Ordinary Art Factor [EN]: Chapter 12

These days, I’m raking in money like crazy.

Good.

I need to cheer up Seungchan hyung today and borrow some cash… Shit!

Gyeonghwan hyung scored 6 points on the first shot.

In the end, we lost.

The winning team paid for the billiards game, and Seungchan hyung and I ended up paying for dinner.

“What should we eat?”

“Dombae meat [boiled pork belly, a Jeju specialty].”

“Should we eat ribs?”

“Let’s eat dombae meat.”

“Should we eat gamjatang [pork bone stew]?”

“Aren’t you going to eat dombae meat?”

“Let’s eat spicy braised chicken.”

“Deal.”

“Good choice!”

“…….”

My opinion is always ignored first.

We ordered one and a half chickens, two bottles of beer, and two bottles of mild soju [Korean rice wine].

The first drink is always somaek (soju and beer).

Pour a little soju and about four-fifths of beer.

Put one chopstick in and tap it with the other chopstick.

White foam rises.

“Cheers~.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Eoya….”

Everyone chugs the refreshing somaek.

Of course, you don’t have to, but I gulped it down.

Ah!

As I remembered, I sent a message to my wife on KakaoTalk [Korean messaging app] saying I would eat dinner and come home.

The phrase ‘ok’ popped up quickly.

“Are you going fishing tomorrow?”

Gyeonghwan hyung asks.

Today is Friday, tomorrow is Saturday.

“On weekends, I have to go fishing if possible.”

“Is Sangjun going?”

“He’s going to pick tangerines in the field.”

“Early ripening?”

“Yeah.”

“Open field?”

“Yeah….”

Sangjun’s parents farm tangerines in the countryside.

For reference, early ripening is a variety that 맞춰 [matches] the timing of tangerines, and an open field is an orchard without a greenhouse.

During the winter tangerine picking season, Jeju is in chaos because they can’t find people to hire.

“Hyung, seeing you play today, your skills have improved a lot. Shouldn’t you raise your ‘dama’ [billiards handicap]?”

“No way.”

“Right? Seungchan should raise his ‘dama’, right?”

“I’m only two ‘dama’ different from Sangjun, why would I raise it more?”

“Why is my name coming up there!”

…….

Whenever billiards is mentioned, everyone starts to get heated, insisting their opinion is right.

Okay. This makes the alcohol go down well.

Seungchan hyung, with a slightly reddened face, is working hard to make excuses to lower his billiards skills.

After a while.

Everyone is tipsy, and their eyes are a little blurry.

I thought this was my chance and moved my seat next to Seungchan hyung.

“Hyung.”

“Why?”

“Can you lend me some cash? I’ll pay you back a fixed amount every month.”

“… How much?”

“About 20 million won… if not….”

“Okay. Send me your account number tomorrow.”

“… Hyung! I swear my loyalty.”

“Forget it… just help me with work sometimes.”

“Yes!”

Okay.

Today’s mission is perfect.

No matter how much it is, I should get a mineral fragment and test it.

But I hope Seungchan hyung doesn’t forget what happened today….

The next day.

The time is 10:30 AM.

It wasn’t my wife’s duty day, so she took the child to play with my sister-in-law’s family from the morning.

I had a slight headache and heartburn, so I opened the refrigerator, gulped down cold water, took out a cigarette, and went to the bathroom.

After taking care of business and taking a shower, I called Gyeonghwan hyung.

‘Hot night~ I can’t sleep~ This….’ [referencing a popular song]

“Hello.”

A drooping voice.

He must be sleeping until now.

“Are you sleeping? Let’s go fishing.”

“… What time is it?”

“It’s past 11. Get ready and leave.”

“Okay. I’ll call you when I arrive.”

“Okay.”

I hung up the phone and scanned the house.

My son’s toys and a pile of dishes to wash were stacked up, and there was a lot of food waste and general waste.

I sighed once, unfolded a 50L standard garbage bag.

I gathered the trash from the living room, master bedroom, and bathroom in one place, organized the toys in my son’s room, finished the dishes neatly, wiped the sink once, filled a large dishwashing tub with plenty of water, put the gas stove trivets in, and poured vinegar and leftover soju.

If I leave it like this until evening, the grease will be gone.

I collected the laundry that was spread out on the veranda, vacuumed, and was wiping the living room with a wet rag when a KakaoTalk message arrived saying that Gyeonghwan hyung had arrived.

I quickly finished cleaning, changed my clothes, and was about to go outside with the food waste, recyclables, and the 50L trash bag when….

Another notification pops up.

[Ding! The house cleaning is neatly finished. Your wife likes it quite a bit. Grants 1 Summoning stat.]

“…….”

I’m going crazy.

I was standing blankly in the hallway for a while when Gyeonghwan hyung called.

I answered that I was leaving now, threw away the trash, and got into Gyeonghwan hyung’s car.

“What were you doing that you’re coming out now?”

“…….”

“Hey… are you ignoring me?”

“Hey!”

“Huh, huh? Why?”

Because I was out of my mind, I didn’t hear what Gyeonghwan hyung said.

“Why? What’s wrong with this guy?”

“Nothing, nothing… just. Cleaning after a long time makes me feel dazed….”

“Your mind is always dazed. What about lunch?”

“Gogane Gimbap [Korean seaweed rice roll]?”

“Deal.”

We stopped by Gogane Gimbap, a gimbap restaurant near my house, and packed one roll each of anchovy, tuna, and beef gimbap, then headed to the fishing store in Dodu-dong.

While moving, Gyeonghwan hyung spoke again because I was quiet.

“Is Jiwon acting strange today?”

“What, what is?”

“Just… something’s strange.”

“What’s strange! Let’s stop by the mart before going to the fishing store. I’ll buy drinks and coffee.”

“Okay.”

Gyeonghwan hyung must have thought it was strange that I, who always talks a lot, was quiet.

I decided to think about the notification later.

After stopping by the mart to buy snacks, water, and coffee, we stopped by the fishing store to buy 감성돔 (blackhead seabream) powder, bread crumbs, krill, bait shrimp, etc., and moved to Yongdam-dong.

After arriving at our favorite rock fishing spot, we took out the gimbap, ate it, drank canned coffee, and took out a cigarette.

As Gyeonghwan hyung took out the bait 생물 (raw) squid pieces he brought from home and started to unfold his fishing rod, I headed to the corner of the rock as if I was going to urinate.

There, I muttered again in a small voice.

“Status window.”

[Artifact Factor: Han Jiwon (Lv-1)

Nationality/Affiliation: Republic of Korea/None, Age: 39, Height/Weight: 176cm/84kg,

Agility: 1, Stamina: 1, Strength: 2, Health: 1, Intelligence: 2, Luck: 1, Inventory: 1

Summon Target Stats: 4, 보유 Artifacts: Mineral Fragment (Absorbed) 1]

“… Ha.”

I don’t know what to do, I don’t know at all.

I took out my phone and searched for ‘Awakened Stats’ again, but the results were no different from what I had seen before.

Gyeonghwan hyung is shouting from over there, asking if I’m not going to spread the 밑밥 (chum).

First, I took out another cigarette and erased my thoughts.

Let’s worry later and enjoy fishing now.

Anyway, even if I worry, there is no answer.

That day, I happened to catch another 29cm 감성돔 (blackhead seabream), but the same notification as before did not appear.

This, somehow… roughly.

I think I know something.

* * *

Monday morning.

Every Monday is the day of the executive meeting at the company.

I think the executive meeting, which starts at 8 AM, is one of the factors that makes the Monday blues more serious for office workers.

“… This week, we plan to submit completion reports and deliverables related to the OOOO project and conduct inspections. I will report again later.”

“Okay. Good job, next is Director Jung.”

“Yes. As for the items processed last week, we….”

After a time of brief progress reports from each team and uninteresting jokes, the meeting ended.

8:45 AM.

I made a cup of coffee and headed to the smoking room.

Director Jung was smoking while looking at his phone, wondering when he came.

“Team Leader Han. If you have time this week, shall we have a drink?”

“Sure. Let’s have a drink.”

I made a promise with Director Jung, with no exact date or time, and sent a long text message to Seungchan hyung.

To borrow the cash for the successful mission last Friday.

The minimum amount needed, the amount that can be repaid each month, and a plan to repay a certain amount by a certain date.

I don’t expect that amount that Seungchan hyung said at that time.

It’s lip service. Probably.

I was about to leave the office to have lunch after finishing my morning work when I received a call from Seungchan hyung.

“Yes. Hyung. This is Jiwon.”

“Is this certain?”

“If I have the 여유 (extra money), I’ll put in a little more than the amount I put in every month.”

“Okay. I’ll put it in right away.”

“Hyung… I love you~.”

“Shut up!”

As expected, it’s Seungchan hyung.

However, it’s about a quarter of the amount I said at first, but this amount is appropriate.

For each other.

After eating lunch, I checked at the OO Bank ATM and saw that 5 million won had been deposited.

I withdrew 1 million won first.

I’m going to stop by the city hall accessory store on my way home from work.

To buy a mineral fragment necklace that can be absorbed.

I was so excited that I couldn’t concentrate on my work when a small window popped up on NateOn [Korean web portal], saying breaking news.

[Breaking News. A 10th-grade 기갑 (armored) dungeon appeared in Yongdam-dong, Jeju City, Jeju Island]

“Oh… it’s a 10th grade.”

“It’ll be taken care of soon, right?”

“Yeah. It has to be at least a 7th grade to be broadcast on TV.”

“…….”

The employees must have seen the NateOn breaking news and were whispering among themselves.

“I’m going out.”

“Yes. Have a good trip.”

Ignoring the female employee’s answer, I grabbed a taxi in front of the office.

“Yongdam-dong, please.”

The taxi driver’s face frowned slightly when I told him my destination.

“I heard on the radio that a 10th-grade 기갑 (armored) dungeon appeared….”

“Where in Yongdam?”

“I heard it’s near the coastal road….”

“I’m not going there.”

“Okay, then.”

The coastal road in Yongdam-dong is less than 20 minutes away from the office.

As I approached my destination, I saw the police controlling traffic from afar.

“Oh? They’re controlling traffic.”

“I know. Drop me off here.”

“Yes. It’s 4,800 won.”

After paying the taxi fare and getting out of the car, I started walking inside.

From afar, the police were blocking access to vehicles and civilians, but most had a nonchalant expression.

A 10th-grade dungeon can be easily cleared by about four to five level 10 Awakened individuals.

The Yongdam coastal road has many raw fish restaurants, accommodations, and cafes, making it a popular spot for Chinese tourists. People were swarming around the suddenly appearing armored dungeon, taking pictures with their phones.

Even at a glance, it seems there are too few police to control hundreds of civilians.

Moreover, with the Chinese shouting and taking pictures, it’s a complete madhouse.

It’s my first time seeing an armored dungeon since my honeymoon.

Since it’s an uncleared dungeon, curiosity led me to move forward.

Chinese tourist ladies were busy taking pictures, shouting, and the Jeju regional broadcasting station, KBC, and MBW broadcasting station vehicles were also visible.

To control access, the police were shouting and trying to control the civilians, but the Chinese ladies were, as expected, ignoring them.

Ignoring the police, they gathered here and there, took group photos, and then took individual selfies with the dungeon entrance as the background.

They say ignorance is bliss… or rather, Chinese people are selfish… ahem.

Due to the chaotic situation with dozens, hundreds of tourists, I was able to move forward and examine the dungeon in detail.

The armored 10th-grade dungeon, located slightly towards the sea from the center of the coastal road, was still uncleared, so the dungeon entrance shimmered with blue light, tempting someone.

The number ’10’ is engraved on a large crystal the size of a large building entrance, and a dark entrance is visible below.

I tried to get closer to take a closer look, but these ladies are reckless (莫無可奈) [helpless or there’s nothing one can do about it].

“Ah, really… please move aside.”

She grabbed my clothes, shouted something loudly in Chinese, and handed me her phone… is she asking me to take a picture?

“No! … No! I’m okay! Go away!”

I don’t speak Chinese, so I’m speaking in English and Korean, but this chubby lady is pointing and saying something.

Oh ho! Are you picking a fight?

I was pushed back a few steps by the chubby lady’s momentum.

I stood there dumbfounded, and this crazy lady shrugged her shoulders and kept coming at me, shoving her phone at me.

What are you doing!

Should I just take the picture?

She keeps babbling in Chinese, but I can’t understand anything!

“I don’t speak Chinese!”

Is that right?

I guess so….

Never mind.

But this chubby lady shouted something at me, then turned her head and said something to the other ladies who were posing.

Then she comes at me again.

“Ah~ really! Okay. I’ll do it. Give it… huh?”

When I said okay to take the picture, this crazy lady tried to rush towards me but tripped, almost falling.

Still, she protected her phone with both hands, stumbled a few steps, and came… huh?

Hey, ah, lady!

‘Cough.’

With a tremendous impact as if hit in the chest with a hammer, I was pushed back and fell… huh?

Damn it!

Why is the dungeon entrance here of all places!

The fallen chubby lady was looking at me with a strange expression, and I heard shouts of surprised people around me.

[Ding! You have entered the armored 10th-grade dungeon for the first time. You cannot return until it is cleared.]

“Ah! Damn it! Son of a bitch! You goddamn Chinese!”

My chest hurts. A lot. And I’m burning up inside.

What should I do?

Since I entered the armored dungeon, am I destined to die now? … Huh?

Dungeon?

I entered the dungeon?

Why? How!

Whether it’s an armored dungeon or a bio dungeon, either you can’t enter unless you’re an Awakened, or ordinary people get eaten when the dungeon is created unless… ah!

I jumped up and looked around.

That’s right. I awakened!

Of course, I don’t know anything about the awakening trigger or how to use my abilities, but I have awakened!

And to take the awakening ability test, to borrow money from Seungchan hyung [older brother/male friend] for mineral absorption, I don’t need to go to the community center anymore… or do I?

To get an Awakened license, I have to go anyway.

The problem is that I entered the dungeon without any preparation, without warning, not by my will, but by accident.

Also, since I entered, other Awakened individuals can enter, so I have to endure here for at least 4 hours.

The only consolation is that the grade is 10.

I heard that armored 10th-grade dungeons and bio 10th-grade dungeons have a safety zone at the entrance… as expected.

Looking around, the floor within a 30m radius around me definitely looks different from the floor around the dungeon.

I don’t know what it’s made of, but it doesn’t seem to be dirt; it’s smooth and a cold energy rises from the floor.

‘Koo-wooo~.’

A strange roar is heard from afar.

It’s probably a Zealot.

A Zealot without speed enhancement.

I don’t know how many there are, but I have no intention of leaving this safety zone.

I’m just an ordinary office worker!

…….

About 30 minutes seem to have passed.

I searched every nook and cranny of the 30m radius, but there was nothing special.

Well, it’s a safety zone, so is it natural?

Another roar is heard from the gateway in the distance.

Still, they can’t pose a threat to me, and the movement speed of a Zealot without speed enhancement is almost the same as the speed of a running ordinary person, so if a critical situation arises, I can run away and buy some time.

But, I’m a little thirsty….

Moreover, I’m bored.

Has it been over an hour?

I’m tired of standing and sitting on the floor, spacing out.

I have to wait for 3 more hours, but it’s really boring.

The beautiful waves of light from the gateway and crystal I saw at first are getting boring.

…….

“Hmm, do I have to wait for more than 2 hours?”

My phone doesn’t work and has no signal.

Thanks to constantly searching on Naver [South Korean search engine], I roughly knew the situation inside the dungeon, but the theory and reality were completely different.

The air inside the dungeon itself was fresh and refreshing, as if I were in a forest bath, and the gateway and crystal in the distance were really pretty.

But the problem is that it’s damn boring.

After tapping on the monitor screen and keyboard all day, trying to endure 4 hours without doing anything makes my body ache.

Still, the time inside the dungeon is twice the time outside… I can roughly get out of the dungeon before 6 o’clock.

Probably.

“Status window.”

[Art Factor: Han Jiwon (Lv-1)

Nationality/Affiliation: South Korea/None, Age: 39, Height/Weight: 176cm/84kg,

Agility: 1, Endurance: 1, Strength: 2, Stamina: 1, Intelligence: 2, Luck: 1, Inventory: 1

Summon Target Stats: 4 (Probe), Artifacts Held: Mineral Fragment (Absorption) 1]

I was going to check the status window because I had nothing to do… huh?

What is it?

Something has changed a bit.

“Probe?”

The summon target stat was originally 4, but the word Probe was added to it.

“Probe… Summon?”

[Ding! Summons 1 Probe.]

“Huh?”

At the words I muttered in bewilderment, a white light appeared on the floor, and a Probe slightly larger than my fist appeared.

“Heh… hahaha, hahahaha… as expected! I was a genius!”

I jumped up and grabbed the Probe in front of me.

The little guy wiggles and moves its many feet, and its big eyes are quite cute.

Like an ancient trilobite, the outside is made of a hard shell, and the size is about 15cm. The big eyes on the head sparkle like the eyes of a cat in boots.

When I put him on the floor, he circled around me a few times and then….

“Uh? Hey! Where are you going!”

He left the safety zone and crawled towards the armored building over there.

“What is this! I thought something was going to happen… huh?”

I keep staring at the direction he disappeared, and from afar, he comes back to me again.

Holding a small mineral fragment the size of his head!

The guy who came to me put the mineral fragment at my feet and went back again.

To mine minerals again!

[Ding! Absorbed armored dungeon 10th-grade mineral fragment. Mineral Fragment 1 increased.]

“Ha. Hahaha… hahahaha. Damn it! Am I a Nexus! Status window!”

[Art Factor: Han Jiwon (Lv-1)

Nationality/Affiliation: South Korea/None, Age: 39, Height/Weight: 176cm/84kg,

Agility: 1, Endurance: 1, Strength: 2, Stamina: 1, Intelligence: 2, Luck: 1, Inventory: 1

Summon Target Stats: 3 (Probe), Artifacts Held: Mineral Fragment (Absorption) 2]

As expected.

The summon target stat was reduced to 3, and the mineral fragment was raised to 2.

“So, then… Probe summon, summon, summon!”

[Ding! Summons 3 Probes.]

White light appeared on the floor, and 3 more Probes appeared.

The guys circled around me a few times and disappeared over there like the first Probe.

Since they are Probes, they must have gone to mine minerals.

After a while.

[Ding! Absorbed armored dungeon 10th-grade mineral fragment. Mineral Fragment 1 increased.]

[Ding! Absorbed armored dungeon 10th-grade mineral fragment. Mineral Fragment 1 increased.]

[Ding! Absorbed armored dungeon 10th-grade mineral fragment. Mineral Fragment 1 increased.]

…….

[Ding! Mineral fragment absorption stat has reached its limit. Cannot absorb any more.]

After that, 4 Probes continuously brought mineral fragments.

Annoying.

And then an alert sounded that I could no longer absorb, which may be natural.

I’m not a Nexus, so it doesn’t make sense to absorb only minerals!

In a little while, the Jeju branch Awakened individuals will enter.

Then clear this place and go home… I should have a drink tonight.

Before that.

“Status window.”

[Art Factor: Han Jiwon (Lv-1)

Nationality/Affiliation: South Korea/None, Age: 39, Height/Weight: 176cm/84kg,

Agility: 1, Endurance: 1, Strength: 2, Stamina: 1, Intelligence: 2, Luck: 1, Inventory: 1

Summon Target Stats: 4 (Probe), Artifacts Held: Mineral Fragment (Absorption) 20]

“Hmm….”

What should I do?

How can I raise my level?

I squatted down and thought carefully.

I understood summoning the Probes. I’m okay with the little guys scurrying around and mining minerals and having me absorb them.

So what should I do now… hmm….

“Probe summon.”

A small guy surrounded by white light appeared.

I quickly grabbed him and examined him more closely.

There must be something.

I grabbed the guy so he couldn’t go mine minerals, turned him over, and examined his appearance. During that time, my hand brushed against the guy’s small antenna.

In that instant!

Various buildings and tech trees that Probes can build, units and special magic that can be drawn from the gateway.

And….

Suddenly, the Jeju branch Awakened individuals enter from the dark entrance behind me.

“What crazy bastard came into the dungeon without association approval! Is it you? You clueless bastard… huh?”

A mid-30s Awakened individual openly cursed at me… huh?

Who was this bastard I’ve seen somewhere?

“Hyung [older brother/male friend]! How did we meet here? Did hyung also awaken? When? You should have contacted me. I’m the manager of the Aria Guild Jeju branch….”

This man who talks so much.

I’ve definitely seen him somewhere, but I can’t remember.

It seems like we used to be quite close.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Well, if you’re only in the safety zone, there’s no way you’d get hurt. By the way, when did you awaken and come in here?”

“… Ah! Hyun Ga [Ga is often used as a derogatory suffix].”

“… You don’t remember me? Huh….”

“Ah, no. I didn’t expect to meet you in the dungeon. It’s been a while. How long has it been?”

“… This, this.”

I remember now.

This guy who only talks.

His name is Jihoon and his last name is Hyun.

So I used to call him Hyun Ga.

Long ago, very long ago, he was a guy who followed me a lot when I worked part-time at a billiard hall.

He looks slick, and he was quite the ladies’ man back then.

He scammed me out of my precious 7 million won [~5,300 USD] and disappeared.

I vaguely heard from my friend Younghoon that this guy became an Awakened, but I didn’t expect to meet him here!

If I ask him to pay back the money now, will he give it to me?

It’s a debt from gambling, but I lent him the last money in my account….

“Manager Hyun. Let’s wrap up quickly and return. I’m already annoyed that you’re not the first Awakened individual to enter….”

A young man in his late 20s next to him says something to Hyun Ga and stares at me blankly.

“Ah, right. Hyung [older brother/male friend]. What’s your level? You look like you can’t clear it if you’re in the safety zone. Level 8, no way?”

“… Th, that’s….”

“Tell me. If you’re leveled, we’ll go together, if not, just stay here.”

“What? What did you say….”

The guy suddenly glares.

Then he comes to me, taps me on the shoulder, and continues in a cocky voice.

“If you’re not leveled, stay here~. Mister.”