Chick 239

239

Meanwhile, Dominic, who had slipped out of the dungeon with Blue Lagoon, tilted his head in confusion.

Today’s plan had been to sneak into Blue Lagoon and enjoy an A-rank feast.

They were all brimming with mana, and it was hardly unusual for hunters to enter a dungeon and never return.

‘Perfect humans to devour, really.’

He’d even succeeded in warping the members’ perceptions to sneak in undetected. But—

He ran into something utterly extraordinary and had to abandon the plan.

“Bailach?”

Why was Bailach appearing in such an ugly hamster form, as a familiar of that ugly teddy bear?

While Dominic puzzled over those unattractive faces,

“What were you thinking, just walking out like that! If you keep being so uncooperative—!”

The film director, who had been anxiously awaiting the raid’s outcome, stormed over, face bright red as an octopus, visibly furious.

“You should know better—don’t talk like that!”

But Blue Lagoon’s own irritation was just as fierce.

“What? What are you even talking about? We promised we’d pay everything you asked!”

“Hah. Maybe you should get your higher-ups involved. It sounds like you need to sort things with Orchestra next.”

Kim Inhan, scowling in annoyance, looked down at the yogurt in his hand. The sight set off his temper again, and he cursed, throwing the yogurt behind him.

“Yoink!”

Dominic snatched up the yogurt easily and peeled off the lid.

Guild members, still reeling from Bailach’s pressure, were sprawled on the ground, clutching at their bodies. Kim Inhan stood beside them, thumbing frantically through something on his phone.

‘What’s he doing?’

Dominic licked the yogurt from the lid and peered at the screen, reading the post as Kim Inhan uploaded it.

---

Blah Blah

[Title: Public post) Never knew ‘Sso’ went Orchestra because of their personality]

This happened just today. I’ll try to write as objectively as possible.

We, Blue Lagoon, won the auction for the Thunder Domain dungeon in Gwangmyeong a month ago.

(Dungeon ownership photo)

We don’t have the broad membership pool of big companies, so scheduling took some time. But when the dungeon ended up at the Zombie City 2 filming site, at the film company’s request, we scrambled a team to clear it.

But when we got inside, we found the field already cleared. There wasn’t a single monster in sight.

Just as we found this odd, that now-famous hunter called ‘Sso’ appeared.

We asked what they were doing in another guild’s dungeon, and the answer was outrageous.

They said they’d be raiding our dungeon. These were the actual words.

Then, basically telling us to get lost, they handed us some yogurt.

I was shaking with rage.

It was humiliating. But what power do we, compared to a huge guild like Orchestra, actually have?

There was nothing we could do.

We protested, but they wouldn’t listen and even threatened us with force. One of our members suffered injuries requiring four weeks’ rest under the pressure from Sso’s presence, and we had no choice but to surrender the field.

We’re not the major guilds that get handed dungeons first. We’re a small fry who have to struggle just to win a bid.

Until today, we’d never had any trouble with Orchestra. We’re not even important enough for them to know we exist.

And yet a big guild steals a small guild’s dungeon!

[Comments]

• Just when things were quiet, another “Orchestrated” victim shows up lol. No glue can fix a cracked jar.
• Orchestra reps, give us an explanation. Is it okay to flex just because you’re strong?
• So the first “Orchestrated” guild in a while? But wasn’t it just the production class alone? Did you really give up your dungeon to a crafter?
  lol embarrassing
  Don’t try to spin it
  Maybe the Orchestra members arrived later, but that’s not the point
• Guildmaster Kim Inhan, I heard from a source that Blue Lagoon was holding the dungeon hostage for higher pay. Is that true?
• Yes~ Guildmaster Kim Inhan of “Hostage Lagoon”, thanks for confirming!
• Hostage Lagoon lmao
• Wait, why did the comments suddenly turn?
  A summary post just dropped about Blue Lagoon’s dungeon hostage situation lol

[Title: Blue Lagoon Dungeon Hostage Incident, Explained]

Blue Lagoon won the bid for the dungeon at the Zombie City 2 filming location → upon realizing it was the set, immediately began holding it for ransom.
The film company wanted a smooth negotiation and tried to settle at a reasonable price.
But right before the deal, Blue Lagoon demanded four times the price, stalling talks (there’s a recorded call).
The film company caved and agreed to pay four times the amount.
Blue Lagoon headed cheerfully to the dungeon but ran into Sso.
Sso: (offering yogurt) “Your dungeon’s mine, OK?”
Blue Lagoon: “Yes, sob sob T_T”
Blue Lagoon, nursing their wounds and eating yogurt, tried to stir up a public outcry online but failed. [[You are here now]]

[Comments]

• 4x the price? Greedy much??
• lol yogurt… even their taunting is on another level when you’re #1 guild
• Orchestra: (hands over yogurt) “So, who’s the real villain here?”
  lol an anti-hero who catches villains, kind of a wild mix
• Four times is robbery, but the yogurt would’ve made me furious too. Why not start a guild war?
• If On Joorim shows up at the start of a guild war, hands you some yogurt, and tells you to take it and leave—would you?
  Of course, I’d bow and take it!
  Joorim, I love strawberry yogurt
  What if it’s peach flavor?
  Peach might be a little much…
  Well, I’d probably start loving peach from that day, anyway

[Title: If Blue Lagoon ran away from the production class, how useless are they?]

What? Four weeks’ injury? lol let’s reevaluate this guild

[Comments]

• Four weeks, really? lol. Film crew saw them eject Blue Lagoon and then relax, getting massages together, in peace
• That was no regular crafter. That mana was beyond S-rank—would we have left for nothing?
  Kim Inhan, please relax and take your meds
  So damn frustrating
  Hey guildmaster—just answer one thing. Did you take the yogurt?
  You bastard
  Was it good?
  alskdjfa;lskdjf… what is even happening

[Title: Why Sso took Blue Lagoon’s dungeon]

(Photo of Groo and Wooju at the film set)

Orchestra’s princess visits a friend’s set, Sso comes along to escort her
Even hermits come out of hiding for Big Groo

[Comments]

• If it’s Groo princess, even being Orchestrated is fair
• So why would anyone mess up the princess’s path?
• Didn’t say a word about today, but from what I’ve seen, Blue Lagoon’s at fault here

---

Orchestra’s PR team was thrown into a frenzy.

“Huh? …What’s this?!”

“Team leader! Please, have a look at this!”

A monitoring staffer sent a link via the internal messenger.

“What, what’s going on?”

Team Leader Hwang Yumin checked the message on his tablet.

“No way! Again? Things were quiet for a while—why now?!”

Seeing a fresh post about Orchestra on the forums, Hwang Yumin let out a shriek.

“Anyone know where Sso’s at right now?”

But no one answered.

They just stared blankly at one another.

“Really? No one? Does anyone even know if Sso came in today, if Sso’s at the office at all?”

“Um… I think only the guildmaster would know. Hunters Shin Nayeon and Gidan are both out—no one else can check.”

“What is Sso, a unicorn? An urban legend?”

No one could answer their boss’s rant.

That was how secretive Sso’s identity remained, even within Orchestra.

“I’ll go see the guildmaster myself. Get statements ready for both scenarios—if the forum post is real and if it’s not!”

With that, the team leader rushed to the guildmaster’s office.

Knock knock.

“This is Team Leader Hwang Yumin, Guildmaster.”

“Come in.”

Upon entering, Hwang Yumin began reporting to On Joorim at once.

As she scrolled through the tablet, Hwang Yumin squirmed, noting how deeply On Joorim’s brow furrowed.

“I’ll check directly and follow up. The PR team should just focus on being ready to respond.”

“Yes, we’ll stay alert and prepare.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as Hwang Yumin left, On Joorim picked up her phone and dialed.

When the call went unanswered, she quickly typed out a message.

On Groo, where are you?