The Utility of the [Map]
"The round sun has risen! Time to get out of bed~!"
Bukjin was marching forward with a light, rhythmic step, humming a cheerful tune. Last night, while researching his smartphone, he had formulated a bold plan. He pulled out the device and launched the [Map] app.
The map of the Green Wilderness unfurled across the screen. Bukjin tapped the search bar and typed in 'Star Insignia.' A small amount of Hyeongi was consumed, and in an instant, red dots began to pop up at specific points across the map. There were exactly 100 dots.
It was as he suspected. The 100 Star Insignias that the Unmong City Board of Education had painstakingly hidden throughout the wilderness could be easily sniffed out using the [Map] app. Bukjin had discovered this possibility last night. While other students were struggling like they were searching for a needle in a desert, Bukjin could find them whenever he pleased.
In that moment, all his worries and anxieties evaporated.
'This is way too easy! Hehe. Alright, let's start with the closest one. It's by a lakeside about ten li away!'
Bukjin set the nearest insignia as his goal and activated the navigation.
A familiar voice guided him. Bukjin strode forward with absolute confidence. A short while later...
Alert: Saw-toothed Lizard nest detected 500 meters ahead.
Adults: 10 | Hatchlings: 15
Risk Level: 3
Recommendation: Search for a new route to bypass.
A new voice chimed from the smartphone.
'Huh? It has a function like this? It can even detect magical beasts?'
Bukjin was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't dreamed that the [Map] app would be this perfect.
'This is a windfall! A total windfall!'
Following the navigation's advice, Bukjin began to detour. Shortly after, more alerts followed.
> Large Ironclad Ant colony detected 600 meters ahead.
> 10 nests identified. Adult population: Approx. 36 million.
> Risk Level: 2 to 9.
> Strongly recommend searching for a new route.
> Red-tailed Viper detected 50 meters ahead.
> Risk Level: 3.
> Recommendation: Search for a new route.
> Ripe Ice Fog Poison Fruit detected 10 meters ahead.
> Plant contains lethal toxins. Risk Level: 2.
> Recommendation: Search for a new route.
The smartphone beeped incessantly with notifications. A wide grin spread across Bukjin's face.
'Perfect. With this map, I can wander through this dangerous wilderness like it's my own backyard.'
It was the ultimate tool, allowing him to go anywhere safely. A moment later...
Alert: 4 adult Ice Chickens detected 100 meters ahead.
Risk Level: 1
Would you like to reroute?
'Risk Level 1?'
Even at a glance, that sounded adorable. Bukjin thought that whether a chicken was boiled or fried, it was bound to be delicious. Besides, the risk was only Level 1.
'I'm not rerouting. I have to see this.'
When Bukjin had advanced about thirty paces—
Swish!
Suddenly, an arrow of ice shot out from the tall grass. Before Bukjin could even prepare a defense, the ice arrow struck his knee.
'Damn! I took one to the knee!'
Bukjin felt a slight chill in his left leg. A blue frost began to slowly spread upward from his kneecap.
"Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!"
A greyish chicken with glowing red eyes burst from the bushes. Wielding a sharp beak, the bird screeched fiercely at Bukjin. Its aggressive posture made it look more like an eagle than a common chicken.
Slash!
Bukjin drew his sword and swung it in a swift arc. A flash of blade-light flickered, and the chicken, its head pierced by the steel, was instantly hunted.
"Target down! An Ice Chicken? One hit is all it takes!"
Bukjin cheered. The three remaining Ice Chickens still hiding in the grass realized that Bukjin—whom they had considered prey—was a formidable opponent. They turned tail and began to flee. Their speed was like a bolt of lightning.
However, one of them must have been too panicked; as it leaped away, it collided head-first with a tree. Its skull cracked, and it tumbled over, dead.
'...It literally bashed its own brains out.'
Bukjin was speechless. The Ice Chickens weren't just weak; they were cowards. Their only redeeming quality was their fast legs. Bukjin circulated his Hyeongi, dispersing the cold energy that was stiffening his knee. He rolled up his trouser leg to check; the knee was slightly swollen, but there wasn't a single scratch.
It seemed his high-level mastery of the Peerless Sword Body was paying off. If an ordinary person had been hit by that ice arrow, their leg might have been pierced straight through.
"This experiment was a huge success. Judging by the Ice Chicken's abilities, magical beasts ranked Level 3 or lower on the map won't be much of a threat to me. I'll still need to be careful with Level 3 or higher, though, as they could be lethal."
Bukjin used the Ice Chicken to gauge the general power levels of the wilderness. After packing the two dead chickens, he walked for another fifteen minutes and finally reached the lakeside.
It was a small, nameless lake about three hundred paces in diameter. Water flowed in from a small river to the west, and the surface was clear and calm. Judging by the deep blue hue of the water, the center seemed quite deep. The shore was lined with a white sandy beach, offering a wide field of vision.
A quick search through the [Map] app confirmed there were no dangerous creatures in the lake.
"I'm going to get my first Star Insignia in total comfort by the lake!"
Bukjin stood by the water, stretching his limbs to warm up. He used his sword to measure the depth near the shore. The water close to the sand was relatively shallow, reaching about chest height. Following the navigation's guidance, he waded into the lake.
To be honest, Bukjin hadn't been much of a swimmer back on Earth. But now, with his Hyeongi cultivation as a foundation, he could hold his breath much longer than an ordinary person and move with ease underwater.
After about ten dives following the navigation, Bukjin finally retrieved the first Star Insignia.
Splash!
Bukjin emerged from the water and stepped onto the sandy beach. He examined the insignia in his palm. It was a flat, circular object, feeling like a quail egg that had been pressed thin. Silver starlight of varying sizes was engraved onto a blue background. The overall design looked like a countless number of stars shining in the night sky.
True to its name, it was a 'Star Insignia.' On the back, there was a number.
'1.'
It meant it was Star Insignia Number 1. Bukjin immediately stored the insignia in his [Storage] app. He then continued to use the [Map] to hunt for the next one. As he moved from one location to the next, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, eight hours had passed.
"I should head back."
Bukjin tucked the ninth Star Insignia into his [Storage]. He glanced down at his smartphone; the battery was at 20%.
"The smartphone is great to use, but the power consumption..."
Bukjin felt a headache coming on. He had started this morning with 50%. At this rate, he would have to charge it every other day, costing him 10 gold each time. Bukjin had won 50 gold as a prize in the competition. It was enough to last about ten days. By the time the preliminaries ended, he would be completely broke.
"I need to find a way to make money fast."
Bukjin picked up the two chickens he had hunted earlier and turned back toward the camp. Once night fell over the wilderness, the ferocity of the magical beasts would spike. It would be extremely dangerous. The camp was the only safe place.
On the way back, Bukjin continued to use the navigation to avoid danger. Now was not the time to be stingy with power. A short while later, just before the sun vanished completely, he reached a small, sparse forest about five paces away from the camp.
Right then—
Whoosh!
A large net dropped from a tree beside him, aiming to trap him from above.
Clang!
Bukjin drew his sword. A flash of steel erupted, and the net was shredded, creating a hole.
"Who's there!"
Bukjin shouted as he slipped through the gap. There was no answer. Instead, several more nets were hurled his way. These nets had iron weights attached to the ends, designed to wrap around his body like snakes.
Swish!
Bukjin unleashed the Big Dipper Descent.
One Sword Three Shadows!
The incoming nets were all sliced to ribbons. Urgent gasps echoed from within the woods. Several figures leaped down from the trees and began to flee. Soon, the surroundings fell silent once more, as if nothing had happened.
"I see. There are bastards lurking around the camp to ambush other students and steal their results. And they run the moment they fail..."
Bukjin could easily guess what was going on. It wasn't even that surprising. Before he knew the [Map] app could find insignias, he had considered a similar plan. Ambushing people on the paths leading to the camp and stealing a few insignias would be an easy way to boost his score. It was much simpler to take from others than to find them in the vast wilderness.
But it seemed someone else had the same idea. Truly, great minds think alike. Bukjin reckoned he had just been lucky to react so quickly. He stayed sharp and alert as he moved forward. He didn't encounter any more traps after that.
After another fifteen minutes, he finally arrived safely at the camp. Bukjin showed his stone tablet to the soldiers guarding the main gate and headed toward the central plaza.
When he arrived, most of the students had already returned. Bukjin's mood brightened as he observed them. Several students had bruised and swollen faces, and their clothes were torn to rags, leaving them in a pitiful state.
"Ugh, what rotten luck! I wandered the wilderness all day and didn't see a single shadow of an insignia! And then, just as I was coming back to camp, I fell into a trap! What kind of unconscionable jerk sets a trap like that? I got hit in the back of the head with a club, and it's still throbbing!" one student with a massive lump on his head complained.
"You just have a lump! I got beaten up and had my clothes torn!" another student, shivering in his half-shredded tunic, sobbed.
"Those shameless bastards! They tore my clothes too! If I ever catch whoever did it, I'll kill them!"
"I bet the guys who stole your clothes are planning to turn them into masks! That way, it'll be easier for them to ambush people later!"
The students who had fallen into traps shared their grievances. They were all united in their misery.