Chapter 85

# 85

User Manual for the Reincarnated 085

Crazy Old Man (1)

The atmosphere was incredibly heavy. Even a newborn baby could sense that something was amiss.

After a moment's hesitation, Lee Sang-hee finally spoke.

"Currently, all parties except for the 2nd and 7th squads of Blue are trapped in a Hero-level dungeon. Their survival has not been confirmed, and the rescue signal was received this morning. Given that no further signals have been sent, it seems that the parties that entered the dungeon have encountered some problems."

'Is this it?'

"The exact time of entry into the dungeon was August 14th, and the last contact was around 6:40 AM today. Mr. Seol-ho?"

"Yes, that's correct. It's accurate."

If it was August 14th, it was before we even entered Blue. I can sense how things are unfolding.

'Expedition failure.'

This is one of the most typical scenarios that can lead to the collapse of a guild or clan. Although we haven't been in the Free City of Lindel for long, I've heard the typical sayings that float around the city.

'One expedition failure can shake a small clan, and two expedition failures can shake a large guild.'

This saying emphasizes how dangerous it is to venture into dungeons or go hunting.

It's only natural for such sayings to exist. In Lindel, the strong are the collective assets of the group.

If they die or become immobilized during an expedition, it means a significant drop in the group's strength.

Therefore, most clans and guilds invest a lot in expedition preparations.

Some guilds even send test parties first, so there's no need to say more.

If the discovered dungeon is a Hero-level dungeon, extra caution is necessary.

Unlike rare-level dungeons where simple monsters appear followed by a boss monster, each Hero-level dungeon has a different mechanism.

I haven't entered one myself, but just reading the adventure logs created by various guilds is enough to infer this.

'Blue collapses due to expedition failure.'

Kim Hyun-sung must have known this situation.

Sending a rescue team is a predetermined procedure.

The human resources inside the dungeon are too valuable to abandon.

Moreover, for Lee Sang-hee, those trapped inside the dungeon must feel like family. Blue has a long history.

Given her personality, she would push to enter the dungeon.

The question is what choice we will make.

While various options were running through my mind, voices were breaking out all over the conference room.

They were discussing how to handle the situation after the brief briefing.

'Even if it's just theoretical...'

"Should we request support from other guilds?"

"We requested support from the Red Mercenaries, but due to the absence of the Mercenary Queen, the response is delayed. We don't know how long it will take to get an answer. If time is urgent, the expedition team might not be safe."

"So, you're suggesting we go in without any plan?"

"Not exactly. However, considering that the signal was cut off this morning, it's not impossible that most of the people are still alive. They are the guild's assets."

"I agree that we should send a rescue team, but our strength is severely lacking. Even if the goal is rescue, not conquest, we can't do it alone."

"If we form a rescue team, we could include retired members..."

"They are no longer in a condition to go on adventures. Hehe. To be honest, I find it a bit difficult to handle administrative work."

"But we are short on numbers, aren't we?"

"Short? We still have the 7th squad."

"..."

"The 7th squad..."

"The 7th squad is also one of our main forces, isn't it?"

'These crazy old men...'

Even though they are being tight-lipped, I can sense the situation. Whether to send a rescue team to save the trapped parties.

The guild must have information about the dungeon.

However, considering that this data is from a previous failure, it's clear that this dungeon expedition is extremely dangerous.

Even if we go with Hwang Jeong-yeon and Lee Sang-hee, it's natural that we can't do much against a dungeon that has already swallowed five of Blue's parties.

We can only confirm the survivors.

The question is how to proceed. The public opinion for sending a rescue team was growing, so I expected the guild to form one. However, it felt like even those like Lee Seol-ho, who seemed to dislike throwing themselves into dangerous situations, were involved.

"Didn't we hire you for this expensive price? They will definitely be of help."

"The 7th squad hasn't fully grown yet, Mr. Seol-ho."

"Mr. Jeong-yeon, I am very aware of that. However, now is the time when even a small hand is needed. It will be better than not taking them at all."

"Even so..."

"This is a crisis for the guild. It's only natural to work together."

"If you think so, why don't you go with us, Mr. Seol-ho?"

"I am old and frail. Hehe. After all the dedication to the guild... someone needs to protect it. Mr. Seol-ho should stay and protect the guild."

"Ah, that's right!"

"Even if we go, we won't be much help. Ahem..."

"Hehe."

'These crazy bastards are really going overboard...'

The atmosphere was so absurd that I couldn't help but laugh.

It felt like they had rehearsed their lines. Their coordination was perfect. Seeing the crazy old man continuously trying to push us into danger, it was clear he was determined to take advantage of this opportunity. If we assume that Lee Sang-hee, Hwang Jeong-yeon, and I go into the dungeon together, the one who would benefit the most is the old man, Lee Seol-ho.

'Old and frail, my ass.'

I can still remember how he exuded killing intent during our first meeting.

His stats are not bad either. He is old, but he is definitely not frail.

It feels like I'm watching a once-dominant old man, like Lü Bu, become frail in real-time.

The reason for his theatrics is obvious. He doesn't want to throw himself into danger.

'He wants a big score, doesn't he?'

The debate about whether to send a rescue team was framed around whether our party would participate.

"It's not appropriate for the 7th squad to go in yet."

"Hehe. Isn't there a way?"

"They have been in Lindel for less than a year."

"But they are also members of Blue. They are guild members. They have already received many privileges. We can't give them special treatment this time."

"That's not special treatment, but common sense. No guild in the city would send a party that hasn't been around for a year to a Hero-level dungeon. Well, there is one exception. Most guilds that throw test parties do it this way."

"Test parties? That's a bit extreme. At least..."

"Enough."

Lee Sang-hee interrupted the theoretical debate.

"The 7th squad will wait at the guild house. Mr. Seol-ho and Mr. Jeong-yeon are right. No matter how fast Hyun-sung and the others have grown... they won't be much help."

'This is it.'

"Please stay here and protect the guild."

"But..."

"No buts. This is my decision. The rest of the members should start preparing for the expedition immediately. The goal is rescue, not conquest. Others should start checking if we can get support from other guilds..."

"Understood."

I don't know if this was Kim Hyun-sung's plan, but it's an ideal approach.

If the rescue team members die or return with major injuries, Kim Hyun-sung's party will become the most powerful force in Blue.

In other words, they can swallow a medium-sized guild without much effort.

Of course, there are many issues to handle, but assuming we skip the complex process, the gains are significant.

'Actually, it's not just that...'

On the other hand, losing someone like Lee Sang-hee or Hwang Jeong-yeon is also a problem.

Thinking about losing two excellent workers for the future Kim Hyun-sung Kingdom changes the story.

I don't care if the crazy old man dies, but they are quite friendly to me.

Although it might take some time, safely inheriting power is not a bad option.

The most important thing is what Kim Hyun-sung decides.

It's frustrating not knowing what he's thinking. Of course, I can guess to some extent. If I were in his shoes, I would definitely consider the option of quietly taking the honey that falls.

But knowing Kim Hyun-sung, he would probably...

"We will go with you."

I expected him to say something like that.

"Really?"

"We will go with you."

"Thank you, but... this is..."

As a reincarnated supporter, I naturally have to cheer for Kim Hyun-sung.

I did think about it for a moment, but the decision was made instantly.

If I had pushed Huang Zheng-yan and Lee Sang-hee into danger, I would have felt uneasy, no matter who I am. I have received a lot of help from them.

"Hyun-sung is right. We should go with you."

'Unsettling, but...'

There must be a reason.

He might know the strategy to conquer the dungeon or what he can gain from this expedition.

He is kind, but he is not a fool.

After taking a deep breath, he continued.

"Recently, all party members have shown remarkable growth. Everyone has obtained a Hero-level job as their third job, and their main stats are in the low 60s, with Hyeon-ae reaching the 70s."

"That's..."

"Really?"

"Hehe..."

"Unbelievable..."

"I know this is still insufficient. It's absurdly insufficient for a Hero-level dungeon. We are more aware of this than anyone. But we are also members of Blue. Even though our relationship is bound by a contract, I don't think it's a light one."

"Ah..."

"We have received a lot of help from many people. This time, we want to lend a small hand. If we judge it to be dangerous, we will follow the control without overexerting ourselves. Please allow us to contribute even a small hand."

I slightly bowed, and immediate reactions followed.

It might seem foolish, but it wasn't bad.

"I really want to go with you."

"Hehe. Very touching."

If it weren't for the crazy old man grinning at me, it would have been perfect.

"Ms. Sang-hee, since Mr. Gi-yeong and Mr. Hyun-sung are so determined, why not take them? If they have completed their third job, they will definitely be of help. Hehe."

This old man needs to be removed by any means.

I'm not the only one thinking this.