Chapter 52: Additional Base (2)

A provisional government had emerged.

Along with this sudden news, Ji-hye briefly summarized what had happened in the meantime.

“The existence of the provisional government became known to the public three days ago. The government spokesperson posted on the Information Strategy Board.”

Information Strategy Board.

At those words, Han-seong immediately accessed the auction house and skimmed through the posts from three days ago. After a while, he found the post Ji-hye had mentioned.

[Title]: To the citizens of Korea from the Suwon Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.

[Author]: Captain Lee Gyeong-min

[Residence]: Republic of Korea

▷Greetings. This is Captain Lee Gyeong-min, spokesperson for the Suwon Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.

Currently, we have established a safe zone centered around Suwon Airfield, operating shelters and accommodating refugees from various regions.

So far, about 10,000 refugees have joined us at Suwon Airfield and are under the protection of the provisional government, with sufficient water and food supplies.

Those who are reading this post, please come to Suwon Airfield as soon as possible.

Below that, the address and detailed directions were written. After confirming the contents of the post, Han-seong immediately opened the map.

“10,000 people…”

A much larger number than what was shown on the map.

In other words, it meant they had deliberately inflated the numbers. After all, more survivors would gather with the hope that their families might be there.

And naturally, the post was flooded with comments from people looking for their families.

↳ Could you please check if my son is there? His name is…

↳ I’d like to ask if my parents in Suwon are at the airfield.

↳ Hey! Please reply!

Even at a glance, the number of comments reached several thousand. Captain Lee Gyeong-min replied only after half a day had passed.

[Captain Lee Gyeong-min]: Due to current staff shortages, we cannot answer all questions. If you come to Suwon Airfield, we will arrange meetings with refugees residing in the shelters.

There were no further replies after that.

In response, survivors actively discussed in the comments whether to go to Suwon or not. As he was silently reading this, Ji-hye’s voice was heard.

“Ah, right. There’s one more thing.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“The provisional government.”

What? There’s another provisional government?

Besides Suwon? When Han-seong asked back with a surprised face, Ji-hye nodded and said.

“There’s one in Sejong City too. The day after the Suwon Provisional Government’s post was registered, another post appeared on the Information Strategy Board.”

At those words, Han-seong looked through the posts from two days ago one by one, and soon found the post about the Sejong Provisional Government that Ji-hye had mentioned.

[Title]: Announcement from the Sejong Provisional Government.

[Author]: Lieutenant Colonel Park Min-su

▷Greetings, fellow citizens.

The Sejong Provisional Government is based in the government complex, and currently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is serving as Acting President.

We inform you in advance that the Suwon Air Base, which claims to be a provisional government without proper procedures, is nothing more than a puppet government.

Currently, the Sejong Provisional Government has about 50,000 refugees and military forces. We have also prepared shelters that can accommodate more than 100,000 refugees.

Citizens, do not be deceived by the words of the puppet government and come to Sejong. The Sejong Provisional Government welcomes your visit.

‘They say there are 50,000 survivors?’

Five times that of the Suwon Provisional Government.

Han-seong was momentarily surprised by the considerable number, but soon returned to normal. After all, there was a high possibility that it wasn’t true.

‘Even the spokesperson of the Suwon Provisional Government inflated the numbers in their announcement.’

Although it wasn’t visible from here, if he set up an additional base in the direction of Daejeon, he could verify whether it was true or false.

As he was finishing that thought.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, a memory he had forgotten came to mind.

Han-seong turned to Ji-hye and asked.

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say your uncle’s unit was in Suwon?”

When they first met Ji-hye.

When exchanging introductions, she had introduced herself as coming from a military family. Didn’t she say then that her uncle was an active-duty general?

“That’s right. You remembered.”

Ji-hye nodded.

Then she gave an unexpected answer.

“And the place where the Suwon Provisional Government is located is the unit where my uncle serves.”

“Suwon Airfield?”

“Yes, to be precise, it’s the Air Base.”

Air Base. And an active-duty general.

Han-seong had never served in the military so he wasn’t sure, but that meant he must be quite a high-ranking figure in the Air Base.

“Then the person who established the provisional government could be your uncle?”

“Hmm, that might be possible.”

Although I’m not certain yet.

Ji-hye smiled awkwardly.

In any case, the fact that a provisional government was born in the unit where her uncle was stationed meant that the possibility of her family members, including her parents, being alive had increased.

Han-seong said as if pleased.

“Then we should go to Suwon.”

“Yes, I was planning to tell you when you returned and leave right away.”

“Right, of course you should go down.”

He couldn’t stop her from going to see her family.

Coincidentally, Han-seong was also thinking of moving his base for similar reasons. He briefly explained about his promotion to 4th Tier and what he had experienced in the tower.

He also told her everything about his plan to move the base to Cheonan and then search for his family in Daejeon.

“Then you’ll be in Cheonan for a while, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“I see. I’ll check if my parents are safe and then come straight to Cheonan. I need to make potions for you, Mage.”

“No, you can come later.”

“But…”

“How would your parents feel if their daughter, who they’ve just reunited with after a hard time, leaves right away? Make sure to reassure them enough and join me later.”

“…Alright. I’ll do that.”

Ji-hye smiled faintly.

After the conversation about family was settled, she looked at Han-seong again and spoke.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“Hmm, ah! Do you know what happened to the Grotesque Fish near Nodeul Island?”

“That strange-looking fish?”

“Yes, that one.”

“I know. It was subjugated about four days ago.”

“What? Subjugated? By whom?”

“I’m not sure since I only witnessed it from afar, but it was a group of about thirty men and women.”

About four days ago from now.

At the time when the sun was high in the sky. Ji-hye was heading towards Gangnam as usual for zombie hunting.

While focused on hunting, she suddenly noticed a group that caught her attention. It was the armed group of about thirty people she had just mentioned.

“I got curious and followed them at a distance, and it looked like they had come prepared for battle, targeting the Grotesque Fish from the start.”

She said they moved systematically.

As if they were quite familiar with facing elite monsters, they cooperated to fight the Grotesque Fish and succeeded in defeating it without any casualties.

Han-seong nodded.

‘So it wasn’t that it had dived, but that it was subjugated.’

That’s somewhat fortunate.

After all, it’s much better for it to be subjugated by someone rather than leveling up in an unseen place and turning into a Champion monster.

After letting out a sigh of relief, he asked about the reason for the decrease in survivors at Kangil Girls’ High School.

In fact, with the emergence of the provisional government, the answer was more or less clear. And Han-seong’s prediction was correct.

“Most of them left for Suwon yesterday. Park Young-cheol, who was the representative of Kangil Girls’ High School, went with them.”

Currently, those remaining at Kangil Girls’ High School are only those who have no family to reunite with or those who opposed going to Suwon.

The area around Kangil Girls’ High School has already become a safe zone, so it’s not too bad to continue staying there.

“And the request you entrusted to me before is about to be completed, Mage.”

“The request I entrusted?”

“About imbuing a skill onto the ring.”

“…Ah.”

Now that I hear it, I remember.

Come to think of it, I had entrusted the Enchant Ring obtained from Tae-min’s belongings to the Healer, right?

To engrave the Healer’s newly acquired skill, Healing Field, onto the ring. Recalling the past memory, he made an expression of understanding.

“She must have been promoted to 3-star rank.”

“Yes, I was contacted right after you entered the tower. She said it can be imbued up to 15 times a day, so it should be completed in about a week.”

“A week later means… Today, right?”

“That’s right. It’s today.”

Ji-hye nodded silently.

At that moment.

“Mage!”

A familiar voice was heard from outside the window.

Shadow Assassin, Seo Ha-eun. She waved her hand towards the window and shouted loudly.

“The ring is completed!”

Speaking of the devil.

The timing is just right.

Han-seong burst into a smile. Then he turned to Ji-hye and said.

“Can I ask you a favor?”

“Yes, I’ll go get it right away.”

Ji-hye, quick to catch on, immediately stood up.

She instantly headed outside the officetel.

There were three visitors to the officetel.

Seo Ha-eun, Yoo Min-cheol, and Kang Eun-ji.

Usually, only Ha-eun would have come, so why did they all come together this time? Feeling curious, Han-seong sent the Collector to that spot.

To eavesdrop on the conversation.

“Hello, Representative.”

The conversation that had just begun.

Ji-hye responded to Ha-eun’s greeting by slightly bowing her head. Then she turned to Eun-ji and asked.

“Where’s the ring?”

“Ah! Here it is.”

Eun-ji handed over the ring she had been holding to Ji-hye. Ji-hye carefully received it and turned around as if her business was finished.

“Thank you. Then…”

“W-wait a moment!”

Just as Ji-hye was about to return to the officetel.

Suddenly, Ha-eun hurriedly stopped her. Ji-hye, who had stopped walking, asked back with a puzzled tone.

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

“Well, that is… I, I wanted to express my gratitude for everything!”

Huh? Suddenly?

Han-seong, who was listening to the conversation through the Collector, unconsciously tilted his head.

“Thanks to the Mage clearing out the monsters around here, we’ve been able to stay in a safe place all this time. Thank you so much.”

“I’m grateful too.”

Ha-eun and Eun-ji, and even Min-cheol bowed their heads gruffly. Judging by their tone, they somehow seemed like people who were about to leave for a far place soon.

Sure enough?

“We’ve decided to leave here tomorrow.”

“Leave? Ah, perhaps to Suwon…?”

“That’s right. We’ve secured a vehicle, and Min-cheol ajussi says he’s from that unit.”

Min-cheol belongs to the Suwon Air Base.

At those words, Ji-hye turned to Min-cheol with slightly surprised eyes. Meanwhile, Ha-eun hesitated for a moment before speaking with a determined face.

“So, I was wondering if I could ask what the Mage plans to do?”

“Why the Mage…”

“If you’re thinking of going down to Suwon, I wanted to ask how you’d feel about coming down with us tomorrow.”

Ha-eun’s eyes shone with expectation.

On the other hand, Ji-hye shook her head.

“I don’t think that will happen. The Mage said he has a separate place to go.”

“Ah…”

Ha-eun trailed off with a disappointed face.

But only for a moment, she soon nodded as if accepting reality.

“I see. It can’t be helped then.”

“If your business is finished, then…”

“Then what will you do, Representative?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Are you moving with the Mage? Or are you going to Suwon?”

“I…”

Ji-hye hesitated to answer.

At that moment, Han-seong, who had been watching the situation, brought his lips to the Blood Imprint. Then he whispered softly, in a voice only Ji-hye could hear.

“This works out well. You can go down together.”

-What? B-but…

“It’ll be safer than going alone. They’re all around level 20 too.”

From what he had observed through Detection earlier.

Ha-eun was at the same level 24 as Ji-hye, and Min-cheol and Eun-ji were at levels 21 and 18 respectively.

They wouldn’t be a burden.

“And I’d like you to keep an eye on the Healer.”

-Why is that…?

“Because the job itself is rare. I’d like to always know her whereabouts, no matter where she is.”

Of course, using the Mark skill would solve this.

But he wanted to save that skill for finding his family if possible. Ji-hye, who had been silent as if lost in thought for a moment, soon gave her answer.

-Alright. I’ll do as you say.

Ji-hye accepted Ha-eun’s proposal.

Ha-eun was visibly delighted, and after agreeing to meet again at 6 AM tomorrow, they parted ways.

After parting with Ha-eun’s group like that.

Ji-hye returned to Han-seong’s room with the Collector. Then she handed over the Enchant Ring she had received from Ha-eun to Han-seong.

“Mage, here’s the ring.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Han-seong received the ring with a smiling face.

Ji-hye, having finished her task, said she would go downstairs for a moment and left. Left alone, Han-seong put the ring on the middle finger of his right hand.

Soon, the ring’s information appeared.

[Name]: Enchant Ring (Basic)

[Effect]: Permanently engraves skills of 3-star rank or lower onto the ring. The ring wearer can use the engraved skill, and this is valid even for skills from other jobs.

-If the number of engravings does not reach the maximum, it can be reset.

[Currently Engraved Skill]: Healing Field

[Creator]: Lee Min-jae

Successfully engraved skill.

As he was smiling with satisfaction.

[The Blessing of Remote Support is applied.]

[Some skill effects will be changed.]

“Huh?”

A notification appeared that changes had occurred to the skill engraved on the ring. Han-seong hurriedly viewed the skill’s effects.

[Remote: Healing Field]

▷Heals the wounds of all allies within range and recovers 1% energy per second.

▷Effective Range: Up to 6km

▷Healing Range: 30m radius

▷Duration: 30 seconds

▷Mana Cost: 500

▶Cooldown: 90 minutes

Fortunately, it had changed in a good direction.

By the way, skills from other jobs are also affected by the Blessing of Remote Support. Realizing this new fact, Han-seong made an expression of wonder.

‘Anyway, I like it.’

Not only can he heal others’ wounds remotely, but it can also be used as a means to recover mana when faced with a situation where mana is lacking.

As he was smiling with satisfaction like that.

Knock knock!

“Mage, I’m coming in.”

Ji-hye, who had disappeared after handing over the ring, returned with a large box. She put down the boxes she had been carrying in both hands on the floor.

“Please accept this too.”

“What’s all that?”

“Potions. I’ve been making them every day.”

There were five boxes.

Each box contained twelve bottles of potion. Since one bottle was about 1 liter, the total was 60 liters. This amount should easily last for a few weeks.

“Thanks, I’ll use them well.”

Han-seong stored them in his inventory.

Then Ji-hye spoke again.

“When are you planning to move, Mage?”

“I’m thinking of going now.”

“What? Y-you’re going right now?”

“Yeah. I don’t need any means of transportation after all.”

If he just sets up an additional base, he can move immediately through the Warp Gate.

At Han-seong’s words, Ji-hye, who had been blank for a moment, soon muttered with a regretful expression.

“Then it’s a brief farewell.”

“It seems so. Take care and come back safely.”

“Yes, you be careful too, Mage. I’ll pray that you can find your family members.”

The farewell greetings ended like that.

Having finished her business, Ji-hye headed downstairs, and Han-seong looked at the Vampire Tree.

“I wonder if I can retrieve the roots?”

Currently, the Vampire Tree has spread its roots and vines to wrap around the officetel. However, since there’s no reason to come here for a while, it would be better to have it take root in the place that will become the secondary base.

The creature seemed to understand Han-seong’s request and retrieved its stems and roots like magic. Han-seong, having finished preparations to leave, opened his mouth towards the empty air.

“Open Map.”

A map unfolded before his eyes.

The current observable area boundary is Pyeongtaek.

He can set up an additional base up to 20km away from the boundary line, so considering that, the optimal location is Cheonan City.

Han-seong preferred the tallest building.

‘The new apartment complex west of Cheonan Station.’

He immediately pinpointed the coordinates.

Unfortunately, since it was an unobservable area, enlargement and precise observation were impossible, so the internal situation was unknown, but it didn’t matter.

By his side were the Collector and the Vampire Tree, along with the constantly maintained Mana Shield. Han-seong used the skill without hesitation.

[Activating skill.]

[Unique: Additional Base]

[Warp Gate has been installed.]

[Time remaining until disappearance: 40 minutes]

A blue flag appeared on the map.

He sent the Collector and the Vampire Tree first.

With orders to annihilate all enemies except humans. And after a little more time passed, he turned towards the entrance leading to the additional base.

“Shall we go now?”

Han-seong moved his wheelchair.

Soon after, the interior of the officetel where he had disappeared was quickly engulfed in desolate silence.