Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: First Item (1)
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The day after finishing my outdoor duties, things were a bit more peaceful today.
Following the manual to manage the monster, then pondering lunch menus with the team members, we ended up eating what Han Sora wanted.
That's when some unexpected news came.
"Considering how well you've handled recent incidents, HQ has decided to give Minjun here a chance to pick an item."
After lunch, during the briefing, Team Leader Park Cheolwoo said.
Not even a full month in, and I could already pick an item.
The team leader said it was because we'd handled several incidents well—
"The recent surge in monster appearances have something to do with it, right?"
"...Honestly, that does seem to be a factor."
Park Cheolwoo gave a wry smile.
More than a factor—it seemed like that was the main reason.
"Team 15 members like us can only possess and use up to one item until we get promoted to a senior exploration team. Choose carefully."
Only one item allowed.
A bit disappointing, but better than nothing.
Especially for me, with my 'Unlimited Item Use' cheat, the efficiency would double depending on what I picked.
"Go to the research building tomorrow to see and choose them yourself. In the meantime, as a reference, let me tell you about the item I'm using."
Park Cheolwoo gave a bitter smile and pointed to the exploration gear strapped to his waist.
It was the gear I'd seen at the abandoned hospital during the item recovery mission not long ago.
The item that indicated item locations.
So that was Park Cheolwoo's item.
"This is an Item Detector. Back when I was a team member instead of leader, I picked it thinking it would let me focus on item recovery missions where you don't run into monsters much."
After his self-disclosure, Seo Ji-hyun spoke up.
Her face was expressionless as usual, but her voice carried a hint of self-mockery.
She pulled a small metal rod from her pocket.
"My item is the 'All-Purpose Tool.' It can transform into any iron tool—screwdriver, wrench, knife, even a shield. I chose it wanting to be helpful in any situation... but in reality, it's just mediocre junk across the board. It underperforms compared to specialized tools, so it's often useless in critical moments."
She pocketed the metal rod again and added,
Regret filled her eyes.
That dagger from the hospital must have been from this item too.
It would be truly useful in other situations, but against monsters or items, it seemed a bit lacking.
"Uh... so everyone's sharing?"
Finally, Han Sora gave an awkward smile and fiddled with her necklace.
It looked like ordinary jewelry, but on the back was a small mechanical device.
"Mine's... just a high-performance position tracker. In emergencies, it automatically sends my location to the team. Truth is, I'm a huge scaredy-cat. If a monster chases me or I get separated... I picked it hoping someone would come save me."
Devoid of her usual cheerfulness, her frank admission of fear felt unfamiliar.
The three of them shared their items and reasons for choosing them, all with wry smiles. Then they looked at me.
"So, Kim Minjun,"
Park Cheolwoo said.
"Don't get too scared—pick something you really need and that will truly help you. Choose carefully."
Listening to their stories, I gained some insight.
The team leader, the cool-headed Seo Ji-hyun, the ever-bright Han Sora—they all carried their fears in their own ways.
Those fears were plainly reflected in their item choices.
And that somehow... resembled me.
Pretending to be fine on the outside, but trembling with fear more than anyone inside.
'...We're all the same.'
Realizing that oddly put my mind at ease, giving me a sense of belonging.
I wasn't the only coward.
The difference was that, unlike them, I had cheats to overcome my fears.
Thinking of the first 'official' item I'd pick tomorrow, I steeled myself with a slightly different resolve.
The next afternoon, I headed to the research building next to the headquarters as instructed.
"Whoa..."
The lobby felt completely different from the building where exploration team members mainly stayed.
In our building's lobby, most people wore suits or formals with protective functions.
Here, white-coated researchers bustled about, and from the lobby onward, the faint scent of disinfectant and unidentified chemicals lingered in the air.
That's when a woman with large glasses approached me.
"Kim Minjun? This way."
"Ah, yes."
The researcher guiding me led me quietly.
Following behind her, we navigated like a maze, passing through several security doors.
Security was tight, as expected for an item storage area.
"Here we are."
And so, I arrived before a massive steel door.
It looked incomparably thicker and sturdier than any normal warehouse door.
Next to it hung a plaque reading [Item Storage and Management Area].
As I caught my breath in front of the door,
"Uh... Minjun oppa?"
Turning at the familiar voice, there stood Rahee.
It had been a few weeks since I'd seen her face, and she looked noticeably exhausted.
Dark circles shadowed her eyes, her shoulders slumped powerlessly.
In her hand was a crumpled report or something.
"Fancy meeting you here. You okay? You look really tired."
When I asked worriedly, Rahee forced a faint smile.
"Ah, just... a lot of work lately. More than I expected."
She averted her gaze slightly, as if hiding something.
Even in a low-risk team, nothing at this company was easy.
I'd been through it myself.
"Don't push yourself too hard."
At my consolation, Rahee smiled a bit more comfortably.
"Thanks, oppa. Pick a good item."
Rahee lightly patted my shoulder and walked away down the hall with weary steps.
She was probably coming back from picking her own item.
Watching her fatigued back, my heart grew a little heavier.
"Let's go in."
The researcher urged me.
I set aside my worries about Rahee for now and turned back to the steel door before me.
Beyond this lay items that would boost my survival rate.
After the researcher went through a complex authentication process to open the door, a space rivaling Costco or IKEA unfolded before me.
Under the high ceiling, endless shelves brimmed with unidentified machinery, glass bottles of liquid, and enigmatic objects resembling ancient relics.
"Wow..."
An exclamation escaped me involuntarily.
The researcher smirked familiarly and handed me a tablet PC.
"This is the list of items managed by Dongto."
The tablet screen displayed categories like [Escape], [Defense], [Scout], [Restraint/Binding], [Utility], and [Weapon], along with item lists.
"The items on the shelves in this section are the ones currently available for selection. Avoid the inner area—it's for senior teams only."
The deep warehouse area he pointed to was blocked by red laser lines.
That meant the more powerful, rarer items were beyond.
"Oh, and by the way... Don't try to read any info that appears blurry or garbled on the tablet. Your head might explode."
"Haha... good one..."
"It explodes."
"For real?"
I'd laughed thinking it was a joke, but the researcher's face was dead serious.
It really explodes?
I vowed to pretend I didn't see anything unreadable, even biting my tongue if needed.
Gulping, I began walking through the warehouse.
I recalled the team's advice.
Don't pick something mediocre out of fear.
Choose carefully—something I truly need, or can really use well.
Something I can use well, synergizing with my stats, cheat mode, and skills.
That's when a translucent window appeared before my eyes after a long while.
"...Hah."
The long-absent quest felt welcome.
Items were lined up long, with handy QR codes beside them.
Scanning with the provided tablet brought up the item info right away.
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[Item Name: Rechargeable Ballpoint Pen]
Category: Weapon / Plastic
Description: A ballpoint pen that charges electricity when shaken. Press the button to fire the charged electricity from the tip.
Info 1: If overcharged by shaking too much, it will emit electricity around you if not fired quickly.
Info 2: Some monsters detect the electricity generated while shaking the pen and track down the owner.
Info 3: Frequent use of the pen may cause tremors or seizures.
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"...It's all readable?"
I'd planned not to read unreadable info per the researcher's advice, but the item's details flowed smoothly.
And the info I read contained quite important details.
Not just this one—other items too.
From Info 1 up to as many as Info 5, I read all the item details without issue.
"Just kidding after all...?"
Tilting my head, I began properly examining the 'Weapon' section shelf by shelf.