Chapter 19

Even after reuniting with the hunters, Lee Cheongmyeong was nowhere to be seen.

If the ground had been sandy, they could have followed footprints or the child leash’s trail, but on the grass, no traces were left.

“Team Leader!!”

The expressions of the team members running towards him were all grave.

Despite calling out for Lee Cheongmyeong throughout the return, he was neither seen nor heard.

“Team Leader.”

At Ahn Eunseon ’s desperate call, Do Hajun stopped walking.

With a face growing more expressionless with each passing moment, Do Hajun looked at his team members.

“From now on, split up and search. Ahn Eunseon, go with Park Minsu to the right. Yoo Mia, you and Jeon Seohyun go back the way we came.”

“Yes.”

“If there are any monsters like before, take them down immediately. If you find Cheongmyeong, signal with a flare. Everyone else will join up as soon as they see the signal.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Go.”

Watching the team members sprint away, Do Hajun also started running.

Although he hadn’t shown it in front of the team, Do Hajun was endlessly blaming himself.

Putting Lee Cheongmyeong down, letting go of the leash, not finding Lee Cheongmyeong immediately after defeating the monster.

It all seemed like it happened because he didn’t pay more attention to Lee Cheongmyeong.

“Cheongmyeong!!”

As he ran, calling out loudly, he heard the sound of water from somewhere.

“Water?”

There was no information about water in this B-rank dungeon.

Do Hajun ran towards the sound.

The only hunter who could use water in this dungeon was Lee Cheongmyeong.

“Cheongmyeong!”

The sound grew clearer as he got closer.

It was definitely the sound of water.

Like a waterfall, the sound grew louder, signaling that Lee Cheongmyeong was nearby.

“Cheongmyeong! Lee Cheongmyeong!”

Shouting at the top of his lungs as he ran towards the sound, he saw a glimmering rainbow in the distance.

Just like that day at the amusement park, a beautiful rainbow spanned the sky.

And at its center stood Lee Cheongmyeong with his turtle backpack.

“Lee Cheongmyeong!!”

At Do Hajun’s shout, Lee Cheongmyeong turned his head.

“Jun!”

Do Hajun, who embraced the cheerfully running Lee Cheongmyeong, checked the child’s body thoroughly.

After making sure there were no injuries, Do Hajun sat down right where he was.

What on earth.

Even though he was angry, he was also deeply grateful that Lee Cheongmyeong was safe in his arms. Do Hajun silently hugged Lee Cheongmyeong tightly.

“Jun, are you hurt?”

Lee Cheongmyeong, who was smiling despite the tight hug, tilted his head.

“No. No, I’m not.”

Do Hajun calmed his pounding heart and took a flare from his inventory.

“Cheongmyeong, cover your ears.”

“Huh?”

After confirming that Lee Cheongmyeong had covered his ears with his small hands, Do Hajun fired the flare.

With a bang and a burst of red smoke, Lee Cheongmyeong looked up at the sky in awe.

Seeing that pure expression, Do Hajun grabbed Lee Cheongmyeong’s shoulders and fixed his gaze on him.

Thinking he could control Lee Cheongmyeong with a child leash was a big mistake.

This time, he had to teach him firmly so that this would never happen again.

“Lee Cheongmyeong, who told you to wander around alone?”

“Well, uh…”

“What would have happened if I hadn’t found you? Didn’t I tell you before we left that this place is a dangerous dungeon, not outside?”

“…Jun…”

Even though he didn’t raise his voice, the stern expression and cold tone made tears well up in Lee Cheongmyeong’s eyes.

“Do you know how dangerous this place is for you to wander around?”

“Sniff, Jun… I’m scared.”

“Scared now? What if you had gotten hurt by a monster? You’re not scared of that?”

Watching Lee Cheongmyeong cry bitterly, unable to hug him due to the firm grip on his shoulders, Do Hajun spoke.

“Cheongmyeong, you need to be spanked.”

[Skill ‘Spank!’ has been activated.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong’s overall skill stats decrease by 10 for 10 minutes.]

[Due to high affection for the guardian, the skill effect of punishment is maximized.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong’s wisdom increases by 10 due to the guardian’s proper skill use.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong is saddened by the guardian’s stern scolding.]

[Status: Sad / Sorrowful]

“Waahhh!”

Lee Cheongmyeong burst into tears, flailing his arms.

Despite his gestures asking to be held, Do Hajun just looked at him steadily.

Kim Hana had once said that there would be a time when he would need to scold Lee Cheongmyeong.

And she warned that if the guardian didn’t properly discipline the child, he would develop wrong ideas.

Even though he thought it was unlikely, he learned how to scold a child just in case.

He didn’t expect to use it in a dungeon like this.

But this time, Lee Cheongmyeong had really done something wrong.

“Sniff, I’m sorry, sniff, sniff, I was wrong. Jun!”

Even as Lee Cheongmyeong cried and stomped his feet, Do Hajun just watched him.

Kim Hana had said to wait until the child calms down and apologizes on his own.

Until he thinks for himself and admits his mistake.

When stomping his feet didn’t work, Lee Cheongmyeong’s rebellious cries gradually subsided.

[With perfect discipline, Lee Cheongmyeong has calmed down.]

[Due to the guardian’s perfect discipline, Lee Cheongmyeong’s independence increases by 10.]

[Due to the guardian’s perfect discipline, Lee Cheongmyeong’s wisdom increases by 10.]

[Due to the guardian’s perfect discipline, Lee Cheongmyeong’s balance increases by 10.]

Perfect discipline, huh.

Despite the excellent results, Do Hajun smiled bitterly.

Seeing this, Lee Cheongmyeong started crying again and spoke.

“Sniff, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

Finally hearing an apology, Do Hajun hugged Lee Cheongmyeong tightly.

As soon as Lee Cheongmyeong, who had only been crying, was held in Do Hajun’s arms, he started crying loudly again.

“Waahhh.”

“Thank you for apologizing. Don’t do it again, okay? Oh, our Cheongmyeong is such a good boy.”

[Skill ‘Good Child’ has been activated.]

[The skill stats that were decreased by punishment are restored.]

[Due to the overlapping use with punishment, double effects are activated.]

[Skill proficiency greatly increases for 2 hours.]

[Stats rapidly increase for 2 hours.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong’s sadness slightly diminishes.]

[New emotion towards the guardian arises. New emotion: Affection]

[Affection towards the guardian increases by 10.]

While comforting Lee Cheongmyeong and watching the continuous pop-ups, Do Hajun saw Ahn Eunseon and the team members running towards him, having seen the flare.

“Cheongmyeong!”

Ignoring the continuous messages, Do Hajun just held the crying Lee Cheongmyeong tightly.

* * *

“Team Leader!!”

“Shh!”

The team members who ran over upon seeing the flare were all breathing heavily as they looked at Lee Cheongmyeong.

His eyes were red from crying, and his cheeks were streaked with tears.

“Did you scold him?”

“Of course.”

“Why did you scold the child!”

Ignoring Ahn Eunseon ‘s scolding whisper, Do Hajun spoke to the relieved-looking team members.

“What about the monsters?”

“We encountered both teams.”

It seemed like the dungeon had indeed reset.

Reset after five years.

And it happened when they entered with Lee Cheongmyeong.

“Jeon Seohyun. Contact the Center, explain the situation, and tell them we’ll return immediately.”

“Yes.”

“Team leader! We’ve set up a mat. Come over here.”

While talking with Jeon Seohyun, Ahn Eunseon, who had been bustling around, waved her hand.

“You were well prepared for a picnic?”

Bringing a mat to the dungeon. Why not bring a whole picnic set?

Frowning, as he walked towards the mat, Ahn Eunseon slyly took something out of her inventory and placed it beside her.

It was a picnic basket made of rattan.

“Ahn Eunseon .”

“Hehe, it’s all for making a living.”

Behind Ahn Eunseon, who was taking out sandwiches and salads from the picnic basket, other team members also slyly took out food from their inventories.

Eating leisurely in a place where monsters might respawn and attack at any moment.

“You’re totally out of it.”

“But shouldn’t we wake Cheongmyeong up to feed him?”

Ahn Eunsun asked after setting the food.

Do Hajun looked down at Lee Cheongmyeong. Considering how much he’d run around and cried, he should eat something, but Hajun was worried that waking him might make him cry again.

“Team Leader, it’s the Director on the phone.”

Receiving the phone from Jeon Seohyun, Hajun put it to his ear and heard a familiar voice.

– Hajun.

“Yes, Director.”

– I heard the Dungeon has reset?

“Yes.”

Kang Wontae clicked his tongue at Hajun’s response.

– Good grief. A reset after five years.

“I’ll head back.”

– No. I wish I could just tell you to return, but since it reset suddenly, it could explode at any moment. Sorry to Lee Cheongmyeong, but clean up there and then come back.

“Director.”

The dungeon had changed during the time Lee Cheongmyeong was present, and now they were being told to clear it?

– If you leave it uncleared and the dungeon explodes, there will be a negative public opinion that it was because of Lee Cheongmyeong.

That damn public opinion.

Why does the government care so much about public opinion? And why are they so swayed by it?

– The dungeon there, the regular monsters are D-rank, and only the boss is B-rank. It should be easy to handle. Come back and see me in my office. I’m hanging up.

Before Hajun could refuse, Kang Wontae quickly ended the call.

“Ha, this guy must be crazy.”

He couldn’t help but sigh.

“Why? He wants us to clear the dungeon?”

“Yes.”

Ahn Eunsun nodded.

“I figured as much.”

“Maybe they sent us here knowing it would reset?”

“What?”

Yoo Mia, the conspiracy theorist, proposed her theory.

“Think about it. The idea of touring the dungeon environment to help regain memories doesn’t make sense.”

“That’s true.”

“They lied about the dungeon being empty and sent us in. And look how late they responded about the dungeon being closed. They planned to trap us from the start.”

Jeon Seohyun and Ahn Eunsun’s eyes widened, shaken by the seemingly logical conspiracy.

“Isn’t this child abuse?”

“Let’s sue them.”

“Let’s throw them into the dungeon.”

Watching the sleeping Lee Cheongmyeong, the team members each muttered their anger.

Surprisingly, Do Hajun remained the most composed.

“Stop the nonsense and eat the food we brought. It’ll take a few hours, so we need to replenish our energy. We’ll go right after eating.”

Stuck in the dungeon with no way out, Hajun opened one of the lunchboxes the team had brought.

Moreover, complaining about how the Center handles it wouldn’t help. If they were in danger, so would Lee Cheongmyeong. They needed to be fully prepared.