The final item for sale in the shop was a sturdy, imposing stone golem.
The arrival of this powerful new defense mechanism was a reassuring boost for Sang-woong.
“Wow, this looks pretty useful.”
The ferocious black wolves’ powerful bites had severely damaged the wood golems, but the much sturdier stone golems could easily overpower and neutralize them.
“Every single one of these is a gem. Upgrading the shop level was a great move.”
Without hesitation, Sang-woong used his accumulated points to purchase a stone golem first.
When the robust stone golem took its place beside the reliable wood golems, its commanding presence was overwhelming, as if dominating the surroundings.
“Wow! It looks incredibly strong!” Aria exclaimed, admiring the majestic stone golem.
“Pretty cool, right? Even I think it’s impressive,” Sang-woong replied.
At that moment, a thunderous howl shook the entire land, piercing the quiet night.
Wooouuuu!
In the darkness, menacing red eyes glowed.
The chilling howl of the black wolf leader seemed to command its pack to hunt.
Dozens of black wolves with gleaming red eyes charged from the shadows.
“Perfect timing. I was just wondering how powerful the new stone golem is.”
Sang-woong issued a command to his stalwart golems.
“Kill them all.”
At his resolute order, the golems, standing like steadfast statues, began to move.
The mighty stone golem led the charge, followed by the wood golems, their heavy steps echoing fiercely.
The two groups collided in a fierce clash.
A black wolf, baring sharp claws and ferocious teeth, savagely bit the stone golem’s sturdy leg.
Crack!
The wolf’s sharp teeth shattered helplessly.
In pain and confusion, the wolf faced the stone golem’s massive fist, which struck its head mercilessly.
Boom!
With a single blow, the wolf’s head shattered, leaving no trace.
“Phew, that’s seriously impressive,” Sang-woong said, nodding in satisfaction at the stone golem’s overwhelming power.
He joined the battle to hunt monsters directly, aiming to save on golem repair costs.
With Sang-woong and the stone golem fighting together, the fierce battle ended in a swift victory.
“No matter what monsters appear, with the stone golem, I’m at ease.”
He invested all incoming points into purchasing more stone golems.
Once he had enough, he bought a land elixir from the shop and used it immediately.
As the final section of the land’s core turned fully blue, the entire core glowed brilliantly.
- Conditions for land expansion have been met. Would you like to expand the land? Expansion requires 20,000 points. –
“Man, points just keep disappearing. No matter how much I save, it’s never enough.”
Selling crops and land plants at the shop, Sang-woong finally amassed 20,000 points.
The shiitake mushrooms were the biggest contributors.
“Shiitakes are the real MVPs. Great effects and the highest yield per space.”
He praised their remarkable contribution.
- Would you like to expand the land for 20,000 points? –
“Yes.”
The 20,000 points vanished instantly, and Sang-woong felt the land visibly expand.
“Wow, it’s gotten huge!”
It seemed at least ten times larger than before.
Notably, the dungeon gate was now fully within the land.
The Afua Tribe erupted in cheers upon seeing the expanded land.
This place was his precious domain and a hopeful future.
“Zepha is so happy the land grew, hua!” Zepha exclaimed.
That day, a grand festival was held.
Sang-woong prepared a special dish for the joyful Afua: hearty braised pork ribs.
He wanted to make beef ribs, but budget constraints led him to choose pork.
Preparations for the festival began immediately.
A mountain of pork ribs was soaked in cold water to remove blood.
On a large cutting board, fresh onions, garlic, ginger, and other seasonings were swiftly chopped and sliced by Sang-woong’s skilled hands.
He expertly cooked over 100 servings of pork ribs.
Large pots were filled with a golden ratio of soy sauce, sugar, and syrup, and a deep, sweet, savory aroma filled the air.
“Huaaa!” the Afua exclaimed at the delicious scent.
Curious children watched the pots with sparkling eyes, swallowing hard.
Sang-woong blanched the blood-free ribs to remove impurities, then rinsed them in cold water for a chewy, tender texture.
He mixed the ribs with the golden-ratio sauce, ensuring it coated them evenly.
The sauced meat glistened invitingly.
Transferring the ribs to large pots, he covered them and simmered them slowly to let the flavors penetrate deeply.
“Sang-woong, is it done yet, hua?” Zepha asked eagerly, unable to wait as the savory aroma intensified.
“It’s ready.”
Sang-woong tasted a rib carefully.
The tender, perfectly cooked meat melted in his mouth, its rich juiciness and savory sauce creating a perfect harmony.
“Delicious. Alright, everyone line up!”
At his command, the Afua formed an orderly line.
Children and women stood at the front, followed by the men, with Chief Zepha proudly at the end.
“Kirmi, eat lots!”
“Dani, eat lots too!”
“Amil, eat plenty!”
“Zepha, eat lots!”
Starting with the children, Sang-woong affectionately called each Afua by name, generously serving warm pork ribs.
“Thank you, Sang-woong, hua!”
“I’ll eat well, hua!”
“It smells so good, hua!”
“So happy, hua!”
The Afua sincerely thanked him, joyfully accepting the ribs.
The festival was livelier than ever, filled with happy smiles in a warm atmosphere.
Sang-woong felt deep satisfaction.
Unlike the last expansion, he avoided hasty mistakes, methodically expanding the land to provide a more comfortable, prosperous space for the Afua.
With the land expanded, he prioritized installing hearths.
Twenty sturdy hearths were neatly aligned in one corner.
Large pots, steaming with heat, sat on each.
This was an automated factory for mass-producing the precious shiitake detox potion.
“Master, I brought firewood, hua!” Afua children eagerly ran around, carrying wood to help.
“Great job. Here you go.”
Sang-woong rewarded them with sweets, colorful candies, and snacks.
Each pot simmered 100 precious shiitakes, and the first batch of detox potion was finally complete.
“Heh heh heh,” Sang-woong chuckled with satisfaction.
His heart raced at the thought of selling the potion on the black market for 4 million won per bottle.
Standard detox potions, reducing contamination by 0.1%, cost 5 million won.
His potion, nearly as effective but cheaper, seemed competitively priced.
The inventory filled with gleaming shiitake detox potions, and he began searching for a buyer.
“Let’s see, who’s the best?”
The hunter industry had numerous black markets.
With dungeon item taxes nearing 40%, hunters, corporations, and civilians actively used them.
Sang-woong browsed dark web black market sites with familiarity.
“Hmm, this one looks good.”
Lacking detailed information, he cautiously chose a site with decent reviews.
He sent an email with photos and details of his potion’s superior effects.
As an essential item for hunters, the black market contact responded quickly.
Sang-woong arranged a discreet meeting with a veiled site merchant.
Three days later, he met them an hour’s drive from his home in a remote location.
Two men approached: one large, wearing dark sunglasses, exuding a rough vibe, and another with deep-set eyes and prominent cheekbones, looking even fiercer.
Glancing at their menacing aura, Sang-woong chuckled inwardly.
Guess that’s standard for black market folks.
The sunglasses man, face half-hidden under a cap, strode toward Sang-woong and asked gruffly, “You Parsi?”
In black market dealings, pseudonyms were common to conceal identities.
Sang-woong used “Parsi.”
“Yes, I’m Parsi,” he replied.
Though annoyed by the man’s informal tone, he held back to avoid ruining the deal.
The sunglasses man, with a stern expression, extended his hand.
“Show me the goods.”
Cutting straight to business without introductions, Sang-woong calmly pulled a shiitake detox potion from his bag.
“You know it’s 5 million won per bottle, right?”
The man’s face flashed with surprise at Sang-woong’s unexpected words.
Checking the product was standard, but a seller demanding payment during inspection was a first.