Chapter 83: Bug (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 83: Bug (1)
“You've done exceptionally well, Section Chief Shin. I heard you were the first to step up and try to stop the auction?”
“It wasn't me who stopped it. It was Saram123.”
“Haha, even so, the very fact that you acted as you did has raised our national prestige to another level. I’m truly proud.”
In the aftermath of the Mask Auction, the public’s adoration was focused on Saram123, but Shin Su-jin had also found herself in the spotlight.
Among the auction invitees, she had been the first to step forward, removing her mask without hesitation in an attempt to halt the bidding. Her efforts to prevent the deaths of countless innocent people were seen as admirable and worthy of respect. The praise was relentless.
It wasn't that Shin Su-jin disliked the compliments, but they were becoming a hassle.
Even before this, she was already a celebrity in Korea. As the national record holder for the highest Normal Difficulty clear, combined with her striking looks, the media was never going to leave her alone.
Climbers belonging to the South Korea Climbing Agency were granted special privileges, allowing them to engage in a certain amount of for-profit activity even as public officials. It was the government's desperate attempt to attract high-ranking Climbers who would otherwise never consider working for the state.
As a result, she was constantly bombarded with offers for television appearances and advertisements. After word of her actions at the Mask Auction spread, she had received five such offers today alone. Turning them down one by one was exhausting.
And the pressure wasn't just coming from the outside.
“By the way, Section Chief Shin... I heard you spoke directly with Saram123?” the Bureau Chief asked in a probing tone.
“I merely expressed my gratitude for him stopping the auction,” Shin Su-jin replied. “We didn't discuss anything else of note.”
“Ahem, still... could you tell me anything, even if it seems trivial? Ah, and were you able to confirm if Saram123 is definitely Korean?”
Shin Su-jin sighed internally.
Ever since it became an established fact that Saram123 was Korean, the government had been conducting a secret investigation. From the snippets she’d heard from the Bureau Chief, she had a rough idea of how intense the search had become.
His existence was a matter of national importance; the government was desperate to grasp even the smallest shred of information.
But even though Shin Su-jin worked for the state, she had no intention of betraying what she knew. It wasn't that she knew his true identity or held some world-shattering secret, but she wouldn't breathe a word about him regardless.
She had promised Saram123 she would keep his secret, and that was her priority. It was a promise made to the man who was her savior, both in her public life and her private one.
Shin Su-jin gave a vague, non-committal answer and excused herself from the office.
Before heading to the 5th Floor to return to work, she stopped by the break room for a caffeine boost. As she sipped her coffee, her mind drifted back to the Mask Auction.
If it hadn't been for him, that auction would have ended in a horrific massacre.
When Number 41’s incitement had sent the crowd into a bidding frenzy, plunging the hall into chaos, she had been paralyzed. She had been lost in a total panic.
Just when she thought the situation was irreversible, Saram123 had found a way. He had executed Number 41 without a shred of hesitation and resolved the crisis perfectly.
He was truly incredible. Was that the kind of strength required to clear the Nightmare Difficulty?
She’d had a chance to speak with him at the banquet afterward, but they hadn't been able to have a proper conversation. It was a lingering regret.
She had wanted to thank him directly for everything—for the incident with Seo Dong-woo and for the Fallen at the Seoul Arts Center—but with so many ears listening, she couldn't bring up such personal matters.
Besides, when she actually stood before him, she had been uncharacteristically nervous. While Vice-Captain Justin had chattered away excitedly, Shin Su-jin had mostly just stood there and listened. She should have said more.
“Haaa...”
Did he think I was boring?
She wasn't usually like that. She could only hope for another chance to make a better impression.
*
After the Mask Auction ended, I took a single day of rest before getting back to work.
Specifically, hunting in Zone 4.
[Zone 4 (89.5%)]
I decided to put off the 6th Floor Hidden and focus on killing the Zone 4 boss first. The gauge was almost full anyway. It made more sense to challenge the Hidden after securing the Zone 4 boss rewards.
The boss didn't have a limit on attempts, but the Hidden was restricted to only three tries. Logically, I needed every advantage I could get.
The only downside was that it would delay my information post regarding the 6th Floor.
[Saram123: I will post the 6th Floor information after I have cleared the Zone 4 boss.]
I announced my decision on the Communication Window in advance. I could have posted what I knew right now, but entering the 6th Floor would use up one of my Hidden attempts. It was better to finish the boss, clear the Hidden, and then post a comprehensive guide.
Chwaaak!
I lopped off a Yeti's head with the Sword of Light. The creature’s massive body teetered for a moment before collapsing into the snow.
I pushed through the blizzard, searching for my next target. To build proficiency with my new skill, I was currently hunting the monsters of Zone 4 primarily with the Sword of Light.
With my Physical-Type ability now at level 80, combined with the cutting power of the Sword of Light—which was essentially a lightsaber—the level 40 monsters stood no chance. Every time I swung, they were sliced apart like pudding.
Buuuung!
I spotted a Giant Wasp hovering overhead and hurled the Sword of Light. The spinning blade whistled through the air, neatly severing the wasp's abdomen. As the bisected insect fell, I stretched out my hand.
The Sword of Light flew back to me like a boomerang. I caught the hilt with a satisfying smack. It wasn't in the skill description, but it had a return function. Not a bad hidden feature.
Wandering further, I found a pack of White Wolves. They moved in large groups, and I could see a massive cluster of them in the distance.
I threw the Sword of Light into the center of the pack.
“Explode.”
Kwaaaaang!
A brilliant flash of light erupted, engulfing the wolves. The Sword of Light's explosive power was a notch stronger than even a buffed Flame Strike. It was a Rare+ grade skill that consumed significantly more Willpower and had a long cooldown, so the output was expected.
Regardless, I was more than satisfied.
I continued the grind. At this rate, filling the remaining 10% of the gauge would take two months at most.
It was time to finish Zone 4.
*
Whenever Saram123 cleared a new floor, the world waited for one thing: the information post.
This time, attention had been diverted by the Mask Auction, but the curiosity regarding the Nightmare 6th Floor remained high.
However, Saram123’s recent post changed the timeline.
[Saram123: I will post the 6th Floor information after I have cleared the Zone 4 boss.]
The Zone 4 gauge was nearly full. The realization that Saram123 was about to challenge the Zone 4 boss sparked a wave of both support and anxiety across the Communication Window.
Meanwhile, the Security Force was also hunting hard in Zone 4. The monsters here were far stronger and more cunning than those in Zone 3. Only the most elite Climbers could survive here.
“Ice Wasp! Watch out!” Captain Alex shouted, alerting his squad.
The Ice Wasp was a flying monster with potent venom, making it one of the deadliest threats in the zone.
Taylor stepped up.
Chwaaak!
She used Flash Step to dodge the venomous stinger, then swung her sword. Wreathed in Strong Qi, her blade severed the wasp's weak point—its abdomen—in a single motion.
The squad members let out cries of admiration. Alex, watching from the side, nodded to himself.
A Nightmare Clearer really is on another level.
Taylor, who had recently cleared the Nightmare 4th Floor and entered the 5th, had been joining the Security Force's hunts. Including Alex and Taylor, a handful of the Security Force's elite were focused solely on Zone 4.
Their purpose was simple: help Saram123. They wanted to fill the gauge even a second faster to save the precious time of humanity's savior.
Taylor had been the one to volunteer. As a precious Nightmare Clearer, the US government had poured immense resources into her; they weren't thrilled about her hunting in the dangerous Zone 4. But Taylor had insisted, and watching her now, Alex realized there wasn't much to worry about.
She had the stats of a level 40 Climber, but her combat sense and skill utilization were exceptional. Alex honestly believed that at the same level, she was a better fighter than he was.
The team continued their sweep, searching for more targets.
“I see White Wolf tracks,” Taylor noted, pointing to a trail in the snow.
White Wolves were the only monsters in Zone 4 that moved in packs. Individually, they weren't overwhelming, but they were dangerous because they gathered in groups of dozens and possessed high intelligence.
The tracks suggested a massive pack. But when they followed the trail, they didn't find a fight.
They found a graveyard.
The area was the site of a massive explosion. The corpses of White Wolves were scattered everywhere, blown to bits beyond recognition.
Alex looked around, his expression grim. It couldn't be the Black Star Society—they would have harvested the byproducts. These bodies were in no state to be harvested anyway.
“...Could it be that Saram123 was here?” one of the squad members whispered.
Taylor and Alex shared the same thought. It was a rare coincidence for their paths to cross in the vast expanse of Zone 4.
But what kind of skill could leave a mark like this? It looked as if the entire pack had been vaporized in a single instant. Judging by the residue, it wasn't his signature black ray.
Then again, this was Saram123. Nothing was surprising anymore.
Looking at the carnage, Alex and his squad couldn't help but feel that perhaps their worries about the Zone 4 boss were entirely unnecessary.
*
After a month of diligent hunting, the moment finally arrived.
[Zone 4 (99.9%)]
It was right in front of me. The appearance of the Zone 4 boss.
I was fully prepared.
I wondered just how strong it would be. It would be at least level 80, and since I was level 80 myself, I suspected it might be as straightforward as the Zone 3 boss. I just hoped my one-click Destruction Ray trick would work again.
Still, complacency was the quickest way to get killed. I sharpened my focus.
I had already warned the Security Force and the Black Star Society through the Communication Window. I told them not to even think about "helping" me. I hadn't stopped them during the Zone 3 fight, but the Zone 4 boss was a different beast.
Other Climbers—even Captain Alex—wouldn't stand a chance. Trying to assist would only result in needless deaths, so I told them to stay far away.
My strategy remained the same: activate the Warp Device in advance, then engage. If it was impossible, I’d warp out. If it was doable, I’d end it.
I wandered through the snow, looking for the final monster to fill that last 0.1%.
Soon, I spotted an Ice Wasp. The moment I shot it down with a Flame Strike, a series of messages flashed before my eyes.
[Zone 4 (100%)]
[The Zone 4 Boss will now appear.]