Chapter 38: When Orcs Strike Gold

A new specialty has awakened.

Who?

The Orc uncles.

“Kya…”

Yeah, that’s it.

I had been thinking about this occasionally.

No, all the Advanced and Top-Grade workers each have their own specialty.

So if Orcs want to become Advanced too…

‘Shouldn’t they have at least one specialty?’

That was my thought.

And now, it’s really happening.

Feels good, doesn’t it?

“Sajang? What are you looking at?”

“They say the Orcs got a specialty. So I’m checking it out.”

“Ohh… Let me see too.”

Yeah.

Let’s watch together.

‘What kind of specialty did they get, I wonder?’

Since they’re Orcs…

Of course it must be combat-related, right?

Expecting that, I skim through their resumes.

[Worker Resume]

[Name: Orc Horde / Intermediate]

[Specialty: Field Work]

[Daily Wage: 4 Lower-grade Magic Stones]

They’re still Intermediate rank.

They just gained a specialty, not a rank up.

But…

The specialty listed looks a bit strange?

“Field work? What’s that? Sajang, you know?”

“Uh… yeah?”

I know about labor-type field work.

I’m good at that.

I did some today as well.

‘But could it really be that kind of field work?’

Nah.

It can’t be.

“Chik!”

Crack!

“Huh…?”

“What are you guys doing?”

“Why are you hitting the ground with pickaxes…”

Thud

‘Hey, that one’s digging with a shovel?’

“Hmm…”

Good posture.

They’re really shoveling.

That’s about 97 points out of 100.

“What are those guys doing?”

“Don’t you see? They’re digging…”

“Shoveling?”

“…”

Arthur tilted his head.

Robin?

“…”

Not interested.

He’s busy hunting monsters nonstop.

But this is…

[Specialty: Field Work]

That’s hilarious.

‘How can the specialty be field work?’

‘What’s the point of digging up dirt enthusiastically in a dungeon?’

They’re not going to build anything.

All that will come up is just dirt anyway.

No, wait.

Still, having a specialty is a good thing.

Yeah…

Just barely convinced, I nodded, then paused.

“Chik!”

“Hm?”

That thing in your hand…

“A Magic Stone?”

Exactly.

Magic Stones.

And not just one or two…

“Chik! Chik!”

Proudly, they straightened their shoulders and offered it, and I took it.

[8 High-grade Mana Stones]

Hmm…

So,

“You dug these up from the ground just now?”

“Chik!”

They nodded eagerly.

“This is worth ten million won each.”

“Chik!”

This time, a thumbs-up.

But what else did that one bring?

I’ve seen this somewhere too.

[Mithril Shard]

Raw materials as well?

No way.

Digging and mining ores.

They’ve really become proper workers.

“Those guys finally earned their keep?”

“Well, Arthur, you guys always earn way more than your keep anyway…”

“Really? Even if I bought them Korean cows, it’d still be worth it?”

“…”

Cows?

I could buy them the whole farm and still have leftovers…

“Chik! Ching!”

Yeah, yeah.

I have to admit, the proud chest-thrusting is well-earned.

Magic Stones and raw material farming too.

They’re solid.

Especially if Rani finds out they can mine materials, she’s going to be thrilled.

“She’s been complaining lately that materials are drying up fast.”

I can already see her bouncing around excitedly.

Anyway.

“This field work specialty is pretty good.”

Right now it’s just Magic Stones and Mithril shards.

But if they reach a higher rank…?

I feel like they’ll bring even better materials.

Somehow.

I liked them from the first time I saw them.

Coming in holding tools —

“Chik? Ching! Chik!”

“Sajang, didn’t you give them a hard time for being monsters when you first met them?”

“Hm? What? Arthur hates coffee?”

“They don’t understand Orc speak.”

“Right?”

“Chik?!”

‘What now?’

If you’re not happy, learn to talk while leveling up.

Anyway, I like it.

“I like it.”

Yoon Hajun, 23 years old.

The young man who quit labor work today.

But?

The laborer’s soul still remains.

Maybe that’s why they feel so familiar.

“Chik!”

Hehe.

But that doesn’t mean I want to pick up a pickaxe too.

That’s heavy for you guys to carry.

‘How do I carry it…?’

I’ll just cheer you on.

Fighting.

Huff.

Strategy.

If he’s the type to speak up first like that…

Robin must be mad.

“Here, took up a shield.”

“Chik!”

Yeah, we need a plan.

But honestly, it’s fascinating.

Suddenly they’re digging up Magic Stones from the floor?

Okay.

Don’t stare so hard.

It’s intimidating.

“Alright, everyone, shall we go again?”

“Really! It took forever because of those guys!”

“Chik?!”

“You’ll talk later? Speak in Korean!”

Arthur…

You understand them.

He’s always quick to pick up stuff like that…

***

“The Orc guys are running fast! If you get to the maze slower than them, they won’t let it slide!”

“Chik!”

‘Even if it’s unfair, what can we do?’

Arthur already started running…

“Chik!”

Yeah.

We have to follow.

If Arthur is late, he’ll really make them pay.

But…

“Isn’t it kinda cheap that he runs ahead even though he’s faster?”

Anyway.

And so the C-Rank Labyrinth of Chaos run started again.

Ugh, ugh!

It definitely feels tougher than D-Rank… but what of it.

“Weak ones, show yourselves!”

“Chik! Chik!”

…Turtles, so slow.

Our workers?

They got stronger already.

Arthur, now a Top-Grade Worker.

The Orcs aiming for Advanced.

Robin raining down volleys of five arrows each to clear enemies.

‘How are they supposed to stop them?’

C-Rank Labyrinth of Chaos?

Blink a few times and it’s over.

[Chaos Labyrinth Clear.]

[Exiting Dungeon.]

Feels like I just took a walk around the neighborhood.

“Hey! We’re back! Was it fun? Tell Rani! She’s curious!”

“Thanks for your hard work, everyone.”

Rani greeted us as soon as we got out.

Ah, Todd too.

“Rani, look at this. The Orcs just mined this in the maze, what do you think?”

“Hmm? Mithril! Mm… Wow, this is really good mithril!”

“Oh, really? Is it different from regular mithril?”

“Yeah! Different! This is good mithril! The more good mithril I have, the prettier stuff I can make!”

“Chik! Ching!”

“Yay~! Great! If the Orc uncles mine a lot, Rani will be so happy!”

Rani really loves materials.

Look at her bouncing around excitedly.

She’s playing with the Mithril shards.

I should check the rewards.

[C-Rank Labyrinth of Chaos Clear Success!]

[Clear Time – 00:10:48]

[Clear Reward – C-Rank Box of Chaos]

***

Ten minutes.

‘Maybe because I was distracted midway, it feels slower than last time?’

But well…

The Labyrinth of Chaos doesn’t give achievements for speed anyway.

The important thing is this.

[C-Rank Box of Chaos]

“Phew…”

I’ve opened this three times so far.

And the results were always satisfying.

So I’m even more excited now.

How will it be this time…

Drumroll~!

Rani.

You make me more nervous like this.

“Sajang, open it quickly!”

Arthur too.

Huh?

Robin and Todd are watching intently as well.

“Chik!”

Yeah.

You guys too.

“Okay, opening it.”

With everyone watching, it’s gotta be something good, right?

Opening it slowly…

“Huh?”

“A single piece of paper came out!”

“What kind of paper?”

Exactly.

Just one piece of paper, nothing else.

But it looks kind of familiar…

[Top-Grade Worker 1-Time Guaranteed Summon Ticket]

“Top-grade? Guaranteed summon… what’s that?”

“Rani knows! More friends are coming!”

“But… if Rani’s workers are Top-Grade, doesn’t that mean their rank is higher than ours?”

“Heh~! They’re all friends! Ggomdori too! Arthur too! Robin too! Even the Orc uncles!”

Top-Grade guaranteed summon…

“Nice.”

Kya, that’s it.

The Box of Chaos never disappoints.

Not just Advanced, but a guaranteed Top-Grade summon ticket?

“This means now the Orcs only have to level up to Advanced workers.”

“Right?”

“Yeah, that way there’s a fixed team spot.”

“Chik!”

“Who’s ‘chik’-ing? All the guys who came to the maze slower than us are going straight to training.”

That’s all five of them, right?

Arthur must want to see other Top-Grade workers too.

He took the Orcs immediately and started training.

I followed to watch—

“Oh… Sajangnim, the Orc workers seem different.”

“Right? They learned a specialty.”

Clearly, the specialty is related.

They used to stagger but now they’re solid.

“Chik!”

Practicing smashing down with what they’re holding.

And after hitting, they’re fine.

Kya…

I really get the feeling.

The Orcs are about to become Advanced.

Next?

[Top-Grade Worker 1-Time Guaranteed Summon Ticket]

Gotta use it right away.

I wonder who will come this time.

I’m already excited.

China, Beijing.

“Sajangnim, here are the investigation results.”

“Let me see.”

Slip, Slip—

***

“Phew… So the conclusion is that even after investigating based on this information, we couldn’t identify them?”

“…Sorry.”

“No… It’s not your fault, Deputy Director.”

[Recent Registered Awakened List — South Korea]

Information from an anonymous email.

We thought we could find them by combing through this list…

But it was inconclusive.

Well, you can’t understand those Korean guys.

There are some awakened ones wandering around construction sites.

“Hm.”

Given their awakened abilities, that’s plausible.

Anyway.

“There’s no choice. Send this data as is to headquarters.”

“Upstairs…”

“Yes, the higher-ups ordered to drop the case and hand it over.”

“Hmm… Is that okay?”

‘Is it ever okay?’

Those guys clearly have no clue.

‘But what can we do?’

If told to do something, we do it.

“Sigh… I miss Wei Jin more than ever today.”

Right.

‘If he were alive, would we be taking such orders?’

He had that kind of power.

Now?

No way.

Unless they had real achievements so far, which they don’t.

Since Wei Jin’s death, it’s all been failures.

The Central Awakened Administration Bureau, once so powerful it could even drop birds from the sky, no longer exists.

Now, if you don’t follow orders properly…

It’s not your job on the line, but your life.

“Anyway, just send the whole list as is.”

“And how do they plan to move after sending it?”

“Same as always.”

They’ll either kidnap or threaten.

At first, it seemed impossible with hunters involved…

But once the government steps in, it’s doable.

Well.

“If there’s no Labor Management Office Head on that list, it’s just a free-for-all.”

“If someone stands out…”

“Yeah, they’re likely the Labor Management Office Head.”

‘Any signs of China in the process?’

No chance.

The same old way they always do.

But somehow it feels uneasy…

“Especially now that even A-Rank dungeons are exploding more than before Wei Jin’s death…”

“Exactly my point.”

If by some chance he slipped away…

And during that process they find out it’s China’s doing and grow hostile…?

Then…

No. They wouldn’t fail, would they?

“Phew…”

Sighing deeply, I lifted my head.

On the wall, I see a picture.

“If General Guan lived in reality… China wouldn’t be in this state.”

General, please watch over our China…

Please.

“Kya! They finally leveled up.”

As expected.

The specialty must be the key.

Since the Orcs gained the field work specialty, they’ve grown rapidly.

***

[Workers’ experience has reached the limit.]

[Suitable weapon check.]

[Conditions met.]

[Workers’ rank increased.]

[Orc Horde (Intermediate) → Orc Horde (Advanced)]

“Chik! Thank you, Sajang! Thank you, Arthur! Chik!”

‘Huh, what?’

‘They really talk?’

Uh…

“Who’s talking informally? Wah, Top-grade. You guys are so formal.”

That’s true.

Let’s leave them to play amongst themselves for now.

Let’s summon a Top-Grade Worker once.

That’s what I’m most curious about.

Here we go, boldly.

[Using ‘Top-Grade Worker 1-Time Guaranteed Summon Ticket.’]

Flash!

Light bursts forth.

And—

“Oh…”

A long beard.

And a spear-like sword?

Huh?

Looks familiar somehow…

“Greetings, Sajang. I am Archmage Yun Jang.”

“What?”

“Wait.”

“An Archmage?”