Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 160

As August began, the summer vacation season was in full swing.

The subway, usually packed like a sardine can during morning commutes, was now half-empty, and the once fully occupied seats were now sparsely filled. It made sense, as even the Fissure Management Division alone had about a quarter of the staff on leave.

“Vacation, huh...” For Do-Jun, it didn’t really matter whether he took a vacation or not. Simply going to work and doing his job was something he genuinely enjoyed. However, he knew that just because he felt this way didn’t mean others shared the same sentiment.

⌜The next stop is Seoul City Hall. Seoul City Hall Station. The doors will open on the right.⌟

Do-Jun arrived at the office at 8:50 AM. As usual, his senior, Hyuk-Soo, was already there. Cheol-Soo was on vacation, having gone to Jeju Island with his family. Hyuk-Soo had also mentioned that he would be taking his parents to Bangkok next week.

In the middle of his work, Hyuk-Soo casually asked out of curiosity, “Do-Jun, don’t you have any vacation plans yet?”

The other employees had already submitted detailed vacation plans, including the dates and destinations. However, Do-Jun said he hadn’t thought about it yet, leaving his plan form blank.

“I’m not sure,” he replied.

***

The next morning, Saturday.

Do-Jun sat down to read the newspaper while sipping his morning coffee. Suddenly, he paused and lowered the paper slightly. It was surprising to see Yong-Yong, who usually slept in late, up and watching TV before 8 AM.

⌜We are currently at Haeundae Beach in Busan. As the summer vacation season continues, the number of tourists here has increased significantly. With this year’s temperature about one degree higher than average, the number of visitors has risen by roughly ten percent compared to last year. People are flocking to escape the heat...⌟

The TV displayed scenes of colorful beach umbrellas lining the shore. Children floated on tubes in the ocean, while others napped in the shade of the umbrellas or enjoyed slices of watermelon. The only downside was the overwhelming crowd, which left very little room to move around.

Yong-Yong’s tail wagged subtly, and whenever the camera shifted to the people swimming in the ocean or eating ice cream, it wagged faster. He clearly wanted to play in the water.

Do-Jun suddenly remembered Hyuk-Soo’s words from the previous day. “Don’t you have any vacation plans yet, Do-Jun?”

He set his empty coffee cup down and stood up. After changing into casual clothes, he grabbed a few items and headed for the door.

Yong-Yong stopped watching TV and followed him to the entrance. With a hopeful look in his eyes, he asked, “Are you going out, Master?”

“Yeah. I have some errands to run. Keep an eye on the house while I’m gone.”

“Yessir.”

The door shut.

Yong-Yong’s wagging tail drooped.

***

The first floor of the Core was home to countless adventurers.

Among those who had cleared the tutorial and officially entered the Core, there were over five thousand adventurers who either hadn’t fully mastered their red Status Windows or were too afraid to proceed to the next floor. Among them, the most powerful figure was Rohan, the Monarch of the Wind Blood Alliance. Naturally, as the strongest adventurer, he reigned as the king of the first floor.

“Yaaaawn.” Rohan was lounging on the Hill of Wind, taking a leisurely nap as usual.

Just a few months ago, he had lived a nail-biting life, fearing for his survival daily due to the mythical creatures Entusha and Laikar. But those days were long gone. The mythical creatures that had once threatened the adventurers no longer existed.

Rohan glanced down at the marketplace. It had once been a place rife with bloody skirmishes between adventurers. Now, there was no trace of such tension, but it wasn’t because someone had intervened to enforce peace. It had simply occurred naturally.

Rohan understood the reason for this transformation on the first floor of the Core: the arrival of the super-rookie adventurer, Lee Do-Jun.

Thinking back, Do-Jun was truly an extraordinary figure. He had appeared out of nowhere, subduing adventurers with his overwhelming strength. He even defeated the mythical creatures, Entusha and Laikar, with a single blow, cementing his unparalleled presence.

How a newcomer like him possessed such power remained a mystery.

“I wonder how far down he’s gone by now.” As Rohan reminisced, a man came into view wearing peculiar attire.

That guy’s wearing a rolled-up dress shirt and shorts...

It was a stark contrast to the leather armor or steel-plated gear other adventurers wore for survival.

Rohan gasped audibly, knowing exactly who this man was. “Y-you’re...”

The man, already standing before him, gave him a warm smile and said, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

***

The first floor of the Core had a hidden area with tons of lush greenery, a protected zone surrounded by a barrier. Within it stood the home of the Tree of Wisdom, a repository of vast knowledge about the Core.

The Tree of Wisdom observed the scene unfolding near the lake with disbelief and amazement.

“Hey, what the hell is a ‘butter squid’?”

“No, no! That needs to go over there!”

“Who’s in charge of the tube rental station? Hurry up and assign someone!”

Since Do-Jun’s unexpected visit earlier, the adventurers on the first floor of the Core had been bustling around the lake, each focused on their tasks. They used the supplies Do-Jun had provided to build temporary structures, prepare food, and carry out their assigned roles.

“Where did you get Ivela’s Pouch?” the Tree asked, looking at the artifact known as Ivela’s Pouch, nicknamed the Subspace, as it leaned against it.

“I got it from the second floor,” Do-Jun replied, looking down at the adventurers busy with their tasks.

He recalled the time on the second floor of the Core when he defeated the so-called catastrophe, Tarantuloso. Upon its defeat, he received a notification: “Unbelievable Achievement!” Along with it, he was awarded Ivela’s Pouch, an artifact classified as a relic of the Deep Realm. The pouch was incredibly useful and could hold anything without any limitations on capacity.

“And all those items...?” the Tree asked.

“They’re from Earth,” Do-Jun replied briefly.

Other than the sand from Haeundae Beach, he had brought nearly everything else: tubes, beach umbrellas, picnic mats, folding chairs, ingredients for street food, and even the lumber needed to construct temporary facilities.

“What about the artifacts you gave to the adventurers?” the Tree probed further.

As compensation for their work, Do-Jun distributed artifacts he had procured from the Treasure Goblin Company, a trading hub accessible only to adventurers from the fourth floor of the Core and above. To the first-floor adventurers, these artifacts were rare and precious, so they gladly followed Do-Jun’s orders.

“Let’s finish this by the end of today!” Near the lake, Rohan ran around, energetically issuing directions.

The massive construction work should have been overwhelming, but for some reason, Rohan and the other adventurers couldn’t stop smiling. For those who had lived in constant tension, fighting for survival in the Core, this was their first time experiencing the feeling of a festival.

“Truly... you are a remarkable being,” the Tree muttered.

Before Do-Jun’s arrival, the atmosphere on the first floor of the Core had been brutal and cutthroat. Fights broke out daily, and bloody wars between alliances were common. Yet now, at this moment, everyone was working together with a shared purpose.

As the Tree of Wisdom observed Do-Jun leaning against it and staring out at the lake, it felt a warmth it couldn’t quite explain, as if it, too, was finding peace.

***

Meanwhile, Yong-Yong watched a video of Haeundae Beach on Do-Jun’s SpacePad. The joy radiating from the people playing in the blue ocean seemed to seep through the screen, filling him with envy.

He trudged to the entrance. Do-Jun had left early that morning to run some errands, it seemed. If it had been for leisure, he would have asked if Yong-Yong wanted to come along, so Yong-Yong assumed it was work-related.

Yong-Yong silently stared at the paused video on the SpacePad titled “Haeundae Beach.” It would be selfish to ask Do-Jun, who was busy with work, to take him to the beach. Besides, throwing a tantrum would be childish behavior.

“I’m an adult. I can handle a bit of FOMO[1],” he said, as if consoling himself.

He was eight thousand years old. In human terms, he would have been dead and buried long ago.

***

“Great work, everyone,” Do-Jun said to the gathered adventurers.

Standing at attention in front of Do-Jun, Rohan smiled as he looked at the completely transformed lakeside. There were still things to polish up, but who could have imagined such progress in just half a day?

“No need to thank us. The adventurers are really enjoying this. They said they’ve never experienced anything like it—it’s like the day before a festival,” he said happily.

The area around the lake was bustling with adventurers. Some were setting up beach umbrellas for shade, while others placed picnic mats and folding chairs for people to relax on.

Inside the food stalls, a few adventurers examined the drinks and snacks that Do-Jun had brought. They were the adventurers who would be running the stalls the next day.

“What was this thing called again?”

“Apparently, it’s called ‘cola.’”

“Earth has so many fascinating things.”

“Oh, right. What’s that called?” Curious, Rohan pointed at a piece of brown meat being taken out of a boiling pot by one of the adventurers. Juices dripped as the meat was placed on a plate, spreading a sweet aroma.

“It’s called braised short ribs,” Do-Jun answered.

“I see. You brought a ton of it. Any special reason?”

Do-Jun just smiled in response.

***

The next day, Sunday morning.

Yong-Yong was up early, watching TV as usual. Sipping coffee and reading the morning paper, Do-Jun lowered it slightly to glance at Yong-Yong. The TV was once again showing a segment about a beach, not the same one as yesterday, but still about beaches.

When the scene of waves gently rolling onto the shore appeared, Yong-Yong’s tail wagged furiously. Finding it adorable, Do-Jun chuckled and glanced toward the bedroom. The kids were still sleeping, as it wasn’t even 8 AM yet.

“It’s hot... Should we go for a swim?” Do-Jun muttered.

Yong-Yong’s ears perked up, and he quickly turned his head to stare at Do-Jun in disbelief. Then, as if seeking confirmation, he dashed over with sparkling eyes. ƒreewebɳovel.com

“R-really?”

Do-Jun raised the paper again and said, “Hmm... maybe?”

Yong-Yong swallowed hard, anxiously circling Do-Jun. “Master! I oh-so-desperately want to go! Please! I beg of you! It’s the only thing I want in life!”

His expression showed his genuine desperation.

“Then go wake the kids. Let’s get ready to head out.”

At those words, Yong-Yong broke into a wide grin and bolted into the bedroom.

1. FOMO is short for “Fear Of Missing Out” ☜

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