Chapter 2. Adapting to the Zone
“Congratulations. You passed.”
Kang-jun had passed the qualification exam two days earlier and now stood on the stage to receive his certificate. With that, he had earned the right to become a field agent or a free agent. Now, if he wanted, he could walk away from the branch at any moment.
*Clap clap.* Applause erupted. As he took the certificate and returned to his seat, his lover beside him leaned in with a jealous glint in her eyes.
“I want to leave too. I’m dying of boredom here.”
Kang-jun simply traded a quick glance with her and let out a faint smile. This one had a slow head for studying, so it would probably take another month at least before she finished. Seven more certificates were handed out after him, and the ceremony ended.
On his way back to the single-room quarters, he ran into Ogre-nam, who had just woken from his hospital bed. The bastard’s eyes still boiled with anger that he hadn’t fully accepted defeat. Kang-jun approached and tapped the man’s arm.
“Does it bother you? Then come find me later. …When that day comes, I’ll really kill you. Be ready.”
*Hahaha.* Kang-jun left a villainous chuckle behind and brushed past him. The loser hung his head and offered no reply.
Back in his room, Kang-jun packed his bag. His belongings consisted of two spare outfits, toiletries, and skin lotion. Oh, and a single can of beer he had bought with a coupon from the Dark Route.
Once the bag was zipped shut and he set it on the desk, the training instructor arrived. He glanced at the bag and spoke.
“Are you leaving now?”
“Pull the band-aid off quickly.”
“Yeah… Each zone has its own chief. If anything comes up, make sure to contact the chiefs. The support funds come through them.”
The instructor handed Kang-jun a phone. It had a simple contact list saved.
“If you lose it, come straight to the branch. They’ll remotely delete the data.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Kang-jun gripped the edge of the phone, tapped it sharply against his palm, and slid it into his pocket. The instructor rubbed his forehead once, then extended his hand for a handshake. Kang-jun shook it firmly.
“Good luck.”
Kang-jun slung the bag over his shoulder and left the single room.
“…You’re already leaving?”
The desk attendant tapped on the keyboard and asked. Kang-jun had barely brushed past him before the man’s face twisted.
“Leave fast and you won’t regret it.”
“Yeah… See you later.”
Kang-jun received a few farewells and stepped out of the branch. At the narrow corridor lined with stocked shelves, he crossed paths with the madam from back then, her lips still bright red from that day.
“My, our new hire—!”
The shop was empty. The madam, who had been fiddling with her phone, looked up and brightened the moment she saw him.
“Looking just as handsome as ever? You left after only a month?”
“Is the chief here?”
“Oh, you must address me as senior! If you want to eat friends, you’d better remember.”
The madam playfully tapped his shoulder to warn him. He did exactly as she wanted.
“So the chief is in this zone?”
“Yes. This is my zone.”
“Is there any room nearby I could stay in? …Maybe?”
“You’ll have to check with real estate.”
Trying to use the chief’s connections backfired. She claimed she moved around a lot and didn’t know much about the neighborhood.
“By the way, what’s your name, junior?”
“Lee Kang-jun. Senior?”
“I’m Park Hae-su.”
“Then I’ll see you later, Hae-su.”
“…You’re supposed to say senior when others are around! Got it?”
Hae-su waved. Before Kang-jun left, she tossed him an apple candy and said, “Here.”
He caught it in one hand, nodded gratefully, and left. Walking up to the surface along the passage, he peeled the candy and popped the sweet core into his mouth.
Kang-jun stepped onto the concrete walkway for a moment to soak in the bright natural sunlight. Long exposure to artificial lights had been making him feel inhuman, but the sun felt good.
He strolled along the sidewalk, rolling the candy on his tongue. The sugar gave his brain a pleasant buzz.
The room was covered for half a year, and the monthly dues were waived for a year, so living costs were the only worry for now. There was just enough support money for a month, but he’d have to spend it carefully.
‘I need a room and a laptop…’
Already starting to feel the pinch of money. If he won the lottery, the problem would vanish, but Kang-jun knew that sort of luck was too good to be true.
Wandering the streets, he entered a cafe on the main road and sat by the window with a cup of coffee in hand. It felt like being a civilian again. He sank into the plush chair and people-watched for a while. …As long as the weird outfits weren’t around to spoil the mood, the feeling would have lasted longer.
Relaxing in that leisurely vibe, he scrolled through the phone, searching for the nearest dungeon. There was a small one two years old in Zone 42. He checked around for part-time jobs. A few cafes had openings, and there were temporary movers nearby, but he didn’t apply. He wasn’t about to take slave-level jobs just to stay alive. That wasn’t work; it was slavery.
As soon as he decided, Kang-jun tidied up and left the cafe. Sunlight filtered through the blue leaves, but it still couldn’t compare to the peace of the place. At least he understood why players wanted to settle here. Especially those from Earth, who had an even stronger pull—Dungeon 3 was similar enough to their world.
He checked the date. April 9, 129. 129 was the year the dungeons first appeared, the year of the Great Catastrophe. Normally years were counted from monumental events, but this one was so massive that they chose this year to keep the memory alive. …Of course, that was Kang-jun’s own setting.
The Catastrophe still existed. It dwarfed the dungeon count. Half the heroes died in every wave, along with countless civilians. It was like a magnitude-9 earthquake hitting a city center. The dozen or so zones were facing annihilation.
According to Kang-jun’s speculation, it would happen in March 131. About two years away.
He opened the chat window after deciding. It was flooded with cynical gods.
- I knew you’d eat women, lol - lol Cafe part-timer? - Maybe it’s the big picture.. Just eat the chief, sure - The universe doesn’t include you lol - He always checks customers, no way unless explained
Kang-jun fed the flames of public opinion here.
- From now on I’m going to live kindly, brothers. Please support me! If you don’t like it, hit me with a coupon! - Fuck lol - JRL lol - ???? - Insane lol lol lol lol lol lol lol (Coupon 1 given!)
- Oh god, thanks for the coupon.
He’d get even one.
Anyway, Kang-jun boarded the subway toward Zone 42. The bustling district nearby drew plenty of eyes. Even though his clothes weren’t fancy, his handsome face pulled stares from both men and women.
Carrying the bag like a drifter, he walked through the crowded streets. There were many like him. With the world so dangerous, life was tight and hard.
After checking his phone’s location repeatedly, he finally reached the cafe he was looking for. It was fairly large and busy. It sat on the edge of the protected zone, so wages were the same everywhere.
“Yes, may I take your order?”
A pretty part-timer smiled and asked kindly. Kang-jun explained he was there for the job. He had already called the manager earlier from the station.
“The manager will be here soon! Come inside.”
“Ah, yes.”
Waiting a moment, a plump middle-aged woman arrived. Damn, the manager really was a mom. The auntie fanboy would be losing it.
“You called about the student?”
“Ah, yes.”
“You’re handsome. The work will suit you well.”
The middle-aged woman laughed, even though it wasn’t her. As a part-timer, Kang-jun had no choice but to smile back.
“You knew the hourly rate, right?”
“Yes. The hours are, um, around now…”
“Night shifts are tough?”
“Yes, late evenings are hard because of other things.”
“Really?”
The manager looked thoughtful. After a moment, she understood and brought over the contract. Kang-jun chose monthly pay and afternoon shifts from one to seven. The part-timer beside him watched closely.
“Alright, when can you start?”
“I can start right now.”
“Oh, really? …Then let me tell you, Kang-jun.”
The manager was thrilled. Kang-jun quickly tucked the bag in the corner and put on the apron and hat, returning to the counter.
“You’re a natural, Kang-jun.”
The manager clapped lightly in approval. Kang-jun kept the sales smile on. The part-timer’s face stiffened, but she quickly recovered when the manager wasn’t looking.
Normally the senior would explain everything, but the manager took over. She flirted subtly and enjoyed herself. Still, she didn’t overstep.
“Especially our cafe, the dungeon teams come in the afternoon often. Big spenders, so treat them kindly.”
“Yes.”
“The junior will do well. …If you sell a lot, we’ll give bonuses too, so work hard like your own job.”
Bonuses for part-timers? Of course Kang-jun didn’t mind.
“Yes, don’t worry about it, manager.”
“You can call me noona.”
“Yes, noona.”
Smiling, the manager’s face lit up. Oh no, noona.
“Then I’ll leave first. Something urgent came up.”
The manager soon left the cafe. Kang-jun stood there blankly for a second, then snapped out of it. Working part-time was rare; his hands felt clumsy. …It might have been easier to just cut someone’s head off.
“Um… Kang-jun? I’m Lee Hye-ri. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Today you’ll learn by watching me work.”
“Yes.”
“I work the same hours, one to seven. We’ll be together…”
Kang-jun smiled instead of answering. The girls sipping coffee nearby shot him sharp glances. …Suddenly the place seemed busier.
When it got hectic, Kang-jun took orders himself. The machine felt foreign; his fingers didn’t know where to go and kept wandering.
“Excuse me. It’s my first day.”
“No, it’s fine. Take your time.”
The women waited patiently. When their eyes met, something pink bloomed in their expressions.
Around 6:58 p.m., Kang-jun swapped with the next shift. Two women, and their glances felt openly interested.
“Thank you for today. See you again.”
“Ah, yes.”
Kang-jun was pulled to the opposite side. The neighborhood had grown dark. He looked up at the starry sky and sighed long. Stars were missing.
He occasionally crossed paths with armed groups that might be dungeon teams. With a dungeon nearby, those groups appeared often.
The women in revealing clothes scanned him up and down as he walked. Unlike most men, the drifter image drew plenty of women approaching him for dirty reasons. Some spoke in riddles, others outright.
“How much?”
Then Kang-jun played along. If he liked a woman, he haggled immediately.
“Fifty.”
Few were bold enough to offer fifty thousand on the spot. They left without a word. Sometimes he wondered if they’d lower it a bit when they regretted it.
A decent-looking woman approached. If he had to nitpick, her eyes were sharp and she had a sharp tongue. …She seemed to have had plenty of fun.
“Are you alone?”
“Yeah, single.”
“Do you have a place?”
“I’m staying here.”
The woman smiled. Only one corner of her mouth lifted.
“Then come with me?”
“My mom told me not to follow random guys.”
“I’ll pay.”
“How much?”
“…You weren’t supposed to say come even if I paid?”
“Then you said come. It’s better than nothing.”
The woman laughed bigger this time.
“You’re interesting.”
“Men’s charm is words and this.” Kang-jun pointed to his crotch.
“Want to see?”
“I’ve never lost.”
Actually he had, but here he couldn’t play weak.
“How much?”
“Fifty.”
“If you win, double. If you lose, half there.”
Kang-jun slung the bag over his shoulder and stood. The woman hooked the bait.