Chapter 183 – Kkueng Is Light Now

“Phew. Kkueng, come here.”

Se-jun called Kkueng while engraving the tattoo on his left arm again with Kaiser’s scale.

Kkueng… Kkueng.

[Dad, I’m sorry… Kkueng was wrong.]

Kkueng, knowing that he did something wrong, cautiously approached while reading Se-jun’s expression. He had temporarily gotten excited and put Se-jun in danger.

“It’s okay. It’s not Kkueng’s fault.”

Se-jun said, stroking the head of Kkueng, who had approached. Se-jun knew that this kind of thing would continue to happen in the future. This was not an area that could be resolved solely by Kkueng’s efforts.

Looking at TV or YouTube, sometimes owners who couldn’t handle the exercise amount of large dogs appeared. However, that part was what the owner had to bear, not something to blame the large dog for.

On the contrary, Kkueng had been considering Se-jun with all his might, even suppressing his own subconscious until now. Just looking at when he slept, although he kicked Iona like that, he had never kicked Se-jun once.

In addition, Kkueng had endured every day when he wanted to be hugged too when Theo was hugged, and even when using strength, he had always fought while checking Se-jun’s position, adjusting the direction or control of his strength so that the aftermath would not reach Se-jun.

Se-jun felt even more sorry because of Kkueng, who strove so hard for him.

Kkuweeeng!

At Se-jun’s words, Kkueng burst into tears in relief. Only then did the surprised and scared emotions burst out.

“Why are you crying, Kkueng? Dad is really okay.”

Se-jun said, wiping away Kkueng’s tears. Like that, Se-jun hugged Kkueng, stroked him, and comforted him.

And

‘I don’t like it, meow!’

Theo, who was uncomfortable with Se-jun’s hands only stroking Kkueng. Still, as the big brother, this time he sat quietly on Se-jun’s knees for his younger brother.

Tap, tap.

Theo’s tail patted Kkueng’s butt.

“But Kkueng, you said you want to see grandmother?”

Once Kkueng composed himself to some extent, Se-jun said, holding the bronze mirror.

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Yes! Kkueng wants to see Kkueng’s grandmother!]

At Se-jun’s question, Kkueng answered vigorously.

“Got it. Here. This person is Kkueng’s grandmother.”

Se-jun infused mana into the Bronze Mirror of Longing and showed Kim Mi-ran’s appearance.

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[It’s Kkueng’s grandmother! Kkueng wanted to see Kkueng’s grandmother!]

Kkueng was delighted looking at the mirror.

“Next to her are grandfather and uncle.”

Since it was dinner time and they were all eating dinner together, Se-jun also explained about the two who were briefly reflected next to her. Like that, Kkueng memorized all the faces of Se-jun’s family.

Kkueng?

[Dad, what is that?]

He began to ask about the dinner side dishes visible in the mirror.

“That’s kimchi stew. It’s the food Dad wants to eat the most.”

Kkueng?

[Is kimchi stew that delicious?]

“Well. It’s a nostalgic taste that you get tired of if you eat it often, but want to eat again if you don’t?”

Kkueng.

[It’s difficult.]

It was Kkueng, who could not understand Se-jun’s words.

“Kkueng, you will know later too.”

Stroke, stroke.

Se-jun said, stroking Kkueng’s head. Of course, in Kkueng’s case, such a thing might never happen. Kkueng getting tired of food? It was hard to imagine.

“Now let’s go home.”

Se-jun took the animals and went up to the 99th floor of the tower.

***

“This week alone, we sank 220 ships approaching the coast without permission.”

“Good job. Please do your best to ensure that not even a single suspicious ship enters the United States.”

“Yes!”

It was not wartime, yet they sank over 200 ships simply because they were suspicious. Normally, it was a situation that could attract international criticism. However, the president did not reprimand the Chief of Naval Operations but instead praised him.

“How is the Mexican border area?”

“We installed a 50-meter-high high-voltage iron fence at the border area, and soldiers and unmanned drones are standing guard.”

This time, the Army Chief of Staff answered.

“We must ensure that not even a single locust crosses the border. The moment one crosses the border, the United States is finished.”

The president spoke solemnly. The reproductive capacity of the locusts was that immense. Even if just one passed, in a week, they would increase to over 100,000.

Currently, the United States was at war with the locusts. No, every country was at war with the locusts.

“How is the verification of the report?”

The president asked the CIA Director this time. The US CIA confirmed that reports from several universities analyzing the spread trends of the locusts commonly mentioned artificial intervention.

And they were checking if there was actually artificial intervention.

“The artificial intervention of an organization called the Three-Headed Society has been confirmed.”

“What?!”

The people in the meeting room were outraged at the CIA Director’s words. Unless they were crazy… if the locusts spread, all of humanity would be in danger.

“What about information on the Three-Headed Society?”

“Currently, operations are underway in various areas, including sweeping operations and infiltration operations against the Three-Headed Society. And according to recent intelligence, a significant number of the Three-Headed Society’s members have entered Korea.”

“If it’s Korea?”

“Yes. They are highly likely targeting Park Se-jun’s family.”

There was a time when not only the United States but all governments monitored Se-jun’s family to obtain information about Se-jun.

However, after Han Tae-jun, who had the only connection to Se-jun, stepped forward and declared that he would report any group or nation monitoring Se-jun’s family to Se-jun so they could not buy crops, all intelligence agents withdrew.

“Hmm. Let’s inform Han Tae-jun first.”

Han Tae-jun was currently commanding the Earth Defense Force and was the person with the real power over the distribution of the Sturdy Blade Green Onions. They intended to receive additional distributions of the Green Onions of Detoxification and the Sturdy Blade Green Onions in exchange for providing information to Han Tae-jun.

“Understood.”

“Then, let’s end the meeting here.”

“Yes.”

Like that, the meeting ended, and on the way out,

-The US government decided to provide information to Han Tae-jun regarding the members who entered Korea.

The Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, who attended the meeting, sent a text message somewhere.

***

Kkueng!

[We arrived home!]

Thump, thump.

Arriving at Se-jun’s farm on the 99th floor of the tower, Kkueng shouted happily and ran around the farm excitedly. Although he returned in less than a day, he seemed to like it anyway.

“Well… home is the best, indeed.”

Step, step.

Se-jun said as if understanding Kkueng, walking around the fields and letting the crops hear his footsteps. The crops liked it because their growth rate accelerated, and he liked it because his potential increased. It was a win-win for everyone.

“Or is it not?”

If the crops grew faster, the harvest would be quicker, which was also a benefit to Se-jun.

[You have harvested well-ripened magical cherry tomatoes.]

[Your job experience increases slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 7 increases slightly.]

[You have gained 50 experience points.]

While Se-jun was walking around the fields harvesting well-ripened crops in between like that,

“How is Ajax working?”

Suddenly curious about how Ajax was working, Se-jun took out the bronze mirror, infused mana, and thought of Ajax.

However,

“Why is it like this?”

Because of the immense noise, Ajax’s appearance could not be seen. It was due to the mana wave emitted by Ajax.

“Is my mana insufficient?”

As Se-jun infused his mana to the maximum, the noise disappeared a little. However, it was the same in that he couldn’t see.

At that moment,

Growl.

Kkueng!

[Dad, Kkueng is hungry!]

Thump, thump.

Kkueng, who had run hard and worked up an appetite, came to find Se-jun with his stomach clock ringing.

“Wait just a moment.”

Se-jun went to the kitchen and prepared dinner. Tonight’s dinner was cabbage soup. He craved a refreshing soup dish. First, he put finely cut Purple Locust meat into a heated pot and stir-fried it.

Sizzle.

Once the meat was cooked golden-brown,

Pour, pour, pour.

he filled the pot with water, put the giant deep-sea tuna bones left over from previous prep into the pot, and boiled it over high heat to make broth.

While making the broth,

Clank.

he took out shiitake mushrooms and Green Onions of Detoxification from the subspace warehouse, went to the cabbage field to pull out 10 cabbages, cut off the ends, sliced them into bite-sized pieces, and put them in the pot.

As he finished the dish by seasoning it with soy sauce, salt, and pepper,

[You have achieved the feat of making the Refreshing Wind Cabbage Soup for the first time in the tower.]

[The recipe for Refreshing Wind Cabbage Soup is registered in Cooking Lv. 5.]

[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 5 increases significantly.]

A message appeared indicating that he had made a new dish after a long time.

“Have I been complacent lately?”

Se-jun checked the options of the dish while self-reflecting.

[Refreshing Wind Cabbage Soup]

The Purple Locust meat was stir-fried beforehand to maintain a clear broth, and the broth made from giant deep-sea tuna bones added savory flavor.

The Green Onion of Detoxification detoxified the extreme poison in the Purple Locust meat, so the dish did not spoil easily.

All ingredients harmonized, maximizing the taste and effect of the Wind Cabbage.

Upon consumption, Wind Attribute Affinity increased slightly for 1 hour.

Upon consumption, there was a very low probability of awakening a wind attribute-related talent of intermediate grade or lower.

Cook: Tower Farmer Park Se-jun

Expiration Date: 120 days

Grade: A

“Oh! It’s decent.”

The cooking properties were good.

On top of that,

Slurp.

“Ah. It’s refreshing.”

The taste was superb. It was a real pity that there wasn’t a spoonful of rice.

“Guys, let’s eat dinner.”

Se-jun called the animals and dined together. Steamed potatoes substituted for carbohydrates instead of rice.

While eating dinner,

“You guys look through this too if there is someone you want to see.”

Se-jun said, handing the Bronze Mirror of Longing to the monkeys and rabbits. He thought they might miss their families since there were also animals separated from their families.

Squeak!

Ukki!

At Se-jun’s consideration, the rabbits and monkeys began to look at their desired targets through the bronze mirror.

And

Gulp.

Kkueng!

[It’s delicious!]

While everyone was distracted by the bronze mirror, Kkueng downed the cabbage soup Se-jun had served him in a single gulp, then went to the pot and kept refilling it.

As dinner ended like that,

[You have consumed Refreshing Wind Cabbage Soup.]

[Wind Attribute Affinity increases slightly for 1 hour.]

As the message appeared, Se-jun felt his body grow cool.

Chwap chwap chwap.

“President Park, my body became cool, meow! It’s good, meow!”

Theo, who was accepting and eating Churu, felt Se-jun’s change and rubbed his back against Se-jun’s knee.

At that moment,

Gently, gently.

A gentle wind began to blow from the bodies of several rabbits and monkeys. The animals had awakened the wind attribute talent.

“Huh?!”

Awakening a talent after eating just one bowl of cabbage soup? Didn’t it say a very low probability? What about me? Se-jun, who failed to obtain a talent unlike the animals, felt wronged and examined his own body, but

……

not even a fine hair moved.

“Huh?! Then what about Kkueng?”

Kkueng had eaten it by the pot. As Se-jun hurriedly searched for Kkueng,

Rumble.

a giant wind began to blow from behind.

And when he looked back,

Kkueng!

[Dad, Kkueng got a talent!]

Kkueng, enveloped in a strong gust of wind, was visible. Just as Se-jun expected, Kkueng had also awakened a wind attribute talent.

Kkueng!

[I’m happy!]

The excited Kkueng hugged Se-jun’s body.

“Huh?! Kkueng, st—”

Soft.

“op?”

Se-jun was bewildered, looking at Kkueng who was hugged in his arms. Although it was heavy, it was a weight he could fully lift.

Kkuhehehe. Kkueng!

[Hehehe. Kkueng is light now!]

The talent Kkueng awakened was the talent to reduce his weight down to 1/1,000th: Light Body Movement.

On the 325th day of being stranded, Kkueng was finally hugged in Se-jun’s arms, which he had dreamed of.