Round 101

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“Move quickly!”

Shouts echoed from all directions.

The guild I arrived at with Ara and Young-seong was bustling with activity.

“Ah! Deputy Chief Choi Young-seong!”

“What’s the situation?”

“A Level 0 alert has been issued within China. Currently, all neighboring countries have been requested for support.”

“Is it that serious?”

“Apparently, it’s been a day since the break occurred in the Dungeon of Avarice.”

“What? A day?!”

The news that a request for support was made only after a day caused a deep furrow to form on Young-seong’s forehead.

“We speculate that since the main monsters in the Dungeon of Avarice are just goblins, they thought they could handle it as long as Mammon didn’t appear.”

“That makes sense. But issuing a Level 0 alert and requesting support means Mammon must have appeared, right?”

“Well… no.”

“What do you mean?”

The guild member giving the report stiffened.

We, listening, also had serious expressions.

“It seems the goblins are using poisoned weapons. They’re using blowguns, arrows, and even melee weapons coated with poison.”

“Ah!”

Cunning monsters indeed, knowing how to use their heads unlike others.

The poison was likely Mammon’s.

“Not only the awakened ones standing guard, but quite a few have already been poisoned. Fortunately, it seems the poison is diluted and mass-produced, so there are no critically ill patients.”

“This is getting complicated. Where’s the Guild Leader?”

“He’s already left for China with the Deputy Leader of Team 2. Currently, Team 1 Leader and Deputy Team Leader Ko Kang-yeon are managing the guild.”

The urgency of the situation was palpable.

Even though the news had just been delivered and we had come immediately, they had already departed for China…

While listening to the conversation, a person who had been moving busily in the distance spotted Young-seong and waved.

“Deputy Chief Choi! Over here, over here!”

“Oh, Ji-seong.”

“It’s urgent. Please come to the lab right away!”

Hearing the urgent call, Young-seong looked back at me. I told him to go ahead, and he hurriedly left.

With Young-seong gone, I decided to leave so as not to get in the way of the busy people. After all, I wasn’t summoned; I came on my own because of the emergency…

“Awakened Kyu-seong, could you wait a moment?”

“Huh? Yes, of course.”

He communicated with someone via radio for a moment, then began to lead me somewhere.

Ara, who had grasped the situation, quietly followed, holding my hand.

‘What could they want from me?’

I had already sent all the antidotes I made to the guild. So I didn’t think there was anything specific they needed me for. Where were they taking me?

The place we arrived at resembled a war room. Many people were busy with their tasks, most of them high-ranking officials.

Among them, I spotted Jeong So-yeon buried in paperwork.

“Team 1 Leader, I’ve brought Awakened Kyu-seong.”

“Ah! You’re here! Thank you.”

The guild member who had guided me left, and I approached Jeong So-yeon, who was busy with her documents. Seeing a familiar face, Ara eagerly approached her.

“Pretty sister is busy?”

“Oh, Ara. Come here.”

“Okay!”

Jeong So-yeon quickly hugged the approaching Ara, rubbing her cheek against hers. Ara’s giggles brightened the previously tense atmosphere.

“Ah, I feel alive again.”

…Could this be why I was called?

Judging by Jeong So-yeon’s expression, it seemed likely.

“You seem very busy, So-yeon.”

“It’s been a while, Kyu-seong. Hehe. Now that I’ve taken on the role of team leader, I have to bear the responsibility. Even though I’m young, I do have some skills.”

Jeong So-yeon, with her cheek pressed against Ara’s, gave a playful wink. She indeed looked impressive. Only someone capable could be an executive in a large guild like Ara Hongryeon.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“You’ve already helped a lot.”

Jeong So-yeon hugged Ara tightly again, smiling broadly. Ara also seemed to enjoy it, smiling happily.

“I’m not joking; you’ve already done so much for us, Kyu-seong. Have you heard the news?”

“Heard what?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard yet. The antidotes you’ve prepared are being delivered personally by the Guild Leader and Team Leader 2. That’s why they left in such a hurry.”

Ah, so that’s why they flew out quickly. It was because of the antidotes.

Given the situation, my contribution was significant. The antidotes were the only things capable of treating the poison no one else could handle.

Moreover, the antidotes had been upgraded and were much more effective than before. The cherry tomatoes had reached level 3, and I had added new ingredients that weren’t there initially.

“With just the antidotes, you’ve accomplished something no one else could, Kyu-seong. So you can leave the rest to us.”

“Hmm… I understand.”

Although Jeong So-yeon’s words were reassuring, I couldn’t shake off the slight unease. Even though I was doing my part, it felt like I was just watching those on the front lines.

I think everyone has experienced that frustration of understanding something logically but feeling otherwise emotionally.

“Soon, the elite members of Ara Hongryeon and I will also be heading out. We’d appreciate it if you could continue making the antidotes, Kyu-seong.”

So others would be leaving too.

With the appearance of one of the Seven Deadly Sins, this wasn’t just another country’s problem. It was inevitably a threat to our neighboring country as well.

Then I suddenly thought of the item in the Dungeon of Gluttony.

“When are you leaving?”

“We might monitor the situation for a bit, but we’ll leave within a week at the latest, or as soon as we hear that Mammon has appeared.”

“Got it. I’ll make preparations.”

“Preparations?”

I quietly nodded.

What I was preparing was equipment made of mithril.

I didn’t mention it because I thought it was still too early to inform everyone.

‘We haven’t mined much mithril, so there’s only enough to make a small piece of equipment.’

I wanted to mine more and take time to craft proper equipment, but there was no time for that.

I would have to make something with the mithril I had and lend it to them.

“Hehe. You can look forward to it.”

“Really? I’m curious about what you’re preparing.”

Ara seemed to catch on to my plan, letting out a meaningful laugh. Even that look was adorable, making me realize once again that Ara was the cutest in the world…

“I’ll contact you before we leave, Kyu-seong.”

“Yes, understood.”

Feeling like we’d overstayed, I took Ara out. Ara, with a somber expression, muttered,

“Everyone looks so tired.”

“Yeah.”

“Kyu-seong, isn’t there something we can do to help them?”

Ara looked up at me with sparkling eyes.

Her words gave me an idea.

“Everyone likes to eat, right?”

“Yeah!”

I had rushed out so quickly that I hadn’t even brought Bokkeum. Going back and forth to the dungeon would take a lot of time, but I could manage that.

‘…Wait a minute.’

A sudden thought struck me, and I lifted my wrist to check something.

There was a thin bracelet made of some unknown wood.

It was a bound item that only I could possess: “Master of Gluttony.”

“I don’t need to go back and forth, do I?”

To be precise, there was a quick way to go back and forth right here.

I had tested it a few times initially after getting the bracelet, but I had been too preoccupied with the mine and preparing for the Dungeon of Avarice to use it again.

Besides, there hadn’t been a real need to use it.

“Ara, let’s go bring some delicious food.”

“Okay!”

* * *

Guangzhou, China.

After the issuance of a Level 0 alert due to the dungeon break, the city had become more than just desolate—it felt eerie.

However, some people still remained there.

“Huff-!”

Returning from a reconnaissance mission, Wang Jianping removed his mask. The inside was soaked with sweat from prolonged use.

“You did well.”

“Yeah.”

Teams of three were taking turns for reconnaissance.

The awakened ones had lost control of a 50km radius centered around the Dungeon of Avarice, and they were now building a defensive line to prevent the goblins from spreading to other cities.

“Oh, support has arrived from Korea.”

“What? Already?”

Wang Jianping’s face lit up instantly.

Some guilds within China were still unprepared and slow to send support. In such a situation, support from another country was like a ray of hope for the awakened ones holding the defensive line.

“But it’s just two people.”

“…Well, we should be grateful for even that.”

Wang Jianping’s face momentarily darkened, but he forced a bitter smile.

With most of the awakened ones having fallen during the first goblin attack, they had to welcome any help, even if it was just two people.

‘We were too complacent.’

Wang Jianping had resisted during the initial attack. He was lucky not to have been poisoned, but his comrades were all incapacitated by the unexpected poison attacks from the goblins.

They had thought they only needed to worry about Mammon, which turned out to be a grave mistake.

“Oooh!!”

“No way…!”

“Is this even possible?!”

Just as Wang Jianping was about to rest after the long reconnaissance, he noticed a commotion in one corner.

Exhausted, he moved toward the source of the noise near the building where the patients were being treated.

“What’s going on?”

“Ah! The awakened ones from Korea brought something amazing!”

“Something amazing?”

What could they have brought to elicit such reactions?

Wang Jianping squeezed through the crowd to see what was happening.

In the center were doctors and some supporting awakened ones holding pouches of some unknown liquid.

“What is it? What’s that?”

“Ah! It’s an antidote!”

“An antidote?”

Wang Jianping initially thought he had misheard, but his eyes widened as he processed the words.

“An! Ti! Dote?!”

“Yes! An antidote! It can cure Mammon’s poison, which no one else could treat!”

Impossible. That must be a scam.

…That was his initial thought, but the reactions of others were far too enthusiastic for it to be a hoax.

“Did a Korean awakened one really bring that?”

“Yes. But there aren’t many of them.”

“From which Korean guild?”

“They said it was the Guild Leader and Team Leader from Ara Hongryeon.”

“Ara Hongryeon!”

“Oh, you know that guild?”

The colleague who was speaking didn’t seem to know Ara Hongryeon. But Wang Jianping was well aware of the Korean Ara Hongryeon guild.

This was because the guild he first belonged to had formed a sister-guild relationship with Ara Hongryeon.

‘A first-generation awakened guild that has diplomatic ties with various guilds around the world.’

Even though it might seem to have lost its edge in Korea now, it was undeniably still a large guild.

“Hm?”

Lost in thought, Wang Jianping suddenly snapped back to his senses and looked around. He realized belatedly that the noisy commotion had become silent.

‘Why…’

When he looked at the people with curiosity, he saw everyone was looking in one direction. Following their gaze, Wang Jianping turned his head…

“Gasp!”

Click-clack, click-clack.

An unmistakable figure, known to every Chinese person.

A woman with white hair, exuding a mysterious aura, was walking with an expressionless face.

Beside her were two figures walking as if to assist her, none of whom were ordinary people.

Click!

Finally, the woman stopped, her gaze fixed on the liquid pouch the doctor was holding.

“Where did you get that?”

Sky Tower Guild.

It was the appearance of executives from one of China’s top 10 mega-guilds.

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