WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 15: 015

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I calmly instructed my porter.

"All right. Hurry up and collect the loot. We still have a long way to go."

At my words, Na Hyeji stared at the pile of bloody corpses, then looked back at me.

Then she looked at the corpse pile again, then back at me.

Her long hair fluttered all over the place, making her look even more dazed.

"You mean this?"

"Yes."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because... you're the porter?"

Na Hyeji was using the Three-Question Method, showing just how badly she didn't want to touch them.

Well, it was understandable.

"What Hunter collects loot from a pile of bloody mush like this...!"

"There's one right here."

"You're insane..."

The Goblins killed by ordinary Hunters had relatively intact bodies.

At worst, they had a stab wound in the neck or stomach before dying.

Picking up loot from them wasn't too difficult.

The corpses killed by my Fireball magic, on the other hand, were far too gruesome.

Their entire bodies had been torn apart, mixed with chunks of organs and brains, scattered across ruins that were basically a sea of blood.

The loot was buried under blood and pieces of flesh.

It was less like collecting loot and more like an excavation job.

Of course she didn't want to do it.

Still, perhaps that was what one could expect from a porter who had graduated top of Korea University with MAX diligence.

"Ugh... ughhh..."

Even as her face darkened with despair, Hyeji forced herself to reach into the corpse pile and grab a Goblin dagger.

-Squelch.

It sounded like she had picked something up from mud.

Her face went pale again.

"What is this?! What is this?!"

"The texture's a little strange, right? You'll get used to it eventually. Don't worry."

"It's slippery, sticky, warm... Urgh! Blegh! Blargh!"

Na Hyeji gagged as she stubbornly picked up the loot and shoved it into the sack.

Squelch, squelch. Her hands gradually became covered in filth.

She spoke tearfully.

"Jiye never told me about this...!"

"Of course she didn't. my sister doesn't know I clear the Tower like this."

"If I'd known, I never would've become a porter... Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!..."

She was so pissed that she was swearing now.

Fair enough. I knew exactly how she felt.

I used to swear every time I collected loot too.

I shrugged as I watched her work. Once she had roughly finished sorting it all out, I immediately started walking.

"Come on. Keep following me. We're going to be a little busy."

* * *

There were around three hundred Goblins on the fifth floor.

About two hundred ordinary Goblins.

Roughly eighty Goblin Archers.

Around twenty Goblin Warriors.

They were all divided into groups of around ten, spaced out at regular intervals.

Simply put, all I had to do was walk along and throw a Fireball whenever I spotted an enemy group.

-Kwaaaaaaang!

An explosion erupted, and more than ten Goblins were erased in an instant.

Goblin fragments scattered everywhere. A mist of blood burst out. The smell of blood brushed against my nose.

Na Hyeji stared in shock.

"N-No way. You wiped out a group with a Goblin Warrior in it all at once...!"

Goblin Warriors.

An elite Goblin monster that served as an insurmountable wall to Easy-rank Hunters and a trial for Normal-rank Hunters.

Even five Easy-rank Hunters rushing one couldn't guarantee a safe victory.

Only a party with at least one Normal-rank Hunter could expect a somewhat stable win.

And I had wiped out a group containing a Goblin Warrior with one Fireball.

It was only natural for Na Hyeji to be shocked.

Her surprise did not last long.

"Blegh...! Urgh! Blargh!"

"Stay strong, Hyeji! You can do it! Don't let mere loot defeat you!"

"Will you shut up?! Blegh...!"

She had to test her stomach again by digging through the corpse pile.

Watching her struggle and gag among the bodies was rather pitiful.

Still, that was that.

"I want to quit... Digging through corpses is too hard. I'll just leave the party and go home."

"That's impossible. These days, if you kick out a porter, the entire party regrets it, falls apart, and becomes obsessed with them. I will never kick you out, Hyeji, so don't worry."

"I'm not asking to be kicked out, I'm saying I'm leaving???"

"Once a porter, always a porter! Bravo, porter! Lai lai cha cha cha! Hey, pparipparippa!"

"Y-You crazy bastard...!"

"Whether hard or joyful, love your portering work!"

As my porter, she would never escape!

From my perspective, where I couldn't easily accept another Hunter, Na Hyeji was almost the only Hunter I could trust.

Only Hyeji could be my porter.

Without Hyeji, I'd have to collect every one of those awful pieces of loot myself again.

That would never happen.

"Come on! Let's go!"

"Blegh..."

I led the way while Hyeji staggered after me.

I steadily erased the Goblin groups.

-Kwaaaaaaang!

-Kwakwakwakwaang!

-Kwaang!

Whenever we encountered a Goblin group, I threw a Fireball at them.

"Hyeji, your bag looks pretty heavy. Want me to carry some of it?"

"Forget the bag. Please pick up the loot for me. The smell of blood won't leave my hands..."

"That'd be difficult."

"Fuck this...!"

I soothed and coaxed Hyeji while making her collect the loot, despite all her whining and screaming.

For the record, I wore a bag too.

About halfway through, Hyeji began staggering under the weight of her bag, so I decided to share the burden.

Of course, collecting the loot was still entirely Hyeji's job. I only carried the bag she handed me.

Anyway, we continued onward, deleting Goblin groups as we went.

"Oh. It's an Escape Portal."

Before long, we reached the Escape Portal area at the end of the fifth floor.

A satisfied smile spread across my face.

'That was a very comfortable clear.'

Even though the clear was over, my hands were clean and dry without a single drop of blood on them.

No, could clearing the Tower really be this comfortable?

It was incredible.

I grinned at Hyeji.

"Good work, Hyeji. What do you think? Being a porter isn't so bad, right? It's easy and safe! Just like you wanted, there wasn't any danger at all."

Her condition had been safety.

I thought I had fulfilled it faithfully.

Not a single living Goblin had been able to approach us during the clear.

At that, she replied with hollow eyes.

"I don't think it's mentally safe."

Fair enough.

Not one living Goblin had gotten close, but she had touched more than enough dead Goblins.

It was only natural that it had been mentally exhausting.

I shrugged and walked toward the Escape Portal.

"Then let's go home and get some proper rest."

"..."

Hyeji staggered after me.

[Baek Jiho (Republic of Korea: Floor 5)]

[You have completed Tower Floor 5.]

[You have defeated 204 Goblins (1).]

[You have defeated 83 Goblin Archers (2).]

[You have defeated 19 Goblin Warriors (10).]

[Points are being calculated.]

[Tower Floor 6 has been unlocked.]

[Returning.]

* * *

The moment we returned to reality.

"Hyeji! What happened in the Tower?! Your face..."

My sister was startled when she saw Hyeji's hollow face.

Her expression had always been gloomy, but now she looked so lifeless that she might as well have been a corpse.

"J-Jiye...!"

Tears streamed down her face as Na Hyeji rushed into my sister's arms.

She buried her face against my sister's chest and sobbed miserably.

"Waaaaah! Jiye, it was so hard! Your brother! Your brother! Your brother is a complete lunatic...!"

"What did Jiho do? Hey! Baek Jiho! What did you do!"

"No..."

I scratched my head awkwardly.

'Was I too harsh on her?'

I had finally gotten excited over not having to get blood on my hands, so maybe I had worked her too hard.

I pushed her without even giving her time to get used to it.

Still, it couldn't be helped.

'It was too frustrating watching her hesitate in front of every corpse.'

I was Korean.

We were a people of hurry hurry.

I couldn't stand someone hesitating in front of a job that needed doing.

Anyway, it was time to settle up.

I reached out and took Na Hyeji's hand.

"I'll transfer the Points first."

[Please specify the amount of Points to transfer to ‘Na Hyeji’.]

[Points held: 560]

"Ten Points."

[Transferring 10 Points to ‘Na Hyeji’.]

I transferred a reasonable ten Points.

It wasn't payment for her work as a porter. It was a transfer so she could check in for the day.

Na Hyeji was a reserve Hunter, so if she failed to pay Points even for a single day, she would immediately be detained.

That was why I had to give her a few Points at a time.

"And the loot..."

"Forget it. Keep all the loot or do whatever you want... I'm going home. I want to go home and sleep right now."

Staggering away, Na Hyeji left the spot and shuffled out of the house.

She must have been deeply shaken, because she left without even saying goodbye.

I clicked my tongue.

'Will she be able to come again tomorrow?'

She wasn't really going to quit being my porter, was she?

Come on. She wouldn't actually quit, right?

All she had to do was dig through corpse piles for loot, get goosebumps from the soft, slippery, sticky texture of organs, get headaches from the stench of blood, and keep gagging because it made her sick.

She wouldn't quit over that, right?

...She wouldn't, would she?

"Jiho. I think you should get ready to find a new porter."

"..."

"I don't know what you did, but that was absolutely the reaction of someone who's going to quit."

My sister seemed to think Hyeji would quit.

No. That couldn't happen.

My porter would never quit so irresponsibly!

Anyway, Hyeji had gone home, and I had nothing else to do.

It was time to follow my usual post-climb routine.

"Checking Hunter Gallery after a climb is mandatory."

-Click!

I opened the sacks and leather bags crammed full of loot, then took a picture.

Then I made a post.

[Post title: Newbie Hunter cleared Floor 5 today]

[Author: Blue Dot]

(Photo of sacks and bags filled with loot)

This newbie Hunter... finally cleared Floor 5 today.

The floor itself was easy.

Goblins are weak and all...

Even those Goblin Warriors were way too fragile,

so I just killed every one I saw.

But the passage was way too long, and the monster groups were spread out, so it was kind of boring...

It would've been easier if they all gathered together and came at me.

Anyway, I think I made a decent amount today too.

204 Goblin daggers, 83 Goblin bows, 19 Goblin Warrior Longswords.

And 560 Points.

After tax, the loot should be worth around 7.57 million won...

If I add the Points, is that 13.17 million won total?

I'm happy with the profit itself...

But considering the efficiency for the time spent, wouldn't it be easier to just farm the Goblin Village on Floor 4?

Still, Goblin Warrior Longswords are insane.

I heard each one is worth 300,000 won?

One longsword earns as much as ten daggers.

I hope there are lots of Goblin Warriors on the next floor lol

Oh, and I recruited a porter for this floor.

How much should I give the porter?

It was only me and the porter clearing it,

but honestly, I did all the fighting while the porter had it easy and only picked up items, so giving them half the profit is too much, right?

What percentage seems appropriate?

└This bastard is making up nonsense again. Take your meds and go to bed.

└Two people cleared Floor 5? Is this your gimmick for today?

└Even Hard-rank Hunters usually enter Floor 5 with a full party of five. You only brought a porter? Are you kidding?

"Hmm. As expected, the responses are the same old predictable stuff today."

The comments were the same as always.

Ignorant masses blindly insulting me because they thought I was lying.

Those reactions used to give me dopamine, but I had become so used to them that they no longer felt like much.

Was there anything more original?

As I checked the comments, one thread caught my eye.

└Don't talk bullshit about Goblin Warriors being weak, you fuck. If even one Warrior goes wild, it can wreck the party formation and leave people injured with broken arms and legs. You're saying you killed one alone?

└└For real. Saying you killed a Goblin Warrior alone makes no sense.

└└They're ridiculously fast and tough, dodge every arrow, and are damn good with swords... You can barely kill a Goblin Warrior by ganging up on it.

└└Every time I work up the courage to go to Floor 5, I feel like I'm going to piss myself... Even though our party has a Normal-rank Hunter, we can only kill one safely after the Normal holds off the Warrior while everyone else clears the surrounding Goblins and joins in.

└└There's a reason everyone stays on Floor 4. Starting from Floor 5, climbing becomes fucking brutal because of Goblin Warriors.

"There sure are a lot of Hunters afraid of Goblin Warriors."

Goblin Warriors.

An elite Goblin type that appeared from the fifth floor onward.

It seemed many Hunters had suffered because of them.

Their fear was obvious even through the comments.

'You weaklings!'

They were only Goblins.

How could they be this scared...!

This wouldn't do. I had no choice but to encourage them.

└Blue Dot: Hmm... Is it really that bad? Warriors really weren't much.

└└?

Everyone!

Look at my comment and gain courage!

Don't be afraid of mere Goblins!

└Blue Dot: Goblin Warriors are a little bigger than ordinary Goblins, but they still die in one hit anyway. Don't be so scared, just fight well lol. Longswords sell for 300,000 won each, so they're amazing. Everyone, stay strong and climb hard! Let's go, let's go, fighting!

└└They die in one hit my ass, I die in one hit.

└└Even if you cut off their arms and legs, they charge at you like fucking maniacs. How are you supposed to kill them in one hit?

└└Even Hard-rank Hunters have to stay alert against them. How the hell do you one-shot them? Say something that makes sense.

└└You'd piss yourself the second you saw one in person, but you're acting tough.

"Such cowards. How are they supposed to handle the harsh work of being a Hunter if they're this afraid..."

It was pitiful.

They were only Goblins, yet everyone was terrified and cowering.

As I replied to the comments one by one, I noticed another comment.

└It looks like another obvious fake gimmick post, but I'll add one thing anyway... Why would you give a porter money? You gave them a free ride. It wouldn't be strange to charge them money instead.

"Oh?"

A shocking comment saying I didn't need to pay the porter.

Interested, I read further.

└└Especially at a time like this, everyone's desperate to immigrate... If some upper-floor player said they'd clear up to Floor 11 for them, they'd be willing to pay around one million won per floor.

└└What do you mean one million? I'd pay ten million lol. I need to reach Floor 11 within three months and get the hell out of Korea!

└└Of course, Middle Floors and upper-floor Hunters earn much more clearing their own floors than giving low-floor grinders a free ride, so they don't do it... But if someone offers to carry you, you should absolutely take it.

└└I wish I knew an upper-floor Hunter too. If someone would just carry me to Floor 11... I don't want to die in three months...

"Come to think of it, I was giving Hyeji a free ride."

Three months remained until the Republic of Korea fell.

Lower-floor Hunters needed to reach Floor 11 by any means possible.

That was how they could immigrate.

And I could easily take her to Floor 11.

With my overwhelming strength, I could climb to the Middle Floors with a porter in tow as easily as taking a walk.

If Hyeji had any sense, she would have to consider immigration after three months.

"I don't need to worry as much about Hyeji running away."

As long as she worked as my porter, she could easily reach Floor 11 and immigrate to Japan if necessary.

If she held on until the twenties, she could even immigrate to Europe or the United States.

Surely her life in a few months mattered more than getting disgusted by a few corpses right now.

So...

'...It should be fine if I work her even harder, right?'

Heh heh heh.

I smiled wickedly.

Footnotes:

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