Goat Bribe
Min Jae wasn't planning to clean Goji's crate that night. In fact, he was planning to ignore it for at least another 48 hours.
But then Goji coughed up something that looked suspiciously like a silver acorn and set off the shop's smoke detector.
Again.
"Okay, that's it," Min Jae groaned, grabbing gloves, a broom, and a nose plug.
He knelt beside the crate tucked in the chicken shop's basement corner. It smelled like old socks, wet grass, and faintly… minty?
"Goji, what are you eating down there?"
The goat blinked innocently and waddled off to knock over a box labeled "Not Fragile But Please Be Nice."
---
The Bundle
Beneath a layer of shredded snack wrappers and chewed packing tape, Min Jae found something odd.
A tightly wrapped bundle. Fabric not from Earth—enchanted silk from the Silverroot region. The edges glowed faintly with seal magic.
It was tied with twine and sealed with a wax imprint in the shape of a three-eyed lizard.
"Goji, what the hell is this?"
Goji made a noise somewhere between a hiccup and a laugh.
Min Jae carefully untied the bundle.
Inside:
A velvet pouch, heavy with polished mana stones—high quality, glowing faint blue.
A folded piece of parchment, written in quick, messy Rivertown script.
A single, tiny dagger made of black glass.
Min Jae read the note aloud.
> "You don't know me, but I know you.
I need transport—quiet, fast. No questions. You'll be paid well.
Let the goat answer. He knows the path."
Min Jae stared at Goji.
Goji stared back, completely unbothered, and then knocked over a shelf of receipts.
---
Illegal Activity: Confirmed
Min Jae slumped against the wall. "I can't believe this. My goat is being used for black market transport."
Goji sneezed and wagged his tail.
"This is supposed to be a legal operation!" he said, grabbing the parchment again. "I filled out magical tax forms! I bribe local inspectors! I sell noodles and vibe rocks! I don't smuggle for fantasy criminals!"
Goji attempted to eat the mana stone pouch.
"Put that down!"
---
Team Emergency Meeting
Ten minutes later, the team gathered around the basement table.
Min Jae slapped the note on the surface like it was a cursed artifact.
Sunwoo blinked. "Is that... a threat? Or an ad?"
Minji read the note aloud, then deadpanned, "Cool. Your goat's doing gigs on the side."
Seojin looked horrified. "Did he get paid under the table? Because that's tax fraud."
Min Jae dropped the dagger on the table. "This is glassbone. Illegal to import, dangerous if enchanted, and banned by at least two of the market guilds."
Seojin gasped. "Smuggling and cursed weaponry? That's felony-tier stuff!"
"Not us," Min Jae said, pointing to Goji. "Him. We're just... accessories to the crime."
Goji was now chewing the corner of a spellbook, possibly out of guilt. Possibly out of boredom.
---
Suspect List: Everyone
They ran through every merchant Min Jae had ever traded with.
"Could be Gandel," Sunwoo muttered. "He's shady and owes you money."
"Could be that one guy with the fake beard," Minji said. "The one who sold you exploding scones."
"Could be the council trying to test you," Seojin whispered.
Min Jae groaned. "I don't care who it is. I just want it to stop."
Sunwoo leaned forward. "You could accept the bribe, take the goods, and track where Goji goes next."
"Absolutely not," Min Jae said. "I am not becoming a fantasy drug mule just because my goat's got a side hustle."
---
Trying to Ask the Goat
In a moment of desperation, Min Jae held up a marker and drew three boxes on a sheet of paper.
Yes | No | What Snacks Do You Have
"Goji," he said, "did you take anything through the portal without telling me?"
Goji stepped directly on Yes.
"Did someone pay you?"
Goji headbutted the marker, sending it flying.
"Was it Gandel?"
Goji walked in a full circle, sat down, and pooped on the "No" square.
"That's not helpful," Min Jae muttered.
---
Cleanup and the Plan
After an hour of cleaning goat glitter off the inventory shelves and hiding the mana stones in a locked tin marked "Definitely Not Bribes", the team regrouped.
Min Jae crossed his arms. "Here's what we're doing. Nothing leaves the basement unless I inspect it. Every crate is tagged. And Goji is now banned from solo trips through the portal."
Sunwoo raised a hand. "Counterpoint: What if Goji is running an underground courier empire, and we're ruining his retirement fund?"
"Then he can fund my tax audit when this all goes public."
---
Mysterious Coincidence
Later that night, Min Jae was alone, sipping cold coffee and going over his portal registry log.
He hadn't noticed it before. But two nights ago, the portal had pulsed.
Not fully opened. Not activated by him.
Just... responded.
A faint flicker. Like something was on the other side. Waiting.
Min Jae sat up straight.
"…Did someone try to come through?"
He glanced at Goji, who was curled up next to a now-emptied rice crate.
He reached over, patted the goat on the head, and whispered:
"We're in deep, aren't we?"
Goji let out a sleepy, evil-sounding snort.