The Explorer Association could not refuse Yuseong’s proposal.
In the end, Camilla had no choice but to hand over the colony information to Yuseong.
Park Mi Sun, as the mediator of that deal, directly took notes on the information Yuseong provided in return.
“……I see, so that’s why there are so many Pil-ae Grass near the Medusa Rat’s habitat……”
“……Ah. Treatment must begin no later than three days before the statue transformation. How did you get this kind of information… Ah, never mind, we agreed not to ask.”
“……The Serpent has this kind of habit. Definitely, if enough people gather, we should be able to lure it out. But obtaining these materials will be tricky. Collecting them will take some time. Still, we should test and verify it just in case.”
“……Hmm, but as soon as we have the materials, I think we need to launch the hunting team. Won’t that make it difficult for you to participate, Yuseong?”
Yuseong’s explanation was far more detailed than Park Mi Sun had expected.
So she had no further questions and only made brief confirmations as he spoke.
However, even she expressed surprise when Yuseong said he would personally hunt the Serpent.
“There’s really no need for you to join the hunting team directly…”
“I’m going to catch it myself and eat it sashimi-style. Drenched in plenty of chili sauce.”
“Sashimi… sashimi?”
Despite Yuseong’s words, Park Mi Sun’s expression didn’t improve.
“Actually, I think we’ll need to start the hunt in about a month. Now that we have the information, we can’t just leave the Serpent alone.”
“Then I’ll go to the 10th floor before then, no problem.”
A straightforward declaration.
But in response, Park Mi Sun sighed.
“Yuseong, I’m sorry to say this, but…”
He may have his merits, but he’s still an immature rookie.
Park Mi Sun smiled because she felt closer to Baek Yuseong.
“Advancing to the 10th floor isn’t that easy. I know you’re capable, but the Abyss isn’t something you can clear just by brute strength.”
Although Yuseong had subdued Gwak Cheongrae, it’s a completely different matter to clear the Abyss than to capture a drugged explorer.
“The 4th floor right after the safe zone is relatively easy, but from the 5th to 6th floors, there are many dangerous monsters. You’ve only had your license for less than three weeks, so… hmm, did you clear the 4th floor?”
“I cleared up to the 6th floor this time.”
“Generally, unless you’re an exceptionally talented explorer, it takes at least half a year to reach the 10th floor. The issue isn’t just combat; adapting to the environment itself is a big challenge. So don’t be too discouraged… huh?”
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
Park Mi Sun, who was spitting out a torrent of words, suddenly froze.
Her mind felt tangled.
“How far have you cleared?”
“The 6th floor.”
“How many times have you gone on expeditions?”
“Once.”
“Just once, and you’ve covered everything from the 4th to the 6th floor? …That doesn’t make sense. I don’t know about other supplies, but you at least need to replenish energy bars.”
Even just descending to the 4th floor drastically changes the Abyss environment.
Exploring the hot jungle requires a lot of supplies.
Furthermore, magic-using explorers generally consume more energy bars than regular people, so even a few days’ worth of supplies can be a huge burden.
But regardless of other explorers’ difficulties, it wasn’t Yuseong’s problem.
“I’m self-sufficient there. I catch monsters and eat them.”
“Ah… I see. Then how long was your expedition?”
“Two weeks. I pushed hard.”
Yuseong spoke nonchalantly, but Park Mi Sun’s jaw dropped.
She had never seen such a pioneering speed since she started working at the Explorer Association.
It was likely a remarkable record not only domestically but worldwide.
“You can check the Achievement Monument to confirm. And I had a friend waiting outside who joined me, so you can verify with him too.”
If one looked at the Achievement Monument, they could tell if Yuseong was bluffing or not.
Park Mi Sun decided she would check it immediately after he left.
After all, she had no choice but to nod in agreement.
“Then please send me the coordinates of the Parama Camellia Colony.”
“Ah, you want those?”
“Yes, I have to make a living.”
Working to survive.
Among explorers, there was probably no one as straightforward as Yuseong about that.
Park Mi Sun gave in completely.
“Then I wish you a successful expedition.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Yuseong carefully packed the remaining Pil-ae Grass into his backpack and left the reception room.
Park Mi Sun watched the door he exited with a dazed expression.
“That guy is a rookie…?”
She suddenly realized that Yuseong was just a newly licensed Grade 0 explorer.
As the Executive Director of the External Management Bureau, those who could stand shoulder to shoulder with her in conversation were usually high-ranking S-rank figures.
But in this deal, she had completely been outplayed by Yuseong.
“No, first let’s verify it.”
The petrification treatment originating from the Medusa Rat.
And the method to lure the Serpent out of the water.
Both sounded plausible, but they required verification.
Still, somehow, Park Mi Sun felt the information was likely true.
She predicted that Yuseong would definitely join the desperate hunting team.
***
Seong Jeokpyo, powerless, passed through the Explorer Association’s main gate.
He opened his phone and called his subordinate.
“Hey, Younghun, it’s me. Tell the guys to search again starting from the 7th floor.”
He had thought he could convince Park Mi Sun this time, but that was impossible.
“Damn it, I prepared 300 million won, but I can’t even get the location of that damn flower field!”
Seong Jeokpyo emptied the guild’s funds trying to obtain information on the Parama Camellia Colony.
That included his own assets, even selling his cherished mount.
Riding the bus instead of a car was all to proudly elevate Red Eye into a legitimate official guild.
“Anyway, until we find another way, we have to search ourselves. Stop pioneering and start searching again. I’m coming too. Hanging up.”
He hung up the phone dejectedly.
Vroooom.
At that moment, the loud roar of a sports car echoed.
Looking back, a blazing red Ferrari was pulling out from the main gate.
“Damn, these young guys are already showing off with luxury cars… huh?”
Seong Jeokpyo recognized Yuseong inside the Ferrari.
“Baek Yuseong? Wait, no, that car…”
A flashy supercar.
It was completely at odds with the sight of someone else heading to the bus stop.
“I shouldn’t have sold the car. Baek Yuseong… was he a gilded spoon after all?”
Watching Yuseong quickly drive away, Seong Jeokpyo sighed.
Although the “gilded spoon” notion was a complete misunderstanding, Seong Jeokpyo felt inexplicably humbled.
“Someday, I’ll recruit him.”
If Red Eye becomes a respectable guild, Baek Yuseong might receive a recruitment offer then.
He thought so and reaffirmed his determination once more.
***
Yuseong headed straight to the Abyss immediately after leaving the Explorer Association.
[Descending to the 7th floor]
[Wishing you a successful expedition.]
Last time he had entered through the common gate, but this time he had a reliable porter.
“This is extremely heavy.”
“Yeah, my shoulders hurt too.”
“No, hyung, you put all the gear in my backpack.”
Since he started using Jang Dojin as his subordinate, Yuseong drastically reduced his own backpack load.
Instead, he massively increased Jang Dojin’s backpack capacity.
The 150L backpack was so huge that a person could fit inside.
That huge backpack was stuffed to the brim with gear.
“Kid, this is your duty. If you don’t like it, then don’t eat.”
“Ah, no, it’s not that. Sorry, I messed up.”
They say threatening someone with food is the lowest form of bullying, but Yuseong had no qualms about pressuring Jang Dojin with meals.
More than half the backpack was filled with food supplies.
Because it included long-term preservation coolers, it was so heavy.
“I should increase the self-sufficiency ratio next time.”
Before his return, he fully self-supplied all ingredients and seasonings.
Because of that, he rarely had chances to eat delicious food, but it had its own flavor.
However, since meeting President Lee Woo Do, he had continuously received food supplies from him.
“Well, the President said he’d be happy to provide them, but…”
Lee Woo Do never hesitated to supply ingredients to Yuseong.
Yet, the value of all the ingredients he had received so far was huge.
Especially rice and wheat.
Even if he didn’t skimp on seasonings, rice and wheat took up a lot of space and weight.
Though he hunted Steel Buffalos and such to self-supply, rice and seasonings were still hard to replace.
“I need to get to the deep layers quickly.”
Rice and wheat could be replaced by Abyss resources, but only after the 20th floor.
Until then, he’d have to keep relying on Cheonghwa’s blessings.
The number displayed in front of him changed to (07).
[Arrived at the 7th floor]
[May the blessings of the World Tree be with you.]
The gate opened.
“Wow.”
“Ho.”
Both Jang Dojin and Yuseong were awestruck.
“The weather here is really nice.”
The gate connected to either the entry or clear gate was linked to the root of the World Tree.
The place they emerged onto was a hilltop.
“That’s why many people stay here for a long time.”
Compared to the 4th to 6th floors’ tropical climate, the temperature on the 7th floor was very pleasant.
Above all, the ceiling was very high.
The blue sky stretched out like autumn.
“It’s just cool and nice.”
“Yeah, it feels like summer turning into autumn.”
Even with the shuttle’s temperature control, the tropical floors were hot.
So this cool weather was very welcome.
“Wow, there’s even a village.”
“Well, it’s more of a resting spot than a village, but similar enough.”
Below the hill, explorers were gathered.
There were small, ramshackle wooden structures and people selling various goods.
“There are more people than I expected. Especially at this time.”
Even the top-tier explorers were still pioneering the 18th floor.
Many explorers gathered here on the 7th floor as well.
“Maybe it’s because the weather’s good.”
“It’s better to be in a cool place anyway. It’s also good for hunting monsters.”
Yuseong and his group descended to the foot of the hill.
The explorers’ rest area was quite lively.
Though it was a lower floor, there were experienced explorers who looked mature, as well as many beginners with obvious rookie looks.
Jang Dojin was busy looking around like he’d discovered something fascinating.
Yuseong began walking alone for a moment.
Then someone suddenly spoke to him.
“Excuse me, are you Baek Yuseong?”
“……Yes, that’s me.”
Two female explorers approached him.
Yuseong instinctively raised his guard.
Among explorers, rookies were easy prey.
When Yuseong was a complete novice, he’d been scammed many times.
“Whoa! I saw your video on MeTube. That was insane.”
“Wow, you’re really handsome.”
Their reactions were completely unexpected to Yuseong.
“Um… can I get your autograph?”
“An autograph?”
Originally handsome, Yuseong had recently put on some weight from eating well.
He no longer looked like the skinny ‘anchovy’ he once was.
“Please don’t try to push me with a guarantee contract or a scam contract.”
He thought that for a moment in confusion.
Thankfully, they weren’t offering any contracts.
“If it’s okay, here.”
The explorer who asked for the autograph pulled out her badge.
“Oh, well, this much is fine…”
Just then, Jang Dojin suddenly appeared.
If it were anyone else, they would’ve been cast in his shadow by his imposing presence.
“Hyung, who are these people?”
“Kyaaa!”
As a nearly 2-meter tall giant approached, the girl who had just been about to offer her badge screamed.
“I-I thought you were a monster!”
“A monster? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“They looked like a giant…”
Jang Dojin was dumbfounded, but to them, his appearance seemed like anger.
“S-s-sorry!”
Then they rushed off in embarrassment.
“…Uh.”
Both Jang Dojin and Yuseong were left speechless.
“Do I really look that scary?”
“Look here, dude.”
Jang Dojin wasn’t ugly.
If anything, he was rather handsome.
But standing next to Yuseong, his shadow was eclipsed, and his physique was overwhelmingly imposing.
“Why did those people approach you?”
“They asked me for an autograph.”
“Not some kind of guarantee or scam contract?”
It stung Yuseong’s pride that they had the same thought as Jang Dojin.
“Oh, I got scammed last time with a conquest contract…”
“Enough, enough.”
Yuseong let out a heavy sigh.
“Also, I think we need to buy some stuff here.”
Jang Dojin pointed toward a line of beginner explorers.
They were queuing at a stall selling various goods.
“They say a lot of snakes come out around the Oak Tree Base. They’re selling snake repellents, so we should buy some quickly.”
Jang Dojin shivered as if terrified.
After once being poisoned by snake venom and narrowly escaping death, he developed a deep hatred for snakes.
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Huh? Snakes… We can’t have snakes.”
“Snakes are a good thing, though. Why would we buy repellents?”
Yuseong said, baffled.
“Eh?”
Jang Dojin suddenly wondered if he had said something strange.
“I’m planning to go catch those snakes anyway.”
No, the weird one here was definitely Yuseong.