Chapter 13 (2/2)

- The cla.s.sroom 3-1 will be set as your safe zone from here onwards.

- The period between midnight till tomorrow midday will be designated as the Hour of the Deceased.

- The phantom, 'Gaeg-gwi', and the deceased are unable to enter the safe zone.

[2. Requirements for gaining the access to the sixth floor]

- Access will be granted with the 'sixth floor key' that can be drawn on the item draw machine using 199 coins, or by paying 499 coins at the door.

[3. Requirements to activate the gate]

- The gate will appear in the middle of the sixth floor, 30 minutes after the access has been granted.

- When the access to the sixth floor has been granted, the metal barrier on the second floor will be removed immediately.

When Seol raised his head, Han was already long gone.

[The treasure hunt will begin in 30 minutes.]

Seol began gritting his teeth.

'Of course. I knew it.' (Seol)

”Hey, this isn't what you said, is it?!” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Hyun Sahng-Min roared out in frustration.

”What? When we gain the access to the sixth floor, the metal barriers on the second floor will be removed? Isn't that the same thing as saying that G.o.d d*mn monster will show up here sooner or later?!” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Seol was deeply worried about that as well. The 30 minute gap during the sixth floor door opening and the gate ready to activate, held all the potential to be absolutely fatal for everyone here. Besides, they had to worry about these so-called Deceased, as well.

”I mean, we can open the door to the sixth floor, and then come back here to wait out the 30 minutes, no?”

”What the f*ck? What would you do if that d.a.m.n Gaeg-gwi monster is waiting for you in front of this safe zone? What then?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

When someone voiced his opinion, Hyun Sahng-Min promptly shot that person down. Then he spat out a long groan.

”Wow…. Nothing is easy at all. Not a d.a.m.n thing. What should we do now?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

”Well, it doesn't have to be so bad.” (Seol)

Seol spoke up.

”We go out and find as much coins as we can until midnight, then we wait until midday tomorrow. Then, we draw as much weapons and whatever we can from the item draw machine, before opening the sixth floor…..” (Seol)

….Seol was about to finish his sentence with we might stand a chance then, but he couldn't, and instead, simply clicked his tongue. Yun Seo-Rah and the middle-aged man were no longer in the cla.s.sroom. It was the same story for Kahng Seok and his crew, too. Only seven people remained in the cla.s.sroom.

”….Oh, well. Wanna eat something? We still have some time left to kill and all.” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Seol wordlessly nodded his head. He was actually starving after going on a rampage earlier on, anyways. He felt like he needed to eat something in order to regain his strength.

When Seol poured out various food items from his bag, the eyes of everyone present, besides Hyun Sahng-Min, grew extra wide in shock.

”Come. Let's eat together. Even you, Mister Yi Sung-Jin.” (Seol)

”I'm….” (Yi Sung-Jin)

”You won't find any coins even if you leave now. It'll be more beneficial for you in the long run to fill up before you begin.” (Seol)

”I…. Thank you….” (Yi Sung-Jin)

Hyun Sahng-Min didn't seem to be too happy about Seol being so considerate, but still, didn't try to stop him. After all, the food provided weren't his to begin with, and then, there was plenty to go around, as well. Also, some of the food, like gimbap, would go bad in a few days time so might as well eat them.

And so, even Yi Sung-Jin joined in, which left behind only one person.

”What about you, Miss s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah?” (Seol)

s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah remained sitting in the chair. Seol was about to ask why she wasn't joining them, but then, saw her desperately trying to hide her exposed lower half. He realised that her pants were still missing.

”I, I was too busy trying to enter…. I f, forgot….” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)

”Wouldn't it be okay to go and fetch it now?” (Seol)

”….I'm scared….” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)

Seol took off his jacket and handed it over to her. s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah expressed her deep grat.i.tude, and after wrapping the jacket around her lower waist, she was finally able to stand again.

Afterwards, a silent and uneasy meal commenced.

”….You seem to have a good appet.i.te.” (s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah)

s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah spoke in a surprised voice while unwrapping the packet off a cold sandwich. She saw Seol swallow hotbars in one go, and then proceed to devour several onigiris as well.

'I wonder, since when did I have this much appet.i.te?' (Seol)

Seol was also slightly confused by this and tilted his head. Even though these were instant foods from a convenience store, they tasted really good.

The funny thing was, when he was still addicted to gambling, nothing tasted nice to his palette…. Well, the wise old 'they' once said that hunger was king; Seol simply wolfed down the sandwich s.h.i.+n Sahng-Ah personally took out from the packet, without asking another question.

It was around here that a young man who seemed to be around the age of a university student asked Seol.

”Uhm…. We should start collecting those coins soon, yes?”

”Yes. You need to collect a minimum of 100 before you can pa.s.s.” (Seol)

The young man seemed to be waiting for Seol's reply, as he hurriedly continued on.

”That Guide said it, didn't he? That we could revive a dead person.”

”Mm? Yes, he did.” (Seol)

”Actually, I came here with a friend of mine, but he…. Uhm, so, like, the thing is….”

The ends of his sentence blurred as he kept stealing glances at Seol's direction.

”M, me too!! I came here with an Oppa I know well, but he, he tried to defend me and….”

A girl suddenly jumped into the middle of the conversation, but she too couldn't get to finish her sentence and could only grow tearful in expression. She even stared at Seol with pleading eyes.

Obviously, Seol stopped eating, then. He was feeling rather flabbergasted. He was already having a headache while wondering how should he go about clearing this mission, yet, what were these people trying to say here? More importantly….

'What do they want from me now?' (Seol)

”Hey, you! Let's just have a meal in peace. In peace, I say!” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Hyun Sahng-Min shouted out loudly in an unhappy voice.

”What do you all think you're doing? Seriously now!” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Hyun Sahng-Min furrowed his brows rather grandly as if to display how displeased he was.

”Can't you see how tired he is right now? Just let him enjoy his food in peace already! You aren't even supposed to provoke a dog during meals, let alone an actual human!” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

”No, I'm just saying….”

”Just saying this and that. But, who cares?! You want to revive someone, then do it yourselves, alright? Seriously, all you have to do is to find enough coins, anyway. What do you expect from him, then?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

His abrasive and rude words led the two's neck skins to visibly redden from heat. They didn't say anything else as a retort, but the young man simply snorted out as if he was dumbfounded or some such. The girl too was visibly displeased, as well.

Meanwhile, Hyun Sahng-Min powerfully squeezed a packet of an instant bread and popped it open, hard. If it weren't for Seol signaling with his eyes to take it easy, he might've started physically fighting the two.

The awkward meal eventually came to an end. Seol left the cla.s.sroom and stepped into the corridor. It was almost time to begin the treasure hunt, but also, Hyun Sahng-Min called him out there to have a chat as well.

”I'm telling you this right now, I can't stand people like those two and I won't go around with them.” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Hyun Sahng-Min's voice was rather heated at the moment.

”What useless f*cking idiots! You found them a path, and h.e.l.l, you even fed them food. Yet they want even more? Don't they have any shame?!” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

He glared towards the direction of the cla.s.sroom, unable to dissipate his simmering anger. But, he suddenly lowered his voice.

”You should be careful, too.” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

”From where I'm sitting, it looks like those two think you're an easy mark or something. I apologise if you think I overstepped my boundary, but things like this, you gotta cut off the head right from the beginning, know what I'm saying?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

Seol slowly nodded his head, and then shook it slightly. Even if Hyun Sahng-Min didn't step forward just now, Seol knew he wasn't going to say something nice to those two as well. It would be the same story whether the Future Vision was activated or not.

”A person's true nature is only revealed when he's pushed right to the edge, am I right? Now that their bellies are full, and they are feeling all nice and comfy, they are acting like bunch of spoiled a*sholes. I don't like guys like Kahng Seok, but that b*stard's opinions aren't half wrong.” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

”You continue being nice to them, they'll eventually end up thinking that it's their birthright or something. Well, in any case…. Don't ever trust those two stinking b*tches, okay?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

[The treasure hunt will now commence.] [Remaining time until midnight 05: 29: 59]

People began leaving the cla.s.sroom one by one, leading Hyun Sahng-Min to do a couple of fake coughs to clear his throat.

”Well, I'm sure you'll do what's best for you…. Anyways, I'm going. See you back here around midnight, okay?” (Hyun Sahng-Min)

He lightly tapped Seol on his shoulder, affixed the bag on his back and disappeared through the stairwell.

Almost instantly, the whole floor seemed to come alive with lots of activity. Seeing a person run past him in a hurry, Seol decided to concentrate on finding coins himself. He figured that, by ama.s.sing as many coins as possible, a new path forward would open up for himself.

[The diary of an unknown student has been updated.]

Seol stood there wondering where should he go first, before he pulled out his phone when the message entered his ears.

[Sender: Unknown] [#4th floor, the corridor in front of the cla.s.sroom 3-1 (excerpt from the diary of an unknown student)]

- 4th floor, cla.s.sroom 3-1, inside the teacher's podium (x4)

- 4th floor, cla.s.sroom 3-2, inside the 4th desk on the 2nd row (x1)

- 4th floor, cla.s.sroom 3-3, inside the 1st locker (x2)

- 4th floor, cla.s.sroom 3-4, on the window sills facing the corridor (x3)

”…..Oh.” (Seol)

< 13.=”” a=”” dangerous=”” treasure=”” hunt=”” (1)=””> Fin.