Ten years ago.
The world transformed into something similar to a game.
People began to see the status window and had received an inventory.
Soon after, mysterious dungeons started to appear.
The skill window was created, and it was possible to raise one’s level.
To level up, a person had to clear dungeons and the unearthly monsters that inhabited it.
Initially, many people were afraid of entering dungeons.
The problem was that if a dungeon was created and was not cleared after a certain period, monsters began popping out into the world.
At first, those trained in the military or by the government came out.
But over time, another factor came out.
[D-10 until Game Over]
A notification window popped up in front of the eyes of civilians who did not attack the dungeon.
We were all able to understand what Game Over meant intuitively.
Some people moved to attack the dungeon, while conversely, there were people who did not believe and waited. When D-Day occurred,
countless deaths had occurred around the world.
After that, many people devoted themselves to the dungeon.
People wanted to raise their level and get the equipment to become stronger to survive.
There was nothing more precious than life. The market was formed, and the item economy began to develop. Naturally, the items that helped the battle were costly.
Ten years then passed.
It was enough time for people to adapt to the changed society.
Nevertheless, not everyone was interested in hunting dungeons. Many were still hesitant to enter the dungeon. The enemies were monsters, but people were instinctively reluctant to kill life.
The problem was that regardless of their beliefs, they still had to clear the dungeon every period.
The solution was surprisingly simple.
People who were reluctant to kill monsters had to pay to clear the dungeon. It was a kind of proxy strategy.
Those who didn’t like to kill monsters or weren’t willing to take risks were prepared to pay.
When it became known that it was profitable, more people began to attack the dungeons, and the world called them players.
Players and normal players.
The world was divided into two and began to coexist.
* * *
“Let’s go this way.”
A dark cave.
Five men and women were walking.
The man at the top checked the map and pointed in the direction.
Four men and women followed.
“How much longer do we have now?”
The middle-aged man asked.
The man at the top exchanged the map and clock.
“It’ll take about 2 hours.”
“Can you arrive safely?”
“Sure. This is a cleaned dungeon that I usually use. Do not worry.”
“Thanks, I’ll take your word since it’s you, Jin-Woo.”
Kang Jin-Woo smiled at the words of a middle-aged man.
There are two ways to clear a dungeon.
One is to deal with all the monsters inside the dungeon.
If all the monsters are dealt with, the dungeon is destroyed.
The other way is to find an exit.
Most normal players hate to battle, so, in many cases, the latter was chosen. It had the advantage of low risk and low cost. Players who substitute clears for these dungeons are called guides.
“Brother! Why did you become a guide?”
The child asked.
I was guiding a family today. Parents still didn’t want to show young children the gruesome scene of killing monsters. But the children were different.
In today’s era, being a player is considered a distinguished profession.
Players now occupy positions of former sports players and entertainers. That’s why many people are very interested in players.
A guide was also a classification of a player, so people had a lot of questions.
“Taejun! Excuse me!”
The mother was exhausted, but the child’s eyes were already glowing.
Kang Jin-Woo replied with a bitter smile.
“Because I am not as strong as others. Now, let’s go before the timing is delayed.”
“Oh, yes.”
Kang Jin-Woo took the lead and walked.
* * *
Clearing the dungeon was simple.
We arrived safely to the exit.
“Thank you! Thank you very much!”
“No. Please use us again next time.”
“Yes.”
The group only said cordial goodbyes and separated.
After handling the job, Jin-Woo headed to the office.
Pibig-!
When the door lock was pushed in, a sturdy man greeted him.
“Good work.”
“Yes.”
Jin-Woo unconcernedly answered and went to his seat and sat down.
Players were rarely alone. In particular, the guide had many purposes. One such purpose is dungeon management. The goal of a guide is not to fully clear a dungeon but rather to guide a group through safely. To do that properly, you need to know the dungeon well and to be able to use that knowledge to navigate without fighting monsters inside.
Moreover, you must resist the people who want to hunt monsters to preserve the dungeon.
Because of their lack of combat ability, the guides wouldn’t have been able to do such a thing. That’s why Jin-Woo entered a company that manages dungeons.
The company starts by looking for dungeons that are efficient for services and that are long-drawn. When they find a sufficient dungeon, the company hires a mercenary to organize the monsters inside and to map them simultaneously. After removing the risks as much as possible, the company gathers the guests.
A normal player commissions the company, and its guide conducts the service. When the directions are finished, the payment is deposited, and the company and the guide split it.
That was the structure of the company.
Jin-Woo’s company is small, so he worked most of the roles. There were only two dungeons to manage, so it was not too difficult.
In the case of a large-scale company, it managed dozens or even hundreds of dungeons, so he could see how small his current affiliation was in comparison.
“I put in a daily wage. It’s quite good because it’s work for 4 people.”
“Thank you.”
“I have a request tomorrow. How would you like it?”
“I have to.”
Guides belonging to Roppen worked as freelancers.
“Jin-Woo is really good because he is sincere. The other guys don’t get in touch for at least a week if they work one day.”
“You have to earn it when you can.”
“That’s right.”
“Then I will go in.”
“Yes, go in carefully.”
“Yes.”
Jin-Woo left the office.
‘500,000 won … … . ‘
The guide receives 500,000 won per person. (Approx. 400 USD)
Since there were 4 people, 2 million won would be his commission. (Approx. 1600 USD)
Jin-Woo was going to have a very productive day.
But it doesn’t happen every day.
In many cases, he worked a day and lost a month. So he had to earn it when he could.
Competition has been increasing recently. As competitors increase, profits naturally decrease. In fact, even half a year ago, the cost of driving directions per person was 1 million won. (Approx. 800 USD)
However, now that there were many companies, it was reduced in half.
“Sigh… … Let’s go buy some chicken.”
Thinking of his younger brother waiting for him at home, he entered the chicken house in the alley.
* * *
“Hyung, are you going to work today?”
“Yeah, I have a series of requests.”
His brother Sun-Woo asked with a worried face.
“Aren’t you working too hard these days?”
“When you catch a fine dungeon, you have to earn hard.”
The most important thing for a guide is a dungeon.
It was essential to know how many monsters remained in the dungeon and every detail of the inside path.
The company replaces that.
But a company doesn’t control everything. It just helps you to get inside. Success was critical to how familiar the guide was with the dungeon.
In this regard, this dungeon BC-172 is a dungeon that has been successfully cleared 100 times on record.
Thanks to this, the map was very detailed. The number of monsters, too, was very few. Even if they met a monster, there was no great danger, as all orcs were between level 30 and level 50.
Above all, Jin-Woo himself cleared the dungeon 20 times.
So, like the front yard of his house, he knew the ins-and-outs of the dungeon. But, of course, it was not that simple, and there were always unexpected variables.
“I will be back.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Jin-Woo nodded and left the house.
When he dies, his younger brother Sun-Woo becomes an orphan.
They didn’t have parents, nor did they have any relatives. This world was too difficult for a 14-year-old orphan to live in alone.
‘Be careful today! Be careful again! ‘
Once again, he stepped forward.