Gourmet Gaming-Chapter 1262

Chapter 1262

In the sweltering summer heat, bubble tea was the best dessert to cool down with after a meal. The most basic bubble tea was milk tea with black, sweet, and chewy tapioca pearls. And the best brand most loved by people when it came to milk tea and bubble tea was Gung Cha!

‘It’s not only a tasty drink, it’s also a very filling treat with a delightful texture.’

Minhyuk personally liked to add coconut pearls to his mango smoothie. A sip of the smoothie and a bite of the coconut pearls could create a sweet and delightful taste.

As it is sweet and filling, bubble tea has received people's love and established itself as a great dessert.

The most important thing about this Pearl Mine was the variety of pearls that could be mined here. There were tapioca pearls, aloe pearls, white pearls, coconut pearls, and many others.

‘My goodness! You’re saying I can get all these pearls from a mine?’

What was interesting was the fact that the pearls were already ready for consumption. It would be considered completed when these pearls were added to an already-made drink.

‘The buff effect would vary depending on the type of pearl.’

Tapioca pearls raised STR. Aloe pearls raised STM. White pearls raised AGI. Coconut pearls raised INT, and there were many more.

‘If we can apply the power of SSS in this mine, then...’

Minhyuk would be able to create desserts that would give overlapping buffs.

Gulp–!

And they were also delicious! The thought alone was enough to make Minhyuk’s mouth water.

“When I discovered this mine, I received a notification exclusive to the first discoverer. According to the notifications, the Miner’s Child knows about the whereabouts of the Rainbow Pearl.”

The Rainbow Pearl was said to be a special pearl that glowed seven different colors. And according to what Amvhasa had confirmed, it also had special abilities.

“Based on the notifications, the Rainbow Pearl can increase the power of all your attack skills by 10%.”

“...!” Minhyuk was stunned.

For high-level players, especially high-rankers, increasing the power of their skills had become tedious and almost impossible. Raising the power of a skill through improving proficiency was close to impossible. Regardless of the chosen method, the task's difficulty level would be raised to the extreme.

Now, Amvhasa was telling him that this Rainbow Pearl could increase the power of all his attack skills by 10%.

Trembling, Minhyuk asked, “W-what about the taste...?”

“According to the description, it’s a very rare pearl that has a flavor that cannot, and will never, be found again in the world.”

Minhyuk hugged Amvhasa tightly. There was no need for any more words. He turned around and said, “Give Amvhasa 100 more platinum.”

“It’s fine, Your Majesty. After all, I did not suffer any injustice because of you,” Amvhasa refused firmly.

Then, Minhyuk asked, “What kind of existence is the Miner’s Child?”

“The Miner’s Child is the boy protecting the Pearl Mine. The problem is he’s powerful.”

“Strong?”

“Yes. When I first discovered the mine, I tried to enter it at once. But I was immediately forced to log out. And it’s only with a single swing of the boy’s pickaxe.”

“I heard that you attempted to enter the mines with the guild members of the Find Find Guild?”

“The other guild members also tried it but were forced to log out, too.”

Minhyuk rubbed his chin in thought. The average level of the players of the Find Find Guild was not that high. It was only at around Level 500. Even so, the Miner’s Child, a young boy, could wipe them out so easily.

‘The total number of people from their guild is also 600.’

The fact that the guild reported it to them meant they had no means to deal with the mine.

‘I have to check it out myself.’

Minhyuk stepped forward and decided to take the lead.

When Amvhasa saw Minhyuk head toward the entrance of the mine, he said, “The strange thing is, we never received any forced logout penalty even after dying there.”

Minhyuk, who chewed over the information given to him, entered the mines and finally saw the figure of a young boy holding a pickaxe with one hand. What was strange was the fact that the boy’s face was covered with terrible burns. That was not all. He also looked extremely shabby and pitiful.

[The Miner’s Child has appeared!]

[The Miner’s Child has protected these mines for centuries.]

[Inside the Pearl Mine, the Miner’s Child will never lose. He holds power that no one can fight against.]

[The Miner’s Child will only disappear after the mine collapses!]

When Minhyuk looked closely, he saw that the Miner’s Child looked translucent.

‘Is he dead?’

Minhyuk carefully approached the Miner’s Child, who was in a soul state. He was quite confident. After all, children always liked food, while he was the Supreme. He did not think that a mere child could beat him at all. Just when he took out a chocolate, a pickaxe hit him.

“What—!”

The speed was shocking. Minhyuk, who could not react, found it hard to believe that such a small child could wield his pickaxe at that speed.

Thud.

[You have been hit with a Pickaxe Filled with Resentment.]

[Your HP has fallen below 30%.]

“This is unbelievable!” Minhyuk shouted in disbelief. The pickaxe had merely hit him on the forehead, yet 70% of his HP had disappeared.

“Wait! I don’t want to fight—!”

This time, the pickaxe was swung sideways and completely and easily cut him off.

[You have been forced to log out.]

[Resurrection cannot be used.]

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

[No penalty has been incurred.]

After logging back in from the Beyond the Heavens Empire, Minhyuk hurriedly ran back to the Pearl Mine.

“...”

Fortunately, there was no penalty, and he had no access restrictions.

‘Pickaxe Filled with Resentment?’

What kind of resentment was left behind that allowed the pickaxe to exert this much power? It was indeed as the notification said. The Miner’s Child was an absolute existence inside this mine.

After that, Minhyuk tried to talk to the Miner’s Child several times.

[You have been forced to log out.]

[No penalty has been incurred...]

[You have been forced to log out.]

[No penalty has been incurred...]

Alas, he was met with countless deaths. It seemed like the Miner’s Child did not even want to try to have a conversation in the first place. Ultimately, Minhyuk and the other players began attacking the Miner’s Child.

Thud!

Abel disappeared with a flash of light.

Thump!

Another flash of light and Genie disappeared.

Thud!

Even God of Shields Valentino, with the highest defensive power among the other players, suffered the same fate. Most players did not survive one attack from the Miner’s Child’s pickaxe.

Just like that, a day had passed by. Everyone finally came to the same conclusion.

“It’s impossible to beat the Miner’s Child and get into the mine.”

They realized that the Miner’s Child could not be overwhelmed with force. If that was the case, they needed to know why the young boy was guarding the mines.

“Maybe the boy loves pearls too much, and he died digging for pearls to eat daily,” Locke said.

Yet everyone shook their heads.

“It’s hard to believe that a young boy will continue to protect the Pearl Mine for hundreds of years and form such deep resentment.”

“Then, maybe the Miner’s Child was born to protect the Pearl Mine?” Genie guessed.

It was quite realistic. There was resentment, yes. Perhaps it had only wrapped the Miner’s Child because he was forced to protect the Pearl Mine since birth.

“We have to make this Pearl Mine ours one way or another,” Abel declared.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Minhyuk was excited to try the pearls inside the mine and could not wait to do so. Likewise, they were excited about the overlapping effects and the unbelievable potential and growth they would experience.

For a young boy who looked to be twelve years old, what was the greatest thing that he could have? Minhyuk pondered over this question for a while. Finally, he muttered, “Maybe someone precious to him has been buried in this mine?”

“...!”

“...!”

The players’ eyes grew wide. Then, at that moment, a notification rang.

[You have discovered the Easter Egg: Miner’s Child’s Resentment.]

[As a reward, you can now view the Miner’s Child’s story and diary.]

The scene in front of the Beyond the Heavens Empire members changed.

***

[After a fire broke out in his house, the young boy named Agu lost his family. He ended up becoming a wanderer.]

They saw the figure of the Miner’s Child, Agu. His face was covered with terrible burns while searching through one trash can after another.

At that moment, a man with a kind smile saw Agu eating the food he had scavenged and said, “Would you like to come to my house?”

Agu thought he was finally saved when he saw the man’s kind smile. He thought that perhaps there was a God in this world. Unfortunately, that was not the case at all. The man who brought Agu to his house gave him dirty water and moldy bread to eat.

“You disgusting brat. Cover your face so I won’t see those hideous burns!”

So, he wore a helmet and was forced to make a living. The man only took in Agu because he wanted to exploit the boy.

In the end, Agu ran away. After he ran away from that man, Agu met several adults. Some looked like they were reaching out to him because they were very generous and kind.

“Would you like to live in our stable?”

Alas, they were no different from the man from before. They gave him all the dirty work and only a piece of bread.

One day, a soldier found Agu and led him somewhere. The soldier dragged him in front of the mages and said, “This bastard is an abandoned child. Since he’s an orphan, I think it will be fine if you use him for your black magic experiments.”

Feeling a threat to his life, Agu struggled desperately and fled. Thankfully, he survived, albeit with a limp. However, he no longer trusted adults. He grew to hate them.

Agu, with his terrible appearance and limping leg, realized he had nowhere else to go. At that moment, a middle-aged couple stopped in front of Agu, who was crouching right next to a garbage bin in the deserted city under the pouring rain.

“Kid, would you like to come with us?”

At this point, Agu was like a street cat. Although he resented the adults and no longer believed in their words, he still followed after them so that he could eat.

The middle-aged couple were poor miners. He believed they were just like all the adults he had met before. He thought they would not hug and accept him because he looked like a monster.

For the first time, he sat down at the same table as the adults who had taken him in. They gave him warm soup and meat and gently washed him with their warm, kind hands.

One day, the man said, “Agu. From this day forward, you are our son.”

The woman hugged him and added, “I’m sorry you’re being adopted by a poor family like ours.”

Agu was in disbelief. The adults he hated so much gave him a warm and loving hug. When he looked at the middle-aged couple, he finally felt like he had a family of his own again.

The feeling made him restless. So, Agu grabbed the pickaxe.

“Do you want to go to the mines with me?”

Agu readily accepted the offer. And when they started working, the man was left in shock.

“It seems like you were born with an unbelievable talent in mining.”

Agu received the love and recognition he deserved. As they spent time together, they created a dream of their own.

“Agu. We found a place called Pearl Mine near here. It’s a mine that can only be found in myths. Mom and Dad will try to dig up the pearls inside that mine.”

Agu’s parents’ dream was to erase the scar on Agu’s face. Because of that, they needed to gather a considerable sum of money. The two left Agu behind to fulfill this dream.

Agu waited for the couple to come back. But they did not come back. Worried, Agu went to find them. When he reached the Pearl Mine, he realized why they had not returned. The Pearl Mine had collapsed and buried the two people inside.

On that day, Agu gained a new dream. He wanted to take away the remains of the couple, who were forced to take their eternal rest, from inside the mine. But the two had ventured extremely deep inside the mines. The worst part? The Pearl Mine would be restored to the state that it was in before any digging started if they failed to dig to a specific part of the mine.

Just like that, Agu spent hundreds of years swinging his pickaxe in this place. After hundreds of years, people found out about the mine’s existence. By then, Agu, who had vowed to take the couple out, had already become a monster. He even became the keeper of the mine.

Since he started this dream, Agu had been writing in his diary.

[It’s already been 100 years. Still, I will never give up.]

[I know that you went inside this mine to heal the burn scars on my face. I know that you died because of me. So, I will not give up on you either.]

[Today marks the 200th year.]

[Their faces are getting a bit blurry in my memories.]

[Three hundred years have passed by.]

[At this point, I have already started to forget their voices, laughter, faces, smiles... everything.]

[Four hundred years have gone by.]

[I... Why am I here?]

[It’s been 500 years. I can remember it again, your faces, your voices, your laughter...]

[Is it hard? Well, I’m fine. This is nothing considering the warm hand that you reached out to me. I will not give up no matter what.]

[It’s been 600 years.]

[You know, this mine will return to its original form tomorrow. And I will also disappear alongside it. Many people will probably be free to enter this mine if I disappear. I wanted to take your bodies away, but I don’t think I have the power to do it.]

[I was too shy, so there was something that I couldn’t say to you.]

[I wanted to say it once I found your bodies, but maybe it’s fine just saying it like this.]

[Mom, Dad... Thank you.]

After reading the diary, Minhyuk’s vision was restored.

***

Everyone present was rendered speechless.

The young boy named Agu had been swinging his pickaxe for hundreds of years just to retrieve the bodies of his adoptive parents inside the Pearl Mine, a mine that would recover and return to its original state.

His resentment for failing to achieve his goals had grown so great that it had made him a powerful entity that could never be defeated.

[In 13 hours, the Miner’s Child will disappear.]

[Once the Miner’s Child disappears, you can enter the Pearl Mine freely.]

[Please do not fight with the Miner’s Child anymore.]

[If you lose a battle with the Miner’s Child, the Pearl Mine will collapse.]

The series of notifications rang in everyone’s ears.

At this moment, everyone knew one thing. Even if they did not make a move, the Pearl Mine would still belong to the Beyond the Heavens Empire in thirteen hours.

And Minhyuk? He just stared at the boy named Agu silently.

The young boy’s face was covered with hideous scars while his gaze was empty and devoid of any emotions. Agu had already died. Perhaps he died just a month after he started the process of mining. His resentment and desire to protect the people he held dear had turned him into a soul.

“Minhyuk,” Locke called out. “Thirteen hours. We only need to wait thirteen hours; this mine will be ours.”

“Isn’t it fine? You can even eat all of the pearls that you like?”

Minhyuk ignored them and just walked forward.

At that moment, Abel’s voice rang somewhere in the background. He said, “Minhyuk, you have to think carefully. We all know that the boy is pitiful. Tthere’s nothing that we can do about it. If you recklessly touch him, there’s a high chance that the Pearl Mine will become useless!”

Genie persuaded, “Minhyuk. This Pearl Mine will become an important place to bring our empire to the forefront.”

Despite everyone’s urging and protests, Minhyuk continued to walk toward Agu.

“I know that. But there’s something strange.”

“...”

“Think about it. Joy Co. Ltd. had created this story. Will a company like them create a mine that will be ours if we only waited?”

Doubt crept up on the faces of everyone present. However, Minhyuk was confident. That was why he continued to walk toward the boy.

“Was there even a need to add this boy named Agu?”

Finally, he arrived in front of Agu.

Agu was a young boy who had been mistreated and taken advantage of by adults. He was a commendable boy who spent 600 years just to meet the miner couple who had given him warmth and kindness for a mere year.

Abel thought, ‘There’s nothing we can do.’

Nonetheless, Minhyuk knew that there had to be something they could do. When Minhyuk stood before Agu, the boy had been running toward this single goal for six hundred years and finally saw it. Agu was crying.

Just like before, Agu’s pickaxe moved to strike Minhyuk’s head. Just then, Minhyuk’s sword changed forms. The sword suddenly changed into a pickaxe. At the same time, the pickaxe in Agu’s hands stopped in its tracks as he looked up at Minhyuk.

All Agu needed was a companion—someone who would come to the mine and dig with him.

[You have achieved the Easter Egg: The One who Pierced Through the Essence.]

[The hidden truth is now being revealed.]

Ring–!

[Once Agu disappears, all of the special effects in the Pearl Mine will disappear, too.]

[If you find the bodies trapped inside these mines with Agu, all of the pearls’ effects will remain.]

Indeed. There was one thing that Minhyuk could do for Agu.

“Come, let’s dig together.”

And that was to help Agu find the bodies of his parents.

Ring!

[The Hidden Quest: Find the bodies of Agu’s Parents.

The reward? It was the Rainbow Pearl.