Disaster-Level Player Is Too Good at Broadcasting-Chapter 68: « Dinner Above The City [1] »

[Bonus Chapter for 40 Golden Tickets ~ refer to the Author’s Reward system.]

Night had already settled over Seoul when the elevator doors opened on the seventy-third floor of the Haneul Tower.

The hallway beyond was quiet and softly lit, its dark marble floor reflecting the warm lights that lined the ceiling.

At the very end of the corridor stood a pair of glass doors with a small bronze plaque beside them.

"Cheongru Pavilion."

Among awakened players, the name carried a certain reputation. The restaurant sat high above the city and looked out across the Han River and the endless rows of buildings that filled the capital. From the windows, the tower itself could sometimes be seen in the distance, rising like a dark needle against the night sky.

But the view wasn’t the only reason climbers came here.

The restaurant had become famous for something else.

It served food made from ingredients that only existed after the tower appeared.

Rare monster meats, mana-rich seafood, and herbs that grew only near gates. The chefs here knew how to turn those strange materials into dishes that helped restore stamina and even stabilize mana flow. Because of that, many high-ranked players quietly preferred to eat here whenever they returned from climbing.

Tonight, several private tables had been reserved.

The expedition team preparing to enter the Floor 11 ruins would be gathering here.

The first to arrive stepped through the doors without drawing attention.

He wore simple dark clothing—nothing flashy, nothing that showed off status or rank. At a glance he could have been mistaken for an office worker who had come up here for a quiet dinner after work.

But the moment he entered, the waiter standing near the entrance bowed politely.

"Good evening, sir."

The man gave a small nod and followed the waiter toward the table that had been reserved near the wide glass windows.

He sat down calmly and glanced out across the city.

His name was Jung Hyeonwoo, a ranker belonging to the guild Iron Aegis.

Among the many guilds operating in Korea, Iron Aegis held a particular reputation. They were known less for flashy offense and more for something rarer—defense. The guild specialized in shield users and defensive fighters who stood on the front lines during raids, protecting the rest of the party while others dealt damage.

It was not a glamorous role.

But it was an essential one.

Hyeonwoo himself carried that same quiet presence. His shoulders were broad, his posture relaxed, and his expression calm as he watched the lights of the city flicker far below.

Soon a waiter approached with a menu.

"Would you like to order while you wait for the others?"

Hyeonwoo glanced over the menu only briefly before closing it.

"I’ll start with a few things," he said.

The waiter prepared his pen.

"Galchi Jorim."

"Bossam."

"And gamtae rice rolls."

The waiter nodded.

"Excellent choices."

After writing down the order he added with a small smile, "The galchi we are serving tonight was raised in Jeju coastal farms that specialize in mana-fed environments. The meat absorbs trace mana from the water, so it is known to help stabilize stamina during long climbs."

Hyeonwoo gave a quiet nod of acknowledgement.

Even something as simple as fish had changed after the tower appeared.

The world had adapted in strange ways.

The waiter left, and Hyeonwoo returned to watching the city through the glass wall.

The tower could just barely be seen beyond the buildings, its silhouette dark against the night sky.

He was still looking in that direction when the restaurant doors opened again.

A tall man entered.

He paused near the entrance for a moment, studying the room as if confirming he was in the correct place before walking toward the reserved table.

His appearance made him stand out immediately. Light brown hair, sharp facial features, and the unmistakable build of someone trained for combat.

When he spoke to the waiter, his Korean carried a clear foreign accent.

"Excuse me. The expedition dinner... I believe it is here?"

"Yes, sir."

The waiter gestured toward Hyeonwoo’s table.

The tall man approached and stopped beside the chair across from him.

"May I?"

Hyeonwoo nodded.

"Of course."

The man sat down and offered a polite handshake.

"My name is Leonhardt Weiss."

The name alone made it obvious he was not Korean.

"I was invited to observe and participate in the expedition."

Hyeonwoo shook his hand firmly.

"Jung Hyeonwoo. Iron Aegis."

Leonhardt’s eyes showed brief recognition.

"I know the guild. Defensive specialists."

"Something like that."

The waiter soon returned to take Leonhardt’s order.

Unlike Hyeonwoo, the foreigner took time studying the menu carefully, clearly curious about the unfamiliar dishes.

After a moment he pointed to two items.

"I will try this... yukhoe."

Then he pointed again.

"And the abalone porridge."

The waiter smiled politely and wrote down the order.

"Very good."

When the waiter left, Leonhardt leaned slightly toward the window, studying the glowing city beneath them.

"It’s different," he said slowly.

Hyeonwoo glanced at him.

"What is?"

"Seoul."

Leonhardt rested his arm lightly on the table as he spoke.

"In Europe, the cities near tower zones feel heavier. More guarded. But here..." he gestured toward the streets filled with moving lights far below, "people are still living normally."

Hyeonwoo followed his gaze.

"Maybe they’re just used to it."

"Perhaps."

Leonhardt’s eyes drifted again toward the distant tower.

"Still... it feels calm."

Their food began arriving soon after.

The galchi jorim came first, the braised cutlassfish simmering in a deep red sauce that filled the air with the scent of chili and soy. Next came the bossam, slices of soft boiled pork arranged neatly beside fresh napa cabbage and a small dish of salted shrimp. The gamtae rice rolls followed, wrapped in dark green seaweed harvested from the southern coast.

Leonhardt’s own dishes arrived shortly afterward.

The yukhoe—thin strips of seasoned raw beef topped with egg yolk—and a steaming bowl of abalone porridge.

He studied the yukhoe with curiosity before tasting it.

His eyebrows lifted slightly.

"This is... surprisingly good."

Hyeonwoo allowed himself a faint smile.

More players began arriving as the evening progressed.

Some were guild climbers, others freelancers invited to strengthen the expedition team. They introduced themselves politely and took their seats around the large table. None of them knew each other particularly well, but the shared goal of the expedition made conversation come easily enough.

They spoke about the tower.

About floors they had cleared.

About the strange rumors surrounding the Floor 11 ruins.

"I heard someone found fragments of ancient structures down there," one player said while pouring himself a drink.

"Ruins inside the tower usually mean something used to live there."

Another shrugged.

"Or something still does."

The conversation shifted between speculation and casual stories from past climbs. No one spoke about personal reasons for joining the expedition yet. At this point they were simply feeling each other out.

During one lull in the conversation, Hyeonwoo spoke for the first time in a while.

"Ruins usually mean old civilizations," he said calmly while setting his chopsticks down. "Or something guarding them."

Several people nodded thoughtfully.

Leonhardt, who had been quietly eating his porridge, spoke next.

"That is often the case."

He wiped his spoon slowly before continuing.

"In many tower ruins across Europe... the structures were not empty."

The others looked at him with interest, but before the conversation could deepen further, the restaurant doors opened again.

A young man hurried inside.

He looked around quickly before spotting the large table near the window and rushing over.

"I—I’m sorry!" he said the moment he reached them, bowing slightly. "I’m late."

His voice carried obvious nerves.

He looked younger than most of the people sitting there.

"I got lost in the building."

Someone chuckled lightly and gestured toward an empty chair.

"Relax. Sit down."

The young climber thanked them repeatedly before sitting.

When the waiter approached, he glanced at the menu quickly and ordered in a much quieter voice than the others had used.

"Just... doenjang jjigae, please. And rice."

He hesitated before adding, "Grilled mackerel too."

Compared to the expensive dishes already covering the table, the order was simple.

Plain.

The difference was obvious.

But none of the others commented on it.

The young climber began introducing himself quickly, speaking a little too fast.

"My name is Choi Minseok. I cleared up to Floor 9 last month, and I’m really honored to be here with everyone."

He looked around the table with wide eyes.

"I’ve heard about most of you before."

His excitement was obvious.

He kept asking questions about raids and boss fights, sometimes speaking before others had finished their sentences.

Leonhardt watched him quietly.

Hyeonwoo simply listened.

The conversation gradually slowed as plates emptied and drinks were refilled.

Eventually someone lifted a glass.

"To the expedition."

Others followed the gesture.

"To the expedition."

The glasses touched lightly.

For a moment the atmosphere felt relaxed.

But then Leonhardt spoke again.

His voice was calm, almost thoughtful.

"May I ask something?"

The others turned toward him.

He rested his glass back on the table and looked at them one by one.

"Has anyone here ever seen ruins inside the tower..."

He paused briefly before finishing the sentence.

"...that felt too quiet?"

The room became strangely still.

No one answered immediately.

Even the sounds of the restaurant around them seemed distant.

Something about the way he asked the question left an uneasy feeling hanging in the air.

And the conversation did not continue the same way after that.