Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 150

150. The Devil Calls (6)

Lee Ji-tae was momentarily bewildered by the situation.

“I was wondering if you’d arrive around this time.”

Hyeon-woo sat on the head of the broken Phone Golem, waving his hand as he spoke.

Taebaek Dungeon’s primary destination.

Hyeon-woo was already there, at the very place considered the clear point for a 5-star dungeon, an impressive feat just to reach.

He looked a bit tired, but showed no signs of injury. The Chrysocyon team also began to stir upon seeing Hyeon-woo.

“……You’re here early. Were you waiting?”

“I wasn’t particularly waiting, but I still have some business left.”

Before the expedition, the Taesung team had shown Hyeon-woo the map of the Taebaek Dungeon.

It was a map that Lee Ji-tae and Taesung had created over years of effort.

Hyeon-woo was able to navigate without getting lost thanks to that map. But Lee Ji-tae had not anticipated this at all.

From the start, the goal of this expedition was exploration, not conquest. The Chrysocyon team had to advance cautiously, carefully examining the surroundings and avoiding dangerous monsters to minimize risks.

‘Could he have broken through alone?’

For an ordinary person, solo-conquering a 5-star dungeon would be insane, but for a 5-star hunter, it wasn’t impossible.

Moreover, most of the team members Kang Hyeon-woo brought were 1- or 2-star hunters. They wouldn’t be of much help in terms of combat power, so it would be rational to leave them behind and advance alone. Then it was understandable that he arrived first.

“But what business do you still have left?”

Hyeon-woo smirked instead of answering.

“By the way, how is the Taebaek Dungeon? Does it seem likely to become a fluid type [a dungeon with constantly changing layouts and challenges]?”

“……I’m not sure. After the difficulty increased to ‘Easy,’ the appearance rate of sculpted golems has slightly increased, and the structure has become more complex, but it’s within the expected level. There were no unique structural changes seen in fluid-type dungeons. I don’t know about the Yoo Seong-yeon team, though.”

Lee Ji-tae recalled the Yoo Seong-yeon team and spoke.

“Yoo Seong-yeon team’s early return seemed like an abnormal sign, so I looked into it in more detail, but I couldn’t find any major issues. Did Kang Hyeon-woo find anything?”

“Hmm, well. I haven’t been here often enough to compare anything.”

“I see. Didn’t you notice anything unusual?”

“Unusual…… Hmm. Ah, come to think of it, I saw a statue golem riding a horse.”

Lee Ji-tae looked surprised.

“We call that golem a Knight. If you saw it for the first time, it would have been difficult to handle alone, but how did you manage to get through it?”

“Well, should I say I got through it…… or should I say I’m still in the process…….”

“Excuse me?”

Thud. Rumble…… At that moment, a roar echoed.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the source of the sound. Hyeon-woo dusted himself off and stood up.

“It seems like that side is about to end soon. Ah, you can leave first if you want. I wasn’t particularly waiting for Lee Ji-tae.”

Hyeon-woo turned his back and headed towards the source of the sound. The moment Hyeon-woo took a step, explosions rang out in succession.

Structures forming a long corridor were smashed, and something instantly covered Hyeon-woo. Tam [Hyeon-woo’s weapon] was in Hyeon-woo’s hand, which had been empty until just now.

The moment Hyeon-woo’s body was enveloped in purple light, something that had rushed towards Hyeon-woo was instantly smashed and scattered in all directions.

As the fragments scattered like a shotgun blast, the Chrysocyon team quickly ducked or raised their shields. Lee Ji-tae grabbed a fragment that flew in front of him.

It was a golem. Moreover, it was a fragment of a Knight Golem.

‘Could it be that he knew the Knight Golem would come this way?’

The Knight Golem’s speed is terrifyingly fast.

Its size, weight, and unbelievable speed are powerful weapons in themselves. If you are ambushed before you even notice its presence, there will definitely be casualties. But Hyeon-woo also had a dumbfounded expression.

“Oh, geez. You surprised me.”

Hyeon-woo grumbled and put Tam back in. Lee Ji-tae didn’t know if that statement was an expression of humility or another form of bluff.

‘But if he’s serious…… he casually smashed a Knight Golem?’

The intense energy that Hyeon-woo momentarily unleashed was something he had never seen before.

An energy that covers the entire body. Even Red Butterfly, who has the Aura Master skill, could only cover her hands and feet with aura for defense or attack.

“Ah, Branch Manager Kang Hyeon-woo!”

“You already caught it! We were about to catch it!”

“Is that how you steal the last hit?”

At that moment, Lee Ji-tae heard another unbelievable sound. They were hunters from the Omnipotent Alliance. The faces of the Chrysocyon team hunters also showed bewilderment.

“You’re noisy, you guys. I caught you running away because you couldn’t catch it, and you’re still talking nonsense.”

“No, we thought we just had to smash the head of the guy riding on top. Who would have known that only the horse would run away on its own?”

Hyeon-woo grumbled and kicked the golem’s core in the shattered fragments.

The hunters who caught the core chuckled and put it in a large sack. The golem’s core is used in the high-efficiency battery industry.

Lee Ji-tae counted the number of hunters on Kang Hyeon-woo’s team.

‘Everyone is alive.’

Some were being dragged along with their arms and legs crushed, as if they had been attacked by the Knight Golem. But even while screaming in pain, their morale didn’t seem to be broken at all. Rather, they were exchanging curses and jokes.

To maintain such morale after spending four days in the dungeon, constantly surrounded by monsters that could kill them in an instant.

It’s not normal.

No, rather, they seemed much more alive than when they were outside.

Even in Taesung, it’s difficult to maintain morale unless you’re at the level of the Chrysocyon team.

At that moment, someone appeared from where they couldn’t be seen and began to treat the injured hunter.

The hunter, who had been screaming curses, looked at the person with teary eyes as the healing began.

Lee Ji-tae’s expression was filled with surprise again.

“Father Johann?”

Johann’s appearance was unrecognizable.

It was understandable that the priestly robes he always wore neatly were covered in dirt. If you roll around in a dungeon, that’s naturally what happens.

But he couldn’t even imagine the sight of him wearing gear and a bandolier over his priestly robes, and even holding a submachine gun under his arm.

Even his usually gentle hair was tied back tightly. It was a completely different impression.

“Father Johann, how on earth…….”

Johann met Lee Ji-tae’s eyes but concentrated on healing instead of answering.

Of course, Lee Ji-tae had no intention of interfering with the healing. Naturally, his gaze turned to Hyeon-woo. Hyeon-woo spoke calmly.

“I picked him up on the way.”

Was he a stray cat?

Lee Ji-tae almost said that but barely swallowed it.

He knew that the Yoo Seong-yeon team had returned early. He didn’t know why Johann had stayed behind, but if he was safe thanks to being with Kang Hyeon-woo, that was all that mattered.

Finally, Johann finished healing and stood up. Johann, who approached Lee Ji-tae, greeted him lightly.

“Lee Ji-tae.”

“Father Johann. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Johann’s gaze glanced at Hyeon-woo. Lee Ji-tae couldn’t tell what emotion was contained in that gaze.

“I was able to be safe thanks to Kang Hyeon-woo.”

“……I see. Um. Well, it seems like everyone has gathered, so let’s return. Let’s talk outside.”

Johann nodded.

Lee Ji-tae thought that Johann would naturally go to the Chrysocyon team and check on his teammates. That’s how it had always been until now.

But Johann turned around and continued to check on the condition of Kang Hyeon-woo’s team members. The way he cared for them with kindness was completely different from the inorganic way he used to treat them.

‘What on earth happened?’

Johann even asked about their condition, using a few clumsy Korean words.

Lee Ji-tae couldn’t understand the situation at all. In the meantime, Lee Ji-tae had waited years for Johann to open his heart and stand on his own.

Because he was a person worth it.

But Hyeon-woo seemed to have completely tamed Johann in just a few days.

“Let’s go out!”

When Hyeon-woo shouted, the team members cheered and ran out.

“Branch Manager, we worked hard, so buy us beef. Beef!”

“No, you earned so much, and you’re only talking about beef? Buy something more expensive with your own money!”

“Is there any meat more delicious than beef?”

“The expensive beef that the branch manager buys is the most delicious.”

Hyeon-woo and his team members took the lead and left. Lee Ji-tae was the leader of the expedition, so it was right for him to come out last, but it seemed like they weren’t paying attention at all rather than being considerate.

Johann also left without looking back. It was as if he had completely become one of them.

Only then did Lee Ji-tae realize the meaning contained in Johann’s gaze and bit his lip.

It wasn’t respect, friendship, or camaraderie.

It was loyalty.

***

As the hunters began to emerge, people soon began to gather. Yoo Seong-yeon took the lead and came out first.

They were surprised that Kang Hyeon-woo’s team had been inside for four days, but the shock was even greater when they saw Johann.

Soon after, Lee Ji-tae came out, and the fact that Kang Hyeon-woo’s team had even reached the return stone was soon revealed.

The shock spread to the entire waiting staff. Conquering a 5-star dungeon was such a great achievement that it was registered as the main news last year.

However, even though Kang Hyeon-woo had entered with knowledge of Taesung’s strategy, he succeeded in conquering it on his first attempt, with 1- and 2-star team members.

A major change was occurring in Korea’s clan power map.

‘I knew it would happen someday…….’

Yoo Seong-yeon recalled the time when Hyeon-woo had single-handedly finished off the 4-star dungeon Flood in Taean.

A huge wave was coming. Some people would be swept away by the wave, and some would only get their feet wet, but one thing was certain.

At least as long as they lived in this land, no one would be able to avoid the wave without getting wet.

With the Northern Expedition just three months away, a cataclysm was taking place.

It was something that no one could have imagined even a year ago.

***

Hyeon-woo’s car was speeding down the highway. Other drivers were horrified to see the rapidly speeding Bugatti and swerved to avoid it.

However, Hyeon-woo’s dynamic visual acuity and reflexes, honed by the Battle Helper [an in-game assistance system or skill], allowed him to avoid everything even if people didn’t avoid him.

Instead, speeding tickets were being issued in real-time. Hyeon-woo, who was paying taxes to the country in a distorted way, suddenly opened his mouth.

“So, what are you going to do, Father Johann?”

Johann, who was riding in the passenger seat, cast a tired gaze at him.

“Are you asking again? To join you?”

“Haha.”

Hyeon-woo chuckled instead of answering. Johann bit his lip tightly, but he didn’t feel like refusing as firmly as he had before.

The expedition with Hyeon-woo was strangely comfortable. Even in the fearful situation of a 5-star dungeon, even with the burden he had taken on.

Hyeon-woo’s composure and the insane atmosphere of that hunter team may have suited him well.

“Why me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why me? Why are you trying to put such a burden on me? Is it because I’m a healer? Or do you believe that I can give you spiritual rest? I’m not that great of a person.”

Anna said it was because he was the strongest.

But Anna was wrong. Johann was going to refuse if Hyeon-woo expected that from him as well. It was scary but familiar to fall back into solitude.

“I don’t want to be responsible anymore. Now that kind of thing is too heavy. No more…….”

Johann stopped talking. Hyeon-woo bent over and laughed quietly. He was barely able to hold the steering wheel.

Johann couldn’t understand why he was laughing. Hyeon-woo barely suppressed his laughter and opened his mouth.

“You have great confidence in yourself. Father Johann.”

“……Excuse me?”

“Feeling a great sense of responsibility means you believe you are such a great person. But that’s an excess of self-consciousness. Father. I don’t expect that from you.”

“Then…….”

“Let me answer. The reason is that you are too weak.”