Chapter 179

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 179

Chapter Title: Mushroom

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We'd discovered survival points and hurried under the rocks.

The vast space formed by the giant boulders somehow seemed like it would be crawling with man-sized bugs, but fortunately, nothing that annoying happened.

Tadadot.

Instead, some presence followed behind us.

I quickly flattened myself to the ground.

Sasasak!

The people who'd been following me in search of shelter all dropped flat to the floor one after another, glaring out from the shade at the forest scorched by the blazing sun in patches.

Just as I sensed the presence, creatures that looked like a mix of raptors and ostriches emerged from the underbrush.

Swoosh.

Someone described them that way, but I don't know much about dinosaurs, so I can't say if that's accurate.

One thing was certain: those guys averaging about 7 meters in length were called Scarrbas.

Kiruk? Kiruk?

They let out some kind of cry, looking around before sniffing and heading our way.

Sabak. Sabak.

True to their irritable nature, they approached at tremendous speed. In an instant, their snouts slipped under the rock into the shade.

"Eek."

"W-what do we do?"

The vicious hunters of the Archaic Forest, Scarrbas.

If exposed to them, our party would be the only survivors among us.

But there was no need for such worries. It wouldn't be easy for those things to come under this rock.

'This place is 3 meters high, while those guys are 7-meter hulks.'

Even if they did enter, they couldn't rampage at their signature incredible speeds.

Still, the terrified people didn't know what to do.

"W-we're done for."

That was when they were trembling in fear.

The creatures paused, yanking their snouts back out before scampering off elsewhere in a flash.

It happened so quickly that everyone wore stunned expressions.

'...Why'd they leave?'

They were quick-tempered, so their movements were fast by nature, but... had some new commotion arisen elsewhere?

Of course, if that was the reason, we'd been extremely lucky.

As I pondered that, something caught my eye on the ground.

'Ah.'

I plucked up a small creature growing from the soil.

"Dickhead, what's that?"

"A mushroom."

I tapped it against the ground. A puff of dust scattered, carrying some scent... no, nothing to me. As expected, this smell only works on monsters.

Such mushrooms blanketed the open ground under the rock, forming clusters. In short, even if monsters wanted to enter, they couldn't.

"W-we survived."

Confirming that, people sighed in relief and plopped down one by one, sprawling out limp.

The tension released, draining the strength from their bodies.

But as their bodies cooled on the shady, chill floor, their minds finally started working again. They sat up straight one by one, looking around.

To check if the place was truly safe.

Nod.

The Jeju Alliance and Cheongbang members each got up, scouting the shaded bends before returning.

"No threats here."

"Same over there. Thought it was a cave, but it's just under a massive boulder. As long as we keep watch on all sides, we're good."

In essence, safety confirmed, but smaller creatures than those earlier could still pose a risk.

However, based on my info, no such creatures existed.

'Even scavengers are 4-5 meters tall, so practically no individuals can enter here and massacre us.'

And with the mushrooms everywhere? It was a natural fortress.

"I'll tally the numbers."

Once decided suitable as survival points, Kim Jin-woo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠belatedly started counting people.

Those back from scouting and those catching their breath followed his gaze, joining the headcount.

Soon, a hollow voice echoed.

"...This is all?"

"All those people..."

The 1,326 who'd crossed over had dwindled to 68.

Of course, this wasn't everyone.

Some left atop Dracalon would survive, and some of the two guild members who'd ventured to scout the forest would adapt to this hellish place.

Indeed, such survivors existed.

But those who are unaware despaired.

"Everyone is dead in less than three hours...?"

"It's over. We're gonna die."

"Sniff, we shouldn't have been greedy and come here."

The picnic vibe was gone; everyone wore expressions fitting the Trials.

This time, even Jeju Alliance and Kim Jin-woo, Cheongbang and Hao Zifeng stayed silent, just breathing quietly.

Sabak. Sabak.

Meanwhile, I wandered, claiming the safest, most comfortable, breezy spot.

People might not realize it, but when entering survival as a group, the first thing is securing a good position.

"Nice spot."

"Perfect for a camp?"

"Ung! Flat ground, not hot!"

"Our Dickhead doesn't miss a thing. Good job, Dickhead."

They patted my butt, so I grabbed Shin Seo-yeon's tail in return.

"Hey!"

"What."

"Don't do that for real. Feels like I'm gonna pee."

"Okay."

Anyway, as we made noise settling in and began gathering blacklight mushrooms around, others belatedly scanned for good spots.

Maintaining some distance made it tougher than expected, but

The quick North Koreans, watching us, snagged a flat area 20 meters away for their camp.

"Dickhead, we'll step away briefly."

"Sure."

Given the situation, my group hadn't relieved themselves yet. They rose together, vanishing around the corner out of sight.

I considered following but figured they'd have said if they wanted company. It meant leave us be; it's embarrassing.

'With wind spirits and their current ranks is 2-5 among them—there's no real danger.'

As the women left, the settled North Koreans approached to express thanks.

"Thanks earlier. Without you, comrade, we'd be goners."

"Nah. You survived well."

"South Joseon comrades are so humble."

Not humble; it's a fact.

I gave everyone an equal chance. From the start to the end, the ones faithfully following without straying—are these folks.

'Even when we left Dracalon's corpse, they followed first.'

Such small differences accumulated into life-or-death matters.

I hadn't forced it or favored them for Ri Eun-jeong. Their survival was their choices' result.

"Eun-jeong comrade, doesn't he seem humble to you?"

Ri Eun-jeong, squatting and gathering mushrooms with her North Korean comrades, stared at me before spitting a line.

"Dunno about that, but from now on, watch ahead properly. Worry about others and if you neglect yourself, you're in big trouble."

I blinked.

First time seeing Ri Eun-jeong talk so much.

She was always terse, saying only necessities in Round 1...

'She still has comrades, so maybe she still had some social side left?'

I pulled a cool water bottle from inventory and handed it over.

"Throats dry? Take it."

They looked shocked.

"Comrade, is it really okay to accept?"

"Don't sweat it. Repaying what you gave earlier. You all helped multiple times."

I nodded at Ri Eun-jeong; they glanced her way.

"......"

She stared blankly before nodding.

Only then did they take the 2-liter bottle, sharing sips.

"Kya, refreshing."

"Water tastes amazing."

I asked Kim Jong-su, their apparent leader—a 50s man? Voice sounded younger, but hardship aged him.

"So how'd you end up here?"

This Special Trial opened briefly at set times; participating with twelve people was risky.

Usually hundreds like Jeju Alliance or Cheongbang, or at least 30-40.

Our five and theirs are both outliers.

As I asked while picking mushrooms, he replied.

"Nowhere's without danger."

"......"

"Death ain't scary. Just regret not escaping this Selection Process fence. As you know, comrade, special chances don't come often."

...Special chance. Everyone here likely sought it.

"Like how we fled from our homeland safely to here."

They were all from complete control zones.

Complete control zones.

North Korea divides into revolutionary zones for reeducatable prisoners and lifelong inescapable ones.

They were the latter.

No regime education there; they're treated as slaves.

Even born children became prisoners like their parents.

Kim Jong-su's life had twists: post-Arduous March, he crossed Tumen River 100 times for his family.

"It started okay. Yhe chinese pitied us; knocking got us food."

Carried 30kg back to feed his family.

Freezing, grueling crossings, but the corpses floating nearby kept him alert.

Around the 2000s, the Chinese started hating defectors. Some of us stole from warehouses.

"We couldn't beg anymore. We've touched forbidden spots."

So they smuggled South Korean dramas for cash. Worked at first, then caught eventually—leading to the control zone.

"I could've been shot; maybe I was lucky or not? Recalling that hell makes this Selection laughable."

...That explained the detachment.

Kim Jong-su was smiling at his past, empathizing with the North Koreans—we we're all the same.

It's why they marched to death unflinchingly.

Always facing near death experiences before entering the Selection.

"These comrades were met there. Except me and Eun-jeong, all of them we're born and raised inside."

A slave's child is still a slave. Zone-born are a criminals' kids too.

Hence their docile eyes.

Even dictating drinking order for Ri Eun-jeong before they sip.

...Only Ri Eun-jeong is untamed, having seen the world pre-capture.

"So many rejoiced at the apocalypse alert. Finally escaping this hell."

But freedom was brief; they realized the Selection was no different.

There's no paradise in the escapes.

"Still, we have a goal's directives, become a resident, live humanly in a new land. We might die, but that's why this is a Special Trial."

Countries differ, but the goal's the same: survive to reach the otherworld.

"Rooting for you."

"Thanks."

"We're back!"

Ny group returned mid-story.

"Wow, you picked all these alone, Min-jun?"

Five duffels around me were brimmed with mushrooms.

"Uh, yeah. Somehow."

"Aren't you overdoing it?"

Well, not just me. Everyone picked diligently.

They're valuable food, protects us from monsters—so why not?

'But relying solely on these? That's just death.'

Dust it on clothes/body: 5-min scent on us.

Can't spam it while roaming around.

Use only when cornered.

Some foes ignore it.

'Irritable Scarrbas snatch players before even smelling.'

Sprinkle the mushroom and strut around? You're just dead.

Trials provide crisis items but demand savvy use of them; the risks persist.

Fitting the name.

"Jackpot. See, auntie? Bro's a machine."

"...Min-jun, what's your real deal?"

"?"

The women stared wide-eyed. Following my gaze:

Flick. Flick. Flick.

My hand nonstop yanked the mushrooms, tossing them aside.

Beside me, my Wind Spirit held the duffel open, snapping them up.

Flick flick flick—

Pluck pluck pluck.

Telekinesis for distant ones to save time... apparently it looked impressive to the group.

'Was I fast?'

I checked around: my solo haul matched twelve North Koreans'.

Result of 203 Agility, endlessly grinding my hands.

"...Did you farm mushrooms on Earth?"

Even Han So-hee quipped; said it all.

Shin Seo-yeon ignored my quirks now.

"Shut up, fetch more duffels. Try to fill 'em all."

"Collecting so much of these, but for what?"

"What else."

It works on most monsters.

Archaic Forest has prototypes of many Trial beasts.

They hate these here? They'll hate it everywhere else.

It has long-term use.

'Heard it has a good texture too. Grow it at the dorm, then harvest them as needed.'

My group's eyes sparkled, rolling their sleeves.

"We'll help!"

"Ung!"

"Alright, let's do this!"

The ~1,200-pyeong mushroom field was filled with the sound of pickings.

Even the lazy ones knew the were mushrooms tied to their life—so they pick relentlessly.

The mushrooms piled rapidly.

"Gonna hit the bathroom."

Then Ri Eun-jeong, who was busy with us, stood, dusting her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠butt.

Nod.

She asked my group where they'd gone, heading beyond the corner out of sight.

Midway, she and Chinese eyed warily; our distance grew, then back to work.

Wondering, I asked Kim Jong-su.

"You don't seem close with the Chinese."

"Ah."

China-North Korea, you're neighbors, no?

Earth days, we had state-level ties.

Round 1 not super close, but we were fresh arrivals—should be amicable.

Kim Jong-su cut straight.

"We hate Chinese. They treat us like livestock."

Those were some loaded words.

'Even death-detached feel some offense.'

Got it.

Border nations especially tense.

Chatting variously with Kim Jong-su, while farming mushrooms—I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then hear a faint Chinese murmur that reached my ears.

"Fuck, so many chicks and we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can't?"

"Such prime stress relief: warm dick in their pussy."

"Why not? Grab one and just gangbang."

Seven Cheongbang guys whispered lewdly, grinning.

"Heh heh, perfect target's there. While folks are distracted by shrooms, quick in-out."

"She looked tough, that okay?"

"They're human anyway; smash their skull from the back, then use the corpse. We'll enjoy it before the kill."

They snuck toward Ri Eun-jeong's direction, avoiding any eyes.

"......"

I stood too.

"Stepping out for a bit."

"Where?"

"Bathroom."

"Okay."

Truth: Ri Eun-jeong won't fall to trash, but people unpredictable.