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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Seoul Station, Unlucky Event - 1
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"Holy water manufacturing, divine weapon forging, magitech architecture, portal transportation…"
Park Cheol-su muttered to himself as he jotted down notes.
Lee Hyun-wook had just told him which companies were set to grow massively after the fourth wave—in other words, he'd given him specific stock tips. Then, he handed over a bankbook containing his entire life savings and asked Park Cheol-su to invest it all for him.
Of course, he hadn't mentioned the "fourth wave" directly to Park Cheol-su. He'd simply spun a story about how corporations and guilds were planning to pour massive funds into those industries soon.
"But Hyun-wook… is this information real?"
Park Cheol-su still looked skeptical.
Frankly, the story was too sudden and hard to believe.
"It's all real. These companies are about to take off."
But it didn't take long to convince him.
Lee Hyun-wook pulled something from his pocket.
Three business cards.
He had no intention of saving the cards he'd happened to acquire this time, either.
"So… you're telling me… you actually got these business cards from such big shots? You?"
Park Cheol-su's eyes went wide.
To be holding three cards from people who were difficult to meet even by chance…
'How in the world did Hyun-wook… Wait a minute. Catherine Yoo, isn't she the second daughter of the Cheonghwa Guild? She'd definitely have solid information on this industry, and as the head of the Seoul Conquest Department, it wouldn't be strange for her to have ties with the A.M.T. brass…'
Park Cheol-su was interpreting the situation in his own way, building a case for the credibility of Lee Hyun-wook's words.
"These… these people… gave you that secret information?"
"Yeah. Where else would I have gotten it? And hyung, don't ask for details just yet. As you know, this is pretty sensitive information. If it leaks, things could get ugly."
"…Ah, right. I understand."
Anyone could say anything.
But to make someone believe it, you needed a certain amount of 'proof'.
The overwhelming power he'd just displayed against Lee Won-cheol, his confident demeanor, his bold investment, and now, even the business cards of these influential figures—all of it lent 'weight' to Lee Hyun-wook's words.
'Yeah, Hyun-wook has definitely changed. What in the world happened to him over the past two years…?'
But at the same time, another question arose.
He lifted his head and looked at Lee Hyun-wook.
"But Hyun-wook, what happened? You were definitely ranked F at the Player Training Center. The strength you just showed… there's no way that was F-rank."
Yes, the fact that Lee Hyun-wook was an F-rank was common knowledge among those who knew him.
'It's only natural to wonder how an F-rank, a non-growth attribute, could become stronger.'
Lee Hyun-wook had anticipated this question and had prepared the perfect answer.
"Hyung, you know about the Achievement System, right?"
"Huh? Hey, I'm a guild master, you know."
The world had become like a game.
That meant it was filled with countless game-like elements.
The 'Achievement System' was one of them.
'It's the only system besides growth that allows you to raise your personal stats.'
When a special condition related to the game-like world was met, an 'Achievement' was granted.
For example, hunting a powerful monster like a dragon would grant the
And depending on the value of the achievement, a significant stat boost was given as a 'reward'.
"Ah, so your stats increased because you completed an achievement?"
"That's right."
"Wow… that's amazing in itself. An F-rank completing an achievement? What kind was it?"
"It was an achievement only possible because I'm an F-rank. The condition was to defeat an elite monster as an F-rank. The name was…
Lee Hyun-wook plausibly fabricated an achievement he had never earned and sold the story.
With this, he easily concealed the secret that F-ranks could, in fact, grow.
'I can't hide the fact that I've gotten stronger, but I have to hide the fact that I'm not an F-rank.'
For now, this was information that only he could know.
Finally, Lee Hyun-wook took something else out of his bag.
"Here, a gift."
"Huh?"
It was a small box.
"What's this?"
"Hyung, I heard you had a daughter, right? They're shoes. I couldn't even congratulate you since I was on base."
"Ah, thank you… really…"
"You'll be a great dad. You were a great senior to us, so how much better will you be with your own family?"
Park Cheol-su wasn't good at controlling his expression, and the sight of the baby shoes made him choke up.
"Hyung, I think I have to get going now."
"Ah, right. Let's grab a meal next time you're out."
"Make sure you fire Lee Won-cheol's crew, and you should invest in that information too."
"Okay, thank you…"
Park Cheol-su nodded, his eyes red.
'He may be soft-hearted now, but he'll become the master of a massive guild in the future.'
He had secured him early.
Lee Hyun-wook prepared to return to base.
No, he prepared for the next battle.
***
To date, a total of three 'Waves' had occurred.
The first wave was in California.
The second wave was in Shanghai.
The third wave was in Berlin.
Without exception, every city that experienced a wave was destroyed beyond repair. Some areas even became monster territory.
No one could have ever imagined that California would turn into a prairie for a pack of Red Drakes, or that an Orc kingdom would be established in Shanghai.
'And the fourth wave will be in Seoul.'
The precursor to that event was set to begin today, of all places, at Seoul Station.
It was the heart of South Korea's transportation network, a place with a daily foot traffic of one million people.
Standing in the place that would soon become a living hell, Lee Hyun-wook checked his watch.
- 15:34
He then checked a text message.
- Sergeant Choi Seon-ah: Corporal Lee Hyun-wook! I've already arrived at Seoul Station. Let me know when you get here!
The message had come from Choi Seon-ah about an hour ago, but he hadn't replied yet.
"Hmm…"
Lee Hyun-wook had no intention of returning to base with Sergeant Choi Seon-ah.
He had been preparing for today's incident, so traveling with her was out of the question.
'We were supposed to meet at 17:00. Why did she come so early?'
Two days ago, Lee Hyun-wook had contacted Choi Seon-ah and arranged to meet at 17:00.
If she had arrived at that time, she would have avoided being swept up in the events that were about to unfold here.
'In my memory, Choi Seon-ah wasn't involved in this incident…'
This meant that the variable of him taking leave with her had caused her to arrive at Seoul Station early, creating a situation where he would have to be with her.
"Still, Choi Seon-ah is a support class, so she might actually be helpful."
Thinking positively, he sent a text asking her to come to his location.
At the same time, he scanned the metal objects in his bag.
One dagger purchased from artisan Kang Jeong-du, twenty steel beads made of magical metal, and three 20-meter rolls of 2.23mm thick steel wire…
He had prepared a considerable number of weapons for this very moment.
He turned his gaze and scanned the inside of the station.
A massive crowd was moving through the station.
It was a world where gates could open anytime, anywhere, but people went about their daily lives without much worry. That was because Player security guards were stationed everywhere for their protection.
'The Seoul Station security team is particularly skilled, but…'
Lee Hyun-wook knew that even they would be neutralized.
'And the vast majority of the people here will die.'
Even knowing this, he couldn't save them all.
No one knew what was about to happen.
That was normal.
Therefore, warning them in advance was out of the question, and even if he did…
'…No one would believe me.'
In the end, they were people he couldn't save.
'But there is much to be gained.'
Thousands of civilians would be sacrificed, and numerous Player troops deployed for suppression would die, but the world would later come to see that their sacrifices were not in vain.
It was because of a single 'item' obtained by clearing the dungeon here.
'An item that will later be worn by Han Tae-san, the Fist King, Korea's number two ranker.'
It was a 'Hero' grade item, one of only about 3,000 in the entire world at present, and it was even a 'potential item' that could continue to grow.
'But that wasn't the only valuable item. There was also the one the Villains made off with…'
Today, at this very moment, a Villain would be waiting here at Seoul Station to claim that item. After all, according to the rules of the game, Villains could conspire with certain monster races.
Just then, he saw someone in a black combat uniform waving in the distance.
"Corporal Lee Hyun-wook!"
A short female soldier, Choi Seon-ah.
She approached with a bright smile, and for some reason, her makeup seemed heavier than when they had left for their leave.
"Did you have a good first leave?"
"Yeah! How was your leave, Corporal Lee?"
"It was good, ma'am."
"Did you eat lots of good food? I ate so much!"
Even as he exchanged greetings with her, his senses were scanning their surroundings.
'First, I need to get to the fire equipment cabinet.'
He might need a gas mask soon.
It was for the very thing he had been preparing for: 'poison'.
'Not for me, but for Choi Seon-ah…'
Lee Hyun-wook had some resistance to poison, but Choi Seon-ah likely did not.
'According to schedule, it starts at 15:24.'
Lee Hyun-wook checked his watch again.
- 15:14
About ten minutes left.
He used his metal control to partially unzip his bag.
It was so the dagger, steel wire, and beads could fly out at a moment's notice.
"…Corporal Lee, are you sick?"
"Ma'am?"
"Your expression just now was really… scary, I guess?"
"It's nothing, First Sergeant. There are too many people here, it's a bit overwhelming. Let's go somewhere else."
"Oh, okay!"
Lee Hyun-wook casually shifted their position, moving closer to a fire equipment cabinet that contained gas masks.
'I never thought these facilities placed in every station would be useful…'
But this alone wouldn't be enough.
Unlike the black smoke created by the Kobold sorcerer, the poison that would sweep through this place today couldn't be blocked just by covering one's respiratory system. It would even seep through the skin.
It was then.
Whoo-oosh!
A sudden gust of wind swept through the interior of Seoul Station.
"Ugh! What was that!"
"Kyaa!"
People in the station had no choice but to stop and clutch their clothes.
"Wow, what was that wind?"
"I know, right…"
It was not a natural wind.
It felt as if one side of a building had collapsed, letting a gale force wind burst through the gap.
"…Huh?"
The gazes of the massive crowd filling Seoul Station all turned in one direction.
Wooo-wooo-woong-
"A g-gate?"
It wasn't a building wall that had burst.
Space itself had torn open.
An otherworldly wind was pouring out from it.
***
Seoul Station Integrated Control Center.
This was the place where all the CCTVs inside Seoul Station could be controlled. It was a command tower of sorts, where any incident within the station could be immediately identified and responded to.
But…
"…Huh?"
Ch-jijijik-
The hundreds of CCTV feeds filling the giant screen all went dead at once.
"What? What's going on all of a sudden?"
An incident that should never have happened sent the once-leisurely control center into a state of emergency.
"CCTVs on the second and third-floor waiting areas have been simultaneously disabled!"
"What? Simultaneously means…"
"It seems to be… m-mana scattering!"
The center director swallowed hard and stared intently at the staff member's face.
If the CCTVs were disabled by mana, there were only a few possible causes.
"Don't tell me…"
The staff member nodded gravely.
"Director, this is… a gate has opened inside the station."
The disaster had begun.
***
In the middle of Seoul Station, a purple shimmer materialized in mid-air. It was definitely a gate.
The first to move were the security guards stationed throughout the station.
Seven of them in total.
They were Players trained for this exact situation.
"It's a gate! All units, equip weapons and surround the gate!"
While people scrambled in a panic toward the exits, they advanced in the opposite direction.
"Whatever comes out during the initial surge, we can't fall back! If we hesitate, civilians will die!"
The team leader shouted as he raised his primary weapon, a crossbow.
"Hoo…"
He lowered his stance, held his breath, and aimed at the gate.
The massive gate, ten meters in diameter, was bubbling and boiling.
It looked as if it could explode at any moment.
"…It's coming out!"
At that moment, the gate stretched like a viscous substance and spat something out—something huge.
Thud!
Like a monster giving birth, the thing that shot out and fell to the floor was…
Kree-!
An insect with eight legs… a spider.
"Shit, how can a spider be that big!"
It was easily five meters in size—yes, a spider as big as an elephant.
Its appearance was also unusual.
Spiders were usually either smooth or covered in thick hair, but this giant spider was covered in what looked like hard armor.
"F-fire! Just kill it!"
Twang- Thwack- Boom-
The moment the team leader's order fell, the guards surrounding the gate unleashed a variety of attacks, which exploded one after another on its body, but…
Kree-! Kree-!
The creature seemed to have taken no damage at all.
It crouched for a moment before lunging forward as if shot from a spring.
The guards scattered in terror, and the benches, planters, and signs in the spider's path were knocked over and shattered.
"D-damn it, what the hell is that thing?"
"Team leader, where are we supposed to attack it?"
"That thing… I don't know. I've never seen it before."
They couldn't help but be flustered.
Dealing with monsters was all about 'strategy,' and one of the qualities of a Player was knowing those strategies. But this spider was a monster they had never seen before.
"Then it must be a recently updated monster."
Just like game content updates, new monsters appeared from time to time.
It was a fairly common occurrence, so it wasn't strange for a new species to emerge from a gate here, but… there were far too many problems.
"Just keep firing! Don't let it get near the civilians!"
Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang!
"I can't believe my bolts aren't working…"
The security team leader was a C-rank, tier-1 marksman Player. A single, well-aimed shot from his arrow could take down even an orc.
"It's reacting to magic attacks, at least!"
The creature flinched every time fire and ice magic exploded against it.
"Good, then we'll stall it with magic for now! Until the civilians have evacuated…"
But the team leader couldn't finish his sentence.
Several lines of text had appeared before his eyes.
- An 'Unlucky Event' has occurred in this area!
- You can enter this area, but you cannot leave.
- An entry level restriction has been placed on this area. (LV. 15)
- To escape, survive for 6 hours or defeat the 'Boss Monster'!
"…Ah?"
But the message wasn't visible only to him.
It appeared before the eyes of Players and civilians alike.
"What? We can't get out?"
"…N-no!"
Unlucky Event.
Just as the name implied, it was an unfortunate event.
To put it simply, it was a phenomenon where a 'debuff' harmful to Players was applied to a specific area, or 'rules' that made the game harder were created. For Players, it was no different from a natural disaster.
And for something like this to happen in such a crowded place was a catastrophe.
"…Aargh! I-I can't get out!"
"H-help me!"
From the unopening exits, hundreds of people were entangled, letting out screams mixed with despair.
"Team leader! Another spider has come out! And it's heading for the exit!"
At the horrifying report, the team leader instinctively turned his head.
Th-th-th-th-th-
Like a great white shark swimming toward a school of sardines, the giant spider was crawling toward the crowd of hundreds, its eight legs churning.
'No!'
A horrific scene that would unfold in just a few seconds flashed through his mind.
A pile of civilian corpses, crushed by the spider…
"…Dammit! We have to st-stop it! Fire, quickly!"
The team leader drew his crossbow and ran toward the creature.
Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang!
But the bolts he fired, once again, failed to even scratch its armor-like skin.
"Damn it, what kind of spider comes out wearing steel armor! E-everyone, run away!"
Since he couldn't stop it, all he could do was shout for them to run.
It was then.
From among the civilians surging like a school of sardines, someone broke away and began to walk forward.
"Huh?"
A man in black clothes—a combat uniform, to be precise—stepped forward and blocked the spider's path.
"…He's A.M.T.?"
But seeing as he was unarmed, he wasn't support personnel.
He was probably on leave. Worse, his rank was Corporal… just an enlisted soldier.
"Damn it, get back! This is no place for you!"
An A.M.T. soldier, especially an enlisted one, was among the lowest of combat-class Players.
This was not the moment to step up, the team leader thought.
And sure enough, just as the spider raised its foreleg to crush the soldier—
Boom!
Fortunately, a fire spell someone had launched struck the spider in the head, forcing it to step back, albeit temporarily.
The team leader used that opening to run and save the foolish A.M.T. soldier.
"Hey! You! Get out of the way if you don't want to die!"
But the man didn't budge an inch.
Instead, he walked toward the spider.
"No, you're the ones who should step back."
"…What?"
His voice was strangely calm, unfitting for the current situation.
He raised his left hand.
"Cover your heads. There might be some shrapnel."
The team leader couldn't understand what he meant at all.
But he couldn't ask.
An even more incomprehensible situation was unfolding.
K-k-k-kree!
The house-sized spider, which had been impervious to all attacks until now, began to writhe in agony.
Thump!
As if having a heart attack, the creature twisted its body and started ramming its head against a wall.
Thump!
"Wh-what the…"
And in the next moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded.
BA-BOOM!
With a deafening roar, the spider's armor-like skin began to explode, piece by piece.
BA-BOOM!
The team leader turned his head to look at the mysterious man.
His left hand was clenched into a fist, aimed at the spider.