TGMND 148

The house rating could be restored fairly quickly. It was only natural, considering the absence of pilgrimage visits from across the server,  seemed to find it quite irritating.

“The cat came and went again.”

Yeo-woon shook his head while cleaning up the traces he’d left overnight.

Fueled by a thirst for revenge against Earth Star, CatMeowMeowMeow’s terror showed no signs of stopping as he filled even his alt characters’ inventories with trash. He must have felt quite wronged about the incident back then.

‘Well, Cat-nim is not at fault after all…’

Yeo-woon sympathized with CatMeowMeowMeow while recalling an annoying white mass.

It wasn’t just once or twice he’d seen the silhouette secretly dumping trash late at night, or suddenly barging into the house without a word, quickly lowering the house rating and fleeing. That’s why guild members called their housing the “cat hideout.”

[Couple] Ji9star: Hyung what are you doing in the housing area?

[Couple] neutaaaa: Throwing away trash

[Couple] Ji9star:  CatMeowMeowMeow again? I just cleaned earlier

[Couple] neutaaaa: Yeah he’s diligent

[Couple] Ji9star: I’ll go reflect some trash back>_<

[Couple] neutaaaa: Leave him alone lol he’s just a kid

[Couple] Ji9star: ㅡㅡ

Perhaps because CatMeowMeowMeow was the youngest in the guild, Yeo-woon found his frequent antics cute. He deliberately didn’t say the word ‘cute’ out loud. He could clearly see who would get jealous of a kid the moment he said it.

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Anyone want to do another round of Blessing of Four Gods?

[Guild] Ji9star: Me!!

[Guild] Ji9star: Me me>_<!!!!

[Guild] Ji9star: Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has to be me please plsplspls

[Guild] KidneyRat: Ah shut up be quiet please

[Guild] ParkRoach: lol lol lol my eardrums might burst

And regardless of what anyone said, Yoon Ji-gu got along best with CatMeowMeowMeow in the guild. Maybe because their dungeon specs matched and their levels were similar.

[Guild] Wandu Wandya: Are you guys going as a 4-person party?

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Yes we have one spot open…

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Anyone want to come? Anyone with over 900 dummy DPS is welcome!!!! Healers welcome

[Guild] ParkRoach: Oh? Tempting

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Wanna come, ParkRoach?

[Guild] Poseidon Captain: Is Sunset coming?

The Guild Master’s single line froze the chat window. The noticeably quiet chat window was not something only he noticed.

[Guild] ParkRoach: Why did it suddenly go quiet, Cat-nim?

[Guild] neutaaaa: lol lol lol lol

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: He’s coming… but…

[Guild] Poseidon Captain: I’ll pass

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Yep

[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: lol lol lol lol

[Guild] ParkRoach: Ah, I was about to go but my mom called me, sorry sorry

Yeo-woon listened to the guild chat while leaving the housing area. This was because he had just barely enough specs but had no interest in the dungeon.

‘CatMeowMeowMeow has invited you to a party. Do you want to accept?’

At the moment he was thinking about doing some field gathering out of boredom, a party invitation window filled the screen. The moment he reflexively pressed the accept button without knowing who invited him, party chat began to appear.

[Party] Ji9star: You have been kidnapped

[Party] neutaaaa: Huh?

[Party] Sunset: ㅇㅅㅇ/

[Party] neutaaaa: Oh…

[Party] Ji9star: lol I’m anxious… It feels like a fatal encounter

Yeo-woon was nervous too.  Seeing the party members made him a little uneasy, especially because of Sunset.

It wasn’t that awkward anymore, but he didn’t want to raid a dungeon with someone he wasn’t close to. He’d have to watch his step if he did poorly.  He felt much more comfortable joining parties with guild members.

[Party] Sunset: I just greeted youㅇㅅ”ㅇ

[Party] neutaaaa: Hi;;

Yeo-woon received his greeting somewhat stiffly. Then a character with black cat ears appeared before his eyes.

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: Neu-nim… Can’t you just fill our headcount for the Blessing Of Four Gods?ㅜㅜ

Looking at the party member positions, it seemed they had come to where he was. CatMeowMeowMeow began to beg with both hands together. Soon after, Sunset, who had followed him, used a skill that made him float and shine above his head.

“He’s still the same…”

No matter how much time passed, seeing him still stick to CatMeowMeowMeow made him think Sunset was persistent. If he liked him that much, he should just transfer guilds.

‘No. Cancel.’

If he joined their guild… how annoying would that be? It seemed like a lot of trouble would arise, both internally and externally. Just thinking about it made Yeo-woon tired.

[Party] neutaaaa: I’ve never been to the Blessing Of Four Gods before. Is that okay?

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: Ah, you’ve never been before?

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: Then you’ll get an achievement this time

[Party] neutaaaa: I haven’t even said I’m going yet…

At Yeo-woon’s words, CatMeowMeowMeow rubbed his hands together and began to well up with tears. It seemed like a sympathy-inducing operation, but in fact, Yeo-woon didn’t think much of it. Anyway, it wasn’t like he was actually crying, so what did it matter…

[Party] Ji9star: Nothing special lol lol lol It’s not a battle thing, we’re just going for loot some items, so come without pressure >_<

[Party] neutaaaa: Can I die?

[Party] Ji9star: Yeah, but just follow behind me and you won’t die!

[Party] Sunset: This dungeon is just floor damage, so if you die, you’re an idiot ㅇㅅㅇ~

Is that so?

Yeo-woon roughly searched the bulletin board for ‘Blessing Of Four Gods’ and pulled up a post detailing the dungeon pattern. Skimming through the pictures, it didn’t seem like a particularly tricky dungeon.

It looked like clearing was possible if he just watched and avoided the flame or freezing effects spread on the map floor.

[Party] Sunset: You going?

[Party] Ji9star: Don’t pressure neuta

[Party] Sunset: I’m not pressuring him, I just asked if he was going ㅇㅅㅇ

[Party] Ji9star: Don’t rush him

[Party] Sunset: ㅇxㅇ

[Party] neutaaaa: I was looking at the boss pattern lol

The minimum number of people required to enter the dungeon was four.  So, they were looking to fill the empty spot with anyone.

Since they only needed him to fill in the numbers, it seemed like it didn’t matter if he didn’t know all the patterns.  Everyone else was a ranker anyway… they’d manage.

[Party] Sunset: Even if you’re stupid… I’ll try to keep you alive ㅇㅅㅇ

[Party] neutaaaa: Let’s go

CatMeowMeowMeow, who had been constantly tearing up next to him, stopped for a moment before a whisper flew in.

[Whispering] CatMeowMeowMeow: It’s a high-level dungeon, so matchmaking is tough ㅜㅜ.., Thank you so much!!! I’ll finish within 30 minutes

Anyway, since he had free time, he could fill the headcount even without this much gratitude.

‘What’s between us.’

Yeo-woon patted CatMeowMeowMeow’s head as he bowed excessively, expressing too much gratitude.

[Party] neutaaaa: Cute whisper lol

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: lol lol lol

[Party] Ji9star: =_=?

[Party] Sunset: =ㅅ=?

Yeo-woon looked for his phone and flipped it over to show the screen. The moment he flipped the phone, a call immediately came through. He couldn’t wait that long…

“Hello?”

As he tried to hold back a smile and answered the phone, a hesitant voice burst out with a complaint.

-Hyung, you said that ‘cute’ comment is just for me.

Imagining Yoon Ji-gu’s ears turning red again as he said that made him happy.

“When did I say that?”

-Ah, Hyung…. Are you doing this on purpose?

“Okay. I won’t do it.”

-Wait. Don’t hang up.

“Why?”

-I’m calling to explain the dungeon pattern since you don’t know anything. Just follow me…

From his mumbling, it seemed like he was making an excuse. It didn’t seem complicated enough to even need an explanation.

“You just wanted to hear my voice?”

-…Why are you laughing? Is that funny?

“Me too.”

There was no answer. He liked his lover, who wasn’t used to expressing affection and always got embarrassed.  His mouth might be clumsy, but his expression never hid his feelings. He was so funny that Yeo-woon could watch him all day without getting bored.

When Yeo-woon couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, a voice telling him to stop laughing was so small that it just made him laugh even more.

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: Ah, he’s being gross just from one whisper

[Party] neutaaaa: Exactly

[Party] Sunset: It’s not gross… I just politely asked what was said ㅇㅅㅇ

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: I just said thank you, damn it

[Party] neutaaaa: Yeah, he just said thank you

Sunset turned his head to look at him suspiciously.

‘Are kids these days reading meaning into game whispers?’

And Yeo-woon couldn’t understand why Sunset was like this to CatMeowMeowMeow, who was no one special. Was he a concept-obsessed person overly immersed in a stalker role? Why is he like this?

With a puzzled thought, Yeo-woon entered the dungeon waiting map. And he encountered very familiar silhouettes.

The moment he saw them, Yeo-woon reflexively used an emoticon from his favorites. It wasn’t intentional, but his body remembered and acted the moment he saw the silhouettes.

Once, Yoon Ji-gu had complained about why Yeo-woon had an emoticon on his main skill key, based on his key settings.  Yet, he had a separate key setting for emoticons.

When Yeo-woon greeted the opposing party, the four-person party in cloaks simultaneously raised their fists.  Even though their homeland had long been destroyed, their spirits remained united.

[Party] Sunset: I’ll put up buffs ㅇㅅㅇ

[Party] Ji9star: Me too

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: Press ready when you’re prepared

While Yeo-woon was establishing a silent camaraderie with the opposing party, his party members prepared to enter and first applied long cooldown buff skills.

“Huh…?”

Distracted by the cloaks, he belatedly noticed a familiar name among the opposing party members.

But before he could say anything, the opposing party had already disappeared from the waiting map. It seemed they had entered the dungeon first.

[Party] CatMeowMeowMeow: I’m going

As the party leader CatMeowMeowMeow applied for entry, the screen changed and unfamiliar music began to play. A grand and antique melody flowed, and the camera lightly swept a full circle from the end point to the starting point, showing the route.

-Hyung!

“Huh?”

Yeo-woon, moving his character without thinking, was hit by a meteor falling from the sky and instantly had only 10,000 health points left. Startled, Yeo-woon repeatedly pressed the potion key and retreated.

The moon fairy Sunset, giggled while applying a health recovery buff only to Yeo-woon.

[Party]  Sunset: Wow, you’re an idiot ㅇㅅㅇ lol

[Party]  Ji9star: Who doesn’t know you died here at first? lol

[Party]  CatMeowMeowMeow: Fr lol

Yeo-woon pointed back, repeating Sunset’s words.

[Party]  neutaaaa: Wow, you’re an idiot ㅇㅅㅇ lol

[Party]  Sunset: No teaming up ㅇㅅㅠ

The two began attacking Sunset with meaningless basic attacks. Yeo-woon also joined in, starting to kick the crouched Sunset. Knowing he wasn’t the only one who almost died made him feel a bit better.

-You need to read the entrance message before proceeding. Follow me closely once the shield disappears.

The explanation flowed from the phone set to the speakerphone.

“Shield…”

Now he noticed a semi-transparent shield of a certain range at the entry point.

Shortly after, text appeared at the top center of the screen: ‘How dare these humans come here!’

Then the shield disappeared, and the meteors falling from the sky also stopped.