Chapter 27
Just as Speedrun was staring intently at the Gallery, waiting for news from the slums to come in.
Let's turn back time a little and return to Cha Do-hee.
“The Shop... You mean the Shop...”
After hearing the whole story from the children, Do-hee was still deeply troubled, and she remained sprawled helplessly on the floor.
“...”
The zombie wave that had surged into the Orange Zone this time swept through the defensive line, relief center, and slums all at once.
Do-hee had truly intended to risk her life and defend all three places.
She had no regrets or doubts about that choice.
“Because I was the only one who could...”
But it had been too much for her alone, and she had eventually reached her limit.
The situation had been anything but hopeful.
“...”
She had effectively failed this challenge, and if the System had not helped, the Orange Zone would not have held.
“How many residential areas would have been deleted...?”
Even if they had somehow held out to the end, the dangerous areas within the Orange Zone, including the unexplored regions, would have expanded uncontrollably.
But the System had not allowed things to proceed that way.
It had dropped meat onto the three strongholds facing a desperate crisis, scattering the zombies' attention and luring them away.
Thanks to that, not only Do-hee, but also the children, soldiers, and people at the relief center had all survived unharmed.
“It saved me... No... It saved everyone.”
But there was another reason Cha Do-hee was in shock.
“What on earth... is this...?”
In her hand was the Post-it note peeled from the snack the System had given the children in the hideout.
[Eat the snacks and hide quietly until the zombies have filled their bellies and left]
Several messages had been hurriedly scrawled by hand across the Post-it note.
It could not have been printed by a machine, and even less could it have been a message displayed through a System window.
“A person. A person definitely wrote this...”
The traces of a person in the handwriting. The urgency and desperation she could feel from the script.
From that alone, Do-hee understood. She could feel it too.
“It wanted them to live... It truly wanted the children to be safe.”
She did not know why it had sent a Post-it only to the children, but Do-hee could be certain of one thing.
The Shop that users and other people called the System was either a system that responded to specific conditions,
or it was not merely a divine entity capable of performing miracles that turned the tables.
This entity called the Shop possessed emotions—and had feelings of its own.
It was an entity that made impulsive decisions and took impulsive actions according to those emotions.
In other words.
“It's a person like me...”
That was why Do-hee carefully clutched the Post-it, filled with such pure emotion, and murmured,
“Thank you... for doing what I couldn't.”
And one more thing.
“For saving me... the children... No, for saving everyone...”
Just as hot tears spilled from Cha Do-hee's eyes and ran down her cheeks,
“Miss Do-hee! Are you all right?! I'm here!!!”
Director Kang from the relief center came looking for her.
****
“Ouch... Old man... This hurts a little.”
“Hold still. I need to concentrate.”
“That's strange. Didn't you say healing with a skill doesn't hurt?”
“The injury is being repaired either way. Of course it hurts.”
It was not her first time running around outside and being treated by him, but this time the severity was on another level.
“Aaaah!! Aaaaaah!! It really hurts!”
“Good grief!”
“Uwahack!! My bones! You hit my bones!!”
“It's the opposite! Your bones are fusing back together!”
“Holy crap!! I'm craaazy! Crazy! My bones were brokennnn!! This is amazingggg!”
There was not a single part of her that was uninjured, so she had no choice but to scream at the top of her lungs.
“That should do it for now. Still, you shouldn't overexert yourself for a while.”
“...Of course not. You said my entire body was broken.”
“It would be stranger if you were fine. You gave me such a fright when you said you were going to save all three places.”
Director Kang wiped the sweat from his gleaming forehead and let out a relieved sigh.
“So. Is it true? That the System sent that... note?”
Director Kang had already heard the story from Do-hee, but he asked her again.
“Yes. Judging from the circumstances, it definitely sent it only to the children.”
“I-I can't believe it... All I could think was that a real miracle had occurred.”
“I couldn't believe it at first either.”
Do-hee replied as she carefully folded the Post-it and stored it inside her coat.
“So what are you planning to do now? Are you going to tell the Gallery?”
“Hmm...”
“That the System you all worship and cling to blindly might actually be a person?”
Do-hee gave a small laugh at Director Kang's question as he stared pensively at her.
“Of course not. We don't know that for sure yet.”
“Then? Are you planning to tell the Head Mod?”
“No, not that either.”
The director looked completely unable to figure out what she was getting at, but
“A challenge. I'm going to try a new challenge.”
At Do-hee's answer, the director replied in a tone that suggested he understood what she meant.
“I suppose trying to stop you this time would be pointless too.”
“What can I do? It's a challenge only I can take on. And Director, this is a secret.”
“Of course.”
Director Kang hurried away, saying that he still had not finished treating all the patients at the relief center.
“Thank you, Miss Do-hee. If it weren't for you, we'd all have been done for.”
After confirming that Director Kang had left after saying his goodbyes,
“All right. Shall we give it a try?”
She steadied her breathing and murmured.
The rewards Do-hee had received for clearing the previous hell-difficulty challenge with a 1% success rate, thanks to the Shop, were twofold.
[All stats permanently increased by 200%!!!!]
The first was an overwhelming increase in her abilities.
“No wonder I feel so full of energy.”
The other was
[Minimap]
[Opens the terrain and danger zones across the country as a holographic map in the Awakened's field of vision, while allowing real-time environmental changes to be synchronized and updated]
[Displays the real-time locations of current survivors as dots]
[Searches for and displays the optimal survival route to the destination]
It was an out-of-spec reward that could not even be imagined in this ruined world, where communication between regions had been completely severed.
“This is seriously insane...”
Every region and location she would otherwise have had to risk her life searching through the blank zones to confirm was displayed on the map.
The deleted city of Daegu, which she had only heard about through notes, had truly become a sea of the abyss, while the area around Gangwon Province, which had remained an unknown region since contact was lost at the beginning of the apocalypse, was covered in white.
All she had to do was set a destination, and the optimal survival route to reach it would be calculated and displayed.
A god's-eye view and a map.
“This is impossible...”
What would the usual Cha Do-hee have done?
She would have immediately thrown herself toward the dangerous unexplored regions or other areas marked on the map, if only to test the thrill of her newly acquired 200% stat increase.
But that was not her goal now.
“System... where are you?”
If the Shop was a person, they had to exist somewhere.
Her gaze focused on the Capital Area, where the locations of Awakened people shone as points of light.
In the Green Zone behind the enormous walls, the safest place, and in the Yellow Zone, which was at least farther toward the rear, the dots clustered densely like the Milky Way.
Farther ahead, in the Orange Zone, dots were scattered sparsely around defensive lines and strongholds.
In the extremely dangerous Red Zone, five or six dots moved together, as if they had set out to farm while putting their lives on the line, as always.
“Not here...”
Before long, Do-hee's gaze moved upward and fixed on a region painted a deep black.
The Black Zone.
The starting point of the apocalypse and land of death, where no Hunter—not even an Awakened—had set foot from the beginning of the apocalypse until now.
“...!”
As Do-hee stared at it, her eyes soon began to shine with curiosity and certainty.
Because a single dot was shining in the very center of the Black Zone.
“N-No way.”
Do-hee hurriedly rummaged through her backpack and pulled out an old paper map she had been updating since before the apocalypse.
Then she overlaid it on the holographic minimap.
“...!!!”
The moment the paper map and hologram completely overlapped, a breath escaped Do-hee's lips.
“Yeouido... Starplex.”
The information revealed by overlapping the minimap and the paper map was clear.
A single Awakened person was alive in Starplex, Yeouido, at the very center of the Black Zone.
“...”
Do-hee gently stroked the crumpled Post-it she had been carefully keeping close to her.
“So it was you... You were the one who...”
She did not even know whether that person was a man or a woman, or what kind of life they had lived.
“How lonely must you have been...?”
But there was one thing she could feel with painful clarity.
That person had endured a terrible loneliness while watching over and helping all of them alone.
“Was obtaining this... so I could meet you?”
What kind of trick of fate was this?
“Wait for me.”
She opened her Trait window in the air.
[Challenger Trait activated!!]
[Set a task for yourself. Rewards will be granted in proportion to the difficulty!]
After passing the familiar instructions, Do-hee entered her task.
Tap.
[Task: Meet the owner of the -Starplex- Shop]
“I wonder...”
The message that appeared after a brief wait was shocking.
[Success rate: 0% / Difficulty: Impossible]
[Failure penalty: Death]
[Warning: An impossible challenge can never be cleared. Withdraw]
[Survival route: None]
After checking the message, Cha Do-hee murmured,
“This is what a challenge should be.”
It was a death quest with a 0% success rate, despite the overwhelming ability reward she had received.
With that, she brushed herself off, stood up, and looked ahead.
“The dopamine rush when I clear this is going to be amaaazing...”
Beyond the ruins of the slums in the distance, the sun was rising, lighting up the dawn.
An astonishingly beautiful sight.
“Someday... Someday, I'll find you...”
The night that had felt like a nightmare had passed. A new day was beginning.
“I'll definitely meet you and tell you in person how grateful I am. And...”
After gazing at the scenery for a while, Do-hee turned her eyes toward the System window and murmured,
“I'll become your friend.”
[Task: Meet the owner of the -Starplex- Shop]
[Success rate: 0% / Difficulty: Impossible]
[Failure penalty: Death]
[Warning: An impossible challenge can never be cleared. Withdraw]
[Accept?]
“Yes!!!!”
Without hesitation, she made her decision and took her first step.
Fwoosh-!
Do-hee's figure vanished in an instant, and before long she was running through the air.
“This challenge really is deathhhhhh!!!!!”
At the same time, she typed a post on the Gallery.
****
Title : *Featured [Speedrun] (Web message) You must respect the Shop
WhenyouweretremblinginyourbootswatchingthereliefcenteranddefensivelineIclearedthewavesatbothlocationsatasingularspeedandmanagedtoentertheslumsbuttherewasanexistencemoregreatthanmeItwastheShopTheShopbombardedthezombieswithhundredsofkilosofrawmeatfromtheskybeforeIevenarrivedandperfectlyprotectedthechildreninthehideoutThiswasarecord-breakingachievementthattranscendedevenmymobilityandwillcertainlyremaininthehistoryoftheOrangeZonethereforeyoumustrespecttheShop
??!!!
ㄴ ??!!
ㄴ Huh???
No, fuck, please use some spaces...
ㄴ There are lots of old guys here, so we can't read itttt!!!!
ㄴ The fact that the important words were emphasized is pissing me off so badly;;
ㄴ For real;;
Wait, so meat fell in the slums too...?!
ㄴ Yep;;
ㄴ No one even went to protect the slums...
ㄴ If the meat hadn't fallen, it would've been a massacre, for real
So this Shop bastard saved all three places?
ㄴ By dropping meat too???
ㄴ Fuck, you expect us to believe this?!
I muttered while looking at Speedrun's post, which had received enough upvotes to reach the featured section.
“Phew. What a relief.”
It seemed the children in the slums were safe too.
It was fortunate that Speedrun had managed to arrive in time.
Title : No, fuck, then hold on a second...
Speedrun <<<< this bastard really tried to solo-defend the defensive line, the relief center, and even the slums at the beginning???
And they were almost succeeding?
Wait, now that I think about it, that's true...
ㄴ If they hadn't gone all-out defending the first two places and just left...
ㄴ The Orange Zone <<< would've simply become the Shit-Orange Zone;;
ㄴ Holy crap
ㄴ Right, if they hadn't been there before the Shop bought them time...
ㄴ It would've been breached right away lol
[Speedrun] (Web message) That's right, you must respect me too
ㄴ [Speedrun] While you were moving your fingers debating whether I was the real deal or not, I cleared the waves at the relief center and defensive line with unparalleled ‘speed’; this was a challenge and achievement no one else could replicate, and I deserve respect
ㄴ No, fuck, we get it;;
ㄴ We respect you! We'll respect you!!
ㄴ For real, that's insanely impressive...?
ㄴ How powerful is this bastard
Why wasn't someone like this a guild leader...?!
ㄴ For real, I honestly thought they were just a total tryhard playing a character
ㄴ They were actually fucking fast;;
ㄴ Has anyone seen them in person?
[Ssap Ace] I have, actually
ㄴ Ohhh, for real?
ㄴ What are they like?
ㄴ How had we never seen them before?
[Ssap Ace] First... let me describe what they look like
ㄴ [Speedrun] You must respect me
ㄴ [Ssap Ace] ...I didn't see anything
ㄴ ?!
ㄴ LMAOㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ Ahㅋㅋㅋ Shut up already
ㄴ They want to keep their strength hiddenㅋㅋㅋㅋ
GREAT SPEEDRUN
ㄴ Evacuate!!!
I let out a sigh of relief as I read the users' posts that continued to appear.
“What a relief. Thank goodness.”
Title: But seriously, what the hell is the Shop <<< this bastard??
The System is openly granting us miracles this time. Is this bastard seriously a god?
Yeah!!! I told you this bastard was a constellation!!!!!
ㄴ No, no, we get the constellation theoryㅋㅋㅋㅋ
If not for the Shop this time, we would've been completely fucked
ㄴ That means the System is watching over all of us
ㄴ Then it makes no sense unless it's a god...
Could the System really want us to survive...?
ㄴ What if that's its philosophy?
ㄴ Whaaaat??? Philosophy???
ㄴ PHILOSOPHYYYYY!!?!
ㄴ A call from the Shop Wiki incoming +999
ㄴ LMAOㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
GREAT SHOP
ㄴ Praise the GREAT SYSTEM
I smiled as I scrolled through the users' posts pouring in like that.
“Hmm?”
Then one of Speedrun's posts, quietly buried without receiving anyone's attention, caught my eye.
Title : [Speedrun] I want to say thank you to the Shop
Thank you for saving me and the children—no, for saving everyone.
When we meet in person, I'll tell you properly one more time.
We'll definitely meet someday.
Because someday I'll clear an impossible challenge and reach you.
And I'll become a friend to you, who must have been lonely there all alone.
?
ㄴ What are they talking about?
ㄴ Dunno?
Suddenly, someone got hit by the dawn feelsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ They got so drunk on the Shop's hype that they lost itㅋㅋㅋ
That was Speedrun's post declaring that they would definitely find me.
It was a post buried among the posts continuously rising without receiving a single recommendation, but
“...A friend, huh...”
I could feel something.
“Hmm. Something's definitely going on...”
They were going to come find me. That was pretty touching.
This help had only been me fulfilling BBIP's request, though.
Just as I was about to get misty-eyed,
“No.”
This wasn't like me. Getting sentimental was the shame of an unemployed, high-school-graduate, jobless troublemaker.
“Come find me!!! Speedrun!!”
I suddenly shouted.
“Because I left all the speed in the world right here!!! In the Black Zone!!!”
In truth, I had only said that for effect, and I knew that even this seemingly formidable Speedrun would find it impossible.
“Because this is the Black Zone.”
I knew it too. I knew what kind of place this was.
Besides, after getting used to living here, it sometimes felt more comfortable instead.
But there was no need to reject their goodwill.
[Unemployed Troublemaker] Sure, let's be friends ㅇㅇ
ㄴ [Speedrun] Not you, idiot
ㄴ [Unemployed Troublemaker] Rejected ㅠ;;
ㄴ LMAOㅋㅋㅋㅋ
What the hell is this bastardㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
ㄴ For real, an ‘unemployed’ troublemaker
ㄴ This is fucking hilariousㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
“Heh heh.”
After exchanging that brief bit of banter, I turned my attention back.
“...Now is probably the perfect time.”
[Shop member capacity expansion complete!!!!!]
[Shop membership limit expanded!!!!!]
[Shop member capacity has expanded!!!!!]
I frantically mashed the ability upgrade button and posted an announcement at the same time.
“Kaioken x20!!!!!”
Title : [★Starplex★] Member Expansion Notice
Thanks to everyone's support, this Shop can now invite new members.
Current member count: 200
▼
Expanded member count: 4000(NEW!!!)
Thank you always for your support – Starplex
...?
ㄴ ???
ㄴ Huh...?
ㄴ Yes...??
ㄴ ?!
Am I seeing this wrong...?
ㄴ The membership... is increasing...?
ㄴ 4,000 people....?
ㄴ 4,000 people????!!!!!
ㄴ 4,000 people!!!!!!!!!!!!
ㄴ It's 4,000 people!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[Shop Wiki] Legendary situation occuuuuurring!!!!!!!!!!
ㄴ [Shop Wiki] Breaking newwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwws!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ㄴ [The Dog That Barks When There's an Update] Woof woof woof woof!!! Grrrrrrrrr woof woof woof!!!!!!
ㄴ [The Cat That Meows When There's an Update] Meowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!! Meowwwwwww!!!
ㄴ [The Cow That Moos When There's an Update] Moooooo!!!!!!
And so the Gallery was set ablaze by the meat discussion.
“We've accidentally created the Bremen Town Musicians...”
I poured gasoline on it, then
“I should get some sleep now.”
I sat in the disaster-control room chair and peacefully drifted off to sleep.