Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Securing the Library
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Unlike the second floor, which mainly stocked daily necessities, the third floor was filled with electronics and the like. After clearing out the remaining beasts here as well, Yuseong began properly rummaging through the debris.
‘Not a single intact one.’
There were countless products with shattered cases, their complex innards fully exposed.
Yuseong pushed through the wreckage. He gathered the ones that seemed relatively intact and piled them up in one spot. Electronics stacked up in front of him.
‘Wonder if any of them still work.’
All the electronics he’d found so far had been broken. But he’d never collected this many with seemingly intact internal circuits.
‘At least one should work, right?’
Yuseong plugged a cable from his powered exoskeleton’s battery into each device one by one. As expected, time or external damage had gotten the best of them—most didn’t power on.
But one did.
“Got it!”
He clenched his fist tight.
It was a bracelet-style portable computer. A hologram flickered to life above it, displaying the manufacturer’s logo. Then the computer fully booted up.
Yuseong fiddled with it excitedly, his face lit up.
‘It works! It works!’
The software seemed fine too.
Yuseong happily strapped the computer onto his wrist.
Finding this alone made scouring the mart totally worth it.
But there was a slight tinge of disappointment.
‘Guess this doesn’t count for completing the quest.’
The quest had once demanded a laser survey device, which was part of a hologram system. This computer had a fully intact hologram projector.
In fact, this one was a miniaturized version—far more valuable than the laser survey device he’d found before, which was just a component.
Yet the quest window remained silent.
‘Well, even the stuff I already have is on par with holograms, technically.’
His powered exoskeleton, the Nano Machine—same deal.
But he’d never gotten paid just for possessing them.
‘It’s not after finished products.’
It wanted manufacturing methods or blueprints.
‘Doesn’t seem like anything like that’s here, at least.’
Chewing on his regret but still thrilled at the useful find, he pressed on.
* * *
Even after finding the portable computer, Yuseong searched the mart a bit longer but turned up nothing else.
Leaving the mart, Yuseong headed to his next stop: the police station. He’d gone hoping for weapons or something, but no luck there either.
‘It’s fine. I got the portable computer from the mart.’
Every time he glanced at the device on his wrist, a silly grin crept onto his face.
And so, Yuseong reached his target destination.
‘This is the city library.’
He prayed it held the info to satisfy the quest.
Yuseong entered the library.
The city library’s exterior was like any other building. Windows shattered, doors smashed, interior fully exposed.
‘How many books are left?’
No matter how advanced the tech used to make them, paper was paper. And the polluted environment hadn’t helped.
Of the books he’d found so far, most were rotted. Even those barely holding shape crumbled at a touch, leaving few readable ones.
‘Still, some should’ve survived.’
A place called a library would have massive collections—surely some were usable.
Yuseong entered the building.
‘So this is a library.’
His heart pounded. Before discovering the Virtual Reality Device, reading had been his one mainstay hobby. Stepping into a space once filled with vast tomes stirred deep emotions.
The front desk caught his eye first, beyond which the main library sprawled.
‘Surprisingly well-preserved?’
Was his luck finally turning? Many shelves had toppled or broken, but plenty stood firm, packed with books.
He wanted to rush over, check how intact they were, see what titles they held.
But first things first.
“Grrr!”
Yuseong raised his gun at the approaching beasts, drool dripping from their maws.
Brief but intense gunfire echoed and faded. Soon, the last beast fell. The radar showed no red blips.
But that wasn’t the end. To browse in peace, he had to clear every beast inside.
Yuseong scoured every corner, eliminating them all.
‘Finally done.’
The building was smaller than the mart, but the tension ran higher.
‘Protecting the books was tough.’
Beasts’ toxic blood everywhere. No good if it splashed on already-frayed pages.
Fortunately, his efforts paid off—not a single drop stained the books.
‘The shelves took a hit, though.’
One beast charging him had slammed into a shelf in its path. Splintered wood and scattered books had ignited instant fury.
Not that bad, but beasts had trampled plenty too. Could fragile books withstand that?
‘Tch. Can only hope they’re as intact as possible.’
For now, he’d secured the library. Yuseong began systematically searching the books.
Poof!
The first book he grabbed disintegrated into powder. He grimaced. He’d expected it, but starting with a crumbling one soured his mood.
The next held together, easing his irritation. He carefully opened it and checked the contents.
‘A novel.’
Yuseong enjoyed novels, but not what he needed now. He set it aside gently and kept searching.
Crumbling books, stuck pages, scattered sheets—they stung. But intact ones existed amid them.
How long had he been at it?
[History of the Practical Application of Nuclear Fusion Power]
A faded cover bore blurry title text.
The quest window popped up.
Quest: Downtown Exploration
Scan [History of the Practical Application of Nuclear Fusion Power] and connect it to the Virtual Reality Device.
Reward: 30,000G, Ark Access
‘Jackpot!’
Yuseong suppressed a whoop. Even with beasts cleared, no need to risk noise unless combat forced it.
‘Good thing I hit the mart first.’
He glanced at the portable computer on his wrist.
The quest wanted a book scan, but he’d lacked a scanner before.
Not anymore.
This computer had scanning functions. No more pacing helplessly after finding info but no way to link it.
Ark access achieved—the whole point of this trip. He itched to test if the Virtual Reality Device really worked again, then dive straight into Ark’s world.
But books remained.
‘Plenty more the quest wants, probably.’
One thing this ordeal half-confirmed: his radiant luck wasn’t some divine pity blessing from the heavens.
‘Never believed in that crap anyway.’
If it existed, he’d spit right in its face.
‘Whatever it is, it wants something from me.’
Like the world info he was gathering.
‘But will it stop here? Or demand more?’
Unknown. But probably not a one-off. He’d keep dancing to this mystery’s tune.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
As long as it kept granting power to survive this hellhole, he’d gladly do whatever. Hell, relief washed over him knowing obedience meant endless Ark play.
‘Better than fretting over when random luck runs out. At least this pays steadily.’
Either way, forces beyond his control.
‘Gotta keep it sweet-talked.’
Yuseong scanned [History of the Practical Application of Nuclear Fusion Power] and saved it to the portable computer. Then he kept going.
As expected, more quests triggered.
[Quantum Mechanics and Everyday Life], [Steps to Space: Mass Driver], [Changes in Warfare and the Republic of Korea’s Military], and so on. Books with vague common threads—or none.
Yuseong wondered at the quest’s true aim but never stopped scanning.
How much time passed? Sustained by nutrient supplements and water between scans.
‘Done.’
He’d scoured every book, scanning all quest hits. Yet the computer’s storage had room to spare. He wanted to scan the rest too.
‘No fatigue yet.’
Thanks to the Nano Machine breaking down fatigue compounds. But even it couldn’t replace sleep.
And sleeping exposed outside the hideout? Even now, Yuseong dreaded it.
‘A few more wouldn’t hurt, but…’
Safety meant heading back soon. Plus, Ark withdrawal burned strong.
‘A couple extras won’t hurt.’
He stuffed a few appealing titles into his bag.
‘Won’t hinder combat.’
Yuseong gave the library a final sweep. Amid the book graveyard, his selected intact ones stood in neat stacks.
‘Hope I get to read those someday.’
Regret lingering, Yuseong left the library.
* * *
Whirr!
“It works! It works!”
Seeing the Virtual Reality Device boot up moments after connecting the portable computer, Yuseong yelled in joy.
Even in the hideout, shouting wasn’t smart, so he muffled it—but couldn’t hold back.
No waiting. Yuseong logged into Ark.
The familiar login sensation passed, and Yuseong stood on Ark’s land.
‘I’m back!’
He balled his fists.
* * *
Savoring his return to Ark, Yuseong basked in joy for a while before calming.
Lucky he’d logged out in an empty spot—otherwise, weird stares galore.
‘Right, heading to the next city.’
Ark outage had scrambled his brain; now he recalled his in-game plans.
He bit into a black bread ration, quelling residual excitement, then resumed walking.
Leaving eventful Verhill behind, today he entered new territory.
Flooded terrain vanished; the sea appeared.
‘So this is the ocean.’
He’d heard of it but never seen. Boundless horizon, azure waters mirroring the blue sky everywhere.
‘Gets why pre-ruin folks vacationed at beaches.’
Utter nonsense now. Beasts and monsters en route would kill you; even arriving, no pristine vista awaited.
Nothing intact in this ruined world.
After gazing a bit, Yuseong moved. A path cut through the blue sea; he followed it.
Soon, the path split. Eight branches lay ahead.
The fork. Herald of Ark’s true beginning.