Dungeon & Commander (165)
Go Cheolmin stepped out into the quiet corridor, scanned his surroundings, and beckoned Yoo Min-jeong, Choi Muhyun, and Hwang Myeong-su to follow. They were all dressed in security guard uniforms borrowed from the mobile strike team.
"Impressive, huh."
Yoo Min-jeong said.
Go Cheolmin knew exactly who she meant.
It was Investigator Bang Su-cheol, who had tipped them off that this place would be completely empty.
"Let's go."
Go Cheolmin dashed forward, using Mukhonbo to kick off the wall and lightly vault over the barricade.
The others followed right behind.
"Five minutes left. Hurry up!"
The security guards were dragging large plastic crates on wheels, waiting for the elevator. Some were rushing up the emergency stairs with equipment in both hands.
Yeom Sang-taek, who had barely made it down to basement level 2 by name-dropping Sa Yeonggyo, was hiding in a room crammed with cabinets, peeking out into the corridor.
What does 'five minutes left' mean? Where are those guys headed?
A man who looked high-ranking shouted loudly.
"Bulkhead closure in three minutes!"
The security guards picked up the pace even more.
They were in such a rush they started dropping equipment from their hands. As the guards approached, Yeom Sang-taek closed the door and pressed himself against the wall, focusing on the sounds from outside.
"Closure? What the hell? Third Platoon's still operating in there. Why aren't they coming out?"
"Shut up! No retreat order was given to Third Platoon."
"What?"
"I don't know either. Just act like you don't know. Don't even mention it. Let's move."
"No way... Third Platoon got... abandoned?"
"I said shut up."
The voices faded away, and soon the noises stopped completely. Even the sounds of shifting cargo ceased.
Yeom Sang-taek cautiously opened the door. The corridor was empty. So was the area in front of the elevator.
What the hell is going on here?
Sticking as close to the wall as possible in case he needed to hide, Yeom Sang-taek moved in the opposite direction from where the guards had gone.
A moment later, a low humming sound echoed.
The floor, walls, and ceiling shook all at once.
Whiiing.
With a mechanical whir, a thick metal door emerged from the wall ahead, starting to seal off the passage.
Yeom Sang-taek unleashed Speed Up in a burst.
Once wasn't enough, so he activated the skill again. Wind whipped past behind him as he closed the distance in an instant and hurled himself through—just as the metal door slammed shut with a thunk.
Another door was closing ahead.
Gritting his teeth, Yeom Sang-taek activated Speed Up a third time and charged forward.
"What was that noise?"
Lee Taeseop glanced back. He'd felt a faint vibration and heard an unsettling sound.
Kim Jun stared silently at the end of the corridor—an empty space with no one there—but soon turned and kept walking.
As they passed an empty office, Kim Jun stopped.
"What's up?"
"Hold on."
Kim Jun stepped back into the half-open office.
The red emergency lighting made the room feel far from its usual tidy atmosphere.
A large metal box sat in the aisle between partitions.
Kim Jun approached it.
"This wasn't here earlier."
Lee Taeseop nudged it with his foot, feeling only its dull, heavy weight.
"Looks expensive. They wouldn't just ditch it. Think it's a bomb?"
Kim Jun's eyes flickered at the word.
Bombs were one easy way to deal with suspects who went to ground like rats.
"Kidding, kidding."
Lee Taeseop chuckled. He felt good about startling Kim Jun.
"Let's open it. Step back."
"Got it."
Kim Jun thrust Cheonroegeom into the box's seam. Sparks flew wildly, lighting up the office. The hinges and keypad melted with a click.
"Not a bomb, right?"
Lee Taeseop said.
"We'll know soon enou—"
The lid popped open on its own. Mana burst out from inside, overwhelming Kim Jun with its intensity. He was at a loss for words.
"What the hell is that?"
Lee Taeseop sidled up beside him and peered at the thirty glass orbs in the metal box.
Kim Jun reached in and lifted a test tube from the corner. A tiny amount of core inside the long glass tube emanated mana.
"Looks like eggs."
Lee Taeseop picked up one of the glass orbs.
It resembled a snow globe with tree roots inside. The surface was smooth, but surprisingly heavy—not a toy.
Tap tap, tap tap.
The glass orbs in the box began to shake. More and more vibrated, clinking against each other.
Crack.
A long fissure split across the surface of the orb in Lee Taeseop's palm.
The moment Kim Jun saw the red vine tendril poking through the crack, he swung Cheonroegeom horizontally.
Flash.
Just before the vine could burrow into Lee Taeseop's palm, the sword sliced it in two. The lightning from Cheonroegeom ignited the Angry Root's fluids, setting it ablaze in an instant.
"It's a Magic Creeper! Get back!"
Kim Jun hurriedly shut the metal box's lid, but Magic Creepers were already breaking through the glass orbs and pushing it open.
Lee Taeseop bolted into the corridor, and Kim Jun slammed the door shut from outside.
Thud thud.
The Magic Creeper from the metal box was pounding on the door.
"That thing... it burrows into your body, right?"
A pale Lee Taeseop wiped sweat from his hand.
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
He recalled people who'd lost limbs to Magic Creepers. If he'd just passed his awakening test and lost his right arm, his life as a tanker would've ended before it began.
"You got lucky. I saw one not long ago."
"Saw one? Where?"
"Car accident."
"Huh? A Magic Creeper in a car crash?"
Lee Taeseop's eyes widened.
Did that even make sense? How would he know what a Magic Creeper looked like from a car crash?
Lee Taeseop nodded to himself. This guy's really at the center of everything. No, he attracts incidents. Better keep my distance. Maybe step back a bit?
The pounding from the Magic Creeper grew louder. Soon, the steel door began to dent.
"Let's get out of here first."
Kim Jun started running. Lee Taeseop followed.