Levelling Up In An Exclusive Dungeon

In the place she had lived, it was rare to see so many people moving about.

“Is there a war going on somewhere?”

“No.”

“Then is it a market day? Why are there so many people?”

“It looks like this every day here.”

Lucia’s expression of surprise grew deeper, as she could hardly believe that this was a daily sight rather than a rare occasion.

“How many humans are there in this world, anyway?”

“Probably over 7.7 billion.”

When Kang Jin-hyuk mentioned a fact he had seen on the internet, Lucia gasped in disbelief.

“What, what did you say? Do these humans breed like orcs?”

“Orc? That’s a harsh way to put it.”

While some people were occasionally referred to in such a manner, not many really had a breeding capacity surpassing that of orcs.

It was merely a derogatory comment about appearance, and Kang Jin-hyuk showed visible discomfort.

“So there are this many humans, yet not a single elf around.”

Lucia began to come to terms with something that shocked her.

It seemed she surmised that the various other races, like elves, had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of humans and ultimately faced extinction.

While this notion diverged entirely from the history Kang Jin-hyuk knew, he felt there was no need to correct her, as his goal was not to study history, but to explore his skills instead.

“Let’s see…”

Kang Jin-hyuk activated his skill to observe the passing people.

He quickly jotted down the numbers he observed in a notebook he pulled from his pocket.

“52, 81, 33, 92…”

Meanwhile, Lucia turned her head from side to side, taking in the surroundings, while Kang Jin-hyuk recorded the karma values with a serious expression.

Things she had missed while just glancing around earlier grabbed her attention now that she was fully observing.

“It’s still so bright here even as the sun sets.”

The dazzlingly illuminated street was unlike anything Lucia had ever seen.

Even during festivals at the royal castle in her world, the lighting didn’t come close to this brightness.

In her world, even in big cities, there would just be a few streetlights.

In villages far from cities, one had to carry a personal lantern if they wanted to venture out at night.

“But with all this brightness, won’t it attract monsters?”

Lucia suddenly grew concerned about the city’s safety.

The lack of lighting in her world was likely due to a combination of technological differences, but the larger reason stemmed from the presence of monsters.

Monsters, typically active at night, were drawn to light.

In a village where guards weren’t strong, illuminating the area meant inviting concentrated attacks by monsters; thus, even modest events called for careful consideration about lighting a campfire.

“Seeing this, it looks like the hunters here aren’t that strong.”

Lucia recalled the hunters who had cowered before a new type of monster she had easily taken out with a single arrow.

“How could such weak humans endure against monsters?”

With no prior information, Lucia began to speculate, finding a decent distraction while Kang Jin-hyuk recorded the values.

However, her whimsical musings had to end abruptly as someone next to her began chatting away.

Turning out of obligation, Lucia noted a strikingly handsome man with brown hair, whose mischievous smile set her on edge.

While he looked good, she felt uneasy about his insincere grin.

In the place she came from, anyone approaching with such a smile usually harbored ill intentions.

“#$%%@#.”

Although the man was vigorously speaking, Lucia couldn’t comprehend his words.

‘Does this guy not have a translation item?’

When she had first met Kang Jin-hyuk, their conversation had flowed so naturally that she had completely forgotten that they spoke different languages.

It was only after casting a translation spell that she could finally understand the man’s words.

“So, I was wondering… are you interested in modeling?”

Though the magic worked, Lucia still had no clue what he was talking about.

“Modeling?”

With a tilting of her head, she mumbled, and the man beamed, mistaking her confusion for curiosity.

“Yes! We have an opening on our side right now.”

Lucia couldn’t grasp what “modeling” entailed, yet she quickly deduced the man approached her with ulterior motives.

‘Let’s see.’

Curious, she amplified her senses with aura to gauge the gazes directed at her.

Among them were several individuals who exuded a somewhat unusual vibe compared to ordinary people.

‘Are these people companions? Or just passersby?’

Indecision lingered as she hesitated, but just then, someone she recognized stepped in front of her.

“What are you looking for?”

The man with brown hair looked visibly flustered by Kang Jin-hyuk’s sudden emergence.

It seemed he didn’t expect her to have an entourage.

As his eyes darted, the man quickly masked his surprise with a smile.

“Apologies, I was wondering if she was your girlfriend?”

“No, not exactly.”

“So, just friends then?”

“Um, yes… I guess so.”

Seeing the immediate cheerful expression on the man’s face as Kang Jin-hyuk answered made Lucia let out a long internal sigh.

‘What an idiot.’

If she had been more assertive, perhaps the man would have backed off.

Instead, the awkward response opened the door to an invitation to converse at a nearby café.

“How about your friend joins us?”

The man’s behavior practically screamed that he believed Lucia was his target of interest.

However, such an amateurish approach would hardly work on her.

Since this was their first interaction, and considering they had other plans, stepping back wouldn’t be a challenge, especially since they held the upper hand in this situation.

But contrary to Lucia’s thoughts, Kang Jin-hyuk accepted the man’s invitation.

“I’m actually looking for a place to waste some time…”

“Ugh!”

Unable to keep quiet anymore, Lucia stomped down hard on Kang Jin-hyuk’s foot.

The man didn’t seem to notice, but Kang Jin-hyuk’s sudden yelp startled him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just forget it!”

Kang Jin-hyuk bit his lip, suppressing the pain from his foot.

When the man, smiling cheerily, suggested they sit at a nearby café to continue the conversation,

Lucia took the opportunity to launch another attack on Kang Jin-hyuk’s side.

“Ugh!”

Genuine concern arose in Kang Jin-hyuk as he glanced back, fearing the man would turn around.

“Why would you want to follow him?”

“I have my reasons.”

“What kind of reasoning can justify following?”

“Pretty harsh words there. Will you just hear me out?”

Kang Jin-hyuk carefully whispered, ensuring they were not overheard by the man leading the way.

“That guy has an abnormally high karma value.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think? The karma value.”

“How high is it?”

“300.”

After hearing this, Lucia halted her attempts to hit him and reconsidered.

“Then are you telling me you want to follow him on purpose?”

“It’s a rare opportunity I shouldn’t let go.”

From observing the crowd at the station, Kang Jin-hyuk had not seen many individuals exceed a karma value of 100.

If he missed this opportunity, who knew when he’d encounter another person with such a high value?

Understanding his reasoning, Lucia suppressed her frustration and scratched her head in annoyance.

“I guess I can’t help it… Even if I detest the guy, I’ll have to play along for a while.”

“If he shows any suspicious behavior, do let me know right away.”

What actions might someone with a significantly higher karma value exhibit?

Lucia’s curiosity deepened as she closely observed the actions of the man leading the way.

Although he seemed to be seeking a place to chat, an unsettling vibe lingered around him.

It didn’t take long for Lucia to discern the nature of this discomfort.

She leaned in to whisper to Kang Jin-hyuk.

“That guy pretends to look around, but his steps are leading him straight to the building ahead.”

“His destination was predetermined from the start.”

“We should be cautious, as it blatantly resembles a trap.”

As the man turned briefly to glance back, Lucia and Kang Jin-hyuk immediately broke off their hushed conversation.

Unaware that he was being suspiciously scrutinized, the man smiled casually and pointed at a sign ahead.

“That looks good.”

The place the man had chosen felt like a closed-off ‘bar’ that was hard to find unless one looked closely.

There were plenty of cafés around, so choosing this one suggested concealed intents—an implied meaning that was too blatant to ignore.

Nevertheless, Lucia and Kang Jin-hyuk feigned following along with the man.

“Why don’t you settle in first while I go place the order?”

When asked what he’d like to drink, Kang Jin-hyuk ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail for Lucia.

Based on her ability to consume copious amounts of chocolate without issue, it appeared elves could handle caffeine without much consequence.

So, he assumed a simple drink would suffice.

The man led them to a table and walked away to place the order.

As that man disappeared, Kang Jin-hyuk and Lucia quickly began discussing their next steps.

“First off, it seems clear he targets me, right?”

“That’s obvious.”

“Does seeking out women affect karma value?”

“Well, that seems unlikely.”

Kang Jin-hyuk had observed how many men had their gazes glued to Lucia while recording their karma values on the street.

It couldn’t merely be attributed to pursuing women; her looks were too remarkable.

Any man with even ordinary aesthetic judgment would be inclined to strike up a conversation with her.

The proposition to model made complete sense when viewed from that lens.

Had Kang Jin-hyuk not been able to confirm karma values with hidden skills, he might not have suspected any ulterior motives.

“So, does it mean he’s plotting something behind the scenes?”

“It’s highly probable. Though his approach is rather clumsy.”

Lucia nodded in agreement, acknowledging the awkwardness of the man’s mannerisms.

To her, a person unfamiliar with norms in this setting would likely garner suspicion, making the man’s approach feel foolish.

“Yet, is it possible he’s just dumb?”

“Passing cafés and intentionally choosing this one suggests he’s not just thoughtless.”

“What’s the concept of a café?”

“Hmm… A place where people drink beverages and share casual conversations.”

“So, it’s not too different from this place.”

“The key distinction is that they don’t serve alcohol.”

That answer left Lucia bemused, tilting her head questioningly.

“Without alcohol, what would they discuss?”

Lucia had learned through her long journeys as an adventurer that some conversations were often best supported by the incorporation of beverages.

“From my perspective, it seems suspicious that a guy trying to woo a girl would bring her to a non-alcoholic place.”

Cultural gaps due to different experiences surfaced between them, framing how each perceived the situation.

Despite the intriguing differences, Kang Jin-hyuk deemed it unwise to delve further at this moment.

“Regardless, let’s observe how things progress for now.”

At this point, they were still lacking concrete evidence.

“Hmm?”

The ringing sound of a bell marked the entrance as several men walked into the café, immediately drawing Lucia’s attention.

Her elongated elven ears twitched as they vibrated like antennas, visibly alerting Kang Jin-hyuk.

“What’s up?”

Without answering, Lucia glared in the direction of the newcomers.

As their time continued, the intensity of her gaze only escalated, indicating that something troubling was afoot.

“Those men who just entered… They were definitely watching me out on the street a moment ago.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw those guys close to the individual who approached me.”

As she discreetly pointed out the muscular men dressed in suits at the bar, her demeanor was a blend of caution and poise.

There was nothing intimidating about them, yet their menacing demeanor clashed horribly with the vibe of a cocktail bar.

“It doesn’t seem coincidental.”

“I doubt it.”

Lucia, bolstered by experience from past encounters, was convinced that the man who had approached her and the group now present were associated with each other.

“Looks like things will become more troublesome than I initially anticipated.”

Kang Jin-hyuk kept his inventory slightly ajar, ready to pull out a baseball bat at any moment.