Dungeon & Commander

Dungeon & Commander – 12

Recently, Go Chul-min remembered someone calling him a homeless man. He couldn’t recall when or who said it, but they must have had foresight. He would have to live on the streets, without hope. Tears streamed down his face. He wiped them with his sleeve, then cursed loudly. His sleeve was covered in his own vomit. Wiping his eyes with it was disgusting.

Annoyed, he reached for the pile of papers on the table and used them to wipe his face. As he did, his eyes naturally fell on the contents of the papers.

“…What is this?”

Despite being soaked in alcohol for the past three months, the guild master’s eyes were still sharp. He immediately recognized the contents. It felt like a sobering slap.

It was a summary report of the B-grade Busan dungeon raid. Go Chul-min had participated in that raid as a tanker, and as he read the report, the scenes from that time vividly replayed in his mind.

The report was astonishing. It mentioned the limitations of the tanker’s narrow field of vision, a problem he had struggled with. It also noted that the slow improvisation of the tanker had increased the damage. Additionally, it suggested that organizing tankers into a separate team for large-scale raids would be advantageous.

It was a novel idea.

After reading the report, Go Chul-min realized what the pile of papers on the table was.

“Damn.”

Three months ago, just before the tragedy of Devil’s Day, Go Chul-min had given Kim Joon an assignment as the guild master. He had tasked him with experiencing and writing reports on seven hundred raid files.

The results were now on the table.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

“…That bastard.”

His hand instinctively reached for the bottle of alcohol on the sofa. He stared at it for a moment, then abruptly stood up and threw it into the trash can. The bottle was half full.

He took a bottle of water from the fridge, drank it, and sat back on the sofa. He picked up another report and began to read.

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***

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Yeom Sang-taek walked into the guild house with his chest puffed out.

“Hello?”

He had come after hearing about the guaranteed 500 million won salary, but instead of the warm welcome he expected, he was met with a fierce gaze. One person was sitting on a sofa next to the metal stairs, reading something. He glanced at Yeom Sang-taek, then returned his attention to the papers.

“…Is this the Uramata Guild?”

“Yes.”

“I came because I heard you were looking for a buffer.”

“What’s your level?”

“…7.”

“That’s funny.”

“What?”

Yeom Sang-taek’s face twisted in confusion.

“You’re an 8.”

“…How did you know?”

Yeom Sang-taek was shocked. He considered himself a level 8, close to level 7, but officially, he was still an 8. Even in his previous guild, Yuseonghoe, which disbanded three months ago, no one knew this fact.

“We don’t need liars. Get lost.”

The man never lifted his head.

Yeom Sang-taek realized this was no ordinary person. Raiders needed to meet the right guild master. No matter how exceptional they were, many failed because they didn’t have the right management.

“Don’t you need a level 8 buffer?”

“Three thousand.”

“What?”

“Annual salary of three thousand.”

“No, that’s… that’s too low…”

“If you don’t like it, leave.”

Yeom Sang-taek closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. The difference between levels 8 and 7 was significant but cutting the promised 500 million won salary down to three thousand was outrageous. As he turned to leave, he saw a beautiful woman.

“What’s your attribute?” Yoo Min-jung asked.

“Death attribute.”

“How about five thousand? With incentives. If you don’t like it, forget it.”

Without waiting for his answer, Yoo Min-jung walked away.

Five million won was enough for Yeom Sang-taek to live comfortably for a while. He was curious about the relationship between the man who kept reading and the woman who acted like she owned the place. Were they father and daughter con artists?

No, they couldn’t be. That toad couldn’t possibly be the father of such a beautiful daughter.

He was torn between wanting to run away and wanting to see more of the beautiful woman. Just as he decided to leave, he saw a huge bear and fell backward in surprise.

“What is this?”

“…I’m a level 8 buffer here to apply.”

“Really?”

“I was thinking of leaving since I’m not really interested.”

“That’s not an option.”

As the bear grabbed him, Yeom Sang-taek couldn’t move and was dragged into the guild house. He shouted for help, but no one passing by came to his aid.

The woman was sitting on a red velvet sofa, reading a thick book. She looked elegant and beautiful. Seeing her poised demeanor and piercing eyes, Yeom Sang-taek was convinced she was a dealer.

Attack magic suited women well, which was why many main dealers were women. The bear that dragged him in was undoubtedly a tanker. With such strength in reality, he could block any attack in a dungeon.

With a tanker, a dealer, and now a buffer, they could finally go on a raid. Yeom Sang-taek thought the man reading by the metal stairs must be the carrier. Sometimes veteran carriers harbored resentment towards awakened raiders for no apparent reason. It was understandable, given that newly awakened raiders often earned higher salaries despite the carriers’ lifelong efforts.

“What was your previous guild?” the bear asked.

“…Yuseonghoe in Daejeon.”

“You’re from Daejeon?”

“Yes.”

“How old are you?”

“I’m twenty.”

“We’re the same age. Yoo Min-jung over there is also twenty.”

The bear pointed to the beautiful dealer.

“…Really?”

“Is that strange? Want to see my ID?”

“There’s no need for that.”

“I’m Choi Moo-hyun.”

The bear extended his hand. Yeom Sang-taek felt like he would get hit if he didn’t shake it, so he did.

Choi Moo-hyun grinned and went to the exercise area, starting a workout that would make anyone’s eyes widen with amazement. His body was a showcase of muscles, even the hidden ones popping out.

Left alone, Yeom Sang-taek sat on a nearby bench. What should he do now? Ah, right. The guild master would be here soon. He would explain how the training would proceed, which dungeon they would raid next, and other details.

At that moment, a young man around his age walked in.

“Hey, are you the buffer?” Kim Joon asked.

“…Yes.”

“Finally!”

Kim Joon ran over and hugged Yeom Sang-taek. Yeom Sang-taek couldn’t believe such a young man could be the guild master.

“He’s level 8,” Yoo Min-jung said, turning a page.

“8? Well… 8 isn’t bad,” Kim Joon said.

“He’s from Daejeon,” Choi Moo-hyun added, lifting weights.

“Oh, a city with an S-grade dungeon. You must be something special. I’m looking forward to it,” Kim Joon said, smiling brightly at Yeom Sang-taek.

Choi Moo-hyun chimed in again, “He’s our age.”

“Really?”

“We’re friends now,” Choi Moo-hyun said.

Yeom Sang-taek, feeling wronged, turned to look at Choi Moo-hyun but quickly averted his gaze.

“I’m Kim Joon,” Kim Joon said, extending his hand.

As they shook hands, Yeom Sang-taek responded, “…I’m Yeom Sang-taek. Are you the guild master?”

At those words, Yoo Min-jung dropped her book, and Choi Moo-hyun’s weight fell to the floor with a thud.

“I’m a carrier affiliated with the Uramata Guild,” Kim Joon introduced himself.

“…A carrier?”

Yeom Sang-taek’s eyes filled with disdain. How dare a mere carrier extend a hand to him? If he had known, he would never have shaken that hand.

A large, calloused hand pressed down on Yeom Sang-taek’s head. It was Go Chul-min, holding a report in his left hand.

“Since everyone’s here, let’s head up to the master room.”

“What? A carrier dares to—”

Yeom Sang-taek shook off the hand and spoke up.

“Me? Are you talking to me? You timid buffer.”

“Y-yeah. What are you going to do about it?”

Despite being intimidated by Go Chul-min’s size, Yeom Sang-taek’s temper flared at being called timid. Buffers were often unfairly stereotyped as introverted, leading tankers and dealers to sometimes openly disrespect them.

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Go Chul-min, the guild master of Uramata Guild.”

Yeom Sang-taek was left speechless.

Mission: Buff Success Rate

The only simulation machine, DXS.

Early in the morning, Go Chul-min came down from the master room and caressed the simulation machine. A sigh escaped his lips. With just one machine, only individual training was possible. They needed at least four machines to start serious team training.

Daylight broke.

Before Kim Joon arrived, Go Chul-min packed all the guild house-related documents into a bag and drove off. Two conflicting thoughts battled in his mind. His pride made him reluctant to beg the bank for a loan. The DXS machines cost 300 million won each, and including software upgrades and maintenance, they would need around 1 billion won. The bank was unlikely to approve a loan for a guild house that could go bankrupt any day.

Training needed to start as soon as possible. If the young members lazed around, their morale would quickly deteriorate, and they might have to shut down the guild house without ever getting a proper start.

After parking his car, Go Chul-min crossed the street with his briefcase. He was going to meet a bank branch manager he had shared drinks with a few times and was somewhat familiar with.

Just then, he saw the branch manager entering the bank after stepping out for some errands.

‘If I had come a bit earlier, I might have missed him. Maybe I’m lucky today.’

Go Chul-min pushed open the door and walked in. He felt the eyes on him. Once a VIP customer with tens of billions in deposits, most of the staff recognized him. But now, they either lowered their heads or quickly made or took phone calls, as if on cue.

It felt like he had come to a place he shouldn’t be, like an uninvited guest at a party.

Still, he mustered the courage to approach a nearby female employee who usually greeted him with a bright smile.

“Excuse me, I’m here to see the branch manager.”

“Oh, the branch manager? He’s out on business.”

The employee’s eyes flickered as she glanced at the branch manager’s office.

“What?”

“…He’s out on business and won’t be back until late in the afternoon.”

“Ah, okay.”

Go Chul-min couldn’t bring himself to tell the employee that he had just seen the branch manager return. His pride was too strong for that. He stepped outside the bank and sighed. No matter how much he drank today, he felt he wouldn’t get drunk.

“Oh, my bag.”

Go Chul-min went back into the bank to retrieve his bag.

“Manager Kim, these documents…”

He locked eyes with the branch manager.

The bank fell silent. Not even the sound of keyboards could be heard. Employees and even some perceptive customers glanced back and forth between Go Chul-min and the branch manager.

“Haha, Go Chul-min!” the branch manager laughed awkwardly.

‘Damn it, just wait,’ Go Chul-min thought, clenching his teeth as he walked out without looking back.

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***

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Anger can change a person. It can make them do things they normally wouldn’t.

Sitting on a park bench, Go Chul-min glared at his phone. For hours, he had been calling people whose numbers were saved in his contacts. Actions he couldn’t take due to his pride were now possible through his rage.

“Hey, it’s me. Long time no see.”

“What brings you here? You haven’t shown up at the master meetings. What have you been up to?”

Swallowing his pride, Go Chul-min explained his situation to his friend. He needed 1 billion won immediately.

“I’m not in a good situation either. Everything I’ve started has been put on hold. You know how it is. When we opened the guild houses, we all took out huge loans from banks. The financial pressure is intense. I’m sorry, but I can’t help with 1 billion.”

“No, it’s fine. Let’s grab a drink sometime.”

“Sure.”

The call ended.

Even those who had saved money were hesitant to lend large sums, not knowing when the next dungeon would open. While he could borrow a few million won from friends or acquaintances, it wouldn’t be enough to buy the simulators. His head drooped, and he sighed deeply.

1 billion won!

In a fit of desperation, Go Chul-min went to a convenience store and bought scratch-off lottery tickets with the money in his wallet. His face turned red as he scratched them all, but they were all duds. He lashed out at the innocent part-time worker and then wandered aimlessly.

If he couldn’t secure the money, all of Kim Joon’s efforts over the past months would be in vain. Without the simulators, dealer Yoo Min-jung and buffer Yeom Sang-taek would leave.

His phone rang. It was Kim Joon.

Go Chul-min stared at the screen for a moment before pressing the decline button.

This sense of defeat was the result of nearly three months of drinking. If he had pulled himself together as a guild master and taken care of the house, he might have secured a few more simulators.

“Damn it.”

Just then, the phone rang again. Was it Kim Joon?

It was an unknown number.

Go Chul-min hesitated. Should he answer it or ignore it?

“This is Go Chul-min.”

―Is this Go Chul-min, the guild master of Uramata?

“Yes, it is.”

―Hello, I’m Jo Gap-yoon, the manager of the Financial Support Department at the Dungeon Association.

“The Dungeon Association?”

Go Chul-min’s mind snapped into focus. The Dungeon Association managed the dungeons and issued guild licenses for entry. No awakened person could ignore the Dungeon Association.

―The Dungeon Association is offering special financial support to guilds struggling after Devil’s Day.

“Is that true?”

―If you’re interested, I’d like to meet and discuss it further.

“Yes, absolutely. Where should we meet?”

After arranging a meeting place and ending the call, Go Chul-min let out a triumphant shout.

Yes! The world is still beautiful. There’s always a way out. Even when the sky falls, there’s a hole to escape through!

Feeling elated, Go Chul-min headed to the hotel, stopping by the bank once more on his way.