Chapter 48: Seoul (3)
TL: Hanguk
Willia and I quietly waited in front of the temporary tent until Mr. Kim’s family finished receiving their food and returned.
“Who are you?”
And after a short while.
A woman who looked extremely exhausted and a boy who appeared to be a high school student each approached carrying a plastic sanitary bag with something inside.
They seemed to match the people in the photo saved on Mr. Kim’s smartphone.
“I have something to tell you regarding your husband. Is there a quiet place where we can talk?”
“What? My husband?”
At my words, the woman was so shocked that she dropped the plastic bag she was holding.
It contained only plain rice porridge without any side dishes.
‘Looks like the supply situation isn’t good.’
It was only natural.
The government’s resources were limited.
To feed the citizens, a steady supply of food was essential, but currently, the only stable means of securing food was through the coin shop.
However, the cost-efficiency of the food items in the coin shop was very poor.
You had to risk your life to take down a single Goblin, which would earn you merely 2 to 3 coins, and with that, you could only buy 2 or 3 potatoes.
‘It would be nice if they could at least grow crops, but the problem is that it’s already December, winter. Even if the cost-efficiency is bad, they have no choice but to rely on the coin shop.’
Of course, for someone like me who hunts stronger monsters, coins naturally accumulate, but the reality is that there are more people who choose not to fight than those who do.
Thanks to that, the outlook for the survivor zones managed by the government wasn’t very bright.
“It’s not bad news, so don’t worry.”
“R-Really?”
Mr. Kim’s wife, wearing a complicated expression, led Willia and me somewhere.
Beside us, Mr. Kim’s son, who looked quite clever, followed quietly, glancing at us from time to time.
And the place we arrived at was a small forest densely filled with trees.
“This should be quiet enough.”
Though she brought us here upon hearing about her husband, the woman still seemed quite nervous.
It was only natural, as in today’s world, the hardest thing to trust was another human being.
I took something out from my inventory and handed it to her.
“A smartphone?”
It was a smartphone.
Just because communication was down didn’t mean smartphones themselves were unusable.
As long as there was a way to charge them, functions like taking photos, videos, zooming, and taking notes were still very much usable.
In my case, thanks to the solar power facilities on Gauido Island and other available charging methods, I was using mine without any issues.
I played a video on the smartphone.
Soon, Mr. Kim appeared in the video.
[Hmm hmm, honey, Tae-sik. You’re not hurt, are you?]
“Huh?”
“Dad?”
[I’m not dead. So don’t worry too much. The person there saved me just before I died. So I’m eating well and staying healthy.]
Faced with this completely unexpected video message, the two were overcome with both shock and relief, and began to shed tears.
Of course they would.
They probably thought Mr. Kim had already died.
And with good reason. On the day of the catastrophe, Mr. Kim had been stranded on a small rocky island in the middle of the ocean.
With enormous sea monsters swarming the waters, who would believe he could have escaped?
Naturally, they assumed he was dead.
[Sorry for worrying you. I’m on an island, so I can’t leave freely, but the person over there agreed to help the two of you, so please don’t worry.]
In fact, I could have told them about Mr. Kim’s survival a little sooner, once I made up my mind to do so.
When my father was investigating Mr. Kim’s family, the contact person here had mentioned he was a familiar hubae.
But my father had been reluctant to deliver the news through someone who didn’t know Mr. Kim’s story.
The reason was simple.
If someone supposedly dead under such extreme circumstances was said to be rescued, anyone would naturally question how that was even possible.
In other words, we wanted to prevent any third party from becoming curious and interfering.
Thanks to that, the news must have come as even more sudden and unexpected for Mr. Kim’s wife and son.
“Where is my husband now?”
“He’s on an island called Gauido Island, where fewer than thirty people live. It’s a rather good place with access to food self-sufficiency, electricity, and running water, so there’s no need to worry.”
I deliberately didn’t mention Wolgwang Island.
I intend to keep Wolgwang Island as concealed from the outside world as possible.
‘If an item comes out later that allows group travel through the Waypoint, I can just bring Mr. Kim and his family to safely live on Gauido Island at that point.’
The two returned the smartphone to me and repeatedly bowed their heads in gratitude.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Thank you so much for saving our father.”
Smiling slightly, I said to the two of them,
“I’d appreciate it if you could leave a video message for Mr. Kim as well. It’ll give him strength.”
“Ah, of course.”
And I recorded their appearance with the smartphone.
Mr. Kim will probably be very pleased to see it.
“Are you injured anywhere? Or feeling unwell?”
“Mother was cut across the back by a Goblin while we were running away. So she still can’t sleep lying flat.”
“You hurt your shoulder too.”
Since there didn’t appear to be any major external injuries, Willia’s intermediate level Heal should be enough.
“Lia-ssi.”
“Yes, Baek-ho ssi.”
Instead of her full name, I called Willia by the Korean-sounding name ‘Lia’, and she naturally went along with it.
-Pop!
Willia then used Heal on the two of them.
Mr. Kim’s wife and son looked at her with startled expressions.
“You should be healed now.”
“Ah…”
The two of them began to touch and check their bodies, then soon let out expressions of amazement.
“I heard people who hunt monsters are gaining various mysterious powers, but seeing it in person is really amazing.”
Perhaps because Mr. Kim’s son is a teenager, he seems quite fascinated by this magical power.
Even if the wife isn’t, the son is at an age where that kind of thing is intriguing. Since his injuries are healed now, trying to gradually level up might not be a bad idea.
“Are there any government-leased accommodations in this survivor zone as well?”
“Yes, there are, but…”
“Let’s go. I’ll help you secure a room.”
“What? Ah, no. They’re very expensive.”
Looks like I need to show them.
That the string their husband and father grabbed onto was a golden one.
***
Having returned via Waypoint to the Cheongwadae-Gyeongbokgung Survivor Zone, Kang Yi-sol, the Director of the First Strategy Division of the “Nation Revival Agency” a presidential agency, slowly observed the man listening to his report.
[Noh Sung-heum, Director of the Nation Revival Agency]
In front of that man was a nameplate indicating he was Kang Yi-sol’s superior: Director of the Nation Revival Agency.
“So, you’re telling me some unknown guy swooped in and took the last hit?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The Director of the Nation Revival Agency put down a blurry photo displayed on his smartphone and gave a look of disdain.
Even so, Kang Yi-sol looked at the photo with a “not my fault” attitude.
The photo showed a man whose identity couldn’t be determined.
“Was he strong?”
“In my opinion, he looked stronger than Yoon Si-ah.”
The moment Yoon Si-ah’s name was mentioned, a flicker passed through the Director’s eyes.
“Stronger than Yoon Si-ah? Hmm… well, I guess that’s possible. We know there are quite a few civilian survivor zones outside of the government-controlled facilities. In fact, harsher environments might even make a person stronger.”
“Seo** is probably one of those types.”
“Hmm, then what’s the likelihood that this man in the photo is Seo**?”
“I wouldn’t say it’s zero.”
“So it’s not zero, but it’s hard to even assign a percentage? That was a dumb question I asked then.”
Kang Yi-sol shrugged, and the Director gave a short laugh at his subordinate’s response.
Then, his expression quickly turned serious.
“So, what’s the urgent matter you needed to report?”
The reason was that Kang Yi-sol had mentioned there was a crucial point to consider when requesting the meeting.
At that, Kang Yi-sol lifted his chin and made an unexpected statement.
“I suspect there may be an Elder Monster hiding in the center of Seoul.”
“What?”
Startled, the Director of the Nation Revival Agency gestured for him to continue.
“The creature we subdued today, Creature Boa, was indeed powerful and massive as a water-type monster, but it wasn’t a Named Monster, Boss Monster, or Elder Monster.”
“So?”
“Normally, General Monsters don’t leave their designated zones. The only exception is when they detect humans.”
“You’re saying Creature Boa’s behavior differed from other General Monsters?”
“Yes. What stood out was that it moved with a clear purpose, to destroy the bridge. That makes me think there might be a higher-intelligence superior entity giving it orders.”
Water monsters are all large and high-level.
So people might have simply assumed that Creature Boa’s erratic behavior was just because it was a special water-type monster.
But if you set aside the classifications of land, water, and air...
And instead categorize monsters as General, Named, Boss, or Elder, then today’s Creature Boa would ultimately be considered a General Monster.
Which made Creature Boa’s actions seem quite odd, just as Kang Yi-sol suggested.
“If there really is an Elder Monster commanding Creature Boa, then its level must be very high.”
“Most likely.”
“Alright, let’s assume such an Elder Monster exists. Then whoever planned this would’ve had a clear goal, right?”
“Perhaps to isolate the Hyeonchungwon Survivor Zone from Yongsan.”
“Wait, are you saying…”
“If the Elder Monster targeted the Hyeonchungwon Survivor Zone, then that scenario makes sense. A few hunting teams might still travel using the Waypoint, but Yongsan’s powerful military forces would be unable to provide support, correct?”
Kang Yi-sol, who was now calmly laying out his thoughts, appeared completely different from his somewhat clueless demeanor at Hangang Bridge.
His plausible theory caused the Director’s face to harden.
If, by any chance, Kang Yi-sol’s assumption was correct, it meant that Elder Monster possessed both the means and the power to go up against the Hyeonchungwon Survivor Zone, where hundreds of thousands of people were living.
***
Yongsan Park was originally a site where the U.S. military base had been located until 2017.
So various facilities from the U.S. military era still remained throughout the area.
The government had maintained those facilities well and was leasing them out to civilians in exchange for coins.
Perhaps thanks to that, everyone walking near those buildings had level indicators above their heads, all showing Level 10 or higher.
“How much is the rent for those buildings?”
To my question, Mr. Kim’s son responded.
“Small rooms start at 30 coins per day, apartment types go for 50 to 100 coins, and standalone buildings can cost anywhere from 300 to 500 coins.”
So, by monthly standards: a small room is 900 coins, apartments are 1,500 to 3,000 coins, and standalone buildings range from 9,000 to 15,000 coins.
Definitely expensive.
Which means the people using these facilities are the new upper class, those who’ve adapted to the post-catastrophe world and accumulated wealth.
“You know quite a lot?”
“There’s a lady in the tent next to us. She works here managing the facilities and gets paid in coins.”
Could it be the woman with that misleading tone of speech?
I nodded and soon spotted a building with a sign that read "Management Office".
And when I went inside.
“Welcom- oh…”
A middle-aged man with thinning hair, who looked somewhere between a government official and a real estate agent, switched his tone mid-greeting, from polite to annoyed, in one smooth motion.
It was probably because I’d changed into worn-out clothes before entering Yongsan Park, not wanting to draw attention.
I didn’t feel like arguing.
Nor did I care to get into a power struggle with him.
“I’d like to sign a rental contract, paid in 15-day intervals. Please recommend a secure and safe apartment-type unit.”
At my straightforward request, the man shifted his expression from dismissive to suspicious as he answered.
“For apartment-type units, you’ll need between 750 to 1,500 coins for 15 days. Since you mentioned wanting something with good security, it’d be best to go with the 1,500-coin option. That area’s under the jurisdiction of Yoon Si-ah’s hunting team, so no one reckless enough to cause trouble goes there.”
Yoon Si-ah?
Was that the woman I met earlier?
I had no intention of getting more involved than necessary, but since the place was safe, I decided to proceed with the contract.
I immediately pulled 1,500 coins out of my inventory in coin form and placed them in front of the man.
“Can I move in right away?”
“······.”
The man was momentarily speechless, then quickly switched to a deeply polite expression.
“Oh, of course!”
Money really is king everywhere.
“That building just ahead is the Yoon Si-ah hunting team’s headquarters. The key members of her team live in that same building you’ll be moving into today. So in terms of safety and security, it’s top-tier.”
What are they, some guard dogs? The all-purpose Yoon Si-ah hunting team.
‘Guess that means they have a good reputation.’
We proceeded to fill out a simple contract.
Naturally, Mr. Kim’s wife was the one who signed it.
One good thing about the world going mad is that complicated things like transfer taxes and other legal paperwork are gone.
“Are you sure… we can really live here?”
I originally planned to get them a standalone building, but figured it would be better to have a room with an interior entrance rather than an exterior one, so I went with an apartment-type accommodation.
Seeing Mr. Kim’s wife and son still looking like they couldn’t believe what was happening, I gave a firm nod.
In addition, I handed each of them 3,000 coins, a low-grade healing potion, and an intermediate healing potion.
“I’ll stop by often.”
“T-This is too much…”
Currently, my coin balance is well over 300,000.
Giving them that much doesn’t even make a dent.
“Just don’t go bragging to others that you suddenly came into a bunch of coins.”
“Understood.”
“If anything happens, tell them you know Kim Hyun-soo’s hunting team from Suwon. I’ll give him a heads-up.”
Since Kim Hyun-soo was on par with Yoon Si-ah in terms of level, I figured he’d be well-known even in Seoul, so I decided to use his name.
And it seemed my guess was right, when I mentioned Kim Hyun-soo, Mr. Kim’s son’s eyes widened.
“Y-You mean Kim Hyun-soo, the one they call the Yoon Si-ah of Suwon?”
Is that what people call him now?
I let out a dry chuckle.
***
Land monsters, flying monsters, water monsters.
People focused on monsters in these three areas and ignored one particular space.
That space was.
Underground.
“Huh? What…?”
Survivor Zone of Dongjak-gu National Cemetery.
A man affiliated with a small hunting team was holding a bottle of soju he had gotten by chance, clutching it closely to his chest as he walked toward his dwelling.
But then.
From an alleyway, a silhouette that appeared to be a woman beckoned to him, and he approached with curiosity.
The reason was simple.
The silhouette was almost completely naked.
So he assumed someone was seducing him, a hunter, and started to fantasize.
The man soon arrived at the alley where the woman stood.
“Excuse me?”
-Slither, slither.
But as he got closer, he sensed something was off.
The figure in front of him didn’t feel quite human.
He instinctively began to step back.
[I’m hungry.]
“Huh?”
And then, he saw countless tentacles surge toward him, filling his vision.
"Kyaaaah!"
The man was seized by the tentacles and sucked straight into the sewer.
Into a sewer opening barely a hand’s width in diameter.
-Crunch! Snap!
Monsters aren’t only on the surface.
They could be underground too.
But no one was paying attention to the underground.
[Elder Crimson Lord / Level: 75]
*****
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