Chapter 64: Exchanging Greetings

Chapter 64: Exchanging Greetings

As the standoff with Red Locust on the 67th floor of the tower dragged on, the beings on other floors of the tower began to feel a sense of crisis. Each floor, recalling the terrible famine of a century ago, began to stockpile food in preparation, which led to a sharp rise in food prices. As a result, merchants who came to Granier Village also sold food at higher prices. However, Israel, the richest man in Granier Village, who was unaware of the outside news, thought that the merchants were colluding to raise food prices and were cheating him.

So, Israel gave his son 1000 Tower Coins and sent him to buy food.

"Oren, go out and see the world as a wandering merchant and bring back food."

"Yes, Father."

Thus, Oren left Granier Village to explore the world, leading nine subordinates with excitement as they headed to the merchant district. However, the world was not as easy as the Granier Village where he had always been.

After much hardship, Oren and his subordinates finally arrived at the merchant district and visited the Wandering Merchant Association to buy a wandering merchant license and equipment. Oren, wanting to show off to his subordinates, gave each of them 5 Tower Coins to support them.

While they were gathering information on food prices and drinking at a tavern, a goblin wandering merchant approached them.

"Hello, I'm a wandering merchant named Scaram. I heard you're looking for food?"

"Yes."

"I have some good items. Why don't you make some money before buying food?"

"Good items?"

"Yes. These are items from outside the tower."

"Items from outside the tower?"

As Scaram spoke, he showed the cats items from Earth.

"Oh! What are these?"

"That's..."

The cats, except for Oren, examined the unfamiliar items with curiosity. However, Oren seemed uninterested.

"You can sell these for a high price on the upper floors. The beings living up there collect such items as a hobby."

"Really?!"

"Yes. You're from Granier Village, right? A wandering merchant named Theo also made a lot of money by trading with me."

"Theo?!"

Oren's ears perked up at the news that Theo had made a lot of money.

'If that idiot can make a lot of money, I can make several times more.'

Confident, Oren began to negotiate with Scaram.

"How many items do you have?"

"These are precious items, so I don't have many."

"Give me all of them."

"They cost 5 Tower Coins each."

"That's too expensive."

Oren haggled with the goblin wandering merchant, eventually buying the items and Scaram's equipment for his subordinates. Scaram claimed he didn't have many items, but he had just enough for them to buy.

"Make a lot of money."

Thus, Oren and his subordinates were almost completely swindled by Scaram.

"Let's finish this drink and set off immediately."

"Yes! Master Oren!"

Unaware that they had been swindled, Oren and his subordinates finished their drinks and left the tavern in high spirits. They then noticed Theo running towards the blacksmith's shop.

***

"It's been a while, meow."

'This guy!'

Oren's face stiffened as Theo, who had never dared to look him in the eye, now confidently looked at him and smiled.

'Hmph! Just because you made some money?!'

Oren's intention to just greet Theo changed. He had already spent all his money on Scaram's items and had no money left to buy food. He thought it was a good opportunity to get some money.

"Theo, we're hungry. Can you lend us some money?"

Oren put his arm around Theo's shoulder in a thug-like manner.

"Oh... You don't even have money to buy food, meow?"

Theo looked at Oren with pity.

"Ugh! We'll make a lot of money soon!"

Oren shouted, angered by Theo's indifference.

"Right! We bought items from outside the tower!"

"You must know how to make money, right?"

The other cats chimed in with Oren.

"...Items from outside the tower, meow?! You didn't buy them from Scaram, did you?"

"Heh. Yes. You know us well."

Oren spoke arrogantly, thinking Theo was mocking them.

"Then you're going to the 99th floor of the tower, meow?"

"Yes. We're going to the 99th floor to trade with the King of Horses."

Scaram, aware of the recent investigations into his activities, planned to eliminate Oren and his group to cover his tracks.

"Brothers, we're hungry. Lend us some money. We'll pay you back later."

Oren tightened his grip on Theo's neck and spoke in a low voice.

"No, meow! I won't lend you any, meow! You haven't paid back the 21.34 Tower Coins you borrowed from me, meow! Pay me back, meow!"

Theo, who remembered the exact amount Oren and his subordinates had borrowed, shouted.

"Hey!"

Angry at Theo's defiance, Oren raised his paw to strike him when

Rrrr.

Three silver wolves approached.

"Ah... Don't misunderstand, these are our friends. We're just welcoming each other after a long time, right? Theo."

Oren urgently tried to force Theo to agree.

However,

"Mr. Theo, are these cats really your friends?"

Elka ignored Oren and asked Theo directly.

"Mr. Theo?"

The cats began to murmur at the mention of Mr. Theo, as Theo was the only one with that title.

"Not friends, meow. I don't have friends like them, meow. Deal with them, meow."

Theo broke free from Oren's grip and made a slashing motion with his paw before heading to the blacksmith's shop. That decided their fate.

Rrrr.

"Please... spare us!"

Elka and the wolves surrounded Oren and his group, and soon screams could be heard.

"Meow, meow, meow."

Theo whistled a tune, no longer afraid of Oren, who had once bullied him in Granier Village.

'Puhaha. As expected, I'm invincible with Park Sejun, meow!'

Theo felt himself growing stronger as he got closer to Sejun, to the point where he was even afraid of his own power.

"Puhaha. I shouldn't get too strong, right, meow?"

With such pointless fantasies, Theo entered the blacksmith's shop.

"Sharpen it, meow!"

Following Sejun's teachings, Theo diligently paid 12 Tower Coins to sharpen his equipment three times and moved to the lottery corner.

Then,

"Meow?! This is it, meow!!!"

He chose a strong item and left the blacksmith's shop.

"Mr. Theo, they have been dealt with."

Elka, waiting outside the blacksmith's shop, informed Theo.

"Good job, meow! Let's hurry up and go, meow!"

Theo laughed evilly and quickly headed to the 99th floor of the tower. He was busy checking if there was anything wrong with Sejun's knee and welcoming the new recruits.

A few hours after Theo left.

"Ugh..."

"Ouch..."

Oren and the other cats, who had been knocked out by the wolves, woke up.

"Theo, this bastard! Just wait until I make some money! I'll hire strong mercenaries to beat him up!"

"Right!"

"We won't let this go!"

"Let's sell these items and make some money quickly!"

Oren and his subordinates, determined to take revenge on Theo, set off for the 99th floor of the tower, unaware that a being far more evil than Theo awaited them there.

***

"One, be competent, two, become human."

"One."

"Be competent!"

"Two."

"Become human!"

The Black Wolf Gang, who had been knocked out by Han Taejun's Magic Missiles whenever they rebelled, ran without a word at Cha Sihyuk's command.

'How long do we have to run?!'

Neither Han Taejun nor Cha Sihyuk had specified how long they had to run. They couldn't run slowly either.

Keeeee!!

Hearing their voices, dozens of spider monsters followed them. As they continued running, 100 spider monsters chased them, and finally, Han Taejun spoke.

"Now, we hunt the monsters."

"What?!"

"Fight quickly."

Han Taejun cast 200 Magic Missiles around him, threatening to kill them if they didn't obey.

"Ahh!"

"Damn!"

The Black Wolf Gang, closing their eyes, charged at the spider monsters. At least they had a chance to survive this way.

***

Day 238 of the ordeal, dawn.

Crack. Crack.

"Sure enough, they're here again."

Sejun, seeing the approaching branch scouts, spoke in a tired voice. For the fourth consecutive day, he had been fighting the branch scouts at dawn.

"Go! Black Rabbit! Gweong!"

Thud!

Gweong!

Following Sejun's orders, Black Rabbit and Gweong charged forward.

Then,

Roar!

A mother Crimson Giant Bear roared in front of them.

Sejun, after much persuasion, had moved the mother Crimson Giant Bear's den near his home in exchange for Chef's soup, which provided a sense of fullness. The wolves, who had been fetching Chef's soup from the lizardmen, had brought 20 large pots, and the soup was boiling 24 hours a day, making it an easy task.

Moreover, the branch scouts provided firewood, solving the problem of heat.

With the mother Crimson Giant Bear and her cubs stationed near his home, Sejun could safely protect his farm.

"Should I go too?"

Sejun followed Gweong and dealt with the well-prepared branch scouts. The mother Crimson Giant Bear had acted too early, causing the branch scouts to retreat early, leaving only a few.

After dealing with the remaining enemies, Sejun returned home and caught up on his sleep.

When he woke up,

[The tenant farmer used Seed Planting Lv. 4 to plant cherry tomato seeds.]

[The landlord receives 1% of the reward.]

[The landlord's job experience slightly increases.]

[The landlord's Seed Planting Lv. 4 proficiency slightly increases.]

[100 square meters of cherry tomato field has been created.]

[200 experience points have been obtained.]

...

..

.

The white rabbits, who had woken up earlier, were planting cherry tomatoes in the field. They knew Sejun would wake up early to guard the farm and didn't wake him up.

"Ugh!"

Sejun got out of bed and went outside. He then went down to the cave, added a mark to the wall, and washed his face in the pond.

Looking around,

"Where are the trees?"

Sejun, frustrated, searched the cave several times but couldn't find any trees. He sent Black Rabbit outside to search carefully, but there were no trees there either.

Just as Sejun was about to go back up to get breakfast,

"Huh?"

He noticed that the fire in the cave had gone out. It seemed the rabbits had become negligent with fire management since they had been eating outside recently.

"Still, I have a wife and children."

Perhaps the wife rabbit, who was taking care of the baby rabbits, had urgently used the fire.

When Sejun cleared the ashes from the fire pit, a small green sprout appeared.

"Huh? Why is there a sprout here?"

Sejun gently touched the sprout.

At that moment,

[Master! Hello!]

The sprout greeted Sejun in a spirited voice.

"Wha?! Did you just speak?!"

Sejun, surprised by the voice coming from the sprout, asked.

[Yes! Master!]

The apple tree, which had been growing underground due to the fire, finally greeted Sejun.