Chapter 32: The Red Moon

“Oh my… she’s so adorable!” Lee Ji-an gushed, unable to contain her excitement at Pink’s charming demeanor.

Determined not to miss this captivating moment, Koo Eun-woo focused intently, capturing every detail with the smartphone camera.

“Pink, guess what your unnie brought for you? That’s right—your favorite treat in the whole world, a shiny anchovy!” Ji-an exclaimed, pulling a glistening anchovy from a small bag.

Pink’s eyes widened as if she’d spotted a precious gem, staring at the anchovy with eager anticipation.

“Here, Pink. Open wide! Time to eat the tastiest anchovy ever!” Ji-an said with a warm, loving smile, gently holding the anchovy near Pink’s tiny mouth.

Unable to resist, Pink pounced, gobbling the anchovy with enthusiastic crunching sounds.

“Delicious, right, Pink?” Ji-an asked softly.

As if agreeing, Pink let out a small, adorable mew, her mood clearly lifted.

Eun-woo zoomed in closer with the camera, determined not to miss Pink’s endearing eating scene. His serious expression resembled that of a seasoned documentary director.

“Wow… they’re way more talented than I expected,” Sang-woong remarked, quietly observing the kids’ skillful filming with a satisfied smile.

He’d thought they were starting the YouTube channel just for fun, but their polished delivery and natural movements showed they’d put in significant effort and preparation.

Spotting customers entering the restaurant, Sang-woong gave the kids a quick wave goodbye and hurried back inside, his face glowing with a warm, contented smile.

When he first met Ji-an and Eun-woo, he couldn’t have imagined them being this vibrant and cheerful. Ji-an used to hide her red, irritated skin—caused by severe atopic dermatitis—under high collars, her eyes filled with pain and loneliness, reflecting her isolation from the world. She struggled to adjust to her new school, enduring solitary days.

Eun-woo was much the same, carrying guilt toward his devoted older brother and masking his pain with bravado. Yet, his trembling gaze betrayed deep sorrow and anxiety.

Seeing them now, shining brighter than anyone, warmed Sang-woong’s heart with a gentle, overwhelming sense of pride.

Sang-woong had become the closest friend to the pure-hearted Afua tribe children.

Whenever he entered the dungeon, the lively Afua kids and Aria would spot him from afar and rush toward him as if on cue.

“Sang-woong’s here! Haw!”

“Master, welcome!”

“The Master’s arrived! Haw!”

The children called his name in clear, energetic voices, greeting him warmly.

“Aska, hello!”

“Bebe, hi!”

“Aria, hey!”

Sang-woong met each child’s gaze with warmth, handing out sweet snacks he’d prepared. The kids laughed gleefully, accepting the treats and gathering around him to chatter about their little world.

His next stop was the storage warehouse. With practiced ease, Sang-woong pulled fresh ingredients from his inventory, neatly stacking them on the shelves. Sacks of dirt-dusted potatoes, vibrant bundles of vegetables, and glossy fruits filled the space methodically.

Despite having seen it before, the kids watched in awe as ingredients seemed to magically pour from his inventory, their sparkling eyes following his every move.

When Sang-woong carefully set down a heavy sack of corn, the children, curious about the unfamiliar crop, gathered around, touching it cautiously and tapping its hard husks.

“This is called corn,” he explained. “Steamed, it’s sweet and soft. Grilled slowly over low heat, it has a chewy, savory flavor.”

The kids’ eyes gleamed with anticipation, eager to try it.

“Alright, little ones, just wait a bit,” Sang-woong said, finishing organizing the remaining ingredients before carrying the corn sack outside.

He skillfully peeled the husks, washed the cobs thoroughly, and handed one to each child. Lighting a fire, he demonstrated how to grill them.

“Don’t hold it too close to the flame, or it’ll burn. Keep a good distance and rotate it slowly. If you rush, the outside will char, so take your time to grill it properly for the best taste.”

“Haw!”

The kids listened attentively, grilling their corn with the excitement of playing a new game.

Leaving the innocent Afua children behind, Sang-woong quietly headed to the Horned Chicken coop. He inspected every corner, sweeping the floor with a broom and clearing away scattered feathers and droppings.

After laying fresh sawdust on the previously damp and smelly floor, the chickens clucked happily, scampering around their clean coop. Sang-woong refilled their feeders with fresh feed and topped off their water containers.

The chickens eagerly pecked at the feed, and Sang-woong watched fondly, ensuring their water was clean and plentiful. They drank thirstily, clearly pleased.

“Oh!”

While checking the cozy nesting area, Sang-woong gasped in surprise. A cluster of tiny, fluffy yellow chicks huddled together in the straw.

“They’ve finally hatched!”

Carefully, he lifted the delicate newborns, cradling them in his warm palms. The chicks chirped softly, flapping their tiny wings adorably.

“So precious,” he murmured, gently transferring them to a warm, pre-prepared incubator box. The chicks settled in, closing their eyes as if comforted by the warmth.

Their adorable sight brought a soft, warm smile to Sang-woong’s face.

And so, peaceful days passed quietly.

Monster invasions were rare, and thanks to the sturdy wooden barriers and the reliable Wood and Stone Golems, threats were easily repelled.

“This is true happiness,” Sang-woong thought. If every day could flow this calmly, he’d have no further wishes.

But his heartfelt wish was soon shattered.

Three days later, the Red Moon rises. Please survive.

The brief but chilling message explained why this once-thriving land now clung to mere survival. The vast world Sang-woong had cultivated was but a tiny fragment, and the Red Moon’s power could reduce it all to nothing in an instant—a stark warning delivered in its cold brevity.

Aria’s pale, frightened expression alone was enough to convey the gravity and danger of the situation.

“Aria, what happens when the Red Moon rises?” Sang-woong asked.

“It… it empowers monsters, driving them into a frenzy of madness. They lose all reason and attack mercilessly,” Aria replied, her voice trembling.

Sang-woong’s face hardened. “Of course… it wouldn’t let things stay this easy.”

The journey to this point hadn’t been entirely smooth. The sudden arrival of the Afua tribe had been both an opportunity and a crisis. Without Earth’s food supplies, relying solely on the land’s crops would have made their survival impossible, and the land itself would have collapsed.

But Sang-woong believed he could overcome this too. He immediately began preparing for the Red Moon’s threat.

Fortunately, he’d diligently amassed points, selling all produce except mushrooms to build a substantial reserve. He’d been saving for a beautiful pond, but now he invested every point into fortifying defenses.

He dismantled the existing wooden barriers, constructing a tighter, stronger defensive line centered around the land’s core. Minimizing the defended area maximized efficiency—a strategic choice.

The Afua tribe’s carefully tended fields might be trampled by invading monsters, but survival came first. Only by surviving could they rebuild.

With his remaining points, he purchased as many Wood and Stone Golems as possible, fully arming them with armor and weapons.

“Is there anything else I can do?” he wondered. He wished he could bring skilled hunters, but that was impossible. This was a place only he could enter, and revealing it was out of the question.

“Fine, let’s see who comes out on top. I’m no pushover either,” Sang-woong declared, his resolve unshaken.

A veteran of countless dungeons, his battle-hardened experience wouldn’t let him back down easily. He was a fearless warrior, confident in overcoming any challenge.

Three days later, as foretold, the Red Moon rose.

It glowed an ominous, blood-red hue, casting an eerie aura across the land. Unlike the usual gentle silver light, it shone darkly, swallowing the surrounding starlight.

Hanging in the center of a cloudless black sky, the massive Red Moon instilled a deep, primal unease in those who gazed upon it.