Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Chapter 8: Monitor (1)
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When I arrived at the apartment where Seo Jae-hyuk and his father lived, still maintaining my invisibility.
Jae-hyuk was already waiting at the entrance.
‘Sorry for dragging you out in the middle of the night on a weekday.’
But after killing someone and coming home drenched in their blood? No way I could do that.
‘Can’t exactly hit up a bathhouse looking like this.’
With nowhere else to wash up, I had no choice but to come here.
I swallowed a sigh and approached Jae-hyuk.
Just then, he fiddled with his phone and held it to his ear.
My phone, set to silent, buzzed—looks like he was calling me.
Instead of answering, I tapped his shoulder.
He jumped and whipped his head around, eyes widening like they might split open.
Nothing visible, so he was panicking.
“Jumpy.”
My voice echoed in the empty space, and he froze stiff.
It was late at night with hardly anyone around, but lingering outside to chat wasn’t smart.
“Let’s head up first.”
Jae-hyuk turned with jerky movements.
I used his hand to board the elevator.
‘Would’ve been hilarious if I’d pressed the button and gone up alone.’
I forced a silly thought to push away memories from hours ago.
An elevator button pressing itself with nothing there.
Emergency stairs lights flickering on.
The CCTV catching it, and the manager spotting the footage.
Might even end up on YouTube as “ghost video.”
‘Wonder if the NIS would catch wind of that.’
Plenty of people already knew I had invisibility.
Might link back to me and the Seo father-son duo.
Dwelling on worst-case scenarios was wearing me down mentally and physically.
“Whew.”
The elevator stopped as I let out a heavy sigh.
I passed through the front door into their home and dropped the invisibility.
Jae-hyuk’s body jolted hard.
“You…….”
What he was staring at was the dried blood caked on me.
“Not mine.”
“Then…….”
I cut him off before he could ask.
“Lend me some clothes. Feeling grimy, don’t wanna head home like this.”
Jae-hyuk’s face was stiff, but he went to his room anyway.
Moments later, I took the clothes he brought and headed to the bathroom.
I stuffed all my bloodied clothes into storage.
‘Gotta burn them at the mission site later.’
Evidence tying me to Han Chang-sik’s death—had to destroy it.
Standing under the falling water, the dried blood diluted and swirled down the drain.
I stared at it for a bit, then slicked back my soaked hair and caught my breath.
‘Rewards first.’
Still hadn’t sorted the bounty mission payout.
Fame and random box—I’d open the box first.
Like some gacha game, I squeezed my eyes shut and chanted before opening it.
“Store voucher, store voucher, come on…….”
Thanks to killing Han Chang-sik, my mana was over 3,500.
If I got a voucher, I could buy Fireball right away.
Opening the random box unleashed the usual white light.
Soon, a scrap of paper appeared.
[Skill Stone Exchange Voucher]
• Type: Consumable item.
• Description: Allows free purchase of one skill stone currently on sale in the store.
Obviously a downgraded version of a store voucher.
I wished for a store voucher, and this nerfed one pops up?
Coincidence? Or was the system trolling me?
I clenched my teeth, trembling, then twisted the faucet to cold.
The icy water cooled my boiling head.
If the system was in front of me, I’d grab it by the collar and beat it senseless.
Couldn’t, so the rage just built up.
Fury with no outlet was eating at me.
I grudgingly pocketed the voucher in storage.
Using it now would be rash.
‘Wait for the right moment, then grab whatever skill stone I need.’
I pulled up my status and message windows to continue checking rewards.
Player Kang Hyun-woo (Beta Tester)
Mana: 3535.57 (Attribute Mana: 133)
Chaos Value: 0.00%
Affiliation: Earth
Race: Human (Player)
Rank: Alpha
Attribute: Lightning
Skills: Mana Operation (51.11%), Sensory Expansion (18.59%), Mana Detection (lv.1 - 45.86%), Invisibility (20.27%), Barrier (2.11%)
Traits: ????? (Deactivated), Assimilation, Tenacity, Purification (lv.1 - 26.49%)
Title: Bounty Hunter (Deactivated)
Fame: 62
Invisibility and Mana Detection proficiency had jumped.
Probably from using them non-stop for two days until mana ran dry.
I skimmed the skill levels, then checked titles and fame.
Scanned the remaining message log too.
「Success reward: Fame +10.」
「Title “Bounty Hunter (Provisional)” upgraded to “Bounty Hunter.”」
「“Bounty Hunter” title effect activated.」
「Absorbing skill: Mana Operation.」
「Duplicate trait detected. Deleting redundant trait.」
The provisional tag was gone from Bounty Hunter, and there was a skill absorption note.
Deleted because I already had Mana Operation.
‘……This title gets better over time.’
As players grow, they’ll hoard more skills.
If bounty missions keep coming, I can snag skills beyond store or self-study.
If no one else gets them, it’s a unique edge right now.
Objectively, this bounty mission was a net gain.
Still didn’t feel great.
The tactile memory lingered too vividly to forget.
“Whew.”
Couldn’t mope forever.
Wasting time in this insane game was a luxury I couldn’t afford.
I had mountains of stuff to do.
‘Next up: merit list.’
Time to start farming fame.
* * *
9,541—that was today’s player count.
Toma stared intently at the player numbers and mission completion list, eyes sunken deep.
One week since new players flooded the community.
The empty completion list had started filling up, now quite populated.
「02-07 (1/5) - Closed Contributor: K」
「01-11 (2/10) - Closed Contributor: Ethan Lembron, Lily」
「01-12 (3/10) - Closed Contributor: Human, Peppermint, Animal Lover」
「01-11 (2/10) - Closed Contributor: John, Hunter」
「02-29 (1/5) - Closed Contributor: K」
「01-12 (2/10) - Closed Contributor: Ethan Lembron, Lily」
「02-31 (1/5) - Closed Contributor: K」
「01-12 (4/10) - Closed Contributor: Human, John, Hunter, Peppermint」
「02-13 (1/5) - Closed Contributor: K」
「01-13 (4/10) - Closed Contributor: Dragon, Hero, Angel, Candy」
「01-11 (3/10) - Closed Contributor: Human, John, Hunter,」
「01-17 (2/10) - Closed Contributor: Ethan Lembron, Lily」
「02-34 (1/5) - Closed Contributor: K」
「01-12 (6/10) - Closed Contributor: Human, John, Hunter, Hero, Angel, Mirror」
…….
Of course, far more had died.
「Title: Too many deaths, right? - Author: Boss
Content: Beta plus first wave makes 10,100 players, yeah? Now it’s 9,541. Over 500 dead, and these psychos keep rushing missions?」
- Coconut: Tell me about it. Suicidal maniacs.
- Secret: Coward. Keep hiding forever.
- AK85: 2-level clear solo? Feels rigged. Hundreds dying on level 1, and one guy solos level 2?
⌎Gumiho: Rigged my ass. Possible in this game? Hackable? Jealous loser.
⌎Black Pearl: Go in and check yourself, then report back.
Toma grew anxious. While he just watched, others kept challenging the game.
‘Should I do a mission too?’
Community posts showed players forming parties.
Toma hovered over them, itching to comment.
But tutorial memories froze him.
He didn’t want to die.
He hit back like fleeing.
‘It’s not just me.’
He justified it to himself.
Active players were the minority.
Completions showed repeated code names—clear sign.
Most players like him feared death and stalled.
Retreating was smart, natural for valuing life.
Then, an odd title caught his eye amid self-consolation.
「Title: Damn System 1 (23) - Author: K」
“K?”
Famous code name, but rarely seen in community.
The only one tackling level 2 missions now.
Never posted or commented much.
Toma clicked the post in bewilderment.
「Content: Sharing key game info in place of this damn system that won’t provide proper details.
…….」
He held his breath, drawn in.
* * *
“Ten minutes since the update, comments hit 873…… now 875. Here’s the full excerpt.”
Lily slid the printout to CIA Director Martin Eastner.
He peeled off the sofa backrest to read.
“Title…… Damn System 1? Author K?”
“Yes, as you see.”
She tapped the paper at his repeated questions—like, just read it.
“That K? The one who bagged 32 in the promotion exam? Soloing level 2 missions—that K?”
“Post author is K. Code names can’t duplicate, so it’s him.”
Martin finally started reading the A4 sheet.
Finished, he exhaled emptily, muttering.
“Can do mana operation?”
“No, obviously thought you have to buy it.”
“Mr. Lembron?”
“No answer, but probably can’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Gut feeling.”
“Sure? Not just you sucking?”
“Yes. Community reactions say only K can right now. K’s the freak. I’m totally normal.”
Martin sighed shallowly in relief.
“Yeah, you’re not one to lag behind.”
As Lily said, K outpacing everyone made him special.
Over half the players hadn’t even attempted level 1, yet he soloed level 2—not normal.
But despite his lazy tone, his fidgeting with the paper screamed anxiety.
Rereading like double-checking, Martin muttered.
“Search results…… nothing?”
“Yes.”
Brian, seated opposite Lily, answered.
“Three months plus with zero leads? Makes sense?”
“Yes. No name, gender, face. Left no tutorial traces—impossible to find. Best we got is Asian…… candidate pool’s too broad.”
Martin’s sigh deepened at the pragmatic reply.
“Lily, repeat it? First tutorial notice.”
“Ah, the system announcement? ‘Effort for humanity’s survival,’ it said.”
“Humanity…….”
Lily and Brian fell silent at his mumble.
They didn’t know the game’s purpose either.
Against their quiet, Martin pondered.
As national security head, he couldn’t dismiss this unreal game.
If that line Lily saw was true.
If an insurmountable threat loomed over humanity.
And the system was giving humans a shot.
Dry-washing his face at the absurd hypothesis, Martin said.
“Try recruiting via community.”
Lily countered instantly.
“K’s rejecting friend requests.”
“Private comments possible—use that for contact.”
“But is it worth…….”
Before Brian’s retort finished, Martin raised his voice.
「Congratulations! HIDDEN MISSION - Bounty Hunt (South Korea-01) completed successfully.」
Damn System