A warm, deep scent like the comforting aroma of home drifted through the air, spreading across the entire ground.
“Master! There’s a delicious smell! I’ve never smelled anything like this before.”
Aria sniffed eagerly atop Sang-woong’s shoulder.
The small girl’s body trembled with anticipation.
“It’s a new smell, but it’s warm and nice! Howl!”
The other children circled around the pot with curious expressions.
“Hahaha, you’ve never had Miyukguk(seeweed soup) before. Just wait a moment, and you’ll get to taste it. It’s very special. Good for your body, too.”
Sang-woong smiled warmly at the children’s innocent reactions.
Setting aside the Miyukguk, Sang-woong immediately began preparing the Tteokbokki.
He poured an appropriate amount of water into the pot and added plenty of deep, intense red gochujang.
Already, a spicy aroma seemed to waft from the pot.
Over that, he sprinkled red chili powder to deepen the color, while the sugar sparkled like scattered jewels.
The glossy black sheen of soy sauce added a complex harmony of sweet, savory, spicy, and umami flavors.
“Wow, Tteokbokki! Just looking at it makes my mouth water. Howl!”
“My favorite, Tteokbokki! The spicy and sweet smell! Howl!”
“Sang-woong is making Tteokbokki! It’s a festival! Tteokbokki festival! Howl!”
All the Ahoa Tribe, having already tasted Tteokbokki once, began cheering excitedly.
As expected, Tteokbokki was a favorite menu item among both adults and children.
Sang-woong generously added rice cakes, fish cakes, and various vegetables into the seasoning and simmered it.
It was only a matter of time until the sauce absorbed perfectly and the dish was complete.
Meanwhile, he prepared the Fried Food.
He carefully sliced clean sweet potatoes, potatoes, and pumpkin into bite-sized pieces, coated them in batter, and gently slid them into the hot oil.
With the sizzling sound and rising white foam, the savory fried aroma blended with the Tteokbokki scent, tantalizing the noses of the Ahoa Tribe.
As the ingredients touched the hot oil, they browned from the outside, crisping up with a delightful crunch.
After frying, Sang-woong removed the golden pieces and drained the oil before finally bringing out a large quantity of Cola—the Ahoa Tribe’s most beloved beverage—from his inventory.
“Cunning, could you take the food to Ember? Bring a bottle of Cola, too.”
“Got it! Howl!”
Sang-woong first placed generous servings of Miyukguk, Tteokbokki, and well-fried snacks on the trays to give to Ember.
“Ember has to eat well to recover quickly.”
“Got it! Howl!”
Cunning took the tray carefully, as if sensing Sang-woong’s sincerity, and headed toward Ember’s home.
“Alright, everyone! Eat while it’s hot; that’s when it tastes best!”
As soon as Sang-woong finished speaking, the Ahoa Tribe could no longer contain their excitement.
They grabbed trays and lined up neatly to serve themselves.
Though it was their first time tasting Miyukguk, its warm and savory flavor captivated them all.
With Tteokbokki, Fried Food, and refreshing Cola added to the mix, smiles of happiness never left the faces of the Ahoa Tribe.
As their bellies filled, the real festival began.
The Ahoa Tribe started singing and danced the Dance of Birth to the rhythm.
Wearing elaborate decorations made from leaves and flowers, their faces painted with the unique Nature Pattern, the dance embodied the beauty and vitality of nature.
It was a true expression of strength and stability, something they wouldn’t have dared to perform amid the threat of Monsters.
Sang-woong noticed this festival was different from the last one and asked Cunning.
“Cunning, this festival seems different from the previous one?”
“This is the Festival of Life and Hope, held when a child is born. It’s the Dance of Birth. Sang-woong, let’s dance together! Howl!”
Cunning grabbed Sang-woong’s hand and pulled him in.
Though awkward at first, Sang-woong soon surrendered to the pure spirit and joyful songs of the Ahoa Tribe, feeling a warm sense of unity with them.
As he laughed and danced with the tribe, Sang-woong felt the humble yet genuine weight of true happiness they created together.
As the festival deepened into the night, the faces of the Ahoa Tribe glowed with joyful smiles.
Sang-woong thought about this small life, born after so many hardships, and the hope it brought—how much happiness and miracles it might bring to this land in the future.
He recalled once more the small, warm weight of Bene cradled in his arms.
And with a heart full of determination, he vowed to protect this precious happiness and hope from any threat.
This land, where fate had brought him, was becoming a precious Rest Area where life and hope had taken root.
***
Several days later.
A long-awaited drive gave Sang-woong a rare sense of leisure.
Most days, he only traveled short distances, so driving along a quiet road for a long distance felt like a kind of liberation.
Enjoying the breeze flowing through his half-open window, Sang-woong hummed a light tune.
He was on his way to meet a new Underground Market merchant for a trade.
What kind of person would this new contact be?
His previous dealings in the Underground Market had been far from pleasant.
The man had tried to intimidate him with glowering eyes and aggressive gestures, forcing Sang-woong to stay constantly on edge during the transaction.
As expected, that man attacked to steal the Detoxification Potion recipe, and Sang-woong firmly put an end to such attempts so they wouldn’t happen again.
‘Please, this time I hope it’s at least someone with basic common sense.’
But Sang-woong knew well how futile that hope was.
The Underground Market was a gathering place for such people.
When Sang-woong arrived at the meeting place, he wore a strange expression.
The merchant had chosen a restaurant as the meeting spot, so he had expected a small, quiet place on the outskirts.
But contrary to his expectations, it was a flashy restaurant bustling with customers.
He checked the address again to make sure he hadn’t come to the wrong place.
This was definitely the right place.
‘Trading in a crowded place like this?’
What he was about to do was clearly an illicit trade, so he assumed it would be somewhere with few people.
He had never expected it would be such a bright, crowded spot.
Sang-woong approached the counter.
“I have a reservation under the name Kyung Yoon-seul.”
“Please wait a moment, sir.”
After confirming the reservation, an employee led Sang-woong to a private room.
Upon entering, Sang-woong briefly wondered if he had mistakenly walked into the wrong room—it was unexpectedly spacious.
Across the table, under soft lighting, sat a woman whose appearance was a stark contrast to the typical Underground Market merchant Sang-woong had imagined.
She wore a neat semi-formal suit with a turtleneck, and her long hair flowed smoothly with a glossy shine.
She was quite beautiful.
The woman stood and bowed politely to Sang-woong.
Her demeanor was calm and restrained.
Sang-woong sensed immediately that he was in the right place.
She was clearly a Hunter.
A very capable one.
Sang-woong trusted the intuition honed from his long Hunter life and was confident he wasn’t mistaken this time.
When she smiled faintly at him, Sang-woong felt a new kind of curiosity along with a slight nervousness he hadn’t experienced before.
“Parsi.”
The woman asked in a careful voice.
“Yes, I am Parsi.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Kyung Yoon-seul of Luminite Site. Please, have a seat.”
Following Kyung Yoon-seul’s invitation, Sang-woong sat opposite her at the table.
“I wasn’t sure what kind of food you liked, so I brought you to this popular nearby place.”
“Ah, I’m fine with anything.”
Shortly after, the food was served, and Kyung Yoon-seul naturally began the conversation.
“To be honest, I was quite surprised when you contacted me first, Parsi.”
Sang-woong didn’t quite understand what she meant and just smiled awkwardly.
Noticing this, Kyung Yoon-seul explained with a smiling face.
“Your Detoxification Potion has been a product we’ve been paying close attention to. In our line of work, we always verify new products.”
“Oh, I see.”
Now her words made sense.
“At first, I didn’t believe all the descriptions about the Detoxification Potion on the site. I thought a detox potion couldn’t possibly taste good.”
Hearing her, Sang-woong silently agreed.
Certain plants always had to be included in detox potions, and these plants were notoriously bitter.
That’s why “tasty detox potions” were likely scams.
“But after actually drinking it, I found it quite delicious. It felt like eating a richly simmered Soup that’s been cooked for a long time. But more surprisingly, I discovered something else.”
Kyung Yoon-seul paused, prompting Sang-woong to put down his fork and look at her.
“I have a constitution that usually doesn’t respond well to detox potions, but yours had a significant effect on me.”
As Kyung Yoon-seul’s words revealed, Sang-woong’s Detoxification Potion was effective even for Hunters who had previously shown resistance.
The chronic problems with existing detox potions were inconsistent efficacy due to taste and constitution, and the Curse of Resistance.
Even if they worked well at first, resistance would soon develop, drastically reducing their effects.
Therefore, Hunters had to alternate among various potions.
Especially when High Contamination exceeded 803%, it was nearly impossible to expect efficacy from any potion, leading many Hunters to choose Retirement.
Kyung Yoon-seul mentioned the possibility that Sang-woong’s Detoxification Potion might work even on such heavily contaminated individuals.
As Sang-woong heard information about the potential of his potion—details unnecessary to disclose from a merchant’s perspective—he felt a mixture of curiosity and caution.
Reading Sang-woong’s expression, Kyung Yoon-seul said,
“We are openly sharing all the information we have because we truly wish to trade with you. We will offer the best terms and prices.”
Sang-woong was internally surprised.
He hadn’t expected an Underground Market merchant to propose a trade with such trust.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
A bright smile spread across Kyung Yoon-seul’s face.
“Thank you for agreeing to trade.”
The details were settled at Isacheonli.
Thanks to the offer to match the highest price, Sang-woong countered by requesting 80% of the sale price, which Kyung Yoon-seul readily accepted.
After shaking hands, Sang-woong took out 50 Detoxification Potions from his bag and placed them on the table.
Though the sale price hadn’t yet been finalized, Kyung Yoon-seul paid Sang-woong a sum far exceeding the market price.
“That was a good trade.”
As Sang-woong extended his hand, Kyung Yoon-seul took it and pulled out a business card from her wallet.
The elegant card bore only the name “Kyung Yoon-seul” and her contact information.
Sang-woong was slightly surprised.
Until now, he had assumed “Kyung Yoon-seul” was a pseudonym.
Most people in the Underground Market operated under aliases.
He had only revealed his nickname, but unlike him, she had disclosed her real name.
“This is my card. People as outstanding as you, Parsi, often attract those with ill intentions. If any trouble arises, contact me anytime. Whether it’s Hunter-related or other matters, I’ll be of help.”
From Kyung Yoon-seul’s words, Sang-woong inferred she had considerable backing.
He judged there was no reason to put up walls with such a friendly contact.
“Understood.”
He took the card and placed it in his wallet.
The trade with Kyung Yoon-seul left Sang-woong deeply satisfied.
In fact, she had strong reasons for being so invested in the Detoxification Potion.