Chapter 44

The morning sun rose.

It was that busy time of day when the human cogs that make up the world began to turn.

An unusual number of people began to flock to the Black Label Company, which mainly handled errands and contracts.

The employees guarding the first-floor lobby rushed to stop them, but the moment they saw the badges on their left chests, they stepped back.

“We’re from the Inspection Department. Now, don’t be nervous, and follow my instructions.”

People in suits, wearing badges shaped like golden crows.

They were agents of the Inspection Department, responsible for capturing and eliminating traitors and spies within Black Label.

Within Black Label, they were untouchable beings called the Red Reapers.

“We’re going to turn this place upside down and root out all the sons of bitches. So you sons of bitches, don’t bother making any annoying phone calls. This is being carried out nationwide under the Guild Master’s orders, so if you’re caught on the phone from this moment on, you’ll be dragged out immediately.”

Gulp.

The sound of dry swallowing could be heard from all around.

The leader of the Red Reapers, a man with sharp eyes.

He quietly put on his sunglasses and shouted.

“Alright! Begin!”

The Inspection Department agents began to search the entire company, darting about as if they had wings.

“Hiiiek!”

Screams and wails echoed from everywhere they went.

“Catch and crush every last one of them!”

Just as the Inspection Department leader had said, this company wasn’t the only place the Red Reapers had descended upon.

Every district across the country.

Whether it was an Information Guild or a contract company, if it was related to Black Label, the Red Reapers were there, turning everything inside out.

The number of spies and traitors discovered this way was 12.

No one knew what became of them after they were quietly dragged away by the hands of the Red Reapers.

After that day, they were never seen again, and the many people who worked for Black Label came to call that blood-soaked day this:

Blood Day.

= = =

Early in the morning.

No Death, who had arrived first and was waiting, looked incredibly refreshed.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“You look happy.”

“Black Label’s been completely turned upside down. They’re probably all pissing their pants right about now.”

“Is that something to be happy about?”

“The Guild Master, who wouldn’t listen to a damn thing I said no matter how many times I told her we should do this, gave the order herself. Of course I’m refreshed.”

“Give it a rest. You’re not even part of Black Label anymore.”

“Should I call it a final, graceful exit? Anyway, I’m happy.”

It seemed Hwang Ji-young had finally drawn the sword of extermination.

Since his past life, Hyuk-min knew that while Hwang Ji-young was cold to others, she was benevolent to the employees and agents of Black Label.

However, benevolence was the one emotion that someone running an Information Guild and a contract company should never have.

Perhaps the reason Black Label had fallen to the Land Cleaning Guild in his past life was also due to Guild Master Hwang Ji-young’s soft and benevolent nature.

That’s how much the organization was structured for betrayal at any moment.

Even Hyuk-min believed that for a place like Black Label, ruling by fear—whether by making an example of someone or by some other means—was essential.

“They’ll be more careful now.”

“I’m sure they will. The Guild Master must have realized something this time to do that.”

He nodded.

Still, for that Hwang Ji-young to cast aside her softness and draw the sword of extermination…

As someone who didn’t want Black Label to fall, Hyuk-min found it to be an interesting change.

“That’s a relief.”

“Same here.”

A small but significant change.

He had a feeling that with this one event, they wouldn’t be so easily defeated by the Land Cleaning Guild this time around.

“Uncle!”

Just then, Hyun-jung approached.

“You’ve cleaned your gun nicely, huh?”

“Yes, you said we were going to find a Hidden.”

It seemed she now equated finding a Hidden with going to a high-difficulty Dungeon.

Perhaps finding Hyun-jung’s over-prepared state amusing, No Death, who was looking her up and down, snorted.

“Not all Hiddens are difficult. For someone like me and Hyuk-min, it shouldn’t be that hard.”

As if he’d conquered a few Hiddens himself, No Death looked at Hyuk-min, demanding a silent agreement.

“Ha… hahaha.”

But Hyuk-min just laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

“What’s this? Is the difficulty a bit high?”

He nodded.

“Doesn’t matter. It’ll be different with me around.”

“It’s a Dungeon I chose because you’re here, and it’s a more difficult Dungeon because you’re here.”

“Huh?”

No Death’s eyes widened as if to ask what that meant.

“I don’t know about other people, but I don’t lie to my party members. The Dungeon we’re going to this time… it’s not an easy one.”

“What’s the Dungeon’s class? It’s not a Class B Hidden Dungeon, is it? A Class B Hidden Dungeon would make sense.”

“It’s Class C.”

At the words “Class C,” No Death burst out laughing.

“Puhahahaha! A Class C Dungeon? You’re saying a Class C Dungeon is difficult right now? Kuhahahaha.”

As if she didn’t like No Death’s laughter, Hyun-jung frowned and said,

“If Uncle says so, then it is. Even if it’s a Class C Dungeon, if Uncle says it’s difficult, you should just assume it’s difficult.”

“What’s so hard about a Class C Dungeon? I could clear it by myself.”

“For your information, we’ve cleared a Class B Dungeon before. I could probably do it by myself now.”

“Then why did you say a Class C Dungeon is difficult? There must be a reason.”

Hyuk-min, who had been maintaining an awkward smile, slowly let it fade as he said,

“Because it’s a Double Dungeon.”

The expression on No Death’s face, which had been laughing heartily, instantly turned ice-cold.

“A Double… Dungeon…?”

= = =

At the entrance of the Hanok Village in Jeonju, there is a cathedral.

The old cathedral had become one of the Hanok Village’s attractions, a famous spot where everyone, from locals to foreigners, young and old, took pictures.

Hyuk-min’s party, having arrived there, was noisy from the very beginning.

“I’ve been asking since earlier, but I really don’t get it. If a Double Dungeon is real, you could make a fortune with that information alone, so why bother?”

“Hey, you. Were you always this talkative? I think you were better before.”

“You talk as if you know me.”

He let out a deep sigh.

“There’s something I need to get from here. It’s more precious than money.”

“Your life is the most precious thing. Why do you think I keep telling you to sell the information for money? Look at our party. Do we have the numbers to clear a Double Dungeon?”

His earlier confidence was nowhere to be seen.

But it was understandable.

A Double Dungeon was no simple matter.

Every Double Dungeon that had appeared in the world was monstrously difficult, boasting a level of difficulty beyond imagination.

Take the Class C Double Dungeon that recently appeared in Italy, for example.

It was a cleared Dungeon, and the damage it caused was revealed in statistics, shocking many people.

Over 500 people died, and if you included the lightly injured, the number was close to a thousand.

It was perfectly understandable why No Death was giving such a warning.

But No Death didn’t know Hyuk-min’s party well yet.

“I don’t even attempt things that can’t be done.”

“You think the three of us can clear a Double Dungeon?”

“I don’t know about other Dungeons, but this Double Dungeon is possible.”

“Have you been inside before?”

I had.

In my past life…

= = =

「It was a time when I had just escaped being a Water Rat and was able to earn my own keep.

[Recruiting members to clear a Double Dungeon.]

The recruitment notice posted on the national board had been like sweet honey to Hyuk-min, who needed money.

I remember getting on a train to Jeonju without a second thought.

Thinking back now, it was a choice I could make only because I didn’t know how terrifying Double Dungeons were.

I was so clueless that even when I arrived in front of the cathedral and saw hundreds of people hoping to be recruited, I didn’t feel the gravity of the situation.

‘What? All these people are going in?’

That’s when I felt the gravity of it.

Without a word of a lie, the sight of people lining up to enter the Dungeon through that small entrance was a shock to Hyuk-min, who had plenty of Dungeon experience.

Since I was near the very back of the line, I think it took about 10 hours just to get inside.

After a long wait, I entered the Dungeon.

The people at the front must have already cleared out the monsters, as the surroundings were filled with monster corpses.

And before long, I finally faced the Dungeon within the Dungeon, the Double Dungeon, and the moment I stepped inside…

Hell unfolded.」

“If you go in, you can’t just come back out. I’m saying you can’t just check it and leave.”

Hyuk-min’s party ended up talking with a cathedral official.

He seemed to have been burned quite a few times.

“Understood.”

“You’ve agreed. You really can’t come out. There have already been over five teams that just left.”

“I promise.”

“I’ve already reported to my superiors that you’re coming, and if you leave again, I’ll be the one taking all the heat, so sign this contract. Stating that you’ll pay one million won if you just come back out.”

Smiling, he confidently signed the contract.

Only then did the official open the Dungeon entrance with a satisfied expression.

On the way to the Dungeon.

No Death let out a huge yawn and started badmouthing the official.

“What do you mean we can’t come out? That’s against the law. The law states that you can leave a Dungeon if you go in and find the difficulty doesn’t match.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t be coming out.”

“What kind of crappy monsters are in there for everyone who comes to just turn back?”

“It’s understandable. It’s a Poison River.”

“Ah…”

At that one phrase, Poison River, No Death nodded as if in acknowledgment.

As soon as they went down the stairs leading to the Dungeon, a peculiar scent brushed past the tip of their noses.

Anyone who had explored Dungeons for a long time would have turned back just from this smell.

Because with a Poison River Dungeon, it was more common than not to end up with a loss even if you cleared it.

Fwoosh.

The lights inside the Dungeon flared on, and this Dungeon’s monsters revealed themselves.

“It’s real.”

Large, green caterpillars about 50cm long began to wriggle toward them.

At the sight, No Death hurriedly opened his Inventory and put away the iron sword he was holding.

“This is why they run away.”

Seeing No Death click his tongue, Hyun-jung asked,

“Why? Are they strong?”

At Hyun-jung’s innocent question, Hyuk-min smiled and said,

“No, they’re on the weak side. But the problem is the green blood they spray when they die, and that… For now, step back a bit and let me hold your gun.”

In the middle of his sentence, No Death charged toward the creatures.

Seeing this, Hyuk-min also hurriedly put Hyun-jung’s gun into his Inventory.

In an instant, No Death reached the Poison Rivers, lifted his leg high, and brought it down with all his might on the one in the lead.

Kwaduk! Pop!

Under the force of No Death’s leg, one Poison River was not just crushed but exploded.

With a powerful explosion, green liquid sprayed in all directions.

It splattered so far that it even hit the walls of the vast Dungeon.

“As you can see, those things explode when they die, and the green blood that sprays out then…”

Chiiiiik.

“It melts everything, whether it’s weapons or clothes.”

Thanks to him shielding Hyun-jung, the green blood of the Poison River splattered everywhere except his front.

Hyuk-min’s top and bottom clothes dissolved, emitting white smoke.

If Hyuk-min, who was far away, was like this, how bad was it for No Death?

It could probably be described as No Death having lost his black color.

“Finish it quickly. I’ve prepared clothes for you.”

“Don’t need ’em. I have plenty of clothes in my Inventory, too. Just make sure you cover her eyes.”

As if curious, Hyun-jung tried to look at No Death, but he hurriedly covered her eyes.

“Uh-uh, you can’t look. It’s yucky. Yucky.”

“You so much as look, and I’ll pluck your eyeballs out.”

As expected of a contract agent, even No Death’s warning not to look was chilling.

= = =

“Can I turn around now?”

“Yeah, turn around. The floor! Watch out for the blood on the floor.”

Hugging her gun tightly, Hyun-jung, who had been facing away, slowly turned her body.

Hyuk-min and No Death, now in fresh clothes, coughed awkwardly.

“Of all the Double Dungeons to find, it had to be one like this.”

“What can you do? This is where it is.”

“Where is it? The place with the Double Dungeon.”

“It’s right ahead.”

He pointed his finger at a small door inside the Dungeon.

A wooden door that was the only thing that hadn’t melted away, even though everything around it had.

“The boss room?”

He nodded.

And so they arrived in front of the boss room.

He looked over No Death and Hyun-jung one more time and gave a firm warning.

“You know, right? We can’t kill the boss. If the boss dies, the Double Dungeon and everything else will disappear.”

“You say the obvious so seriously.”

“I understand, Uncle.”

“I’m going in.”

He opened the wooden door.

A giant Poison River, nearly 2 meters long, wriggled and greeted Hyuk-min’s party.

“We run straight for that.”

Next to the Poison River, a staircase leading underground was visible.

It was unmistakably a staircase leading to a Dungeon.

An entrance to another Dungeon within a Dungeon.

“It’s real…”

It was definitely a Double Dungeon.

The moment he confirmed the existence of the Double Dungeon, No Death stared at the back of Hyuk-min’s head with a serious expression.

‘What is this? Judging by the official’s reaction, he doesn’t seem like someone who’s been here before… How does he know everything?’

He had been playing along and pretending to believe him until now, but in truth, as befitting a contract agent, No Death didn’t trust people’s words easily.

Honestly, he believed the claim about being able to kill a Revenant because he had seen the possibility himself, but he hadn’t actually believed anything else until now.

But now, faced with a Double Dungeon that had never appeared in South Korea before, he was bewildered.

A Double Dungeon that no one knew about.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

Following Hyuk-min, who took the lead, he immediately went down the stairs leading to the Double Dungeon.

And at the sight of another Dungeon, completely different from the current one, unfolding before him, No Death stopped Hyuk-min by the shoulder.

“Wait, you…”

After a long moment of thought, No Death threw out a single sentence.

“You’re from the future, aren’t you.”

That one sentence made Hyuk-min’s heart drop.