Chapter 5

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Translator: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠penny

Chapter: 5

Chapter Title: Quest

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While teasing Kim Yeonju every now and then, we made our way back to the group as the sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the evening sky.

Given the time, the team that had gone in the opposite direction had already returned, and even the flight attendant Lee Hyunji, who had run off alone, was sitting off to one side.

Everyone was gathered with the students, tending to the fire and resting. Kim Taehun raised a hand when he spotted us.

"Oh, you're back? What happened to the PE teacher?"

Kim Taehun.

The heir to a major entertainment company that led the K-pop industry alongside Park Jimin's family.

If Kim Jaejun was the leader of the guys' group, then Kim Taehun was like the butler who carried out his orders.

He didn't even shy away from playing the role of the dirty hunting dog when needed.

As you could tell from the fact that they shared the same family name originally, they had split off to start the entertainment company—Kim Taehun's father.

They were relatives.

That's why the two were quite close. They trusted each other, and in fact, any question from Kim Taehun was essentially what Kim Jaejun was wondering about.

I replied flatly.

"Didn't hear the details?"

"We asked, but it was all gibberish."

We glanced at Lee Hyunji. She was sitting with her knees together, looking up cautiously to gauge my reaction.

She had run first, so she didn't know the specifics of what happened, but one person involved with her hadn't come back.

Anyone who wasn't a complete idiot could piece it together. That he had died because of her.

I let out a short sigh.

"He got bit by a snake on the way back."

"A snake?"

"Yeah. Turns out there are quite a few snakes on this island."

It wasn't a lie.

I'd confirmed it multiple times with Danger Detection on the way.

Snakes were in the bushes, but also on the beaches.

If you stepped on one carelessly, it'd be an instant trip straight to the afterlife.

"Damn, that's rough. Even on the white sand beaches?"

"Yeah. You could avoid stepping on them if you just watch the ground for their black patterns, but the PE teacher didn't."

"The body?"

"Left it. Too hot to carry it back—I'd have died too."

"Shit, that's scary as hell. We gotta stand night watch or something, right?"

Kim Taehun glanced at Kim Jaejun while making a fuss. Kim Jaejun nodded slightly.

Kim Taehun spoke up again.

"Let's see. So remaining people: three teachers, four flight attendants. Total seven?"

"Pair up two at a time, three shifts of three hours each for night watch."

The girls chimed in approvingly.

"Have them watch left and right sides, chase off any snakes that come near."

"Ooh, Lee Seohyun. What's up with you suddenly talking so much?"

"I'm hungry. Wanna wrap this up and eat."

"Alright, let's do that then."

"Cool."

The teachers and flight attendants had no say. They suddenly found themselves splitting their sleep into three-hour chunks for night watch.

"Then one person's left over—stick Woojin in a group to make teams even, kids."

Realizing this wouldn't fly, the math teacher hurriedly suggested.

"Figure it out yourselves. Can't the teacher handle that much? You're a 'teacher' after all."

"What kind of teacher can't handle students?"

"Right, right. Student management is teacher basics."

"……."

The math teacher couldn't say a word amid the kids' laughing banter.

I had something to say too, but held back.

'I'm not a student anymore since I graduated.'

I was a full adult.

Acting on my own, responsible for my actions.

"Math teacher, good work."

The science teacher approached the math teacher, praising him for pulling me in nicely. My homeroom teacher glanced at me, then joined the two between them.

After that, she kept sneaking looks at me.

-Woojin, this is wrong. Just stay put. I'll handle it as your homeroom teacher!

Watching her now reminded me of my first-year homeroom teacher, who had since been chased out.

Not all teachers were like this. At least not at the start of freshman year.

There were those who spoke out against the unfairness, who tried to help me however they could.

"……."

I looked away from the homeroom teacher.

With night watch settled, the kids shouted.

"Alright, time to eat. My stomach's sticking to my back."

"Me too."

"Then, could you all bring some food for dinner?"

A laugh escaped me.

'Wondered why they weren't eating while waiting. That's the reason.'

All the food was still ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the plane.

They'd prioritized headcount and perimeter safety, putting off fetching it, so everyone had waited—starving—until we returned to get it.

Really, it was so ridiculous I barely held back a burst of laughter when a tiny curse slipped out beside me.

"Fuck."

It was the last remaining male flight attendant.

The female ones next to him wore similar expressions, even if they didn't voice it.

'And it's only day one of slave life. Already looking like that. These folks won't last.'

I shook my head.

Before the math teacher could drag me in again, I headed to the water's edge on my own.

The teachers followed my lead, and the flight attendants soon joined in.

'That aside, having Danger Detection makes me feel a bit more at ease.'

I scanned the front while eating.

The light was gone, thick darkness blanketing the world, but regardless, red auras appeared in real-time, reporting threats to me.

With this active, at least I wouldn't drop dead screaming on some roadside.

'The issue is stamina.'

Using it was like light jogging—breathing got heavy, muscles strained.

In novels, they used mana, but here there was no separate mana concept.

'Gotta replenish energy well.'

I looked down at my allocated food.

Meat, rice, fish, noodles... a feast fit for a king. But this spread was only for today.

No way food would last long in this heat.

'Tomorrow, under Kim Jaejun's lead, rations get slashed.'

Of course, that applied only to me, the teachers, and flight attendants.

Them skimping on food?

They'd pretend, but they wouldn't.

'"Can't" is more accurate.'

How could they save when they'd never lived thriftily?

'Even scraping by 20 days on sealed rations, after that it's self-sufficiency.'

They still thought this was Earth.

But I knew.

No rescue no matter how long we waited.

So I had to prepare for what was ahead.

'But how?'

Never stranded in a place like this, I had zero clue how to survive.

I opened the status window, focusing on the part I hadn't checked during the day.

Quests.

Like Danger Detection, there might be something inside to assist me.

Opening it brought up a notification.

'Original world?'

Unexpected info. Complete the quests to the end, return to the original world.

But something even more pressing caught my eye.

I belatedly realized a possibility I'd never considered.

'My privilege was the daily quest. Main quests are separate. Status window too.'

Meaning anyone here—not just me—could open the status window and return to the original world.

'They haven't thought of it yet because they assume it's Earth. But if circumstances change, the kids could activate it anytime like me.'

Realizing that sparked sudden anxiety.

'Calm down.'

My heart pounded.

'Woojin, calm down.'

But I couldn't suppress the excitement.

We were all starting from the same line now.

No parental background—just pure individual skill deciding the winner.

Strictly speaking, it favored me. I had privileges.

But they were players too. Games need worthy rivals.

For tension?

No.

For satisfaction.

To confirm how far ahead of them I was.

'So they don't need to be strong.'

Weak was better.

Average was fine too.

Just be 'players' like me.

When they grow as players, thinking they're hot stuff—that's when I farm them.

Especially since they lived like royalty in the old world.

Competing and crushing them? My heart was already racing uncontrollably.

'It'll take them time to notice the status window.'

Even I didn't until the privilege notification.

So widen the gap in this window. Make it impossible to even dream of catching up.

Then crush them.

Thoroughly.

I checked the quest window.

Not knowing what points were, I just started walking anyway.

Getting them would probably explain their use.

[Daily Quest 1: Travel 10km. (0/10km)]

My pace naturally quickened.

If midnight marked the day change, with the sun already down, time wasn't abundant.

I bit my lip.

'Man, I'm beat. Body feels so heavy.'

Not incomprehensible.

Hours circling the island under blazing sun, plus dumping loads three times down a married stewardess's throat.

Legs were jelly.

"Oh, working hard? This guy's on solid night watch."

Worried about time, I'd taken first watch. Stick in hand, I patrolled the beach.

'No snakes.'

No snakes in sight. Like they'd all gone hunting, not a single one.

[8.412/10km]

'Phew. Almost there. Just a bit left.'

I moved my overheated body, stepping forward.

Sand in shoes was annoying, but ignore it.

If I had energy to take them off and on, better take another step.

Huff. Heave.

Stamina low, I toggled Danger Detection on and off. Useful, but burdensome now.

[9.692/10km]

'Just a little more.'

Exhaustion like iron weights on ankles. Legs screaming from the day's toil.

'Thought I'd built stamina running errands for the kids.'

Surviving in nature was that unforgiving.

Phew. Hands on knees, deep breaths.

'Now the last one.'

Completing this was crossing the starting line.

Kicking off this grand, endless contest.

So I took the final step without hesitation.

Squish.

Shoe sank softly into sand, and fanfare notification popped.

Lead position secured for now.

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