Chapter 320 – Harvesting Pears

[You have arrived at the 81st floor of the Black Tower.]

[You have moved from the 99th floor, the top floor of the tower, to the 81st floor of the tower.]

You went down 18 floors.]

[Due to the effect of , all stats increase by 18.]

Se-jun arrived at the 81st floor of the tower.

Splash.

The first thing that welcomed Se-jun was a massive amount of water.

“Huh?!”

Se-jun was flustered by the surroundings that were different from usual,

Gulp.

And he unconsciously swallowed the water that flowed into his open mouth.

At that moment,

[A quest has occur…]

Although the quest message appeared,

“Mmpf.”

Suffocating! There was no time to look. First, breathing was the priority.

Se-jun hurriedly went up to the surface of the water to breathe.

15m to the surface.

Although the water was quite deep,

Splash, splash.

In just three kicks, Se-jun arrived at the surface. Huhut. For Park Se-jun of the advanced swimming class, this much was nothing.

Of course, the influence of the Strength stat was greater than his swimming skills.

Considering that his Strength stat was close to nearly 1000, it was rather doubtful whether he was indeed in the advanced swimming class.

“Puhah!”

Like that, Se-jun came up to the surface and took a deep breath.

Clank.

Breathing at the surface, he summoned the subdimensional warehouse and opened the door.

And,

“Chairman Park! I missed you, meow!”

As soon as the door opened, Theo threw his body toward Se-jun’s face.

“Hey… Ahh!”

“Puhuhut. It tickles… meow?!”

He unintentionally received a raspberry on his belly from Se-jun.

Grab.

“This guy…”

Se-jun grabbed the scruff of Theo, who was twisting his body from the ticklishness,

Splash.

“Meow?”

And dunked him in the water, using him as a substitute for a tube. Since Theo used his hydrophilic talent for waterproofing purposes, he floated well on the water.

Swoosh.

“Chairman Park, why is it like this here, meow?”

Theo turned his body on the water, showing his belly toward Se-jun, and asked. He looked like an otter.

“I don’t know. I have to find out now.”

Se-jun replied and checked the messages that he couldn’t check earlier because he was out of breath.

[Quest: For unknown reasons, the surrounding river has flooded, and the farm has been submerged and become a lake. Within a week, restore the flooded farm to its original state.]

Reward: Recognized as the rightful owner of the farm on the 81st floor of the Black Tower

On Failure: The pear tree farm will disappear.

“Unknown reasons?”

This was somewhat like that… showing that there was actually a huge mastermind behind it.

“But how do I drain the water within a week?”

Se-jun, who was daydreaming for a moment, pondered how to drain the water from the lake.

At that moment,

Thud.

Suddenly, a giant boat was thrown into the water from the subdimensional warehouse.

Kkueng!

[The Cuengi-ho is heading out, da-yo!]

“Yay! Head out!”

Ppiyot!

[Pirrrr Yacht, heading out!]

Kking!

‘I don’t want to go!’

Inside the boat, Cuengi, Ajax, Ppiyot, and Kkamang-i were riding.

When the lake became visible outside, Cuengi brought out the Cuengi-ho that was in the subdimensional warehouse.

Kkueng!

[Dad, get on the Cuengi-ho, da-yo!]

Floating.

Cuengi lifted Se-jun out of the water with telekinesis and put him on the Cuengi-ho.

“Thank you.”

Se-jun thanked Cuengi and looked around the surroundings.

“So this is a volcano.”

In Se-jun’s eyes, the mountain surrounding the pear tree farm in a circle and the water that had risen to the height of the mountain were visible.

“But where is the river? Cuengi, let’s go up into the sky.”

Kkueng!

[Understood, da-yo! Rising up, da-yo!]

When Cuengi floated the Cuengi-ho high into the sky at Se-jun’s words,

“Wow.”

A massive river that could almost be called an ocean was visible. The volcano where the pear tree farm was located was in the middle of the gently flowing river.

“But how did the river flood all the way here?”

Se-jun said, as if he couldn’t understand it.

The difference in water level between the volcano surrounding the farm and the river was more than 30m. No matter how much the river flooded, filling this basin completely with water was not easy.

Even so, at least one thing could be known. Since there was a river nearby, he should not break the mountain to drain the water.

“Then…”

Se-jun fell into thought for a moment.

“Cuengi, do you want to play in the water?”

Se-jun let Cuengi play in the water. In his gigantified state.

Since the basin inside the volcano was quite wide, it was fine as long as he didn’t step on the pear tree farm.

Kkueng!

[Great, da-yo! Cuengi will grow to the maximum, da-yo!]

When Cuengi gigantified,

Gush, gush, gush.

An immense amount of water began to overflow.

Although he exceeded 30m, Cuengi continued to grow. He grew up to 45m.

“Wow… Our Cuengi grew a lot in the meantime?”

During the brief moment Se-jun lost his mind while looking at Cuengi, who had grown 10m taller than before,

Gush, gush, gush

The water continued to overflow. Quite a lot of water overflowed and fell into the river.

Kkueng!

[This is exciting, da-yo!]

Splash, splash.

Having gigantified to full size for the first time in a while, Cuengi began playing in the water in earnest.

Gush, gush, gush.

The water decreased rapidly whenever he moved his body.

He could have drained even more water, but because the mountain had to not collapse, Cuengi played with reduced strength.

After a while,

With Cuengi playing in the water, the water drained quickly, and the tops of the submerged pear trees began to show out of the water.

“The pears are huge.”

The size of the pears submerged in the water was almost like a soccer ball.

“Cuengi, well done. Now let’s shrink back.”

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Understood, da-yo! Cuengi wants to play on the Cuengi-ho now, da-yo!]

“Sure. Cuengi, play on the Cuengi-ho.”

Se-jun let Cuengi, who contributed the most to draining the water, play.

Kkueng!

[The Cuengi-ho is setting off, da-yo!]

Ppiyot!

[Yes! Captain Cuengi!]

Kking! Kking!

‘I don’t want to! Put me in his pocket!’

Ppiyot and Kkamang-i, who were not of much help in draining the water, became the crew of the Cuengi-ho,

“Guys, let’s work.”

And Se-jun began draining the water with Theo and Ajax.

“Ice Cube.”

When Se-jun froze the water,

Plop, plop.

Theo put the ice blocks into his bundle,

“Dry!”

And Ajax dried the water with magic.

While the three worked hard like that,

Kkueng!

[It is not fun because there is no water, da-yo!]

As the water disappeared due to the work of the three, making it difficult to move the boat,

Kkueng!

[Floating up, da-yo!]

Cuengi raised the Cuengi-ho into the sky to play in larger water. It was to play in the river.

“Cuengi, while you play outside, find out why the river flooded as well.”

Kkueng!

[Understood, da-yo!]

Splash.

Cuengi answered and launched the Cuengi-ho onto the river.

Kkueng!

[It’s a new adventure, da-yo!]

Ppiyot!

[Yes!]

Kking…

‘I want to go home…’

The Cuengi-ho began to move slowly along the river.

***

99th Floor of the Red Tower.

“Lord Udon, a Cactus has been discovered on the 53rd floor of the tower.”

“Sigh… Already up to the 53rd floor…”

At the messenger’s report, Udon, the Red Tower Farmer, let out a deep sigh.

The rain that used to fall once a month.

At some point, it fell once a year, then once in 10 years, and then at some point, it did not fall at all.

Since the rain did not fall, the temperature of the Red Tower grew hotter and hotter.

The side effect of the tower growing hotter was climbing up the upper floors starting from the 1st floor as a result of desertification.

Currently, the area below the 10th floor had completely turned into a desert.

And the Cactus was a plant-type monster resembling a cactus, which was the main culprit of desertification.

When Cactuses gathered, the surroundings rapidly desertified because they sucked in the surrounding moisture.

However, no matter how cleanly they subjugated the Cactuses, as long as it was a place with a desert, the Cactuses would gather in packs before anyone knew it, appearing and climbing toward the upper floors.

And in even greater numbers.

Instead, there was also a good thing. The Cactus stored the absorbed moisture in its body in the state of pure water.

Thanks to that, the Cactus was a useful means of securing water in the Red Tower.

“Summon all Dwarf warriors! We will subjugate the Cactuses.”

“Yes!”

Udon, who was contemplating, ordered his subordinate to gather the troops.

Subjugating the Cactuses caused great damage, and more Cactuses would be born after that.

However, there was no other way to delay the desertification even a little except for subjugation.

“I want to see rain…”

Udon looked up at the dry sky.

Clank, clank.

Wearing red armor, Udon moved toward the lower floors.

***

“Now it is almost finished.”

Se-jun said, looking at the water that had receded down to the top of his feet.

At that moment,

“Puhuhut. Chairman Park, I threw it away and came back, meow!”

Slap.

Theo, who had thrown away the ice that filled his bundle into the river and returned, clung to Se-jun’s leg.

And,

“Puhuhut. Chairman Park, leave it to me now, meow! Everyone, follow me, meow!”

When Theo spoke proudly to Se-jun,

Ripple, ripple.

The water began to approach toward Theo.

Theo finally used his hydrophilic talent in accordance with its name.

When Theo drained the water that was in the farm,

“Move Earth!”

Se-jun struck the ground with Myler’s Hoe,

Rumble.

He raised the ground around the farm to prevent water from entering.

Once the water from the farm was completely drained like that,

[The pear tree farm has returned to its original state.]

[The quest has been completed.]

[You have been recognized as the rightful owner of the land deed for the pear trees on the 81st floor of the Black Tower.]

[Land Deed Skill: Farm Information Lv. Max is activated.]

The quest was completed.

“Okay. Shall we harvest the pears now?”

Pluck.

Se-jun, who became the owner of the farm, harvested a pear.

And,

[You have harvested a Bland Pear of Strength and Stamina.]

[Your job experience increases slightly.]

[The proficiency of Harvesting Lv. 8 increases slightly.]

[You have acquired 70 experience points.]

[Since the job quest has not been completed, experience points do not accumulate.]

A message appeared.

“Huh?”

Bland?! Se-jun was flustered and checked the options of the pear. After struggling so much to drain the water… if it tasted bad, all the hard work would have been for nothing.

[Bland Pear of Strength and Stamina]

A pear produced by a pear tree grown inside the tower after absorbing sufficient nutrients.

At the end, as the pear was submerged in water, it absorbed a lot of water, making the taste bland and the size giant.

If left in a dry place to evaporate 10L of moisture, the size will return to its original state and the taste can be recovered.

Upon consumption, Strength and Stamina increase by 1 each.

Grower: Tower Farmer Park Se-jun

Expiration Date: 150 days

Grade: A

“Whew. Thank goodness…”

After reading the explanation, Se-jun let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there was a way to make the pear delicious again.

“First, I must harvest it. Ajax, help me.”

“Yes, hyung!”

While Se-jun and Ajax were harvesting the pears like that,

Bump.

The Cuengi-ho, which was moving along the river, bumped into a giant tree root.

Kkueng?

[Flamie-noona, were you here as well, da-yo?]

It was Flamie.

[Yeah. Were the pears Master Se-jun was looking for here?]

Kkueng!

[That’s right, da-yo! But does Flamie-noona know the reason why the river flooded, da-yo?]

Cuengi asked Flamie why the river had flooded.

[Flooding? Why that…?]

Kkueng!

[Dad wants to know the cause of submerging the pear tree farm, da-yo!]

Master Se-jun wants to know?! What should I do?! Flamie was flustered by Cuengi’s answer. It was only natural. Since the one who flooded the river was Flamie.

As she moved her roots, the river flooded in the aftermath.

The culprit who caused the pear tree farm to be submerged under water was Flamie.

‘If Master Se-jun learns about this, he will hate me! What should I do?’

Flamie fell into deep worry.

At that moment,

‘Ah!’

Flamie hurriedly snatched a giant monster passing near her roots.

And,

[Ah! I know who did it!]

Kkueng?!

[Who is it, da-yo?!]

[It’s this guy!]

Flamie showed Cuengi the fellow she had just caught with her roots.

-You rascal! Do you know who I am?! I am the… of Destruction…

Yesterday, Cuengi was thoroughly trained together with Ajax by the dragons to eliminate the Apostles of Destruction on sight.

Kkueng!

[It’s a bad guy, da-yo!]

Thud!

As soon as Cuengi saw the Apostle of Destruction, he attacked,

Clink.

And the fragment of Leviathan, the Tsunami-Summoning Snake, the 12th Seat of the Apostles of Destruction, disappeared, leaving behind 7 green coins.

Kkuhehehe. Kkueng!

[Hehehe. Cuengi solved the case, da-yo!]

Cuengi, who eliminated the cause of the flood, smiled brightly, thinking of boasting to Se-jun.

[Yeah. Cuengi, well done. But you shouldn’t tell Master Se-jun that you saw me. Okay?]

Kkueng! Kkueng!

[Understood, da-yo! Then I will return, da-yo!]

Cuengi moved the Cuengi-ho upstream against the river with telekinesis.

[Hehet.]

Thanks to that, Flamie did not have her size discovered by Se-jun today either.