Episode 176 Call Me Sister
After the interrogation, which was almost like an interrogation, we left the teachers’ office.
As I was walking alongside Dang Gyu-yeong, I asked a question.
“Are you going back to the downtown area?”
“Yeah, I have to go and finish it. But you can go slowly.”
The leadership has been handed over to Cha Da-bin, and graduates remain.
Now that the urgent times have passed, it’s okay to take your time.
So we walked leisurely as if we were taking a walk.
After a moment of silence, Dang Gyu-yeong suddenly noticed a bench at the crossroads and opened his mouth.
“My legs hurt. Let’s sit down and rest.”
“Let’s do that.”
All wounds were healed with the basic elixir, but accumulated fatigue was a separate issue.
Dang Gyu-yeong ran around the black market all day, and even fought to the death with the elders of the Blood Cult.
So now that the tension has eased, it’s natural for the accumulated fatigue to come rushing back.
There happened to be a vending machine right in front of him, so Dang Gyu-young stood in front of it.
“What do you want to drink? Coffee?”
– Rattling,
“Coffee is good.”
Dang Gyu-young pulled out two cans of coffee and handed me one, and we sat side by side on the bench and started sipping our canned coffees.
Dang Gyu-yeong, who had been tilting the can back and forth, opened his mouth.
“If you just look at the results, this year’s black market was a success.”
“That’s right.”
The Thieves’ Club and the Pioneers were engaged in a fierce battle of wits and restraint over the Black Market, but the appearance of the Blood Cult Elder turned the tables.
Invasion of the dungeon island by hostile forces is a top priority that must be addressed, putting everything else aside.
The black market is a minor incident compared to that.
The advance agents who were spread throughout the downtown area would have stopped their random checks and searches of the exchange and been deployed to this incident.
In order to trace even the smallest traces of the dead.
Since the busy area suddenly became empty, the thieves’ club was able to run the black market with peace of mind.
This year’s black market arrest rate is likely to hit an unprecedented low.
“… … If you just look at the results.”
Dang Gyu-yeong repeats this to himself.
Judging by his dull complexion, he seems to be concerned about something.
“Kim Hoya, I just remembered this now.”
“Yes, senior.”
“That graffiti, you changed the time and place as you wished.”
“Yes, it was.”
“Why did you decide to do it today?”
“It had to be today.”
It was impossible for an undergraduate student to take on a Blood Cult elder-level expert.
I definitely needed help from someone who was a graduate or higher.
So, a decision had to be made before the graduates left Dungeon Island, and the day had to be chosen when the downtown area was most crowded with graduates and leaders.
It was today that the downtown market and black market were open.
“So, you used us?”
“To be honest, yes.”
I didn’t deny it.
Dang Gyu-yeong’s complexion darkened a little more.
He tilts his can of coffee back and forth in a discontented manner and asks again.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t helped you?”
“I guess you found another way.”
Because I had to take this opportunity to defeat the Jukripin by any means necessary.
Even if I had to reveal some of the cards I had, I would have received help from the leaders or alumni.
After hearing the answer, Dang Gyu-yeong seemed to have realized something.
He looks up from his canned coffee and looks at me.
“Did you, by any chance, test me?”
A look in your eyes that wants you to tell me that’s not the case.
I was silent for a moment and then answered.
“Yes.”
“… … It was bad, really.”
The time when Chae Da-bin discovered Jukripin and gave me a hint, that is, the time when she lured the Blood Cult Elder to the meeting place, was when the Black Market was in full swing.
So, Dang Gyu-yeong was at a crossroads.
Do you send me off alone and run the black market, or do you help me?
However, Dang Gyu-yeong did not hesitate at all and followed me even though he was willing to take the enormous losses that would result from the absence of his senior and his subordinate.
But then again, I was testing Dang Gyu-yeong.
“You’re just using people, testing them. Am I allowed to be angry?”
“It was my fault.”
I nodded silently.
It was something that had to be done, but it is also true that in the process, too much emphasis was placed on efficiency.
When I admitted my mistake, Dang Gyu-yeong leaned towards me and hit his head on my shoulder.
Beans, beans, beans.
Dang Gyu-yeong, who had hit his head a few more times, rested his forehead on my shoulder and spoke.
“Don’t do that again. I told you, I’ll be your accomplice. I’ll believe whatever you say, so why don’t you trust me and test me?”
“… … .”
“Can’t you trust me just a little more?”
“I believe it now. I promise.”
When I held out my little finger, Dang Gyu-yeong saw it and quickly raised his head.
A look of surprise is evident on his face.
“……really?”
“Really.”
Dang Gyu-yeong held out his little finger and walked towards me.
“And stamp it too.”
“Let’s do that.”
And then, at Dang Gyu-yeong’s request, he put his little finger and thumb together. The seal was a dud.
Dang Gyu-yeong’s complexion brightened as if it had never been dark.
Before we knew it, the canned coffee was empty, so we got up from our seats.
I think I’ve rested enough.
As I walk, Dang Gyu-yeong comes closer and starts talking again.
“Hey, but isn’t it time we changed our name?”
“What is your title?”
“Yeah. Senior, you seem a bit distant.”
“I think you’re okay, senior. Then what should I call you?”
As if he had been waiting for my question, Dang Gyu-yeong smiled bashfully and answered.
“Sister~ Try it, Sister Gyuyoung.”
“I don’t like it, sir.”
“Oh, why!”
“I just don’t like it.”
“No, it’s not that difficult!”
“It’s difficult for me. I can’t even open my mouth.”
“Oh, just this once!”
Dang Gyu-yeong grabbed my arm and shook it back and forth, tugging at me.
Usually, if I firmly refuse, he quickly accepts and moves on, but today, he is more persistent than usual.
After a long struggle near the bench, Dang Gyu-yeong finally took a step back.
“Are you really not going to do it?”
The lips are slightly pouting and the cheeks are starting to puff out slightly.
It is clear that we are on the verge of collapse.
Do you want to hear me call you big sister so much?
“Yes, I lost.”
In fact, as Dang Gyu-yeong said, it wasn’t a difficult request to change the title a little.
I blurted it out as I walked by.
“Go quickly, sister.”
“… … !”
Dang Gyu-yeong stares blankly at me for a moment.
I felt like the corners of my lips were slowly rising,
“Hehe, hehehe.”
She started to laugh heartily, a slight blush appearing on her face.
“Hehehe, hehehehe.”
“No, you said to do it.”
“I like it, so do it. Do it one more time. Go quickly, unnie~”
“I don’t like it, senior.”
I refused with a serious face.
* * *
Dungeon-dong.
A dungeon in the basement.
A man in rough military attire was standing on the sandy beach, looking out at the sea.
Beneath the surface, all sorts of sea monsters were swarming, but they didn’t even dare to reveal themselves.
That meant that the man’s inaction was overwhelming.
As he stood there watching the waves crash, someone spoke to him from behind.
“Not a bad place for a secret meeting, huh?”
“It certainly seems that way.”
The man turned his back and nodded.
There stood a woman with her robe turned inside out.
It was a robe made of rough material, just like the man’s uniform, but at first glance, something that looked like an ornament seemed to be flashing between the robes.
“Before the school was built, all kinds of evil people gathered here.”
“There are a lot of places to hide.”
The basement of the dungeon building is so vast and deep that even if security guards are installed and teachers and staff members patrol periodically, there are bound to be gaps.
It was quite easy for these two to dig through that weak spot and enter the dungeon.
The robed woman brought up the main topic.
“I heard the news. Elder Choi was affected, right?”
“Yes. I heard that a human butcher has come forward.”
“It seems a little different from our plan… …. What do you think?”
Her tone was soft, but her eyes held an eerie aura.
A relationship where the man in the uniform and the woman in the robe cooperate with each other.
Before we infiltrated Dungeon Island, we made some plans together.
But the plan did not include capturing ‘Elder Choi’, so I ask with rebuke how this happened.
Of course, even as a man in uniform, it was something I couldn’t understand at all.
He cursed inwardly.
‘You idiot. Why did you crawl in there at that hour?’
Why are you suddenly acting on your own when you decided to communicate and move only through code?
However, the man in the military uniform did not reveal his true feelings and answered with an indifferent expression.
“I fully understand your concerns, but I can assure you that the plan will go smoothly.”
“Well, I want to believe you when you say so, Elder, but this incident has slightly damaged my trust.”
“What should I do?”
“I wish you could show me your cards in advance.”
The robed woman smiled.
They made plans and divided up their roles, but did not disclose the details to each other.
This is because most of them contain the secrets of the group to which they belong.
However, now that the unarmed man has unilaterally broken the trust, in order to settle the matter, they have to accommodate the other party’s demands as much as possible.
He took the briefcase out of his inventory and opened it.
Inside, instead of documents, there were syringes filled with a blood-red liquid.
“This is the blood bomb of our school.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name. But isn’t this a single ring?”
“It has been processed into a liquid form for easy use.”
“okay.”
The robed woman nodded.
A more detailed picture of how the Blood Cult will carry out its assigned role in the plan begins to form in my head.
“Okay, I trust you and will help you. I hope you achieve the results you want on the midterms.”
“There’s no need to hope. It’s already been decided.”
The voice of the man in the military uniform was filled with absolute confidence.
Meanwhile, there were eyes watching them from a little distance away.
A man dressed in a suit and carrying a sword on his waist.
He was one of the faculty members of Yongsal Academy. While patrolling the basement, he happened to spot some suspicious movements and followed them into this dungeon.
And as he guessed, the man and woman belong to hostile forces.
It seems like they’re going to do something about the midterm exam.
‘You must go back immediately and report.’
“What are you finding so interesting?”
– Wedge!
The man in the suit cut the spot as soon as he heard a voice behind him.
A swift single sword strike that cannot even be seen being drawn.
But his sword merely cut through the air.
The next moment, the man felt a gentle hand brush across his abdomen.
But the results were far from smooth.
– Bubbling, bubbling!
The abdomen that had been touched began to rot at a frightening rate, giving off a foul smell.
The man’s skin quickly turned black and his blood vessels bulged out.
He had heard of this skill.
Necromancer melee skill.
‘Necrograsp… …!’
In that case, it was also possible to infer the group that the Robe woman belonged to.
She was much more dangerous than I had guessed.
The man kicked the ground with all his might, even though he was in excruciating pain.
I had to get away from them a little more.
‘I must return. No matter what happens… …!’
“You still have the strength to run that far. Your spirit is worthy of praise.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Strangely, the sounds of the two men and women talking did not get any closer.
There’s no way I would have given up the chase.
Just as the man was feeling puzzled, he thought he heard the sound of fingers snapping from somewhere.
Then, the rotting abdomen began to expand at a furious rate like a balloon.
At that moment, the name of another skill came to his mind.
‘Corruption… … explosion… … .’
– Boom.
