Chapter 10 (1/2)

Cha Jun Sung came back to his senses. While we was getting he his equipment, he had forgotten that these were the actions of someone who was thinking about going back.

“Am I going?”

Thump.

His heart trembled. Because he was scared? It was that, but also….. out of expectation? Excitement? It was like when he had first entered Life Mission 10 years ago.

“It’s only been a day since I said I wouldn’t go back, but I guess I won’t last another 3 days.”

He could not deny his instincts. His determination was weakening.

He wanted to go in the mission and get ahead of everyone else. He was actually ahead of everyone now. But only if he didn’t stop here.

“It’s too late to go to sleep now.”

The equipment that appeared as holograms looked at him and seduced him. They were more tempting than a naked woman. It became a night of worry.

***

“I don’t know!”

The equipment Cha Jun Sung had bought in the middle of the night were organized next to him.

The impact tights and plastic armor were okay, but he would be arrested if the red fire and steel katana were found.

It was all equipment that he had used when he started playing Life Mission.

“E-class mission list.”

-[Searching E-class missions. There are 35122 missions available.]

There were a variety of missions. They all had different goals and rewards.

The lowest were 300-400 points, but there were some that exceeded 1500. The highest in class E was 3000, but he had no intention on overdoing it from the beginning.

“Since there isn’t a limit on how many I can enter and leave, let’s start from the lowest and make our way up in order.”

He decided on starting with missions below 400 points. The 3 goals were annihilation, attainment, and escape. It was simple. Either kill everyone, do something, or run away.

“This looks good.”

-[E-class mission: Dwarves in the darkness] [Goal: Annihilation]

-[Scenario: Kill the dwarves that have passed the barricades and occupied a supermarket.] [Reward: 350 points]

Since it was class E, the scenario was as simple as the tutorial’s. There was not a lot of thought put into it. It would become more complicated as he went higher in class.

“There are a few more things I need to buy if I want to complete a real mission.”

He was short on points, so he could only complete a few E-class missions. He did not want to overdo it.

“Even if I want to collect more information on the missions, any more than this is too much.”

It had only been 2 days since the reality version started. Everyone was in a state where they had taken the first step. No one was in a position to teach someone else. Everyone was in the same situation.

“I’ll advance a step while everyone else is hesitating.”

Though it was a simple step now, soon it would become a distance that could not be shortened.

***

Wiing.

“Is that the place?”

-[3-floor supermarket]

Cha Jun Sung examined the sign. The writing was unfamiliar.

It looked like the language of a developing country. From the outside, it looked like a supermarket from one of Korea’s major companies. Judging by its size, it must have been large inside as well.

“If they’re Level 1 mutant dwarves that like the darkness, they must be gremlins.”

They are aggressive. Their darts are toxic.

As they are fairly strong, compared to other weak mutants, they enjoy hunting more than they act as cognate predators. Even level 2 mutants avoid gremlins who attack in hordes.

“I’ll start with the red fire and use the sword once I get used to battle.”

This is reality. He did not confuse it with the virtual version.

In the virtual version, he may have been the Overload that killed a Level 9 mutant, but in reality he was just an average person who exercised a bit. He would die if he overreached by excessively trusting his equipment.

“Should I wait until the morning?”

It was evening. He did not have any equipment for his vision, so everything was dark. Even if he got used to the dark, there was only so much he could do with human vision.

In the morning when it became lighter, he could check the market and its surrounding area.

Nod.

Cha Jun Sung decided to wait it out. There was nothing to lose in waiting.

Kiki!

He heard unpleasant laughter. It was like something was laughing at him.

“Ugh! They’ll be walking around because it’s nighttime, but I haven’t used the odorless spray.”

Gremlins were nocturnal. They would avoid the sun by staying inside the supermarket during the day, but they would come out at night to move around or hunt. He had forgotten.

Bang!

Chiik!

Cha Jun Sung searched through his pack and sprayed himself. He could not fool the ones who had already seen him, but it would be better to spray it even now. There! Let’s greet some customers.

“One gremlin?”

Seuk.

He could see a gremlin’s head by the building. Cha Jun Sung took his red fire with a silencer. It was around 30 meters away.

Pew!