The Next Day

Seo-jun returned to the dungeon.

It was because Yeon-jun , after tasting Krekseg grilled pork belly, claimed it was better than what most high-end Korean restaurants could offer.

If it were actual pork belly, it would be impossible to sell in a slum like District 12, but with Krekseg pork belly, it might be feasible. It could be sold much more cheaply.

“The security is tight.”

Park Yeon. He seemed addicted to the outing from the previous day and had tagged along uninvited again.

“Probably because of yesterday.”

There had been only three guards the previous day. Today, over a dozen were stationed.

“Should I handle them?”

“Hold on.”

Seo-jun focused on the guards' conversation. They were all talking about a video.

“Seems like it’s about me.”

Mentions of a hydra made it certain.

“Demon God?”

“Let’s go in.”

In a flash, all the guards, over a dozen of them, collapsed unconscious. Park Yeon was genuinely shocked at the sight.

‘He’s strong, but I didn’t expect this.’

The guards weren’t ordinary—they were skilled individuals. By the continent’s standards, they were at least high-level experts.

For Seo-jun to incapacitate them all with a single gesture was a feat even grand mages would struggle to accomplish.

Seo-jun ascended the dungeon’s floors and arrived at Krekseg’s habitat.

Park Yeon marveled.
“So Krekseg really exists.”

“You thought I was lying?”

“Well, you’re the Demon God.”

Seo-jun shook his head and proceeded to hunt all the Kreksegs on the third floor. There were about thirty in total.

He butchered them on the spot, separating the pork belly and collar cuts before storing them in his spatial pocket.

He wouldn’t need to return for a while.

“Why discard the other parts?”

“The rest isn’t edible.”

“Is it toxic?”

“Smart guess.”

This was knowledge Seo-jun had gained from his time with a human body.
Those were rough days.

Back at the shop, Yeon-jun and Seo-woo were already waiting. Seo-jun organized the pork belly and collar cuts in the fridge, prompting Yeon-jun to ask,
“Pork?”

“I’m thinking of selling it as a new menu item.”

“The cost won’t match up.”

“It’s Krekseg meat.”

“Mo-Monster meat?”

Seo-jun explained to the startled Yeon-jun that it was safe to eat, like Arutis Al.
“It’s actually better than regular pork. It’s even good for restoring energy.”

Yeon-jun reluctantly nodded after the explanation, still looking unsure.

After preparing the shop for business, Seo-jun checked EnTube. It was because of the video the guards had mentioned earlier.

He didn’t even need to search for it. It was prominently featured at the top as a trending video.

When he played the video, the hydra appeared from a perspective different from his own memory.

The footage showed Kim Chul-jun and his team being utterly overwhelmed. Amidst the chaos, the youngest member, Gong Hyun-woo, succumbed to the hydra’s poison.

“Kyaaaah!”

The shaky footage from a body cam added to the tension, accompanied by heavy breathing. At that moment, Kim Chul-jun gave quick commands.
“Cast Hellfire on me, and Gyeongmyung, shoot me with rapid arrows!”

“That’ll kill you!”

“Just do it!”

Kim Chul-jun charged forward, severing one of the hydra’s heads. As its blood sprayed, Hellfire struck, followed by Gyeongmyung’s poisoned arrows.

“Kieeeek!”

The hydra’s scream echoed as its corpse filled the frame.

‘Well-edited.’

To an uninformed viewer, it would appear as though the four successfully defeated the hydra.

Comments Section:
-Wow, Kim Chul-jun is insane.
-Can you believe that’s possible?
-His quick judgment is top-notch.
-First time hearing a hydra scream.
-No wonder they call Kim Chul-jun the Demon King.

The shop door opened.

Seo-jun warmly greeted the customer.
“Welcome.”

“An old hag like me is here again, not dead yet.”

“Don’t say that. And you’re not alone today.”

“Ah... This is my grandson I mentioned before.”

The boy looked shy, glancing around nervously. His nametag read Cha Jinmyung.
“Jinmyung, nice to meet you.”

“Hello...”

“As always, can I take the recycled paper?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. Truly.”

“Thank you,” Jinmyung said as he bowed and moved the paper into a handcart.

“Not every grandparent is blessed with such a filial grandchild.”

“I suppose so.”

“There was a time I thought the heavens were indifferent, that I must’ve committed sins in a past life. But seeing this kid makes me think maybe not.”

“Really?”

“I mean, they said it wasn’t cancer after all, just a misdiagnosis.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It’s strange, though. Considering the pain and symptoms, even an uneducated old lady like me was sure it was cancer.”

“Sometimes miracles happen.”

“Miracles... Maybe that’s what it is.”

Jinmyung, having finished loading the paper, approached.

Growl.

It was a faint stomach growl, barely audible to most, but Seo-jun heard it clearly.

He quickly went to the kitchen and packed a few pieces of pre-marinated gochujang pork belly into a bag, handing it to Lee Sook-hee.

“...?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? This is gochujang pork belly. Such a delicacy... I can’t.”

“Please, take it.”

“This is too much...”

“Food shared is food multiplied.”

Lee Sook-hee’s eyes reddened as she accepted the bag. She was genuinely grateful.

At home, Lee Sook-hee stared at the pork belly on the counter, tears streaming down her wrinkled cheeks.

She had never feared dying. But leaving her young grandson behind? That had terrified her more than anything.

Finding out it was a misdiagnosis and realizing she’d have more time with her grandson had filled her with immeasurable joy.

And now, such a warm and generous neighbor...

In times like these, who would show such kindness? Who would share such warmth?

She thought, perhaps she was reaping blessings because of the karma she accumulated in a past life.

“Grandma?”

Lee Sook-hee quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve.

“Yes?”

“Can I eat that pork belly?”

“Of course, of course. Grandma will grill it for you right away.”

“Okay!”

Seeing her grandson’s bright smile, Lee Sook-hee couldn’t help but smile along.

Perhaps because of the good fortune with his first customer, another familiar guest came right after Lee Sook-he left.

It was Park Joon-sik and his superior, Cho Hyunggu. The arrival of the two firefighters prompted Seo-woo, who had been playing with Yeoksam, to wobble over to greet them.

“Firefighter Uncles!”

“Oh, look at that! Our little boss is welcoming us with open arms.”

“Hehehe.”

“Welcome.”

“Ah, there’s no better day to drown in some drinks than on a day like this.”

Yeon-jun brought out the basic side dishes and took their order.

“What would you like to have?”

“Two bottles of soju and some egg fries—oh? What’s this? A new menu item?”

“Yes, it’s a new addition. Spicy marinated pork belly.”

“But this pork belly is really cheap for what it is?”

• Spicy Marinated Pork Belly (100g)
• 25,000₩

Considering that regular pork belly from the supermarket usually costs 49,000₩ per 100g, this price was practically a giveaway.

Instead of Yeon-jun , Seo-jun peeked his head out from the kitchen and explained.

“A friend of mine runs a pig farm.”

“Oh, then we’ll take two servings of the spicy marinated pork belly as our side dish.”

“Sure.”

Park Joon-sik and Cho Hyunggu found Seo-woo utterly adorable. While waiting for the food, they even played firefighter games with him.

Once the food arrived, Yeon-jun tactfully took Seo-woo away, and Seo-jun brought out the spicy marinated pork belly.

“This is... 200 grams?”

The plate was heaping with spicy marinated pork belly.

Seo-jun gestured toward Seo-woo.

“Consider it a token of apology for Seo-woo bothering you.”

“Haha, we had fun, though.”

“Thank you regardless.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

Park Joon-sik was the first to pick up his chopsticks.

Although pork belly wasn’t something he usually indulged in due to the price, he generally preferred unseasoned meat to enjoy its natural flavor.

But the moment he tasted Seo-jun’s spicy marinated pork belly, that philosophy was shattered.

“...!”

How could something taste this good?

Park Joon-sik was astonished.

First, the spiciness of the gochujang enveloped his palate.

Then came a lingering sweetness that danced on his tongue, followed by a subtle smoky flavor as the meat melted away.

“What’s wrong?”

“Boss, you have to try this right now. This isn’t just any pork belly.”

“You idiot. Pork belly is pork belly. What could be so special about it? Did you hit your head at the site today?”

Smirking, Fire Chief Cho Hyunggu popped a piece into his mouth—and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“...Joon-sik.”

“Yes?”

“We’re screwed.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t just eat any old pork belly anymore.”

Before long, Cho Hyunggu was madly moving his chopsticks.

Not to be outdone, Park Joon-sik followed suit, and eventually, the side dish was gone before the drinks were finished.

‘So this is how chefs feel when people enjoy their food.’

Watching the two enjoy their meal so thoroughly, Seo-jun grilled another 200 grams of meat and served it to them.

Though a bit embarrassed, the two gratefully ate it all.

“So, did you get your ability test results yet?”

As he patted his now full stomach, Cho Hyunggu asked Park Joon-sik. The latter quickly grabbed the last piece of meat and nodded.

“Yes.”

“What did they say?”

“They said there was nothing unusual. What about you, Chief?”

“They said the same for me. Not awakened, no illnesses—just peculiar, really.”

“Well, the center staff mentioned it sometimes happens. They called it something like a passive skill?”

“Hmm. It’s good there’s nothing wrong with us physically, but...”

While cooking a dish of Arut’s fried eggs for another table, Seo-jun feigned ignorance and asked,

“Is something troubling you?”

“Oh, no. It’s more of a good thing, actually.”

“And what would that be?”

“Well, this is... I don’t know how to explain it. I’m not sure you’d believe me.”

“After the upheaval, what’s left to be unbelievable?”

True enough... Park Joon-sik nodded and began to explain.

“Well, it’s nothing much. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but it happened again on our second dispatch.”

“It happened again?”

“Yes. I found myself breathing easily without an oxygen mask... and in thick smoke where you couldn’t see a thing, the location of the person needing rescue became perfectly clear... it’s just baffling.”

“That does sound strange but also useful.”

“It is. And it’s not just me, either.”

“Then...?”

Cho Hyunggu interjected.

“It was the day before yesterday, I think. There was an accident at a construction site. The structure was weak, and a building collapsed. Three workers were trapped underneath.”

“My goodness.”

“Normally, we’d rely on equipment or request help from the management bureau to send awakened individuals with physical powers to lift the debris...”

“I’m listening.”

“But just in case, we gave it a try. And lo and behold, the several-hundred-kilo steel panel was lifted without a problem.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And it wasn’t just Joon-sik or me. Other team members were experiencing similar phenomena. One firefighter climbed up a gas pipe on the first floor to rescue someone in a burning apartment without a ladder.”

Cho Hyunggu glanced at Seo-jun.

“Hard to believe, isn’t it?”

“Not at all.”

“In any case, we all went to the Awakened Center for tests, and they found nothing unusual. What’s stranger is that these abilities don’t manifest in everyday life.”

“So, you’re saying they only appear in emergencies?”

“Yes, only when on-site or during rescue missions. Even the center staff found it puzzling.”

“Well, it’s good news nonetheless. Good people gaining good abilities is a fortunate thing.”

“As long as there are no side effects. The center staff warned us that such abilities often come with drawbacks, so we’re worried about that.”

Seo-jun smiled faintly.

“There won’t be any side effects.”