Chapter 28: The Main Prey

Tap! Tap! Whoosh-!

After gathering the broken furniture, I lit a fire using the lighter I found in the backpack Jaehyuk had brought.

‘It’s a relief we at least found a building still standing.’

A sigh of relief slipped out on its own.

If we had to spend the night among those corpses, I might’ve lost my mind.

“Noona. How do you think Hyung managed to deal with all that by himself?”

“I’m telling you, Eunho’s not even human. Right?”

“Haa… I think it would be best for everyone if Hyung wore my armor from now on.”

“No kidding. If Eunho had unlocked my skill, he’d have used it way better than me…”

The two looked out through the shattered windows at the heap of monster corpses, shoulders slumped in defeat.

They kept glancing at me with mixed admiration and embarrassment.

Seeing them like that, I thought they might dig a tunnel into the ground at this rate, so I hurriedly spoke up.

“You two, there’s no need to be discouraged.”

It was thanks to me getting a bunch of skills—those two were in no way inferior to anyone else.

Of course, I couldn’t say for sure, not having met that many people, but still…

Anyway, what we could do now was—

“Jaehyuk. I’m not an expert, but want to try copying what I do?”

“Yes, sir…”

My posture was pretty decent, thanks to the swordsmanship skill correction.

Just mimicking me would be quite helpful.

The problem was Ji-eun.

“It must be because it’s a skill that needs control, but let’s take it slow and practice.”

“O-okay…”

Ji-eun muttered in a voice as small as a mosquito.

Maybe embarrassed that she’d boldly stepped up but hadn’t managed to catch even a single one, she just glanced at the campfire with her eyes downcast.

“Hmm, did you see a message when you unlocked your skill?”

“Ah! Yes, there was one.”

“Could you tell us? There might be a hint.”

“Um… let’s see…”

Ji-eun chewed her lips, then began counting on her fingers.

“Insufficient mental strength to control objects, empathy, and… with someone you care about… Ah!”

“Yes?”

Her words trailed off, and suddenly she waved her hands frantically.

“N-no! I’ll figure it out on my own!”

Not only that, but her face turned red and she started fanning herself.

Was the campfire too strong?

“If you remember any part, just let us know. We might come up with a solution together.”

“No! Really, it’s fine! I actually like thinking about these things alone!”

“Huh?”

Just as I was about to ask Ji-eun again, puzzled by her odd behavior—

[A gift has arrived from ‘Kim Hanul’!]

[Would you like to check it?]

A message had arrived from Yul’s dad.

---

ㆍTo: Lee Eunho

ㆍFrom: Kim Hanul

ㆍWe’re both safe. We came to Namsan Tower; there was no earthquake and it’s safe. If you and the others are also okay—

---

So they made it.

Thank goodness.

“That’s from Yul’s father, right? What did he say?”

“Hmm… the end’s cut off, but I think he wants us to meet at Namsan Tower.”

“Huh? Namsan Tower?”

Namsan Tower, huh.

Now that I think about it…

Tap!

I stepped outside and looked around.

I waited until my eyes adjusted to the darkness, then looked up.

“!!”

There stood a steel tower surrounded by something roundish.

Amid all this chaos, the neon sign of the Gangbuk landmark was still shining undisturbed.

“How is it still intact?”

“I know, right, Noona? Everything else has collapsed…”

The earthquake was strong enough to level all of Namsan.

And yet, that place alone was left untouched?

Not a single tree had fallen?

On top of that, there was a faint dome surrounding the tower, almost like a shield…

‘There’s something going on.’

Even without intuition, anyone could tell.

That must be why Hanul went up that mountain, too.

With little Yul in tow.

— Pong!

Just then, a gift box appeared in front of Ji-eun.

“Sola and Yejin are safe too!”

Then…

“Tell them to come to Namsan.”

“!!”

Let’s go and see for ourselves.

---

AM 08:00.

The sun had risen.

No, actually, it had been up for a while.

It had also been a while since the three of us were drenched in blood from constant battles.

In the middle of ruins where the high-rises looked like they’d been bombed away.

A flock of Sky Tigers swooped down, red wings flapping, trampling over the corpses of their fallen comrades.

Maybe they had no sense of kinship; they charged forward without hesitation.

“The number of monsters is increasing!”

The closer we got to Namsan, the more monsters seemed to lie in wait everywhere.

Like barricades set up to guard something, the flocks of Sky Tigers were scattered all around.

We managed to take out most of them, though.

“No ordinary person could get through this, could they?!”

“Yeah. Yul’s father must have gone up before the monsters gathered.”

Puhwak-!

As I pulled my sword from the tiger’s body, Ji-eun continued,

“I’m worried about the others.”

“Me too. These guys are pretty strong.”

With Sola and Yejin unable to fight at all, and no word from the rest of the MS Tower people, we didn’t know who was still alive.

So, on the way to Namsan, while I cleared the monsters, Jaehyuk and Ji-eun kept searching the area over and over.

“There’s no one here!”

Jaehyuk, acting as our scout and boasting 2.0 vision in both eyes, grumbled.

“I wish I’d at least learned their names.”

Who would’ve guessed we’d have to rely on a single name and random gifts to check if people were alive?

“Yeji still hasn’t replied, right?”

“No, not yet. I hope everyone’s okay…”

“Ji-eun! Behind you!”

Sgeok-!

[‘Venomous Sky Tiger’ defeated!]

And another one, right after.

“Noona!”

“I’ll handle it!”

—Swaek!

Ji-eun’s throwing knife flew in a straight line, then bent midair and ripped through the Sky Tiger’s wing.

‘She’s getting used to it quickly.’

If these disgusting creatures gifted us anything at all…

[‘Venomous Sky Tiger’ defeated!]

[You’ve gained 50 Welfare Points!]

Maybe it was the welfare points we earned alongside our growing combat experience.

“Check welfare points.”

[Checking Welfare Points for ‘Lee Eunho.’]

[Points in possession: 5,020. Total accumulated: 5,550.]

5,020 points.

We’d racked up a ton, slaying monsters non-stop.

“Is something wrong, Hyung?”

Lost in thought, Jaehyuk asked me gently.

Jaehyuk had 1,350 points, and Ji-eun had 1,900.

“You all have too many points.”

“Huh?”

“The most expensive item in the store is only 500 points. Isn’t that too cheap?”

“Huh? Isn’t that a good thing? That means we’ll never be unable to afford anything.”

That’s true, but…

“One more thing. Why do they tell us our total accumulated points?”

“Hmm, that I’m not sure about…”

【An anonymous spectator is extremely pleased with ‘Lee Eunho’s’ domination of the points.】

And the spectators’ reactions were also starting to bother me.

Lost in those thoughts, Ji-eun suddenly spoke, her expression serious.

“There’s something more to this, isn’t there?”

“Probably.”

I had a hunch.

Not enough to be certain, though.

“We’ll probably need them for something. Just keep saving for now.”

“Yes!”

“Roger, Hyung!”

We’d only walked a few more minutes when—

[Total survivors in ‘Yongsan District’: 531.]

[528.]

Somewhere unseen, three more people had just lost their lives.

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

“!!”

A shrill scream rang out.

Tak-!

Chasing after that desperate cry, we found a woman, pierced through the throat by a Sky Tiger’s fangs, dead.

And beside her—

“!!”

“So many corpses…”

More than a dozen bodies were scattered about.

But only two dead Sky Tigers.

— Kwaaaaang!

A wretched scene, as if declaring the end of the age of humanity.

Tak!

As Jaehyuk, eyes wild, started to rush forward at the gruesome sight, I grabbed his arm.

“The people…!”

“It’s already too late.”

If we’d been a little faster, could we have saved them?

Jaehyuk’s eyes blazed as he clenched his fist in frustration.

“...I’ll take care of it.”

He looked at me for permission, his eyes fiery.

Only one enemy left.

I nodded, thinking it suitable, and Jaehyuk stepped up with resolve.

“Noona! Cover me!”

“Got it!”

His back looked strong.

Now I could believe he’d served in the army.

—Kang!

Jaehyuk shot toward the Sky Tiger’s fangs like a cannonball.

Just as he’d practiced, he drove his sword straight in.

Puk-! Puguguguk-!

It wasn’t smooth—more like he forced it in with sheer strength, but the monster suffered enough.

And then—

The tiger howled, struggling with all its might.

Kwaaang! Kwaaaaaang—!

As it roared, twisting its body to shake off the sword embedded in its neck and the annoying human—

“Huh?! Whoa—!”

Jaehyuk’s upper body was lifted high by the monster’s enormous strength.

As he hung onto his sword, unable to pull it out, and swung wildly in the air, Ji-eun sprang forward.

“Jaehyuk, just hang on! Telekinesis!”

Swaek! Puhwak-!

A throwing knife shot out and split the tiger’s skull.

Thunk!

The monster that had slaughtered more than ten people collapsed.

Brought down by just two.

【‘Directorate Crow’ is satisfied, saying a man needs talented allies to achieve great things.】

【‘Investigation Bureau Prince’ nods, saying they’ll make useful henchmen with proper training.】

If only they’d shut up already.

The way the spectators tried to turn this desperate struggle for survival into a hot-blooded manga or a cheap knock-off of Romance of the Three Kingdoms made me sick.

Bodies with holes stabbed clean through, limbs and heads mangled.

It was obvious they’d been eaten alive.

A gruesome scene, stripped of even the minimum dignity.

Still, we weren’t given any time to mourn.

[Announcement to all survivors in ‘Yongsan District.’]

[The next mission will begin promptly at 9 AM.]

AM 8:50.

The next mission, set to start in ten minutes—

[By administrator’s authority, a new project is activated.]

[Project Name: ‘Hunt.’]

“Hunt?”

[Eliminate targets marked on the map to receive payment.]

[All survivors must submit the designated day’s wages by the end of work hours; those unable to do so will be collectively erased.]

“So we have to hunt down targets to collect our day’s wages?”

“Yes, Noona! Looks like it’s just like those bugs we found inside the zombies—we catch them and that’s it!”

As Jaehyuk said, if it’s just regular monster hunting, it’s doable.

All three of us had grown since the Seoul Station mission.

[Required day’s wage: 5,000 points.]

[End of work hours: Today at 6 PM.]

I didn’t know exactly how much 5,000 points was.

But in the end, the only choices we had were—

“We either get off work safely or get erased. One or the other.”

Srrrk!

I opened the map showing real-time targets.

A 3D map of Namsan covered with colored circles.

50, 100, 200…

Each circle, barely the size of a thumbnail, had a different number inside.

Those must be the payments for defeating each target.

“Most of them are 50 points!”

“If it’s 50 points…”

That was how many welfare points we got for killing a Venomous Sky Tiger.

“As the numbers go up, the color gets darker. Most are white.”

“There’s some green and yellow here too. 500, 720, 900… The numbers keep rising!”

Srrrk!

As we studied our maps, we all stopped at the same spot.

“Here!”

“A red circle!”

Among all the circles, one red one instantly grabbed all our attention.

“Over 5,000 points?!”

A number overwhelmingly higher than all the other monsters.

“That must be the boss monster!”

“Maybe we can finish in one go!”

This is it.

It’ll be tougher than the rest, but if we defeat it, we’ll earn the whole day’s wage at once.

“Can you tell where it is? Seems close.”

“The circle’s too big to pinpoint its location.”

“Wait. It’s not just one! Try selecting the circle!”

Just as Ji-eun said, when I selected the red circle, payments for several nearby targets appeared.

‘Must’ve looked overlapped because they were close together.’

[Submit your day’s wage and get off work safely!]

But…

5,020, 1,900, 1,350.

These numbers felt awfully familiar…

“Wait, but the location is…”

“Huh?”

“Right here, Hyung.”

…What?

Hold on.

Don’t tell me…

“Ji-eun, you said you have 1,900 welfare points, right?”

“That’s right! What about welfare points?”

“And Jaehyuk has 1,350?”

“Yes, sir!”

Ha… crap.

“These targets… aren’t monsters.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean… Ah! No way!”

My head started to hurt, and I pressed my forehead in silence.

Ji-eun, quick to catch on, screamed.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“…It’s me.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Jaehyuk still hadn’t caught on.

So I kindly explained.

“The 5,000-point boss monster.”

In this project, I’m the main prey.

Damn it.