Chapter 176: Dungeon Break Incident in Ji-pong City

After finishing packing his luggage, Kei stood by the front door of the shop, offering Sora a final round of instructions.

"I’ll only be gone for a few days. If any clients drop off raw materials, just log them down for me. Don’t casually accept anything you aren’t certain of."

"I know. And as for you, remember to eat properly instead of obsessing solely over work." Sora crossed her arms, fixing him with a skeptical gaze. "And don’t let Kai drag you off on wild detours."

"You’re assigning me an impossible mission right off the bat."

Kei muttered, glancing toward Kai.

The man had strapped on a backpack at some unknown point, standing near the entrance with an expression as eager as someone about to embark on a luxury resort vacation. Slung over his shoulder was merely a lightweight, compact bag, yet his waist glittered with several pieces of pure gold jewelry that clashed utterly with the nature of the trip.

"Kei, let’s go! If we make good time, we can reach Ji-pong before lunch."

Kai chirped excitedly.

"This isn’t a sightseeing tour..."

"I know, I know. A business trip with gorgeous scenery." Kai chuckled.

Kei sighed, turning his gaze back to Sora.

"I’m heading out."

"Mhm. Take care."

Sora smiled, waving goodbye. Kei clicked the shop door shut, then accompanied Kai toward the teleportation portal.

Traveling from Dong-San to Ji-pong required passing through two teleportation gates. Kei and Kai carried only two compact backpacks, wrapping up the entire journey in no time.

For Kei, navigating between cities using teleportation gates was still a novel experience. Yet Kai was entirely too accustomed to it, chatting the whole way as he pointed out the critical checkpoints at each station.

"The second gate leads straight into the heart of Ji-pong City. Once we step outside, just stick close to me."

Kei shot Kai a deeply skeptical sideways glance.

"As long as you don’t go sprinting off on your own."

"I... I don’t run off on my own."

Kei absorbed Kai’s confident declaration in silence, offering no reply.

The final teleportation gate flared brightly. Light enveloped the two of them, the space before their eyes twisting for a fleeting second. When the dizzying sensation faded, Kei planted his boots onto the stone flooring on the opposite side.

At that exact instant, Kai gripped his hand tightly.

Kei startled, pivoting to look at him. Kai’s expression had shifted completely. The playfulness vanished entirely, replaced by a cold, razor-sharp vigilance. He scanned the perimeter of the portal arrival zone, his golden eyes sweeping across every adjacent street corner outside.

"What’s wrong?"

Kei stammered out an inquiry.

Kai yanked Kei behind his back, shielding him carefully with his body.

"Don’t leave my side."

Kei froze. Kai’s fingers tightened around his hand, showing zero intention of letting go.

"Ji-pong City is experiencing a Dungeon Break," Kai explained grimly.

Kei’s complexion instantly drained of color.

A Dungeon Break occurred when a gate wasn’t cleared in time, allowing monsters to flood outward and ravage the city. Kei had heard tales regarding their terrifying hazard levels, yet never once anticipated setting foot inside a city currently enduring such a crisis.

The incident back in Dong-San City had merely hovered on the threshold of a potential break, after which the Boss had been promptly swept away by the Crying Ghost Guild, wrapping everything up before disaster struck.

Kai didn’t wait for him to press further questions. Keeping Kei glued tightly to his back, he marched slowly out of the arrival zone of the portal.

The streets outside were dead silent.

Every shop was tightly bolted down, metal shutters pulled all the way to the ground, interior lights completely extinguished. No vehicles traversed the lanes, nor was a single citizen in sight. Only the occasional squad of hunters sprinted past, their faces tense, eyes darting ceaselessly down intersecting avenues.

A team of hunters swiftly spotted Kai and Kei. They hurried over, weapons still holstered at their hips, their gazes locking firmly onto Kai.

"Pardon me, did the two of you just arrive from another city via the portal?" one of the group called out. "Are you hunters?"

"He’s a Craftsman," Kai shifted his body to block Kei more thoroughly. "And I am Kai, the guild master of the Black Dragon Guild."

The hunters froze in place.

An instant later, overwhelming relief washed across their features.

"Are you Black Dragon Kai-nim?!"

"That’s right."

"Thank God!" A member of the squad surged forward. "The frontline is desperate for high-rank hunters. Could you come assist us? The situation remains unstable, and we desperately require stronger personnel to reinforce the eastern sector."

Kai pouted grimly, shooting a sideways glance at Kei as though communicating his utter reluctance to go anywhere.

Yet Kei spoke up first.

"We’ll do our absolute best to assist."

He tugged gently on Kai’s sleeve, signaling him not to refuse. Those hunters were strung so tight their eyes were bloodshot and their skin ghostly pale. If an SS-rank hunter stood right here and simply looked away, Kei couldn’t bring himself to pretend he hadn’t noticed.

Kai looked down at the hand clutching his wrist. His expression grew progressively more aggrieved.

"But if we head to the frontlines, I’ll have to separate from you."

"We’ll figure it out once we get there," Kei lowered his voice in reassurance. "I’m a Craftsman. I’ll remain stationed in the support sector, I won’t charge headfirst onto the frontlines. You just need to focus on fighting, and I’ll wait safely in the rear for you to come back."

"You promise?"

"Yeah."

Kai still looked thoroughly displeased, yet finally fell silent.

The squad of hunters escorted them toward the assembly zone. Along the route, Kei spotted evacuation notices posted at every street corner, bearing the frantic hallmarks of a hasty exodus: abandoned vehicles lining the curb, front doors left yawning wide open, and a lonely stuffed animal lying forgotten on the deserted sidewalk.

Not a single civilian was in sight.