Chapter 45

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 45

Chapter Title: The Healer's Limit

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Up until now, there was no reason for Yejin's level to go up, so the only conclusion was that she'd gained experience points from treating the other Awakener today.

That was the only thing she'd done, after all.

She hadn't taken down any zombies or accomplished anything special. Aside from heading out and doing some free shopping at the department store, nothing else had happened.

So it had to be from using Healing Touch just now to treat the injured Haedong Faction guys. That was how she'd racked up the experience.

Which meant... that half-formed idea I'd toyed with before could actually work?

Catch some worthless guy who's no use alive, deliberately injure him, have Yejin heal the wound to gain experience, then reopen it once it heals and repeat the cycle with her skill.

If we looped that infinitely, wouldn't she level up even faster than me?

I was lost in that delightful fantasy when I felt Yejin tugging harder on my sleeve. I turned to look, and her expression wasn't good.

"What? What's wrong with you?"

"O-Oppa... suddenly, my strength..."

With those words, she slumped forward like a ragdoll losing its stuffing. I shot out a hand and caught her just in time.

I quickly checked her face. Her eyes were closed—passed out, maybe?—but she was still breathing steadily, so at least she wasn't dead.

What the hell? She drops like that out of nowhere and scares the shit out of me. No clue why she'd faint.

There had to be a reason, since she'd shown no signs of pain right up until then.

Thinking back on our time together, I couldn't recall any situation where she might've caught some illness. Malnutrition? No way—that wasn't possible for Yejin, who I'd stocked up plenty of food for and who ate her fill freely.

That left just one possibility.

Yejin had never used Healing Touch so many times in such a short span before. Today she'd spammed it nonstop, so she'd probably hit her limit.

Which meant infinite healing for experience farming was off the table.

"Is she okay? She just collapsed out of nowhere."

The Haedong Faction guys crowded around, alarmed now that she'd fainted after patching them up. It'd be weirder if they didn't worry.

"First time I've seen her like this, but she'll probably be fine. Got a room where she can rest? Somewhere to lay her down."

"Yeah, we do. Hey, guys! Take her to the room with the women!"

The women?

Oh, right—the ones we'd brought back after cleaning up the Chilsung Faction?

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen them around. Guess they'd been stashed somewhere else.

I followed the guy leading me to a room I'd never seen before. Inside, the three women I'd rescued were resting.

They looked normal now, nothing like the sex slaves I'd imagined from their time with Chilsung. No signs of that treatment here.

I'd figured they'd be whoring it out to survive with gangsters like these. Unexpected.

They stared at me in surprise as I carried Yejin in. Ignoring the looks, I headed straight for an empty bed to lay her down.

"Uh, um..."

"Move. She needs rest."

The woman stepped aside quick. I gently set Yejin down there. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Guess I'd wait till she came to.

Curious why overusing skills made her collapse, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pulled up my status window to poke around. That's when the description for Mental Power caught my eye.

I'd skimmed over the Magic Power mention before, but this had to be it.

Skills consume Magic Power, and there's a fixed amount you can hold. Push past that limit, and you end up like Yejin—passed out cold.

High chance that's the culprit. Nothing else fits naturally.

So she can only use it about 13 times max?

There goes the plan to treat patients all day and rake in coins.

I'd have to look into ways to boost Yejin's Mental Power later. Treating folks for coins like today was pure gold—people line up, hand over the cash, no heavy lifting required.

Sucks that it can't go on forever, though.

Still, it's not impossible. Just cap her at around 10 uses a day, no forcing it.

What's interesting is how the system's "Magic Power" is totally different from my Demonic Energy. In that other world, mages used mana for spells, not "Magic Power."

Demonic Energy is a type of mana, so yeah, Magic Power's a separate concept. Clear as day.

Probably the force Awakeners need to activate skills. Since it didn't exist in the original world, maybe the system grants it directly.

I checked my own Technician and Base Manager skills—did they use Magic Power? Nope, no mention in their descriptions, so probably not.

Another system-granted power, huh. Might need to dig deeper into Magic Power.

"Um..."

I was waiting for Yejin to wake when one of the women spoke up. It was the one who'd acted like the leader among the rescued group.

"My name's Park Mijeong. I didn't get to properly thank you last time, so I figured now's the moment. Thank you so much for saving us and bringing us here."

"Th-thank you!"

Park Mijeong bowed deeply in gratitude, and the other two followed suit, shouting their thanks.

"You should be thankful. Living here okay?"

"Yes. Everyone here's been really good to us—no issues since we arrived."

"Huh. Figured you'd be trading bodies for a place to stay. Not the case?"

She shook her head at my words.

"Can't say it's entirely not, but they don't treat us like subhuman the way Chilsung did. We're pulling our weight with food prep and cleaning, one person's share."

I'd assumed gang sex slaves across the board. Guess not. Doesn't really matter to me anyway.

"Whatever the case, we owe our current lives to you. Truly grateful."

Park Mijeong and the others bowed again in thanks.

"U-um..."

That's when I heard Yejin's voice. I turned—Yejin was stirring on the bed.

Seemed like she was coming around. I went over and lightly poked her cheek. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly.

"Oppa?"

"Yeah, it's me. Feeling better?"

"Wh-what happened to me..."

I recapped the collapse while she sat up. She nodded, getting it.

"Ah... around the last guy, my head started hurting bad. Wondered why, but it's 'cause overusing skills drains Magic Power."

"Tell me if that happens. Don't push yourself just to look good for me."

She'd probably forced it, scared I'd ditch her if she couldn't heal everyone.

"Right now, keeping you safe matters more."

I've invested too much in you.

"That sounds nice, in a sneaky way."

She smiled up at me. With her awake, time to head out. I told Kang Jin our place, in case they had more injured to treat anytime.

On the way back after parting with the grateful Kang Jin, we hit K Mart for supplies. Thanks to expanding my Subspace plenty, I grabbed a ton of stuff we skipped last time.

Previous run was food-focused, maxed out. Subspace really is cheat-tier.

Stocked up max on jerry cans for diesel, dropped Yejin home to rest, then headed out solo. Plan: fill 'em at gas stations, run generators full blast.

Yejin insisted she was fine despite my orders to chill, so I had her move a generator I'd prepped to the officetel first floor, fire it up for power. It's loud and might draw zombies, but I'd cleared the area yesterday—safe enough. Barricades would hold even if any showed.

Hopping gas stations, collecting diesel, I snagged some overlooked zombies for nice coin and Demonic Energy hauls. Then checked status.

Department store zombie massacre bumped my level, and coins are stacking again. Time to pump my skills.

Leveled Yejin's to 6 yesterday—mine deserve the same love.

Start with Base Reinforcement. Got 2,416 coins, so push to 8.

Last upgrade added power storage—now water too?

600 coins gone, zero regrets.

Wonder what the next one does?

Dumped 700 more coins right away.

Base Manager is OP as hell. Worth every coin.