Thumbs Up, Level Up

Chapter 41

The number of Shrooms coming out of the corpses grew larger. They squirmed like zombies while taking one step forward after another. Fortunately, the new Shrooms in the outer region of the dungeon were evolving slower compared to those in the middle of the dungeon. However, this was just momentary, as evolved Shrooms would control the entire dungeon after the Dungeon Expansion.

After arriving at the base camp, Hunter Assistants got off the truck.

“I don’t know how long this camp can last, but it’s better than staying with us,” Ji-Cheok said.

All the other party members had been armed and ready, as they realized something bad was going to happen.

“Huh? When did you go with them, director? You were just here with us a while ago.” Seong Kwang asked.

“I used my skill.” Ji-Han replied.

“Thank god. Well, the director does appear out of nowhere all the time.”

It seemed like other members were familiar with Ji-Han’s sudden appearance. As the party members got up on the truck to fight the boss monster, Hunter Assistants started to speak up.

“I want to fight with you,” One of the Hunter Assistants said.

“Mr. Um, I want to join too,” Mr. Kim concurred.

“Don’t be crazy. Mr. Kim!” Ji-Cheok replied.

“There is nothing we can do at the camp except sit on our asses and wait. We received basic combat training so we could fight in battles!”

“But that training is mostly self-defense! You will die out there.”

“We were also supplied with good equipment for this dungeon. Isn’t that right, director?”

“I did supply Hunter Assistants with basic rifles with some elemental attributes…” Ji-Han frowned.

These rifles were not strong enough; they were just slightly better than ordinary rifles. The main purpose of these rifles was to be used for self-defense when Hunter Assistants encountered monsters while they were collecting monster corpses. It was only logical that these kinds of basic rifles were supplied to the Hunter Assistants.

“If you die, we die anyway. Isn’t that true?” Mr. Kim said as other Hunter Assistants were nodding in agreement.

“It is, but….” Ji-Cheok replied.

“Then let us be of help!”

“Mr. Kim! You’re gonna get yourself killed! Even worse, you could be crippled for the rest of your life!” Ji-Cheok yelled.

“You think we don’t know that? It’s clear that you guys are short-staffed, we are just trying to lend you a hand!”

Something about that comment almost made Ji-Cheok cry.

“We don’t have much time, Mr. Um Ji-Cheok. You need to make the decision now.” Ji-Han said.

“Fuck it, get on the truck!” Ji-Cheok yelled.

Hunter Assistants got excited about Ji-Cheok’s announcement and started to talk to one another about the new adventure.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

“I kind of wanted to shoot this thing.”

“Mr. Kim, what was your weapon qualification score?”

Ji-Cheok was surprised that the Hunters Assistants weren’t afraid of the Shrooms. They were like madmen.

‘Why did Mr.Kim come here…’

Ji-Cheok thought back to the time when he had reunited with Mr. Kim after he had become rich and famous. He wondered, 'Would Mr. Kim be here now if I treated him coldly back then?’

However, it was impossible for Ji-Cheok to treat Mr. Kim like that. After all, the latter had lent him a hand during the most difficult time of his life.

Mr. Kim tried to drive the truck.

“Where is the cover button?” Mr. Kim asked.

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“Nevermind, I’ll do it,” Ji-Cheok replied.

Ji-Cheok started the truck and pressed the cover button. A layer of armor instantly covered the entire truck, only leaving space to shoot guns from the inside. This system was designed to help Hunters escape in case of emergency by supporting them with cover fire from the truck. It was a button that wouldn’t be pressed under normal circumstances.

“You still got it, Mr. Um.” Mr. Kim said.

“Whatever. Just don’t regret your decision later.” Ji-Cheok said.

“Hahaha.”

“Mu-Cheok, I need you to continue to cover us with your firearm. Ms. Ha-Na, I need you to sit next to me and guide me with your reconnaissance skills.” Ji-Cheok ordered.

“Roger that.”

“What should I do?” Ji-Byeok asked.

“I need you to take down the monsters that get onto the truck.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Director Ji-Han... I don’t know any of your skills, but I know you are strong. So just help out the members as much as you can.”

“Okay.” Ji-Han replied.

The Hunter Assistant truck was a special truck that had different driving mechanics from a normal truck. The driver needed to know the map of the dungeon before the Dungeon Expansion, know how to drive flawlessly, and be able to deal with monsters with long-range attacks, such as Telekinetic Arrows, on occasion. The only member that fulfilled the criteria was Ji-Cheok.

He had Cheok-Liang change into his spirit form. Cheok-Liang floated around Ji-Cheok.

“I need you to be my eyes.” Ji-Cheok said.

?Your wish is my command, Master.?

Ji-Cheok wanted Cheok-Liang to keep an eye on his blind spots while he was driving.

“Hold on tight!” Ji-Cheok yelled as he drove away.

* * *

Ji-Cheok drove in a straight line toward where the boss monster was. He didn’t even think about how much battery the truck had left. He didn’t have time to think of such a thing.

Bang! Bang! Rat-tat-tat-tat!

Hearing Mu-Cheok’s gunshots and the sound of heavy machine guns fired by the Hunter Assistants, Ji-Cheok knew the Shrooms were already close to completing their evolution.

‘They are evolving faster than I thought.’

.

“Turn left!” Ha-Na yelled.

Screech!

Ji-Cheok roughly turned the steering wheel and drove down the forest path. He stepped on the gas as he saw a Shroom in front of him.

Bam!

After hitting the Shrooms, the bumper looked a bit dented, but the truck in general was still in good shape. It seemed like Ji-Han had used some money to tune up the truck. However, the Shroom that had gotten hit by the truck simply jumped up, as if it hadn’t taken any damage.

“Damn it!” Ji-Cheok shouted.

Ji-Cheok knew that physical damage couldn't hurt these monsters, but he was still disappointed at the outcome. It was well known that only attacks that contained mana could hurt the monsters. Otherwise, if it had been possible, humans would have just used nuclear weapons instead of Hunters to fight back during the monster wave. To kill the monsters, attacks infused with mana were required. Ji-Cheok knew exactly what to do.

Vroom!

Ji-Cheok realized the only thing he could do to help the team was to drive as fast as he could to their destination. However, more Shrooms continued to crash into the truck, which slowed them down. It would be disastrous if the Shrooms caught up to the truck.

‘Cheok-Liang, I need you to search for a skill!’ Ji-Cheok shouted.

?What skill were you thinking of, Master? I Recommend the [Protection Blessing] or the [Area Shield].?

Those two skills appeared adequate for the situation at first glance, but Ji-Cheok somehow felt that if he chose either of those skills, things would go badly. Maybe it was a gut feeling, maybe it was his Hunter Assistant experience, but Ji-Cheok knew he had to find another skill if he wanted to survive.

‘That won’t do. We need something big! Something that would get us out of here… Yes! This is it!’

At that moment, a solution flashed through Ji-Cheok’s clouded head like lightning, and Ji-Cheok grabbed it with all his might.

‘We need driving skills! It’s okay if you use all the Likes! Just find me the best one!’

?That is a splendid idea, Master!? Cheok-Liang said as his eyes grew larger.

Cheok-Liang frantically moved his paws. He found a skill and showed it to Ji-Cheok.

[Soul Driver — 62,000 Likes]

[Class: Epic (Non-Upgradable, Rank B+)

Control a vehicle by infusing mana into it. There are no restrictions on the type of vehicle. The vehicle can be accelerated at will and used as a ram.]

‘62,000 Likes? That is just absurd. It’s the same price as the [Heaven and Earth Divine Arts]!’

?Master??

Ji-Cheok would have to use everything he had right now to buy this skill. He was not sure whether it was worthwhile. In the end, he made a decision.

‘...Buy it!’

?Understood, Master!?

The skill book appeared in the air. Ji-Cheok held the steering wheel with one hand and absorbed the skill book with the other hand. The instructions on how to use the skill immediately appeared in Ji-Cheok’s head—it was as simple as activating the skill and pouring as much mana as possible into the truck. Fortunately, the last part was something Ji-Cheok was confident in. He grabbed a mana recovery potion from his front pocket and drank it.

Ding.

[Your mana recovery speed will be greatly increased for the next three minutes!]

?Master, the time has come for you to use the [Mana Heart of the Ark Dragon] + [Mana Ring of the Ark Dragon] + [Heaven and Earth Divine Arts] + [Spontaneous Absorption] combination! The concept of ‘level’ may not apply to you, but if you translate your stats into a level, there is no Hunter at your level that has even half that amount of mana!?

Ji-Cheok agreed. Mana recovery and accumulation was his specialty.

“Stop shooting and just hold on!” Ji-Cheok shouted.

Ji-Cheok immediately activated the skill.

“Booster!”

Ji-Cheok squeezed every last drop of his mana into the truck. His heart was beating like a drum. He could feel his mana being drained at a tremendous speed. He realized this was what it felt like to apply mana to a vehicle. The truck glowed with blue light, and in an instant, it accelerated to two hundred kilometers per hour, which was its maximum speed.

Vrooom!?

The wheels scraped the ground at such a speed that smoke was coming out. Right then, the truck hit a Shroom that was blocking the way.

Bam!

This truck was no ordinary truck anymore, and the Shroom was torn into pieces.

[Road Kill!]

[Your [Soul Driver] skill proficiency has increased by 2!]

[Passengers are admiring you for your incredible driving speed!]

[You have received 51 Likes!]

[Gods have shown interest in you!]

[You have received 1,000 Likes!]

[You have received 1,000 Likes!]

‘What? A thousand Likes in one go?!”

?God’s Likes cannot be compared with ordinary people's Likes, Master. But now is not the time to worry about these things. You need to concentrate!?

Ji-Cheok was surprised to see that Gods’ Likes started at one thousand. However, Cheok-Liang was right: now was not the time to care about those messages.

Vroom!

Ji-Cheok stepped on the accelerator and looked ahead.

‘Next stop, the boss monster.’

* * *

The truck’s speed was on another level. All the Shrooms in sight were trampled on by the truck and ripped apart. While driving, Seong Kwang puked again, but no one patted his back this time. In the meantime, Mu-Cheok continued to shoot his gun.

Bang!

Ji-Cheok had felt that Mu-Cheok’s aim was gradually becoming more precise and stronger, as if he was leveling up his shooting skills. However, Ji-Cheok couldn’t care less about that right now, because he was busy binging on potions and killing every Shroom in sight with his truck.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Ji-Cheok could feel the mana draining from his body.

?Master, are you okay??

‘It’s okay! I was expecting this to happen anyways.’

Finally, the Shrooms started to disappear and the crimson sky appeared again. This meant that they had reached the boss’s realm.

Rumble.

The boss started to spit out poisonous spores. In response, Ji-Cheok oversteered and made the truck drift sideways.

Screech.

The truck stopped with a loud noise, leaving skid marks on the road. Just before the waves of spores hit the truck, Seong Kwang managed to say his prayers.

“Oh, apostle of chickens! Great saint who saved the people by frying his body!” Seong Kwang prayed.

The apostle of chickens appeared and spread its wings.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

The chicken’s crowing surrounded the truck.

Ding.

[Zealot Seong Kwang purified the area with his purification skill for the next 10 minutes.]

Except for the title of ‘Zealot', which gave him a rather uncomfortable feeling, Ji-Cheok was positive that Seong Kwang’s skills were exceptional.

[The evolving boss monster [Nightmare Shroom] is aware of your existence.]

[You have received 1 Like.]

The boss monster, who normally would have been in hibernation unless attacked first, woke up and sensed the group’s presence.

?It’s pretty neat to be able to get Likes from the enemy boss.?

This was not just about getting Likes from the enemy boss. This way, Ji-Cheok could get information about the boss, which was a huge asset. For instance, according to the System message right now, the boss [Nightmare Shroom] was evolving. Previously, it had been the size of a tree, but now, it was becoming much larger. The enormous mushroom cap looked like it could flatten everybody at any moment.

However, there was a bigger problem at hand. The bottom of the [Nightmare Shroom] started to turn purple.

?I think its evolved form will have the poison attribute.?