-Would you like to move the Dungeon Gate to your house?
‘What the? Don’t tell me the Dungeon Gate can actually be moved?’
Sang-woong had never once considered that the Dungeon Gate could be relocated.
From what Sang-woong knew, unless the Dungeon Core was destroyed, the Dungeon Gate was supposed to remain fixed in the spot where it first appeared.
‘Wouldn’t it be nice if the system told you this kind of information in advance.’
Grumbling at the system message’s unkindness, Sang-woong decided to move the Dungeon Gate to his house.
The next moment, a distortion appeared in one corner of the Living Room, and with a sound, the Dungeon Gate opened up.
“Wow. This feels different.”
Seeing the Dungeon Gate right in his own Living Room was a bizarre sight.
A strange, unsettling energy lingered in the air.
It felt as if monsters might burst out at any moment and take over his home.
But, being able to move the Dungeon Gate was a tremendous gain.
Sang-woong immediately pulled out his Smartphone and launched the Job Advertisement App.
Before, he hadn’t even dared to try this because of the Dungeon Gate.
But now that the Dungeon Gate had been moved to his Living Room, things were different.
He wrote the job ad simply.
-Kitchen assistant and hall staff wanted. Beginners welcome. Preference for those who are diligent and want to work long-term.-
He set the hourly wage a bit higher than nearby Restaurants.
It was because he was desperate to hire good people.
Eager to see who would show up for the interview, he opened the Restaurant door.
As noon approached, the first customer stepped into the Restaurant.
And with the first customer, the place was half full in an instant.
There were regulars as always, but far more were faces he’d never seen before.
Most likely, word of mouth had brought them in.
Sang-woong’s Restaurant was starting to get talked about on local Online Communities and social media.
Parking space was not only abundant but overflowing—there was no Restaurant in the area more accessible if you had a car.
As always, Sang-woong quickly took Orders and prepared food.
He cooked rice with water from a mountain stream and spared no expense on fresh ingredients, putting all his Sincerity and long hours into every dish.
His food captivated the taste buds of everyone who came.
Especially the freshly cooked rice received endless praise.
Each plump, glossy grain shimmered with the Scent of Fresh Rice.
Lunch service passed, and it soon became evening.
There were only two Teams left finishing their meals, and once they left, today’s business would be done.
At that moment, a customer he’d never seen before entered the Restaurant.
Sang-woong was about to turn him away, since it was nearly closing time, but changed his mind.
After coming all the way here, he didn’t have the heart to send him off empty-handed.
The customer ignored the Table seats and sat at the bar counter instead.
As Sang-woong handed him the menu, he spoke.
“We’re almost closed, so we’re only serving meals right now.”
At his words, the man cocked his head in an arrogant tilt and replied, “That’s too little time for a proper conversation over a meal.”
The man’s mocking tone made Sang-woong’s expression harden slightly.
The man, dressed in an expensive-looking suit, had a strikingly handsome face.
Tall and lean, he exuded an air of sophistication and class.
A subtle, shining Watch adorned his wrist, and the single Earring he wore was intricately designed.
Overall, he was a charming figure, both refined and elegant.
The man was Kang Unsoo, Lee Dojin’s right-hand man.
Holding the number 3 spot in Lee Dojin’s organization, he was a Level C Hunter.
Kang Unsoo, infamous for his cold and ruthless nature, had come looking for Sang-woong under Lee Dojin’s orders.
A few days ago, after learning about Sang-woong’s Detoxification Potion through Heo Dongsik, Lee Dojin immediately ordered a background check.
When Lee Dojin received the Kill Report, his brows furrowed at the unexpected findings.
“Hyeongnim, what’s wrong? Is that Alchemist really so big a deal that it’d be a burden for us to mess with him?”
At Kang Unsoo’s guess, Lee Dojin let out a short laugh.
“No, if anything, it’s hard to believe this guy’s actually making such a great Detoxification Potion. He’s just a Level E Hunter, now retired and running a Restaurant. I mean, he’s an Alchemist, so maybe the Hunter rank doesn’t matter?”
“Isn’t that even better? This job’s way too easy for the payout.”
“Exactly. In that case, we’ll need to adjust the plan.”
Lee Dojin had originally planned to entice Sang-woong.
He would offer at least 30% more than Sang-woong’s current price to draw him in.
Of course, after that, he’d do as Heo Dongsik suggested—threaten him, steal the Recipe, and kill him.
But since Sang-woong seemed so weak, there was no need for the first step.
If he was just a pushover, all it would take was a show of overwhelming strength to make him fall in line—it was just a matter of time.
“Hyeongnim, then I’ll take care of this. It’d be beneath your dignity to deal with someone like this yourself.”
“Alright, Unsoo, make sure you handle it.”
“Keh keh keh, don’t worry. I’m better at this kind of work than anyone.”
Kang Unsoo replied with an unpleasant laugh.
He’d once been a promising Hunter in a Mid-Tier Guild.
But he abandoned the highest treatment and a stable future to dive into the Dark World.
People couldn’t understand his sudden transformation, but Kang Unsoo had a secret reason he could never reveal.
He was a natural Sadist.
He derived twisted pleasure from inflicting pain and humiliation on others—a desire ordinary society could never satisfy.
That’s why he’d joined Lee Dojin’s organization without hesitation, and here, he could unleash his dark abilities to the fullest.
They had no qualms about kidnapping, torture, or murder for money.
To Kang Unsoo, this was a paradise where he could indulge in pleasure to his heart’s content.
For him, threatening Sang-woong was nothing more than a bit of light amusement.
“Bring me something to eat. I hear you’re pretty good in the kitchen.”
Leaning deep into his chair, Kang Unsoo spoke in a haughty tone.
Without a word, Sang-woong quietly turned back toward the Kitchen.
There were still customers finishing their meals.
He pretended to cook, dragging out the time.
In the meantime, the last two Teams finished eating and left the Restaurant.
Sang-woong turned off the Gas Range, removed his Apron, and walked over to Kang Unsoo.
“What do you want?”
Sang-woong crossed his arms and stared straight at Kang Unsoo.
His face was still calm, but a sharp vigilance hid in his eyes.
“Heh, look at this bastard. Got some guts after all, huh?”
Kang Unsoo let out a snort of disbelief at Sang-woong’s attitude.
He sneered, scanning Sang-woong up and down.
“Guts!!”
Sang-woong narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he didn’t understand what Kang Unsoo was saying, and stared at him.
His voice was low and composed, but there was a strong sense of rejection.
“We’re closing, so hurry up and say what you came here for.”
Sang-woong glanced at his Watch and spoke firmly.
Kang Unsoo’s handsome face twisted with irritation at his words.
He slowly stood up from his seat.
Then he walked toward Sang-woong at a deliberate pace.
His movements were blatantly intimidating, putting heavy pressure on Sang-woong.
Because of his much greater height, Sang-woong had to naturally look up to meet his gaze.
“Hah! Can’t you read the room? Or are you just fearless? I was going to play nice, but you’re making it hard.”
With a short sigh, Kang Unsoo reached his rough hand over the bar.
He grabbed Sang-woong’s shoulder without hesitation.
The pain of his fingers digging into his shoulder bone made Sang-woong’s face harden slightly.
“That Detoxification Potion you make—our Hyeongnim needs some of it.”
Kang Unsoo leaned in, whispering in a low, sleazy voice right in Sang-woong’s ear.
The breath from his mouth reeked of cigarettes and carried a sickening Scent.
“If you hand over the Recipe quietly, maybe I’ll let you go easy. Of course, I can’t guarantee your life. But at least I’ll kill you painlessly.”
Kang Unsoo looked down at Sang-woong with a cold, sneering smile.
His eyes were as chilling as a predator hunting its prey.
“How did you find out I was making Detoxification Potions?”
At Kang Unsoo’s unexpected words, Sang-woong’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘Was it from Gyeong Yunseul’s side?’
The only person who knew his identity was Gyeong Yunseul, so the thought crossed his mind, but he soon shook his head.
There was no reason for Gyeong Yunseul to do something so despicable.
“You little punk. Is that what you’re curious about when your life’s hanging by a thread? A mere Level E Hunter getting cocky, huh.”
Kang Unsoo glared fiercely, clearly displeased with Sang-woong’s attitude.
But he soon relaxed his expression and spoke again.
“Fine. Since you’re going to make us a lot of money, I’ll tell you that much. You’ve dealt with the Veiled Site, right? Heo Dongsik kindly told us everything about you. Oh, and your revenge? Hyeongnim took care of it for you. Heo Dongsik is dead.”
With a nasty grin, Kang Unsoo laid out the facts to Sang-woong.
It was his style to slowly soak his targets in fear.
He even mentioned Heo Dongsik’s death to warn Sang-woong.
At Kang Unsoo’s words, Sang-woong’s face grew even harder.
As soon as Kang Unsoo finished, Sang-woong shook off his hand and took a step back.
Now that he understood the situation, there was no reason to pretend weakness.
His gaze was now icy and filled with killing intent, completely different from his earlier calm.
“The Recipe is simple. Just boil a hundred Earth-Grown Shiitake Mushrooms.”
Sang-woong told the truth, but Kang Unsoo didn’t believe him.
Kang Unsoo looked momentarily dumbfounded, but then his lips twisted up as if finding the situation amusing.
“This bastard still isn’t broken.”
Kang Unsoo clenched and unclenched his fists, threatening Sang-woong. A cruel smile slowly spread across his face.
In an instant, his eyes turned cold and chilling, like a snake.
His Sadist instincts were beginning to awaken.
He was thrilled at the thought of tormenting Sang-woong.
“That’s perfect. I was worried you’d just give up the Recipe too easily. Then I wouldn’t get to enjoy myself. I’ll carefully break you down, function by function. It’s been a while since I’ve had such fresh prey—I’m getting excited.”
Kang Unsoo whispered in a sinister tone, lightly tapping the floor with his foot.
He tried to leap over the bar counter with nimble movement.
The moment he was airborne, Sang-woong launched a surprise attack.
Without hesitation, he punched Kang Unsoo square in the Myeongchi.
“Keugh!”
With a dull thud, Kang Unsoo’s body bent like a bow, convulsing.
The pain of a fist slamming into his Myeongchi left him gasping for air, mouth wide open.
It was such an unexpected attack that the pain was even worse.
“You… you bastard…”
Sprawled across the bar, Kang Unsoo groaned in pain, saliva dripping from his gaping mouth.
He glared at Sang-woong, unable to believe what had happened, his face contorted with furious rage.
“Seems like you’re the one who can’t read the room.”
With a faint smile, Sang-woong slammed Kang Unsoo’s head down onto the counter again, without mercy.