Chapter 128
Chapter 128
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Labyrinth of the Subway Station - 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"He won't go down easy."
Bae Geom-in might be the weakest among us, but he's still a veteran player.
He knows all the ins and outs of ambushes in places like this maze.
Plus, judging by the comments, he's not letting his guard down, so even if they strike first, he'll counter quick.
Worst case... I'll have to use that.
Da-jeong spoke up.
"But that Geom-in guy... doesn't he seem kinda weak?"
"I've thought the same."
We backtracked along our path toward the swampy area with the dead tree.
As Da-jeong said, he seemed too weak for a true veteran.
Of course, his multiple traits were undeniably powerful.
But back on Wolmi Island too, the results had been underwhelming.
Da-jeong followed behind me.
"I think he's just a scaredy-cat who freezes up against people."
"He fights monsters fine, though. I saw it with the griffon."
"That was with others around. He sucks at fighting solo."
"You saw?"
"A few times. Especially bad in PvP. If you're the dealer, he's like a chicken getting plucked. He puts up a fight, but it's pathetic."
"What kinda metaphor is that..."
Anyway, it seemed his combat prowess against people was lacking.
If we recruit him this time, I'll have to give him some advice.
When I said that, Da-jeong stopped dead in her tracks.
"You're recruiting him? We're all getting together?"
"It's about time the veteran quartet assembles."
"Whoa. I didn't even realize and just skimmed past him."
"It's the heart that matters. You still hate Geom-in?"
"Not hate, exactly. It's that sleazy attitude that bugs me. Sneaking peeks at legs and all."
"That's 'cause he's not a psycho."
"What? Suddenly defending him?"
"Nah, it's just that he's normally average, normally spineless, normally ambitious... that kinda guy. Honestly, any guy's abnormal if he doesn't go googly-eyed over you."
"Hmm, fair point."
I quickened my pace.
"Nothing happened when you were with Seok-hyun, right? Same with me at first."
"...Come to think of it, you guys are weird. Normally, guys chase girls."
"Exactly why Geom-in's normal. Wants to stand above others, boss people around, date hot girls..."
"Huh, yeah, now that you say it..."
"He's mid-20s, right? Seems like he puffed himself up a bit so he wouldn't look inferior to you. Typical age for some bravado."
"So what's your point?"
"Save him this time, and he'll be fully on our side. I've laid plenty of groundwork. No need to wait for cracks in the government shelter. What he has will be ours."
"If you get close, he'll copy your trait too."
"That..."
Truth be told, I didn't think he'd perfectly copy our traits.
They're unique.
Even normal traits don't copy all effects—usually just one. Imagine with unique ones.
He could copy, sure, but it'd likely be half-baked.
"And then the dimension gate won't be exclusively mine anymore."
"Yeah... probably. A door I can enter will open too?"
Probably one that opens with my permission.
"There's a chance. We go in, work together, hang out, eat..."
"The three of us—no, four—roaming the forest? Sounds fun..."
"Then we gotta rescue Geom-in fast. Let me see..."
I sketched the terrain and explained the plan to Da-jeong.
She draws aggro up front, I flank from behind.
"Don't attack—just pull their eyes. Check the situation, then I strike."
"What if it's chaos? Auction house kids are hyped; crowds might swarm."
"Make it more chaotic. Plenty wanna meet me—I'll grant their wish."
Even now, the auction house was flooding with curses and incitement against me.
Tired of the abuse.
Time to shut them up for good.
.
.
.
In the swamp, a four-way brawl was underway.
While Geom-in glanced at the auction house, the other three ambushed.
His mistake: misjudging the range of his hyper senses.
Or credit to Lee Jang-hoon for not spilling the truth from the start.
Of course, Geom-in wasn't about to roll over.
He'd barely fought humans due to his cowardice, but same for the trio.
His three traits: Blink, Body Enhancement, Restraint.
Perfect for small-group fights.
He weathered the ambush and eyed a counter.
For a brief moment.
"Beat that bastard!"
"Shoot! Fire!"
The spacious swamp turned into pandemonium from their clash.
Geom-in blinked to create distance.
Short sightlines meant a short hop, but enough.
Movement was harder for them in the muck.
"Die, traitor!"
Kim Dae-ho splashed forward wildly and lunged.
Geom-in restrained him, blinked behind Lee Jang-hoon reloading his crossbow.
Jang-hoon swung the crossbow; Geom-in blocked with his shoulder.
"Ugh!"
A PvP pro like Sung-ho or Seok-hyun would've headbutted or kneed instantly.
But coward Geom-in, unused to pain, recoiled.
Fatal mistake.
"You're dead!"
Chae Sang-shin charged.
His trait: Instant Acceleration.
Amps speed bursts—tough if you're not used to it.
Geom-in, showing a gap with little PvP experience, got pummeled.
Thud thud thud!
Fists rained on his face; he staggered back.
Pain dazed him; the others piled on.
Body enhancer marked him, hyper senses pinned his moves—Geom-in struggled.
Traits needed focus; three-on-one was too much.
Jang-hoon's bolt hit his hesitating shoulder.
"Gah!"
Geom-in clutched it and dropped to a knee.
Pain was foreign to him.
Despite potions healing it fine, fear gripped first.
Deadly result.
The other two surrounded, unleashing indiscriminate violence.
Geom-in could only curl up, arms over head.
Fear of death froze his blink.
They stomped and toyed with the huddled man.
"Shouldn't have trusted this punk!"
"Stomp hard! Crush his skull!"
"Hold him up a sec!"
From afar, Jang-hoon reloaded with a sly grin.
Plan: use Geom-in as target practice.
Hit limbs only—body enhancement prevents death.
The pair caught on, agreed, hauled him up.
His sturdy frame was now a mess of bruises and cuts.
"Get up, punk!"
"Bolt to the dick!"
"Then I'm the murderer?"
"Uh. We're on thin ice..."
They'd beaten but not killed—awkward spot.
Then two more entered the swamp.
While Geom-in posted comments, the trio hadn't idled.
Chae Sang-shin clapped.
"Here! This guy's with Kimbap Lover—his buddy!"
"What? Isn't that Survivor1?"
"The underwater cave guy."
"This bastard! Colluding with Kimbap Lover, deceiving us!"
"Huff... huff..."
Geom-in strained his twisted arms but couldn't break free.
Similar stats; Kim Dae-ho yanked hard.
Pain too intense for blink.
Newcomers grasped the scene.
"You want us to kill him?"
"Aren't you from the government shelter? What if Survivor1 doesn't return?"
"Say he died in the maze."
"It's brutal here. One death's no biggie."
"Aha."
"Can't dirty our hands. Take 50 points."
"Killing's still..."
"Think of him as that Kimbap bastard."
"..."
One stepped up after a glance.
Kim Dae-ho bashed Geom-in's head, dazing him.
Then, from another entrance, someone appeared.
Da-jeong in her pink swimsuit.
Men drooled over her figure.
"Who's that?"
"Damn, that body's insane."
Ponytail and cap hid her identity from the shelter trio.
Geom-in hung his head in agony.
The human butcher slipped in silently behind the distracted group.
.
.
.
Snap.
A finger snap launched a bolt from thin air.
Kim Dae-ho turned—bolt in his gut.
"Gaaah!"
The bolt's power crippled the brute; near-death.
Geom-in's arms freed; all turned.
"Huh?"
"W-what?"
Jang-hoon especially shocked.
No one bypasses his hyper senses.
Where'd he come from?
In their two-second daze, Sung-ho deployed dimension walls and charged.
Like bounding mid-air—everyone gawked.
"H-how?"
"Whoa..."
"Idiot, not the time to gawk!"
One latecomer lunged; Sung-ho dimension-prisoned him away.
Two of five out.
Remaining trio realized the attacker.
"Kimbap Lover!"
"That's right."
Sung-ho leaped, hurling Emeras daggers.
Scree!
Air split; hit Chae Sang-shin's shoulder beside Geom-in.
Aimed torso, but instant accel dodged.
"You bastard!"
Sang-shin charged through pain.
Humiliation fueled rage beyond hurt.
But in close quarters, something felt off.
Sung-ho dodged his punch too easily.
'How...?'
Impossible, even with high stats.
Unless experienced before.
Wild guesses filled his mind; Sung-ho's fist slammed his gut.
Crunch—
"Guh!"
Body folded; guts ruptured, blood foam from mouth.
"Gah... ugh..."
He writhed in agony.
Sung-ho withdrew his fist slowly, eyes crimson.
Last two recoiled from the glare.
"C-crazy bastard..."
"He's not weak..."
Auction house rumors about Kimbap Lover varied.
Most acknowledged his records' strength; deniers persisted.
Sung-ho had no desire to correct them.
Ignorance means death.
No words; he charged.
Da-jeong perched on the broken tree, watching Sung-ho fight.
She felt it anew...
"He's seriously strong..."
Thought to help against five, but no need.
Stats aside, trait use was masterful—pure admiration.
How counter dimension walls flashed on instinctively?
His punches so fierce, one hit sent foes screaming.
Not a car crash—what was that?
Seemed to read enemy traits perfectly.
'Could totally fall for him.'
Fight ended in seconds.
Last from dimension prison KO'd by two punches.
Not KO—passed out from pain.
Sung-ho barely winded.
"Can you stand?"
"Y-yeah."
Geom-in gaped before answering.
Potion mended wounds decently, but mental shock lingered.
Never imagined this strength.
Excused Earth Gong as inevitable powerhouse; this was another level.
Then Da-jeong spoke.
"You two, no time to chill. Crowd's coming."
"Here?"
"One alerted the auction house. They're searching."
"T-that's bad..."
Geom-in panicked; Sung-ho calm.
"Just kill 'em all."
"Become a murderer and respawn?"
"Nah, too many penalties—avoid if possible. Plenty methods here."
"Like what exactly?"
Da-jeong asked; Sung-ho listed past tricks.
Seal entrance with dimension gate, let monsters feast.
Pour gasoline, hand fireworks—methods poured out.
"Whoa..."
"Totally insane..."
They marveled at his ruthlessness.
True human butcher.
Da-jeong considered ghouls but held off.
Cramped space limits them.
Sung-ho had plans—trust him.
She helped Geom-in up.
"Our scaredy Geom-in, you okay?"
"Fine. Tougher than I look."
"Then why not fight proper?"
"Well..."
Of all times, beaten when she arrived.
Geom-in shook his head.
No.
No excuses—admit it.
He was weak mentally and physically.
"I'm weak. Sorry."
"..."
Da-jeong, expecting excuses, was surprised.
Grown a bit?
Splashing sounds; Seok-hyun appeared.
Soggy panties—quite the sight.
Sudden entrance startled all three.
"Seok-hyun, why're you here..."
"Earth Gong! Here to help!"
Da-jeong beamed; he grinned wide.
"Nah. Got trapped passing by."
End of Labyrinth of the Subway Station - 4