Chapter 23: To Home (3)

Before storming Yongsan Station, I discussed it with the group.

Because we don’t know exactly how many Orcs there are.

Kang Haeseon had said they only confirmed at least 100 of them.

“Let’s try using your Fundamental Skill.”

“Okay. What should I ask?”

“If there are any shaman-like individuals over there.”

She also set Level 15 as the standard for stably dealing with Orcs.

I far exceeded that appropriate level.

I had already fought and won against Orcs on the first day of the cataclysm.

So, regular Orcs are fine.

I thought the thing to watch out for were mutant individuals like Goblin shamans.

“I don’t think I can ask by pinpointing it that specifically.”

“Then?”

“I think I’ll have to either broaden the scope… or ask about the Orc species itself.”

Regrettably, I changed the question to a form that could receive an answer.

“Oh? Hyungnim. My skill got stronger.”

Jang Hoseop used his Fundamental Skill and told me the results.

Along with the news that his skill changed after hitting Level 10.

“They say there are no magician-type mutants among the Orcs.”

“The System answered like that?”

“Yes. The answers come in sentences now.”

The System understands Jang Hoseop’s perception.

Jang Hoseop can also interpret the meaning contained in the System’s answers.

“You can just assume all Orcs fight with their bodies. The term ‘magician-type’ encompasses magical attacks, debuffs, CC… all that kind of stuff.”

Thanks to that, I solidified my decision to go to Yongsan Station.

We went through preparations such as installing the Spirit Stone and capturing Goblins alive.

“We probably won’t need to deal with all the Orcs in Yongsan Station.”

Yongsan Station is a really big station.

We’ll probably only need to deal with the Orcs positioned on the platforms and around them.

I charged in with that thought, and my prediction was correct.

“Kuraaaaaaaak!”

I found Orcs resting in the shadows.

Orcs, sparsely occupying positions, rushed towards me.

‘Easy.’

The Orcs’ strength and tough bodies don’t feel as formidable as before.

Swish

I swung the sharpened axe.

The Orc’s head fell to the ground anticlimactically.

They can no longer keep up with my movements.

‘The problem is….’

The experience points are too low.

One, two… twenty.

I quickly reduce the number of swarming Orcs.

Then, finally, when I was standing alone.

[Level has increased.]

I reached Level 30.

[Awakening a general skill.]

And I got a new general skill.

“Hyungnim! Did you make it?”

“Orcs don’t give much experience either.”

“Huh? Ah… Still, we can pass through Yongsan Station, right?”

Jang Hoseop, who ran over as soon as the battle ended, hands me water and a towel.

With a nonchalant expression.

“Yeah. And I made it.”

“Huh?”

“Level 30. I said I made it.”

“Whaaat? No… Oh? Waaaaaaah! Hyungnim!”

Jang Hoseop stares blankly for a moment, then suddenly throws both hands up in the air.

Somehow, he seems happier than I am.

---

After quickly wiping my face, I immediately collected the Mana Stones.

The Mana Stone extraction time was reduced by a few seconds compared to before.

Meanwhile, the group killed the Goblins and retrieved the Spirit Stone.

“Let’s pass through immediately.”

“Yes.”

There are probably still more Orcs remaining in Yongsan Station.

We’ve dealt with all the ones whose aggro was drawn, but this isn’t a time to relax.

We passed through Yongsan Station while the tracks were open.

“Phew. Thankfully, we passed through safely.”

The group catches their breath.

‘This won’t do.’

The Orc blood on me has a very foul smell.

It’s a stench like a mixture of fermented cheese and fermented skate.
(TL Note: Fermented skate (hongeo) is a Korean dish known for its extremely strong, ammonia-like odor.)

What’s even more maddening is that my nose isn’t getting desensitized to the smell.

“Let’s find a place to rest for a bit. I need to change clothes.”

Jang Hoseop nods vigorously.

“Hyungnim, over there.”

“Yeah.”

Nearby, there’s a three-story private parking garage.

It’s a steel-frame parking garage, and the deep inner parts are not visible from the outside.

After entering the parking garage and confirming no one was there, I installed the Spirit Stone and took off my clothes.

Jang Hoseop takes out a change of clothes from my backpack.

Aunt Sujeong and Mr. Lee Jangsu are preparing a simple meal.

“Um… O-… No, Mister.”

But Lee Yuna’s voice is heard from behind a pillar.

“Yes.”

“I can help you.”

Lee Yuna offers to help me wash using her skill.

“It’s alright.”

“If I use my skill, you can wash your hair without wasting water.”

Originally, I planned to wipe my body with a wet towel and change clothes.

Come to think of it, a lot of blood splattered on my hair too.

Lee Yuna’s offer is undeniably tempting.

“You need to save your mana and mental strength.”

“One person is fine!”

I looked at Jang Hoseop.

“Since it’s come to this, it would be good to wash off properly.”

“Alright. Then, could you help me?”

“Yes!”

I took off my pants and shoes.

Lee Yuna comes around the pillar.

She’s holding a 2-liter water bottle in her hand.

“Heek? Uh, ah.”

“Should I put my clothes on?”

“Ah, no! Then they’ll get wet. Yes. Just like this…”

I stood in front of Lee Yuna wearing only my underwear.

She opens the water bottle cap and uses her skill.

The sight of a stream of water gushing out is amazing no matter how many times I see it.

“Please close your eyes.”

At Lee Yuna’s gesture, the stream of water wets my hair.

As I closed my eyes, the water that penetrated between my hair strands began to move vigorously.

“Oh, this is totally a Bluetooth showerhead plus an automatic shower?”

Jang Hoseop exclaims in admiration.

“Go and rest.”

“Ah, yep! Hyungnim, then have a good time!”

Jang Hoseop says something strange and disappears.

“Is it refreshing? Shall I make it stronger?”

“It’s good now.”

It wasn’t an empty compliment; Lee Yuna’s stream of water was truly refreshing.

It lacked lethal power, but it was sufficient for washing hair.

“All done.”

When I opened my eyes, the discolored water was floating in mid-air.

Lee Yuna pours that water into an empty container and then uses her skill again.

Then, clean water rises.

“I’ll do your body too.”

“Okay.”

I stood with my arms and legs moderately spread.

Lee Yuna extends her hand towards me, her face flushed.

Her eyes wander as if an earthquake struck.

“I’ll start gently at first.”

The stream of water moves according to Lee Yuna’s hand.

There was no physical contact, but it felt like she was caressing me.

---

As a result of Lee Yuna using her skill.

The cleanup was faster and cleaner than if I had wiped the blood off myself.

There was no need to wipe off the moisture with a towel.

Because Lee Yuna carefully collected the moisture just enough not to strip my skin of its hydration.

‘This is too convenient.’

I’m currently changed and eating lunch.

Everyone is silently focused on their meal.

After a simple meal.

“If things go well, we might arrive today. Passing through Yongsan Station was a big help.”

Jang Hoseop says, looking at the map.

We’re really almost there now.

“If there aren’t too many monsters, it’s a really short distance…”

We’ll know when we get there, but Jang Hoseop and I both think we can arrive today.

“We’ve checked up to Orcs, but it’s still not certain.”

Because we are speculating that monsters above a certain level might have been sucked into Gates.

The dragon we saw on the first day.

The stone statue monster we encountered in Yeouido.

Monsters that we couldn’t even fathom fighting are no longer seen.

If only weak monsters remain, we can definitely break through.

“I think the roads will be more of a problem than the monsters. We might need to plan several routes…”

We have little information from Kang Haeseon’s side about the area north of Yongsan Station.

Fortunately, I’m thoroughly familiar with the geography around here.

It’s natural since it’s my hometown.

“Um… Hyungnim.”

After finishing the meeting.

As we prepare to leave, Jang Hoseop calls me in a cautious voice.

“Why?”

“About how the skill turned out…”

He seems curious about what skill I got at Level 30.

“Curious?”

“Yes. I’m curious.”

“Then you tell me a secret too.”

“Huh?”

I plan to tell him, but I don’t want to just tell him.

“What kind of secret?”

“Anything. A secret you couldn’t tell anyone else.”

“That’s… Uh…”

Jang Hoseop hesitates for a while before finally opening his mouth.

“Actually, I once spread poop pictures using multiple accounts…”
(TL Note: “똥짤” (ttongjjal) refers to posting disgusting/shocking images, often feces-related, online to troll or disgust others. “다중이” (dajungi) means using multiple online identities/sock puppets.)

“Huh?”

I didn’t understand.

“Ah! You asked for a secret I couldn’t tell anyone else. So, using fluid sock puppetry… Ah, fluid sock puppetry is when…”

Jang Hoseop explains in detail.

So, he pretended to be someone else and posted strange things on the internet.

“Why?”

“Uh… So… That. There’s no particular reason…”

I decided to be satisfied with just knowing the secret.

Though it doesn’t seem like a grand secret.

“Magic Resistance.”

“Huh?”

“Level 30 general skill. Called Magic Resistance.”

This time, I explained it to Jang Hoseop.

【Magic Resistance】

Possesses resistance against all enemy magic.

It’s my third general skill.

The magical attacks, debuffs, CC, etc., that Jang Hoseop mentioned earlier.

I’ve gained a comprehensive type of resistance.

“Then is it a chance-based resistance, or a nullification concept?”

“Both. It seems to be affected by level and what you called mental strength and mana.”

“Wow… Really… That’s a really, really good ability. That’s insane…”

When I got the ‘Mana Stone Extraction’ skill, Jang Hoseop made a big fuss.

Now, he’s muttering blankly in a low voice.

“Ah, Hyungnim. Perhaps what happened with the Goblin shaman… Was that a big shock?”

“Yeah. Why?”

It wasn’t so much a shock as a truly unpleasant experience.

Because I couldn’t control my own body as I wished.

“I was speculating that general skills might be derived from Fundamental Skills.”

It doesn’t sound entirely wrong.

“But now that I see it, I’m wondering if it could also be influenced by the person, like Fundamental Skills.”

“That could be possible too.”

This also sounds plausible.

“Ah, no. Still, I don’t think it deviates too much from the Fundamental Skill. It’s not like I’m suddenly going to get a skill that shoots fire or something out of the blue.”

Eventually, Jang Hoseop concludes that general skills are influenced by both the Fundamental Skill and the person.

We finished packing our backpacks while talking.

“We’re ready!”

The other members of the group are too.

It’s time to leave again.

---

Going north from Yongsan Station leads to Seoul Station.

The neighborhood I live in is between the two stations.

West of the railway tracks that connect the two stations.

‘Muhwa-dong.’

It’s a neighborhood nestled against a high hill.

In the old days, it was called a moon village (daldongne – often a poorer, hillside neighborhood).

We are currently climbing that hill.

“Living in a place like this would naturally give you a lower body workout… Ah.”

Jang Hoseop trails off mid-sentence.

He’s right.

My house is at the top of this hill.

It’s the house my mother left me.

“But… There are many intact buildings on this side, aren’t there? Is it because it’s on a mountain?”

“It’s not quite a mountain, just that the ground is a bit high.”

As Jang Hoseop said, there are quite a few intact buildings.

Even though most of them are old buildings.

I don’t know why there was less earthquake damage.

Still, there were monsters.

We avoided groups of monsters, and I killed all the smaller numbers of monsters while moving quickly.

“We just need to go up that slope.”

It’s the last uphill path.

If we just climb this short slope, my house will be visible.

I pushed the cart, paying close attention to ‘Target Detection.’

Then, finally, I stood atop the hill, and my house came into view.

“There it is.”

“The one with the green gate?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, it’s a two-story house?”

The sun hasn’t set yet.

My heart pounds.

One step, two steps.

In ten steps, I arrived in front of the gate.

[Muhwa Eondeok-gil 42]
(Muhwa Hill Road 42)

My precious home.

There was a reason I had to return here even if the world collapsed.

I want to run inside immediately, but I stopped in front of the gate.

“Hyungnim?”

Because four auras were picked up by Target Detection.

The auras are inside my house.

Simultaneously.

“Go, or not go?”

“Go, or not go?”

Human voices were heard.

“Ah, come on! How are you going to go and come back at this hour.”

My heart began to beat even faster.

Anger welled up.