At first, Sang-woong didn’t notice, but after spending time on the land and stepping outside, he could distinctly feel the difference in the air.
The sharp, acrid stench outside irritated his nose and soured his mood.
Arriving at the land, Sang-woong first pulled a snack from his inventory for Aria.
This time, it was candy.
“Thank you, Master! Hehe!”
Drawn by the sweet aroma, Aria popped a piece into her mouth immediately.
Crunch!
Her eyes widened in astonishment.
“Wow! There’s sweet chocolate inside! Is this magic candy?”
Sang-woong loved Aria’s awestruck expression whenever she tried a new snack.
That’s why he always brought something new.
Leaving Aria engrossed with her treat, he checked on the newly planted crops and saplings.
“They’re all growing well.”
The saplings looked far more vibrant than when first planted, and the crops were thriving.
After checking their condition, Sang-woong began farming in earnest.
He fetched water from the pond and went around the fields, watering the crops.
Afterward, he harvested ripe crops like lettuce and cherry tomatoes.
Then, he headed to the field where he had planted the land’s special plants.
He collected seeds from those capable of producing them and divided the plants with multiple roots or stems for replanting.
The well-grown land plants were harvested separately and sold at the shop for points.
His current goal was to gather points to level up the shop.
Today, he finally collected enough points to do so.
“What’s in the Level 2 shop window? Better stuff than Level 1, right?”
Sang-woong spent 5,000 points to upgrade the shop window.
As expected, the Level 2 shop offered far better items than Level 1.
The first thing that caught his eye was a potion to increase skill levels.
For 1,000 points each, he could upgrade his Inventory Skill and Appraisal Skill by one level.
“Not as expensive as I thought.”
Among the shop’s items, skills were naturally the most valuable.
But surprisingly, they were quite affordable.
Sang-woong figured that, like basic items given at the start of a game, skills were considered fundamental, hence the low price.
The next item was Coral Saplings.
They purified the dungeon’s bad air and bore delicious fruit, making them a versatile plant.
They served the same role as the Purificans Flowers from the Level 1 shop.
The difference was that expanding the land required planting 1,000 Coral Saplings—ten times more than Purificans Flowers.
The issue wasn’t just the quantity.
Their price was over three times higher, at 100 points each.
Spirit food was also pricier, now costing 1,000 points—a tenfold increase.
The Land Elixir’s price had doubled to 2,000 points.
“It’s not just the price increase. I bet I’ll need more Land Elixirs this time.”
The first expansion required two Land Elixirs.
He had no idea how many would be needed now.
The only way to find out was to use one and see how much the land’s core filled.
Looking at the Level 2 shop items, worry creased Sang-woong’s face.
The difficulty had spiked suddenly.
It felt like the real challenge was just beginning, and the road ahead looked tough.
Maintaining his current output from farming alone seemed nearly impossible.
But Sang-woong didn’t falter.
In his past life, he had faced far worse crises.
This was nothing.
“To grow, I need to maximize efficiency on this land.”
He quickly devised a solution.
Next, he noticed wooden fences.
They seemed designed to bolster defense for the expanded land.
The two-meter-high, one-meter-wide fences cost 10 points each and, intriguingly, were reusable.
They could be stored in the inventory and reinstalled anywhere as needed.
As long as they weren’t damaged, they could be used indefinitely.
Most exciting among the new items was equipment for Wood Golems.
Armor, shields, and various weapons were available.
Sang-woong first upgraded his skills.
His inventory doubled in size.
With the Appraisal Skill’s level-up, he could now appraise not only things native to the land but also entities entering it.
He could now access basic information about monsters the moment they stepped onto the land.
Having strengthened his skills, he purchased the most urgent item: equipment for the Wood Golems.
Weapons would make them more effective against monsters, and shields would minimize damage.
“Good thing. Repairs were costly, but this will save on that too.”
The Goblin Shaman’s ranged attacks had caused significant damage.
Shields would drastically reduce that.
The sight of 25 Wood Golems armed with massive weapons and shields was imposing.
Now, a Goblin Shaman would be a breeze to handle.
He wanted to fully equip them with armor too, but lack of points meant waiting for the next opportunity.
“Still, I can rest easier now.”
Sang-woong looked at the formidable Wood Golems with satisfaction.
Yawn.
Sang-woong stretched his arms, basking in the lazy afternoon.
The lunchtime rush had subsided, leaving this the quietest time.
He was browsing his smartphone, ordering seeds and saplings for the next planting.
“The world’s gotten so convenient. A few taps, and I can buy anything.”
He ordered Shine Muscat saplings and mushroom spawn.
Jingle!
The bell on the door chimed brightly, and Sang-woong put down his phone to greet the customer.
“Welcome!”
His face lit up.
It was Kim Seo-ah, the new tenant moving in.
“Boss, got a moment?”
“Of course. Have a seat.”
Sang-woong led her to a sunny table.
“Coffee okay?”
“Yes, please.”
With deft hands, he prepared fragrant coffee and handed it to her.
“Thank you.”
She took a sip, gathered herself, and spoke cautiously.
“So, we’re moving in next week, but something came up. Could we move in on Tuesday instead? Our schedule got pushed up.”
Sang-woong nodded readily.
“Haha, no problem. The place is empty anyway. I’ve already cleaned it thoroughly, so you can move right in.”
“Oh, thank you so much. It’s not just a great house, but the landlord is so kind too. We’re so lucky.”
Kim Seo-ah’s voice brightened, touched by his consideration.
“No, I’m the grateful one. Thank you for choosing our place. By the way, did your husband like it?”
When they signed the lease, her husband was too busy to see the place.
“He loved it. I didn’t notice, but he said it’s a well-built building.”
“He’s got a good eye. I poured my heart into it. Every brick was laid by my hands. No worries about noise between floors or walls, and the insulation is top-notch. The high ceilings maximize openness too.”
Sang-woong felt pleased that someone recognized his efforts.
“Haha, I chose it for the view, but men notice different things.”
Kim Seo-ah hadn’t initially aimed for the top-floor 501 unit.
She was looking at second-floor units for convenience.
But the moment she entered and saw the panoramic view through the living room’s large window, she was smitten.
The scenery was stunning now, but the thought of watching nature change colors with the seasons thrilled her.
“Honestly, when I’m stressed from running the restaurant, looking outside calms me down.”
“That makes sense. Despite being so young, you always seem so calm and composed. I was amazed.”
“Haha, not at all.”
Sang-woong’s heart skipped a beat.
He tried to laugh it off casually.
Perhaps due to his past life, his expressions sometimes carried a depth beyond his years.
Though he tried to hide it, sharp observers like Kim Seo-ah occasionally noticed.
“Since the move-in date changed, I’ll transfer the remaining payment today. Thank you for being so accommodating.”
Expressing her gratitude again with a bright smile, Kim Seo-ah left the restaurant.
As always, Sang-woong headed to the dungeon right after closing the restaurant.
His mind was consumed with thoughts of shiitake mushroom cultivation.
Shiitakes, which could maximize efficiency in a small space, carried his high expectations.
If they took root successfully, gathering points would become much easier.
He cut dead trees he’d collected, lined them up, and drilled holes at intervals to plant the mushroom spawn.
Normally, mushrooms required careful management of humidity and temperature, but Sang-woong trusted the land’s power to grow any crop quickly and well.
However, the results were far from his expectations.
It wasn’t that the mushrooms failed to adapt to the land.
On the contrary, they were growing too well.
The problem was time.
With no prior farming experience, Sang-woong had overlooked that mushrooms required a significant period before the first harvest.
He had optimistically assumed the dungeon’s faster time flow would allow quick harvesting, but reality differed.
Growing commercially viable shiitake mushrooms typically took one to one and a half years.
Even with the land’s power shortening that time, it would still take considerable effort.
“Ugh, this is a problem.”
Worry filled Sang-woong’s face as his plans went awry.
There was another reason for his concern.
The appearance of a new monster.
If only goblins and Goblin Shamans invaded, he could defend easily.
But the arrival of Black Wolves turned everything upside down.
They were the worst possible opponents for the Wood Golems.
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