Chapter 14

“Is this the certificate?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I touch it?”

“Go ahead.”

I smiled as I watched Mina, fascinated, fiddling with the card.

It’s hard to see a card like that unless you’re from Seoul.

And there aren’t many places where you can use it.

Seoul is like a step into sci-fi civilization, but other places are closer to the late 20th century.

It’s a bit unbalanced, but considering it’s been about 40 years since World War III swept the globe, it’s a miracle we even have this much.

If you’re unlucky, you could end up in a place where people are still using stone axes.

That’s a terrifying thought.

At least here, modern civilization is somewhat alive.

If you go back to the primitive era, there’s literally nothing.

And the chances of not being able to communicate are very high.

I shuddered at the horrifying imagination and stepped into the hotel.

“Ah, you’re here. Did the exam go well?”

I showed him the certificate as my answer.

He checked the certificate and looked at me with admiration.

“That guy couldn’t stop praising you, so I wondered how good you were, but you passed without a hitch.”

“It was easier than escaping that hellish place. Though I did get into a fight with some weirdo…”

“A weirdo?”

“Some guy with faded blond hair who looked really sleazy was hitting on Mina.”

“Sounds like you tangled with a troublemaker. That guy’s a rattlesnake.”

“A rattlesnake? That’s a cute nickname for someone who looks like that.”

“He’s been a hunter for five years. Like most who join the Vipers, he’s got a nasty temper and causes a lot of trouble. Especially around women… You should be careful.”

Seems like he’s more trouble than I thought.

If I run into him in the forest next time… I might have to prepare to bury him quietly.

“Thanks for the advice.”

“It’d be a problem for us if a guest got killed by some thug. Well, let’s get ready to work properly now. Follow me.”

Mina and I quietly followed him to the end of the west corridor on the first floor. Where he stopped was a gray steel door, different from the wooden ones.

“Many hunters have stayed at my hotel. And… many hunters never came back for their belongings. I’ve collected their remains here.”

“Don’t you return them to their families?”

“Few hunters reveal their identities.”

A bitter smile crossed his face.

He must be remembering the hunters who died while staying here.

We waited quietly for him to speak, sharing in the moment of remembrance.

He opened his mouth after about three minutes.

“Sorry. Got lost in old memories.”

“It’s fine. Doesn’t everyone carry their past buried in their hearts?”

“Haha, true.”

He pulled out a keychain from his pocket, picked a key, and opened the warehouse.

With a creak, the old door opened to reveal a spacious room that must have been a guest room. I followed him inside with Mina.

“Let’s see, hunter gear should be further in. We rarely take it out. Hunters who stay here usually carry everything they need.”

I see.

In this world on the brink of collapse, only the well-off hunters could afford to stay here.

“This place was once famous as a gathering spot for hunters… That was years ago.”

He rummaged through the shelves and pulled out various items. A backpack that looked like it was for a march and several camping supplies.

…They looked like stuff stolen from a military base.

Seeing the canteen that probably tasted like Normandy, I thought the old hunters must have had serious military PTSD.

Still, this is a bit much.

But free is free, so I’ll take it.

“These are old military supplies. They were already decades old when they were used.

I heard pre-war South Korea had a strong military, but I don’t understand why they used such outdated equipment.

Good gear is a lifeline for frontline soldiers, isn’t it?”

…Well.

That’s just how the world is.

I didn’t know much about the past, but it seems Korea before the possession wasn’t much different from now.

Thinking about it, it’s kind of sad…

Did they really go through World War III with that kind of equipment?

“Here, take it. But do you know how to set up a tent?”

“I’ve done it a few times before.”

“You must have been through a lot…”

I couldn’t honestly say I’d done it in the military before the possession, so I just smiled vaguely and brushed it off.

“Try to forget the painful past while you’re here. Everyone comes here to start a new life.”

“I’ll try.”

Not that I have a credible past by their standards anyway.

I packed the items into the military bag and secured it.

Mina, seemingly fascinated, stood beside me and watched me pack.

“Uncle, have you done this before? You look really skilled.”

“…I’ve packed something similar before.”

“You must have been through a lot…”

Mina looked at me with curious eyes.

“We should clear out the lobby soon. Is there anything else you need to take?”

“Hmm…”

I slowly looked around the warehouse. Most of it was junk or spare doorknobs, but some items looked quite useful.

Among them, I picked up a translucent box containing what looked like iron balls.

“What’s inside this?”

“As you can see, iron balls.

There was a guy who could control metal, but he got betrayed by his comrades and died on a mission.”

Betrayal.

In this lawless, ruined world, can I avoid getting stabbed in the back?

At least Mina doesn’t seem like she’d stab me in the back…

“I’ll take this.”

“Use it well. He’d be happy someone’s using his weapon.”

I put the box in my military bag.

—

Two days later.

I wore the moderately durable clothes I bought with the money I earned helping out and carried the military bag.

Today’s the first day of exploration.

“Uncle, take care.”

“Yeah. I’ll help out at the hotel later… Be careful if any weirdos approach.”

Like that rattlesnake guy.

“It’s okay. They said they don’t come into this hotel…”

Since this place is under the Crocodile Birds’ protection, those guys probably can’t push in this far.

I smiled at Mina, who was watching me, and opened the door.

“I’ll be back.”

“Take care, Uncle.”

I stepped out of the hotel, seeing Mina off.

As I reached the roadside, I saw a line of hunters.

I took my place at the back and headed towards the gray forest with them.

“Park Yi-sak confirmed. Have a safe exploration.”

I nodded at the formal greeting and moved forward.

A little past the entrance, I saw many hunters gathering in small groups and heading off in different directions.

As expected, not many go alone.

I went to a less crowded spot, unfolded the crude map I bought with my earnings, and recalled the original story’s knowledge.

The gray forest is a massive concrete jungle spanning Hanam-Gwangju, filled with pre-World War III relics and various junk.

Items scavenged here are processed into usable goods in the city, so the gray forest and the swamp area are inseparable.

Although in the hero story, the protagonist only came here briefly to catch a villain…

Maybe this will be my long-term base for accumulating capital.

Though I don’t plan to stay that long.

It’s too dangerous and not a great place for prolonged activity.

Let’s live a normal life far from the original story.

So… my first destination is Namhansanseong.

A place that was once a defense line, and later a military base.

There’s a treasure buried underground there, discovered around the time the protagonist arrives.

My goal is to dig it up and sell it. I should be able to earn enough for hotel stays and decent equipment.

“Let’s go.”

I hid my pounding heart and headed towards Namhansanseong.