Chapter 50 - The Price of Becoming a Goblin
«W-What...?»
«Hey, Smaug. Are you really the Station Staff?»
At the word "Station Staff,"
Smaug — once a debt collector — blinked blankly at Jhin with a face full of bewilderment.
Still no answer.
Jhin took one step closer.
The goblin flinched violently — but too late.
«...!!»
In an instant, Jhin was right in front of him.
And in that instant—he grabbed the goblin’s horn.
Gripping it tight.
«Not gonna answer?»
KWAANG!
A loud crash rang out as the goblin was smashed down.
Theme dungeons.
Unlike ordinary dungeons where you simply hunt monsters,
theme dungeons revolved around a set background — and a theme.
Thus, quests were part of the structure.
And clearing those quests, step-by-step, was the "proper" way to conquer them.
The "Running Ghost Train" was no exception.
The first quest:
Hunt the baby goblins within the time limit and obtain a boarding ticket.
Fail, and you would become the target of the Station Staff.
From that point, the dungeon would become exponentially harder.
Thus —those who entered would do anything to avoid becoming a target.
’What a joke.’
Jhin looked down at the Smaug sprawled out with his horn snapped in half.
This —was his shortcut.
The non-standard, high-speed strategy.
The fastest way to break the dungeon’s structure.
’In the end, if you just crush the Station Staff, there’s no need to care about tickets or penalties.’
The Station Staff were meant to be the ultimate punishment.
But if you were strong enough —it didn’t matter.
There was no need to waste time or effort dodging penalties designed for weaker players.
Jhin said coldly:
«Hey, Smaug.»
The goblin glared up at him with bloodshot eyes and hissed:
«Y-You damn human scum—!»
«Tch. Noisy.»
CRACK!
A sharp smack to the jaw.
The goblin’s body jerked and quivered.
It didn’t die —
it was too durable with the dungeon buffs.
But it lay there, panting, unable to stand.
The glare it shot upward—
If eyes could kill, Jhin would have been slaughtered a dozen times over.
A seething, killing gaze.
Jhin stared back indifferently and said:
«You gonna lower your eyes, or do you want me to gouge them out?»
Immediately— The goblin’s fiery gaze extinguished.
Beaten, crushed.
The Smaug looked away, trembling.
Jhin pressed the interrogation:
«Where did you hide the souls?»
«...»
«Still not answering?»
«I-I don’t know!»
The goblin’s voice cracked — half crying, half shouting.
«Talking back?»
«I-I truly don’t know, sir!»
Meanwhile—
On the side, the baby goblins —huddled awkwardly behind cargo piles —
were sneaking glances, fidgeting nervously.
They looked like kids caught watching a fight they were too scared to join.
Jhin scowled.
The atmosphere was too messy.
«Tch.Stop distracting me.Go hide properly.»
«Uuu!»
Instant obedience.
The baby goblins scurried between the cargo,
shoving themselves into every possible crack and crevice, desperately trying to stay out of sight.
Jhin clicked his tongue and turned his cold gaze back to the Smaug.
«Time’s short. Talk.»
«I-I really don’t know anything!»
The goblin whimpered and shook uncontrollably.
Even after a few more rough slaps— the only thing it spilled was tears and pitiful squeals.
Nothing useful.
Jhin narrowed his eyes.
Then—he changed the angle of questioning:
«The souls.They’re in Section D, right?»
«Y-Yes!
All the merchants who enter head straight there! That’s all I know!»
«...You better not be lying.»
The goblin shook his head desperately.
Jhin could tell.
There was no lie here.
With his horn snapped —the goblin had no strength left.
No pride left to bluff with.
He was genuinely broken.
Jhin held out his hand.
«Alright.
Then hand over the key.»
«...Huh?»
«You’re the Station Staff.
You can move freely between sections without clearing quests, right?»
At that—
The goblin panicked and clutched something at his waist instinctively.
Too slow.
THWACK!
Jhin flicked his forehead hard —
the goblin yelped like a puppy kicked across the floor.
Seizing the hidden pouch, Jhin spoke:
«I’m taking this.»
«N-No, you can’t—»
KWAANG!
Another slam.
The goblin immediately stopped protesting.
[You have stolen the ’Goblin’s Pouch’ from Station Staff ’Smaug.’]
[You have obtained the Hidden Item ’Suspicious Goblin’s Pouch.’]
[You have obtained the Hidden Item ’F Section Master Key.’]
Looking down at the Smaug sprawled motionless on the ground,
Jhin muttered:
«Always begging for a beating...»
Turning back to the others, he said:
«Let’s move.We’re out of time.»
The others — still a little stunned from watching the one-sided beatdown —
slowly nodded.
As they prepared to move out—
Caleb, looking thoughtfully at the battered goblin, asked:
«Isn’t that goblin also... a player?»
«Yeah.»
«Then... wasn’t he a victim too?»
The reason the goblin’s name still appeared white—
Caleb’s doubt made sense.
Even if they now looked like monsters,
weren’t they still once human?
Perhaps, just like the kobolds,
they were merely victims robbed of their souls and memories.
But Jhin shook his head firmly.
Now was the time to make it absolutely clear.
«It’s different from the kobolds.
Goblins aren’t made by losing memories.»
The first prerequisite—
Parricide.
The player must have committed the ultimate crime —
killing their own blood relative.
And the second—
«They must have eaten human flesh.»
Cannibalism.
To become a Smaug —
they had not only committed parricide in the past,
but had also consumed human flesh in the present.
And to reach the level of an Smaug—
They must have done it a lot.
Looking around at Caleb and Luke, Jhin said calmly:
«So when you deal with goblins —
don’t show even the tiniest shred of sympathy.»
He glanced once more at the broken goblin lying motionless on the ground.
Maybe not quite "retribution"—But he didn’t deserve pity.
He had chosen this path himself.
All the suffering he now endured— was the direct result of the choices he had made.
Gripping the stolen pouch tightly, Jhin led the group toward the next carriage.
Just before crossing—
From behind a pile of cargo,
he caught the wide, frightened eyes of the baby goblins.
Were they thinking of attacking?
Maybe.
Gathered near the sectional door,they looked stiff and tense.
Jhin asked:
«You planning to jump me?»
The baby goblins—Vigorously shook their heads side to side.
As if their lives depended on it.