Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 05
Chapter Title: Farming First
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After that, I spent time on repetitive work.
Avoiding other people's eyes to pick up items.
Duplicating the items.
Registering the duplicated items at the Trading Post.
Putting the originals back in their places.
I've been endlessly repeating this process.
I didn't discriminate by item type. Food was the top priority, but the shelves right in front of me happened to be stocked with daily necessities.
Still, most things in a convenience store are essentials for daily life, so they'll come in handy.
I duplicated simple first-aid supplies, toiletries, hygiene products, towels, batteries, phone batteries, sanitary pads, and even condoms.
They might not be needed right now, but they'll definitely come in useful somewhere down the line. That's why I'm doing it now. I don't want to regret not preparing later.
In the process, I learned a few more things.
First. It's possible to duplicate multiple copies of a single item.
I tested it with something tiny like a grain, and it duplicated until my hand was overflowing. Is there really no limit on quantity?
Is it truly limitless, or will there be some penalty later?
Just to be safe, I checked my status window over and over, but there were no particular restrictions.
Second. It's possible to duplicate items that were already duplicated.
In other words, even if the original is gone, I can withdraw a duplicate from the Trading Post and duplicate that one to keep going.
This was incredibly useful information. Once I finish duplicating everything here, I can leave this convenience store behind.
'But I need more than just convenience store items anyway.'
In an apocalypse, there are plenty of useful things people would want.
I should hit up a pharmacy and duplicate all the medicine.
And supermarkets for more variety.
'Worst case, I could duplicate guns and ammo from a military base.'
Of course, those wouldn't work well on monsters, and real powerhouses wouldn't care about them.
Not everyone has combat abilities. Mine's just simple duplication. Come to think of it, even the protagonist doesn't have direct combat powers. He can only steal abilities.
Against people like that, having a weapon could at least allow self-defense.
And third. Duplicates maintain their condition regardless of the original's state.
I tested it by duplicating a piece of paper and shredding the original to bits. No matter how damaged the original got, the duplicate stayed perfect.
This was also hugely important information.
There's no electricity right now. Soon, 'fresh foods' will be inedible.
Ice cream might already be melting.
Salads and milk from the convenience store will spoil quickly in this weather without refrigeration.
If I duplicate them now, even if the originals go bad, I can pull out fresh food or ice cream anytime.
This is definitely something I can put to good use.
Canned goods are useful too, but others can just raid warehouses for those, so they're not great as trade items.
But ice cream? In a world without power, it might become something no one sees again in their lifetime.
I need to have things others don't.
Cautiously glancing at the women, I pull out an ice cream. Thankfully, some cold remained, so it hadn't melted yet. But that won't last long.
I quickly duplicate them by type. Checking, the temperature is preserved too. It feels like it captures the state at the moment of duplication.
About an hour passed like that.
Sounds from outside gradually faded until silence fell.
No more car alarms or sirens.
It was the hush of a ghost town.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Seoul Area - 'Survivors' 8,132,690] In that one hour, two million people had vanished.
Even a nuke wouldn't reduce numbers this fast.
It really hit home how lucky I was.
In the meantime, I'd duplicated nearly everything in the store.
All that was left were items in front of where the women were.
Like that bread corner over there.
I couldn't duplicate right in front of them.
"Ahem..."
Pretending to browse, I wander up front and grab a loaf of bread.
Quickly duplicate it, register at the Trading Post, and replace the original.
After doing it endlessly earlier, I can do it at blinding speed now.
If I duplicate all the bread like this...
"What exactly are you doing right now?"
Damn.
Sharp-eyed Lee Soi calls me out.
Lee Soi. Accounting staff. Basically the bookkeeper.
I turn with a bright smile.
"What do you mean?"
"You were just trying to steal that bread."
"I wasn't stealing. See? It's right there."
I place the bread back like I'm totally innocent.
"Godfather. You've been suspicious since earlier, wandering around touching stuff everywhere."
Oh no. She was watching?
"I don't know what you're scheming, but it'd be great if you followed our rules too."
"Rules?"
"Yeah. We just discussed them."
Did they? I wasn't paying attention.
Wasn't it all just sobbing and comforting?
"First off, you know this isn't a normal situation, right?"
"I know."
"Then you know what's important in this situation."
"Survival?"
"Food needed for that survival."
She thinks the same as me.
"We have to hold out here with the food until rescue comes. Right?"
"Sure."
Rescue isn't coming, though.
"If you get that, you know we need to ration food. There's a decent amount here, but most will be inedible in a few days."
That was true. Fresh foods, frozen items, dairy, bread.
The defining trait of convenience store food is short shelf life.
Not an issue for me anymore, though.
"So we've made a rule to only eat designated food for a while. I'd appreciate it if you followed it too, Godfather."
She said it like a request, but it was basically an order.
Kim Soyoung and So Hana behind her glared at me. Even the part-timer.
Only Gong Ga-eun looked at me worriedly.
"...And if I don't comply?"
"Then."
"Oh?"
Lee Soi steps forward and suddenly pulls something out.
That's...
"Wh-what...?"
"What is that? Soi?"
What she held was a glowing sword.
I see. That's Lee Soi's ability.
"Not sure exactly what it is. Kinda fantasy-like. But I know it's my power."
That explains why she was reading something intently earlier.
She's adapted to this ruined world much faster.
And it's the Golden Sword? That looks like an A-rank ability. Insane gacha luck.
"...You get it, right, Godfather? If you're thinking of trying something by force, better drop it quietly."
"Wasn't planning to."
I admit it cleanly. No desire to fight someone with an A-rank combat ability early on.
Of course, eventually she'll kneel before my power.
But that'll be when their food runs out.
Right now, even salads are still fresh. Conditions aren't right for my ability to shine.
Mine is a race against time.
"Um..."
Then the part-timer raises her hand from behind.
"Actually, I saw something earlier."
"...What?"
My body tenses. What did she see?
"Earlier, a new bread appeared in that ajusshi's hand."
"Bread...?"
Everyone snaps their eyes to my hand.
In my hand was a Rocketmon Bread.
The one I duplicated earlier but forgot to register in time.
"Rocketmon Bread, right? That one."
"......Yeah."
"We only have one type of Rocketmon Bread here. Limited stock because of the stickers."
Damn.
Now both my hands held identical Rocketmon Breads.
Peel them, and the stickers would match too.
If that gets out, they'll suspect duplication.
"For real!?"
"What? What's going on?"
I don't want my duplication ability exposed right now.
Especially not to these women. Ga-eun maybe, but not them.
Ga-eun's so kind, she'd just say, "Wow, that's amazing~!"
But Kim Soyoung or Lee Soi would grab me and threaten to make me duplicate endlessly.
Bolt out of here?
Where to, though? Outside means death.
No choice.
Give them what they want and defuse this.
"Actually, I was going to tell you all, but the timing was off."
"...?"
"Soi, making swords is your ability, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Mine is making bread."
I naturally duplicate one and show it.
"Like this. By type."
I duplicate one by one.
"I can produce them."
Suddenly, several breads appear.
Lee Soi blurts out in disbelief.
"...W-wait, really?"
"Real. Want to try one?"
She glances around, then takes a bite of mine and one of hers.
"...Tasty."
"Right?"
"M-me too!"
"Not poisoned or anything weird, right?"
The other women each grab one. Ga-eun takes one too.
"Mmm~!"
"I-it's good? If you really have this ability... we won't starve."
"Tasty, Godfather."
"Glad I could help."
While they're distracted by the bread, I pretend to clean up and retrieve the stickers.
This clears the hurdle for now.
It even seemed like a good turn.
Just moments ago, they eyed me like a glutton devouring three people's share. Now it's all changed in an instant.
Should I go with the bread factory concept for a while?
Jingle jingle.
"?"
At that sound, every gaze in the store, including mine, turns to the door.
From the slightly open gap, someone peeks in.
"Is... is anyone... here...?"
A super cute voice...
🆔 NAME TAG 🆔 Seedling Class Teacher A-yoon♡ It was the teacher.
"D-do you have any food... by chance...?"