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Chapter 30
When the number 800 billion slipped from Woohyun’s mouth, Woohui couldn’t help but gape.
“What? 800 billion?”
“Yeah. Even if you become unemployed, taking care of you isn’t a problem, so don’t worry. And you’re not some family daughter who’ll be looked down on anymore.”
“No. Where on earth did that much money come from…”
When Woohui asked about the source of the 800 billion, Serin answered.
“I can’t tell you the details, but you owe your brother a lot. So I gave it. If anything, it’s short rather than excessive. And your brother’s very capable as a player. Because of him I got a lot of help. For this matter I’ll help as much as I can, so don’t worry about private revenge from someone like Lotti.”
When Serin said that much, Woohui answered with a grudging expression.
“Th… thank you. Unni.”
At Serin’s words, Jooyeon chimed in.
“So she’s a benefactor of our family, huh? Then Mom will be even more in favor. Both Woohyun and Woohui seem like really good kids.”
“I’m not like that, you know.”
At Serin’s reply, Jooyeon lightly smacked her shoulder and said,
“If you don’t have romantic feelings, I know you won’t talk to even a woman, so what are you talking about?”
At Jooyeon’s words, Sejun added.
“That’s true. I’ve never seen Nuna talk so comfortably with a man until now.”
Sejun’s words made Serin’s face flush.
“Ah… I said it’s not like that!”
Jooyeon ignored her daughter and smiled at Sunhye.
“Hoho~ in-laws~ there’s an order to things though — it makes sense for Serin and Woohyun to go first, right?”
“Oh my~ I’d be grateful if that happened. Where would you find another girl as proper as Serin.”
As Jooyeon and Serin delightedly played matchmaker, Serin and Woohyun clutched their throbbing heads.
“Please… stop…”
When Woohyun begged them to stop, Sunhye gave her son a light smack on the shoulder.
“You brat. Are you going to live and die a lifelong bachelor? You were singing you’d have a girlfriend right after you got out of the army — why are you such a coward now?”
Sunhye dragged up his black history and publicly humiliated him, making Woohyun squeeze his eyes shut.
“Ohhh… Mother…”
While Woohyun and Serin were being cheerfully humiliated by the two mothers—
WEEEEE!!!
A siren wailed loudly, and screams from outside the building followed.
“What is it?”
—Emergency situation! Emergency situation! A dungeon break has occurred. Citizens, please evacuate to the bunkers immediately.—
—We repeat: a dungeon break has occurred. Citizens, please evacuate to the bunkers immediately.—
Dungeon break.
Just as the phrase implies: a dungeon breaking.
To explain in detail: when the monsters inside a dungeon overflow and burst out of the dungeon.
Generally this happens if a dungeon and its gate are neglected for a long time, but sometimes a dungeon on the verge of breaking appears and explodes without giving any time to respond.
This was clearly the latter: it had manifested into an overflowed state suddenly, leaving players unable to do anything.
Because Sejong City is where major government offices like the Prime Minister’s Office are concentrated, the Psychic Affairs Department surely wouldn’t have left a dungeon showing signs of breaking unattended.
When the emergency broadcast ordered immediate evacuation because of a dungeon break, Woohyun thought fast — did this happen in the first run? — but nothing came to mind.
Dungeon breaks are rare, but not unheard of; and besides, it wasn’t something that had happened in big cities like Seoul or Busan, so even Woohyun might not remember.
‘But I have a rough idea. Why the existence of someone named Yoo Sejun wasn’t known in the first run.’
The restaurant where Woohyun and company were was very close to Hwarang High School.
Woohyun was almost certain that in Run 1 a dungeon break had occurred here around this time and it had covered Hwarang High, killing Sejun.
The Daehyun Group owner family treats personal information as state secret level stuff, so few people knew. And only after Serin made a name as a player did it come out that she belonged to the Daehyun Group owner family. If Sejun had died in a dungeon break in Run 1, Daehyun’s side would have quietly covered it up.
‘Also, a coup attempt by Kwon Woojin happened around the same time, so Chairman Yoo Shinhyuk wouldn’t want to make things bigger. So they definitely covered it up silently.’
Hwarang High is Korea’s top prestigious school, and it’s not uncommon for students to go abroad on national scholarship mid-semester.
So even if a classmate disappeared mid-term, Hwarang students wouldn’t find it strange, and with the power of the Daehyun Group, silencing teachers would be easy.
‘But Woohui went up to her family home in Seoul every weekend, so unlike Yoo Sejun, she could avoid the dungeon break. The puzzle pieces are coming together now.’
Realizing what had happened to Sejun, Woohyun took out the Crimson Spider from Kybisis and put it on.
His outer garment was trousers he couldn’t change out of at the moment, so he had no choice but to wear only the Crimson Spider and grab Dracula.
Aside from that, his priority was to secure his family’s safety.
Serin also quickly took equipment out of her pocket dimension and dressed.
“I’ll guide you to the bunker, so follow me.”
At Woohyun’s words, Sunhye, trembling with fear, asked him.
“Wouldn’t it be safer inside the building?”
Woohyun immediately shook his head and pointed outside at the numerous skeleton soldiers.
“If there were only F-rank skeletons it would be safer inside the building, but there are quite a few F+ rare monsters mixed in — Skeleton Knights and Skeleton Wizards. If a Skeleton Wizard’s magic collapsed the building, that would be even more dangerous.”
Serin nodded in agreement with Woohyun’s quick assessment.
“That’s right. Going to the bunker is best now.”
When Serin said this, Sunhye and the other four family members understood and prepared to grab their things.
Some time later, at the Sejong City dungeon break site—
While Woohyun and Serin were moving their families to a nearby bunker, the 41st Psychic Battalion was dispatched to stop the dungeon break.
Lieutenant Colonel Choi Seong-ho, the battalion commander leading the 41st, arrived in a transport vehicle, then received a situation report from HQ at the 404th Psychic Regiment command.
The 404th command had launched drones and was assessing the battlefield in detail, relaying that to the on-site 41st.
After being informed of the number and types of monsters by HQ, Lieutenant Colonel Choi thought of this as an opportunity.
He was soon to be evaluated for promotion to colonel, and his personnel evaluation was very poor.
Rumors ran through the unit that his probability of passing the colonel promotion screening was low, and Choi was very worried.
Coincidentally, a dungeon break had occurred in Sejong City, third in administrative importance after Seoul and Busan, and a considerable number of F+ rare monsters had appeared.
‘I need to rack up some merit here. If things go well I might pass the promotion exam.’
If he successfully stopped the dungeon break in such an administratively important place and defeated many of the rare monsters, he thought he could pass this promotion review.
If he became a colonel this time and managed the next promotion review, stars would be added to his shoulder boards.
Field officers and general officers are worlds apart; Choi absolutely wanted to pass this promotion review.
Choi told the suppression-team leaders of the 41st preparing the citizen-rescue operation in Sejong City.
“Open the path up to where the rare monsters are. Deal with the rare monsters first.”
At Choi’s words, Captain Na Sang-min, the most senior among the team leaders, could hardly believe his ears.
Citizens were being chased by skeletons — in that situation, prioritizing monster extermination over citizen safety was inconceivable.
Moreover, the suppression protocol for monster control prioritized ensuring citizens’ safety first, then killing monsters.
Captain Na knew Choi’s personality well — a real troublemaker — and he knew Choi was up for promotion, so he suspected why Choi was giving such a nonsensical order.
He planned to calm Choi down and get citizens rescued first.
“Sir! I think securing the citizens’ safety should be the priority.”
Choi exploded.
“Hey! You idiot!”
All the 41st battalion personnel’s eyes focused on Choi.
“Don’t you know the Prime Minister’s Office is nearby?! If even a little of the fallout touches it, can you handle it!?”
Choi insisted that dangerous rare monsters be wiped out in the name of protecting the Prime Minister, and Captain Na, disgusted at Choi using the Prime Minister as an excuse for his own gain, calmly answered.
“There are citizens closer than the Prime Minister’s Office.”
When Captain Na glared, Choi shouted at him.
“The Prime Minister is more important than the citizens! You idiot! If the Prime Minister is attacked, not only will I but my superiors have to take off our uniforms!”
Unable to contain himself, Captain Na replied.
“So you’ll let the citizens all die and keep your uniform on — is that honorable?!”
As the other soldiers turned their attention toward Captain Na, Choi narrowed his eyes.
“You bastard. That’s insubordination. We’ll deal with this later.”
