HDAAD Chapter 138

It seems quite some time has passed, but only 10%? Even without my amplification skill, this is too severe.

I turned around and asked the secretary.

“Secretary, how much time has passed?”

“Ten minutes have passed.”

I swallowed a groan.

10% in 10 minutes. That means 1% purification per minute, which means it would take another 80 minutes to bring the contamination level to 0%.

‘I want to go home quickly!’

The hangover was still ongoing.

I even tried drinking a potion just in case, but the healing potion indeed didn’t solve the hangover.

“Secretary, what are the ranks of the remaining two people?”

“They are both S-rank.”

That means if I can just resolve Baigang’s case, I can leave work early.

I picked up Salt from Baigang’s hand.

“Huh?! I’m not done yet!”

And I quickly grabbed Baigang’s hand as she tried to catch Salt.

“Ah.”

Baigang’s expression relaxed instantly, perhaps due to the amplified purification.

[Baigang Barjigon – Contamination level 58%]

As I nodded with satisfaction at the message that appeared shortly after holding her hand, Baigang spoke.

“By any chance…”

“Yes?”

“If we go to the Tower, can we receive this kind of purification again?”

Baigang’s eyes sparkled like someone who had found light after wandering in darkness.

“Yes. Of course.”

If Salt were to purify, the resting time for purification might be longer than the time spent conquering the Tower.

Above all, party members who had already tasted purification through my hand would surely make a fuss if told to purify through Salt, asking why we’re using Salt.

‘Michael and Lee Chaewon might even collapse.’

Thinking of those two, I shuddered.

“Then I want to do it too!”

“What?”

“I’ll be a party member too.”

“Really?”

Even though she’s a representative hunter of her country, I wondered if it was okay to make such a decision without talking to the government, so I asked again, and Baigang nodded vigorously.

“Yes!”

“No, what I meant wasn’t for you to decide here. I meant for you to think about it and discuss it with the Mongolian government.”

“No! There’s nothing to discuss separately. I’m not affiliated with the government, so the choice is mine. And if it’s with Korea, a hunter powerhouse, the government will be happy too.”

Well… that’s true.

Korea is a country that produces many hunters, to the point where there’s a joke that Grandfather Dangun chose the location well, and it’s the country with Shin Sooha, the world’s only SSS-rank and number one in the world rankings, so it’s right for countries like Mongolia to welcome this.

“Can you really decide without asking anyone?”

“Yes! The president told me I could do whatever I want except for naturalization.”

Except for naturalization…

Right. From the perspective of the Mongolian government where every single hunter is precious, that makes sense, but aren’t you saying this too innocently?

Although holding hands is for purification, I felt like my energy was being drained, so I nodded.

“Okay. I understand. Then for the time being, don’t return to your country and stay in Korea. We’ll start conquering the Tower as soon as all party members gather.”

“Okay.”

“Ah, right. Where are you staying now?”

“Huh?”

“Your accommodation.”

Thinking that Baigang probably didn’t have any acquaintances in Korea and must be staying at a hotel, I asked, and Baigang answered.

“I’m at a guesthouse.”

“Guest… house?”

“Yes!”

Even though she’s a representative hunter of a country. I thought she’d be staying somewhere decent, if not a 5-star hotel.

A guesthouse, really now.

“Until when have you paid for it?”

“Until tomorrow. I was planning to receive purification today and return by plane tomorrow.”

“Ah.”

It’s not tourism, she came for purification, so it makes sense to return after receiving it.

“Then after you check out tomorrow, would you like to come to Noeul Guild? I’ll arrange accommodation for you.”

At my words, Baigang hurriedly waved her free hand.

“It’s… it’s okay! You don’t have to! I can just extend my stay…”

“A guesthouse isn’t a place to stay for long. As a party member who will go to the Tower together, it’s natural for us to provide this, so don’t feel burdened.”

“But…”

“It might be fine now when you’re not doing anything, but to conquer the Tower, you need to maintain the best condition. And it’s not my money anyway.”

“Huh? If it’s not Go-woon’s money, then…”

I smiled brightly and answered.

“Guild Master Shin Sooha will provide it.”

What’s the use of having a rich party member if we don’t use them for this?

***

Taeju, who had been kneading my hand like flour dough while receiving purification, looked at me with strange eyes.

“What? What is it?”

I only told him about what happened with Baigang yesterday, why is he looking at me like that?

“I wonder where the limit of your meddling is.”

“Hey, how is that meddling? It’s not like I’m bringing her to our house.”

“It would be a big problem if you brought her to our house!”

“That’s why I didn’t bring her.”

At first, I did consider our house. It’s not like we don’t have rooms.

But while it might be okay if it was just me and Taeju, with Hanseong being a woman, it didn’t seem right, so I pawned it off on Shin Sooha. What’s the problem?

Taeju looked at my expression and sighed.

“Never mind. You wouldn’t understand even if I explained. What did Shin Sooha say?”

“What else? He said he has his own hotel, so he’ll send her there.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Shin Sooha, who is rich and has many possessions, wasn’t even flustered by my notification.

He just said he would arrange for Baigang to move rooms directly without needing to go to Noeul Guild.

“Then is it over once we persuade Mei?”

“Yeah. I think Mei will be persuaded too. There’s a bit of trouble though.”

“Why?”

“Mei’s mother opposed naturalization. She said it was okay to enter the Tower together though.”

As expected, as soon as Mei’s mother had the energy to talk, she called Mei and opposed her naturalization.

Mei cried and pleaded for her mother to come to Korea with her, telling her about what she had experienced, but she couldn’t break her mother’s patriotism.

However, thanks to her understanding that Mei couldn’t conquer the Tower with her ex-boyfriend Wang Chang or the American hunter, Mei became free regarding the Tower.

“Will Shin Sooha be able to persuade her well?”

“Come on, he’s a guild master, how could he not do that? Hey, the purification is over. Let go of my hand.”

I shook off Taeju’s hand, which was still kneading my hand even though all the contamination had been purified.

“Ah! Why?”

“The purification is over. And didn’t I tell you I don’t like being touched? Why are you kneading like a pervert?”

“Kneading feels better for purification than just holding.”

‘Are you a pervert?’

As I looked at him with a disgusted expression, Taeju hit his chest with his fist.

“It’s true! Hey! Woo Hanseong!”

Hanseong peeked her head out from the kitchen.

Unlike us who had finished our meal early, Hanseong was still eating.

“Stop eating already! What are you, eating all day?!”

“Hanseong only eats one meal a day, and you’re scolding her for that?”

I hit Taeju on the back.

“Hyung! Whose side are you on!”

“Didn’t I tell you not to take sides?!”

Taeju looked at me with irritated eyes.

“Put your eyes down. How dare you glare at me?”

As I glared back, Taeju pouted his lips and lowered his eyes.

“Why did you call her?”

“Why did you come out? Go finish your meal. I’ll handle this guy.”

Hanseong waved her hand.

“I’m done eating. Hey, why did you call me?”

“Prove my words.”

“What?”

Taeju grabbed Hanseong’s hand and brought it to mine.

“What’s this about?”

Although there was no particular contamination, Hanseong, who knew about the feeling of purification as well as Taeju due to frequent contact while living together, tilted her head.

“Now knead it.”

As Hanseong made an “Eek” expression, Taeju shouted as if he was wronged.

“No! The feeling is different!”

“Try it once. He says the feeling is different.”

“How different can it be.”

Hanseong grumbled as she kneaded my hand.

“Oh?”

“It’s different, right? I’m right, aren’t I?”

‘What? Is it really different?’

Hanseong nodded with a dumbfounded face.

“It really is different.”

“How is it different?”

“When you just hold the hand, it feels drowsy, right?”

I nodded as the drowsy feeling was a common impression I heard every time.

“But when you knead it…”

“When you knead it?”

“The drowsy feeling becomes about twice as strong. It’s kind of like therapy?”

“Therapy?”

“Yeah. You know, like animal therapy or something.”

So is she talking about how I stroke Salt to calm myself down whenever I’m stressed?

I tilted my head and looked at my hand being crumpled this way and that.

“Hmm. So you’re saying the effect is doubled?”

“Yes.”

‘I’m already uncomfortable with being touched, now I have to endure kneading too? No, first I should confirm it accurately.’

If the purification speed really doubled, I had to inform other hunters.

It would be better to endure the kneading and have my hand released quickly.

“By the way, bro. Still no reaction from the quest?”

“Yeah. It’s driving me crazy.”

Although there’s still plenty of time, I still haven’t found the Phoenix’s Breath, which is the quest item.

“Haegeum said we could find it in the Tower, so we’ll have to wait.”

“One way or another, it all comes down to the Tower, huh.”

“That’s right.”

Both the Cradle that could allow me to return to my world and the quest could only be obtained by conquering the Tower.

And soon, we would be able to start conquering the Tower in earnest.

“Oppa. When are you going to the Tower then?”

“As soon as Mei gives permission, we should go right away. There’s no reason to delay.”

“Is there nothing else to prepare?”

I nodded.

“The Tower is broadly speaking a dungeon, so there shouldn’t be anything particularly necessary, right?”

Taeju nodded in agreement and said,

“We always carry healing potions and antidote potions in the infinite pouch anyway, so we don’t need those.”

“If there’s anything I can make for you, tell me. I’ll make anything.”

“Why are you worried?”

Taeju grinned, and Hanseong made a disgusted expression and said,

“I’m worried about oppa, not you.”

“What’s there to worry about when even a healer is going?”

“Still…”

“How far has the conquest progressed now?”

“Shin Sooha conquered the 12th floor, and since there’s been no word of further conquest after that, we’ll probably start from the 13th floor.”

“Hyung, how long do you think it’ll take to reach the 20th floor?”

“Hmm… well, let me calculate for a moment…”

As I was about to recall the novel in response to Taeju’s question, my phone vibrated.

“Hello?”

-This is Shin Sooha.

“Yes, I know.”

“Who is it?”

I mouthed “Shin Sooha” to Taeju in response.

-Mei’s participation has been decided.

“Oh. That’s earlier than I expected.”

I thought she would take at least three days to consider, but she decided in less than half a day.

I wanted to applaud Mei’s quick decision.

-Yoon Seokjin from the Hunter’s Association has also been confirmed to join, and there will be an official article about the Tower conquest party members this evening.

“That includes Baigang Barjigon, right?”

-Yes.

“Understood. Then please set the date for the conquest quickly.”

-Understood.

I hung up the phone and smiled broadly.

“Date? What date?”

“The date to start conquering the Tower. Mei and Yoon Seokjin have agreed to join. Now that we have party members, we need to conquer the Tower.”

“Ah.”

Taeju nodded.

“Oppa, are you that happy about it?”

“Yes. Very happy.”

“Peep.”

I wrapped my hand around Salt, who was scolding me for being so happy about going to work, and rubbed my face against its soft chest fur.

Finally.

The first step towards returning to my world has begun.

“Hyung, are you that happy?”

“Yeah. Completely happy.”

Taeju frowned, not understanding why I was smiling so broadly.

“I don’t understand why you’re so hung up on the Tower and the Cradle.”

“I told you, it’s for world peace.”

I used world peace as an excuse since I couldn’t return to my world, but Taeju didn’t seem to believe it.

‘To be honest, it’s hard for me to believe too.’

It’s not like I’m Miss Korea, risking my life saying “I wish for world peace.”

But I can’t honestly say that I’m not actually Seo Go-woon and that I need to return to my world.

“Oppa! Which floor is the treasure supposed to be on?”

“I don’t know.”

“Huh?”

Hanseong’s eyes widened.

“Then how will you find it?”

“I’ll have to find the place shown on the floor plan.”

“Ah. We’ll be going from the first floor anyway, right?”

“No, we won’t be going to the first floor.”

“What? You’re not starting from the first floor?”

I nodded.

The Tower conquest that could finally allow me to return to my world has just begun, how could we start from the first floor?

“We’ll go straight to the 13th floor.”

“Is that possible?”

Hanseong asked, but Taeju’s eyes also seemed to be asking if that was possible.

“Taeju, don’t you remember how I got Salt?”

“You said you got it from the Tower.”

Taeju, who hadn’t believed me at all back then, answered correctly.

“Right. To be precise, I got it from the 5th floor of the Tower. And I didn’t start from the first floor then. I didn’t even have the ability to go to the 5th floor alone at that time.”

“That’s possible?”

“Nothing is impossible in this world, and no one knows the Tower better than I do.”

I giggled at the two of them making puzzled expressions.

That evening, the government officially announced the start of the Tower conquest along with the party members.

And the netizens’ reactions to that news exploded.