Chapter 32
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Mindset (5)
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When he vaguely regained consciousness, his vision was filled entirely with darkness....
As time passed and sensation gradually returned with a dull feeling, pain like his entire body was shattering surged through him.
‘Kuhk....’
Once his vision recovered, what he saw was a white office ceiling made of textured panels.
Min-jun barely turned his stiff neck to look around.
‘Where is this?’
It was a familiar place.
The bee corpses and fluids had been cleanly cleared away, so he hadn’t recognized it at first glance, but spotting the photo hanging on one wall allowed him to realize where he was soon enough.
The police chief’s office at Songpa Police Station, where the rift connected to the dungeon had been open.
He lay in the center of it, wrapped head to toe in bandages like a mummy.
It seemed his desperate desire to save them even at the cost of murder had gotten through, as the feared abandonment hadn’t happened.
‘Should I call that a relief....... Anyway, these bandages must be So-hee’s doing, and the rest—’
Ignoring the screams from his muscles, Min-jun examined his body, but the rushing pain made him decide to review the recent system messages instead to check his current status.
There were several messages left that he hadn’t seen because he’d passed out.
[Songpa Police Station will be changed to ‘Songpa Base Camp (1)’.]
[As the first camp perk, the camp is granted a ‘Invincible’ effect for 15 days.]
[The user ‘Lee Min-jun’ who destroyed the dungeon core becomes the camp owner. Obtain title ‘Base Camp Owner’.]
[The ‘Camp Situation Room’ tab has been added.]
Among this quest’s rewards had been the ‘Survivor Base Camp’ item.
He hadn’t paid much attention at the time due to the urgency, but seeing the system message sparked his curiosity.
‘Camp Situation Room.’
Muttering the words in his mind brought up a new window, like the Status Window.
「[Camp Situation Room]
Name: Songpa Base Camp (1)
Camp Leader: Lee Min-jun
Durability: 5000/5000
Personnel: 8/40 people
Notes: ‘Invincible’ effect (1/15 days)」
A simple list with five items.
Like the Status Window, comparing it to a game, it was clear they now had a base to ensure their safety.
‘Above all, the Invincible effect is a huge relief. Finally, a place to rest easy for a while.’
Since the world had turned like this, apostles or intruders could appear anytime, so they’d had to take shifts standing watch even during sleep.
In that situation, this place was no different from an oasis in the desert.
‘But what exactly does being camp leader give me?’
To check, Min-jun opened his title list. There, he saw two new ones: [Base Camp Owner] and [Proxy].
‘Proxy? Don’t tell me......’
Min-jun hurriedly clicked both titles to check their details.
「[Base Camp Owner]
Grade: Rare
Effect: As the leader of the base camp, you possess the authorities of ‘Entry Permission’, ‘Personnel Expulsion’, ‘Authority Delegation’, and ‘Authority Revocation’.」
「[Proxy]
Grade: Legendary
Effect: Savior’s proxy. Can purify outer gods’ ‘Stars’ and claim ownership of them. (Title disappears if Karma falls below +10.0)」
Min-jun’s eyes no longer registered any camp info. They were fixed on the Legendary-grade [Proxy] title.
‘It wasn’t just a crazy dream?’
It had been a dream, but so vivid that he still remembered it clearly.
The Seoul Tower residence, the boy calling him savior, and the ritual he performed.
This title told him that what he’d experienced wasn’t just some nonsense dream.
‘Eh, whatever. In a world with a game-like system like this, what’s impossible?’
Min-jun sorted his complicating thoughts with a single rationalization and focused on the content rather than the cause.
The part about purifying and owning Stars reminded him of what So-hee had said recently.
‘Stars are the apostles’ hatcheries, and destroying them is how you stop the bastards, right?’
From what the savior had said, So-hee’s view was correct in the broad strokes.
‘Taking Stars from them is the same thing.’
Ultimately, his goal boiled down to killing Star Lords, which aligned with his aims so far.
To remove the [Sacrifice Mark] that constantly lured apostles, he had to kill Arktine, and all of it fell under the overarching premise of ‘my survival’.
That led to growth.
To live, he had to grow stronger. To grow stronger, he had to fight and earn Survival Time.
Min-jun opened his Status Window to check his Survival Time.
「[Status Window]
Name: Lee Min-jun (Gold)
Title: Proxy
Survival Time (ST): 11,479 hours
Karma: +10.2
Stats
[Strength Lv.18] [Vitality Lv.18] [Agility Lv.16] [Star Power Lv.1]
Passive Skills: [Apostle’s Nemesis Max], [Apostle’s Predator Lv.11], [Pesticide Lv.8]
Active Skills: [Shadow Step Lv.5], [Space Domination Lv.4], [Time Rift Lv.2]」
‘Wow.... I thought I hadn’t gained much compared to the ordeal, but I racked up this much Survival Time.’
Skills required massive experience to level up as they rose, slowing progress, and that was beyond his control.
But he could adjust stat levels himself, so Min-jun immediately spent 3,200 hours to raise all stats except Star Power to Lv.20.
He wanted to pump Star Power too, but having confirmed it couldn’t be raised with Survival Time, it seemed to need more research.
‘I should leave the rest as emergency funds.’
He’d completed a set with ‘Ownerless’ items, so no more gear was needed.
Of course, more items were always better, but unlike early survival days, with some leeway now, he needed to reserve enough for sudden changes.
Having finished post-battle cleanup to some extent, Min-jun lay back to rest when—creak—the police chief’s office door opened.
The visitor looking for Min-jun was So-hee, entering with a bowl of what looked like porridge.
“Oh! Min-jun! Are you okay?!”
“Thanks to So-hee’s treatment, I seem fine.”
“You were out for more than twice the five hours last time—I was so worried! Do you have to fight until you collapse every time to feel satisfied?!”
“Haha.... I’m sorry. Is everyone else safe?”
So-hee sat on the small chair beside the simple cot where Min-jun lay and handed him the porridge.
He scooped a spoonful of the steaming vegetable porridge—just boiled—and put it in his mouth. Confirming this, So-hee spoke.
“Of course they’re all safe, thanks to you. They didn’t say it, but they came in and out of here so many times. Oh, and did you check the quest rewards?”
“If you mean the base camp, yeah, I did.”
“It’s totally great. The apostles couldn’t invade past the walls.”
“As expected.”
“But that’s got its own issues—”
Creak—
The door to the chief’s office opened, cutting So-hee off. It was Dong-gil.
He entered casually, then spotting the recovered Min-jun, his eyes widened as he hurried over.
“Leader! You okay?!”
“Seeing you safe puts my mind at ease, Uncle. I was really worried giving you such a dangerous role.”
“Haha! As expected, only you worry about me, Leader! My team just says, ‘Team Leader? He’s fine, we knew it!’ Those bastards, I’ll—"
As Dong-gil raised his voice excitedly, So-hee smacked his back and scolded him.
“Uncle, lower your voice. Min-jun’s still a patient.”
“Oh... right? Ahem. Sorry, Leader.”
“Haha! Your voice is loud as ever, Uncle. Anyway, So-hee, weren’t you about to say something?”
At Min-jun’s words, So-hee glanced at Dong-gil.
Dong-gil, as if he’d been waiting, jumped in.
“You checked the quest rewards too, right Leader? It’s great that it blocks apostles, but it seems like it’s keeping other people out too, except us.”
That was the gist of what Dong-gil said after starting off that way.
The disaster response team, thought to have fled far due to the wave pouring from the rift, was actually circling the area, watching Songpa Police Station.
They’d seen each other enter and tried to come in, but something blocked them from entering.
“My guess is you need permission from you, the camp leader, to enter......”
Dong-gil’s words reminded Min-jun of the [Base Camp Owner] title effects. With authorities like [Entry Permission] and [Personnel Expulsion], Dong-gil seemed right.
Min-jun pondered this deeply, then casually brought it up to Dong-gil.
“Uncle, remember what you said before entering the rift?”
“Huh? What was it?”
“About helping you in exchange for info and Survival Time.”
“Oh! Yeah, I remember! Want it now? I got 3,000 hours from this quest, so I’ve got plenty.”
“I don’t need it.”
“Huh? You don’t?”
As Dong-gil looked puzzled, Min-jun swallowed his vegetable porridge and continued.
“And I’ll let you manage this base camp.”
“Me, manage it? The Camp Situation Room showed you as camp leader.”
Hearing that, Min-jun used [Authority Delegation] to transfer authority to Dong-gil.
Then, next to his name ‘Lee Min-jun’ appeared [Acting Authority Holder: Sung Dong-gil].
“Now you can use ‘Entry Permission’ and ‘Personnel Expulsion’. You wanted to carry on the chief’s legacy, right? Please keep running the disaster response team from here, Uncle.”
“...Leader, you sure? In a world like this, running a place like this could be huge power......”
“You planning to use it for personal gain?”
“Of course not!”
Dong-gil bristled at Min-jun’s words. Min-jun smiled faintly, as if expecting it, and continued.
“I guess I’ve got the travel bug bad. So-hee’s situation aside, I’ve got things to do outside too. But when it gets unbearable, I want a place to come back to. It’d be even better if it’s where you are, Uncle Dong-gil.”
“Leader......”
“Of course! It’s not free. Do me some favors now and then.”
“I’d do your favors anyway! ...Thanks. Truth is, I was gonna ask first. Could we use this as the disaster response team’s base?”
Dong-gil bowed deeply, lowering his head. Knowing his feelings, Min-jun didn’t tell him not to.
Straightening after a moment, Dong-gil gazed at the chief’s photo on the wall. Min-jun noticed his eyes reddening.
To lighten the mood, Min-jun called out energetically.
“Then! My first favor! Gather your team, Uncle. I want to hear about Garak Market as promised.”
“Yes sir! I’ll assemble them, Chief!”
Dong-gil’s title upgrade from Leader to Chief was a bonus.