Chapter 4

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 4

Chapter Title: Zombie Apocalypse (1)

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In the world I counted, the only person with high compatibility in the layer where I lived was my father.

But after gaining the eyes to pierce through layers with the ability given by some grandfather,

the first man I found with 97% compatibility.

That man had become this.

If that damn quest hadn't appeared, it would have been the ordinary Korean landscape where he lived peacefully.

Right now, 'this man' was heading to the gym.

But first, I needed to figure out who 'this man' was, so I turned toward home following the memories that were subtly surfacing.

His name was Lee Sian. Did the name have a big impact on compatibility?

I could use the Status Window on the street, but from the memories trickling in bit by bit, I realized this world didn't have such things.

A world without places like Utopia, an island that accommodates ability users—just a mechanical civilization enjoying capitalism.

To think there'd be someone with high compatibility in a world without ability users.

I filtered out more than half of the useless memories flowing in and arrived home.

Not home, but a one-room apartment.

A memory surfaced of living together with Seo Yeon about half a year ago, bringing a wave of longing mixed with slight irritation.

The door lock password didn't come to mind, so I pondered for a moment, but fortunately, it had a fingerprint scanner.

I pressed my index finger firmly against it, and with a click, the door opened. As soon as I entered, I tossed the bag I was carrying nearby and sat on the bed.

"What's in here that's so heavy?"

Checking the bag was important, but more crucially, I needed to learn about Lee Sian.

"Status Window."

My combat power seemed a bit lower? One quest had progressed, and the possession had changed to Lower World Possession.

Focusing my mind on Lower World Possession brought up detailed information about the ability.

The new restriction of 'lower world beings' was a bit annoying, but I was satisfied that I could start the quest.

What were possession slots? Focusing on the possession slot let me know who I was currently possessing.

Except for one character in the name, he was almost exactly like me.

So that's why the high compatibility allowed possession.

According to the continuously flowing memories, he was a 20-year-old man who loved working out.

He had a girlfriend but wasming over what to do since he had to enlist next year.

"Break up or mix bodies without regrets."

In this world's Korea, with nearly two years of military service, it was ninety percent likely they'd break up.

Seo Yeon had given me the breakup notice after just four months apart, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠applying my experience, two years felt too long.

"Should I call and break up?"

The smartphone usage was similar to my original world, and I unlocked it easily with fingerprint recognition.

Looking at contacts, the most recent call was with his girlfriend saved as 'Na-eun♥'.

Anyway, Lee Sian was my possession vessel. If things got messy, I could just end the possession, right?

"Wait, how do I end the possession?"

I didn't know that.

This was my first possession, and I hadn't expected it to be in the world below, with zero mental preparation.

So something was bound to happen.

The quest. I needed to check the quest that had ruined one person's life plan.

The quest I hadn't finished until now was cleared.

The skill changing to Lower World Possession was the expected quest reward.

I had roughly guessed, but seeing it confirmed in the Status Window made it certain.

And the next quest had appeared, so I checked it.

"I know that when the completion reward isn't clearly specified, it's because they give something suited to the situation at the time. Looks like they're planning to do the same this time."

It was a fact I'd learned from Tae Won-ho, with whom I'd grown distant, during early semester interactions.

If the change to Lower World Possession was judged the most suitable reward for my situation among options, then following along would likely grant a skill to end the possession and return to the original Yoo Sian.

I checked Lee Sian's info in the possession slot again.

The percentage rising behind the name—that must be the assimilation rate.

Once that hits 70%, they give the next skill?

It seemed like an easier quest than I thought—just keep learning about Lee Sian.

Yeah, if it's a tutorial quest, the difficulty should be easy. Searching other layers for someone with 95% compatibility was the weird part.

To raise assimilation, ruminating on the memories flooding from the house seemed enough, but moving around might speed it up.

First, I went to the bag I'd been carrying when possession started and crouched down.

With a ziip, the thick zipper opened to reveal a baseball bat and workout gear.

Recalling related memories, it was a hobby swinging bats at a batting cage after dates with his girlfriend.

More memories of 'Na-eun♥' surfaced.

A girlfriend he met at a gym near university, both fitness enthusiasts.

Her healthy figure came to mind first, and their first time together had left a deep impression.

Just. Meeting that girl and having sex once might raise assimilation quickly?

As I thought a path to rapid growth had opened, the smartphone rang.

On the bed, the screen showed 'Na-eun♥'.

Answering ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠brought a familiar voice.

"Sian, you not coming today? Working out alone is lonely~"

Kim Na-eun's voice, whispering so it wouldn't echo, naturally brought a smile.

Soft-spoken, but full of charm.

"Got something to do at home first today. About 20 minutes till I arrive—too awkward for workout time?"

"Think of it as running instead, and those 20 minutes count as exercise too, right?"

"Yeah. Wait just a bit."

Yoo Sian possessing Lee Sian, but the call felt pretty natural.

I hadn't changed much, so that's why 97% compatibility?

If I hadn't gained abilities or gone to Utopia or Global Academy, would I have lived like this with Seo Yeon?

Aside from workouts, it felt like one of the futures I'd vaguely dreamed of.

Was Lower World Possession letting me experience that future that wouldn't come now, elsewhere?

With quite a few memories absorbed now, I headed to the gym where we worked out.

Jogging lightly on the way, Lee Sian's body indeed had many similarities to Yoo Sian's.

The slight difference? Muscles stood out more prominently.

Strength and stamina similar, but Yoo Sian's body never bulked up no matter how much I trained—maybe this world made muscle gain easier.

Distributing stamina appropriately, I swiped my membership card entering the gym.

As I headed to the men's locker room to change, Kim Na-eun—hair tied back, in workout clothes—spotted me and waved.

Her tracksuit hid her figure a bit disappointingly, but a girl with a boyfriend didn't need to show off.

Recalling memories, I knew her shape: breasts heavy in one hand, toned belly without flab from workouts, even faint abs—firm rather than soft to the touch.

And those pretty legs and thighs, that elastic body...

Can't get hard in a gym. Time to stop thinking.

"Sian, it's a day we work out together—you didn't forget, right?"

"How could I forget? Just went home first for a bit."

"Okay? Hurry and change then come out."

Entering the men's locker room, I found my spot.

Finally, checking the mirror, my face really looked like Yoo Sian's.

97% compatibility is 97%.

After changing into workout clothes and heading out, a strange sound rang.

Ding.

"Hold up? This shitty sound?"

Zombie?

Why would zombies suddenly appear in this world with no Status Window or ability users?

Wondering if others got this quest too, I hurried out of the locker room.

Kim Na-eun was doing dumbbell curls with light weights in proper form, and everyone else was working out as usual.

Approaching her slowly, I whispered,

"Before heading to my place today, wanna stop by the mart?"

"Sure. Need something? Tell me after workout."

"Gonna stock up on emergency rations."

Her face scrunched a bit, like she'd heard something weird.

Still cute.

Chatting closely with Kim Na-eun, one of the gym's prettier female members, the guys around started glancing over.

Quit the jealousy and focus on your workouts. I stretched and headed to the machines.

Lee Sian's assimilation was at 34% now. Before zombies hit, I needed that skill, so I should learn my body precisely.