Chapter 132

Chapter 132

[Seo Dawon: Why'd you get dumped lololol]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Because I started living in the Hub]

[Choi Lee-kyung: We couldn't meet often]

[Seo Dawon: *whistle noise* She wasn't a User?]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Mhmm, We got together before I was a User. When I got here, she left me.]

Why was he even pretending to have dated a woman? I had many questions that would make his life difficult right now, but I stopped asking for a moment and turned towards Choi Lee-kyung.

If I drove him into a corner, he would most likely be incredibly embarrassed, right? He may not open his mouth for a long while...But, didn't these impulsive lies reveal one's weaknesses or inferiority complexes? I wanted to know why Choi Lee-kyung felt the need to pretend he had dated a girl previously.

[Choi Lee-kyung: And you?]

[Seo Dawon: ?]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Did you have a girlfriend?]

[Seo Dawon: keke]

[Seo Dawon: Look at my face]

[Seo Dawon: Do you really think they would have left me alone?]

[Choi Lee-kyung: lol]

I pretended to be ignorant as to Choi Lee-kyung's true question and observed him carefully.

The necromancer held both a relieved and slightly disappointed expression-a complex look. When we locked gazes, I said, jokingly, "I was popular with men too..." Choi Lee-kyung's face flushed red. Seeing his face, I suddenly guessed why he insisted on such a foolhardy lie.

'Maybe, he doesn't want to be outed as gay?'

[Choi Lee-kyung: I doubt that, heh]

'Again, he's hiding that he's interested in me..?'

With such a shallow front as well.

I snorted involuntarily. However, it wasn't bad for me for him to hide his interest. If he were to openly show his attraction, it was like I could refuse him. So, I pretended to not realize anything and looked away from him, choosing not to continue this line of conversation.

[You've exited the Tower of Command Hard Route.]

[You've entered a 'normal mode' trap room.]

Meanwhile our party walked straight out of the danger zone. I thought, now we could finally escape the [Tower of Command], but suddenly the red-head walking up front called out to Choi Lee-kyung with an ear-piercing voice, "Choi Lee-kyung, what's the name of the material you need?"

"Ah, that's... 'Contaminated Dark Liquid.' It drops when you kill a mourning slime..."

"And those appear in trap rooms, correct?"

The monster that would drop Choi Lee-kyung's desired evolution material would soon appear. That monster, the [Mourning Slime], was yellow-exactly as if someone had urinated on some half-melted jelly- and produced an unpleasant smell.

Of course, as I had attempted to raid this dungeon before, this was a familiar monster. In particular, while trying to find the entrance to the hard mode route, we encountered the oily trail left behind by the slimes. While trying to find a shortcut, Bae Jaemin had disturbed a pipe that was chock full of [Mourning Slimes], and we wasted 30 minutes.

'Now that I think about it, that must have been done on purpose, right? He planned to kill us; he couldn't have touched things meaninglessly...'

While contemplating, my eyes suddenly landed on Choi Lee-kyung, who was frowning and blocking his nose next to me.

In fact, ingredient or not, I had no desire to get closer because of the risk factor, but I didn't think this encounter would pose a big threat to a party of this level. So, I decided to observe for now...As expected, that alone was not reassuring. So, I quietly applied defensive skills such as [cure], [high-refresh], and [anti-poison]. Slimes are usually highly toxic, one may be caught up in the poison trails or injured due to splashing acid; all three skills were defensive magic specialized for those situations.

Of course, Choi Lee-kyung did not seem to realize that he was being protected; there were a lot of moving parts to keep an eye on, after all.

Kim Sangyoon shouted in frustration at Choi Lee-kyung, who appeared to be standing blankly without taking any countermeasures, "Hey, you don't have a mask?"

"Huh, yeah..."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Ngh......"

"Quickly use that, you fool." The warrior handed over one workshop-made mask. Seeing how his eyes watered, he seemed to be saddened over just one mask, but he had no choice. If the person that paid to be carried were to die, he would be ruined.

However, the way Choi Lee-kyung looked at, moved, the red-haired man just from a reluctantly given mask annoyed me; he had no wits. I wanted to retort, 'if you want to thank someone, turn my way,' but that felt childish. Instead, I just stood back and watched the party hunt. It was as awful as I had expected; they had no fundamentals, and their positions were all messed up...

"Attack!" The red hair, who was at least better than a dog, ran around on his own, but...that was all. Further, I was more annoyed at the sight of him fighting. That warrior who would ignore Choi Lee-kyung despite merely being at that low level, and Choi Lee-kyung who was far too foolish to be angry at those who ignored him.

Still, they'd prove to be examples of what not to do. 1 I tried to point out their mistakes one by one and conveyed basic knowledge of dungeoneering and raiding to Choi Lee-kyung. Fortunately, Choi Lee-kyung was quite perceptive in this matter and quickly understood what I was trying to point out.

However, in the midst of listening carefully, Choi Lee-kyung released a deep sigh while looking at the red-haired man. "I'm jealous..."

"Of what?"

"I wish I had that kind of item..." He looked at the red hair's back with eyes full of longing and desire.

"Are you serious?"

"......"

It's just, what's there to admire about him... Above all that, how could you envy that red hair with me in front of you?

My temper flared and I became emotional, but I tried to understand-Choi Leekyung was a newbie who lived without knowing any better. For someone at his level, considering all that he had seen and could predict, I suppose that red hair could attract his eyes.

"When we leave, let's pick out a combat uniform first. Before we can find something suitable from a Dungeon, we can buy something basic, ready-to-wear at the DAA or something..." I said.

"DAA? Are you talking about the workshop, DAA?"

"Yeah. That still exists, right?"

So, setting aside the bitterness I felt, I mentioned the combat uniform brand DAA. After all, DAA was the most recognized luxury equipment brand to general Users.

As expected, Choi Lee-kyung opened his eyes impossibly wide. His reaction was a bit cheesy: opening his mouth and closing it a few times. But soon he said, "I'll wear it if you buy it for me,"-how cute. Are you intimidated, Choi Lee-kyung?

Ignoring his doubtful attitude, I continued, "Also buy yourself some accessories. You look broke right now."

Eventually, Choi Lee-kyung said, straightforwardly, "Hey, I don't have any money."

Did he really think I'd let him pay for everything? Those words travelled up my throat, but I was struck by the desire to tease him; I closed my mouth.

Choi Lee-kyung couldn't see the mirth in my eyes and, as if he were suffering, said while stammering, "What you're saying is impossible with my bank account right now...," trying to stop me. I looked sideways at him, and checked my unlocked inventory.

[Dragon Heart]

[Makya 2 made on January 7th]

[Lord of the Shadow Palace's Coins]

[Frame - Ruagh's Split Pendant (Left)]

.

.

[Icart Nightmare]

[Heaven or Hell]

Just by selling the things within my material items category, we could buy a few buildings straight away. Moreover, much of my equipment were artifacts of high quality and returned back to my inventory after falling off my body. Except for my staff, all the equipment I had used during my lifetime were stored.

Selling just one of these would solve his money problems for the rest of his life, and yet, even after signing with me, Choi Lee-kyung was panting after equipment worth only in the hundreds of million won. He coveted a sword that only held a single skill.

But, before I could explain, Red Hair called Choi Lee-kyung over, cutting our conversation short ambiguously.

He urged the Necromancer to hurry up and take the ingredient that had appeared; there was no problem so far. However, as soon as Choi Lee-kyung safely held the item, Red Hair suddenly dragged him into his embrace. How ridiculous. Astonishingly, the person who shouted, 'Why are you touching my head,' so tetchily when I stroked his hair returned the red head's hug with an uncertain smile.

"Hey, write a good review for us, okay?"

All the while listening to a bully like Kim Sangyoon...

TL: Thanks to Remiss for the Kofi <3 <3

Not @ Seo Dawon saying how he's glad MC is hiding he's attracted to him but also calling him cute all the time + getting angry that MC is idolising Kim Sangyoon.

Footnotes