting for you, Master.’

At Dominique’s words, Kim Jin-woo first thought of the black marketeer. And then he remembered the Parasite he had obtained from the black marketeer.

He had something to ask about the Parasite’s ability anyway. But for now, it was more important to listen to his story first.

“Did the black marketeer come again? Does he usually come that often?”

Thanks to him, he had purchased a few useful items, but the existence of the black marketeer felt ominous. He frowned and asked, and she shook her head.

‘The guest who came this time is not a black marketeer.’

“Then?”

Kim Jin-woo’s face was filled with questions at the words that there was someone else wandering around this dangerous underground besides the black marketeer.