In front of the 15th Floor Clear Gate.
Shining with a glossy sheen was the pork jerky, ‘Bak kwa’.
According to Yuseong’s description, thanks to the honey brushed on its surface, it was sweet, and thanks to the seasoning soaked into the meat, it was salty and a little spicy.
However, Yuseong didn’t even let Jang Dojin have a taste.
Because of that, Jang Dojin was really looking forward to the upcoming expedition.
If they went out to pioneer, surely, he’d get to eat that jerky.
But Yuseong didn’t take out the jerky until they had passed the last Jungle floor.
Instead, since it was an area rich in edible plants, they grilled and ate the Monsters they hunted on the 15th floor.
“Eat more!”
“Ugh, I… I can’t eat anymore.”
“Fill your stomach! Today, you eat as much as you weigh.”
“I-I’d die if I ate that much.”
Before Jang Dojin was a mountain of meat and fruit.
Yuseong declared that before heading into the Desert Zone, they should fill up their bellies.
Until they set out to hunt, Jang Dojin was actually excited.
Given his size, he needed to eat quite a lot to feel full—he was a big eater by nature.
But that happy, silly smile faded as time went by.
By the time they’d hunted and eaten over ten Monsters, counting even the little ones, even the great Jang Dojin had had enough.
Yuseong, wearing the face of a fiendish drill instructor, announced the start of another meal.
Even though Yuseong was smaller than Jang Dojin, he ate about the same amount.
They say that Explorers burn an enormous amount of calories by using magic, but even so, Yuseong’s appetite was something else.
Naturally, a crowd of spectators gathered in front of the Clear Gate.
Everyone forgot about clearing the floor and just watched Yuseong and Jang Dojin’s eating show.
Some people even brought out Camera Apps and started recording.
“Wow, that’s insane.”
“How can they eat that much? If you converted that to Energy Bars, it’d be like eating thirty in a single sitting.”
“Thirty? Try fifty! Must’ve eaten close to fifty.”
When you consider that a civilian’s daily Energy Bar intake is only about three to five, fifty is an incredible amount.
“I’m uploading this to Instagram as soon as I get up there.”
“Shouldn’t we at least ask them for an autograph?”
“Don’t even mention it. Someone did earlier, and almost got punched.”
“What? Why?”
“They told us not to interrupt while they were eating.”
“Heh…”
People shook their heads, or watched Yuseong’s group as if they were seeing a circus act, thoroughly entertained.
At last, the mountain of meat was all gone.
Jang Dojin lay flat on his back, panting.
“I-I finished it all…”
At this point, even if Yuseong tried to beat him up, he couldn’t have eaten another bite.
Some of the onlookers even clapped for them.
Normally, Jang Dojin would’ve sat up and thrown a V-sign, but now he couldn’t even twitch a finger.
As for Yuseong, whose stomach should have been full too, his expression was anything but pained.
“Tch, kids these days don’t know how to appreciate good food.”
“Hyung, you’re only two years older than me.”
Instead of answering, Yuseong slowly got up and walked over toward the bushes.
A moment later, he came back with another Monster, one that looked like a giant lizard.
Apparently, there was still some meat left uncooked.
With a swift motion of the Rose Knife, he removed the poison glands and quickly finished prepping the meat.
He sprinkled on salt and pepper, skewered the pieces, and set them over the fire.
Jang Dojin cried out with tears in his eyes.
“Ugh, just kill me already.”
“You’re not getting any, you punk.”
When Yuseong raised the skewer as if to strike, Jang Dojin quickly rolled out of the way.
“Th-then why are you grilling it?”
“I’m going to sell it.”
Yuseong looked over at the spectators.
“I’ll take the first three. First come, first served.”
The sudden opportunity made the spectators look at each other, gauging their chances.
If this had been just a month ago, probably no one would’ve raised their hand.
“Me! Me!”
“How much is it? I’ll pay in Masok, or cash if you want.”
But now, the situation had changed a lot.
Not only had Yuseong’s reputation spread far and wide, but everyone had just witnessed the historic eating spectacle of Jang Dojin and Yuseong in person.
Even those who’d just finished their Energy Bar meals were feeling hungry again.
“Don’t need Masok or money. Just give me all the Energy Bars you’ve got. No need for the expensive ones—cheap is fine.”
That announcement from Yuseong was truly thunder out of a clear sky.
Even high-grade Energy Bars rarely cost more than 10,000 won apiece.
And government-supplied Energy Bars were practically free.
Knowing how expensive Yuseong’s food usually was, no one wanted to miss this chance.
In the end, the three people with the most Energy Bars on hand were chosen.
Each of them handed over a whole bundle of Energy Bars and received their portion of meat.
“How do we eat this? Just as is?”
“Already salted and peppered, so just cut off a piece and eat. I’ve already removed the poison gland, so don’t worry.”
“Oooh…”
It wasn’t as if there had been any elaborate cooking process.
It was just grilled lizard meat with some salt and pepper.
There was a faint earthy smell, so it wasn’t the best ingredient out there.
Even so, it was far too good a dish for the price of a few Energy Bars.
The Explorers ate the meat and experienced true happiness.
“So savory, so flavorful! What is this taste?”
“If I eat all of this, I’ll have nothing left but Energy Bars for the rest of the trip.”
“No way, I have to take some home for my wife and kids.”
“Hey, you’ve already eaten most of it. What are you talking about?”
They chatted as they stripped the meat down to the bones in no time.
Yuseong clenched and unclenched his fist.
He could feel his strength increasing thanks to his pursuit of culinary excellence.
“But why did you suddenly collect so many Energy Bars?”
Jang Dojin asked, curious.
Of course, Yuseong hadn’t taken the Energy Bars just to eat them himself.
“It’s about the same as when we caught that lobster last time.”
“Is there even fishing in the Desert?”
“It’s not fishing, but it’s similar.”
The main ingredient of Energy Bars is Nectar that comes from the World Tree Roots.
So, there’s not a Monster alive that dislikes Energy Bars.
Yuseong spoke up suddenly.
“Ever ridden a camel before?”
“Huh? Of course not.”
“You’re going to ride until you’re sick of it this time.”
His plan was to tame camels with those Energy Bars.
***
16th Floor.
As always, once they passed a floor, the climate of the Abyss changed dramatically.
The easiest place to pioneer is the gentle grasslands.
As long as you can deal with the Monsters that charge at you, you can cross the plains with the breeze at your back.
Next is the marine zone, typified by the 10th to 12th floors.
As long as you avoid dangerous Monsters like the Serpent, you can cross the seas at leisure.
After that is the Jungle.
For most Explorers, it’s a treacherous region.
There’s constant dampness, and plenty of poisonous insects and plants.
But, just as with jungles on Earth, the Abyss’s jungles are home to many creatures.
Meaning, there’s lots to hunt.
That’s why the Jungle is rich in Masok, and, for Yuseong, it’s a great place for catching and eating.
Finally, starting from the 16th Floor, comes the Desert Zone.
Extreme, harsh, special zones haven’t appeared yet, but at this point, the desert is the toughest environment.
By day, the heat exceeds 50 degrees, and by night, it drops below minus ten.
There are frequent sandstorms strong enough to blow away a person, and very few Monsters from which to collect Masok.
Sometimes, poisonous scorpions hiding in the sand are incredibly dangerous.
The United States, the world’s strongest nation.
With its lavish support for Awakened immigration policies, America was leading the way in pioneering the Abyss, but even they stumbled at the 16th Floor.
They’d poured billions per person to support their S-Rank Explorers, but as those very Explorers collapsed one by one, their pioneering efforts slowed down.
While America lagged behind due to the collapse of the fossil fuel industry and civil wars, the Middle East came into focus.
Saudi Arabia, a nation without a single S-Rank Explorer, was the first to clear the 16th Floor.
It was the Caravan Tribe Explorers, who still lived in the desert, who accomplished that feat.
Only then did America and other Advanced Nations realize the error of their ways.
The Abyss wasn’t a place you could conquer with force alone.
You had to understand the environment and adapt accordingly.
“Those are camels, right…”
“Yeah, they’re camels.”
So, for the first time on the 16th Floor, Explorers saw Monsters as something other than prey.
“But why are they so big? And why are they sky blue?”
“That’s not the camel you see at the zoo, right?”
“Nope.”
“But they’re gentle. They’re herbivores.”
Even so, the presence of the Cold Skin Camels was overwhelming.
They were called camels, but they were bigger than African elephants.
The twin humps on their backs looked like mountains.
“Ugh, it’s so hot I could die.”
“If you just ride on their backs, you’ll stay cool.”
Cold Skin Camels.
The ones rich in mana, just as their name suggests, have cold skin.
So, even in this fifty-degree heat, riding one keeps you cool and comfortable.
And since you’re safe from poisonous bugs and snakes that jump out of the sand to bite your ankles, it really is the ultimate ride.
Because of that, lots of Explorers were moving about this plain where the Cold Skin Camels congregated.
They scurried around, weaving between the camels’ legs, trying to tame them.
“Be careful! If you get stepped on, you’re dead!”
“Of course!”
Just because Cold Skin Camels are gentle herbivorous Monsters doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous.
Think about elephants—they’re herbivores too.
If you get trampled by those hooves, you’re just as dead.
“Hey, there are even warning signs posted.”
The Explorers’ Guild had come down and put up notices themselves.
Cold Skin Camel Capture Method and Precautions
- Cold Skin Camels love Energy Bars. Feed them and they’ll eat well.
- Absolutely no hunting allowed. Violation: fine of over 50 million won or more than 3 years imprisonment. (Penalty Clause 19-8 of the Pioneer Special Law.)
- Individuals with two humps on their backs have the best stamina and temperament.
- Do not touch those with no humps.
- If a Cold Skin Camel kneels, climb on and gently stroke its neck.
- Tie an Energy Bar to a stick and lead it north toward the Clear Gate.
Jang Dojin was impressed after reading the sign.
“The Explorers’ Guild is really doing their job.”
They’d copied the rules directly from America, but the explanations were friendlier than expected.
And sure enough, some Explorers were following the instructions, climbing onto the Cold Skin Camels’ backs.
They happily set out, leading their camels along.
Excited at the thought of riding a camel, Jang Dojin shouted,
“Let’s hurry and find one and ride! Wow, this is awesome. How about that huge one over there?”
Jang Dojin pointed at one.
It was an individual with two large humps rising tall on its back.
Other Explorers seemed to have their eyes on that one too, so Jang Dojin felt anxious.
“No, that one’s not good. It’s big, but slow.”
But Yuseong shook his head.
He pointed at one of the camels standing on the edge of the herd.
“I like that one.”
“Huh? That one…”
Jang Dojin looked disappointed.
The one Yuseong pointed at was sturdier than the others, but also smaller.
Most importantly, it didn’t have any humps at all.
The sign said that those with two humps were best, so by that logic, this one would have the weakest stamina.
“That’s the best one.”
But Yuseong was firm in his decision.
Jang Dojin knew from experience that once Yuseong set his mind on something, there was no changing it.
“Impossible.”
“Heh heh…”
Someone nearby laughed mockingly.
They were Explorers who had already managed to tame Cold Skin Camels with two humps.
“Are these floor rookies? The ones shaped like that look nimble, but they tire quickly if you walk too far. Like a sports car with terrible fuel economy. What you want out here is a sturdy diesel like ours, not a sports car.”
There’s always someone who, just because they have a little more experience, wants to show off their shallow knowledge.
“Hey, big guy. Convince your friend for us.”
Someone else chimed in with a sneer.
Yuseong quietly asked Jang Dojin,
“Don’t trust me?”
“I’d trust you over a sign, of course.”
Jang Dojin didn’t waver at all.
He had built up too much trust in Yuseong on the way to this floor.
When Jang Dojin answered firmly, the mocking Explorers only looked embarrassed.
Without a word, Yuseong walked over to the camel he’d picked out.
He tore open a pack of Energy Bars and waved them.
Immediately, the camel responded eagerly.
“Kururururu!”
It let out a strange cry and galloped over.
It was certainly different from the leisurely pace of the other Cold Skin Camels.
“It’s true that those with two humps have better stamina. The humps store extra nutrients.”
“Really? Then why did you pick one with no humps?”
“These guys use World Tree Roots growing in the ground. They can quickly store up energy and grow humps with just a little bit.”
“Then…”
“But why does this one have no humps right now?”
Yuseong stroked the camel’s head as it munched happily on the Energy Bars.
Jang Dojin thought about Yuseong’s question for a moment.
“Ah… because it moves around a lot?”
“Right. The reason all the other ones are plump and lazy is because of this one.”
Cold Skin Camels are herd animals.
They’re gentle, but in every group, there are always sentinels who protect the herd from Monster attacks.
“These guys—they’re like warriors.”
The one Yuseong chose wasn’t scrawny at all.
In fact, it was the most active, the fastest, the one with the strongest muscles.
“Peel off an Energy Bar and give it to him.”
“Yes!”
Excited, Jang Dojin opened up his bundle of Energy Bars.
The camel, thrilled, cried out “Kururururu,” and the watching spectators were stunned by the sudden avalanche of Energy Bars.
Jang Dojin even gave the camel a name.
“Eat up, Kururu!”
“Kurururu!”
The sight of the huge sky-blue camel devouring Energy Bars as if possessed was truly something to behold.
But the real surprise happened soon after.
“Uh, uh, look—it’s growing!”
“What’s going on? Do humps normally appear that quickly?”
Two humps began to rise up on the previously flat back of the Cold Skin Camel.
It was storing all the energy it had just eaten in real time.
After eating the whole bundle of Energy Bars, its two humps grew even bigger than any of the others.
One of the onlookers, after hearing Yuseong’s explanation, mumbled in a daze,
“A fuel-efficient sports car… or something like that…”