Player Farming in the Dragon’s Lair - Chapter 68

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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68
“Man, this really is delicious!”
“Isn’t it? Hephaestus made such an incredible pot for me. The rice tastes so much better now, doesn’t it?”
Woo-jin brought Hephaestus a bowl of rice cooked in the Black Mithril Pot and shared it with him, naturally accompanied by kimchi.
After teaching him how to tear off pieces with his hands and eat them,
Hephaestus caught on quickly, plopping a generous chunk of kimchi onto his white rice and swallowing it whole in one gulp through that massive mouth of his.
Munch, munch.
It was genuinely remarkable.
How could rice and kimchi taste better than meat?
Even made in the Black Mithril Pot, he found that simple rice and kimchi never grew tiresome.
If anything, the more he ate, the more addictive the flavor became.
‘This is a problem. A real problem! If I keep eating food this good, plain pasta won’t even cross my mind.’
Pasta was Hephaestus’s staple.
Not because it had any particular taste, but simply as a way to fill his stomach.
But soon he wouldn’t be able to settle for mere sustenance.
Woo-jin would have to keep bringing him meals.
For now, sharing food was one thing, but he couldn’t guarantee it would continue forever.
There had to be some way to solve this.
A way to get Woo-jin to visit regularly.
After a moment’s thought, Hephaestus spoke with the light of revelation in his eyes.
“If there’s anything you need, you tell me.”
“Pardon?”
“A weapon like a sword or spear would be fine, or armor, even. I can make pots like this one anytime you like. Or cookware in general. The rule is that an Adventurer who clears Floor 59 gets one SS-Grade weapon crafted, but I can manage to make an S-Grade piece or two at my discretion.”
“Really? You mean it?”
“Of course!”
“Ha, there’s truth to that old saying about good neighbors being better than distant relatives.”
“Kahahaha! That’s right—we’re good neighbors!”
Woo-jin smiled as he spoke.
“If I come across good materials like Black Mithril later, I’ll send in a request. For now, the Black Mithril Pot is more than enough.”
“Understood. Just say the word anytime.”
.
.
.
He was dozing after lunch, having eaten rice and kimchi, when
he felt something tap him lightly on the shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw a twig right in front of his face.
– M… as… ter…
“It’s you, World Tree. What’s wrong?”
– T… his…
An apple appeared before Woo-jin’s eyes.
A brilliant, rosy-red apple that looked as fresh as anything out of a commercial.
[World Tree Recovery Apple]
– Grade: A
– Effect: Upon consumption, instantly restores 30% of Health and Mana
– Description: An apple born from the still-young World Tree. Full of life force.
“Whoa. You grew this yourself?”
– Y… es…
“That’s incredible!”
– H… eh…
The creature seemed pleased by the praise.
The World Tree was still a sapling.
Its height barely reached Woo-jin’s chest.
Yet it had borne an apple.
Since no other apples or fruit were visible, it seemed the creature had just grown this one and given it to him.
“Thank you. I’ll eat it well.”
The branch extending from the World Tree withdrew back to its original form.
Instant restoration of 30 percent Health and Mana—that was absolutely broken, wasn’t it?
Health and Mana potions only increased the speed of recovery.
They weren’t instant like potions in a typical RPG game; they merely boosted the recovery rate itself.
But this apple from the World Tree had the same effect as an RPG potion—instant healing upon consumption.
Carrot Juice, which he’d been using as a Health potion substitute, only granted faster recovery for thirty minutes after drinking. But theoretically, eating three apples in quick succession would amount to full recovery.
He was curious about the taste.
Woo-jin was about to eat one of the apples whole when he stopped himself.
Even if it meant sharing a single bean, he decided to cut it evenly and distribute it among Kkamangi, the Doppelganger, and the gods.
Since he didn’t eat one apple completely intact, the stamina and mana recovery effects didn’t apply, but one thing was certain.
“It’s delicious!”
It was absolutely honey-sweet.
Of all the apples he’d eaten in his life, this was by far the most delicious.
* * *
Day 40 in the Tower.
[The young World Tree bestows a blessing upon part of the sweet potato field.]
The World Tree had bestowed another blessing.
The creature carefully extended its blessings without overextending itself—first to the carrot field, then the cherry tomato field, and now to the sweet potato field.
“Rainfall!”
Whoooosh.
Since it had worked hard, he gave it water right away.
The World Tree absorbed the water eagerly and seemed delighted.
— Hep…….
— z… Z……
The World Tree fell asleep instantly.
Young ones do sleep a lot, he’d heard.
Being in a growth phase, it must need plenty of nutrients, and yet it shared its strength with him—such an admirable creature.
Woo-jin immediately harvested one of the sweet potatoes.
[You have harvested a Tower’s Blessed Sweet Potato.]
[Harvesting Lv. 6’s Proficiency increases.]
[Your Experience increases from cultivating Tower’s Blessed Sweet Potatoes.]
[Level has risen to 16.]
[Tower’s Blessed Sweet Potato]
— Rank: C+
— Effects
— Upon consumption: permanently increases Strength by +0.01 (+0.01)
— Description: A Tower sweet potato cultivated by someone. Eating it should make you a little stronger. Blessed twofold in both taste and effect.
“Heheheh.”
Double the taste, double the nutrition!
Now that he’d harvested the blessed sweet potato, he decided to roast a Roasted Sweet Potato as a snack.
Whooosh!
Crackle, crack!
He roasted the sweet potato over the campfire and pulled it out.
[You have prepared a Roasted Sweet Potato through Cooking.]
[Cooking Lv. 6’s Proficiency increases slightly.]
[Roasted Sweet Potato]
— Rank: B
— Effects
— Taste Bonus: +50%
— Upon consumption: permanently increases Strength by +0.02
— Description: A Tower’s Blessed Sweet Potato roasted to perfection. Still warm.
Honey flowing between the splits in the sweet potato.
Not actual honey, but the sweet juices flowing like syrup.
The flesh inside was genuinely as sweet as honey.
Ah.
The taste melting away, layer by layer.
That was the power of the 50 percent taste bonus.
“Ahhhhh. It’s delicious!”
[The God of Adventure says it grows tastier with each passing day.]
[The God of Fate nods vigorously in agreement.]
He finished two Roasted Sweet Potatoes right where he sat.
Thanks to that, his Strength went up by 0.04.
A snack eaten, and now back to work.
Woo-jin walked toward the garlic field he’d planted last time.
He checked ‘You Can Do It! First Steps in Your Vegetable Garden’.
The mature garlic field pictured in the book matched what he saw before him.
Verdant leaves stretched skyward with vigor.
The tips had yellowed.
The lower portion exposed above the soil was short and plump, while beneath the earth a bulb had swollen thick and heavy.
When he touched it, the garlic’s characteristic pungent aroma rose faintly through the smell of soil.
Garlic plants grown across the ten-pyeong patch.
“Am-wol, transform into a hoe.”
– Understood.
Whoosh!
Swish!
Lee Woo-jin grasped the hoe and began harvesting the garlic.
He pressed the tip lightly into the soil beside the garlic’s stem.
Thump.
He loosened the earth slightly below, lifting it just a touch.
He couldn’t risk damaging the bulb.
Slide.
The compacted soil gave way slightly.
Without missing the opening, Lee Woo-jin wrapped his hand around the lower part of the garlic stem.
Pop.
A whole bulb of garlic came free, still clinging to soil.
Fine root hairs hung like whiskers beneath a whitish outer skin dusted with earth.
Unlike the garlic sold bagged at supermarkets, this freshly harvested bulb was crisp and vibrant.
[You have harvested Tower’s Detoxifying Garlic.]
[Your Harvesting Lv. 6 Proficiency rises slightly.]
[Tower’s Detoxifying Garlic]
– Rank: C
– Effect
– Cures Poison Status Abnormality upon consumption
– Description: Tower’s Detoxifying Garlic cultivated by someone.
The Tower contained many Status Abnormalities.
Among them, Poison was the most representative.
Once afflicted, it drained Health continuously, and if left unchecked long enough, it could prove fatal—a truly fearsome condition.
“This is genuinely useful.”
In Lee Woo-jin’s case, Absolute Stealth made him immune to physical attacks.
But poison gas spreading through an enclosed space—that he might not be able to avoid.
Beyond all that, though.
“Mmm. This would be perfect with grilled pork belly.”
Raw garlic, roasted garlic, minced garlic.
The faithful companion of a Korean whenever enjoying or preparing delicious food.
“Harvest, harvest, harvest!”
[Your Harvesting Lv. 6 Proficiency rises slightly.]
[Your Harvesting Lv. 6 Proficiency rises…….]
Lee Woo-jin harvested alongside his Doppelganger.
The work of gathering garlic from a ten-pyeong patch finished in no time.
“Mother will love this too.”
In a few days, he’d be able to return home again.
He made a mental note to bring the garlic with him then.
.
.
.
“Soil Leveling, Soil Leveling!”
Lee Woo-jin continued expanding the Administrator Corridor below Floor 60.
He could have indulged in more leisurely naps without complaint, but right now he wanted to expand the corridor more than he wanted to rest.
Thud!
Crack!
Thud!
[Your Soil Leveling Lv. 7 Proficiency rises slightly.]
[Your Soil Leveling Lv. 7 Proficiency rises…….]
Raising his Skill Level as well.
Gulp, gulp!
[Consuming Carrot Juice has permanently increased your Health by 0.02.]
[Your Stamina Recovery Speed increases by 20% for 30 minutes.]
She also had him drink some delicious Carrot Juice.
“Phew. What floor is this?”
Floor 54.
You’ve climbed quite far.
Time for a rest.
He was in the middle of wiping away sweat and taking a sip of water.
He felt a strange warmth.
“Huh? It’s warm here?”
Near the entrance of Floor 54.
Leaning his back against the wall near the Manager’s door, he felt the pleasant heat.
The Administrator Corridor was normally quite cool, but this spot had a lukewarm, almost comfortable warmth.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Woo-jin dug a little with his hoe.
The temperature grew even warmer.
“Soil Leveling, Soil Leveling!”
Thunk! Thwack!
Rumble!
Chunks of stone tumbled down.
When he touched them, they were warm—growing hotter the deeper inside they went.
Crack!
Then an incredibly scorching stone fell to the ground.
[Your Fire Resistance Lv. 3 Proficiency has increased.]
[You have acquired Fire Resistance Lv. 4.]
[Unknown Stone]
– Description: A hot stone. Part of a Dragon Lair’s composition.
“Hm?”
He wondered if it was the same as what he’d found on Floor 99, but it was different.
Woo-jin asked the God of Order.
“God of Order, would it be all right if I used my Appraisal skill on this?”
The God of Order explained that in the past, recklessly using Appraisal on stones within Dragon Lairs had allowed players to obtain Black Mithril in ways that could cause great disorder to the Tower’s systems, so it had become necessary to restrict the practice.
[The God of Order says it’s fine.]
[You use Appraisal on the ‘Unknown Stone’.]
[You have obtained the Stone of Fire.]
[Stone of Fire]
– Grade: B
– Description: A stone that holds the essence of flame. Part of a Red Dragon’s Lair composition.
A Player Farming in a Dragon Lair (Serialized)
Author │ Gaebeouk S
Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyung
Publishing House │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyuk
Address │ 401, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Acetech Tower 8th)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Gaebeouk S 2026
※ This work has been published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder. The contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and the author.
Violation of this restriction may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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