Chapter 61

After finally calming down the bickering duo, we resumed our journey, and before I knew it, 30 minutes had passed. Despite the time that had elapsed, the others were still fidgeting with their weapons, the adrenaline from the earlier battle with the Rengas lingering in their movements. The heavy mood that had overtaken them when we first encountered the corpses of other players seemed to have lifted, leaving an air of excitement. Pleased with this change, I let a faint smile across my face and quickened my pace.

The clearing where we had defeated the Rengas had a second passageway—a path opposite the one we had entered. Emerging through it, we continued deeper into the dungeon without encountering any interruptions. While I couldn't be certain this simple layout would persist, so far the dungeon's structure had proven straightforward.

Honestly, if the dungeon of the ancient alchemist Vivienne was going to remain this easy, its difficulty would be on the lower end of the spectrum. I found myself reminiscing about my first time, back when I was a new player exploring labyrinths for the first time. I had foolishly entered areas that even seasoned players avoided, only to get lost and endure three months of grueling hardship. In hindsight, it was no wonder this dungeon now felt comparatively simple.

Thinking back on those harrowing times brought a wry smile to my face. I would never have imagined myself like this back then. At that time, I meticulously analyzed every trap, carefully planned each step, and mapped out every possible monster spawn route as I proceeded, treating even the smallest decision with extreme caution. Now, however, I could feel that meticulousness slipping away, replaced by a growing sense of confidence—or perhaps complacency.

By nature, I've always preferred to approach things methodically and calmly. Rushing things often leads to mistakes, and I've always believed it's better to take things slow and steady for safety and certainty. Yet now, with my vastly improved abilities and accumulated experience, adhering to my old ways felt unnecessarily restrictive. And with time being a limited resource, there were moments where decisiveness and speed were indispensable.

It was clear that the dungeon's difficulty was lower than expeditions in regular or large cities, perhaps because this was a dungeon near a small town. While I had been slightly on edge due to its proximity to an uncharted zone, the absence of traps at every turn and the relatively low frequency of monster ambushes made for a much more relaxed experience compared to more perilous locations.

Thinking back, even when I tackled the Cave of Wailing, things had been manageable—until the very end, when that thing suddenly appeared. The memory of it gutting half of our caravan sent chills down my spine. It was a stark reminder that even the easiest of dungeons could turn into a nightmare if we let our guard down. With that in mind, I maintained basic vigilance as we pressed forward.

The traces of the earlier caravan led us to this point. If they had passed through the last clearing, then it meant they must have dealt with the Rengas. The fact that Rengas were still present when we arrived suggested they'd been replenished, implying the dungeon master had at least a basic level of intelligence.

Lost in these thoughts, we eventually came upon another clearing connected to a set of passageways. Unlike the large, sprawling area where we had fought the Rengas, this clearing was tiny—barely large enough to fit fifty people. At the far end of the clearing, a sheer cliff loomed. Four dark, gaping gates opened into the ground beneath the cliff, and it was clear that we couldn't proceed further unless we chose one of them. In other words, we were being forced to take a leap of faith into one of the gates.

Stopping at the center of the clearing, I glanced back, noting that the others had also come to a halt. Without wasting time deliberating, I activated both my Third Eye and Sense, carefully inspecting each of the four openings.

After a few moments of silent analysis, I nodded in understanding, confident in my choice. Just as I began to move toward the second gate, ready to descend, something made me stop mid-step.

I noticed Sol staring blankly at the cliff, her expression unusually focused. As my gaze lingered on her, she seemed to sense it, turning her head and tilting it slightly in curiosity. The way she did it was so irresistibly cute that I felt an overwhelming urge to pinch her cheeks. However, with An-Hyun standing right there, I barely managed to hold myself back.

My hesitation must have been obvious, as Yun-Jung, ever the opportunist and mischief-maker, sidled up to me with a gleeful grin. I turned my body away, hoping to avoid whatever trouble she was brewing, but she simply circled around, staying glued to my side. Twirling one of her daggers playfully, she spoke up.

"Oppa, you're trying to figure out which gate to go into, right?"

"...."

Taking my silence as confirmation, she broke into an even bigger smile and continued.

"I have a great idea."

"Oh no, not another one of your schemes…"

"Hey! Why do you always doubt me? Just trust me this time. Okay? You just stand back and watch. I've got a brilliant plan."

She looked earnest on the surface, but the slight upward twitch of her lips betrayed her true intentions. I could tell she was up to something, undoubtedly mischief of some sort. Still, her hands clutched my shoulders with a pleading intensity, and her bright, expectant gaze made it hard to outright refuse her. I cast out a quick mana pulse to check for any lurking dangers in the area, but nothing came back.

With a small sigh, I decided to let her have her way. Yun-Jung had a habit of surprising me with flashes of unexpected insight, and letting her take the lead might not be the worst idea. Besides, it would give her a valuable learning experience. As I stepped back and gave her space, her face lit up with triumphant delight.

Wasting no time, she turned her attention to An-Hyun, who was idly spinning his spear nearby.

"Hyun-ah~?"

"You're nuts."

"Hmph, ho ho ho. No, it's just... there's something I need to check."

Yun-Jung's sweet, teasing call was met with a curt, profanity-laden response from An-Hyun. A thick vein bulged on Yun-Jung's forehead, her composure straining visibly. In the past, she might have lashed out immediately, earning her reputation as the queen of sharp comebacks. However, this time, her voice remained calm and gentle—though I could sense an undercurrent of menace lurking beneath her tone.

"...What is it?"

"Remember back during the rite of passage? That thing you said?"

"Do you have any idea how many things I said?"

"In that city. You know, when you mentioned how Sol has such amazing instincts~."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Sol's ears perk up. It seemed the mention of her name had piqued her interest. Honestly, what gave her the audacity to be so adorable? It took all my restraint to keep from pinching her cheek or tugging on her ear... Wait, what the hell am I thinking?

While I was caught up in my increasingly questionable internal monologue, An-Hyun suddenly began enthusiastically championing Sol's abilities. It was a full-blown ode to his little sister's instincts—a testament to his bias as an overly doting brother.

"Oh, that! Yeah, totally. Sol's instincts are off the charts. Like, she's so sharp—"

"Ah, ah, okay, I get it. Save the fan club meeting for later. But you're saying we can trust it?"

"Of course! A hundred percent!"

Yun-Jung cut him off at just the right moment, striking while the iron was hot. I silently gave her a thumbs-up for her timing. As I exhaled a small sigh of relief, though, a nagging sense of unease crept in. Something about this exchange felt...off.

Even An-Hyun seemed to feel a twinge of suspicion as he nodded in agreement. His brows furrowed as if trying to connect the dots.

But by then, it was too late. Yun-Jung turned away with a mischievous grin, and Hyun's eyes widened in realization, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Why all of a sudden... Hey, wait! Yun-Jung, hey!"

Hyun called out urgently, but Yun-Jung ignored him completely, walking toward Sol. Sol, who had been listening intently to their conversation, turned to look at Yun-Jung as she closed the distance. But Sol wasn't the type to just stand there. Maybe it was because she'd been watching the situation closely, or perhaps her Luck 100 points kicked in, but she quickly scampered behind me. I could hear Hyun's relieved sigh, and Yun-Jung frowned. However, she quickly softened her expression, smiling sweetly as she spoke.

"Su-Hyeun oppa, could you please lift Sol and place her at the entrance on the far left over there?"

I could hear both Hyun and Sol muttering in disbelief. I, too, felt uncomfortable, but I had already decided to trust Yun-Jung, so I reluctantly picked Sol up. Sol, who had been holding onto my collar tightly, tilted her head with a puzzled look, clearly not understanding what was going on. As she gazed up at me, her innocent expression and trusting eyes made me feel an unexpected wave of guilt.

If this had happened before, she would have been startled, or worse, cried. But now, she simply trusted me, as if saying, "There's no way my orabeoni would do anything bad to me." With that thought, I carried Sol over to the far left entrance, despite knowing it was one of the entrances we should absolutely avoid. I wanted to see what Yun-Jung would do next.

"Hyung?"

I heard Hyun's bewildered voice from behind, but I paid no mind as I gently patted Sol's head before stepping back. Sol still looked up at me with wide, trusting eyes, completely unaware of anything strange. Yun-Jung, seeing this, wore a twisted smile, as if her intentions were already set. As for me, seeing that trusting face made me want to tease her, perhaps even make her cry, a feeling I couldn't quite explain.

Having already allowed it, Hyun couldn't say anything and simply stared at us with a dazed expression. Yun-Jung, licking her lips lightly, approached Sol, who was still standing there, and slowly whispered something in her ear. I quickly sharpened my hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Alright, Sol. Go inside now. Hurry."

"Huh? Inside?"

"Yes, alone."

"Me? Alone? Am I going in by myself? What about you and oppa?"

"That's right. Oppa, me, and Hyun will wait outside. You go in alone and scout to see if there's any danger. Suhyun oppa said it's a good idea."

Yun-Jung's whisper was so subtle, it felt like she was almost coaxing Sol. Overwhelmed by her tone, Sol mumbled something quietly in response. Hyun, hearing the barely audible conversation, looked confused but remained where he was.

Sol, being so pure-hearted, tilted her head and fell into deep thought. She closed her eyes and started gently tapping her cheek with her finger, clearly mulling over Yun-Jung's words. After a moment of reflection, she opened her eyes and spoke with a trembling gaze.

"But... there are dangerous things inside... so... I don't think Su-Hyeon oppa would really let me go alone..."

"No, you're playing an important role. You're the bait. You know, like in movies. Your sacrifice will help us avoid dangerous spots, grab the loot, and return to the city. How does that sound?"

Yun-Jung kept emphasizing the word "bait," and after hearing it, Sol's face became teary. She looked at me, probably believing there was no way I would agree to something like that. Her gaze was so pure and trusting that I could only shrug my shoulders in response. Sol blinked a few times, then opened her mouth to speak again, still looking at me.

"Oppa."

"...Hm?"

"Did you really say that?"

"What? What do you mean?"

In truth, I hadn't actually said anything to allow it. However, Sol seemed to misunderstand my stuttering voice as something else, and her eyes immediately widened in surprise. Her lips trembled, and her hands clenched into fists. Sol then looked at me with a face as if delivering an ultimatum and spoke again.

"Am I going to be bait?"

I immediately turned my gaze away. Earlier, Sol had avoided my gaze, and honestly, I didn't really want to see her cry. As I subtly looked away and scratched my cheek, Sol's face morphed into something I could only describe as dramatic. She seemed to be in such shock that her mouth hung open wide. Finally, the result I had been expecting came.

"Waaaah!"

Sol collapsed on the ground, bursting into tears. Yun-Jung, who had probably never imagined Sol would really cry, stepped back, wide-eyed. Hyun shot a sharp glare at Yun-Jung. Yun-Jung, looking flustered, pointed a finger at me. What did I even do?

"Waaaah! Waaaah! Waaaah!"

As Sol continued to wail uncontrollably, both Hyun and I rushed to her side in a panic.

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