Chapter 12

“Please save me! Please save me!”

Lee Seong-han, unable to adapt to the sudden change in situation, fell face-first to the ground.

A sharp hand burst out from the wall.

With a precise movement, it grabbed him by the collar.

Lee Seong-han was helplessly dragged into the corridor.

“You live a tiring life. Why did you provoke that child’s temper?”

A familiar voice.

A stiff tone.

Mechanical emotion.

“Loyalty!”

Lee Seong-han, still rolling on the ground, reflexively saluted.

I was scared to go looking for her.

But thanks to Kang Mi-young walking all the way here, I’m just grateful.

……Though, if I hadn’t, her glare would’ve really crushed me.

“Enough. Skip the formalities.”

“Understood.”

“It’s good that you don’t question things.”

Kang Mi-young casually brushed off the concrete debris as if it were nothing.

The hole in the hospital room wall.

Even though it was quite thick, she pierced through it in one go.

As expected of South Korea’s strongest.

She adjusted her uniform and looked down at the fallen Lee Seong-han.

“First, due to the urgent situation, we’ll skip the formal reporting procedures. Consider yourself lucky that I rescued you first.”

“Lieutenant, is this a dream?”

“Sorry, no time to humor you. Get up. Now. We’re out of time.”

*Thud—!*

As he clumsily stood up, dizziness washed over him.

[The trait, ‘Mental Barrier,’ blocks mental confusion.]

Kang Mi-young turned her gaze.

“An attack?”

“No. It’s confusion from the sudden change in situation.”

“…Huh, wouldn’t it be better to give a heads-up about such things?”

“It would be better.”

“Sigh, I’ll have to request a [Mental Barrier] skill book from headquarters. Not sure if they’ll have it in stock.”

Lee Seong-han shook his head left and right, waking up his dazed mind.

Wow, [Mental Barrier] really saved me.

My head cleared up instantly.

“By the way. You. Your taste is quite unique. Carrying around such cursed items.”

Kang Mi-young glanced at the mark and cleared her throat.

“It wasn’t my intention.”

“Rescuing you wasn’t my intention either. Just so you know.”

She shrugged as if she already knew.

“You. I’m curious. How exactly did you provoke Kang Jin-young?!”

Lee Seong-han also had something to say internally.

What was I supposed to do when she suddenly went crazy and charged at me?!

It’s already hard enough being re-enlisted.

“Lieutenant, I only resisted legally because she tried to forcibly ‘recruit’ me.”

He didn’t lie.

Kang Mi-young sighed as if she understood.

“…That child has always been obsessive about what’s hers since she was young. It’s hard to figure out why she’s interested in you, but that tendency must’ve played a part. It’s been quite exhausting.”

She awkwardly turned her gaze.

The outside scenery came into view.

‘The mana is overwhelming.’

An abnormal amount of mana floated in the air.

What does a lot of mana mean?

It’s not a natural phenomenon.

If monsters exist, mana accumulates in the air.

In other words, it’s artificial.

“What’s happening here?”

“One thing’s for sure, there’s a monster here. We need to catch it.”

Kang Mi-young placed her arms on her hips.

“Do you remember the climbing quest?”

“Of course I remember. That’s why my arm got torn off, right?”

“…….”

Lee Seong-han waved his newly regenerated arm without hesitation.

There were still some scars left.

But overall, it’s pretty much fine.

“Ah.”

Kang Mi-young stared at the regenerated arm with unfocused eyes.

She let out a gloomy sigh.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

She took out a pill bottle from her pocket and swallowed a handful.

Her face looked exhausted as she recalled the past.

A few dry heaves.

A trembling breath.

“Are you okay?”

“…I don’t think there’s a need to show it. Don’t do that again.”

Kang Mi-young bit her lower lip, her voice choked with suppressed emotion.

Lee Seong-han understood.

The guilt must be overwhelming.

She awkwardly returned to her formal posture.

“Right now, the only people who can enter this place are you, me, and Kang Jin-young.”

[Current 『Emergency Quest』 and 『Favorability Quest』 are in progress.]

[Only those with climbing qualifications can enter this area.]

[Current restricted area: Inside the National Army Capital Hospital]

“We are the only ones who have cleared the first floor of South Korea’s Gray Tower.”

Lee Seong-han tilted his head.

“Has the gate opened?”

“Hmm. It’s slightly different. It seems something changed when the tower opened.”

Lee Seong-han instinctively wanted to curse.

Especially since he had a feeling something bad was about to happen.

“What should we do?”

“Subdue Kang Jin-young and close the gate here. Get ready.”

* * *

Lee Seong-han’s vision spun.

The foul smell rising up was the cause.

“Are you okay? The erosion is getting worse. We’ll likely encounter monsters soon. I’d like your opinion.”

“We’ll meet them, for sure.”

They walked side by side through the reddish corridor.

Dark red light poured in from outside the window.

Lee Seong-han checked his status window.

《System: Information》

□ Traits

⤷ [Automatic Combat Lv. 2], [Reconnaissance Lv. max], [Mental Barrier 《Borrowed》], [Regeneration 《Borrowed》], [Capable Hunter]

—–

□ Stats

⤷ Strength: [11(F-)]

⤷ Skill: [32(F+)]

⤷ Agility: [21(F-)]

⤷ Wisdom: [21(F-)]

⤷ Sensitivity: [29(F-)]

‘My stats are really lacking.’

To upgrade, I needed to level up.

But right now, there’s no suitable monster to kill.

Even if there were, it’d be a problem.

Kang Jin-young would definitely notice.

Other ways to upgrade are also tricky.

Kang Mi-young looked at Lee Seong-han.

“Come to think of it, what reward did you get? I got an Elixir. Kang Jin-young got a magic tool.”

“I received a trait enhancement ticket.”

“A, a ticket? That rare thing?!”

Yes!

Lee Seong-han’s mind lit up.

“Wait a moment, I’ll check now.”

There was a reward from killing the Hatchling, wasn’t there?

Thanks to Kang Mi-young, I finally remembered.

Lee Seong-han opened his inventory.

An icon that clearly said, ‘I’m a ticket,’ was visible.

Fragments in the air clumped together, forming a ticket.

“It’s simpler than I thought.”

“Simplicity has its charm.”

[Would you like to use the Trait Enhancement Ticket?]

Trait Enhancement Ticket.

An item that can evolve traits that have reached their maximum level.

In the tangled mountains of South Korea, it’s so rare that it’s worth its weight in gold.

Is money important?

My freedom is more important.

Lee Seong-han’s eyes widened.

‘Use it.’

The ticket split on its own.

Emitting a bright light.

[A radiant power imbues the trait.]

“Oh, ohhh.”

The surroundings lit up with a golden glow. A sight seen when acquiring a unique trait.

[You can currently choose from 2 enhancement traits.]

‘Both are related to reconnaissance.’

He scrolled down.

[Ultra-Reconnaissance (SSS)]

– Increases the types of targets that can be scouted. Allows for much more detailed information to be obtained.

– [Reconnaissance] will perform tasks linked with [Automatic Combat].

[Network Link (A)]

– Allows sharing information with others.

‘Not bad.’

In fact, it’s a good draw.

The randomness is strong, and sometimes you end up with mediocre traits.

But what’s this SSS rank?

‘Of course, SSS is better than A.’

[You have acquired ‘Ultra-Reconnaissance (SSS)’!]

The gold dust clumped on the ticket seeped into his body.

“What trait did you get?”

“SSS rank. Reconnaissance.”

“Ho, not bad.”

When Lee Seong-han used [Reconnaissance], a blue wave spread around him.

[Hidden targets have been discovered!]

* * *

“Kihihihit.”

A chilling laugh.

A mix of voices from various ages.

[Unauthorized concealment has been dispelled.]

“Lieutenant. Enemies.”

“Noted. They must’ve followed us. Doesn’t seem like you intentionally dispelled it. Must be your ability.”

“That’s correct.”

“Huh. This is why I can’t trust military intelligence.”

From the darkness, a long iron candlestick shot out.

“Intelligent. Cover the rear.”

“Understood.”

Attacks flew from the darkness.

Kang Mi-young drew her sword and engaged.

“Let me handle this.”

*Clang—!*

*Clang—!*

*Clang—!*

Kang Mi-young skillfully deflected the attacks with her sword.

And even counterattacked.

“Kehehehek!”

“Pathetic.”

The monster, who had been licking its lips to ambush, twisted its face in disbelief.

As it stepped out of the shadows, its form became visible.

‘Ugh, disgusting.’

It looked like a baby angel.

But its skin was melting.

And tentacles sprouted from the melted flesh.

The monster flapped its tiny wings in anger.

“A mental-type monster.”

“Kihihihit, kihihihit!”

“Disgusting appearance.”

While Kang Mi-young maintained the standoff.

Lee Seong-han checked a new window.

[Eros Lv. 7]

– A monster that feeds on human lust and love. Type: Demon. Enjoys playing tricks on humans and alters human perception with curses. When defeated, altered perceptions are restored.

– Judges pure love by bizarre standards. Incomprehensible by human common sense.

– Thinks that sex alone is pure love.

(Damn bastards.)

So it was you.

What’s with this footnote?

[『Hidden Quest』]

[Kang Jin-young turning into a lust-driven beast might be due to ‘Eros.’ Defeat as many Eros as possible.]

[Reward: 1,000,000 won per entity]

[Failure: None]

What, this is basically free money, isn’t it?

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