Future War (2)

Together with my companions, I stepped into My Room and crossed over into the adjacent chamber.

"…I can't believe they're still sprawled out asleep."

Snore…

Ghhhk…!

Men and women, young and old — all twenty-four of them were deep in slumber inside the prison cells, snoring away without a care in the world.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Hey! The sun's been up for ages. How long are you planning to sleep?!"

I hammered on the iron bars, ready to finally kick all twenty-four of them out of My Room.

"Ghh… Wh-what?"

"Ah… I finally got a good night's sleep for once…"

They clearly had no idea what had been going on outside. Rubbing their eyes, scowling, and yawning with their mouths stretched wide, the twenty-four people dragged themselves to their feet.

"Hey, do you seriously not know what happened out there?"

"Huh? Did something happen?"

They still looked utterly carefree. I asked out of sheer disbelief, and the man in front of me just blinked back at me in confusion.

"…The third Main Scenario just ended outside, and the fourth is about to start. Get ready and head out."

I forced down the deep sigh rising from my chest and gave them the shortest possible summary of everything that had gone down.

"Wh-what? Is that true?!"

"We're jumping into the fourth Main Scenario after just one day?"

"What the hell even happened out there…?"

Only then did the reality of the outside world sink in. People started glancing at each other and murmuring among themselves.

"The rest of you, check your backlog of system messages. It's time to leave."

I deliberately kept my tone cold. That way, fewer of them would beg to stay just one more day.

"Th-that's…"

Their faces hardened at my words. Tears welled in the eyes of a few of the younger children as they looked up at me pitifully, but I let the sight slide past with a blank expression.

There was a time when, because of something my little brother once wanted, I'd been soft on kids ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠younger than me. That time was over.

Helping them out of pity would only make things worse. If they didn't learn how to stand on their own and survive right now, then whether their lives ended short or long, death was still waiting for them either way.

"This is the last mercy I'm giving you. Take it and get out. Don't expect any more from me."

I handed each of them a plastic bag stuffed with convenience-store food — enough for a simple meal — and pointed toward the door of My Room.

"…Thank you."

"…With the world changing like this, I was so worried I couldn't wash or sleep properly for days. Thank you, truly."

"I was shocked when I got kidnapped out of nowhere at first. But thanks to you, I finally got a real night's rest. I'm genuinely grateful."

"Yeah. Good luck out there. Try to stay alive."

A few of them offered me small smiles and words of thanks as they stepped out through the door. I wished them luck in return.

"How are we supposed to live from now on…?"

"Exactly. Killing monsters, competing with other people — what value is there in a life like that…?"

"Value is something you decide for yourself. As long as you're alive, you'll find it. So go put in the effort to find it."

A few of them hesitated at the threshold like lost wanderers unsure of their path. I gave them a quiet word of encouragement and a push between the shoulder blades.

"I-I don't want to! If I go out there, I'm going to die for sure! I'm definitely going to die!"

"…P-please, I'm begging you! Please just let us stay here!"

"Ugh…! J-just try throwing us out! I'll stab you with this knife!"

"…………Haa."

The remaining few refused to leave, collapsing to the floor with terror written across their faces. A couple of others raised their weapons and tried to threaten me.

"Cut the crap and get out."

I let out a short sigh. Then I quickly subdued every last person who thought they could cling to someone else or threaten their way into survival, and hurled them out through the door.

Thud-crash—!

"Gyaaaaah!"

"Kyaaaaah!"

The people I'd forcibly thrown outside screamed as they tumbled across the ground. From beyond the door I could hear startled voices reacting to the sudden flood of people spilling out of the room, but I ignored them.

Handing out food as I sent them off had earned me sponsorship from the Absolute Good constellations. I gave a little wave toward the floating messages, then looked around the room.

"Time to clean up."

I opened the settings window for my exclusive skill, My Small Hideout, and started clearing out the room I was standing in.

No matter how many times I see this, it really does feel like an interior design simulator.

Just like those room-decorating games, every flick of my hand made the furniture, wallpaper, and floor tiles vanish. Before long, the prison-themed chamber was stripped bare — nothing left but concrete walls and a bare floor.

"Ugh… what a pain."

The five-minute time limit must have run out — the Sub Scenario messages came flooding in.

Originally it should have been twenty-four after five people deserted. Adding the twenty-four I saved and the five who still haven't deserted puts us at fifty-three, huh?

A lot more people had survived compared to the webtoon.

After roughly finishing the cleanup, I headed back to the room where my companions were waiting.

Click.

"I'm back."

"Welcome back, Jinwoo-ssi."

I opened the door and stepped inside. Yoo Sangah greeted me with a small smile.

Inside, only Lee Gilyoung was asleep on the bed, and Yoo Sangah was sitting on the floor resting. No one else was there.

"Huh? Sangah-ssi. Where are Dokja-ssi, Hyunsung-ssi, and Heewon-ssi?"

"Dokja-ssi said she had some business outside and left. Hyunsung-ssi and Heewon-ssi followed after her."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Hmm."

So the five who'd been clinging to Gong Pildu had deserted after all.

"Ah, Sangah-ssi. Here — these are for you."

"Pardon?"

I handed her the stat-boost ampoules that had been stashed in the corner of My Room. Yoo Sangah stared at the vials I'd given her with a thoroughly bewildered expression.

"Those are called stat-boost ampoules. Drink one and a single stat goes up by one."

"Whaaat?! Is it really okay to give me something so precious?"

Her eyes went wide at my explanation. She looked adorable, sure — but suddenly putting herself down like that? There were limits to underestimating yourself.

"Sangah-ssi. You really undervalue yourself far too much."

"Pardon?"

"Right now, comparing yourself to me, Heewon-ssi, Dokja-ssi, Hyunsung-ssi, and Gilyoung — you're wondering if you're actually useful to the team at all, aren't you?"

"………………."

My blunt shot made her flinch and drop her head. Looking at her like that, I nearly sighed out loud.

"Sangah-ssi. You're kinder than anyone on this team, sharper than anyone, and more capable than you give yourself credit for. That's why I trust you so deeply."

"But… like you said earlier, Jinwoo-ssi, I don't really contribute all that much to the team…"

Watching her mumble with that bitter little smile, I started pulling up everything she'd already done.

"Who was it that understood the Darkness Keeper's language, deciphered the text on the treasure chest, and handed Dokja-ssi a holy relic?"

"That was just because of a skill I have…"

"Who found the escape route in the mole cricket nest when Gilyoung couldn't use his ability because there were no insects around?"

"That was…"

"At Geumho Station, when we fought Cheon Inho — who was it that willingly picked up a weapon and fought to help Dokja-ssi and the others?"

"…………."

"When Dokja-ssi brought back Master Samyeong's belongings — who was the first person to recognize what they were?"

With every word I spoke, Yoo Sangah's body trembled faintly. She looked smaller than usual today — smaller than she had any right to look.

Thud.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠set my hand on her shoulder, and she flinched.

"Sangah-ssi. Like I said before — I believe in you. I trust you. And I'm counting on your abilities. So please stop putting yourself down."

"…Am I really helping?"

"Of course you are."

"I'm not specialized in offense like Heewon-ssi. I'm not an outstanding tank like Hyunsung-ssi. I don't have a powerful finishing move like Gilyoung, and I don't have Dokja-ssi's ability to lead the group. And lastly… I don't have your talent for handling any situation with flexibility and wit, Jinwoo-ssi. Do you really think someone like me is useful?"

It was as if she were pouring out every frustration she'd been holding in. Raising her voice, almost arguing with me — so different from the usual Yoo Sangah. The unfamiliar sight of her like that was almost heartbreaking.

"Obviously. Sangah-ssi, you're more helpful than anyone. So have some confidence. Right now your skill levels are low and you don't know how to use them properly, so you're floundering — but the moment you figure that out, you're going to become incredibly strong."

I pressed five boost ampoules into the hands of the still-trembling, head-bowed Yoo Sangah.

"And this is a book that should help you."

"…Pardon?"

On top of the ampoules she was clutching, I handed her a single comic book. The title on the cover read Sp■■erman.

"If you read this, you'll get a pretty good idea of how to put your abilities to use."

"Really… thank you so much, Jinwoo-ssi."

"Don't mention it. We're teammates, right?"

I made my way outside as carefully and quietly as I could. I didn't want to interrupt her right now.

Click.

Leaving the softly sobbing Yoo Sangah behind, I stepped out the door — and struck a magnificent pose.

"Heh… I was pretty cool just now, right, Constellations?"

"Excuse me? I can be serious sometimes too, you know. I feel shame and embarrassment just like anyone else. I only struck a pose because comforting Sangah-ssi made me a little self-conscious, so could you all shut up for a second and cut the crap?"

I'd spoken more earnestly than usual to cheer Yoo Sangah up, and now my whole body was crawling with goosebumps from the secondhand embarrassment — and these constellations just kept protesting without the slightest idea what I was going through. Infuriating as hell.

I was mid-mental-rant at the constellations when a system message arrived.

Ding!