Asumpfre Sunken Ruins (11)
By the way, has the rumor that I taste people's TP spread to the raid members? How far has it already leaked?
Now that our family and my body are strong enough to protect them, there are still things that are good and bad about being known.
When I approached the female raid member who had mentioned tasting TP, the women who had been packing up and chatting froze, startled by my presence, and shot to their feet.
I activated Mana Vision and asked the stiff, short-haired member, “I’d like to hear more details about the story we just discussed. What exactly did Miho tell you?”
“Ah, uh… that.”
I smiled gently at the visibly flustered female ability user. “I’m not interrogating you. I’m just curious, so feel free to speak freely.”
“Y-yes. That… There’s a recovery-type member in Team 7 named Deni. She’s obsessed with cute things, and every time she met Miho she’d bring Danish butter cookies and give one to her. Then, when Miho said the second-best thing she’d ever tasted was the one she gave her, Deni got curious and asked what the first-best thing was. Miho just answered ‘Master’s TP’ and walked away without a second glance.”
From behind me, Franc watched the women with cool eyes, nodding as if she hadn’t heard a word.
“I see. As you know, there’s a difference between things that must remain secret and things that cannot be spoken of at all.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
“Good. Don’t forget that. Now, please continue resting.”
Hmm. That was enough to avoid any major problems… but maybe I poked the beehive after all?
I watched the female raid members, their tension finally easing through Spatial Perception, as they slowly wandered toward my tent. But Franc didn’t follow me. She stayed behind and soon gathered the women into a group, launching into a full lecture.
When I saw Yu Hwayeon and Hwayeon approaching, curious about what was happening, the women’s faces turned deathly pale.
Oh dear. I hadn’t been thinking about anything, but I was about to get a proper scolding. I offered a silent prayer for the poor raid members.
In the afternoon, I lounged in my tent, resting my head on Franc’s soft thighs, playing mischievous pranks on her, and eventually fell asleep.
Franc’s gentle stroking felt like a sleeping pill… I’d experienced something similar before.
Thanks to the insufficient sleep from brushing against the Space Wall, the sun was already setting when I woke.
I rubbed my eyes and stood up, using Spatial Perception to scan the surroundings. The bustle had mostly vanished; the raid members were scattered in small groups, chatting casually or enjoying hobbies.
The tents that had once been piled high with supplies were now all folded and packed into luggage, and the supplies themselves were neatly stacked in the central clearing of the campsite.
“No attacks from aberrants today. It’s strangely quiet.”
“Thanks to Seoha running around so hard.”
“We never cleaned the land side, though.”
I expanded my range and checked the area around the campsite, but there wasn’t a single aberrant or animal in sight.
They must have all fled after yesterday’s rampage in the lake, when I dragged Pisorsaurus back and caused absolute chaos.
When I stepped out of the tent, the campsite was thick with the scent of spicy fish stew.
“Ugh. I hate fishy-smelling spicy stew… Is Cheolsu’s preparation done?”
“Yes. We’ll start it first thing tomorrow morning.”
I looked around for Joo Hyojin and Hwayeon and spotted them cooking in the mess hall, so I walked over.
“You’re awake?”
Joo Hyojin, wearing an apron and cleaning crab legs for flower crab soup, smiled with her eyes as she asked.
“Yeah. What are you doing over there?”
“You can’t eat spicy stew. So I’m making something else for you to eat separately. Taste it and see if the seasoning is right.”
The support staff in charge of meals around us froze like they’d been hit with ice. They glanced back and forth between me and Joo Hyojin, whispering.
“Hey. Does the Master not eat fish?”
“Does he have a fish allergy?”
“Who picked today’s dinner menu?”
“Me… wait, no, there were no special notes or warnings about menu selection!”
Joo Hyojin scooped clear flower crab soup with a ladle and brought it to my lips. I tasted it and said it was delicious. Hwayeon, who had been making crab leg tempura beside me, also lifted one piece and offered it to me.
“Try this too.”
It was crab leg, but the size was enormous, so it felt more like crab leg steak than tempura. The outside was crispy, the inside juicy and perfectly cooked, and the moment I bit down the juices ran down my throat.
I almost burned my throat and gave a thumbs-up. Hwayeon smiled prettily and went back to frying shrimp tempura.
Choi Soohan, who had been helping with the cooking, asked Joo Hyojin with a serious face, “Team Leader, does the Master not eat spicy stew?”
“No. He’s been sensitive to fish smells since he was little. Even two spoonfuls of fish soup would make him vomit.”
Hwayeon, who had been frying the crab legs, nodded.
“There’s research showing that people with excessive sensitivity to certain smells have a highly developed section in their genes that makes them feel the scent intensely.”
“Yeah. Like the people who react badly to the smell of cucumbers.”
Franc, who had been watching the food preparation with Hwayeon and Joo Hyojin, chimed in and asked Hwayeon, “Is the schedule ending today?”
“Yes. We’ll pack up the campsite and leave first thing tomorrow morning.”
Ah. So the Asumpfre Sunken Lake exploration ends with this.
Exploration wasn’t that big a deal after all.
The next morning, we finished the raid a day early and quickly began the withdrawal process.
Our withdrawal preparation started at 6 a.m. and was complete by 7 a.m., when we dismantled all the tents and compressed the spread room. The meal support staff then ate a simple breakfast of soup made from the remaining seafood, and 137 members loaded themselves down with luggage.
Franc, who had almost no physical strength, and I, who needed to create a return point, were left behind.
The raid members, who had done this many times before, finished their tasks quickly, loaded their luggage, and were ready to leave exactly at 8 a.m.
“Team leaders and squad leaders, please double-check your personnel and equipment.”
I held Nuhodi’s Cross Spear in my right hand and the Heaven Spear in my left, scanning the busy campsite. At Hwayeon’s signal, we moved toward the return point I had already marked.
Just like the way in, we cut down trees and carved a 3-meter-wide path as we moved. This time the return point was farther away, but with the new route and familiarity, we traveled much faster.
Abberants tried to approach several times in the middle, but I shot Mana Bullets and erased them instantly. We refueled with calorie supplements and kept moving without rest until we reached the designated return point at 11 a.m.
The return route was said to be made easier by the reserves, but the ability users seemed to handle it no differently.
The return point site was a tiny 3-by-3-meter clearing. When Hwayeon spotted the light beam, she set the luggage down and shouted, “Securing a return point! All physical enhancement users, step forward!”
Three people in a group uprooted entire trees and hurled them deep into the forest. The excavated earth was then compacted solidly by the earth-attribute ability users.
After clearing enough space for 139 people to settle comfortably, we began the headcount.
“Team leaders and squad leaders, begin the personnel and equipment checks. Report from the check-in point onward.”
“Team 1: none.”
“Team 3 confirmed!”
“Support 1 squad: none!”
While the team and squad leaders performed the checks under Hwayeon’s command, Joo Hyojin whispered in my ear, “You’re checking with Spatial Perception to make sure no one is left behind or missing. Why do we need to do a headcount like this?”
“Rules exist to prevent confusion and clearly assign responsibility. Even small groups don’t matter, but as the number of people and the group size grows, following rules prevents chaos.”
Joo Hyojin answered as if it were obvious.
“Team 3: none.”
“Team 5: perfect.”
“Support 2 squad: no missing equipment or personnel.”
“Then we’ll return. Everyone, please settle in.”
Once the headcount was finished, 139 people arranged themselves in a spider-web pattern around the return point. Immediately after, Hwayeon shouted, “Anyone who lags behind during the return should move 6 km in the 7 o’clock direction from here to find the return point. Please use that route!”
Then Hwayeon began counting backward from 10 to 1. It was the same action as the verification squad return, so this must be a fully systematized rule.
When Hwayeon reached zero, a blinding white light erupted and assaulted the retinas.
Whoa. So this is how my first raid in my life ends. Zero casualties and massive gains. As the leader of a large raid team, I suppose I can claim victory.
Just like always, I felt the space shift. I used Spatial Perception to check for any threats around us, then applied a Healing Touch to my eyes in case the glare was still there.
…The glare didn’t go away. Damn thing.
I looked at the 138 people crammed into the roughly 100-pyeong space and checked that everything was properly accounted for. People were resolving their own glare and checking on their neighbors.
“Team and squad leaders, begin the headcount.”
I watched Hwayeon start the checks for numbers and missing items, then used Spatial Perception to locate Miho and Hiarid. They were quietly guarding the empty office building’s stairwell where no one else was present.
Hiarid sat on a sofa without a back, holding the sky staff and closing her eyes. Miho lay face-down on the floor, playing a portable game console with a snack bag open beside her.
All the furniture in the room had been removed, leaving it completely empty.
I walked over to Hwayeon, who was checking for lost or missing items, and said, “I’ll go get Miho and Hiarid.”
“Understood. I’ve called the trailer and bus. They should arrive at the Grand Blue Building parking lot.”
“Okay.”
I waved at Joo Hyojin, who was calling the Grand Blue General Affairs Department, and arrived at the place where Miho and Hiarid were. When I opened the door, Miho with her perked-up fox ears came running into my arms with a big smile.
- Master!
I scooped up the small-bodied Miho and stroked her head. Miho wrapped her arms and legs around me, laughing “Hee hee” and rubbing her face against my chest.
= Welcome back, Master. =
“Yeah. Nothing happened while we were gone?”
= Nothing. Except for that human named Kang Hyunwoo visiting once a day. =
- I protected you hard too! Praise me!
“Yeah, yeah. You protected well. I’ll ask for it again next time.”
- Hee hee!
“By the way, what happened to the game console and snacks?”
I asked when I saw the snacks stacked in boxes. Miho crawled up my back and said,
- Hyeong brought them!
“Did you say thank you and greet her?”
- I said thank you!
Looking at Miho’s beaming face, I let out a small sigh. She still didn’t understand honorifics… She was still a little immature. I had to teach her things before she caused trouble, but since I hadn’t warned her in advance, I’d have to overlook it this time.
Still, I needed to make her realize she’d done something wrong. I made my face stern, lifted Miho off my back, sat her in front of me, and pulled her cheek.
- Aww~?
“Miho. You went around eating snacks and sweets from the people working at the Grand Blue Building, didn’t you?”
- Wuh? Uuh.
Miho’s tail drooped when she saw my stern expression, and her ears flattened as she peeked at my face.
“You also told them about me, didn’t you?”
- I did. But you can’t tell, right?
“Not just about me, but about you, Hiarid, Franc, Hwayeon, and Yeongeun. Everything must stay secret. People don’t need to know about us.”
- Uuh.
Once she realized she was wrong, her tail stopped wagging and her ears were pressed flat against her head. I pulled her cheek while she hung her head and fiddled with her fingers.
- Hng.
“How much did you tell them?”
- I only said that Master’s TP is the best… Am I getting scolded?
“I won’t scold you this time. I didn’t tell you not to. But from now on, you’ll get a proper scolding. So if anyone asks about us, don’t say anything. Understand?”
- Yes!
Miho answered vigorously, and I hugged her tightly. Her fox ears perked up and her six tails began swaying happily.
I carried Miho and brought Hiarid out, then placed five layers of Space Walls inside the office building before stepping out into the parking lot. Large buses and trucks with the Grand Blue logo were waiting.
I watched citizens from the Grand Blue raid team’s large bus, which was driving on the road, look at us with envy.
Just a year ago, I was in the same position as them…
When we arrived at the underground parking lot on the third basement floor of the Grand Blue Building, many people were already waiting for us.
From the large bus, we descended and walked toward the stage where the deputy heads—Hyeong Lee, Park Jiwoong Boss, Kim Pyochung Deputy Head, and Ha Yucheol Deputy Head—rushed over and poured out their words.
“Congratulations, Master! You excavated four artifacts and a historical relic?!”
“We congratulate you on the great success of the schedule, Master.”
“Hoo, look at how much supplies we have. It was the amount we saw during the 14-day large-scale extermination schedule at Time River. This is enough for two days! It really seems like Master is the best, doesn’t it, Deputy Head Ha Yucheol?”
“Heh heh. Though it’s become a cliché, it’s true that Master is amazing.”
I blinked a few times, then smiled and opened my mouth.
“If anyone hears this, they’ll think I did everything alone.”
“The mobilized raid members only helped with corpse transport, supply dismantling, and ruin exploration. You did everything yourself.”
I shrugged at Hyeong Lee’s flushed expression. Ha Yucheol smiled happily and said, “The first departure of Grand Blue is being reported as a great success to the press. News articles are already being posted online as breaking news, and tomorrow’s morning newspaper’s economic section front page will be about Grand Blue.”
“The PR department is working hard. It’s worth the effort.”
“We must also not fall behind Master’s passion.”
The deputy heads nodded at Ha Yucheol’s words. Hwayeon, who had been watching the staff carrying supplies to the Business Support 2 Building, came over and patted my shoulder.
“Seoha. It’s time to declare the raid complete.”
“Ah, yeah.”
I suppose I have to say it. I don’t need to put on a big show like at the start, though.
I stepped onto the stage and spoke with Mana Voice, addressing the hundreds of people watching us, “Our Grand Blue deputy heads’ passionate reactions suggest the first departure was a great success.”
The deputy heads looked awkward, and laughter broke out from various spots in the parking lot. At that moment, Nuhodi’s Cross Spear, which she inhabited, began to hum and cry on its own.
This seemed to require special management, so I had been holding it. When the staff and other raid members from other teams saw the spear crying by itself, their eyes widened and the place suddenly became noisy.
According to Hwayeon, ego weapons are at least Unique rank.
It wasn’t a fantasy novel weapon with overpowered options, but something that made sounds or rattled like a cross spear, providing slight assistance when its owner used abilities. Even that level of utility was immeasurable.
When pushing a child on a swing from behind, the difference in force applied was obvious depending on whether the child swung their legs. When a weapon assisted during ability use, it was definitely more comfortable.
“[This time, while we conquered the Asumpfre Sunken Ruins that everyone had been avoiding, we obtained four artifacts and one historical relic. This cross spear is one of them.]”
I lifted the cross spear lightly, slammed it onto the stage with a clang, and continued, “[Not only that. The location of the sunken ruins was a place of various shocks. And the Phase World has many such shocking secrets and unknown world secrets. So let us all unite to find and explore them, and turn Grand Blue into the world’s greatest raid team. Four days of raid, you worked hard.]”
I wrapped up with a simple remark and stepped down from the stage. The people clapped and cheered, repeatedly calling my name and Grand Blue’s name.
We moved to the 19th-floor conference room with the executives. Hyeong Lee had prepared an anti-field egg to prevent eavesdropping.
When everyone sat down, Hwayeon placed Nuhodi’s spear and the metal plate on the conference table and began explaining, “I briefly explained earlier, but the area where the Asumpfre Sunken Ruins exists has been confirmed to be a region similar to the Great Lakes, spanning the border between the United States and Canada, as checked from high altitude by Master.”
“Master, please show the photos.”
At Hwayeon’s request, I activated my authenticator and projected the photos of the five lakes from the Phase World taken from the sky in the center of the conference room. Everyone stared with surprised expressions and whispered to their neighbors.
“This screen is the five lakes of the Phase World that Master photographed. And these are the current five lakes of the United States: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.”
Hwayeon placed the map of the five lakes from the world map she had brought next to the hologram window I had projected. When viewed from a distance, the real five lakes and the Phase World’s five lakes matched at a 90% similarity rate.
“There are slight differences, but compared to the size, they’re basically the same. Then…”
Kim Pyochung Deputy Head opened his mouth with an incredibly serious face. Hyeong Lee responded carefully, “We believe a major breakthrough in terrain confirmation of the Phase World, which has been difficult to locate until now, will be made.”
“Until now, there was no evidence to support the claim that the Phase World is another version of reality with a different time axis, but if this becomes known, it will strengthen the claim of same-time, same-location.”
“Master’s role in discovering the decisive variable for the academic community’s mainstream claim is significant. If we announce this through the Phase World Academy, our Grand Blue’s status will rise even higher alongside Master.”
The executives were deeply engaged in serious discussion, but my interest was elsewhere and I didn’t catch most of it.
Still, I clearly registered the part about Grand Blue becoming famous.
Hwayeon reached out to the metal plate in front of me and activated her Phase Power manipulation technique, touching the plate.
“This is a sound-recording metal plate engraved with a magic circle discovered in the Asumpfre Sunken Ruins. It is also a relic that allows the speculation that a social creature similar to a high-level primate, not an aberrant, existed in the Phase World and still exists.”
Soon black mist flowed out and condensed into a human shape, and a monologue about the approximate content of how the city of Dalbu was destroyed began to flow. But it was spoken in a language I couldn’t identify as Phase World, so it sounded completely different.
Still, the deputy-level executives’ eyes shone brightly.
“If this monologue and content fall into the hands of linguists, it will accelerate the interpretation of Phase World language.”
“Indeed. This will receive the most attention this year and next.”
“Hahaha. Really, if it weren’t for Master, I would never have believed that this was only a two-day achievement.”
The executives, who had heard about the four-day—more precisely two-day—achievements, couldn’t hide their surprised expressions and kept praising me with great enthusiasm.
I didn’t like flattery, but since it was pure praise for this achievement, I enjoyed their words without reservation.
The meeting continued in the warm atmosphere.
The wardrobe with restoration functions would not be sold but used for repairing items and equipment that needed restoration.
It was, of course, natural. Once it was confirmed that it could return items to perfect condition, it could be used strategically as well as for simple repairs.
For example, suppose a member of the royal family of the UAE, the richest country in the world, had a precious item damaged. If we considered what we could receive in exchange for fixing it, selling the restoration wardrobe would be foolish.
The historical relic containing the monologue would be sold at a public auction after the content was announced. The curved sword and full set of chain mail would be purchased through internal raid team members after accurate option checks.
The issue was the disposal of the cross spear. Everyone who heard the spear’s origin had an ambiguous expression—whether it was concern about the dangerous weapon, admiration for how I had forced it to submit, or sheer disbelief.
But when several people gathered their heads and discussed it, a proposal that could be accepted emerged.
“The part that could cause problems is if the ego inhabiting the cross spear has a different emotional connection with modern humans. Since the research institute is being promoted with Master’s personal funds, it should be sealed until the research institute is completed and research on the cross spear progresses, or kept with Master.”
“Placing it in Master’s personal living space could cause stability issues. It would be better to install special barriers in a special confidential vault and store it there.”
“Good. The cross spear will be stored in the special confidential vault.”
“The rest is the disposal of supplies and gems and precious metals excavated from the sunken ruins. We will handle this part in the same way as always.”