Chapter 145
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Shop Updates and Dungeon Escalation
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After engraving the magic circles and womb tattoo on Seoyoon's body, I sent her back to her room. With nothing else to do, I turned in for the night.
The next day, I woke up filled with anticipation.
Today was the day for the big announcement.
I wondered what fun new feature they'd roll out this time.
Honestly, with the electricity and water supply cut off starting this week, plenty of people must be thrown into chaos. I was hoping for some related updates.
On top of that, the zombie wave kicks off again next week, so maybe something good for us Awakeners.
For those surviving this zombie apocalypse, the zombie wave has to be as big a crisis as losing power and water.
From an ordinary person's perspective, just scraping by day-to-day is tough enough—they might have forgotten about it. But stack on a zombie wave, and survival gets seriously dicey.
Not that it matters to me.
I've prepped thoroughly to handle every crisis the system throws our way.
Power and water? Covered. Even if the zombie wave restarts, staying inside the base guarantees absolute safety.
The barricades even held off the Takers last time without a scratch, and they're even stronger now. Unless the system decides to screw me over with some insane mutant or named zombies, nothing's breaking through.
The only lingering issue is food, which isn't fully solved yet. That's a minor bummer.
But with Miyoung's Fertile Touch powered up, veggies will keep coming in over time. We can build up gradually.
We're not hurting for months anyway.
Just need to keep the population from ballooning.
The real worry is the folks outside. How are they gonna tough out the new zombie wave?
I figured the announcement might add helpful shop items like the generators and small purifiers sold before the cutoff. And boom—spot on.
Awakeners, prepare for the Zombie Wave.
Considering the current level of Awakeners, items to help prepare for the Zombie Wave will be permanently added to the shop.
Quantities for these new items are limited, but they will restock weekly.
New Shop Items:
• Generator
• Small Purification Device
• Food
• Weapons
Existing shop items will not restock. Note that the item list will reset next week.
That's a solid update.
This'll force everyone else to rely even more on the shop.
Just like last time, I can control the shop and rake in the benefits.
Seeing the system bend over backward like this? Looks like the other Awakeners aren't growing as fast as expected.
Way slower than the system's projected pace.
So it's sticking to the schedule but propping us up because we're lagging. Classic patch behavior.
I can't even gauge how weak they really are.
Thinking back to the other Awakeners I've met... not many seemed like they'd survive any scenario.
Or maybe that's just because I'm overpowered.
The system probably figures pushing the zombie wave would wipe everyone out.
That says a lot about how behind the others are. Why so slow?
Hunt zombies daily, level up, earn coins, upgrade skills, snag good traits to get stronger...
Repeat, right?
It's been barely a month since the zombie apocalypse hit. Are there still tons of people just hiding from zombies?
You know, holing up until food runs out, sneaking out to scavenge while dodging zombies, then hiding again. Rinse and repeat.
That might've worked while power and water were flowing.
Hoards of food, no need to go out—sure, it'd get stuffy, but survival's easy.
Stay quiet, never leave, avoid zombies, and you're golden. Plenty probably held out hoping someone else ends the apocalypse.
But now power and water are cut. That lifestyle's toast.
No fridge for stored food, no endless water for drinking or washing. Gotta venture out eventually.
Problem is, zombie numbers have swelled since day one, and mutants lurk among them.
Laggards are in an even tougher spot now.
That's on them, though—not my problem.
While others were out hunting, they hid to save their skins. Now they pay the price.
Own your choices.
Anyway, got it: new shop items to prep for next week's zombie wave. Anything else?
Current max dungeon difficulty is set to 4, but it will rise to 6 once the Zombie Wave begins.
Some dungeons will increase immediately, while others will ramp up gradually over time.
Higher difficulty dungeons offer greater clear rewards.
What? Dungeon difficulties going up?
That's huge news for me.
The level 4 dungeon I cleared before was a cakewalk for my stats.
But others struggle with level 3.
And now levels go higher?
Basically handing me the monopoly.
I can't hit every dungeon nationwide, but every one I can reach? Clearing for rewards.
How juicy will level 5 and 6 be?
Level 4 spat out Skill Theft—what a gem.
Higher levels mean better loot. Definitely hyped.
Probably scaling dungeons with our overall growth.
Gotta scout for ramped-up dungeons nearby ASAP.
I'll have Sohee and Ha Dongseok check the closer ones. I'll head farther out.
No other Awakener can clear them anyway, so no rush... but I want those first-clear rewards now.
That was the whole announcement.
Next week with the wave, bet more fun stuff drops.
Sohee and Ha Dongseok can handle local dungeon scouting. Time to check on Seoyoon?
First time engraving magic on someone—better verify nothing's wrong.
Should be fine, but you never know.
I climbed the stairs, knocked lightly on Seoyoon's door.
"Hey, you asleep?"
No answer after knocking and calling.
Maybe still sleeping—come back later? Then I heard movement inside.
"Ugh..."
A pained groan.
Worried, I flung the door open. There she was, collapsed on the floor.
"What happened?"
I scooped her up, laid her on the bed, and pressed. She barely cracked her eyes.
"M-Master?"
"Why were you on the floor? You hurt?"
She shook her head.
"Not hurt."
"Then what?"
She pointed below her navel.
"The magic circle and tattoo you engraved yesterday. I got curious what happens if I channel demonic energy into the tattoo, so I tried. Body got super hot, then blacked out."
"The womb tattoo?"
"Yeah. Curiosity got me—didn't expect this."
Recalling the tattoo I'd drawn.
Unlike the magic circles, it was just a plain design—zero magic ties.
No way demonic energy triggers anything.
But her story says otherwise. Something reacted.
What the hell?
By all my knowledge, nothing should happen.
After pondering silently, one conclusion hit.
"Maybe it's a pattern I don't recognize. Could've triggered some unknown magic."
First time seeing this spell, maybe.