Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Exploration Team (1)
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"It's light...!"
"Haa, haa..."
"Wha, there are people here...?"
The moment we climbed the stairs, a group of people was waiting for us.
A group dressed in the same suits as the Exploration Team members. The man in work clothes who had been leading the initial interviewees stood there with a stiff expression upon seeing them.
One man who appeared to be the leader of the suit group stepped forward and bowed deeply after confirming that we had survived and returned.
"...We sincerely apologize to all of you."
The man offered his apology to us, who were still dumbfounded.
"An unexpected situation led to the appearance of a Monster, and the escape route was blocked—a serious problem. Our team members on site also failed miserably in their response. All of this is our fault."
From his words and the current situation, it was clear he was the one responsible for this incident.
It was a straightforward apology without excuses.
But it wasn't enough to calm the anger of the survivors who had just gone through a horrific experience.
Perhaps aware of that, the man added a condition.
"To take responsibility, everyone who survived today will be passed. And under conditions far better than the initial contract we promised..."
"Don't make me laugh!"
Before the suited man could finish, a rough-looking man shouted in fury.
"No Monsters? Safe? It was all lies! You Exploration Team people were utterly useless! Do you even know how many of us died?!"
"I have no intention of working under bastards like you! I'm done!"
"Yeah! Let's go!"
Starting with his outburst, all the survivors joined in, unleashing their rage.
The man kept his head bowed and said nothing, while the suit group silently endured the barrage of criticism.
Despite the apology and better conditions, the people seemed to have already made up their minds.
They shot contemptuous, disgusted glares at the suit group and began leaving the hotel one by one.
In an instant, the lobby was left with only the suit group, the work-clothes man, and me and Rahee, who didn't know what to do.
We had planned to quit as well, but everything happened so fast that we hadn't left yet.
Right then, the suit leader approached me and Rahee. His eyes were markedly different from before.
"...I'd like to make a separate offer to the two of you."
"Yes?"
"Unlike the others, you two stayed calm in an extreme situation, cooperated, and demonstrated survival potential."
I didn't know how he knew, but he seemed to have at least the basic information.
Of course, he probably hadn't seen me smashing the Monster.
"So, we'd like you to join our 'Exploration Team.' Not as simple support staff, but as specialized personnel deployed directly to Monster sites."
"...Exploration Team?"
Rahee asked in surprise.
It was bewildering.
Just moments ago, we were set on quitting, and now they were offering us a spot on the Exploration Team.
Of course, I planned to refuse.
We had applied for item transport because it involved fewer Monster encounters.
I had no intention of joining the Exploration Team, where Monster encounters were more frequent.
"Of course, we'll provide the best compensation to match."
He pulled out a tablet PC again.
It felt like it would show conditions similar to what I'd glimpsed earlier, but even more generous.
But no matter how good, it wasn't enough to change my mind right now.
"Sorry, but no matter the treatment..."
As I cut him off to express my refusal—
"Do you know the Exploration Team's survival rate?"
"Survival rate?"
The suit leader blocked our path and continued.
His expression remained calm, his voice carrying persuasive power.
"The 'item transport' job you applied for—we do our best to ensure safety, but as you just saw, unexpected variables can happen anytime. Encounters with Monsters may be less frequent, but survival isn't guaranteed when they do occur."
He took a breath.
"But our 'Exploration Team' is different. Encounters with Monsters may be more frequent. But we prepare thoroughly for them. Statistically, properly trained Exploration Team members equipped with items have a higher survival rate than transport teams."
"...How can we believe that?"
The man said so, but the Exploration Team I'd seen didn't look properly trained.
When I asked in a distrustful tone, the suit leader pointed to another suited man beside him, as if he'd been waiting.
He looked a bit more exhausted than the others and held a small, complex-looking mechanical device.
"This is Deputy Kim Hyun-soo. The first Exploration Team member to escape from that situation. Deputy Kim, please explain yourself."
The man named Kim Hyun-soo swallowed dryly and spoke.
"When the situation first arose, I sensed something off and tried to request support, but it was like there was interference—communications wouldn't connect. But fortunately, I was able to escape using this."
He held up the device in his hand.
"It's an emergency escape device. Single-use, so I couldn't help the others, but it allowed me to barely get out alone."
"We received Deputy Kim Hyun-soo's support request and came, but as you know, the stairs vanished, so we couldn't provide quick aid."
"...I'm sorry. If I'd known the entrance disappeared, I wouldn't have escaped."
According to them, cases like this were extremely rare.
A Monster appearing out of nowhere, Exploration Team members skimping on items and gear because it was a familiar location.
On top of that, the stairs vanishing.
Bad luck piled on bad luck.
Truly unfortunate.
Amid it all, my eyes fixed on the small mechanical device in Deputy Kim Hyun-soo's hand.
'That's an item...!'
The moment Kim Hyun-soo said "emergency escape device," a forgotten cheat flashed clearly in my mind.
The cheat mode applied before the game started.
Among them was definitely a cheat for unlimited item use.
If I could use escape items like that or other survival items without limit?
The danger of Monsters would drop drastically for me.
'I need items.'
Getting items like that without joining the Exploration Team wouldn't be easy.
Noticing my change in expression, the suit leader continued smoothly.
"As you saw, we provide special items for crises like this and professional training. That's why I say long-term survival rates are higher than transport teams."
His gaze turned to me and Rahee.
Sensing our hesitation, he showed the contract conditions on the tablet PC.
Work Environment: 4 days a week, 36 hours.
Monthly Salary: Base 10 million won + 1 million won daily field allowance or more, performance bonuses.
Equipment Support: Protective gear and items provided.
Housing Support: Apartment near Incheon provided.
There were various other details listed, all incomparable to the transport team I'd applied for.
I quickly weighed safety against the tremendous contract conditions in my mind.
Right then, Rahee beside me spoke in a trembling voice. She seemed to hesitate for a long time before finally resolving herself.
"...I, I'll do it."
Both my gaze and the suited man's turned to her.
"I... need the money... With conditions like this..."
She trailed off and bowed her head.
Her words about needing money and her bowed head strongly suggested some desperate circumstance.
Once Rahee accepted, all eyes naturally turned to me.
The suit leader looked at me quietly, waiting for my answer.
Rahee watched me with worried eyes.
"...Please give me some time to think."
In the end, I put off my answer.
It wasn't a decision to make right now.
The suit leader stared at me for a moment, then nodded readily.
"Understood. Here's my contact. Please reply by tomorrow morning."
He handed me a business card.
I took it with trembling hands.
Rahee received the same business card from him.
Just in case, I got Rahee's number too.
We exchanged brief glances and left the spot, like the other survivors who had exited the hotel first.
I felt the suit group's gazes on our backs, but I didn't look back.
Back home, I half-heartedly showered and sat right in front of the computer.
"Hmm..."
My mind was a mess.
The Exploration Team's offer. Dangerous, but with outrageous conditions.
Not just the money—the items and Monster knowledge the Exploration Team had would be a huge help to me.
Even without joining the Exploration Team, I'd surely encounter Monsters living in this world.
If so, facing them with items and knowledge from the Exploration Team seemed better.
After agonizing, I logged into the Monster Gallery.
I wrote a post as carefully as possible to avoid revealing my identity.