Aroundthetimethebrainwashingoperationwasabouthalfwaycomplete,thewaiterappearedcarryingalargetrayinbothhands.

“Yourduckstewanddumplingsareready.”

henhestartedsettingbowlafterbowldownonthetable.

BUBBBUBBBUBB......

ruetothenameSpicyDuckStew,thebowlswerefilledwithaviolentlyredliquidatafuriousboil.

hemomenttheysawit,tensionfilledthegroup’sfaces.

“......”

“......”

heyhadheardpeoplesayitwasspicy,butapparentlynoneofthemhadexpectedittobethisbad.

venoyeonwoo,whohadactuallybeenhereoncebefore,hadagrimlookonhisface,probablybecausethememoryfrombackthenwascomingfloodingback.

hetimeShinByeongcheolhadpuffedhimselfupandinsisteditwasnotspicyatall,whichhadledeveryonetocompetitivelypolishoffanentirebowleach.

onestly,ithadbeenprettyrough.

Still,maybethistimetheycouldenjoyitinmoderation.

WhileSeoYe-insatofftoonesidetearingofflittlepiecesofdumplingandeatingthem,therestcautiouslypickeduptheirspoonsandbeganchallengingtheSpicyDuckStew.

Dangyu-rinarrowedtheireyesandletoutanimpressedcomment.

“t’sreallyspicy.”

oyeonwooandanSomieachaddedawordtoo.

“Mm.”

“t’sspicy,it’sspicy!”

venso,theyseemedtogethookedonthesharpheat,becausetheykeptmovingtheirspoons.

Wheneveritgottoointense,theywouldpickupadumplingandeatthattoo.

Butcomparedtowhatwasabouttohappennext,allofthiswaschild’splay.

hewaiterwentbackintothekitchen,thencamebackout.

histime,hewascarryingsomethingominous.

twasdefinitelyabowl,yes,butitlookedlesslikesomethingfromaninnandmorelikesomethingmeanttobeusedinaforgesomewhere.

BUBBBUBBBUBBBUBB......

otonlywasitboilingloudly,theheatandspicyaromapouringoffitwereoverwhelming.

“madethisoneextraspicyforyou.”

twastheduckstewmadeespeciallyforongYeonhwa,theonemeantto“testthelimitsofhumanendurance.”

twasamasterpiececontainingtheprideandself-respectofthecook,amanwhohadhandledspicyfoodhisentirelife.

WhenthewaitersetthatthingdowninfrontofongYeonhwa,everyoneshiftedalittlefartheraway.

SeoYe-in,whohadalreadybeensittinginacorner,retreatedevenfarther.

“......”

“......”

Whiletheotherswatchedwithamixofinterest,curiosity,andconcern,ongYeonhwapickeduptheirspoonwithperfectnaturalease.

hentheyscoopedupthatthing,putitintotheirmouth,andraisedtheireyes.

“t’salittlespicy.”

Atthat,thegroupquicklyexchangedlooks.

veryonewasobviouslythinkingthesamething.

Alittle?

Spicy?

Whatkindofstructuredoesyourtongueevenhave?

Still,judgingbyhowcheerfullytheykeptmovingtheirspoon,theywereclearlyatalevelwheretheywereenjoyingit.

“......”

SeoYe-inandhologramFast-ucklesswatchedthesight.

hentheirgazesshiftedatthesametimetowardmyduckstew.

“......”

“What,doesitlookedible?”

“......Relatively.”

Comparedtothat.

Well,comparedtowhatongYeonhwawaseating,thisonewasbasicallyplainwater.

hatdidnotmeancouldcallitnotspicy,though.

casuallyasked,

“nlyeatingdumplingsisalittleboring,isn’tit?”

“Boring.”

“hisplaceisfamousforduckstew.Canyoureallyleavewithouttryingit?”

“fyoumissit,youlose.”

“Wantabite?”

SeoYe-inandFast-ucklessclenchedtheirfistsatthesametime.

“......Challenge.”

ryit,tryit.

fcourse,hadexpectedthisfromthebeginningandhadalreadysetafewpiecesofduckasideonasmallplateinadvance.

hespicybrothwasnotthekindofheatanyoneshouldbechallenging.

“......”

Whenhandedoverthesmallplate,SeoYe-instareddownatit.

hensheslowlystartedleaningherbodyback,apparentlysensingdangerfromjustthefaintspicyaromarisingoffit.

Butthen,Fast-uckless,whohadbeenwatching,casuallytossedoutacomment.

tlookswaytoospicy.iveup.

tdidnotsoundlikeshewassincerelytryingtostopher.fanything,itsoundedlikesubtleprodding.

owdidknow?

Becausewouldhavesaidtheexactsamething.

AndSeoYe-in’sreactiondidnotdeviatefromexpectationsbyevenaninch.

“......candoit.”

erycautiously,shemovedherspoon,broughtitovertothesmallplate,pickeduponepieceofduck,andputitintohermouth.

Andbeforeevenafullsecondhadpassed,awholestormofexclamationmarksseemedtopopupoverherhead.

“......!”

“Sonaturallythechallengefailed,right?”

“......!”

“urryupandeatadumpling.Anddrinksomewatertoo.”

“......!!”

*****

herehadbeenalittleincidentwhereSeoYe-ingotseverelypunishedbyasinglebiteofduckratherthantheduckstewitself,butasidefromthat,thetimepassedinrelativepeace.

owthateveryonehadreplenishedtheirstamina,itwastimetobegintherealBlackSerpentFangraid.

osumitup,itwasapinceroperation.

hemainforcewouldbeDangyu-ri,SeoYe-in,andongYeonhwa,whowouldconfronttheBlackSerpentFangordandtheBlackSerpentFangmemberswhiledrawingallattentiontothemselves.

Meanwhile,Kimo,oyeonwoo,andanSomiwouldsecretlyinfiltrateandtargetthelord’shiddenvault.

Aclashwiththehiddenboss,WhiteSerpent,wouldbeabonus.

Soon,thethreemembersoftheinfiltrationsquadchangedintothemartialuniformstheyhadstrippedfromthelow-rankingmartialartists.

Aminorproblemarosehere.

anSomi’soutfitlookedsomewhatlooseonher.

hatwasonlynatural,sinceherbuildwasmuchsmallerthanthetwomen’s.

Asthingsstood,itwouldmakehereasytosuspect,butsheherselfdidnotseemconcernedintheleast.

Sheofferedasimplesolution.

“Wecanjustgetridofeverywitness!”

“hat’sanexcellentmindset.”

Kimonoddedwithsatisfaction.

tseemedtherepeatedbrainwashingwasstartingtoshowresults.

KimospoketoDangyu-ri,wholetoutahollowlaugh.

“henwe’llbeoff.”

“t’llbeoverbeforeyougetback.”

“We’llseeaboutthat.”

“Don’tstartmakingexcuseslater.”

“Youtoo,BigSis.”

hetwosmiledateachother.

heyhadalreadymadeasmallbetduringthestrategymeeting.

Still,therewouldbetimetothinkaboutthat~оvеl𝕚ght~later.

Dangyu-riglancedonceattheinfiltrationsquadmovingaway,thensaidtoSeoYe-inandongYeonhwa,

“et’sgotoo.”

“Yes.”

hentheystartedwalkingtowardBlackSerpentFang.

hepavilionthathadoncefeltfarawayquicklyfilledtheirvision,andthemaingatedrewsteadilyclosertoo.

nfrontofit,twogatekeeperswerepassingthetimeinboredom.Whentheysawthissideapproaching,theyfrowned.

“......Youdon’tlooklikeyoucamewithgoodintentions.Whoareyoubastards?”

UD!

CA—!

heonlyanswertheygotwasamercilessshadowclubandthemmortalKimoKimoPot.

hegatekeeperswereneutralizedinaninstant,andDangyu-rigaveaslightsidelongsignal.

Atthat,ongYeonhwadrewuptheirmanaandbeganchantingaspell.

FWS,

Ahugeredcirclewasdrawnout,thenfilledwithintricateformulae.

toldthemtousethebiggestonepossible.

hiswasachancetolaunchapreemptivestrikeonBlackSerpentFangwithoutanyinterferenceatall.

Andthebiggerthecommotiontheymade,themoreattentionwouldbedrawntothisside—whichmeanttheinfiltrationsquadwouldhavethatmucheasieratimemoving.

FWS,

Soon,theflamesrisingfromthemagiccirclegatheredintoasinglepoint,andonephoenixwasborn.

trapidlyswelledinsizeinashortspanoftime,thenspreaditswingsandsoaredintotheairbeforeflyingrightoverthemaingate.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—!

henitbeganturningplaceafterplaceintoaseaofflamesandutterwreckage.

hesuddendisasterthrewBlackSerpentFangintochaos.

Whatishappening?

Whatisthatflyingaround?

Aphoenix!sitaphoenix!?

t’satthemaingate!urry!

Bythetimethephoenixhadexhausteditseffectandnaturallydissipated,agreatmanyofthepavilionswerealreadyengulfedinflames.

nside,therewasfranticmovement,asthoughtheyweretryingtoputoutthefire.

And,wantingtodeterminethecauseandeliminateit,agroupofblack-clothedmencamerushingoutindroves.

Amongthem,anexpertwhoseemedtobearoundsquad-leaderlevelsteppedforwardandaskedongYeonhwa,

“CouldyouperhapsbeadescendantoftheFlameyrant?”

Apowerhouseofthepreviousgenerationwhohadwieldedmartialartsofextremeyang.

ntheircommonsense,hewastheonlypossiblesourceforflamesonthisscale,whichwaswhytheywereaskingaquestionlikethat.

KimohadsaidhehadreceivedasimilarquestionwhenheusednfernoFisttoo.

nthatcase,alltheyhadtodowasrepeatthesameanswerhehadgiven.

ongYeonhwaspokeinahaughtytone.

“havenoanswertogivetrashfromtheevilsects.”

“......”

heatmospheregrewtautwithtension.

ntheirminds,ongYeonhwahadalreadybeenconfirmedasadescendantoftheFlameyrant.

“......Bringthelord.”

neoftheblack-clothedmenshotinwardlikeadart.

hesquad-leader-classexpertglaredatthissidewhilebuildinguphisaura,thensuddenlykickedoffthegroundandcameflyingin.

SWS—!

Atthesametime,theblack-clothedmenrushedfromalldirections,andthebattlebegan.

“......”

Dangyu-youngworeacalmexpressioncompletelyatoddswiththemurderousatmosphere.

Withtheclubrestinglightlyontheirshoulder,theywavedtheirotherhand.

Atonce,theshadowsattheirfeetstretchedlong,andhumanoidshapesbeganrisinguponeafteranother.

yushadowundead,BloodCultedition.

CK......

hostDemon—butnowreducedtoyuDemon—shookthebellasUndeado.4.

Atthat,therestoftheundeadseemedtoturnalittledarker.

ncontrast,theblack-clothedmenflinchedandtrembled.

t’ssimilartothesoul-summoningbell.

Asimplebutpowerfuleffectthatstrengthenedallieswhileweakeningenemies.

Mostofitsoriginalabilitieshadvanished,butitstillatleastfeltworthyofitsA-rank.

SAS!

Perhapsthankstothebuffeffect,Dark-ShadowCommanderandBloodSwordCommandercutthroughtheblack-clothedmenlikewolvesleapingintoaflockofsheep.

abDirectoralsoswelledbotharmstothesizeofhumantorsosandswungthemaroundwildly.

venso,thecommander-classandsquad-leader-classexpertsstillmanagedtobreakthroughthedefensivelineandreachSeoYe-inandongYeonhwa.

Andjustastheywereabouttolandastrike—

UD!

Dangyu-rismashedthemwiththeclub.

Securingthesafetyoftherearlinewasthetoppriority,sotheyhadstayednearbyafteronlysendingtheundeadforward.

hankstothat,SeoYe-inandongYeonhwawereabletopourouttheirfirepowertotheirhearts’content.

RA-A-A-A!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—!

Wooden-ucklessandFast-ucklesssprayedmanaroundsineverydirection,whileflamessurgedupallovertheplaceeachtimeongYeonhwaswepttheirstaff.

heidentitiesoftheblack-clothedmenwerenotmerelyordinaryBlackSerpentFangmembers,butremnantsoftheDemonicCult.Yetdespitethatfearsomereputation,theirnumbersweredroppingrapidly.

Besttocleanoutasmanyaspossiblerightnow.

hemoretheythinnedthemouthere,theeasierthebossfightwouldbetomanagelater.

hinkingthat,Dangyu-riswungtheclubwithalltheirstrength.

UD!

Sometimepassedinthemidstofthehecticfighting.

hen,almostatthesametime,thethreemembersoftheyupartyturnedtheirheadstowardthemaingate.

Becausetheyfeltaheavypresence.

“......”

Sureenough,amiddle-agedmanstoodthere.

isappearanceandatmospherewerereminiscentofagiantsnakecoiledinplace.

ewasthefinalbossofthisdungeon.

BlackSerpentFangord.

heyhadexpectedhimtostartgoingonabouttheFlameyrantwhenhesawongYeonhwa,butsurprisingly,hisgazewasfixedonDangyu-riinstead.

“......hisisdifficulttounderstand.YouappeartobeadaughteroftheDangFamily,yetwhereareyourhiddenweapons,andwhyareyouholdingastaff?Andwhatisthisstrangesorcery?”

“here’snothingmorelaughablethantheDemonicCultcallingsomethingsorcery.”

Dangyu-riansweredwithasnort.

Atthat,theBlackSerpentFangord’sfacehardened,butratherthanfallingfortheprovocation,heseemedtohavereactedtothewordsDemonicCult.

“......Soyoucamehereknowingeverything.henwillhavetosilenceyouall.”

Soonhedrewuphistrueenergyandtookacombatstance.

ewasamasterofclaw-stylemartialarts,fightingbyrakingandtearingwoundsintohisopponents.

Andthetipsofhisfingersandnailswerestainedpitchblack.

Proofthathehadcultivatedanexceptionallyviciouspoisonart.

Seeingthat,thethreeoftheyupartyquietlyexchangedglances.

Butwehave★All-Poisonmmunity★,don’twe?