Seeing that look in her eyes, Gongju guessed Seomun Yongnyeo’s intentions.

Given her personality, it was obvious she would approach Seo Kangrim in some way or another.

He brushed the matter aside with a casual remark.

“He’s just a cadet you don’t need to meet in person, Team Leader Seomun. Isn’t there something more important to discuss?”

Saying so, Gongju pulled up a nearby chair and sat down.

He spoke with a face that feigned sympathy.

“This is going to be a big mess, Team Leader Seomun. Zone 1 personnel burning down the orchard? That’s going to be a headache.”

It sounded like a word of comfort, but beneath it lay a hint of mockery.

Seomun Yongnyeo surely knew it too, yet she only responded with a smile.

“Thank you for your concern, Team Leader Gong. But then again, you didn’t come just to worry about me… Did you come to claim a wish?”

The two had wagered a Wish Token.

Gongju could demand one thing from Seomun Yongnyeo, no questions asked.

Gongju quietly pushed his glasses up and spoke.

“Well, I don’t need anything right now. I’ll take my time and ask later.”

It was his first leverage over her in a long time, and he intended to savor it for as long as possible.

Seomun Yongnyeo looked at Gongju and smiled brightly.

“By the way, you must be pleased. I hear the cadet from your sector has a kirin Spirit Beast. You didn’t have a hand in that, did you, Team Leader Gongju?”

“…A kirin?”

At the word ‘kirin’, Gongju put on a puzzled expression.

Seomun Yongnyeo let out a slight sigh.

“No matter what, to even tell him the method of hatching a kirin. Did you want to beat me that badly?”

“Well, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’ve truly become quite skilled at lying.”

However, Gongju still looked genuinely bewildered.

Seeing his expression, Seomun Yongnyeo tilted her head to the side.

“It seems you really didn’t know.”

“…Well, I just came to deliver that news. I’ll be taking my leave for today.”

“Alright. Let’s meet again next time.”

Gongju rose from his seat and hurried out of the office with a slightly rushed step.

After he left, Seomun Yongnyeo’s expression cooled.

She asked the Death Messenger.

“You said Seo Kangrim has a kirin?”

“Yes.”

“He was perfectly fine even after inhaling Myriad Fragrance’s Poisonous Fragrance, and he even possessed a Token of Revenge.”

“Yes.”

Seomun Yongnyeo crossed her arms and fell into thought for a moment.

Tapping her lips with her index finger, she spoke.

“I thought Team Leader Gongju was involved, but it doesn’t seem like it. That would mean Seo Kangrim found the Unknown Egg himself and hatched the kirin…”

At that very hour, while Seomun Yongnyeo harbored doubts about the kirin’s hatching, Gongju, having returned to his own office, held similar suspicions.

As soon as he returned to his seat, Gongju brought up a message window.

[Ahn Nabi, come to my office immediately.]

Not long after the message was sent, Ahn Nabi arrived.

She offered a polite bow.

“Did you call for me, Team Leader?”

“Yes. Have we received any report of a Spirit Beast hatching in our zone?”

“No, we haven’t received such a report yet. However, considering when he obtained the Unknown Egg, it is a possibility that it has hatched.”

Fundamentally, the Fate Protection Bureau could not observe the internal situations of Demon Realms.

The only information transmitted to them was the Demon Realm clear data.

Because of that, they had not yet learned of the kirin’s birth.

Gongju spoke while rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“According to Seomun Yongnyeo, a kirin hatched in our zone.”

“A kirin? That’s impossible. The probability of naturally hatching a kirin is near 0%.”

As Ahn Nabi stated, the natural hatching of a kirin was an event bordering on the impossible.

But Seo Kangrim had done it.

Gongju fell into deep thought before glancing at Ahn Nabi.

“Did you grant Seo Kangrim any additional rewards?”

“No. We haven’t issued them yet.”

“Then hold off on sending them. I think we should change the compensation.”

Gongju interlaced his fingers and rested them on the desk.

He spoke in a meaningful tone.

“I suppose I should test Seo Kangrim at this opportunity.”

8. The Sixth Door

The Education Facility had been incredibly quiet for the past week.

This was because the majority of cadets had entered the Room of Tread, leaving very few people behind.

Finally, the sound of human voices began to echo through the facility, which had been enveloped in silence.

The cafeteria, which had been practically on temporary leave, had been bustling with activity since yesterday.

“I’ll have one kimchi fried rice!”

“Get me one kimchi stew.”

“Oot!”

“Oot!”

The Earthen Figures were running around frantically, handling the influx of customers.

The people who had returned to the Education Facility were all engrossed in their meals.

One of the cadets let out a sigh of relief and spoke.

“Haa, I think I can finally breathe now. I thought I was going to die in that Demon Realm…”

“We barely survived. If it weren’t for Mr. Kangrim, I think we really would have died.”

Amidst the noisy mealtime, Seo Kangrim’s name could be heard several times.

That was only natural, as quite a few people had returned safely thanks to him.

“Seo Kangrim? He seemed a bit cold at first, but he’s actually a better person than I thought.”

“Right. Thanks to him sharing the Cheonhyang, everyone in Zone 2 returned safely, didn’t they?”

While Zone 1 had suffered significant casualties, everyone in Zone 2 had survived.

This was different from his past life, where deaths had occurred even in Zone 2.

If it hadn’t been for Seo Kangrim’s help, it was uncertain how many would have been eliminated.

Just as people were expressing their gratitude to Seo Kangrim,

a sullen voice cut through the chatter.

“Hmph. Seo Kangrim is still a fraud, no matter what he does.”

Choi Sangwon, who had been listening to the surrounding conversations, gritted his teeth and spat the words out.

His mood had been at rock bottom for days as positive reviews about Seo Kangrim continued to pour in.

One of Choi Sangwon’s companions spoke cautiously.

“Well, still, he’s pretty amazing, isn’t he? He even got the First Clear on an upper-level difficulty…”

“I got a First Clear too, you know?”

“But yours was on a lower-level… Ah, never mind. Lower-level is amazing too.”

When Choi Sangwon glared at him as if to kill, his companion hastily changed his tune.

Choi Sangwon continued to badmouth Seo Kangrim.

“What’s so great about that bastard? He’s just a bit good at fighting, but at the end of the day, he’s just a penniless nobody, right?”

“Uh, there’s Seo Kangrim!”

Startled by those words, Choi Sangwon looked toward the entrance.

Just as his companion said, Seo Kangrim was walking into the cafeteria.

“Hello, Mr. Kangrim!”

A few people greeted Seo Kangrim warmly.

Everyone in the cafeteria was looking at him with friendly eyes.

Seo Kangrim only gave a slight nod in response instead of answering.

‘This is annoying. It was easier when I was being ignored.’

Seo Kangrim did not welcome their goodwill.

He knew all too well how quickly people could change their attitudes, like flipping a hand over.

Still, he didn’t regret saving them.

‘My Fate Rank went up to Third Human Grade.’

After sending the people outside and clearing the Room of Tread at the highest grade, his Fate Rank had increased.

It was the reward for changing the fates of those doomed to die, and in turn, changing his own fate.

Just as Seo Kangrim was casually brushing off their greetings and about to buy some items before leaving,

Choi Sangwon sidled up next to him.

“Hey. Seo Kangrim. Long time no see, huh?”

Seo Kangrim gave a glance to Choi Sangwon, who was standing obliquely next to him.

Choi Sangwon smirked and spoke.

“Are you using my watch well? The watch you swapped for that free dried persimmon, I mean.”

“Are you asking me to give the watch back?”

Seo Kangrim looked at him with an annoyed expression.

At that gaze, Choi Sangwon flinched and quickly changed the subject.

“Hmph. You think I’d do that over something so trivial?”

“Then why did you talk to me?”

“I figured you’d be interested in me, since I’m a First Clearer.”

Seo Kangrim gave him a look as if he were spouting nonsense.

Even seeing that expression, Choi Sangwon shamelessly crossed his arms.

“I got a First Clear on a lower-level too, you know.”

“……”

“The other guys aren’t on my level… I figured I might at least have some common ground with you. Let’s have a drink. Hey, get me a glass.”

Choi Sangwon spoke to the Earthen Figure.

The Earthen Figure tilted its head and tapped the monitor.

[Current Spirit Jade Owned: 0]

After being completely wiped clean by Seo Kangrim, Choi Sangwon had absolutely nothing left.

Choi Sangwon grew slightly irritated with the Earthen Figure.

“You have no tact. Just give it to me! I’ll pay you back double later.”

“Oot, oot!”

The Earthen Figure protested vehemently and pointed to a sign that read ‘No Credit’.

Choi Sangwon’s face flushed red.

“Good grief, this is ridiculous. Hey. Do you know who I am?”

“Oot?”

The Earthen Figure snorted and turned its head away.

As if it didn’t matter who he was.

At the Earthen Figure’s reaction, Choi Sangwon grew even more furious.

“A mere clay figure like this is ignoring me? How dare you…!”

Seo Kangrim, who had been watching the scene with disgust, added a word.

“If you don’t have money, stop causing a scene and just leave.”

“I just don’t have it right now!”

“I’ll buy you a drink, so stop being annoying.”

Seo Kangrim said it as if he were giving alms to a beggar.

In truth, it was practically charity.

His intention was just to feed him and make him leave.

Leaving the red-faced Choi Sangwon behind, Seo Kangrim placed an order with the Earthen Figure.

“One glass of alcohol, and 12 packs of Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa.”

“Oot?”

At the request for Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa, the Earthen Figure’s eyes widened in surprise.

And then it pointed to the ‘No Credit’ sign once again.

Seeing that reaction, Choi Sangwon let out a scoffing laugh.

“Hmph, you act all high and mighty, but you’re also broke…”

Then, Choi Sangwon caught sight of the menu and clamped his mouth shut.

His gaze was fixed on the price.

[Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa (1 pack): 1000 Spirit Jade]

Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa was the most expensive item in this cafeteria.

Twelve packs meant an amount that far exceeded ten thousand Spirit Jade.

Seo Kangrim calmly brought up the transaction window and spoke.

“I’ll pay in full.”

When Seo Kangrim paid the Spirit Jade in one go, Choi Sangwon’s face turned to one of sheer astonishment.

Meanwhile, only the Earthen Figure, brimming with excitement, hurriedly brought out the Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa.

The complimentary food items it threw in were also quite substantial.

“Oot! Oot!”

Seeing the Earthen Figure bowing at a 90-degree angle, Seo Kangrim silently gathered his items and left the cafeteria.

Choi Sangwon simply stood there, frozen, watching him go.

“Oot…”

Just then, the Earthen Figure quietly slid a glass of alcohol over.

It looked at Choi Sangwon as if it felt a little sorry for him.

“Damn it! Are you ignoring me right now?!”

Choi Sangwon screamed in a fit of rage and threw the glass.

Leaving the crashing sound of shattering glass behind, Seo Kangrim headed to his room.

As he stepped inside, the kirin, which had been lying on the bed, jumped up.

“You’re awake?”

“Ung!”

The kirin bounded around Seo Kangrim.

Even though they hadn’t been apart for long, it looked extremely happy to see him.

Seo Kangrim sat down, avoiding the kirin, and opened a pack of Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa.

A bitter fragrance wafted from the dried Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa.

‘Is one piece worth about 100 Spirit Jade?’

He stared at a single piece of the Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa.

It was an expensive food item, with about 10 pieces in a pack.

‘It’s a good thing I gathered more Spirit Jade than I thought.’

Thanks to buying an item that automatically collected Spirit Jade in advance, he didn’t have to pick them up manually; they all went straight into his inventory.

His gaze was still fixed on the Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa.

‘I couldn’t even dream of this in my past life.’

Seo Kangrim hadn’t even been able to eat food worth 10 Spirit Jade properly, let alone 100.

Spending the large sum of 12,000 Spirit Jade was also a first for him.

But he had no regrets.

Seo Kangrim poured an entire pack of Wild Ginseng Jeonggwa into a wide dish and set it on the floor.

The kirin’s eyes sparkled when it saw that.

“Here. It’s food. Eat.”