"Did something unexpected happen?" Haru asked and Dok-ja told him about what they faced down in the treasure trove, He even told Haru about how he got the sword well not everything about the process.
"I see, I didn't expect such a thing to happen, I should've been more careful," Haru was talking about the Warden.
"Haru-ssi I don't think anyone could predict that an event like that would've happened," Dok-ja said.
"Yes, Haru-ssi you don't need to worry, we all came back safely," Sang-ah said with a smile.
"You're right, It is good that it ended well," Haru said as he dropped the matter, But everyone aside from Dok-ja knew that he will keep this matter in his mind and try to make it so it doesn't happen again.
'He didn't even look at the sword once,' Dok-ja thought that Haru might be interested in it but it didn't go as he thought.
"Also Dok-ja, do you mind if I try that item you used to cook the monster meat?" Haru asked.
"Ah, sure," Dok-ja gave the mana brazier to Haru who skipped away toward the dead rats.
"Is it just me or does Haru-ssi look really happy?" Dok-ja asked Sang-ah.
"Well, now Haru-ssi can stop trying the normally cooked Monster meat, he said that if he didn't have ice cream he might've died," Sang-ah laughed remembering Haru joking about it before.
'No I am surprised he survived at all, ice cream or not,' Dok-ja knew if someone else tried to do what Haru did this early into the scenarios they will die, unless they had a poison resistance skill.
Haru was cooking some bite-sized meat on the flame by putting them on a skewer as the others chattered behind him.
But it didn't take long for the chatter to stop as they all gathered around Haru looking at the meat that was giving off a flavourful smell that grabbed them all.
Haru took the meat off the skewer putting them on the plate before he took one piece and ate it.
"It is good," Haru said as his expression brightened up, The meat tasted like a high-end product that one would have a hard time getting their hands on.
"Hmm, Why are you all looking at me like that?" Haru asked as he looked at how everyone was nearly drooling, no scratch that they were actually drooling with looking at the cooked meat.
"C-can I eat some?" Hee-won asked, her mind holding onto the last thread of reason, she was super hungry because of how much energy she used while training with Haru.
And it wasn't just her everyone in the group was the same, even Dok-ja and the ones who have eaten before were feeling hungry just from the aroma.
"There are enough for all of you to try," Haru said after he sprinkled some salt on the cooked meat.
"This is too good, I need more," Nam-woon's eyes lit up as he ate it, everything he had ever eaten paled in comparison to this one piece of meat.
"I agree, this is even better than before," Sang-ah couldn't help but praise it.
"What did you put in there Haru-ssi?" Dok-ja asked since it must've been some seasoning that elevated the taste that much.
"It was just salt like you saw," Dok-ja was a bit dumbfounded at Haru's answer.
'It was 100 times tastier with just a sprinkle of salt,' Dok-ja wondered if it was really just that, he suspected it might be cooking skill or something.
"I have cooked this meat a lot of different ways while I was trying to figure out a way to perfectly cook it, So, sit down we'll eat and rest a little before we move forward," Haru smiled and everyone sat down.
They were like 'I get to eat more of that delicious meat? Say less,'
And they eat a lot, and the reason for that was the food got tastier each time as if Haru was improving every time he made it.
So after half an hour, Everyone had their stomachs full as their faces were full of satisfaction except Queresha. She was used to the taste of Haru's food.
[Several Constellations are curious about the taste of the meat.]
[The Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is smacking his lips.]
[700 coins have been sponsored.]
The constellations also wanted to try the food since seeing everyone's reaction made them wonder just how good was it.
"I can't move," Hee-won ate the most out of everyone as she was the most exhausted one after moving around so much, now she was taking a little nap to recharge more energy.
"Alright, did we get all the things?" Haru asked as an hour has passed and everyone rested well enough to continue further.
"We got everything," Queresha answered as she looked at Hyun-sung who also nodded in confirmation.
"Ok, Myung-oh there won't be any rats on the way back but be careful just in case," Haru waved at Myung-oh who was walking back towards Geum-ho station. He went away because he didn't want to be near Haru and no one tried to stop him not even Sang-ah.
"Haru-ssi, Aren't you too kind to Myung-oh considering what he had done?" Dok-ja couldn't understand this part about Haru, he had heard that Myung-oh changed sides at the station and had given out information about Haru's group.
Considering such things it wouldn't have been abnormal for Haru to even stop Dok-ja and the others to go down the burrow. But he allowed it and even when they came back with Myung-oh, Haru didn't even show any displeasure but rather wasn't even opposed to him eating together.
"There are many enemies in the world as it is, no need to make more of them if it can be avoided," Haru said while looking at Dok-ja.
"I see," Dok-ja nodded, he can understand what Haru said. This world as of now, is filled with enemies left and right that will tear you apart if you show the slightest opening, so it was in a person's best interest to avoid making more foes for themselves.
Of course, unless the person is strong enough to not care for enemies like Jung-hyuk.
[The Constellation 'Demonic Judge of Fire' is approving your way of thinking.]
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is smiling as he understands your reason.]
[The Constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is asking for more action instead of this sappy talk.]
[The Constellation 'Desserts For Days' is asking for more ice cream.]
[700 coins have been sponsored.]
'Way to ruin the mood you two,' Haru thought looking at the last two constellations.
"Anyway, it looks like he is suffering enough as it is," Haru shook his head, he did hear about the curse of the demon king that was put on Myung-oh, so that guy will get what was coming for him.
'Well, that is true,' Dok-ja and the others also agreed on that so they let it be.
"Alright, let's go forward we are still three stops away from our destination," Haru said and they all nodded moving along the tracks in order to complete the scenario.
[Main Scenario #2 – Meeting]
Category: Main
Difficulty: E
Clear Conditions: Cross the tunnel and meet the survivors in the first main base.
Time Limit: None
Compensation: 500 coins
Failure: ???
[The next main base is 'Chungmuro']
This appeared a little while before they stopped and now they had a clear destination set.
The group moved forward with Hyun-sung, Haru, and Hee-won in front facing the monsters, Gil-young and Queresha in the middle leaving Dok-ja, Nam-woon, and Sang-ah at the rear to look out for attacks from the back even though the chances were low of that happening.
This is also the reason Haru switched the position of the rear and the front members aside from himself, so that they don't get too exhausted and can recover in the back.
This is how they passed Yak-Su station and reached Dong-Guk University station in around an hour covering nearly 2.5 miles while facing nearly 80 ground rats on the way here. The group passed through easily as they had time to rest as well, but even then fatigue kept building up.
"No one here as well," Hee-won said as she looked at the empty station. They didn't find any people at Yak-su station or more like anyone alive.
'Jung-hyuk most likely killed them,' Dok-ja thought as he saw the expression of Sang-ah and Hyun-sung were a bit hard to describe at the time.
"It seems like they moved to Chungmuro faster," Dok-ja said as the others nodded.
Sang-ah, Hee-won, and Queresha went to the toilet first leaving the men behind.
"They are definitely planning something evil in there," Nam-woon said with narrowed eyes.
'I used to think the same,' Dok-ja sighed trying to forget the embarrassing thoughts he had as a teenager. Though there weren't a lot of them, there are still some that make him blush even right now.
"Well, I'll also go to the toilet as well," Haru left the group as well, after which Hyun-sung and Gil-young also followed him.
"You're not going Boring Ahjussi," Nam-woon looked at Dok-ja.
"I have some things to do so, No," Dok-ja said with a kind smile but he was cursing in his heart.
"Oh, What?" Nam-woon asked.
"You know just boring things that boring Ahjussis do," Dok-ja smiled.
.....
300 more powerstones and a bonus chapter,