Chapter 171

“Strong guild looking for B-rank or higher mercenaries for an expedition to a foreign country!”

“Anyone need a healing potion for the road? Cheap, cheap! How can a top-quality product personally brewed by an A-rank alchemist be this price!”

“Enjoy the buff effects of various dungeon lunchboxes made by a B-rank chef!”

Swarming.

Ever since Dungeons appeared in the world and all of humanity gained Unique Abilities, Incheon International Airport was always a madhouse.

Countless hunters waiting for their flights, street vendors targeting them, and even guild scouts looking to recruit mercenaries.

The reason so many people flocked here was simple.

“Because there are no Dungeons in the country.”

A hunter with his hands in his pockets muttered.

Judging by the blue nameplate, he was B-rank.

“That’s right.”

The hunter across from him nodded.

He, too, was B-rank.

“Damn those top guilds and top hunters… They’re hogging all the domestic Dungeons that appear… It’s a small peninsula, isn’t it? Us common folk have no choice but to go abroad for work, I guess.”

“What can you do? We should at least take comfort in being the world’s second-strongest hunter nation. At least our families are safe, right?”

A strong national power had its pros and cons.

Public safety was secure, but the competition for Dungeons became fierce.

As a result, those without skill naturally fell behind in the domestic Dungeon scene.

But could they just sit still?

They had to make a living, so they had to go abroad to build their skills.

Only by building their skills could they create a virtuous cycle of getting hired by high-level guilds and increasing their value.

Therefore, the airport was naturally always full of hunters.

“So, where are you headed?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. They say these days you have to choose the country as carefully as the Dungeon… Did you hear the news from Russia recently?”

“Ah, that new Dungeon there?”

“Yeah, they say everyone who went on that expedition hasn’t been able to come back. Phew, I heard even the Russian government has given up because of the mafia there. Tsk, tsk, why would anyone go to a place like that.”

“It’s an S-rank Dungeon, they say. They probably saw cases of people hitting the jackpot with a stroke of luck in a Dungeon and got tempted.”

“Sigh, what’s the point. A life is still more important. Who goes to Russia these days… Huh?”

The younger B-rank hunter’s eyes suddenly widened.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“L-Look over there. Isn’t that the gate for the flight to Russia?”

“So it is.”

In the direction they were looking, a man holding a staff was striding along.

A sturdy build and a face that looked familiar.

“That person looks familiar…?”

“I don’t think I know him.”

He looked to see if there was a nameplate.

There was nothing attached to his waist.

What, was he a civilian?

Or did he hide it because he didn’t want to show it?

Hunters who weren’t participating in a Dungeon sometimes took off their nameplates.

“But that guy. Is he going to Russia alone? Has he got a death wish?”

“Tsk, tsk, must be some moron. What’s the use of regretting it after you’ve crossed over to the afterlife from being so greedy?”

“I’m just surprised a flight to Russia is even taking off right now. Heh.”

The two B-rank hunters clicked their tongues, mocking the passing man.

“He’ll be on the news again soon, won’t he?”

“Dammit. What a national disgrace. I wish people would just know their place if they don’t have the skills…”

Thud!

At that moment, a figure brushed past them, bumping both their shoulders.

“What the fuck! Who the hell was that?”

From the strong impact, the young hunter habitually scowled and swore.

“Watch where you’re go—.”

However.

The moment the figure came into his view, his mouth couldn’t help but shut.

“C-Crazy.”

The older hunter muttered with a horrified expression.

“A-A golden nameplate?”

The token given only to S-rank or higher hunters was hanging from her waist.

On top of that, a female S-rank hunter who looked to be in her 20s, with her black hair tied up neatly?

And you could even see the daggers that symbolized an assassin.

In the Republic of Korea, it could only be one person.

“The… the Shadow Empress… Ki Soyul?”

The younger hunter covered his mouth with both hands.

At the same time, his body trembled.

‘Did I just swear at the hunter called the Monarch of Assassins?’

Moreover, wasn’t Ki Soyul that serious character who never even smiled when she appeared in the media?

One of the rankers to be avoided most, the Shadow Empress.

“What you just said. Would you care to repeat it?”

Her voice was chilling.

The two B-rank hunters felt the hair on their bodies stand on end.

“I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t recognize the Shadow Empress…!”

“No, not to me.”

The low-voiced woman gestured with her chin toward the Russia-bound gate.

“What did you just call that man?”

“Y-Yes?”

Suddenly, a few scenes flashed through the B-rank hunter’s mind like a panorama.

Dmir’s Workshop, which the Shadow Empress was said to belong to.

And the image of the President, Joo Donghoon, who had recently become a high ranker.

‘C-Crazy. Don’t tell me…?!’

The person he had been calling a moron all this time was the world’s 78th-ranked hunter?

The two B-rank hunters’ jaws dropped, frozen in shock.

They had seen his face.

But he had become a ranker so recently that they couldn’t recall it properly.

Ki Soyul looked at them and let out a faint sigh.

“You should always be careful with those mouths of yours. Especially in a place like this, there are many listening ears. The moment someone feels insulted, you never know what they might do.”

A clear threat.

“I-I’ll keep that in mind!”

“I-I understand!”

The two hunters answered, standing at sharp attention.

They had no choice.

Everyone’s life is precious to them.

—

“Joo Donghoon-ssi?”

At the sound of a woman’s voice, I turned around.

There, Ki Soyul was approaching, dressed as usual and wearing a backpack.

The sight was so awkward that I let out a chuckle.

The Shadow Empress with a backpack.

“Why are you laughing?”

She tilted her head.

“Well, it’s just strange. Just a few months ago, I was participating in a Dungeon as the Shadow Empress-nim’s porter.”

I, who was a mere E-rank hunter.

Now had a higher ranking than her.

I was 78th.

Ki Soyul was 151st.

“I know, right?”

Ki Soyul smiled back and said.

“To be honest, back then, I did think your gaze was fierce, but I never dreamed you would grow this fast.”

“It’s all thanks to your help, Shadow Empress-nim.”

In my journey to becoming a ranker, Ki Soyul’s contribution was probably over 50%.

Because you hired me as your porter, I was able to meet the Elder.

Because you recommended me as a candidate for Delilah’s trial, I was able to seize the opportunity.

“But how long are you going to keep calling me the Shadow Empress-nim?”

It was then that Ki Soyul suddenly asked.

“Pardon?”

My eyes widened.

‘If I don’t call the Shadow Empress the Shadow Empress, what else would I call her?’

“I’m an employee of Dmir’s Workshop, and you, Donghoon-ssi, is the President. Isn’t it strange for you to keep calling me the Shadow Empress-nim?”

The corners of Ki Soyul’s mouth twisted awkwardly.

‘They said she’s a person with no expressions.’

‘Why is she so expressive in front of me?’

Well, it was better than a blank face, so it didn’t matter.

“Then what should I call you?”

“You can just call me Soyul-ssi, just like how I address you as Donghoon-ssi. Why ask something like that?”

“Soyul-ssi?”

“Yes. Ah, first. It looks like we’ll be departing soon, so let’s hurry and board.”

Tap, tap, tap!

Her light footsteps seemed to be in a hurry.

‘What’s this?’

Just in case, I looked at my watch.

There were still 30 minutes until departure.

“……”

‘Is she embarrassed?’

Well, that could be it.

They say it takes tremendous courage for someone who doesn’t normally express themselves to do so.

When I looked at her, it was like watching a shut-in taking her first steps into the world.

Of course.

The gloomiest and strongest shut-in in the world.

“Yes, yes, let’s do that.”

Finding Ki Soyul’s fresh side amusing, I slowly followed behind her.

—

Vroooom!

The plane took off with a rough noise.

Surprisingly, Ki Soyul and I were the only ones who boarded the flight to Russia.

Did the Association request this just to send us off?

When the plane reached cruising altitude…

Shlick!

Ki Soyul, sitting next to me, unfolded something.

“Donghoon-ssi, look here.”

“What is this?”

“I’ve compiled information on the Russian Dungeon that has been revealed so far, and the current situation of the Russian government.”

“Ooh.”

This was why I had added Ki Soyul to this expedition.

She knew more about Dungeons than I did, and she had even participated as part of an advance team.

‘And I don’t have to worry about Dmir’s Workshop now.’

We were in the middle of moving our main base.

And through Eldrin’s spell ritual, I had even installed a “Warning” alarm.

I no longer needed Ki Soyul’s protection.

‘Also.’

I had checked Delilah’s stone necklace.

‘It was incredible.’

Surprisingly, the Dungeon artifact could be used perfectly well inside other Dungeons.

In other words, my base had become my very own subspace that could be connected from anywhere in the world.

“First of all, as you know, Donghoon-ssi, this Dungeon… was officially designated S-rank by the World Association just a week ago.”

“I heard that part from the Chairman.”

The term S-rank Dungeon meant that even a group of five or more A-rank hunters couldn’t clear it.

“You know you can’t just vaguely think of an S-rank Dungeon as just S-rank, right?”

“Yes. The ranks are just something humanity measures for convenience, after all.”

Dungeons originally have no ranks.

Furthermore, no one can know its rank before entering.

Some say they can gauge the difficulty by the brightness of the Dungeon gate.

‘But that’s just a groundless rumor.’

For us humans to clearly understand Dungeons, too little time had passed.

“So, in my opinion, it would be better to gather some information from the surrounding area before entering the Dungeon right away.”

“The surrounding area?”

When I asked, Ki Soyul nodded.

“Yes, the place we’re going to happens to be a city called Krasnoyarsk in Siberia.”

“Hmm, that’s a tough one to pronounce.”

“First, we’ll move to a town there called Kansk.”

“Kansk…”

I’d heard of it when talking to the Chairman.

A crime-ridden city reminiscent of America’s Harlem?

‘Indeed.’

This woman.

She really was tough.

To talk about such a scary place as if it were a tourist destination.

“Donghoon-ssi. This is just my gut feeling. Could you take a look at this photo in the files?”

Shlick! Shlick!

After gracefully flipping through the documents, she showed me a photo.

A satellite image of the Dungeon gate.

“Do you feel anything looking at it?”

“Hmm.”

Anything I felt…

“I don’t know. It just looks like an ordinary gate you could see anywhere.”

“Exactly.”

“Pardon?”

“That’s it. It’s ordinary.”

“……?”

“Just like how someone who has handled a lot of luxury goods can better distinguish between genuine and fake, if you’ve been to many Dungeons, there’s a certain feeling you get just by looking.”

“Hooo.”

I listened to her words with the attitude of a student.

“If you look here, the brightness is faint, and the size of the hole is small. Of course, we can’t be certain based on this, but…”

“Don’t tell me. It might not actually be a high-difficulty Dungeon?”

“That’s why we need to shake things up and check. If it’s a Dungeon being used for crime, there’s a high probability that the people in Kansk know about it.”

“I see.”

Listening to her from the side, it did seem plausible.

“First of all, since you’ve also learned some Shadow Art, Donghoon-ssi…”

She continued to chatter on, explaining the data she had researched and the plans she had prepared.

For about 30 minutes?

I responded appropriately and closed my eyes.

Suddenly, Kim Jina’s request came to mind.

– President! You have to go there and kick some serious ass, okay?

– You know, right? The Association has raised the security level for now, but eventually, the rumors will all spread.

– The President’s performance is the performance of our Dmir’s Workshop!

That’s right.

This expedition was my debut as a ranker.

‘What the hell.’

I’ll show you, world.

Just what the skills of Delilah’s trial MVP are like.