Player Farming in the Dragon’s Lair - Chapter 78

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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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78
Day forty-six since arriving at the Tower.
After finishing the morning calisthenics routine.
I had cherry tomatoes and carrot juice.
A refreshing, healthy morning.
Then I caught sight of the sleeping bag I’d been using all this time.
The Down Field Sleeping Bag that Kang Min-woo had scrounged up for me not long after I arrived at the Tower was still pristine and serviceable, but.
‘Maybe I should give it a wash?’
Up until now, all I’d done was flip it inside-out and shake out any sand or dirt that got in, without any proper washing.
Given the nature of a field sleeping bag used outdoors, washing seemed unnecessary, but since I was regularly hand-washing underwear and shirts anyway, I thought it’d be nice to throw the sleeping bag in with the rest.
Splash, splash!
I set the Down Field Sleeping Bag into a wooden washing basket and repeated the motions of dunking and lifting it in water.
The sleeping bag soaked through in moments, its color deepening in the water, and the down inside grew heavy with moisture.
I pulled out the set of laundry soap I’d bought at Daiso.
The kind I found useful for my laundry—premium soap that cost only a thousand won a bar.
If you’re wondering why I call a thousand-won item premium,
it’s because the product name itself was “Premium Soap.”
Anyway.
Scrub, scrub, scrub!
Rub, rub!
I gripped the rectangular bar of soap in one hand and began scrubbing vigorously—the outer surface of the sleeping bag and all the way into the creases where the fabric touched skin.
And rather than just relying on soap while washing,
“Purification, purification!”
Flash! Flash!
[Purification Lv. 4’s proficiency increases slightly.]
[Purification Lv. 4’s proficiency increases slightly…….]
Using the Purification skill made a real difference in cleanliness. The skill alone could eliminate most bacteria and the like.
[Kang Min-woo is requesting a chat. Will you accept?]
– Me: Yes, Guild Master.
– Kang Min-woo: Hello! I reached out to see how you’ve been doing.
– Me: Oh, come on. I’m doing fine!
– Me: I’m doing laundry right now.
– Kang Min-woo: Laundry?
– Me: Cleanliness is important! I’m washing that Down Field Sleeping Bag you gave me last time.
– Kang Min-woo: You’re washing it here at the Tower? But there’s no washing machine…how are you……
– Me: I bought laundry soap at Daiso and I’m using it well. Hehe.
– Kang Min-woo: Ah……
– Kang Min-woo: Woo-jin, I’ll secure the finest premium down sleeping bags for you as quickly as possible. Not just one—ten of them. Can you wait a moment?
Ten premium down sleeping bags!
For a moment I was tempted, but I shook my head.
You have to be frugal with whatever you have.
Wasting things without regard wasn’t in my nature.
– Me: Nah, it’s fine.
– Me: I’ll just wash this one properly and keep using it. Anyway, how are you doing, Guild Master?
– Kang Min-woo: Yes, thanks to your help, I’ve been managing very smoothly. I’m progressing through the Tower easily as well. The Paladin Commander’s Sword really is remarkable in performance.
– Me: That’s good to hear!
– Kang Min-woo: I’m planning to finish my morning schedule and challenge Floor 15 this afternoon.
Floor 15 already.
That was an incredibly fast pace.
Back when I worked as a Tower management official in the USA, even when a Ranker cleared just one floor of Hard Difficulty per month, the news sites would be plastered with praise for such phenomenal speed.
Well, no wonder Kang Min-woo gets so much talk in the Tower Community.
As a Korean myself, I felt a swell of pride in him—and then Sikhye suddenly came to mind.
An item that granted a legendary buff, raising all stats by twenty-five percent for sixty minutes.
I wanted to trade him Sikhye right then and there,
but the batch I’d made before had been consumed on the spot, leaving nothing left. I’d have to make a fresh batch.
– Me: Guild Master, could you wait a moment before you head into the Tower this afternoon? I’ll have a cup of Sikhye ready for you.
– Kang Min-woo: ……Sikhye?
– Me: Yes, that stuff is great.
– Kang Min-woo: I’ll do that then.
I finished washing and carried the sleeping bag to a spot where the sunlight was streaming in.
I spread out the Down Field Sleeping Bag properly and hung it on a makeshift drying rack.
Then I fetched the ingredients for Sikhye.
Rice and water, sprouted barley seeds to act as malt, a handkerchief, and sugar.
The God of Authority must have noticed me preparing the ingredients.
[The God of Authority asks if you’re making Sikhye.]
“Yes, sir.”
[The God of Authority swallows hard and grins widely.]
I’d need to make a full pot of it again this time.
Though it would all be gone in a day or two regardless.
Whoosh!
I lit the firewood and began cooking Rice.
[The Black Mithril Pot’s effect is applied.]
[You have created Rice with Cooking.]
[Cooking Lv. 7’s proficiency rises slightly.]
[Rice]
– Grade: A
– Effects
– Taste Bonus +100%
– Upon consumption: All Stats +20% for 60 minutes
– Description: Rice cooked with grain from the Tower. The bonus effect has been applied due to cooking with the Black Mithril Pot.
I added water and sugar to the freshly cooked Rice, along with the sprouted barley seeds bundled in a handkerchief.
.
.
.
[You have completed ‘Sikhye’.]
[Cooking Lv. 7’s proficiency rises slightly.]
[Sikhye]
– Grade: A
– Effects
– Taste Bonus +100%
– Upon consumption: All Stats +25% for 60 minutes
– Description: Sikhye made with grain from the Tower. The sweet flavor is exquisite.
Around two in the afternoon, a message appeared saying the Sikhye was complete.
I submerged the hot Black Mithril Pot in the cold lake water to chill it.
It wouldn’t cool down immediately anyway, and I’d have to wait a while longer.
After rolling around for about ten minutes browsing the Tower Community, I glanced toward the Administrator Corridor.
‘Now that I think about it, I went all the way to Floor 54 last time and came back, didn’t I?’
Floor 54—where the Red Dragon had appeared.
I remembered obtaining a Fire Stone there, building a bathhouse with it, and then relaxing in the warmth while sipping cold Sikhye.
‘I should bring some Sikhye to the bathhouse later. Heh.’
Slip.
I pulled the Dark Moon Shovel from my Pocket Dimension Backpack.
I was planning to go expand the Administrator Corridor.
Kkamangi, who had been lying in the sunlight with eyes closed in that peculiar cat loaf position, perked up her ears.
Noticing that I was heading toward the corridor, Kkamangi stretched her back legs out behind her, then rose and began following me.
Pop!
I stepped through the Teleportation Ring I’d set up beforehand and arrived instantly at the entrance to Floor 54.
The Floor 54 Manager’s door was open.
Through the gap, I could see the Red Dragon’s Lair.
And naturally, my eyes met the Red Dragon’s.
“Hello!”
– Hmm, an Adventurer, I see.
– What brings you here?
“Oh, I was just passing through. How have you been?”
The Red Dragon let out an exasperated laugh.
Here was this mere human Adventurer, so weak that a single snort would reduce him to dust, yet he approached without hesitation.
Of course, it wasn’t unpleasant.
Rather, it was welcoming.
– Indeed.
– Ahem.
– Last time, that beverage called Sikhye—it was delicious.
“Wasn’t it? I’m making some right now, actually. Once it’s chilled, I’ll pour you a glass.”
– Really?
“Yes.”
– Hehe. Now that’s something to look forward to.
– Do you need more Fire Stones?
“I don’t need any right now. But if something comes up, would it be alright to ask you?”
– Of course. Tell me whenever you need something.
– Besides, you’re a Lo— ah, never mind.
– Anyway, just let me know if you need anything.
“Hehe. Thank you.”
Woo-jin immediately set to work expanding the Administrator Corridor with the Dark Moon Shovel.
“Soil Leveling!”
Thunk!
Smack!
Smack-smack!
Thunk-thunk!
He worked steadily downward toward Floor 50.
After reaching Floor 53 at a brisk pace, he pulled out two bottles of Carrot Juice from his Pocket Dimension Backpack.
“Here, you have one too.”
“Much obliged, meow.”
[You have consumed Carrot Juice. Your maximum Stamina has permanently increased by 0.02.]
[Stamina recovery speed increases by 20% for the next 30 minutes.]
The cool, sweet Carrot Juice cut straight through his exhaustion like a knife through clouds.
Woo-jin let out a satisfied sigh, his expression brightening.
“Let’s push forward!”
“Meow!”
* * *
About thirty minutes later, he reached the Manager’s chamber entrance on Floor 50.
Work of this caliber was child’s play at this point.
He was barely breaking a sweat.
“Good work, Dark Moon.”
He stowed the shovel directly into his Pocket Dimension Backpack.
Without being asked, Kkamangi already produced the Manager’s Manual.
Pop!
Fwip-fwip-fwip!
He scanned the information about Floor 50.
[Floor 50 Objective]
– Use the Transfer Book (0/1)
[Floor 50 Information]
– Impressed by your legendary accomplishments as an Adventurer of unparalleled achievement, the Tower has prepared a great gift for you.
– You may select any Floor from any Difficulty that you have previously cleared and progress through that Stage again. (Even if already cleared, you may obtain the reward again.)
He could sense what this was about.
It meant he could obtain one more of a particular item he’d wished for among all the rewards he’d earned so far.
‘Now that’s genuinely useful.’
Though admittedly, for Woo-jin, it might as well have been pie in the sky.
Click.
[Using the Administrator Key, the Floor 50 Manager’s chamber has been opened.]
As he stepped through the doorway, what met his eyes was:
A single radiant book, floating alone in an empty plaza.
He recognized it at once as the Transfer Book.
Woo-jin approached and reached for it, attempting to pick it up.
A message appeared: [The Transfer Book cannot be carried.]
“Huh?”
[Would you like to use the Transfer Book?]
A new message bloomed before Woo-jin’s eyes.
It seemed the reward for Floor 50—the Transfer Book—could be used directly here.
“Looks like I can use this thing?”
“You really can, meow!”
But then—
[Error!]
[Inappropriate access!]
[Unable to proceed with Stage Progress!]
[Unable to obtain rewards!]
Strange error messages flickered across the screen.
“Doesn’t look like it’s working, meow?”
“Yeah, it doesn’t.”
Damn. Just when things were looking good.
Then it happened.
[Please specify the Difficulty and Floor you wish to move to.]
[Error!]
[Forced Return will occur after 1 hour 0 minutes 0 seconds following the transfer.]
Another error message appeared.
Piecing together the details.
It seemed the transfer itself was possible, but he would be forcibly returned within an hour, unable to earn rewards or progress the Stage.
[The God of Order says your understanding is correct.]
“Then there’s no problem with attempting a transfer?”
[The God of Order says there is no problem.]
Woo-jin decided to test it by transferring to Normal Floor 1.
Flash!
An inexplicable light engulfed Woo-jin’s body.
Player Farming in a Dragon’s Lair (Serialized)
Author | Gaebyeok S
Publisher | Kim Ju-hyung
Publishing House | J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing | Han Jae-hyeok
Address | 401, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Ace Techno Tower 8)
Email | [email protected]
Website | www.jayplemedia.com
© Gaebyeok S 2026
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder. No part of this content may be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and author.
Violation of this may result in criminal and civil 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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