Chapter 236
Flyers from local chicken shops, Chinese restaurants, grocery stores, or even loan services were occasionally left on the apartment door. Usually, Do-Jun wouldn’t bother with them and would just toss them out immediately. However, this time, he took down the grocery store flyer and read through it carefully. It listed various items on sale, but since he and Karsiel had just stocked up on groceries yesterday, there wasn’t much use for it.
Yong-Yong was sitting on Do-Jun’s lap. He grabbed the edge of the dining table and peeked over it. His eyes fixed on the flyer, and after glancing at Do-Jun to gauge his reaction, he cautiously pointed to a specific section with his paw. The flyer announced a one-day, half-off sale on beef for shabu-shabu.[1]
When Do-Jun didn’t respond, Yong-Yong grabbed a small notebook from the drawer under the TV and gently placed it over the flyer. He flipped to a page with ten “Great Job!” stamps and once again looked up at Do-Jun, his tail wagging.
Do-Jun chuckled softly and glanced toward the living room, where the children had fallen asleep the night before. Although it was already past 8 AM, they were yet to wake up, likely due to their late-night board game session that lasted until three in the morning.
“I’ll make lunch today,” Do-Jun said, and Yong-Yong nodded enthusiastically, his grin spreading from ear to ear.
“Master, then shall we make a trip to the grocery store together?”
“I’ve got things to do.” Do-Jun shook his head and declined.
He stood up and started getting ready, slipping on the black coat hanging by the door. Today, he planned to visit the Six Blood Valley.
***
As a tree of life, the World Tree protected the adventurers on the eighth floor of the Core by shielding them from the deadly poison in the Sea of Death and providing its fruits for sustenance. Although its vitality had once diminished due to the Rainbow Bird gnawing at it, it was now gradually recovering.
The countless hammocks hanging from the World Tree’s branches swayed gently in the breeze with a soft rustle. Marf, the Monarch of the eighth floor, looked up at the tree as it regained its vibrant green hue. Then, slowly, he turned his attention to the surface of the sea.
Like a scene from the Bible where Moses parted the Red Sea, the toxic sea of the Core split into two, revealing a stone staircase descending downward. At the bottom of the stairs loomed a massive dimensional gate with ominous red smoke billowing from it.