Hope (3)
I kept heading downward. Next up was Yoji. This place had always been crucial for supplying drinking water to the shelter—it kept me from dying of thirst even if I starved. "You had a bowl last time, right? The water here is next-level."
It was called source water before, but after upgrading to Yoji, the taste leveled up even more. And I mean, it put those 5,000-won bottled waters from the old world to shame.
But then, Hope, who'd been quiet, started wailing like crazy.
Steel Communion Method
"Huh? What's wrong? The color freaking you out? Nah, it looks murky, but it's seriously good for you."
Wooong—!
"What? Want another sip?"
I could hear metals' voices thanks to the Steel Communion Method, but it wasn't omnipotent. Even if I mastered every language on Earth, I couldn't understand a six-month-old baby fresh out in Africa, right? Metals have ages too, and with Hope being a newborn metal, I could only guess from its infantile tantrums.
Figuring it was thirsty, I dunked it right into the Yoji—
Shwaaala—!
"Whoa!!! Shit, sorry!! Use your words!!"
Hope's blade stretched out like a giraffe's neck. Just as I thought it was gonna bite me, the extended blade stopped, pointing at something like a sword tip gesture.
Wondering what was up, I saw a bluish mold-like growth where the wall met the water.
"Moss?"
Was that there before? Even if it was, I thought I'd scraped it all off. But more than that, the vibe felt off. I zoomed in max and screenshot it for the gallery.
What is this? It grew on the wall.
Huh? Wasn't this the vibe? Back in the old world, this is how you'd post questions on the gallery. Reactions were hot, though. At least I pulled some aggro.
Soon, answers rolled in.
What?!
"Jackpot!!"
Jung Kkeokma's life is finally blooming!! The production facility I'd been waiting on was firing up. Income items like this auto-print money once they start. Yoji was cranking up the presses at last.
"You've got talent, kid. Keep it up."
The Spirit Spring Stone Mushroom yield was just a handful for now, but everything starts small, right? I was admiring it smugly when Pill Master added more comments.
"For real?!"
I blurted it out loud without thinking. Then nodded, convinced.
"Yeah, makes total sense."
Mobile games work the same. Income items upgrade to better materials and outputs. If stage 1 Yoji does spirit herbs, stage 2 adding spirit beasts is genre gospel.
That's why mid-checks matter. People forget what they've got sometimes. Feeling smug anew, I pressed on.
Next, the forge.
"Remember this? Where you were born."
Lava still bubbled hot from the ground. I'd planned a small pit, but it turned into a river of molten rock.
Wooong—
Hope hummed like it recognized the place.
"Yeah. I burned all my clothes making you."
Thanks to Crimson Flame Tempering Art mutating into full-body flames, my outfit ashed away. Clothes weren't an issue—I had spares—but forging naked next time? Kinda iffy. Even crazy smiths wear pants.
Wooong—
"Not your fault. I know. Just wait a bit. I'll make you some siblings."
The forge wasn't auto like Yoji, but with my effort, I could crank out what I wanted faster. This ex-mine might have low-grade ores left—plenty for personal mining. Forge 'em into weapons, and Hope gets family.
"I'll make you a whole soccer team."
I'm still random-box smithing—feed materials, spin, see results—but no sweat. Gallery folks would teach handling myriad weapons. With Sickle Ham's cut-ins for every exotic, anything forgeable is usable.
"Anyway, mid-check done! Whaddya think, Hope? This is home now."
I clapped, ending the shelter tour. It was a check-up, sure, but I wanted to show Hope around too. Not just 'cause it's my first creation—it felt like a child born from my heart.
Not quite a real life, but born in this world anyway. Wanted to show it the ropes, y'know.
What exactly? That life here's livable? Expose a newborn to variety? Or prove the world ain't all blood and guts? Human hearts are tricky—even I don't know.
Just followed my gut, and luckily, Hope seemed to enjoy the tour with a clear hum. Pretty pure cry for something blood-red with bloody knots everywhere. Named it right, I thought—then it stretched long again.
Wooong—
"Huh? More sightseeing? Nothing there..."
Whatever, I followed. Then remembered what was that way and smiled wryly.
Oh, right... this side.
Like I said once, the shelter's huge—built for a society, not solo. Beyond what I showed were unused zones. This was my failed farm attempt.
Yeah, where I busted my ass trying to grow food.
Pre-gallery. Planted scavenged seeds. All failed. Total apocalypse. I'd avoided it since, but Hope dragged up the memory.
"Seriously, nothing here's worth seeing..."
Wanted to show only the good stuff. About to scold Hope for heading here—
Wooong—
"...Huh?"
Fresh green sprouts poked from the soil. Tiny, fragile, but pushing heavy dirt aside.
Wooong—!
Hope cried clearer at the sight.
"Ha..."
I burst out laughing too.
"This guy."
Dunno how they grew. Ley line heat? Yoji spillover? No clue.
But one thing clear now.
"You really are Hope."
Like its name. Even in this apocalypse shelter, hope could sprout.