Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Oh Deok-man Lands

A pile of volcanic rocks sat in one corner of the sauna.

“Boss. Do I pour water here?”

“Yeah. Pour a moderate……”

Before I could even finish speaking, Aris dumped an entire bucket of water over them.

With a loud HSSSSS, an enormous cloud of steam rose.

“Gyaaaah!”

I grabbed Aris by the head as she tried to run out.

She had created this heat and was trying to escape alone. That was unacceptable.

“I’m going to burn to death!”

“You will not die, so endure it a little. Let your Vitality and mana recover.”

As soon as the steam touched me, beads of sweat began forming.

Vitality and mana recovery aside, it had been a long time since I last warmed myself like this, so it felt refreshing and nice.

“Duaaaah…… I feel all warm and drowsy. It is very pleasant-du.”

Unlike Aris, who was making a huge fuss, Kung-du Poporu even had a towel neatly placed on top of his head.

He looked like he was properly enjoying the sauna.

I knew he would like it.

Poporu always entered only the hottest part of the bath too.

“Meow.”

By the way, when did this rice-cake dumpling friend come and sit here?

Was this not neglecting its duties, leaving the infirmary empty?

“Meow.”

The rice-cake dumpling climbed down from its chair and walked to the corner of the sauna.

It began picking up the birch leaves and branches placed there and weaving them together.

‘Could that be a vihta?’

A vihta, made from birch leaves and twigs.

In Finland, the home of saunas, it was practically part of the traditional culture.

Apparently, if you smacked yourself with it, it loosened muscles, improved blood circulation, and even removed dead skin or something like that.

The spa one tier above this required Low-Grade Magic Stones, so I had installed the cheapest sauna, but it was far more proper than I expected.

“Meow, meow.”

The rice-cake dumpling finished it in an instant and handed me the vihta.

It was an infirmary teacher, yet it was good with its hands too.

Smack, smack!

I evenly smacked the rice-cake dumpling and Poporu with the vihta.

“Duaaaah…… It feels refreshing and nice-du.”

“Meow!”

“Aris, have Poporu smack you a little.”

“Understood-du.”

I handed him the vihta.

Of course, it was meaningless.

CRACK!!

Before he even received the vihta, Poporu launched Aris away with a One-Inch Punch.

“……?”

I drew a question mark at the sudden acceleration.

“Du?”

His expression seemed to say, You told me to smack her, so I smacked her. What is the problem?

Next time, I should be precise.

I should tell him to smack her with the vihta.

Was it because her level had gone up? Or was it because of the sauna’s recovery effect?

Aris recovered quickly and walked over to my side.

Blood was running from her nose, but let’s pretend I did not see it.

“Boss. Can I use that wooden stick?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Smack, smack, smack!!!

As soon as she received the vihta, Aris began whipping Poporu with it violently.

“Duaaagh! It stings-du!”

With the peace thoroughly destroyed, I quietly stood up and left the sauna.

The rice-cake dumpling also slipped up and followed me.

As if it had never left its post, the rice-cake dumpling slid into the infirmary and put a stethoscope around its neck.

It felt vague somehow, yet it was a friend with a strong presence.

“Duaaagh!”

“Die! Dieee!”

I dug a finger into my ear at the screams leaking out of the sauna.

It would be troublesome if they did that outside in the hotel, so I decided to leave them alone for a while.

A few minutes passed like that.

Once the sauna grew quiet, I pressed the exit button.

[You are leaving the Labyrinth’s Personal Lobby!]

A luxurious guest room spread out before my eyes.

My precious Five-Star Hotel.

All I had done here was bathe and eat Room Service, yet checkout time was already approaching.

Even now, I should hurry and……

Thump!

My body felt so awkward that I sank down before I realized it.

I had briefly forgotten that my level had risen refreshingly, and my stats had also increased enormously.

Since it had not gone through Poporu’s Unique Traits, the stat increase from level-ups vanished the moment I came out into reality.

In the Personal Lobby, my body had felt so light that I thought I might fly, but now, in contrast, it felt as if gravity was swallowing me.

‘The reverse sensation is absurd.’

I decided to stay like this until I adjusted a little.

“Boss? Why are you sitting like that?”

“My liege-du. Are you all right-du?”

I looked at Aris and Poporu.

I felt like I should be the one asking them that.

How fiercely had they beaten each other?

Their noses were bleeding, their eyes were swollen black and blue, and their hair was a tangled mess from being yanked out.

Anyone who saw them would think they had been struck by lightning.

I sat them side by side on either side of me and spaced out for a while.

Then I looked at my ringing phone.

# Oh Deok-man, True Otaku Among Otakus.

Ah, right.

I had forgotten about this friend’s existence.

---

Knock, knock.

At the world’s most timid knock, I opened the door.

“What?! The real……”

THUD!

“I understand, so please open the door, my friend Ryu Jin.”

When I opened it again, Deok-man shoved his heavy body inside first so I could not close it.

Once he entered, Deok-man pushed up his glasses with his middle finger.

It annoyed me every time I saw it.

He was not doing that on purpose, right?

With heavy steps, he walked inside and slowly examined the room.

Then.

“You bastard, Ryu Jin!!”

He suddenly charged at me and grabbed me by the collar.

“What happened while I was gone!? Did you finally decide to throw your life away!? Have you gone insane, touching private loans?!”

“What kind of insane nonsense is that, Deok-man? Why are you suddenly talking about loan sharks……”

“You are poorer than I am, and yet you suddenly have this ultra-luxury hotel room! How is this possible unless you borrowed from some same-day loan shark flyer lying on the street!”

“It is nothing like that, so let go and listen to me……”

“Cancel it right now! Unless you want to see this King Deok-man truly get angry…… Ow!”

I grabbed Deok-man by the hair and slapped his forehead.

“I said no. I said no.”

Smack! Smack!

I did not know why.

Whenever I was with this guy, a stupid fight like this always broke out.

“What do you mean, no, you bastard!”

Oh Deok-man refused to back down, pulling my hair right back and pinching me.

At the sudden bloody battle, Aris and Poporu, who were standing far away, swallowed dryly.

Normally, Boss was overflowing with dignity, but when he was like this, he seemed a little childish too……

CRACK!

After sending Aris flying, Poporu wrinkled his nose.

“I could hear the sound of your head turning from all the way over here while you were thinking disrespectful thoughts-du. Early suppression complete-du.”

Aris, who had been embedded in the bed, barely lifted her head.

Seriously, what was wrong with that crazy seal?

He seemed to hit her at random, yet he was oddly sharp in his own way.

“Huff, huff, huff.”

Oh Deok-man, who had fallen away, breathed roughly.

It was not because Ryu Jin had forcibly retired him.

Compared to his burning enthusiasm, the stamina granted to his body was at the lowest of the low.

He had worn himself out after exactly one minute.

After fixing my messy hair, I showed Oh Deok-man my phone.

“What is this now…… One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million…… Kuhuuuuk!?”

Oh Deok-man’s pupils shook violently.

More than 400 million won.

It was not an amount the Ryu Jin small fry he knew could possibly have.

“See? It is not from loan sharks.”

“Were you the ringleader of a voice phishing operation, you bastard?!”

“I really want to beat you up. I earned it from Labyrinth cash farming.”

“Labyrinth cash farming makes that much money?!”

“This is not a normal case. I happened to run into a Constellation event and got showered in Magic Stones.”

“There was no such thing before the Regression?!”

“Who would be insane enough to share something this good? Anyone would keep it to themselves.”

Oh Deok-man swallowed dryly and nodded.

For something said by a Ryu Jin small fry, it made sense.

“Drink this first and catch your breath.”

Thinking of Deok-man’s health, I handed him a zero-sugar drink.

“Hey, you.”

“What now?”

“There are plenty of new ones, so why are you giving me one you were drinking?”

“You are sharp.”

I gave him a new one and sat on the bed.

I was already exhausted from the reverse sensation, and now I had wasted my stamina for no reason.

“Ryu Jin. I have something to say.”

“What is it with the sudden serious mood?”

“Today, I am sleeping here.”

I put down the cider I had been drinking.

Was this kid actually insane?

“No, why, when you already found a place?”

“I found one, but it is the same as not having found one.”

“What kind of deranged nonsense is that?”

“It is a story impossible to hear without tears, so prepare a handkerchief.”

My mouth opened at the story that followed.

After he signed the contract and even paid the remaining balance, he moved in, only to find that the entire villa building was a hideout for juvenile delinquents. Their rampage continued day and night, so he gave up on the room and fled.

“To summarize, some kids took your room from you.”

“Concise and clear. Are you not going to shed tears? As expected of Sannae-dong, Daegu’s famous cold-blooded Ryu Jin. You are a man without blood or tears.”

I had no idea where I was supposed to cry, or when I had gained such a nickname, but anyway.

“Did you not report it?”

“It was useless. They did not directly harm me, so they could not be sanctioned. In the first place, the villa owner seemed to be on their side too. There were quite a few people besides me who had their rooms taken.”

Oh Deok-man shook his head with a serious face.

“Young people these days are no joke. Their methods are quite vicious. Anyone would have been caught by them. Anyway, do not tell Jae-hee. With her violent personality, she might run over with a baseball bat.”

“I have not contacted her for three years, so I am the one who will get beaten first. Why would I tell her? But you seem awfully calm for someone who lost his room.”

“As long as my precious body remains safe, is that not enough? I am coolly giving up on the five million won security deposit.”

“There is nothing cool about that. Send me the address, at least. I should be careful when I look for a place too.”

Ding.

“I sent it. Seriously, be careful. They seemed like they had nothing to lose. By the way, Ryu Jin-kun. Can I eat this?”

“Do not ask after you have already shoved it into your mouth.”

After checking the address Deok-man sent, I turned my gaze to the Status Window.

It had been worth getting beaten personally in Plum Blossom Venerable.

Thanks to Poporu’s traits applying, my stats had risen quite a bit compared to before.

Below them, Plum Blossom True Origin Sword and the Kung Fu techniques I had newly learned were spread out.

‘Hmm.’

I slowly rubbed my chin.

Many things had changed since the practical combat at the alley market.

In other words, I needed to update my current bodily senses.

Practical combat in reality was as important to me as the Labyrinth.

“Deok-man, do you want to eat anything else?”

“You still have not ordered more, you bastard? What do you take my high-class body for?”

I swallowed dryly.

I wanted to hit him once, but let’s endure it.

I would work him to death later.

After adding more Room Service, I stood up.

“Eat. I will step out for a bit.”

I left the guest room with Poporu.

To shake off the reverse sensation and take a walk, let’s make a gentle little trip.

---

A villa in a redevelopment district somewhere in Seoul.

Jo Woo-chan, who was sprawled out, frowned.

“They are only giving us this much?”

“Why? How much did they give?”

“Only 500,000 won.”

“What? Seriously? Did they not swallow the five million won deposit? They are not even giving you one million?”

They were the ones who had done all sorts of things to drive the tenant out, yet they were only getting 500,000 won.

He was so dumbfounded that words would not come out.

“Woo-chan oppa. At this rate, we are all going to starve to death. Is there nothing that makes money?”

“Stop whining. This happened because you guys failed to take the money and got beaten up instead. Do-guk hyung got screwed because of that too.”

Lee Do-guk had completely disappeared after that day.

He had worked them hard, but he had at least taken care of them to some degree, so Woo-chan had liked him.

There was a rumor that he had been sunk off the coast of Incheon because he had lost the organization’s tribute money.

‘I should have gone myself.’

He had only sent some half-baked kids because he was drinking, and the whole thing had gone wrong.

Knock, knock.

At the sound of knocking, Jo Woo-chan looked at the door.

“What? Did you order delivery? I told you not to order because we have no money.”

“It was not me?”

“Not me either.”

“What is it, then? Open it.”

One of the friends beside him walked to the door.

Had even five seconds passed?

BANG!!

That friend came back.

With his teeth scattering like corn kernels.