Chapter 162 (1/2)

“Why do I do missions?”

Park Jin Hyuk asks himself after returning from Roaring Wolf King. It is hard to explain clearly. He just does it. It used to be fun when he did it with Cha Jun Sung. Then, he did not ask why he completed missions. There was no need to because he did it for fun.

Park Jin Hyuk sighs and pressed the calendar function. The next level B mission is in 1 month. A full raid will be put together to advance.

Ever since he and the party members entered level B, they refrained from missions. Violet was the only one who went in with her family. He purchased a full level B set over 1 year and 5 months, and had points leftover. He did not use much on expendables, so it is okay. With time, there is no need to risk everything on a mission like before.

Beep beep!

“They’ll be in Mechanic City. Are they connecting to me in reality?”

A light flashed, indicating contact from a friend. Koharu, Kyoko, Violet, and their newly recruited member are all in Mechanic City. They cannot show up because they are in different dimensions. Park Jin Hyuk’s friend list only has his 5 party members. He gets in touch with other people through their helpers.

Park Jin Hyuk was checking who had contacted him in reality, when his body started trembling. It is Cha Jun Sung, who has not contacted him in 1 year and 5 months.

“This can’t be.”

He believed that Cha Jun Sung was alive at first, but gave up as time went by. But he is in reality? This is something that he cannot understand.

“Ah…..”

Park Jin Hyuk had all kinds of thoughts and realized that he had accepted Cha Jun Sung’s death as the truth. His feelings had been dulled.

“In – invitation to talk.”

He needs to press the button, but his hand does not move. His body has completely hardened although he has the incredible physical ability of 6th stage of body modifications.

[Come to the place we first met when Mechanic City opened.]

One line of text comes up on the PDA. The first place they met is near the mega tower in zone A area 3. Is this really Cha Jun Sung?

“I’m going.”

Park Jin Hyuk went to Mechanic City and called the party as soon as he entered. They had already seen this mysterious ordeal through their PDAs. Everyone including the new party member gathered to the mega tower. Everyone looked flushed. It is a mix of complicated feelings, expectation and worry.

“Is it Jun Sung?”

“I don’t know either. If this is a joke, I don’t care who it is, I’m killing them on the spot.”

These are not empty words. He really will kill whoever it is. Mechanic City is a lawless zone and it has been long since he has become used to killing.

[Everyone gathered.]

Text comes up again. Park Jin Hyuk’s group, excluding the new member, could not take their eyes off of their PDAs. Their hearts are beating so fast they might explode.

[Look behind you.]

The party turns quickly. Mechanic City is now like a capital, with 10 million people active in it. It is crowded with people.

“Jun – Jun Sung?”

Someone comes to them out of the crowd. He is wearing a battlesuit, but his face shows because he deactivated the helmet.

“It’s been a while. 1 year 5 months… Is it about half a year for me?”

It is about half a year if he excludes the foggy time he spent in a craze. But it will be 1 year 5 months to the party.

Tears fall from Park Jin Hyuk’s face. He cannot speak.

“Jun Sung!”

Park Jin Hyuk runs with his arms wide open. Cha Jun Sung opened up his arms as well. He wanted to cry in his arms.

But Cha Jun Sung avoided Park Jin Hyuk and opened his arms to a different side. Park Jin Hyuk looks next to him in puzzlement.”

“Jun Sung!”

Kyoko is crying in Cha Jun Sung’s arms instead.

***

Cha Jun Sung told the party about what he went through in the mission. Not everything. But he did not mix in lies like he did with Odin and the others. He only told them as much as the helpers would not get suspicious.

“My body advanced rapidly. I can catch level 5 and 6 with my bare hands.”

He does not need to be awakened or change. As long as he is careful with level 7, he can kill level 5 and 6 with simple fighting. What stage of body modifications would his current state fall under?

8, 9? He could have surpassed 10 itself.

Park Jin Hyuk catches an attitude while listening to Cha Jun Sung. He is upset that he was rejected to hug Kyoko.

“Jun Sung, you’re still in level C, right?”

“Yeah. You don’t need to help me. I can handle level C by myself.”