Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Enduring Side Effects
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It was time for another dose.
Just like always, Lee Sae-byeok was held in Researcher Seon A-rim's arms as she administered the drug.
Limbs trembling, chills wracking his entire body, Lee Sae-byeok stumbled back to the dorm and collapsed onto the bed like he was passing out. He rolled himself into a blanket, turning it into a long pillar, then hugged it tight.
Seol Do-yoon, who had been sitting at his desk sorting through stacks of papers, looked up at the sight of Lee Sae-byeok sprawled out.
"Did you put that on?"
Instead of answering, Lee Sae-byeok raised his middle finger. That meant he had.
It was time for Yi Yu-hyun's health checkup soon, so Lee Sae-byeok had attached the bugging device Seol Do-yoon had given him in the infirmary.
As payment for sharing information on Yi Yu-hyun, the first simulated awakener.
Seol Do-yoon was under suspicion from several internal staff members, so he was keeping a low profile. That's why Lee Sae-byeok had to do the placement. For someone who usually wormed his way into the researcher's good graces, it was a piece of cake.
In a dying voice, Lee Sae-byeok muttered curses. Cold sweat started breaking out as a side effect.
Rummaging through the fever reducer boxes piled by the blanket, Lee Sae-byeok frowned when he found them empty.
"Got any fever meds?"
Seol Do-yoon, reviewing Yi Yu-hyun's documents while tinkering with the bug, pulled some from a drawer and tossed them to Lee Sae-byeok.
Catching it one-handed, Lee Sae-byeok pulled out a pill. It was the last one in the box.
"What the hell. You haven't taken any? There was one left yesterday too."
"You take it. I'm fine. You're more important than me anyway."
Seol Do-yoon smiled and tossed him some ice water.
"...What is this? Smells like bullshit."
Lee Sae-byeok stared at the pill for a moment, tilting his head.
"No idea what got into you, but thanks?"
He was just about to pop the pill in his mouth and swallow it with water.
"Thanks my ass—it's expired."
"Pfft!"
He spat out the water and checked the box. Sure enough, it was about a week past expiration.
"You asshole, I almost ate it."
"A week past is fine. Never had an issue."
"Then you eat a bunch."
Lee Sae-byeok quickly wrapped the spit-out pill in tissue and tossed it in the trash. The ice water was at least appreciated.
Picking up Seol Do-yoon's black tumbler, Lee Sae-byeok slipped back under the covers and pressed it to his forehead. The coolness sharpened his mind a bit.
Turning his head to look at Seol Do-yoon, he saw the guy sweating coldly with a deathly pallor. His hands shook so badly that fixing the bug looked agonizing.
Frowning, Lee Sae-byeok got up from the bed. He staggered from the sudden movement but steadied himself.
Grabbing a towel, he poured ice water on it, soaking it cold.
He snatched the chilled towel and smacked it against the back of Seol Do-yoon's neck. It landed with a satisfying smack.
Seol Do-yoon's hazy mind snapped alert.
Amid the sharp sting, he managed to curl the corner of his mouth in mock anger.
"...What the hell are you doing?"
"You probably skipped your meds too. Gotta cool that fever."
"Asshole, thanks. I'm awake now."
"Thanks my ass—you're my precious friend, right? We gotta look out for each other."
"I'm your precious friend? Same here."
Fake smiles passed between them.
Taking it further, Lee Sae-byeok pulled a blanket from Seol Do-yoon's bed and wrapped him up tight. Mustering what little strength he had, he dragged the bundled Seol Do-yoon and flung him onto the bed.
Seol Do-yoon tried to escape, but Lee Sae-byeok wouldn't let him.
*Stupid bastard, just rest.*
Lee Sae-byeok muttered it almost inaudibly as he passed by. Barely a whisper.
"You brought that scrapped one, right? The bug."
"Yeah."
"Where you planning to stick this one?"
"Association President's office. To test if it works."
Bundled in the blanket, Seol Do-yoon peered at Lee Sae-byeok through half-lidded eyes.
Lee Sae-byeok sat at his own desk and took over repairing the busted bug.
Lee Sae-byeok's form blurred into a fuzzy blob.
He faded from view.
"What are you doing?"
"I want this shitshow over as much as you do."
Clink, clink.
Parts clinked every time Lee Sae-byeok moved his hands. Seol Do-yoon watched the small back for a moment.
"You even know how to do that?"
"Saw you do it over your shoulder."
Seol Do-yoon stared silently again. His head lolled weakly, looking utterly frail.
Sweat poured off him—he looked ready to collapse any second.
"Talk about all heart and no skill."
"Exactly."
Seol Do-yoon dragged Lee Sae-byeok's chair over, wobbling as he went.
Leaning his face against the backrest, he sat beside Lee Sae-byeok and looked up.
His half-tied hair was a mess. Always was.
"Mess with that part wrong and it's toast. Don't break the good pieces—just sit pretty."
"My hands are shaking too. Don't wreck the good stuff—go collapse quietly."
Gruffly snapping back, Lee Sae-byeok fiddled with the broken bug, pondering, then spoke.
"This wire's cut, right? That's why it won't work?"
"Hmm, close... but handle it like that and it's done. Still, genius level, my Sae-byeok."
Seol Do-yoon's eyes crinkled in a grin.
"That goddamn tone. Cut the sarcasm—what is it, fuck. Show me from the side."
"Can't take a compliment."
With Seol Do-yoon guiding from beside him, Lee Sae-byeok fixed the parts with steady hands.
The work progressed quickly.
"Consciousness keeps slipping—grab my head. Perspective's off."
As requested, Seol Do-yoon held Lee Sae-byeok's drooping head with both hands. But his own shaking made Lee Sae-byeok's bob wildly.
It woke him up, at least. Vision shook like crazy, though.
"Hey, hey. Got a motor in your hands? Head's shaking me dizzy."
"Best I got. Hurry up."
Seol Do-yoon clamped his lips, focusing every ounce on steadying his trembling arms.
Lee Sae-byeok clung to his wavering mind and worked on the bug.
"Pfft. Ugh, what a joke. Laughably pathetic."
Shaking hands holding a shaking head. The misery mixed with absurdity left him giggling emptily.
Watching Lee Sae-byeok chuckle in his unsteady grasp, Seol Do-yoon's smile slowly faded.
"You know why we're suffering like this?"
"This suffering needs a reason? Just shitty luck, right?"
Seol Do-yoon fell silent for a bit, then spoke.
Why he never took his monster-injured orphanage friends to the hospital or reported it.
Why they ended up at the Association instead of another facility.
Why they kept getting injected with untested, dangerous drugs here, turned into lab rats.
"It's all for money."
"Tch, figures."
Seol Do-yoon had seen the orphanage director hand something to Association people. A thick envelope stuffed with cash.
He'd caught Researcher Seon A-rim injecting trembling, vomiting kids while taking payment. A fat box crammed with bills.
He wondered just how much that all was.
How much to price these kids' lives.
How much minimum to sell one's conscience.
"So that's why."
Seol Do-yoon flashed a bright smile. Casual, not flippant. But empty, chilling.
"I'm gonna slit those pigs' throats with their own money."
Lee Sae-byeok, fighting to stay conscious, finally blacked out and slumped over the desk.
His body couldn't take the drug anymore. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
Seol Do-yoon jabbed his leg with something sharp to anchor his own fading mind. The hand that stabbed still shook.
Blood trickled from his leg, pooling on the floor.
* * *
A sudden game glitch kicked Yi Yu-hyun out of Ninapinta.
Opening his eyes in the game pod, Yi Yu-hyun sat up straight, face blank for a moment. The dungeon's stunning vistas lingered like they were right there. He'd wanted to see more, but cold reality yanked him back.
Shivering, he noticed something off about his body—very off from normal.
Usually, the gap between his strong in-game body and weak real-world one hit hard. Not this time. None at all.
It was like his game body had become real—brimming with power.
After hours in-game, no fatigue. If anything, refreshed.
"Feels good... no way..."
No way, no way. A second awakening?
He couldn't confirm it yet, but his condition was too perfect.
First awakening brought mana. Second brought unique abilities.
One researcher on the Ninapinta simulator said in-game ability manifestation boosted awakening odds.
Yi Yu-hyun's was crafting-related, lower odds than mage or warrior classes. But still, possible.
If so, worth a shot. Making a package suited to him.
Clutching faint hope, Yi Yu-hyun focused mana in his hand.
Dungeon package recipes needed a hair and drop of blood. Maybe same for him.
Plucking a hair, pricking his finger for blood, Yi Yu-hyun recalled the in-game "Package Creation" skill feel.
"!!!"
Mana coalesced into a small sphere, solidifying after 10 minutes.
"That syringe from before...!"
No alert window, but probably "Yi Yu-hyun Package created."
Difference: way faster than the "Dun Package."
Seeing Pelro's in-game ability work in reality, it seemed he'd succeeded in second awakening, as the Association folks said.
Half excited, half worried, Yi Yu-hyun rolled up his sleeve for the injection.
Unclear what ability it was. The first Dun package had mysteries. Wanted to ask more, but connection cut.
Only way: test it.
After agonizing, Yi Yu-hyun jabbed his arm.
[Installing Yi Yu-hyun Package.]
An alert popped up, just like in-game.
Yi Yu-hyun rubbed his eyes at the real-world window. Blinked a few times—the popup vanished.
Another appeared instead.
[Yi Yu-hyun Package]
>Ninapinta Update (Downloadable)
>Package Creation (Upgradable)
Ah, so that's what it looks like after the shot.
Yi Yu-hyun downloaded every function and skill in the package.