Chapter 68 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Dungeon Management Team's Request
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"Everything happens under the sun."
Jang Chaewon set down the receiver of the Divine Request desk phone, her face a mix of confusion and curiosity.
The Heavenly Demon, seated at the reception table, glanced over casually.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He had no interest in anything else, but if it involved a Divine Request, that was different. Lately, there had been no progress in recovering his internal energy.
"The Dungeon Management Team under the Facilities Resources Department called. They're asking if we can supply them with dungeon material samples."
"No idea what you're talking about."
"Well, it's like a Divine Request issued by a government office. They're asking if we can deliver specific dungeon materials they designate."
The Heavenly Demon crossed his arms and pondered for a moment before speaking.
"A Divine Request from an official bureau. Not exactly appealing."
"Really? Should I turn it down then?"
"Hear me out first. You can't just do whatever you want."
Lately, Divine Requests had been scarce, leaving his internal energy unrecovered—not even the size of a mustard seed. Seeing right through the Heavenly Demon's intentions, Jang Chaewon shook her head.
"Sorry, but this one doesn't give divine power or anything like that."
"What?"
"It's just payment. Though 'just' might be underselling it—they're offering quite a generous amount."
Resting her chin on her hand, Jang Chaewon gazed into space.
"But it's weird. They must have contracted delivery drivers on payroll with the government office. Why contact our store?"
Just then, Nameless rolled in from the storage room, tumbling end over end.
[It's not assigned to Bobbok Interiors—it's specifically for you, Heavenly Demon.]
"What do you mean by that?"
As Jang Chaewon blinked in surprise, Nameless extended its limbs and explained.
[In the past, most delivery personnel affiliated with the Divine Realm were yokai. But ordinary yokai are banned from entering dungeons, which caused fairness issues. So the Divine Realm created ghost companies to outsource dungeon material collection to human Awakeners, but that led to repeated problems too.]
Nameless turned to the Heavenly Demon and wiped its nonexistent nose.
[But you're not technically part of this world's humans, and you're an employee of the territory that receives Divine Requests. You're the ideal candidate for a delivery driver.]
"Oh, that makes sense. Pretty solid analysis."
As Jang Chaewon blinked again, the Heavenly Demon stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"I've heard the reason and accepted it. Time to go."
"Really? But you're only interested in things that give you divine power."
Jang Chaewon blinked, and the Heavenly Demon pulled out the keys to his beloved ride, Lamas.
"This 'automobile' thing. It devours money."
"Huh? What are you talking about? I cover the gas."
"That's not enough. According to Park from the repair shop, my vehicle is exceptionally special. A few trips on mountain roads rack up massive repair and tuning costs."
Jang Chaewon gaped.
"Mountain roads? You're not doing reckless driving again, are you?"
"As if. It's the process of taming the vehicle to my hands."
The Heavenly Demon sighed and looked down at his empty palms.
"I tried handling it with you, Nameless, but sourcing parts was another headache. In the end, only money could solve it."
"Ah, I see."
Jang Chaewon let out a hollow laugh.
The Heavenly Demon's beloved Lamas was a compact delivery van, but the previous owner had modded it with racing engine and parts for some reason.
"You're not riding it rough, right?"
"Of course. Compared to the cars on TV, it's downright ordinary."
"Really?"
Unaware of the Heavenly Demon's recent obsession with racing shows, Jang Chaewon shook her head.
"Whoever the previous owner was, they had terrible taste. Drifting a delivery van?"
"Anyway, I'm heading out now."
With a sigh, Jang Chaewon nodded.
"Alright, then. I'll give you the materials from the Dungeon Management Team. Go check it out. The store's quiet anyway."
* * *
Four kilometers east of Safe Dungeon. C-rank Dungeon, Botanical Garden.
This dungeon, with its transparent ceiling, grew a variety of plants alongside the nearby Orchard Dungeon.
As a result, most monsters here took the form of various insects.
"Strange."
The Heavenly Demon's thick brows twitched as he surveyed the center of the Botanical Garden Dungeon.
He had come to collect the "Lucky Pouch Loofah" requested by the Dungeon Management Team, but someone had already harvested it clean.
"Is this Lucky Pouch Loofah popular or something?"
Nameless shook its head at the Heavenly Demon's question.
[Hardly. It's a toxic plant not even worthy of being called dungeon material. It's an unnamed plant not listed in any guidebook.]
According to the info from the Dungeon Management Team, a vine fruit grew near the center of this Botanical Garden Dungeon.
This fruit, dubbed the Lucky Pouch Loofah, caused severe allergic reactions on contact with skin or mucous membranes, or if ingested.
"Hmm."
Stroking his chin, the Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes.
"Then this dungeon must be popular."
[The Botanical Garden Dungeon is one Awakeners avoid. It rarely yields valuable materials or relics.]
Towering trees reached the ceiling throughout the dungeon, and at the center lay a vine stripped bare of fruit—the very vine that bore the Lucky Pouch Loofah.
"So when does this loofah regrow?"
[The regeneration cycle for monsters and plants in the Botanical Garden Dungeon is 48 hours.]
Stroking his chin, the Heavenly Demon donned the demon-faced mask tucked into his belt.
"Then I'll come back in two days."
Two days later, in front of the Botanical Garden Dungeon.
The Heavenly Demon, wearing a spine-chilling demon-faced mask, appeared at the entrance.
Nameless, slung over the shoulder of the Heavenly Demon—who carried a large sack on his back—sparked its eyes.
[Heavenly Demon, there are signs someone entered the dungeon.]
"I know."
Pulling out the demon-faced mask from his bosom and putting it on again, the Heavenly Demon cautiously entered.
Inside, corpses of Dragon Mantis monsters—fly-faced with wart-like bodies—lay scattered about.
"Been about half a shichen since entry. Six intruders."
Examining the monster corpses and footprints, the Heavenly Demon muttered lowly.
"This dungeon's gotten popular."
[It's bizarre. Dragon Mantis don't drop relics.]
"There are plants."
[As I said, most aren't profitable. Some are even toxic.]
"Hmm."
Deep in thought, the Heavenly Demon slowly circulated his energy.
Suddenly, wave-like qi rippled at his feet, and his body began fading into transparency.
Swish.
Unleashing his movement technique, the surrounding plants brushed past without a sound.
He had activated Sahuang Eunhyeong Jamhaeng, the pinnacle of stealth arts—Hidden Shadow Stealth Technique.
"Be careful. Touching the wrong thing could poison you."
As he approached the center cautiously, voices murmuring grew audible.
Nearing the core, he spotted five or six shadows amid the vines, along with a glinting fruit—the Lucky Pouch Loofah.
"Late again."
The Heavenly Demon scowled, and a conical sensor popped out from Nameless's head with a clank.
[Heavenly Demon, this is suspicious.]
"What's suspicious?"
[Awakeners swarming an unlisted plant? Too odd. We should investigate.]
"Not interested."
As the Heavenly Demon turned, Nameless clasped its hands pleadingly.
[If you leave now, it might be gone again next time.]
After a moment's hesitation, the Heavenly Demon kicked off the ground and leaped onto a tree about five meters up, moving like a ghost.
With stealth undetectable even by the world's top assassins, not even an Awakener with detection skills could spot him easily.
"Grown back fully in just two days."
Below, a dozen meters away, five or six men in Nano Suits were slicing the shimmering Lucky Pouch Loofahs into bags.
"Bro, why do those guys want so much of this loofah anyway?"
A short, yellow-dyed sports haircut Awakener panted as he asked. The fat man at the front, hacking loofahs, shook his head.
"How should I know? They say collect, we collect."
Overhearing from afar, the Heavenly Demon smacked his lips in disappointment.
"Just simple harvesters, then."
[Wait, Heavenly Demon.]
Nameless zoomed in on each Awakener's face with its expanded eye sensor.
Whirring through the entire Awakener database, Nameless spoke lowly.
[They're not even in the Awakener database—no resident registration at all.]
"What do you mean?"
[Likely illegal immigrants. And harvesting that loofah? Probably for crime.]
"Who cares."
[Huh?]
"Legal or not... I'm an unregistered Awakener myself."
[Th-that's true, but... the Lucky Pouch Loofah is highly toxic. Distributing it without permission could cause big trouble.]
Despite Nameless's persuasion, the Heavenly Demon remained indifferent.
"Bottom-feeders gonna bottom-feed."
[Huh?]
"Where there's light, there's shadow."
Gazing at the glowing dungeon ceiling like he was reminiscing, the Heavenly Demon continued.
"When the righteous sects sucked the world dry with their martial arts, us demonic folk had to do smuggling, loansharking, gambling dens—anything that made money."
The Heavenly Demon, demonic to the bone.
He had mastered 180,000 demonic scriptures and comprehended all martial principles under heaven, but sadly, any sense of law-abiding or justice had been fed to the dogs.
[But Heavenly Demon, if they circulate that toxic stuff...]
"Who's there!"
Nameless's excited voice had been too loud.
The fat man harvesting loofahs glared at the Heavenly Demon's tree and shouted.
"Which rat's hiding up there?"
"Rat?"
Daring to utter such insolence before the unparalleled Heavenly Demon.
Blood Flame Radiance surged in the Heavenly Demon's eyes as he looked down.
"Spouting that before me? Your guts must've swollen."
Dispelling his stealth, the Heavenly Demon donned his demon-faced mask and revealed himself slowly.
The fat man flinched at the sight of him standing tall on the swaying branches.
"Wh-who are you?"
"None of your business."
With the mask, the Heavenly Demon embodied menace itself.
Had he backed off in fear, all would've been well—but the fat man made the wrong choice.
"If you're in the dungeon, mind your business and leave. Why hide up there?"
"Hahaha!"
Laughing heartily, the Heavenly Demon descended with a whoosh to the swollen-guts Awakeners.
As he approached step by deliberate step, the fat man and his five comrades raised their monomolecular cutters.
"You little shit. Wanna die? Dying in a dungeon means no insurance payout, you know?"
"A newborn pup... knows no tiger's wrath."
The Heavenly Demon smiled as he took another step.
But hidden by the mask, they missed the death-grimace like the reaper's grasp.
"Overconfident fools drunk on power must learn folly with their lives!"
Halting, crimson flames ignited around the Heavenly Demon's fist.
* * *
Botanical Garden Dungeon entrance.
There stood Han Manjae and Yoo Eunho in form-fitting Nano Suits, fully geared, alongside Shin Chaeyoung—all tense.
"Team Leader, looks like he came here again."
Analyzing traces at the entrance with the mini-computer on his forearm, Han Manjae murmured.
- Solid intel as expected. Request reinforcements from the Association?
Han Manjae shook his head at Chohong's voice from the screen.
"That'll let them slip again."
Glancing at Yoo Eunho and Shin Chaeyoung, Han Manjae said,
"We'll apprehend them now."
-Don't overdo it. Our mission is tracking their tail, not capture.
Under Strategic Planning Director Kim Suwoong's orders, the Special Response Team was pursuing a crime ring harvesting potent toxins to craft illegal weapons for the black market.
Chohong grumbled at the odd assignment but stayed silent.
Even she, who could vaporize the team with a flick, had a separate building for them...
"Don't worry. We'll nab at least one solid."
Turning, Han Manjae saw Yoo Eunho and Shin Chaeyoung nod tensely.
Intel said these smuggling grunts were illegal immigrants with 4th Grade-level strength—surprisingly potent.
Awakener fights defied simple skill or rank divides. Far riskier than monsters, dozens of times over.
"Alright, then..."
As Han Manjae inhaled to speak—
Boom!
An explosion rocked the ground. Sensing anomaly, Han Manjae deployed an energy barrier.
"Hold! Stay here!"
Unregistered hotheads sometimes planted bombs in dungeons.
That could destabilize it, spawning monsters—or worst, unheard hidden monsters.
Thud. Thud.
A gray shadow emerged from the entrance.
Clad in flowing hanok robes, face hidden by a terrifying demon mask. The Special Response Team knew that shadow well.
"H-Heavenly Demon?"
Han Manjae widened his eyes at the Heavenly Demon emerging slowly, round Nameless on his shoulder.
"How are you here...?"
"W-wait a sec. No way."
Yoo Eunho whistled and dashed inside.
Bursting back out, he yelled at the Heavenly Demon.
"Manjae hyung! Heavenly Demon took out the whole smuggling crew!"
"What?"
"They're all down in the center."
Staring up again at the Heavenly Demon amid Yoo Eunho's shout, Han Manjae suppressed awe.
"Heavenly Demon... why...?"
Having jumped to conclusions himself, the Heavenly Demon said nothing.
Pricked by conscience perhaps, Nameless clamped shut and subtly hid the Heavenly Demon's sack.
It brimmed with Lucky Pouch Loofahs seized from the unregistered Awakeners.
"I'm off."
Vanishing like wind, the Heavenly Demon left Yoo Eunho waving wildly.
"Heavenly Demon! Thanks! Dinner on me later!"
Grinning and waving, Yoo Eunho cheered.
"Wow, Heavenly Demon—isn't he like the dark knight the Association sent to help us?"
"Think they'd leave an Awakener like that alone?"
Yoo Eunho rubbed his nose at Shin Chaeyoung's icy jab.
"Oh."
"Whatever. Just cuff 'em with Needle Cuffs."
Yoo Eunho grinned at Han Manjae's order.
"Already did."
"Good work."
"But shouldn't we at least buy Heavenly Demon a meal?"
Han Manjae shook his head at Yoo Eunho's playful remark.
"Nah. Not the type to accept."
"Feels cheap just wiping our mouths and walking."
Glancing at Shin Chaeyoung, Han Manjae shook his head.
"Well, opportunity will come."
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