Before he knew it, Gyuseong had been dragged into a restaurant and seated at a table.
Everything had happened so suddenly that his thoughts were still in a jumble.
‘I’m actually sitting at the same table as Predator Kang Hanul?’
Predator Kang Hanul was a first-generation Awakened combatant whose legendary exploits were known throughout the country.
Although he served as Team Two’s leader in the Ara Hongryeon Guild, that was merely out of consideration for the younger generation.
In terms of ability and experience, he was already a legend in his own right.
He was also consistently ranked among South Korea’s top ten Awakened.
“So what’s your name, my friend?”
“I’m Lee Gyuseong.
It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Oh!
Gyuseong!
Good name.
You’re handsome too!”
Kang Hanul gave him a broad, hearty grin and placed an order.
Choi Yeongseong sighed as he watched.
“I wish you’d realize just how rude you’re being, Hanul.”
“Ah, you’ve got a point.
Sorry for dragging you here out of nowhere when we’ve only just met.
When I take a liking to someone, I tend to act before thinking.”
“It’s not the person you’ve taken a liking to.
It’s something else.”
“Hey now!
What do you take me for?
Obviously I like both!
Isn’t that right, my friend Gyuseong?”
“H-haha…”
Gyuseong smiled awkwardly and glanced at Yeongseong.
He’d never imagined the shop owner knew Kang Hanul personally.
“Anyway, I apologize on his behalf.
More importantly, did you come to the shop for something?
The test results aren’t back yet.”
“Oh, I just wanted to give you something to thank you for all your help.”
As Gyuseong rummaged through his bag, Kang Hanul’s eyes gleamed like a predator spotting prey.
“What kind of gift?”
“It’s nothing much.
I brought these for you to taste.”
He took out a carrot like the one he’d brought before, along with a bag of cherry tomatoes.
The tomatoes had the same jewel-like luster as the carrot, making it obvious they were anything but ordinary.
“You found tomatoes too?”
“Something like that.”
Kang Hanul, who had been watching closely, joined the conversation.
“Those are for Yeongseong?”
“Pardon?
Oh, yes.”
“Hey, Choi Yeongseong.
Can I try just one?”
“Even if I tell you not to, you’ll take one anyway, you bastard.”
“Wahahaha!
That’s our Choi Yeongseong!
You know me so well!”
The alcohol arrived before the food they’d ordered.
Gyuseong wasn’t good at drinking and made an awkward gesture of refusal.
“I don’t really drink.”
“Oh, is that so?
Then we’ll get you a soft drink.
Excuse me!
One cider over here!”
Hanul poured himself a glass and downed it immediately.
“Ahh, good stuff!
Now, for a little tomato to go with it…”
“Gyuseong, these are safe to eat, right?”
“Of course.
I’ve eaten them myself.
They even have item windows.”
“…What?”
Yeongseong and Hanul stared at each other in disbelief.
Then both simultaneously picked up tomatoes and inspected them intently.
“I-it’s true!
And they give poison resistance?”
“Wahahaha!
I’ve never heard of tomatoes being recognized as items!
If they grant poison resistance, surely they’re safe to eat.
Yum!”
Pop!
Hanul popped a tomato into his mouth and chewed.
An odd expression appeared on his face, prompting Yeongseong to ask anxiously, “What?
What’s wrong?
Did something happen?”
“Hmm…”
With a serious expression, Hanul slowly reached out and casually took another cherry tomato.
“You bastard, are you trying to sneak another one?!”
“Wahahahaha!”
Hanul immediately popped it into his mouth.
After chewing for a moment, he grabbed Gyuseong’s arm with an ecstatic expression.
“Where exactly did you find these?
Which dungeon was it?
I’ll go there right now, wipe out every monster, and bring back all the fruit!”
“Trade secret.
Haha.”
“How much would it take?
Food of this quality, whether fruit or vegetables or whatever you call it, would make a fortune!
I guarantee it!”
“Mmph!”
Yeongseong had finally eaten a tomato too and looked thoroughly astonished.
As a former researcher, he’d never encountered crops like these.
He was too busy analyzing what he was eating to focus solely on its flavor.
“These must be crops that came from a dungeon, right?
But what process could have infused them with mana?
People have tried cultivating dungeon plants before, and every attempt has failed…”
“Wahaha!
Why worry so much, Choi Yeongseong?
All we have to do is enjoy them!
Wahahaha!” Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Even as he spoke, Hanul’s hand naturally reached for the tomatoes again.
Yeongseong slapped it away.
Then he moved the bag well out of reach of the now-miserable-looking Hanul and turned to Gyuseong.
“Are you sure it’s all right to give something like this away?”
“There’s no problem with that.”
“Hmm…”
Yeongseong’s grave reaction made Gyuseong wonder whether he’d done something wrong.
To him, these were merely crops.
But to the former researcher, they looked like items that could cause an enormous upheaval in the Awakened industry.
‘It would be rude to ask where he got them.’
After thinking it over, Yeongseong rose from his seat.
Hanul, who had been savoring the taste of the tomato lingering in his mouth, tilted his head.
“What is it, Choi Yeongseong?
Where are you going?”
“I need to look into this.
Gyuseong, I’m sorry to leave so suddenly.
Let’s talk again soon.”
“Pardon?
Oh, of course.
Take care on your way back.”
Even Gyuseong could tell something unusual was happening.
Yet no matter how he looked at it, these were still just crops.
“They’re delicious and have some strange buffs, but they’re not even that great yet…”
“Yet?”
“Oh, I meant they’re only Level 1.
I thought higher-level ones might taste better and have more impressive effects.”
“Now that you mention it, those were only Level 1!
Wahahaha!
Amazing!”
Gyuseong rummaged through his bag and took out a few more tomatoes.
They were originally meant for his family, but he could give his family more anytime, so he decided to share some with Hanul.
“Here, have some more.”
“Oh?
Are you sure?”
“Of course.
I’ve got quite a few tomatoes.”
“…Lee Gyuseong.”
Hanul suddenly called his name in a low voice, making him flinch.
“Yes?”
“…I’ll enjoy them!
Wahahaha!
Thank you, thank you!”
“Uh, you’re welcome.”
“Lee Gyuseong, did you have plans today?
I hope I’m not holding you up.”
“Oh, I was going to visit my family.”
“Oh!
Then I’ve made a terrible mistake.”
Hanul pulled a wallet from his pocket and handed him a business card.
“That’s my number.
May I have yours as well, my friend?”
“Of course.
Just a moment.”
Gyuseong called the number on the card, allowing Hanul to save his number on his phone.
“Wahahahaha!
Excellent!
Let’s meet again soon!”
“Pardon?”
“You’ve got family to visit!
Go on, get moving!”
“But our meal…”
“Don’t worry about it!
We’ll eat together some other time when you’re free!
Wahaha!”
More and more people were paying attention to their table because of Hanul’s presence.
He was so famous that it would have been stranger if nobody recognized him.
Yeongseong’s serious reaction and Hanul’s enthusiasm had already made Gyuseong wonder whether his crops were more remarkable than he’d imagined.
Now the attention of the other customers was making him uncomfortable.
“Then I’ll see you again.
It was a pleasure meeting you.”
“Oh, yes!
See you next time!”
Gyuseong hurried away.
Left alone, Hanul rolled a tomato around in his palm.
“Hehehe.
He says he’s got plenty of tomatoes, does he?
I wonder…”
His beastlike instincts were telling him something.
These crops hadn’t simply been found in a dungeon.
They were connected to Lee Gyuseong’s ability.
“I need to get close to that fellow!
I’ll make us sworn brothers!
Wahahaha!”
* * *
Good grief.
What a hectic experience.
Kang Hanul was so famous that his eccentric personality was common knowledge, but there was a big difference between hearing rumors about someone and actually dealing with him.
“Is it because I haven’t slept?
He really drains all my energy.”
When I arrived home, everyone was there, unlike last time.
“What brings you here?”
My younger sister, Lee Seona, who hadn’t been home during my previous visit, greeted me with a sulky expression.
“Oh, our son is home!
Why didn’t you tell us again?
Have you eaten?”
“Yeah, I have.
I just came by for a moment to drop something off.”
I handed over the carrots and all the tomatoes remaining in my bag.
“What are these?”
“Hyung?”
My family came out of their rooms and inspected the crops I’d brought.
“Why are they this color?
And why is this carrot so big?”
“Where did you get them?”
Everyone was fascinated by the unfamiliar-looking produce, and I answered proudly.
“I grew them myself.
I’m thinking of making a living this way from now on.”
“Wait, Gyuseong, you grew these?”
“Yeah.
I originally started farming because my quest forced me to, but things have worked out and I’ve finally been able to harvest some crops.
I have my own special technique, so other people can’t copy it.”
“Oh-ho.”
They nodded, but they didn’t look as though they thought it was anything particularly extraordinary.
So I spoke with confidence.
“Try them and tell me what you think.”
“All right.
I’ll have one of these tomatoes.”
My mother was the first to put a jewel-like cherry tomato into her mouth.
Pop!
A wave of sweet and sour tomato flavor was sure to follow.
By now, the concentrated taste and pleasant, never-cloying sweetness would be dancing across her tongue.
“Me too.”
Jaeseong, who had been studying the produce closely, followed our mother and tried a tomato.
Since he’d always dreamed of becoming a chef, he was probably more discerning about food than anyone.
“Mmmm?!”
Jaeseong stared at me with wide eyes.
My mother looked as if she’d been transported to another world.
“Let me try one too!”
Seona, the youngest, immediately popped a tomato into her mouth.
Our father tried one silently as well.
“What is this?!”
As expected, lively Seona was the first to react.
After that single outburst, she reached for another tomato.
“Th-this is really a tomato?
I can’t believe it.”
Jaeseong’s hands were trembling.
Hey, are you all right?
“Hyung!”
“Y-yeah?”
“How many more of these can you produce?
Actually, can you only grow tomatoes and carrots?”
“Well…
I’ve only just succeeded, so these are the only two I have for now.
But I’m gradually expanding what I grow.”
Jaeseong examined the tomato with an intensely serious expression.
Then he took one into the kitchen and began cooking something on his own.
“These are delicious.”
“Right?
I can’t promise to bring them every day, but I’ll try to bring you a harvest about once a week.”
“That would be wonderful.”
I was happy that everyone liked them.
I’d expected a good reaction, but having my efforts acknowledged felt even better.
“Hyung!”
“Why do you keep calling me?”
“Do you have napa cabbage, lettuce, potatoes, or asparagus?
Things like that?”
“No.
I’ve planted potatoes, but I don’t have the others.”
“Hmm…”
“What are you thinking?”
“Nothing.
I need to think about it a little more.”
What was he thinking about?
Don’t tell me he wanted to cook with my crops…
“Oh?”
That wasn’t a bad idea.
Of course, opening a restaurant would take an enormous amount of effort and planning.
It wasn’t a decision we could rush, so I decided to let Jaeseong think it over.
‘Besides, I still don’t know how this will all turn out.’
Things would be fine as long as my crops kept growing well, but I always needed to prepare for the future.
More importantly, I didn’t have the money.
And even when I did save enough, there was something I needed to take care of before opening a restaurant.
‘I need to buy the dungeon.’
The slime dungeon where I lived.
Its owner still didn’t know about the huge underground chamber.
I needed to buy it at its current price before that changed.
Of course, I wasn’t sure the owner would agree to sell.
There’s nothing money can’t solve!
If something can’t be solved, you just don’t have enough money!
“I’d better head back now!”
“Leaving already?”
“I’ve got work to do.
I don’t have a moment to spare anymore.”
“Still, don’t overdo it.
Rest when you can.
Your health comes first.
If you get sick, none of this will matter.”
“Oppa!
Bring more next time!
This isn’t nearly enough!”
After being seen off by my family, I returned to the dungeon.
The day had felt so long, yet somehow it had passed in a flash.
“I’m back!”
Squirm!
The new recruit stationed on the upper level greeted me.
The others must all be downstairs.
Wait, though.
Was that…?
“Leila fruit?”
Squirm!
At long last, the Leila plants were beginning to bear fruit as well.