Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Martin's Disappearance (2)
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I shook my head as I looked at the genius scientist who didn't seem to have a single coherent thought in his head.
Then I texted my master. While I was at it, I asked about today's schedule too.
It was almost 9 a.m. Usually, he'd start grinding me from 8, so what was with the unusual silence today?
As I waited for a reply, the scientists approached me where I stood blankly.
They grabbed the hem of my clothes as I greeted them.
"Hilde."
The scientists looked at me seriously and said,
"Martin has a bounty on his head."
"The phrasing is a bit off, isn't it?"
I understood what they meant, but the nuance felt weird.
But the scientists were dead serious. They grabbed my arm and dragged me inside the lab.
"It's the quest with the highest reward right now."
"Quest?"
What the hell is a quest?
No, I knew what a quest was, obviously. But why was it coming up here? I looked at the scientists with puzzled eyes. Then shock flashed across the faces of the ones surrounding me.
Their mouths dropped open, and they spoke at once.
"No way, Yoon didn't tell you?"
"You didn't get the quest briefing?"
"He didn't explain it, huh."
This was the first I'd heard of it.
I nodded blankly, and the scientists eagerly tugged at my arm.
I docilely followed where they led me.
When I hung out with Yoon and the seniors, the difference in strength was stark compared to these guys. They were clearly pulling with all their might, but it felt so light to me.
Gotta be careful with my strength control.
They took me to a round plaza-like area filled with holograms floating everywhere.
Hologram windows hovered in the air. Following the scientists' instructions, I stepped onto one of the glowing circles on the floor. Suddenly, the space around me was covered in hologram windows.
[Quest: 50 Blue-Glowing Ink Mushrooms]
[Reward: 500,000 won]
[Quest: 35 Mad Buffalo Horns (A-grade condition)]
[Reward: 750,000 won]
[Quest: 5 Reverse God Hosts (live capture)]
[Reward: 1,000,000 won]
[Quest: Osiris Basilisk's freshly excreted waste]
[Reward: 3,500,000 won]
What the hell is this?
It was just like quests in a game. Except the rewards were very real. I swiped the windows aside one by one, reading through all of them.
Most were in the hundreds of thousands of won, with some reaching millions. They seemed like missions individuals could handle. Some windows showed the handler's name and progress.
I read the ones with familiar names in detail.
[Choi Ami: 20 Red Inkfire Butterfly Wings: 40% complete]
[Kal Doo: 10 Blue Land Whale Fins: 80% complete]
[Giacomo Ro: 5 Sea Horn Rabbit Tails: 20% complete]
[Lee Ho-chang: 100 Ticks on Bomb Rats' Backs: 95% complete]
"These are personal missions, right?"
"Right. You can pick whichever you want."
They swiped through hologram windows, giving a quick rundown. Outside the Core, Badgers were the only ones who could go out, and scientists needed samples for research. So this system was made for that.
Think of it like mini-quests in a game. Rewards came from the scientists' research budgets.
They said Badgers like Ami, Kal, and Barbie reliably did quests. But plenty of Badgers never touched quests, or botched them badly.
I chuckled hearing Giacomo Ro never brought back intact samples.
Yeah, that tracks.
"Kal's basically the scientists' VVIP. The condition of his samples is insane."
"Ami's great at flight-type creatures. No other Badger gets flight-type samples like her, so the flight creature researchers are all praying for Ami."
"Ro's... well, doesn't seem like he meant to do the quest. A scientist working on something saw what he had and lost it, begging for it."
"That guy's probably forgotten it's even listed as a quest."
"As you might've guessed, Yoon doesn't do quests. He's busy enough with his own research."
"You should start too, Hilde."
The white-coated ones earnestly persuaded me.
"I'll pay you in cash upfront."
"That's a given. I'll even advance you pay whenever you want."
"My samples are plants, so no risk of getting attacked."
They're all so passionate.
The scientists cheered when I said I'd pick one if Yoon approved. I looked at them surrounding me in awkward embarrassment as they whooped.
They like this that much?
"Please find Martin too."
One scientist who'd sobbed at Martin's empty spot during the emergency muster pointed at a hologram window.
"You see the reward?"
No way I could miss it.
It was an insane amount you couldn't ignore. I nodded and turned to the hologram window glowing bright red.
The window boasting massive presence said this:
[Quest: Martin Main Body]
[Reward: 30,000,000 won]
The lab folks were dead serious about Martin.
I stared blankly at it and shook my head without thinking.
At the same time, my pocket phone vibrated. I pulled it out and read Yoon's reply.
[Yoon: Can't stop him, so just let it be.]
[Yoon: You're on leave till tomorrow anyway. You stayed out of the Core for two days. But do an hour and a half workout. Then go here and get a suit fitted.]
[M Tailor Shop – GPS location]
[Yoon: Can't step away because of Ye-hyeon, so handle your workouts for two days on your own.]
Hallelujah.
It sucked that the Commander's condition hadn't improved, but the unexpected free time was pure joy.
I replied, unable to contain my rising grin.
[Got it. Will do. Oh, and any idea how big Martin is?]
[Yoon: Human head size]
Clear and precise. Nice.
I looked up and closely examined the heads of the scientists nearby.
Just as they were about to reasonably ask, 'Why are you staring at our heads so intently?', I said to just look at John's and slipped out of the lab.
***
I spent two happy days.
I followed my master's orders to the letter. Did the required workout, got a suit fitted at the ridiculously expensive shop.
The suit's price was way beyond my salary, but the tailor shop said something meaningful like 'It's already paid for' and wouldn't take my money. No clue if it was Yoon or Ye-hyeon who paid.
Gotta ask master properly later.
After finishing up, I roamed HQ looking for Martin, then went back to my quarters and played games. I cleared them one by one, starting with the short playtime ones.
Having a pile of games to beat made me happy. Would be great if I could hole up playing forever.
Like back then....
Like back then?
A buried memory tried to surface, then sank back.
Frustrated, I clicked my tongue and focused on the game.
That's how I killed time until 8 p.m. on the last day of leave, when the streetlights came on. Only then did I step out of quarters.
"You probably haven't clocked out."
Carrying a paper bag, I headed to the hospital building. Wanted to say hi to Samuel. No other Badger ends up hospitalized every time they come back from a mission like me.
Hope the pound cake I got from the department store yesterday suits his taste.
Thinking that, I headed to the hospital building and heard Samuel was in Ye-hyeon's private room.
Still not discharged, huh?
That explains no contact from master. Nodding in understanding, I turned toward the ward where Ye-hyeon was staying.
I retraced my steps to the hallway with Ye-hyeon's room.
And in the fancy private room hallway, I spotted a scientist holding a parcel the size of a human head.
"Huh."
I found a man fidgeting in front of Ye-hyeon's private room.
I glanced at the parcel he held and blurted out,
"Human head."
"Eek!"
The guy holding the parcel freaked out.
"No, it's not!"
"What's not?"
I hadn't even said anything.
I made the most harmless face possible, but the scientist's face turned ashen in an instant. Keeping my eyes fixed on the suspicious parcel that looked shady even with eyes closed, I cautiously sized him up.
One step closer and he'd bolt?
Maybe persuade him verbally, carefully?
"You here to visit?"
I gently asked the scientist clutching the parcel tight.
"Me too. Wanna go in together?"
No answer.
The scientist trembled, eyes darting everywhere. I patiently waited for another reaction. Chase if he runs, persuade if he talks.
A long while later, the scientist replied.
"Ah. No...."
"No?"
Then what are you doing here?
"So what's the deal here?"
Now the guy was sweating bullets.
His face looked ready to faint any second. Pitiful.
In this state, he couldn't even run properly. If he turned and bolted without his legs giving out, it'd be praiseworthy.
I spoke to the trembling man again.
"If you want me to pass something on for you, I can."
"Huh?"
"That thing you're holding."
I raised my free hand—the one not holding the pound cake—and pointed at the parcel.
"That. Want me to deliver it for you?"
Silence.
The scientist stood stock-still, staring at me without a twitch. I closely observed his changing expression.
Oh. If I just wait this calmly, I might actually get Martin back.
The man's face shifted moment by moment. From fear, to hesitation, to resignation.
And from resignation,
to resolve....
Clunk.
The moment the scientist bit his lip and steeled himself, the room door swung open.
Yoon's neat face appeared in the doorway.
"Hey."
My master's signature low, cold voice echoed down the hall.
"Why you standing in the hall mumbling to yourself instead of coming in?"
"Eeeeeek!"
The scientist's piercing shriek resonated through the corridor.
"Save me!"
Screaming right in Yoon's ear, the scientist bolted down the white hallway.
Adrenaline surging, he didn't trip and vanished fast.
Master stared at his retreating back like it was the most ridiculous thing ever. I tossed the pound cake bag in the hall and dashed to my master's side at the threshold.
"I'll catch him!"
"Huh."
Yoon replied calmly.
"Lose him and it's 100 laps on the track."
Why's the heat coming my way?
No time to argue, of course. I gritted my teeth and chased the Martin thief for dear life.