Ian’s safe, which he had opened in the Lotus Manor, contained more gold than he thought.

“Oh… if I can use it all, then will I be able to go to the 4th level of the mine…?”

Over 600 million gold was stored in Ian’s safe.

However, Ian—who was lost in his thoughts—shook his head.

“Gee, I can surely upgrade, but I won’t be able to pay for the slave’s employment costs. I’ll leave 300 million gold here.”

Ian did not hesitate and immediately withdrew almost half of the money from his safe.

Tring-

[Access to ‘Lotus Manor’ deposit.]

[Verification completed.]

[Extractable gold is 659821222.]

[Withdraw 350 million gold? (Y / N)]

[For identity verification, Iris recognition is required.]

[Iris recognition completed!]

[You have successfully withdrawn gold. The remaining amount of gold in your safe account is 334821222.]

Ian complained about the gold withdrawal system.

“No way, the last time I pulled out the gold, I did it without any procedures… Why is it so complicated now? Is it because the amount is huge…?”

Ian took a glimpse to the 300 million gold in his inventory.

‘Well, now that I thought about it… with this money, I can buy an apartment in the real world rather than the mine, right?’

The house that Ian was currently residing in wasn’t bad when it came to living alone.

The selling price was nearly 2 million, and it had two wide rooms.

‘If I sell the two rooms now, and exchange the gold in my safe with money…’

The area where Ian was currently living at was a famous place in Seoul.

He had enough money to even buy a decent apartment.

“No, I should still go for the mine…! Will the gold in the safe be able to raise the mine to level 4?”

If his parents would have heard it, there was no way Ian would tell them that he was willing to go penniless for a mine!

Anyway, Ian who decided to develop the mine went out of the room.

Hoonie, who was still in the waiting room, responded with a strange expression.

“Is it all done? Why is taking out the gold from the safe taking him so long?”

Ian responded in a soft voice.

“300 million gold.”

“…what?”

“I withdrew 300 million.”

“…”

Hoonie was staring at Ian with wavering eyes.

“Hyung? Are you a golden spoon like Noel Hyung?”

Ian smiled and replied.

“Nope, I’m self-made.”

“…”

Hoonie slightly misunderstood what Ian said.

“This hyung… I thought you were only great in the game. Maybe you’re a great businessman in real life too…?”

Hoonie’s respect for Ian at that moment went so deep, that he had nothing but respect for him.

* * *

“So… you’re not supposed to die even once?”

“Hmm… with the death penalty, the quest will automatically fail.”

“It’s a quest condition?”

“Right.”

Hoonie was listening to Ian’s story while following him.

“So you won’t be able to participate in the Guild wars then.”

“The guild wars? What about it?”

Hoonie responded with a ridiculous expression to Ian’s question.

“Hyung, starting today the Red Crowe Guild is going on an all-out war. You’re saying that you don’t even know that?”

“Is… is it? I have been a little bit busy these days… wait.”

Ian opened the system windows to read his recent messages.

Messages from Herz and Fiolan poured out.

Ian scratched the back of his neck and muttered.

“Well, they can manage to win against the Red Crowe even without me…”

“…”

He was dumbfounded because he thought that what Ian said was irresponsible, but he composed himself immediately and went to ask about the quest.

“Anyway, Noel hyung decided to help me, and I need to go to the 20th division of the Devildom.”

“And something there was called Deadmon temple or whatever it is called?”

“I’m not so sure about it either, I just know that there is a place called Deadmon. And if I go there, then something will come out.”

Ian was deep in his thoughts.

‘Somehow I can help since I’m going to that place as well, right?’

If there was a special dungeon in the 20th division of the Devildom, then he thought that he would have the chance to see a legendary beast.

There was also a powerful legendary devil—the Devil Dragon—in the 30th division of the Devildom that was related to the hidden quest of the Hidden Quest Dungeon.

‘If I find any legendary beasts, maybe I should try catching them.’

As a matter of fact, Ian didn’t have any trouble capturing a legendary beast.

Apart from the legendary beasts, Ian hadn’t yet captured some of the finest beasts.

“Hmm…So what’s the reason why you’re telling me this now?”

Hoonie smiled a little cutely and spoke.

“Why are you asking even though you know… Ian hyung, please help me out.”

Ian laughed a little and answered while nodding.

“Okay, I will help you.”

“Ohoh…?!”

As soon as Ian agreed to help, Hoonie’s face turned bright.

However, Ian still had something to say.

“But…”

“What but?”

“It will be hard to start right away.”

“Why?”

“I feel very sleepy now.”

“… Hyung you too get sleepy while playing the game?”

“It’s because I have been playing the game for two days straight.”

“…”

Hoonie had a sulky expression because of what Ian just said. Ian noticed it so he asked.

“Is this a time-limited quest?”

“It’s nothing of that sort.”

“Then let’s start tomorrow evening. I’ll get some sleep, and take care of a few things at my place.”

Hoonie nodded in agreement.

“Okay, Hyung. You can take your time. It’s been a while since the last time I see the Devildom, I can wait for a few extra minutes.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll come tomorrow evening.”

Ian thought of something that would take away Hoonie’s nervousness.

“And… while I am away, can you help out with something…”

Hoonie felt anxious because of Ian’s awkward question.

“What?”

“Well, this is a bit hard to explain. Will you be able to help me?”

Hoonie started to get more nervous.

‘Uhuh…What is it? If hyung is asking for help, then it won’t be an easy thing…’

It felt like if he didn’t do what Ian was asking for then Ian wouldn’t help him with his quest.

Hoonie was deciding if he would help Ian or not.

‘Well, I get to do my quest all thanks to Ian hyung… so this is probably nothing.’

“Okay, hyung. I’ll help.”

Little did Hoonie knew that he would regret his decision a few hours later.

* * *

(Hoonie POV)

That day, seemed like a good day for some reason.

I was just mindlessly walking out of boredom when I coincidentally came across Ian hyung, and then I got to enter the Devildom.

And somehow, Ian hyung said that he would help to get the quest done.

Ian hyung asked for something in return, but it wasn’t something that anyone had to be concerned about, at least that was what I thought.

However, from the moment I encountered the dark cave deep in the mountains, I realized that something was really wrong.

‘What is this? Is this the new dungeon that Ian hyung found?’

I was skeptical of what kind of a messed-up dungeon he was being brought to, but for now, I decided to follow my hyung.

To deal with a strong enemy, he had to face the strongest man of the dark.

But that place didn’t look like a ‘dunegon’.

Kang- Kang- Kang-

“Hyung, what is that sound? There is some sound coming from the inside.”

“Huh, right. The sound of mining.”

‘The sound of a mine? Then, this was a mine?’

I hadn’t heard of any mines in the Devildom.

I did hear that there was an empire that had gold mines in the southwest of the Northern continent, but a mine in the Devildom?

I felt like I needed to go out right away, like I was going into trouble, but unlike my intuition, my body was following Ian hyung all the way.

‘Ha, maybe this was what Slavism is?’

In the end, I just followed Ian into the management office.

“Increase the level of mine to 3.”

‘What? Increase a mine’s level?’

I was flustered.

If Ian hyung was talking about adding levels, then it meant that Ian hyung probably owned this mine.

I had never seen an empire-owned mine, but I had never ever heard of a user owning a mine.

“Kaka, do you remember the slaves that we saw before? Let’s hire them all.”

“I understand Master.”

Ian hyung just shared an uncomprehensible talk with a strange bellied lizard, who always stuck with him, and started to take gold.

“Hyung, how much are you going to spend now?”

“300 million.”

“All the gold?”

“Huh.”

The short conversation was shocking.

Was he a goldsmith, or a self-employed rich boss?

Ian hyung began to wire money without hesitation, and the structure of the mine changed real time.

Was it 30 minutes since we entered?

Hyung started to move somewhere once again.

As they were walking along the narrow pathway, the mine spread out in front of us.

There were dozens of mining slaves standing in line waiting for Ian hyung.

Some slaves were noticeably working.

It was a scene of exploitation in a glance!

A person could see right away that this was exploitation.

I started to get anxious.

But then, a dwarf that was smaller than me stopped his pickaxe and ran towards Ian.

“Oh! Ian! I was waiting for you.”

“Haha, was the mining going well?”

“Today was a great day to start. I’ve already got one of the better stones.”

“Wow, you sure have awesome skills Han.”

“Hahaha”

They talk like friends who had known each other for a decade, and the dwarf’s eyes were shooting hearts towards Ian.

“Anyway, it’s great that you’ve developed the mine. When you get to this level, the quality changes.”

“Thank you, Han. I need a legendary. You know?”

“Sure, right at it. Just believe me. I will definitely give you a legendary grade stone.”

“Nice nice. Then I’ll take your word for it.”

‘The ugly dwarf is turning his gaze towards me.’

‘I felt my body getting cold, and I don’t know why.’

‘This dwarf guy, he seriously looks dangerous.’

“By the way, who is this small friend of yours?”

Ian hyung smiled because of the Dwarf’s question and answered.

‘Don’t please!’

‘You don’t have to introduce me to this ugly little dude, hyung!’

“Oh, this is the friend who will help you dig up for the next two days.”

‘Huh? Mining? Don’t tell me, the greatest darkest man, will mine?’

What the dirty ugly being said next was more spectacular.

“Oho? Can this little friend really be of any help to me?”

“No matter how you see, he knows how to deal with the Undead. He could summon a Golem or skeleton and be able to help in mining the low-grade minerals, as they can’t get the high grade.”

This was a tremendous change from my plans.

Even if I was in the middle of the mine, I would’ve never thought of doing it.

‘No, he wanted the Undead to dig.. dig!?’

“Phew, well Ian. You’re creativity always amazes me.”

“My mind is amazing, right?”

‘Your mine isn’t good, but I think you have great hair.’

‘Anyway, I was left to the ugly dwarf without any say.’

‘Ah, well. Noel hyung would follow me.’

‘No matter how you see this, hyung was the most pitiful.’

“Wait, hyung you’re just going to leave?”

“Huh. Please help me. I’ll give you something in return after you finished your work.”

“Now, wait!”

‘My hyung’s heart is rotten.’

‘But even with my puppy eyes, Ian hyung just walked away.’

‘To log out.’

‘I was also going to log out quietly, but then I was worried, and I didn’t get the courage to do it after seeing the dwarf’s eyes.’

This guy would obviously rat me out.

“Okay, come on kid. Let’s work hard, okay?”

And the labor of hell began.