I Login Alone

Episode 129.

Marina Bissett breathed a sigh of relief as she looked around the artificial island’s interior, which was slowly being completed with countless people’s help.

“This was somehow done within a month, huh.”

“It is thanks to B&Y’s cooperation.”

It was Lee Chung-ho, an executive of the global conglomerate Yonghwa, that played a major role in building this artificial island. After the construction began, she heard his thanks about hundreds of times, so she turned around with a bitter smile and answered back.

“Be grateful to Ethan, not me. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Oh, Miss Bissett…”

But Marina ignored the voice calling her as she left the scene. Although it was her, who was originally energetic and not particularly rude to others, there was a sense of overreaction since, over the past month, those related to Yonghwa had greatly distressed her.

“I’m so sick of it. Why do people from that company keep showing their friendliness to me?”

“There is a saying that their head has his eyes on you.”

“Oh, my gosh!”

Marina froze there in fright as she saw Seria Wilson descending from the top to land in front of her. Marina, with her hair on end, complained.

“Why do you keep approaching me from my blind spots?!”

“Marina Bissett, we soon need to enter the 33rd level dungeon. Stop fooling around and follow me.”

“You can call me, call me! This isn’t the Sky Castle; it’s an artificial island, so the signal’s available.”

“I don’t necessarily want to hear your voice over the phone.”

Marina gritted her teeth at Seria’s aggressive attitude. Although the past’s bad blood was long, it was no exaggeration to say that they were now completely part of the same party after all this and that. Why did she always try to torment her?

“You’ll hear it to the point that you’ll grow very sick and tired of it soon, so get used to it. Come on, call me ‘Ma’am’.”

“I don’t like you because you come at me like that.”

Seria scoffed. Marina gritted her teeth and still asked her again.

“So, where does their head keep his eyes on?”

“The head of the Yonghwa Group, Lee Kang-hoo…he’s keeping his eyes on you.”

“Lee Kang-hoo…? He’s not with the Yonghua group; he’s the master of the Yongseong Guild, right?”

For reference, the Yongseong Guild was the mainstay of this 33rd stage dungeon challenge. It was also the largest and most powerful guild in China. They were the ones that made this event happen by working tirelessly after grinding their teeth at losing the first clear of the 32nd stage to Korea.

“You…don’t you know?”

Seria kindly explained to her that there was a lack of common knowledge in a strange area when she has a surprisingly short side.

“The head of Yonghwa Group and the Yongseong Guild aren’t different people with the same name, but they are the same person.”

“…How could such a terrible thing happen?”

From Seria’s perspective, Marina, who was considered one of the world’s best mercenaries and even was B&Y’s esteemed daughter, was no different than him. But she could criticize Marina as she was truly appalled by it.

“It’s a terrible coincidence from our point of view, but it must be an inevitable reaction for himself. Then, wouldn’t it be natural for him to think that he is the best in the world?”

Yonghwa Group was a company from China. Starting as an ordinary clothing industry, it had now become a global conglomerate with no place where its touch didn’t reach from the IT to defense industries. The 3rd head, Lee Kang-hoo, turned 43 this year.

“But if he’s even the Guild Master of the biggest player guild in China…”

The expression of Marina, who had been able to guess his attitude and speech, was rotten at once.

“Woah, I haven’t met him yet…but why can I picture him right now? It reminds me of Kim Ha-ryong. Ah-ugh.”

“My condolences, Marina Bissett. He marked you. I’m sure he’ll be very annoying in the dungeon, too.”

“Oh…”

Marina stretched weakly and grabbed Seria’s arm. She hated it, but Marina wouldn’t let her go.

“Why are there so many people marking me? It’s making my head hurt…ugh, it’s so hard being a beauty. I feel like I’m going to die.”

“Yeah, just go ahead and die.”

Seria spoke with jealousy, but Marina suddenly grinned as if she had thought of something.

“If it turns out this way, I’d rather perform a fake engagement with Si-woo before things get any more bothersome. He’s my partner, so I’m sure he’ll do me a favor, and other men won’t be able to touch me. And then, when my relationship with Si-woo develops, it’s okay as it is…”

“I am studying Korean these days, and there is a Korean proverb that one only drinks soup when there is no bread. I want to tell you that.”

“Oh, you two haven’t left yet?”

While the two were having a fairly friendly conversation, the last of the trio stepped in. It was Lee Seo-hee who became a much-desired ace at the construction site due to her unique barrier ability. She was busy exploring dungeons, so that she couldn’t come to the artificial island that much. But when she declared that she would help out in the construction as Marina and Seria would soon enter the dungeon, there was a rumor that the entire artificial island roared with cheering.

“Seo-hee!”

“Seo-hee, are you on break?”

“Yes, I dropped by since I could feel both of your Manas.”

Lee Seo-hee had a better sense of Mana than anybody else. That was why she probably awakened her ability to deal with barriers. But to know that she was so skilled that she could distinguish and track other people’s Mana…Marina’s eye for talent wasn’t out of line. Seria was quite impressed.

“Both of you, go hurry. People were looking for the two of you.”

“Uhh, we should. Seo-hee, take care while I’m in the dungeon.”

“If anything happens to Si-woo-nim, please help him on my behalf.”

“Alright.”

Lee Seo-hee gave a light hug to Marina and added, nodding with a bitter smile at Seria’s earnest request.

“Si-woo kid, I don’t know what’s going on right now because he always finishes his matters in short sentences.”

“Isn’t that the kind of guy he is in the first place?”

“But he was so sweet when we were dating…”

As she was still listening to Lee Seo-hee, speaking with a sad expression, Marina’s expression became a little awkward, and she hurriedly extended her feather wings after releasing her hug with Lee Seo-hee.

“I-I’ll go, now. Seo-hee, take care! Seria, follow already!”

“Ah.”

The remaining two women burst into laughter as they watched Marina fly away in a hurry.

“She ran away.”

“She ran away.”

“You think Marina likes Si-woo a lot, don’t you?”

“And she mentions “just being partners” and “fake marriage” in that state…she’s a shameless liar.”

The two looked at each other, shrugged, and shook hands.

“Let’s go into the 34th level dungeon together.”

“You have to come back safe, Seria.”

Seria, too, spread her wings and followed Marina. Lee Seo-hee, who was left alone, stood still for a while, chasing the Mana traces that the two left, and soon turned around, tapping her cheeks.

“Well, shall I go get it over with?”

Marina and Seria quickly joined up and headed for the Sky Castle. There was a party gathered there for the 34th level dungeon clear. It had a total number of 50 people, which was barely near the limit on the maximum number of people entering the 34th stage dungeon floating over the African continent they found.

“Oh, Bissett and Wilson are here!”

“By this, all of us have gathered.”

“Welcome, Marina Bissett.”

When they landed at the Sky Castle departure station, an Asian man with his hair slicked back in pomade approached them and greeted Marina. He was middle-aged-looking, but strong Mana was felt inside…without a doubt, this was the main player in this dungeon expedition, Lee Kang-hoo.

“Hello.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Even so, since it was her first time seeing him, Marina desperately used the social etiquette that she learned from her brother. However, Seria still kept an icy expression when she greeted him. Lee Kang-hoo tried to greet her with a bright smile but belatedly recognized Seria, who was next to her.

“Oh, my days.”

His eyes glistened with joy.

“Are you Ms. Seria Wilson? I heard you and Miss Marina Bissett are in a close-run for the world’s most beautiful player rankings, and that rumor was not wrong indeed. Nice to meet you.”

“…”

Seria’s expression as she heard that grew colder. Marina couldn’t resist and whispered to her with a small smile.

“Could it be that he marked you, too?”

“Shut up.”

If so, she would only have to mark him from this side, too, even if she had to borrow Si-woo-nim’s hammer. Seria moderately played along and fell off from Marina.

“We need to help him focus on the main target.”

“Please don’t do that; we’re at the same party. I’ll leave few good words to Si-woo, okay?”

But contrary to their concerns, Lee Kang-hoo didn’t bother them much when they entered the 33rd level dungeon. Unlike Kim Ha-ryong, who was always clingy, his top priority was the dungeon clear!

“Indeed, you two are worthy of being at the forefront of the players. Our guild has learned a lot.”

“Oh, yes.”

“If you’re having a hard time, please let me know. Our guild aims to clear the dungeon without a single casualty.”

Of course, he tried to talk to them as much as he could, such as handing them water when he had a chance, but he was polite as well. Looking at that, they breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that at least they wouldn’t fail to clear the dungeon for stupid reasons. However, the problem arose because of the secret that the 33rd level dungeon held.

[Hiss!]

“It’s a snake.”

“Snakes?”

Up to the middle of the dungeon, they had only faced orcs and trolls that almost regularly appear in high-level dungeons, and monsters evolved from monkeys appeared occasionally. The pre-exploration team’s information has identified even the existence of flying elite monsters appearing in a certain pattern, so they thought they were the only ones who needed to be careful, but…

“Be careful. They use lightning!”

“Lightning…? Wait a minute.”

While listening to the party leader’s report, Marina’s senses sounded an alarm. She had come across many gods in the dungeon, and only one of them was related to serpents and lightning.

“Could it be that Laia had influenced this dungeon…?”

“Laia? Ah.”

As they were in a similar position called ranged, Seria, who was forced to shoot Mana bullet from a similar position to her, stiffened.

“What’s going on? It’s different from the expedition report. Didn’t they exclude the place where they could feel at least a hint of a god’s power among the easiest dungeons?”

“They wouldn’t have searched all the way to the end of the dungeon, too, so even if different types of monsters appeared in the process…no, wait.”

Marina strengthened her vision by adding Mana to her eyes. It was nothing more than instinctively imitating Jung Si-woo’s visual skills, but the effect was outstanding.

“The path in front of us, the cliff that rises just around it…don’t you think that part’s Mana is divided into boundaries?”

“Mana…divided? What are you on about?”

Seria frowned and asked back. Marina’s impression was as distorted as hers.

“I saw this similar scene just a while ago…at the Grand Canyon.”

As if to support her thinking, Lee Kang-hoo, the leader of the party, suddenly shouted.

“Retreat! Damn it.… everybody back!”

[I’m here under the command of Laia-nim!]

Soon, a roar of the voice filled the dungeon.

[Marina! Hand me your head!]