Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: If Only Rewards Were Given
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7. If Only Rewards Were Given
We finished farming the first basement level.
We changed out of our wet clothes, and everyone got their own backpacks.
Now we head down to the second basement level.
"I'm only taking care of you because of your skill."
"Yes."
"Ah, speak casually. Anyway, you can't carry my daughter's stuff instead. If something unavoidable happens and the party splits up..."
Jang Ho-seop keeps talking to Lee Jang-su.
He seems to be looking out for him in his own way.
"Originally, the first basement was the food court, and the second had fashion boutiques and such."
Lee Yu-na sticks close to my side.
She quietly tells me about what happened at the department store.
"Kim Representative hired people to move all the supplies... but he even killed someone for sneaking a single chocolate."
Kim Representative's litany of atrocities just keeps coming.
Lee Yu-na emphasizes that point over and over.
It's not a story that particularly interests me.
We arrived at the second basement level.
It's humid.
"Isn't it too damp? Was there a reason they brought food all the way down here?"
"I don't really know. Afraid people would steal it?"
No way.
The ventilation system must have kept the basement fairly comfortable originally.
Not anymore.
Mold will probably sprout any day now.
"Is the food here even any good?"
We'll pick carefully, but I still have my doubts.
Lee Yu-na and Lee Jang-su say they haven't been here since the operation day either, so they don't know.
Clunk.
"Hyung-nim. It's locked."
A shutter blocks the escalator, with a door attached that won't open.
I sent Jang Ho-seop back and pulled out my axe.
This is the new fire axe I just got.
Crack!
The doorknob shatters in one hit.
"We're going in."
It's still daytime, but the basement is dark.
Everyone has a lantern, but the brightness isn't enough.
As we slowly move deeper inside.
"Huh? Will-o'-the-wisp?"
Jang Ho-seop stops in place and mutters.
A blue light flickers a short distance away.
"Hyung-nim."
"I don't sense anything."
Doesn't seem like a monster.
Or maybe it's like that giant monster we saw outside—swallowed by a gate.
I focus my eyes and stare.
It's not bright, so I can look directly at it.
"It's inside a box."
"Yeah."
Blue light leaks from the cracks in a wooden box.
I approach closely to observe it better.
"Um... I made that box."
Lee Jang-su says quietly.
"Open it."
"Yes."
The wooden box sits in the bottom compartment of a large display shelf.
Lee Jang-su pulls it out without much effort.
Creeeak.
He easily pries it open with the long knife at his waist.
"Oh... what's this?"
Everyone leans in to check the contents.
"A rock?"
"Looks like a rugby ball."
Just like Jang Ho-seop and Soo-jung auntie said.
To my eyes too, it looks like a rock inside the box.
Oval-shaped, small enough to hold in one hand.
The unusual part is that it's hollow inside.
Three even sides are open, letting you see inside.
A round stone sits in that hollow space.
"Weird. How'd they get a rock inside there?"
"Yeah. The gaps are too narrow..."
"Hyung-nim. But isn't the rock inside too perfectly round?"
The inner stone is a perfect sphere.
That round stone emits the blue light.
"More importantly."
I straighten up and look at everyone.
This stone is curious, but there's something to check first.
"System message. Did it only pop up for me?"
"Huh?"
Everyone reacts like they have no idea what I'm talking about.
"Spirit Stone."
"Pardon? Who's that?"
"I think this stone is a Spirit Stone."
I tell them the exact system message.
"Oh. Spirit Stone. Like... a stone with spiritual power or something?"
"Who knows. Dangerous?"
"Dunno. Seems fine?"
From the system description, it's not a monster or anything.
It's in an inactive state.
"The system feels a bit... on our side? Kinda."
I agree with Jang Ho-seop.
The system seems to accommodate humans.
Not that it warns of danger or is particularly friendly.
"If it only showed for hyung-nim... maybe a level restriction?"
Jang Ho-seop voices his guess.
"Probably activates to do something?"
I nod silently.
"Someone put it in this box to store it... so it should be safe to touch? Shall we take it out?"
"No."
This time, I shake my head.
"Farming first."
We'll secure food first.
"Easy-to-eat food. Long shelf life. Snacks and seasonings too."
"Got it."
"Pack about... three days' worth in each backpack."
Lee Yu-na raises her hand.
"What about fresh ingredients?"
"Grab stuff that needs to be eaten soon too. We'll take that separately."
We should eat well while we can.
It's good for energy intake and stress relief.
"Hyung-nim. Fifteen minutes again this time...?"
"Take it easy this time. We're taking one full cart separately, so don't get too greedy."
"Yep! You're generous with food, huh?"
Jang Ho-seop grins as he speaks.
"Go on."
I reply curtly and turn away.
We finished farming.
Lee Jang-su took the lead in sorting the food to take.
"Hyung-nim? Can we... take all this?"
"We'll dump it if we have to."
Besides the food in our backpacks, we prepared a separate cart just for food.
"Bring Min-su."
Now it's time to check the Spirit Stone.
Jang Ho-seop went up and brought the gatekeeper guy.
"Take this out."
The man pulls the Spirit Stone from the box with a uneasy look.
Nothing happens.
"No system message?"
"It popped up. Said... my level is too low. But what's this?"
So it shows when you touch it directly.
I took the Spirit Stone from him.
It's much lighter than expected.
The same message appears for me as before.
"We don't know what it is either."
I answer briefly and pocket the Spirit Stone.
Might be useful like Mana Stones.
"What about the other Awakeners?"
"Huh? Which...?"
"The ones excluded from the interviews."
I killed all the offensive skill Awakeners.
There were three who cooperated with Kim Representative out of necessity; I didn't call them to the representative's office.
"Uh... they're all behaving. Waiting with the others."
"Got it."
I sent him back.
"Let's go."
"Pardon? We... just leaving like this?"
"Anything else?"
Lee Jang-su opens his mouth, then closes it.
Instead, Jang Ho-seop asks me.
"Hyung-nim. Mind if I leave a note?"
"What?"
"This."
Jang Ho-seop tears a page from his notebook and shows me.
— Kim Representative and his group were punished on-site for their heavy crimes. We hope you survive well.
Jang Ho-seop left the note in front of the representative's office, and we departed the department store.
We left Yeouido.
The sun is setting.
We've been moving without a proper meal.
'I thought we'd make it across...'
Originally, the plan was to cross the Han River today.
"We'll rest here."
I'd accounted for variables.
So when we spotted an empty building, I adjusted the schedule to rest a bit early.
"Prepare food first?"
After confirming it's safe.
I look out the window at Jang Ho-seop's question.
It's still raining.
"Wash up first. Before the rain stops."
"Ah, yes. That sounds good."
I look at Lee Yu-na.
She nods.
"I can control within about a meter around me. Not sure on the exact amount..."
'Water's Path.' Lee Yu-na's Fundamental Skill.
The description is simple.
'Manipulates water.'
That's the whole short sentence.
Of course, she has plenty of restrictions on using it too.
"We'll wash in shifts. Collect water in that container."
"Sh... as much as possible?"
"Yes. As much as you can manage."
This is a side dish factory on the outskirts of Noryangjin.
Close to the Han River Bridge.
Large white drums line the window ledge.
They're clean when I check.
Plan is to collect rainwater with Lee Yu-na's skill and wash there.
Last time with Jang Ho-seop, washing in the downpour was uncomfortable.
Whoosh...
Lee Yu-na starts filling it right away.
Lee Jang-su and Jang Ho-seop fetch large panels to set up a partition.
Soo-jung auntie gathers shower supplies.
'This is stress management too...'
While they prepare, I head to the top floor.
I watch the direction we came from for any movement.
Quiet.
"Hyung-nim."
"Yeah, coming down."
They finished preparing quickly.
We showered in three rotating shifts.
I went last, alone.
Crusted blood, sweat and grime, black dirt caked on.
I wash it all clean.
Even shave.
"Whoa. Feels like I'm alive."
"So good... even cold water's fine."
Refreshed after the shower, I hear laughter.
Everyone's pleased.
Probably because we splurged on such luxury.
"Yu-na, you trained to be an idol? You're really pretty."
"You too, unnie!"
"Hohoho. Me? Just call me auntie. Or aunt?"
They marvel at each other's clean faces.
"Hyung-nim. Put this on."
Jang Ho-seop approaches and hands me lotion.
When did he grab this?
Now I see everyone has cosmetics.
Unnecessary in my book.
But I take it without comment.
"Um... police... ah, over there."
"Yes."
"What about dinner?"
Lee Yu-na comes over and asks.
"My dad's a great cook..."
Everyone looks at me expectantly.
'Fine.'
That's what people are.
I just committed mass murder.
In front of all of them.
And they took lives too.
'Favor.'
Yet the feeling they send me is favor.
Because they could wash thanks to following me.
Because they could choose what to eat.
This minor satisfaction covers all other sins.
'If I just give proper rewards no matter what I do on a whim...'
I could see the path for how to live in this world from now on.
Night fell.
For dinner, we went with food that wouldn't give off much smell.
Still, everyone was satisfied.
It was hot food.
"Hyung-nim. That ajusshi can really cook."
Jang Ho-seop brings a cup and hands it to me.
Has a teabag in it.
"Yeah. Tasted good."
"Right? Not just 'cause I was hungry?"
"That too."
"Ah..."
Soon after, the group gathered once cleanup was done.
"I'll activate it."
Time to activate the Spirit Stone.
Everyone watches the Spirit Stone in the center with tense faces.
'Yes.'
Absurdly, Jang Ho-seop's guess was right.
He'd said this during dinner.
'Hyung-nim. Mana Stone, Spirit Stone. Gotta be related, right?'
I hold out my hand, and Jang Ho-seop beams triumphantly.
"See?!"
I take the Mana Stone and ponder briefly.
How to place it on this oval Spirit Stone.
Vrrr—
That worry resolves quickly.
As I bring the Mana Stone near, the Spirit Stone stands upright.
"Huh?"
I'm not holding it.
The Spirit Stone rights itself.
Lifts slightly off the ground, and the inner stone levitates too.
"This is straight-up superconductor..."
I just set the Mana Stone on top of the Spirit Stone.
Then the Mana Stone gets sucked in.
What was a hard solid in my hand melts like liquid and seeps away.
"Ooh?"
And moments later.
Flash—
A blue wave spreads from the Spirit Stone.
And then... I heard my mother's voice.