Chapter 19: If Only a Reward Is Given (1)

We finished farming the B1 floor.

I changed out of my wet clothes.

We each got a backpack.

We head down to the B2 floor.

“It’s because of my skill that Hyungnim is taking care of this for me.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, please speak comfortably. Anyway, you shouldn’t carry your daughter’s luggage for her. If, by some unavoidable circumstance, the party gets separated….”

Jang Hoseop keeps talking to Mr. Lee Jangsu.

It seems he’s looking out for him in his own way.

“Originally, B1 was the food hall, and B2 had stores like concept stores.”

Lee Yuna is sticking close to my side.

She’s telling me about what happened at the department store in a quiet voice.

“Representative Kim used people to move all the supplies… He even killed someone who secretly took a single chocolate bar.”

‘Representative Kim, from whom only evil deeds emerge the more you dig.’

Lee Yuna keeps emphasizing that point.

It’s not a story I’m particularly interested in.

We came down to the B2 floor.

It’s humid.

“It’s too humid, isn’t it? Is there a reason they brought the food down this far?”

“I don’t really know either. Maybe because they were afraid people would steal it?”

‘Unlikely.’

Originally, the ventilation system would have been working, making the basement relatively pleasant.

Not anymore.

It feels like mold will grow quickly.

“Are you sure the food here is okay?”

We’ll pick and choose carefully, but I have my doubts.

Lee Yuna and Mr. Lee Jangsu also reply that they don’t know, as it’s their first time here since that day of work.

Clank

“Hyungnim. It’s locked.”

There’s a shutter down around the escalator.

The shutter has a door attached to it, but it won’t open.

After sending Jang Hoseop back, I took out the axe.

It’s a new fire axe I acquired this time.

Crack

The doorknob shatters in one go.

“I’m going in.”

It’s still daytime, but being underground, it’s dark.

Everyone is holding a lantern, but the amount of light isn’t enough.

As I was slowly heading inside.

“Huh? A will-o’-the-wisp?”

Jang Hoseop stops in his tracks and mutters.

A blue light is flickering a short distance away.

“Hyungnim.”

‘I don’t feel anything.’

‘It doesn’t seem to be a monster.’

‘Or perhaps it’s being devoured by a Gate, like that giant monster we saw outside.’

I strain my eyes and stare at it.

It’s not bright, so I can look at it directly.

“It’s inside a box.”

“You’re right.”

Blue light was seeping out from the cracks of a wooden box.

I moved closer to observe it in detail.

“Um… I made this box.”

Mr. Lee Jangsu says quietly.

“Open it.”

“Yes.”

The wooden box is placed on the lowest shelf of a large display stand.

Mr. Lee Jangsu takes out the box without much difficulty.

Creak

He easily opened the box with the claw hammer hanging from his waist.

“Oh… What is this?”

Everyone cranes their necks to check the contents of the box.

“A stone?”

“It looks like a rugby ball.”

Just like Jang Hoseop and Aunt Sujeong’s impressions.

To my eyes too, what’s inside the box looks like a stone.

It’s oval-shaped and small enough to be held in one hand.

The unusual thing is that the inside of the stone is hollow.

It has three even openings, allowing a view of the inside.

A round stone is inside that empty space.

“It’s strange. How did they put the stone inside?”

“I know, right? The opening is too narrow…”

“Hyungnim. But isn’t the stone inside too round?”

The stone inside is a perfect sphere.

That round stone is emitting a blue light.

“More importantly.”

I straightened my back and looked at everyone.

‘This stone is also strange, but there’s something I need to check first.’

“The system message. Did only I get it?”

“Huh?”

Everyone reacted as if asking what I was talking about.

[Do you want to activate the Spirit Stone?]

As soon as I saw the stone, I got this system message.

“Spirit Stone.”

“Huh? What was that?”

“I think this stone is a Spirit Stone.”

I told them the exact content of the system message.

“Oh. Spirit Stone. Well… does it mean something like a sacred stone?”

“I don’t know. Could it be dangerous?”

“Well. I think it should be fine?”

‘Looking at the system message, that thing is something other than a monster.’

‘And it’s in an inactive state.’

“If you look at it, the System feels a bit like… it’s on our side? That’s the feeling I get.”

I agreed with Jang Hoseop.

‘It seems like the System is looking out for humans’ convenience.’

“Seeing that the message only appeared for Hyungnim… maybe there’s a level restriction?”

Jang Hoseop voiced his guess.

“It’s probably something you activate to do something, right?”

I quietly nodded.

“Since someone put it in this box for safekeeping… I think it should be okay to touch it? Shall we take it out?”

“No.”

This time, I shook my head.

“Farming first.”

‘We’ll secure food first.’

“Easy-to-eat food. Food with long expiration dates. Gather snacks and seasonings too.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll each pack about… three days’ worth in our backpacks.”

Lee Yuna raises her hand.

“Then what about ingredients? Fresh food or…”

“Pack ingredients that need to be eaten quickly too. We’ll take those separately.”

‘We need to eat well when we can.’

‘It helps with energy intake, of course, and also with stress management.’

“Hyungnim. This time too, 15 minutes…”

“This time, take your time. We’re going to take a cartful of this separately, so don’t be too greedy.”

“Yep! You’re quite generous when it comes to food, aren’t you?”

Jang Hoseop said with a smile.

“Go on.”

I replied briefly and turned my head.

---

We finished farming.

Mr. Lee Jangsu took the lead in sorting the food we would take.

“Hyungnim? This… can we take all of it?”

“If push comes to shove, we’ll abandon some.”

Besides the food packed in each backpack, we prepared a separate luggage cart just for food.

“Go get Mr. Minsu.”

‘It’s time to check the Spirit Stone.’

Jang Hoseop went up and brought Mr. Minsu.

“Take this out.”

Mr. Minsu took the Spirit Stone out of the box with a reluctant expression.

Nothing happened.

“Did you not get a system message?”

“I did. It said… my level is insufficient. But what is this?”

‘It seems a system message appears if you touch it directly.’

I took the Spirit Stone from him.

It was much lighter than I expected.

[Do you want to activate the Spirit Stone?]

I got the same message as before.

“We don’t know what it is either.”

I replied briefly and took the Spirit Stone.

‘Perhaps it has some use, like Mana Stones.’

“What about the remaining Awakened ones?”

“Huh? Which…”

“The Awakened ones who were excluded from the interview.”

‘I killed all the attack skill Awakened.’

‘There are three Awakened who were reluctantly cooperating with Representative Kim; I didn’t call them to the representative’s office.’

“Uh… they’re all nice. They’re waiting with the others.”

After saying I understood, I sent him back.

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? We’re… just leaving like this?”

“Is there anything else you need to do?”

Mr. Lee Jangsu opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

Instead, Jang Hoseop asked me a question.

“Hyungnim. Can I leave a note before we go?”

“What is it?”

“Here.”

Jang Hoseop tore a page from the notebook he carried and showed it to me.

– Representative Kim and his party were punished on-site due to the gravity of their crimes. Please survive well.

We left the note Jang Hoseop wrote in front of the representative’s office and departed from the department store.

---

We got out of Yeouido.

The sun is setting.

We’ve been moving until now without even eating properly.

‘I thought we’d be able to cross…’

‘The original plan was to cross the Han River today.’

“We’ll rest here.”

‘I did consider that variables might arise.’

‘So, since we found an empty building, I changed the schedule to rest a bit earlier.’

“Shall we prepare food first?”

After confirming it was safe.

At Jang Hoseop’s question, I look out the window.

It’s still raining.

“Let’s wash up first. Before the rain stops.”

“Ah, yes. That would be good.”

I looked at Lee Yuna.

She nods.

“I can control it within a range of just under 1 meter around me. I don’t know the exact amount though…”

‘Path of Water.’ It’s Lee Yuna’s Fundamental Skill.

‘The description is also simple.’

‘Controls water.’

‘This short sentence is all there is.’

‘Of course, she also has many restrictions on using her skill.’

“We’ll wash in shifts. Please collect water in that container.”

“Um… should I collect as much as possible?”

“Yes. As much as your strength allows.”

This place is a side dish factory on the outskirts of Noryangjin.

It’s close to the Han River Railway Bridge.

Large white drums are lined up by the window.

‘I checked, and they’re clean.’

‘The plan is to collect rainwater there using Lee Yuna’s skill and wash.’

‘Last time, Jang Hoseop and I tried washing in the falling rain, and it was uncomfortable.’

Swaaaaaa

Lee Yuna immediately starts filling it with water.

Mr. Lee Jangsu and Jang Hoseop bring large panels and set up a temporary wall.

Aunt Sujeong gathers shower supplies.

‘This is also stress management…’

While they were preparing to wash, I went up to the top floor.

I look in the opposite direction from where we came, checking for any movement.

It’s quiet.

“Hyungnim.”

“Yeah, I’m coming down.”

The preparations were finished quickly.

We showered in three shifts.

I washed last, alone.

Dried blood clots, sweat and grease, black dirt clinging to the skin.

I wash all of it off cleanly.

I even shaved.

“Wow. I feel alive.”

“This is so good… Cold water is fine too.”

As I finished showering feeling refreshed, laughter could be heard.

The people’s reactions are good.

‘Is it because we indulged in an unparalleled luxury?’

“Yuna, you said you were preparing to be an idol, you’re really pretty.”

“You too, Unni!”

“Hohoho. Unni. Just call me Ajumma. Or perhaps Auntie?”

They are also surprised to see each other’s clean faces.

“Hyungnim. Put this on.”

Jang Hoseop approaches me and hands me lotion.

‘When did he pack this?’

‘Now that I look, everyone else has cosmetics too.’

‘In my opinion, these are unnecessary items.’

‘Still, I didn’t say anything and just accepted it.’

“Um… Police… Ah, excuse me.”

“Yes.”

“What should we do for dinner?”

Lee Yuna approaches and asks.

“My father is a good cook…”

Everyone looks at me with expectant eyes.

‘Right.’

‘This is what humans are.’

‘I am a murderer who just committed a mass slaughter a little while ago.’

‘Right in front of their eyes.’

‘And they too have taken others’ lives.’

‘Goodwill.’

‘Nevertheless, the emotion they show me is goodwill.’

‘Because by following me, they were able to wash.’

‘Because they could choose what to eat.’

‘This trivial satisfaction covers all other sins.’

‘Even if I do other things as I please, as long as a proper reward is given…’

‘I saw a path for how to live in this world from now on.’

---

Night came.

We cooked dinner in a way that minimized the smell as much as possible.

Still, everyone was satisfied.

Because it was hot food.

“Hyungnim. Mr. Lee really is a great cook, isn’t he?”

Jang Hoseop brings a cup and hands it to me.

It contains a teabag.

“Yeah. It was delicious.”

“Right? It wasn’t just delicious because I was hungry, was it?”

“That’s also true.”

“Ah…”

A little later, after cleaning up, the whole group gathered.

“I will activate it.”

‘I’m going to activate the Spirit Stone.’

Everyone looks at the Spirit Stone placed in the center with tense expressions.

[Do you want to activate the Spirit Stone?]

‘Yes.’

[Please place a Mana Stone on it.]

Absurdly, Jang Hoseop’s prediction was correct.

He had said this during the meal.

‘Hyungnim. Mana Stone, Spirit Stone. Don’t you think they might be related somehow?’

As I held out my hand, Jang Hoseop wore a triumphant expression.

“As expected!”

I received the Mana Stone and pondered for a moment.

‘How should I place the Mana Stone on this oval Spirit Stone?’

Woooooong—

That worry was quickly resolved.

As I brought the Mana Stone closer, the Spirit Stone stood upright.

“Huh?”

‘I’m not holding it.’

‘The Spirit Stone stood up by itself.’

It floated slightly off the ground, and the stone inside it also levitated.

“This is totally a superconductor…”

I just tried placing the Mana Stone on the Spirit Stone.

Then, the Mana Stone was sucked into the Spirit Stone.

What was clearly a hard solid in my hand seeped in like water.

“Ooh?”

And a moment later.

Hwaaaak—

A blue wave spread out from the Spirit Stone.

And then, Mother’s voice was heard.