Chapter 165

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 165: Hot Night (9)

Kwaaaah…!

Simultaneously with the abnormal weather alert, the scenery outside the living room window turned reddish.

It was indeed the beginning of a wildfire typhoon.

“My, my goodness.”

As Jeonggu opened his mouth wide and looked out the window, the flying embers hitting the glass made sharp noises.

Titi-titic!

“Is this really okay?”

As it was the first time Jeonggu looked at abnormal weather through such a large glass window, he turned to his son, no, Yeongwoo, with a fearful expression.

To which Yeongwoo, still fixated on the traces in front of him, said,

“Mom’s name, what is it?”

“What?”

“What’s the name of the youngest daughter of Jinhyeon Group who left after hitting Dad?”

“Uh… Song Jiseon.”

“Ah.”

Song Jiseon.

Even Yeongwoo, who had little interest in politics, had heard of the name.

The so-called ‘Iron-blooded Empress’ Song Jiseon.

Once, there were articles all over the internet about how she defeated her two older brothers in the battle for control of the conglomerate.

‘That group was Jinhyeon.’

And that means.

‘Wait. Two older brothers…?’

If Song Jiseon, the last owner of Jinhyeon Group, was really Yeongwoo’s biological mother, then naturally, he would have two uncles as well.

Uncles who were likely to be mutants, being from a conglomerate background.

‘What kind of bullshit is this?’

What started as a small snowball rolling by Kim Jeonggu, a Level 6 human, 30 years ago, had led to this situation.

The by-product of the Night Booking in the 90s and the hidden child of the second largest conglomerate in Korea, Jinhyeon Group, was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo, known as “Joseon’s Greatest Sword.”

“Then Mom must be a mutant too. Or she might have been hit and disappeared.”

As Yeongwoo imagined his mother transformed into a dragon, Jeonggu scratched his chin.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

“Not sure?”

“As you know, it was really busy at the beginning of the reset. So, I didn’t pay much attention to all the mutant notices.”

At that time, Jeonggu never dreamed that Song Jiseon had given birth to his child, and even if she had, surviving was a struggle.

So Yeongwoo couldn’t blame Jeonggu for that.

“Well, after the exchange area, there was no chance to keep track of all the mutant notices.”

And if she had been hit and disappeared, he didn’t know if she was in some dungeon, serving time in a miserable state.

‘Well, whatever happens, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out.’

After reaching his own conclusion, Yeongwoo put his lips to the ring, “Wave.”

《If you have equipment to respond to abnormal weather today, please come to the Parnas entrance immediately. Departing in 10 minutes.》

It was a broadcast notice without much expectation.

So far, the Strongest Swords of Seoul had been so focused on raising their stats that they hadn’t properly utilized the merchants.

“Who would come?”

As expected, when Jeonggu asked this, Yeongwoo shook his head.

“There are a few who want to go to the dungeons, but they probably haven’t found the equipment yet.”

Songpa’s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee, and Seocho’s Strongest Sword Choi Namhee, and Jo Sangik of Gwanak were among those who could enter the dungeons on their own, to some extent, they were people with faith.

So Yeongwoo was hoping they would show up within 10 minutes.

‘But it’s unlikely. Unless they’ve deliberately met all the merchants in Seoul.’

Shoom.

“Cloak.”

As Yeongwoo clapped his hands toward the Golden Goblin, the creature opened a pocket dimension and pulled out a dusky cloak.

-Kikit!

It was none other than equipment for Jeonggu.

「Firewall」 – Unique Cape

【Ignores all abnormal weather conditions with flame attributes.】

“Put this on. We’ll have to go out soon.”

When Yeongwoo pointed out the window where red embers were flying, Jeonggu made a terrible expression.

“…Are you serious?”

“Stop talking too much and get dressed quickly.”

In response to Yeongwoo’s torch, Jeonggu mumbled alone and put on a red cloak.

“You’ll have to wait downstairs for 10 minutes before we depart.”

“So if someone manages to break through that typhoon… will all three of us go?”

“Yes. Anyone who comes.”

After saying this, Yeongwoo went to the bedroom with a television and spoke to Seok and Jongsu, and Taeyoung.

“As I mentioned before, it would be better to limit the TV for the kids up to here. There’s another bed in the room across, so let them sleep there.”

Then, not knowing the exact reason, Kwon Taeyoung cautiously asked,

“Mr. Yeongwoo, excuse me, but may I ask why?”

To this, Yeongwoo lifted the whistle hanging around his neck and showed it.

“Soon, we’ll need to summon the whistle in the dungeon, and we won’t know what will appear on TV at that time.”

“Ah…”

Taeyoung agreed soon after hearing this.

Seok nodded as if understanding. “Got it. Since it’s getting late, we should let the kids sleep early.”

“So… Are you going out now, Yeongwoo?”

At Taeyoung’s question, Yeongwoo glanced briefly at Jeonggu in the living room and told Jongsu and Taeyoung,

“Yes. And since we don’t know what will happen in the dungeon, if I’m unlucky, I might die.”

“…!”

“If that happens, go find Jo Sangik, Gwanak’s Strongest Sword. He won’t be there to worry about it as much as before, but he won’t just leave you alone.”

After leaving this nonchalant advice, Yeongwoo looked at the television screen still illuminating the room of the returnees.

Now, three men dependent on Yeongwoo were sitting closely together, staring intently at an hourglass.

* * *

11:16 PM.

“…They’re not coming. Or rather, they can’t come.”

“Whatever it is, in the end, it’s just the two of us.”

Even after the announced 10 minutes had passed, no one appeared in the lobby of the Parnas Hotel.

Either no one had equipment to withstand the ember typhoon, or they had the equipment but lacked the courage.

Of course, since the hotel lobby was no longer a residence, it was filled with heat to the extent that space seemed to ripple.

“We can’t help it. Let’s go now.”

With determination, Yeongwoo opened the hotel entrance without hesitation, causing Jeonggu to hesitate.

“I… This is my first time.”

“It’s my second time too.”

With these words, Yeongwoo stepped outside toward the hotel.

Click.

Red embers struck Yeongwoo’s body indiscriminately, leaving red marks all over.

However…

「Eye of the Typhoon」 – Epic Necklace

【Ignores extreme weather of the wind type.】

For Yeongwoo, who received the effect of the “Eye of the Typhoon,” there was no harm at all.

As expected, the ember typhoon was a wind-type abnormal weather.

“Come out. You won’t go that far.”

When Yeongwoo gestured for him to hurry up, Jeonggu slowly pushed his body out of the lobby, stumbling.

“…Is it really okay?”

Jeonggu, still unable to dispel his fear, asked once again, and Yeongwoo pointed to his father’s toe.

“You’re already fine.”

“…!”

Toot-toot!

In fact, Jeonggu’s toes, which had just been brought out of the lobby, had been exposed to the embers for a while now.

In fact, he had been protected by the “fire shield” all the way from the corridor outside the room.

“Oh…!”

Jeonggu, opening his eyes wide in surprise, but not feeling any heat, stretched his arm out further, which had been kept inside the hotel.

Toot!

Similarly, even though his bare hands were fully exposed to the ember typhoon without gloves, nothing happened this time either.

“Whew.”

Jeonggu finally let out a relieved breath.

Then, with a determined face, he pushed his whole body into the ember typhoon.

“Whoa!”

The terrifying energy of the flames enveloped his whole body.

“Oh… my goodness.”

It felt like driving a car with the windows wide open at high speed, and the sound of large trees swaying in the wind continued to echo in his ears.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Shoo-oo-oo-oo…!

This was the sound of countless embers filling the air, hitting the walls of the building or colliding with each other.

“Amazing, right?”

Beyond the noise of the embers, the voice of Jeong Yeongwoo could be heard.

He was already sitting on the back of the iron horse, waiting for his father.

“Get on.”

When Yeongwoo extended his hand wrapped in golden armor from the iron horse, Jeonggu grabbed it as if possessed.

Then, with a push, Joseon’s Greatest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, lifted him up and put him in the back seat with ease.

“Father.”

“…?”

“You know I can’t swim yet?”

“Well…”

“But now I walk through the flames and ride through the darkness between the obsidian rain. That’s the world we live in now. There’s no need to fear the strange anymore. Such things will become commonplace from now on.”

“…”

Jeonggu still couldn’t fully grasp Yeongwoo’s words.

But at least one thing seemed certain.

That Jeong Yeongwoo was a person perfectly suited to this insane world.

It could be seen as embracing a new world. And such a person…

‘Perhaps, this is my son…,’ he thought.

Now the only bloodline left in this world.

Also, even if this body rotted away, his legacy would remain in this world for some time.

Yet Jeonggu still couldn’t feel the sense of ‘son’ from the monster in front of him.

Perhaps, just like Jeong Yeongwoo, who had never experienced having a son in his life, he didn’t exactly know what ‘son’ meant and was wandering in search of the concept of ‘father’.

“Where are we going now?”

Jeonggu asked, looking at Yeongwoo’s large back.

Then another strange word came out of the mouth of the monster who claimed to be his son.

“Since Gwangjin-gu has practically become a vast open space, we’ll go there and open the dungeon.”

Clack, clack!

At Yeongwoo’s command, Negwig began to run through the ember storm.

“Of course, there’s one variable.”

“…Variable?”

“Yes. Just because we enter through the same entrance doesn’t guarantee we’ll be moved to the same dungeon.”

“What?”

“Of course, before the dungeon starts, you can always leave, so don’t worry too much.”

“Well, that’s a relief, but…”

“Anyway, if we enter the dungeon and you don’t see me, you have to come out before all the slots are filled. As I mentioned before, there’s no guarantee that the dungeon can be cleared.”

As the two conversed, Negwig began to cross the Cheongdam Bridge, connecting Gangnam and Gwangjin-gu.

Clack, clack!

As they were about to cross the bridge, Jeonggu panicked when he saw a large hole in the middle of the bridge.

“What the hell is that again?”

To him, it seemed like the bridge had collapsed due to abnormal weather.

But in reality…

“…I did that.”

“Huh?”

“I shot some arrows there.”

“You did that just by shooting arrows…?”

Technically, it was the spot where a Wyvern returned and an intuitive arrow was placed in the head of Seoul Metropolitan Councilor Kim Seokshin.

However, Yeongwoo didn’t feel confident enough to explain this in detail, so he just brushed it off.

“Think of it as evidence of a fight with a mutant.”

He then pointed ahead and instructed the Golden Goblin.

“Put the sphere over there. We’re going to open the dungeon from there.”

-Kik!

Upon hearing this, the Goblin took out a golden sphere from the spatial pocket and jumped off Negwig.

Thud!

The sphere, which had been emitting golden light when taken out, quickly lost its light and turned black, even in Jeonggu’s eyes.

“…!”

It was an ominous sight that couldn’t help but be seen as an onslaught.

“Th-the sphere is black?”

“That’s how it’s supposed to be.”

On the other hand, Yeongwoo, who already had experience entering dungeons, casually jumped off the horse.

“Get down. You can’t bring horses or slaves into the dungeon anyway.”

“It’s one thing after another.”

Jeonggu made a disgusted expression.

But what could they do at this point?

The goblin had already placed the black sphere on the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu, and now all Yeongwoo had to do was touch it to open the dungeon.

“Come closer. Since we don’t know how the dungeon will open.”

“W-what do you mean?”

Jeonggu approached Yeongwoo with a puzzled look on his face, and when they were close enough, Yeongwoo put his hand on the black sphere.

Tap!

“Last time, a pyramid emerged, so if a different dungeon appears every time, then naturally…”

Just as Yeongwoo was about to continue explaining how the dungeons appeared differently, suddenly both of them were lifted into the air.

No, it was more accurate to say that the ground they were standing on shot up into the sky.

Which meant…

‘It’s a tower.’

In other words, they were now standing on top of a tower that had risen from below the ground.

“W-what is this? How high does it go?”

Jeonggu’s bewildered voice was accompanied by a message that appeared in the air between them.

「No slaves can accompany you in this dungeon.」

Then, the golden goblin standing on Yeongwoo’s foot was ejected from the top of the tower. -Kekeke…!

It screamed as it fell to the ground, its tail stretched out long.

Yeongwoo watched the goblin, now a small dot, fall before turning to Jeonggu.

“Unfortunately, it seems this dungeon doesn’t allow for an immediate return.”

“Huh…?”

Jeonggu asked, as if asking what Yeongwoo meant.

Yeongwoo raised his index finger and pointed to the empty space.

Unconsciously, Jeonggu raised his head and saw a huge ring of light, several kilometers in diameter, shining brightly in the pitch-black sky.

“What the hell is that?”

“It’s a portal. The entrance to the dungeon.”

“What?”

Meanwhile, the tower that carried both of them continued to rise towards the portal, with the open mouth of the portal facing inward.

In other words, once the portal connected, they would enter it whether they liked it or not.

If they had any intention of giving up, they should have jumped off when the tower began to rise.

“W-what happens now?”

Jeonggu urgently asked as they were about to touch the portal.

Yeongwoo checked his equipment and replied quietly.

“Good luck, Father.”

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]