Chapter 42: Animal Lover and Plant Lover

Naturally, Ion didn’t reveal the real reason.

“Even if I killed you, another Butterfly would come for Hong Insu’s family. I can’t guard them forever. It’s a hassle.”

“…”

“I have a question too. Why post about hallucinatory dungeons on SNS?”

“…!”

Butterfly Mask jolted in shock.

“H-How—”

He stopped short of asking how Ion knew.

It was indeed Kim Young.

Butterfly Mask quickly regained composure.

“Why? I was just acting according to the future Teacher taught us.”

That confirmed it for Ion.

The stories known to this Breeder and his own Teacher had non-overlapping parts.

For instance, Hong Insu killing Choi Jungho in despair after his family’s death was common to both Breeders. But Kim Young spreading hallucinatory dungeon rumors on SNS was exclusive to this Breeder’s knowledge.

This meant Teacher’s version of the story likely contained details unknown to the other Breeder and their disciples.

“Keep your promise,” Butterfly Mask said, turning to leave when Ion stayed silent. Step, step. After a few paces, his figure vanished.

A teleportation item—expensive.

He’s got money. Should’ve asked about Udinbara or System Age.

They probably wouldn’t have answered anyway.

Ion left the forest.

Butterfly Mask would target Choi Jungho on October 10.

I won’t interfere.

Jin Seongha needed to awaken his fourth skill before an SS-rank dungeon appeared. Without another way, Ion had to let Choi Jungho’s death happen.

But how much do I tell Jin Seongha?

Ion had to admit he knew the future to gain Jin Seongha’s trust for future plans.

He also needed to know who told Jin Seongha about Moshi. For that, Ion bought an A-rank contract-dissolving item at the black market. It might shorten the nondisclosure period.

Next Wednesday, Spec-1 had an A-rank dungeon raid scheduled.

[Monity Dungeon Measurement System Prototype 03 Dungeon Rank: A Gate Creation: 8 days, 4 hours ago Overflow ETA: 30 days, 12 hours Clear Method: Gate Stone Destruction Attribute: Normal Terrain: Plains Modifications: 78 (Horizon) Durability: 30/100 Uses Remaining: 2/5]

When Team Leader Lee Jina activated the beetle-like device at the gate, a holographic window appeared.

Spec-1 members gasped in unison. They’d seen the Moshi prototype used last week on TV, but this was their first time witnessing it in person.

“Wow, it’s so cool! Looks like a bug but cute and capable!”

“The overflow ETA is the best part.”

“Gate Hunters are protesting job losses, though.”

Gate Hunters were doomed to obsolescence, Moshi or not. From Level 2 onward, return stones became unusable.

Instead, a new job, “Gate Savers,” would emerge. Later, dungeon collapses would join overflows as a new calamity. Preventing collapses required a Hunter to stay inside the dungeon, dubbed a Gate Saver.

That was still in the future.

Or maybe not so far off. With so many variables, I can’t predict timelines anymore.

Despite knowing the future, the exceptions made timing uncertain.

“But our guildmaster’s got some guts,” Bae Younghoe said, chuckling.

“He locked it to Korean. Other countries better start learning!”

Modified items typically adapted to the user’s language unless specified. Jipyeongseop, however, hardcoded Moshi to Korean, forcing global users to deal with it.

“Right? Thinking about them studying Korean forever is hilarious,” Shin Minji giggled.

Ion caught something odd.

“Forever” studying Korean?

Other nations could develop their own Moshi if they got Monity. But the second Monity dungeon wouldn’t appear for nine years—and in Korea—giving Korea a monopoly.

Shin Minji, unaware of this, should’ve said “for now,” not “forever.”

It could be a careless remark, but Ion found it suspicious.

“Thanks to sweeping up Monity, we’re filthy rich! Prototypes keep us busy, but once it’s done, we’ll get massive bonuses, right?”

“Totally! We’re rich until the next Monity dungeon.”

“Money!”

“Money!”

“Moneeey!”

Amid the money chants, Jin Seongha spoke softly, “Quiet down.”

He stroked his pet, Sticky Rice Cake, sleeping with flattened ears.

Snore.

Even snoring.

“It’s Pippi’s nap time.”

The team’s excitement faded, replaced by envy and jealousy over the monster pet.

Look at him. How’s that humane? Animals are his only priority.

Ion wanted to show this to Dam Daon.

“Let’s enter,” Lee Jina said.

Led by her, Spec-1 and Byproduct Collection Team 3 entered their second dungeon as a unit.

Boom!

Grrraaah!

Slash! Pssht!

Grrraaah!

Each team member’s skill felled two or three monsters.

During combat, three minor injuries occurred, but skilled healers patched them up instantly.

No anomalies like a Giant appeared, unlike last time, and the raid progressed smoothly.

By day three, they set up base camp far beyond the predicted point.

While Collection Team 3’s cooks prepared meals, Spec-1 members rested in groups.

Even Lee Jina, usually studying maps during breaks, joined them. She pulled two lounge chairs from her inventory.

“Wow, Team Leader, nice chairs! Can I sit?” Shin Minji asked, eyes sparkling.

“No. These are for the raid’s top performers.”

“Ability-based discrimination?!”

“Jin Seongha, take a seat. It’s yours.”

Jin Seongha, on a plastic camping chair, stood up.

He walked over and…

Snore.

Sat Pippi in the chair and plopped on the ground.

“…”

“…”

Lee Jina and the team looked like they had much to say, but Jin Seongha stayed silent.

“What about the second chair? I did pretty well,” someone said.

“No, Team Leader should take it.”

“The second chair is for Ion. Ion, sit.”

All eyes turned to Ion, who was on a plastic chair. He was already standing.

“Thanks, but anyone object?”

“Nah, Ion deserves it.”

“Ion the Corps Leader should sit…”

“Who else would?”

“Thanks.”

Ion strolled over, placed his Sansevieria pot on the chair, and sat on the ground.

“…”

“…”

Regret flickered on Lee Jina’s face, but what could she do?

They loved animals and plants so much.

It was a miracle these two aces with such different tastes got along.

The team lost interest and dispersed—some to help with byproducts, others to nap, read, or watch shows.

“Corps Leader Ion,” Jin Seongha said, pulling his chair closer.

“Look at Pippi sleeping. It’s stress-relieving, pure endorphins.”

“I’m busy with Sanse.”

“Why do you love plants so much?”

“Why do you love animals so much?”

Asking made Ion genuinely curious.

In the novel, Jin Seongha just starts as an animal lover, with no backstory on why.

“Because they’re cute,” Jin Seongha said.

Such a trivial reason…

“Their pitiful, vulnerable look is cute.”

“…?”

Not understanding, Ion blinked. Jin Seongha elaborated.

“Haven’t you ever thought how pitiful it is, wagging their tails to please humans who don’t even speak their language, just for an extra scrap of food?”

“…”

“When I come home after a dungeon, they all wag their tails to greet me. Whining that they missed me, crying why I took so long. Jungho-hyung checks on them sometimes, but I’m their whole world.”

“…”

“They try so hard to get one more pat, to cling to me, relying on me to survive. That’s cute and lovable.”

Ion was stunned, mouth agape.

Unexpected.

Not because animals don’t betray, or trust only him, or focus on him.

Because they’re pitiful, they’re cute?

What kind of reason was that?

It felt… wrong.

Was it okay to love animals for that?

Too impure.

A twisted, creepy thought, yet he said it so boldly.

It was unsettling.

Then Ion recalled the Moshi dungeon, when he told Jin Seongha to leave Pippi at home if he didn’t want it in danger. Jin Seongha had said:

“I’d love to. Maybe lock it in a big cage.”

Lock Pippi up. Ion thought it was out-of-character for an animal freedom advocate, but it was just… his odd personality.

“That’s… a weird reason. Cute because they’re pitiful?” Ion said.

“I know. It’s why I never told Jungho-hyung. You’re the only one who knows, so don’t tell anyone.”

“Sure…”

Ion replied, already planning to tell Dam Daon the moment they left the dungeon.

“Now, why do you love plants?”

Ion’s reason wasn’t twisted like Jin Seongha’s.

“Because plants are miraculous beings.”

“How so?”

“They adapt to any harsh reality. No matter how brutal the environment, once they take root, they adjust and thrive.”

Plants can’t move.

Unlike birds that can fly away or dogs and cats that can run, plants, once rooted, must live there.

When an orphan, unable to escape except through death, learned of plants’ existence, his first thought was:

I need to be like a plant.

A being that humbly adapts to any environment. Even if it leads to death, a rooted being doesn’t flee.

I’m a plant.

I’ll live like one…

“Hm, plants’ adaptability is miraculous. I get it,” Jin Seongha nodded, unaware of Ion’s past, showing agreement.

“But animals are adaptable too—”

“You don’t love animals for their miracles. You love them for a twisted, pitiful reason.”

“…Shouldn’t have been honest. My image is ruined.”

“It was already ruined.”

Jin Seongha chuckled. Ion smiled faintly, a soft curve at his lips.