The Call of the Wasteland
Unless they used a special method, everyone logging into Maetan initially spawned in the central plaza, right in front of the statue of the city's founder.
Because of this, the plaza's bulletin boards were always bustling with activity, filled with official announcements from Maetan, personal messages, and secondhand markets.
And today, a rather unusual notice had been pinned to the board.
A hazardous journey, radiation, Machine Species, mutants, constant danger, safe return doubtful.
Honor and 1,000,000 Maetan Points upon success.
— Maetan HR Department, Pyeongtaek Expedition Coordinator
"They say it was a US military supply depot."
Kang Yeolchan and Yoo Hyeyeon had paid a visit to the tutorial server, the Goblin's Forest.
These two seem to be visiting quite often lately. Is running a guild much easier than I thought?
"Before the war, Pyeongtaek was a US Air Force base."
An airbase belonging to none other than the strongest nation in human history.
It was one of the hubs holding the most formidable military power in Asia.
Consequently, it was seized by the artificial intelligence the moment the war broke out.
The most advanced drones and fighter jets in South Korea at the time were stationed in Pyeongtaek. Naturally, they were equipped with high-end electronic systems, making them prime targets for the AI to hack.
Watching their own state-of-the-art weaponry obliterate their allies, the United States made a drastic decision.
Nukes.
It was early in the war, and with almost all strategic and tactical weapons already hijacked by the AI, they had very few options left.
Launched from a nuclear base that was completely isolated physically and electronically, the warhead detonated on South Korean soil, and...
"Before the Pyeongtaek base was destroyed, they supposedly built a secret underground supply depot," Yoo Hyeyeon explained. "The problem was that it was kept so classified that barely anyone knew about it by the end of the war. There's a very high chance all the supplies are still sitting there, completely untouched."
This part was actually true.
Among the data CC possessed, there was a record of the supply depot's construction, but no log of its contents ever being retrieved.
"That's why Maetan is planning to send an expedition team there soon."
"Screeech... squeak, click... (Through the wilderness? Maetan is making a bold move.)"
"They must be that desperate for resources. Maetan is always suffering from chronic shortages, after all."
Most of the resources humanity used today were recycled, recycled, and recycled again.
With no land to build large-scale factories and no access to natural resources, there was simply no way to manufacture new goods.
...By the way, do these two actually understand Goblin speak now?
"Hyeong-nim, you saw the notice too, right? They're recruiting volunteers!"
"Click, squeak, click. (I saw it. A high-risk...)"
"Isn't it incredibly thrilling?! It's dangerous and difficult, and the reward is meager, but it promises honor and glory! Ah... it's just like a legendary adventure...!"
Kang Yeolchan clasped his hands together, his eyes sparkling.
Yoo Hyeyeon gave a strained smile.
"It's hard to understand, isn't it? Putting out a notice that's so dangerous with such vague rewards..."
I agreed with Yoo Hyeyeon, but the notice would undoubtedly be highly effective.
The original draft of that notice was based on an old recruitment ad for an Antarctic expedition. Back then, even with far lower returns than Maetan's offer, thousands of people had applied.
"Anyway, boys still love things like romance and adventure..."
Romance and adventure were part of it, but the reason Maetan's residents would apply was likely far more desperate.
There were plenty of people in this city who desperately needed one million Maetan Points.
Desperation and urgency dictated the price of a life.
Someone wealthy enough to casually drop thirty million points to save her son probably wouldn't understand.
"I'd go too if I could..."
"Kang Yeolchan! Don't even dream about it! That's not the internet; it's the wilderness, reality. You won't be a Red Goblin there—you'll just be a normal kid!"
"Tsk, I know."
I, on the other hand, was planning to go.
After all, I was the one who leaked the information to make this happen.
However, my participation had become a bit awkward.
I had become far too rich.
Even after spending twelve million points on an unexpected expense, I still had nearly twenty million points left.
Risking my life for a mere one million points just didn't make sense on paper.
And claiming I was doing it for 'glory' would be completely out of character.
...Is there no convenient excuse I can use to join?
"Squeak! Click! Screeech!"
"Oh! It's the goblin uncles!"
The Longsword Goblin and Handaxe Goblin Senior appeared.
The two had been undergoing special training with Kang Yeolchan lately.
It seemed they were still traumatized from when they had attacked Yoo Hyeyeon to fulfill their duties as NPCs, only to disintegrate the moment she activated a passive area-of-effect damage skill without lifting a single finger.
"Alright! Let's work up a sweat! Hup!"
Kang Yeolchan grabbed a goblin in each hand and leaped high into the air.
I heard they were training in the Volcanic Island, a mid-tier zone, with Yeolchan's assistance...
Won't they instantly die from the heat in those goblin bodies?
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that matter," Yoo Hyeyeon said quietly, making sure Yeolchan was out of earshot.
Once she confirmed Kang Yeolchan had left, she continued.
"You might... get drafted into the expedition team, Mr. Yoon Juhyuk."
"Squeak? (Pardon?)"
"Actually... to be honest, it's almost certain. I'm so sorry. I think it's because of us..."
"Squeak-click? (How do you know? Why am I being drafted?)"
"During your field mission, you hacked and opened a military safe, right?"
She was talking about the safe CC had been trapped in.
I recalled opening it on my third try using a military master key my old comrade had given me.
"I included that in my report. But since the destination this time is a military supply depot... they thought it would be good to have a veteran. Someone who read the report mentioned there was a soldier who was such a master hacker that he could crack open military safes..."
Yoo Hyeyeon hesitated, carefully reading my expression.
From her perspective, her report was sending me into a death trap, so she must have felt incredibly guilty.
"But since you'll be going as a hacking specialist and consultant... you probably won't have to do any manual labor. They'll prioritize your safety as much as possible. And they'll likely pay you a separate bonus on top of the one million Maetan Points... Actually, I'll do everything in my power to pull some strings."
She bowed her head lower with every word, but for me, this situation was absolutely perfect.
I could join the expedition legitimately under Maetan's official request.
And with extra pay, to boot!
Beautiful.
As expected of Guild Leader Yoo Hyeyeon.
I knew she had the aura of a highly competent woman from the moment I met her.
"Click, squeak, click. (It is no problem. I was already considering joining to see if I could be of any help. Please do not worry too much.)"
Yoo Hyeyeon's eyes welled with emotion.
"For you to be so understanding... I..."
"Squeak-click? (When do we depart?)"
One week later.
I stood before the West Gate exit, ready to depart for Pyeongtaek.
The area in front of the exit office was bustling with expedition volunteers and the buses waiting to transport them.
Some people looked exhausted, cast in deep shadows as if they were already on death's door, while others were filled with hope, fitting the grand title of an 'expedition.'
"They're trying to control the population."
A scrawny man muttered loudly, clearly wanting to be heard.
"Even Maetan can't feed every single citizen in the city, so they're driving the useless mouths out to die. If we're lucky, we bring back resources. If we're unlucky, well, that's one less mouth to feed."
A few people glared at him, but the scrawny man ignored them and kept talking.
"Bastards. Treating human lives like trash... Do they think we have nowhere else to go? Ptu!"
"If you knew all that, why did you even sign up?!"
"Didn't you come here just to get that one million points anyway?"
"Did someone force you at gunpoint?!"
Disgruntled voices erupted from all around.
Everyone was equally anxious, so hearing someone spout such cursed words was bound to provoke a hostile reaction.
The scrawny man muttered a curse under his breath and pulled his hood over his head.
I looked away from the volunteers and patted the gas mask strapped to my waist.
It was a gift from Yoo Hyeyeon before our departure.
'I heard you'll be passing through a highly radioactive zone. Please pick up the latest gas mask and anti-radiation protective suit. I left them at the pawnshop. The safe combination is...'
She must have sent them out of guilt, believing I was going because of her.
Although I was the one who orchestrated this entire situation, I gladly accepted her generosity.
Beep— Beeeeep—
Feedback screeched through the speakers as a man stepped onto the podium.
"Listen up, volunteers of the Pyeongtaek Expedition!"
He was a middle-aged man whose muscular build was obvious even beneath his thick protective suit and heavy coat.
CC: That's Executive Director Ham Tae-ung, the leader of the expedition.
"You know him?"
CC: I saw Maetan's introductory brochure when you were working. The high-ranking executives even had their photos in it.
Ham Tae-ung began his speech.
"The path we tread is one that no one wishes to take. Radiation, monsters, and countless dangers await us. But our reason for going is clear. Our families, our friends, and our starving city depend on us."
As the speech went on, the expressions of the crowd began to shift.
"No matter how difficult it gets, we will not give up. We will watch each other's backs, secure the necessary supplies, and return alive. Today, we do not fight for ourselves alone. We march forward for all of us."
The reluctant, defeated looks on their faces gradually transformed into those of an expedition force driven by a sense of duty.
"Is Executive Director Ham Tae-ung actually going with us?"
"This must be a massive deal."
Above all, the fact that a high-ranking executive like Ham Tae-ung was accompanying them made them feel like they weren't just being sent off as disposable pawns.
Ham Tae-ung set down the microphone and roared at the top of his lungs.
"Are you ready?!"
"Waaaaah!"
The volunteers roared back in unison.
"Board the buses!"
The expedition members dispersed to their designated buses.
The buses were reinforced with steel plating around their chassis and equipped with bulldozer-like blades on the front.
In the wilderness, only traces of roads remained. Most paths were blocked by ruins, making them virtually impassable.
Ordinary vehicles stood no chance; they had to plow through the debris with sheer force.
The driver shouted.
"Did everyone use the restroom? Once we start, we don't stop, so if you have to go, you'll have to figure it out yourself!"
Outside the city, the rule was absolute: never stop, with only one exception.
"It'll take about nine hours to reach the Pyeongtaek ruins! Might take longer! Just sleep, everyone! I'll wake you up when we pass through the radioactive zone!"
A moment later, the bus lurched forward with a grinding motor whine.
The buses departed at thirty-minute intervals.
There was a reason for this: to avoid attracting the attention of the Machine Species.
'If forces gather beyond a certain threshold, they will be attacked by the Machine Species.'
Indeed, whenever a group's military power exceeded a certain level, the Machine Species would strike.
No one knew what criteria the machines used, but moving in small numbers when leaving the city had become basic common sense for humanity.
Buses, in particular, ran the risk of being classified as hostile military units, so traveling in convoys was strictly avoided.
Once we passed the South Gate and cleared the agricultural zone, the wilderness—a chaotic blend of lush greenery and decaying ruins—quickly revealed itself.
Vines and trees choked the skeletal remains of concrete buildings.
The city, abandoned by humans, was rapidly being reclaimed by nature.
CC: Oh, a rabbit. And is that... a water deer?
Amidst the familiar animals, bizarre, unidentifiable creatures occasionally darted past.
I drew the window curtain and closed my eyes.
> Aw, why? If you close your eyes, I can't see anything either.
"It's all the same anyway. The wilderness is nothing but ruins no matter where you look."
> But it's boring. I saw an animal with legs growing out of its back earlier. Do you know what it was?
"Probably a mutant."
CC grumbled, but I had no intention of opening my eyes.
Travel time was precious rest time. I needed to let my body recuperate while I could.
> I'm bored.
> Can't you open your eyes?
Unbelievable. Even with my eyes closed, I couldn't stop CC's spam of text messages.
> Open themmmmm.
> Oh! Did you hear that? I think I just heard a dog barking!
> Please open them, pleeease...
...
I'm hungry...
...
How much time had passed?
Click, screeech, click, buzz...!
A sound like a broken radio scratching through static.
The warning chirps of a Geiger counter jolted me awake.
CC: Wake up. You need to put on your gas mask.
"We're passing through a high-radiation zone! Everyone wake up and put on your gas masks!"
The passengers hurriedly pulled on their gas masks and zipped up their collars.
I put on my mask as well, pulling the anti-radiation cloak tight around my neck.
The bus accelerated to its maximum speed to push through the radiation belt. Just as the motor began to roar, screaming that it was reaching its limit—
"Whoa! Shit!"
The driver cursed and slammed on the brakes. The sudden deceleration sent the passengers tumbling forward.
"Ugh... my back..."
"Hey, driver! Watch how you drive!"
The driver stood up, pressing a finger to where his mouth would be under his mask.
Sensing that something was seriously wrong, I pulled back the curtain to peer out the window.
Through the thick, hazy radioactive fog, a massive shadow loomed, shaking the very earth as it approached.
Screeech...
Screeech...
The single exception that could force a non-stop bus to halt.
Eight spindly, long legs reminiscent of a spider. A cylindrical body towering like a high turret, studded with dozens of sensors like pustules.
"Machine Species!"