Chapter 120 – Obtaining Rice Dough

Day 278 of being stranded, morning.

“Chairman Park… can’t I sleep more, meow…?”

Dangle. Dangle.

“No. I have something to resolve quickly today.”

When Se-jun picked up Theo, who was whining to sleep more, and naturally placed him on his lap,

Slap.

Theo, who fell asleep hanging on Se-jun’s leg in attachment mode naturally. He whined like this once in a while anyway, even though he fell asleep well.

At that moment,

“Meow?!”

Theo discovered that something was attached to his tail. It was Iona, who had snuck in at dawn.

“Iona, when did you come, meow?!”

Theo asked, looking at Iona, who was hanging on his tail.

“Kyut kyut kyut. I came at dawn. I will sleep just a bit more.”

Kkyurorong.

Iona rolled her body, wrapped herself in Theo’s tail, and fell back asleep.

Like that, Se-jun came outside with Theo and Iona attached to his legs.

And,

“Let’s eat breakfast!”

After warming up the soup made yesterday and having a simple breakfast, he quickly went to the place where the Mushroom Ants stayed. The Mushroom Ants had started building houses on the land Se-jun had assigned since yesterday.

When Se-jun arrived at the place where the Mushroom Ants were,

Kke-ek!

Kke-ek!

The Mushroom Ants were seen waking up from the morning, digging underground tunnels, and piling up the soil that came out around them to make walls. As expected, the qualities of a worker were visible.

“Guys, let’s harvest.”

Kke-ek!

At Se-jun’s shout, some of the Mushroom Ants who grew plenty of mushrooms on their backs lined up in an orderly manner in front of Se-jun, while the rest continued to build houses.

It seemed they had already decided among themselves who would be harvested first and who would work in the meantime.

‘The more I see them, the more I like them.’

Se-jun nodded his head naturally at the diligent appearance of the Mushroom Ants trying to work without wasting even a brief moment.

After Se-jun harvested like that for about three hours,

[You have harvested a Button Mushroom.]

[There is 1 time left until the completion of the job quest.]

[Your job experience increases very slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 5 increases very slightly.]

[You have gained 1 experience point.]

Finally, the completion of the job quest drew near.

And,

Pluck.

He harvested the last mushroom.

[You have completed the job quest.]

[As a quest completion reward, Level 51 is unlocked.]

[As a quest completion reward, you have obtained 50,000 Tower Coins.]

[As a quest completion reward, all job skills of the Tower Farmer increase by 1 level.]

“I did it!”

Se-jun cheered.

Se-jun’s level limit, which had been stagnant since the 55th floor of the tower, was finally unlocked. Now he could acquire experience points as much as he wanted.

At that moment,

[Your crop has defeated a pest.]

[You have gained 1 experience point.]

…

..

.

“Huh?! Why is this appearing? Is there another pest besides the locusts?”

Messages indicating that a pest was defeated, which had not been displayed due to the level-up limit, began to appear.

***

Kenya, Africa.

Upon receiving Ngugi’s report, Han Tae-jun and other Earth Defense Force hunters arrived to check the monster with their own eyes.

[Green Locust]

“It is real.”

“How could this…”

“How is a monster…?!”

The hunters were shocked when they saw the name displayed above the head of the monster Ngugi had captured alive.

The event they hoped would not happen finally became reality. For a monster to appear on Earth… only now did Theo’s words that the Earth would be destroyed feel real.

Of course, the Green Locust was a monster much weaker than the skeleton met on the 2nd floor of the tower. Even an ordinary person could easily kill it. It could not destroy the Earth with just this much.

“Does this mean that if their numbers increase and exceed a certain count, they will evolve and become stronger?”

“Yes. Still, fortunately, ordinary locusts were playing a role in reducing the number of Green Locusts, which are monsters.”

Ngugi, who had observed the Green Locusts for a few days, answered.

For a few days after Ngugi first discovered the Green Locusts, swarms of thousands of Green Locusts came to the Sturdy Blade Green Onion field several times and met their deaths.

However, swarms of ordinary locusts simply passed by the Sturdy Blade Green Onions.

Instead, when the swarm of locusts met Green Locusts, they chased them to the last one and killed them tenaciously. From the perspective of the swarm of locusts, Green Locusts were enemies competing with them for food.

Thanks to that, due to holding the Green Locusts in check, the number of ordinary locusts also could not increase greatly. Otherwise, they would have already devoured all the crops in Africa and crossed over to the Middle East.

It was unfortunate from the perspective of the Green Locusts, and fortunate for Earth.

“Since we confirmed the appearance of the monsters, for now, we will concentrate 50% of the Sturdy Blade Green Onions imported from the tower in Africa and plant them here.”

“Yes!”

The other members agreed with Han Tae-jun’s words. Han Tae-jun decided to concentrate on purchasing land in Africa and around Africa for now, and headed back to Korea.

***

“Today is a party!”

Se-jun decided to hold a party to commemorate the completion of the job quest. He wanted to share the joy of the long-awaited Level 51 limit being unlocked with everyone. He decided to start leveling up from tomorrow.

“Did you say a party, meow?! Then hurry up and prepare Churu and grilled fish, meow!!!”

Theo shouted in excitement at Se-jun’s words. He thought it would be the best if he lay on Park Se-jun’s lap at the summit of a mountain of piled-up grilled fish and ate Churu.

“Kyut kyut kyut. That’s not it! For a party, kyut kyut… roasted peanuts are the thing!”

Iona raised an objection to Theo’s words. Iona could not hide her excitement thinking of wrapping herself snugly in Theo’s tail on the lap of Se-jun who was covered in a blanket, and nibbling on roasted peanuts.

Kkueng! Kkueng!!!

[No, kkueng! For a party, it is unconditionally meat, kkueng!!!]

Cuengi clenched his fists, thinking of holding and eating a generously piled meat in both hands. Saliva was already running from Cuengi’s mouth.

Everyone’s preference for what they wanted at the party was firm.

(Batbat. I want fruits…)

The Golden Bat also spoke its opinion carefully, but

“For a party, it is unconditionally Churu and grilled fish, meow!”

“A party without roasted peanuts is not a party!”

Kkueng!

[It’s unconditionally meat, kkueng!]

Nobody listened to the Golden Bat’s opinion.

And,

[Current list of items that can be released from the Red Ribbon Kingdom’s treasure warehouse (total 23,911,912 items)]

30,000,000 Tower Coins x 1

Mithril Ingot x 100

Gold Ingot x 10,000

Silver Ingot x 50,000

Farm land deed of the 77th floor of the tower

Farm land deed of the 83rd floor of the tower

…

..

.

“Huh?! Why did it suddenly increase this much?”

Se-jun, who opened the treasure warehouse whenever he was bored like opening a refrigerator, was flustered when he saw the massive item list.

“Kyut kyut kyut. It was connected with the Red Ribbon Kingdom’s treasure warehouse like this. I filled Grid’s wealth here!”

Iona said proudly, looking at the item list from behind Se-jun.

“Really? Well done!”

“Kyut kyut kyut. Thank you. Ah! By any chance, did you also summon the white dragon statue like this?”

“Yes. But have you met Kellion?”

“His name was Kellion. We almost died because of Kellion.”

“What?!”

-Ahem… That was because I did not know they were your subordinates at that time, Se-jun.

Kellion, who was listening carefully from the roof of the house when he heard his name, quickly stepped forward and said.

“Kkyu-uk!!!”

Iona, discovering the white dragon statue, hid behind Se-jun in surprise.

-Do not be so frightened, trivial hamster. I will not harm you.

Although Kellion said it to lower Iona’s wariness,

“Trivial?!”

It rather only aroused Se-jun’s antagonism.

-Ahem… Still, you will invite me to the party, right?

Because dragons had a rule that only those invited to a party could attend, Kellion was anxious that Se-jun might not invite him.

Of course, his purpose in attending the party was the food Se-jun made.

“Well. Still, to invite an entity that targeted my subordinate to my party is a bit…”

Ordinarily, he would have said, ‘Of course I should invite you,’ but this time was slightly different. It was because Kaiser was watching this place from afar. In situations like this, Kaiser was reliable.

-Kehehehe. Only I should go to Se-jun’s party.

Kaiser was enjoying Kellion’s predicament. He intended to mock Kellion by participating in Se-jun’s party alone.

-Se-jun, reject him quickly.

While Kaiser was cheering Se-jun on,

-Wait!

Sensing that Se-jun would not invite him to the party, Kellion hurriedly pressed his belly button. As his mind grew urgent, he suddenly remembered the item he had saved.

Click.

Whether the belly button was a switch, the belly opened, revealing a storage space inside the statue. Until now, he had only stored it because a relic had no use, but it was an item that could appeal to Se-jun.

-If you invite me to the party, I will give you this!

Kellion shouted, pulling out a fist-sized, glossy white dough.

-No! Reject him! To invite a guy who targeted your subordinate’s life to the party because of a bribe like that?! Se-jun, do you have no pride?

Kaiser hurriedly flew over and shouted when it seemed Se-jun was tempted, but

“Fine. I will invite Kellion to the party.”

Se-jun, charmed by the white dough in Kellion’s hand, had already made up his mind.

-Hehehe. Thank you. Here, take it.

Kellion handed the white dough to Se-jun.

“Thank you!”

Se-jun thanked him greatly upon receiving the dough.

Squish. Squish.

It was the texture he had expected. And he quickly checked the dough.

[Relic: Wealth-Swallowing Rice Dough]

It is a rice dough made by Ppyukppyuk, a rice cake artisan of the White Rabbit tribe who staked his life on rice cakes, to always make the best rice dough.

It is one of the ten relics that exist in the Black Tower.

When supplied with wealth worth 1 Tower Coin, the Wealth-Swallowing Rice Dough spits out 1 kg of top-grade rice dough.

Usage Restriction: Lv. 50 or above, Mana 50 or above

Creator: Ppyukppyuk

Grade: AA

“This is massive!”

With this relic, he could produce rice dough whenever he wanted. Although Tower Coins were consumed to obtain the dough, to Se-jun, Tower Coins were nothing but numbers, except when using the seed shop.

“With this, I can make the Garae-tteok and Makgeolli that the raccoons sold last time.”

-What?! Is that true?

Kaiser, who heard Se-jun’s words, got excited at the word Makgeolli.

Kkueng!

The same was true for Cuengi. He could dip Garae-tteok in honey and eat it again.

-Hehehe. Know that this is all thanks to me.

Kellion, realizing that the item he gave was an even grander item than he had thought, said triumphantly.

“Shall I make some rice dough first?”

Se-jun placed his hand on the rice dough and used ten Tower Coins for now.

[Relic: Wealth-Swallowing Rice Dough swallows 10 Tower Coins and produces 10 kg of top-grade rice dough.]

Pop.

The Wealth-Swallowing Rice Dough spat out basketball-sized rice dough upward.

Catch.

“Oh!”

Se-jun was moved upon obtaining 10 kg of rice dough. And he hurriedly ran to the kitchen carrying the rice dough.

Suddenly, there was a food he wanted to make. It was none other than Songpyeon! Today, of all days, he craved Songpyeon so much.

‘The filling will be made by mixing sweet potato, potato, and honey…’

Se-jun put potatoes and sweet potatoes in the pot and boiled them, thinking in his head of how to make Songpyeon.

And he moved busily, grilling fish and purple locust meat, and roasting peanuts. It was to prepare the menus that Theo, Iona, and Cuengi had said they wanted to eat at the party earlier.

While Se-jun was cooking like that,

-Kehahaha. You can make Makgeolli if you have this? I will put in 10 million Tower Coins! I am not small-minded like Se-jun!

Kaiser, laughing heartily, put 10 million Tower Coins into the Wealth-Swallowing Rice Dough.

And,

Pop!!!

A giant rice dough weighing 10,000 tons shot up.

“Oh?!”

Kaiser was flustered by the size of the rice dough, which was much larger than expected. If that fell, the damage would be massive.

‘Not only would the fields all be ruined, but Se-jun would die.’

“Annihilation.”

Kaiser hurriedly obliterated the rice dough. In vain, 10 million Tower Coins blew away.

-Puhaha. Kaiser, if you are going to spend money like that, just give it to me!

-Shut up!

From the side, Kellion rubbed salt in the wound.