If you think about it, Jonnan and his two sons were not invited by Batoom to enter.
However, once they entered, he didn"t send them out.
Batoom first asked Gildeon.
"Do you know why I relinquished the mine owner position?"

"Wasn"t it because of the deputy mayor?"

Batoom had a surprised expression at Gildeon"s answer.

"You knew?"

"I have known for a while that you"ve been pressured by the deputy mayor."

"Then I guess it makes this conversation easier! In fact, I think it is a good thing that Bae Doochi ended up the new owner.
If you became the owner, you would not have been able to handle the pressure from the deputy mayor.

Deputy Mayor Donstar. He actually had more influence than the mayor and was the most influential person in t.i.tan Valley. He was a greedy fool who pretended like everything in t.i.tan Valley was his possession.

On one hand, he made me suffer quite a bit as an NPC in the game.
Now it was my turn to make him suffer.

"I"m sure you have been feeling it as well, but the Batoom Mines is already on a downward spiral. It did come back to life because Hwi-Ram was able to clear Tunnel 99, but it is too lacking to represent t.i.tan Valley.
Gildeon did not say anything. He knew what Batoom really had to say did not come out yet.
Batoom now turned to look at me.

"It is time to develop a new mine! Won"t the two of you work together to create a new path for t.i.tan Valley?"
"I have been thinking about that as well. However, I don"t know where to start."

The response came from Gildeon and not me.
Batoom turned to look at Gildeon again.

"It is always difficult in the beginning. You must first gather like-minded people."
The order was wrong.
You must first determine a goal. Who would step forward when there is no goal?
"You need to at least determine a direction……"
"A path is likely to open once you gather people."
The story started to go in circles. Time was pa.s.sing by without any progress.

I guess it is time for me to step forward. I need to move the story back in the correct path.
"There is somewhere I have thought about."
"You have?"
"Where is that?"

Batoom, Gildeon, and even Jonnan and his two sons started to look at me.

I only looked towards Batoom as I started to speak.

"The Northern Mines!"
I spoke with a confident tone and voice.

But the response it brought back was just the opposite. Batoom and Gildeon, as well as Jonnan and his two sons, jumped up in shock as soon as the words "Northern Mines" came out of my mouth.

"That"s impossible!"
"Are you planning on killing all the miners?"
The reaction was even worse than when I said I was going to clear Tunnel 99.

I guess it"s normal, since if I failed then, only I would have died.
But developing a mine is a different story. Numerous miners have to put their lives on the line with me.

"If it is because of the monster, I will take care of it."
"You can"t look down on it. The mayor even ordered tens of the security force members to go subdue it, and they all failed. If it was easy, do you think he would have said that anybody who manages to get rid of the monster in the Northern Mines will be given 80% ownership of it? Even then, there is n.o.body who tries to do it! It is somewhere everybody has given up on. The thing that lives there isn"t a monster, it is a ghost."

It"s easy to think of it as a ghost.
But once you see his real body, you"ll change your mind.
"Either way, I will take care of it. Seniors and Tunnel Supervisor-nim can step forward once I get rid of the monster."

That monster is something I can hunt without anybody"s help. No, that"s what I will do.
However, the situation after that is the problem. In order to earn a little more, and to maintain a steady gain, I most definitely need their help.

However, Batoom, who did not know any of it, continued to reject it.

"Why can"t you listen? It is on a different level than the monster in Tunnel 99."
Hold on. What is this about? On a different level?
Now he"s just saying whatever he wants.
I know he doesn"t like people who correct him, but…

"Senior, how would you know that?"
"……Hmm?"

At my sudden question, Batoom couldn"t say anything.

"Have you ever tried hunting the monster in Tunnel 99?"
"Tha, that……I haven"t, but ……"
"I"m sure you haven"t seen the ghost in the Northern Mines either. So how would you know which one is stronger and scarier?"

There"s no way he had a response. Batoom just closed his mouth like a clam.

"I have experienced both of them. Although I failed when I tried to hunt the monster in the Northern Mines, I have faced it myself."
"What? You have?"
"Is that the truth?"

The response was as good as I expected.
It was half a lie and half the truth. I did hunt it in the game.
But I had enough information for it.
I confidently nodded my head.

"Of course. Why would I make this up? If n.o.body else will step forward, I will challenge it myself."

I stopped there and looked towards Jonnan and his two sons.
All three of them seemed to be feeling a bit guilty.

They didn"t know what to do. They were scared of the monster in the Northern Mines, but they needed to keep their loyalty to me.

Even if I seemed really confident, I"m sure their minds were complicated messes right now.

"You don"t need to step forward to keep your loyalty. I won"t curse you no matter what you decide. However, I can say this with full confidence. I am not an idiot who would push his family to their death. I know the method to hunt the monster. If you trust me and step forward, I can guarantee your safety 100%. I am especially asking the three of you because I consider you all as part of my family."

Jonnan leaned his ear in to my story. As soon as the word "family" came up, his eyes changed.
I could feel a sense of determination.

As soon as I finished speaking, he replied back in a determined voice.

"What is that supposed to mean? Aren"t we a family? Even if you said you were going to jump into a pit of fire, we would jump in with you."

His two sons were the same. The second son, Mago, must be emotional, since his eyes were starting to get teary. (TL: Second son"s name is Mano. At least it was in the raw for ch 27. Now it is Mago…)

"We must also work together. I will try to convince the team members."

I guess the effect of yesterday"s medicine is still alive.
Then now it"s time to feed them a stronger pill.

This time, I looked towards Batoom.
"I will consider this my last quest to become one of the Best Miners. This should be good enough for not just the miners, but for all of t.i.tan Valley to accept, right?"
"That is true, but……"
"Then please give me the quest. It is my decision."
Batoom was not sure of what to do.
However, he nodded his head having no choice. Then with a weak voice, he created the quest.

"I understand. If you really want to, I will make it the last quest."
Following that, the voice announcing the quest could be heard.

Please develop the Northern Mines. You must defeat the monster residing in the Northern Mines and guarantee everyone"s safety.
If you succeed, you will be rewarded with the Best Miner occupation, as well as 80% ownership of the Northern Mines.>

I finally reached the last level.
"The challenge towards becoming a Best Miner!"
But this quest was not just for me.

As soon as I received the quest, I reached my hand out to Jonnan.
Jonnan grabbed my hand. He didn"t really know why I reached my hand out, so he looked at me with confusion.

"What……what is the meaning of this?"
"The Best Miner. Senior, you stopped at the last level as well. This quest allows for a total of a 5 member party."

Instantly, Jonnan"s jaws dropped. At the same time, you could see the vitality that had been sleeping for a long time starting to move in his now large eyes.

"Do you still want to achieve that dream? Then stick with me. I will help you achieve that dream."

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Translator : Miraclerifle
Proofreader : Miraclerifle