Chapter 97. An Ownerless Room (1)

Chapter 97. An Ownerless Room (1)

A gray twilight settled over the ruined island. The survivors tended to their comrades’ wounds. They shivered, eyeing one another with cautious suspicion. Eun-Ho left them to prepare for tomorrow in their own way.

“You really don’t have to come with me,” Eun-Ho said.

“Yeah, Jae-Hyuk,” Ji-Eun added, “I can go with him. So just wait here.”

“No, Noonim! I’m okay! My wounds are already healed!” Jae-Hyuk insisted.

Ji-Eun seemed to have something else to say.

“

Um...

But Eun-Ho, shouldn’t you be resting after what happened earlier?” she asked hesitantly.

The two of them had admitted the thought that he truly died left them terrified. Jae-Hyuk had been so frantic that he hurled himself at Iro, oblivious to his own injuries.

“You came back like a miracle,” Ji-Eun continued, “but what if there are aftereffects that we don’t know about?”

“Right! That makes sense, Noonim! Even a car accident can leave aftereffects, so what if there’s something like, uh resurrection aftereffects?” Jae-Hyuk chimed in nervously.

Their anxious expressions and constant following made sense. A perfectly healthy comrade had literally died and then returned. Who wouldn’t be unsettled?

However, the truth was different.

[Your new perks of Resurrection have been activated.]

[Complete regeneration has drastically increased recovery speed.]

[You have conquered the fear of death. You are now resistant to most mental domination.]

[Your purified energy blocks the invasion of sinister auras.]

[Remaining duration: 20 hours.]

Besides faster recovery speed, he was also fortified against mental control and sinister auras as well.

“My condition is almost too good. That’s the real problem,” Eun-Ho muttered.

With twenty hours of this blessing left, he doubted he’d even be able to sleep. Then there was more, because he had even received a rare elixir.

[Would you like to consume the Millennial Fire Carp Core?]

“What’s that, Hyungnim?” Jae-Hyuk asked.

“Think of it as the organ of a thousand-year-old carp. If I don’t eat it soon, that carp might come after me in my dreams,” Eun-Ho said with a faint grin.

“What?” Jae-Hyuk blinked.

Eun-Ho placed the slick orb into his mouth. It was palm-sized, making him doubt he could swallow it in one go.

“

Urgh...

”

He managed to force it down, but it lodged in his throat. The stench of fishy brine nearly made him gag. Then, the orb began to shrink inside his throat. For a terrifying moment, he thought he’d suffocate, but the pressure suddenly eased and he could breathe again.

Fwoosh!

Then, a sudden warmth spread through him, filling him from the inside out.

[You have absorbed the Millennial Fire Carp Core.]

[Energy surges from your dantian!]

[Your Stamina, Strength, and Agility have increased by one.]

[You have absorbed the ancient wisdom of a spiritual creature!]

[Your Intelligence, Judgment, and Endurance have increased by one.]

He just got six stats boosted at once. Just as he guessed, his Resistance stat didn’t change, but the gains were enormous regardless. He had even acquired a new ability, the Manual of Severing Muscle and Dislocating Bone(Lv. 1).

He could separate muscles and strip bones upon contact, delivering pain at will. Damage dealt was equal to the difference in Strength stats between the user and the target. In short, it was a skill closer to torture than combat.

But there was more.

Crack! Buzzzt!

At a light touch, his armor flared with an electric field like a growling beast. It was a reliable protection indeed.

“Do you really have to go alone?” Ji-Eun asked, worry written all over her face.

“Yes,” Eun-Ho answered firmly.

She couldn’t have known the real reason, but no one could accompany him this time. After all, only Eun-Ho could be transported by what he was about to use. At least, that was what the system said.

[Sample Transport Capsule (Medium)]

- A capsule that transports a designated subject to a designated location.

- Maximum carrying capacity: 100 kg.

- Sample Name: Lee Eun-Ho

- Destination: Iro’s private laboratory (Future Research Center, Building E, Room 9812)

“Can the registered sample be changed?” Eun-Ho asked.

[That is not possible at this time.]

“Then what about the destination?”

[That is not possible at this time.]

When he pressed the system, the answer was always the same. That, of course, meant it could be possible at

another

time.

“How can the registered information be changed, then?” he asked again.

[First, the data may be modified through an Admin account. Second, after the current transport is complete and the sample and destination data have been reset, new parameters can be entered.]

“Just as expected,” Eun-Ho muttered.

He had already guessed as much, because no system would be so wasteful as to forbid any changes forever once an entry was set.

“And when it resets, can I input new data without an Admin account?”

[Initial input after a reset can only be done by the capsule’s owner.]

[The current owner of this capsule is Lee Eun-Ho.]

“

Hmm

. At least I won’t be left stranded after transport, with nothing to rely on but luck,” he mused.

He had one last concern.

“If the designated sample enters the capsule, could it be burned or harmed in the process?”

[The incineration procedure only occurs when an organism other than the designated sample attempts to use the capsule. The registered sample will be transported intact.]

“Incineration...?”

His thoughts went back to Jang Han-Il. When that man forced himself into the capsule earlier, smoke like a disinfectant mist had poured out, burning him from the feet upward.

So it hadn’t been random.

The system had simply treated him as the wrong organic material and carried out incineration. At least now Eun-Ho was sure that he wouldn’t be in danger.

“I’ll be back,” he told the others. “If you come with me, it’ll only put you in more danger.”

“Wait... You mean you’re worried about us?” Ji-Eun asked softly.

“Of course,” Eun-Ho replied plainly.

He couldn’t let his precious comrades be reduced to ash. Ji-Eun’s ears flushed red as if embarrassed by her own relief.

Click!

The cylindrical capsule’s door swung open.

“I’ll be back,” Eun-Ho repeated.

“Hyungnim! Please be careful! If anyone strange comes at you, just run!” Jae-Hyuk shouted.

“P-please return safely...” Ji-Eun said, bowing her head a little for reasons even she couldn’t explain.

Leaving behind Jae-Hyuk’s frantic warnings and Ji-Eun’s quiet gesture, Eun-Ho stepped forward.

The capsule’s walls were transparent, showing the world outside. The moment he entered, glowing text appeared on the curved inner surface.

[Lee Eun-Ho – Entry Confirmed]

Wooooong—!

The transparent walls began to spin, rattling like some kind of one-person amusement ride.

[Sample - Verified]

[Destination - Verified]

After that brief confirmation process, the white letters appeared one after another across a blue screen.

[Delivery success]

Then, the world spun.

Fwooosh—!

***

Fwooosh—!

It was like shoving a running hairdryer straight into his ears. The roar was loud and so fierce, it threatened to blind and deafen him. Even though his head spun under the onslaught, Eun-Ho forced his eyes open.

Thud!

Suddenly, the capsule that was floating just above the ground dropped with a heavy impact.

What the?!

Eun-Ho hadn’t expected the transport to work like a delivery truck hauling cargo, but it barely took any time.

When did I even move?

From his perspective, the capsule had simply spun like a washing machine in place. There was neither sensation of travel, nor warning, just like the Doors.

As the vibration eased, his tense muscles slackened. He steadied his legs and shook off the lingering dizziness. Through the transparent wall, he saw an interior so vast his eyes could barely take it all in at once.

In that instant, he understood why Iro’s white lab coat had appeared like a filthy rag. Why he had poured his soul into his obsession. And most of all, why he had fixated so much on brains.

Clunk.

The capsule door swung open and the first thing to greet him was a towering iron shelf. He craned his neck, but the shelf stretched far above.

From its top to the floor, countless containers were stacked neatly in rows. Inside, what seemed like people’s brains were floating.

The laboratory was filled with brains tinted a faint pink. There were pristine, untouched, whole brains, and brains carved into neat slices. There were also brains crushed into pulp like tofu and shrunken, withered brains. Besides, there were also powdered remnants, as though tossed into a blender.

It was clear that Iro had been doing some experiments with each of them.

What a taste you have...

It was horrifying, and not simply because of the sheer number of lives extinguished. From the very first moment he saw the capsule, Eun-Ho had sensed something wrong. Now he could name it.

There’s no feelings in any of this.

Just as the system had casually registered him as a sample, Iro saw all these brains only as research materials. What was worse, he had arranged them all together in tidy rows, with a calm, sickening pride.

As Eun-Ho walked past the grotesque collection, he spotted an empty container. On its label were three letters, stuck on like a tag.

LEH

Could this be Lee Eun-Ho?

It wasn’t some leap of paranoia. That lunatic had spoken like he meant to collect him from the very beginning. It was still repulsive, right to the end.

He was about to move on when another empty container sat nearby grabbed his attention.

WEI

There were these two empty containers side by side. How else could he interpret this? Someone else’s brain had been on Iro’s list.

Eun-Ho etched the three unfamiliar letters into his memory. If Iro had prepared a place for that person as well, it meant they possessed terrifying potential.

He had to be careful since he had no idea who he’d encounter from now on. Whoever they were, if he didn’t want to end up begging for his life, he only had one option: grow stronger.

[You have acquired the Genius Researcher’s Failed Awakening Agent (Strength Enhancer).]

[You have acquired the Genius Researcher’s Failed Awakening Agent (Agility Enhancer).]

...

Even scraps like these could be useful.

[Genius Researcher’s Failed Awakening Agent (Strength Enhancer)]

- A potion designed to draw out the brain’s latent potential and double the user’s Strength.

- Created after years of research, but lacking sufficient data, the effect is weakened.

- Duration: approximately one minute.

There were five bottles in total—two Strength enhancers and three Agility enhancers. Even the short duration could prove invaluable in a desperate situation.

“Store.”

Eun-Ho carefully tucked them into his inventory, then searched the lab thoroughly for anything else. That was when he found a door.

A blank nameplate was its only marker, affixed to a plain white iron door. It wasn’t locked and the handle turned easily.

Click.

Beyond it stretched a corridor which was narrow and lined on either side with rooms. Each room was walled with glass, making their contents clearly visible.

Inside, he saw a familiar set of bones.

Clatter!

“... Captain?”

They were the Skeleton Soldiers.

“

Huh?

”

“C-Captain?”

“Is it really Captain?”

He remembered them from the Mock Battle trial, fighting alongside him against the Golem.

[Skeleton Soldier Number 1 has chosen to assist the leader in crisis!]

[Special conditions have been met!]

[Bone Bomb has evolved into Self-Destruct!]

Those same soldiers had hurled themselves into self-destruction without being ordered, their deaths dramatic and heavy with resolve.

[Skeleton Soldier Number 2 has activated the skill Self-Destruct!]

[Skeleton Soldier Number 3 has activated the skill Self-Destruct!]

[Skeleton Soldier Number 4 has activated the skill Self-Destruct!]

...

From Number 1 to Number 10, these ten Skeleton Soldiers had shielded Eun-Ho from the Golem’s bombardment. Here they were again trapped in this strange laboratory.

“Why are you guys here?” Eun-Ho asked, his brow furrowed.

The Skeletons Soldiers all pressed desperately against the glass, clamoring for him.

“He experimented on us! He said we’d die unless we killed you!”

“Please! Take us with you!”

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

Hmm... Something changed.

[Skeleton Soldier Number 1]

- Affiliation: Lee Eun-Ho (Temporary) Royal Guard Platoon 1

- Rank: Squad Leader

- Stats: Stamina (5), Strength (2), Intelligence (7), Judgment (4), Agility (3), Endurance (11)

- Trait: Undead

- Skills: Clattering(Lv. 99), Bone Dislocation(Lv. 1), Self-Destruct(Lv. 2)

- Though he once sacrificed himself for his commander, he was restored by the Genius Researcher. Repeated experiments have worn him down.

Eun-Ho thought the Skeleton Soldiers' sentence structure had gotten much better. The reason was because their stats, especially Intelligence, were far higher than before.

Their stats used to be around one to three, with only Endurance standing out. Also, it seems like all of their Bone Bomb skills have evolved into Self-Destruct.

[The Skeleton Soldiers are deeply moved that their commander has come to rescue them!]

[Current Loyalty: 100%]

He sighed because he had only come here hoping to pilfer a few potions, but now these loyal fools even misunderstood his intentions.

Clink!

He spotted a ring of keys hanging on a nearby wall and quickly unlocked the door. With a raucous clatter the Skeleton Soldiers burst out, reveling in their freedom.

“Captain... Thank you!”

“As expected, only you could save us!”

Their gratitude was touching, but that wasn’t what was important right now.

“How exactly are we supposed to get out of here?” Eun-Ho muttered.

He had Number 1 stick a toe bone into the capsule, expecting the same smoke he had seen with Jang Han-Il. However, nothing happened.

Huh?

[The incineration procedure only occurs when an organism other than the designated sample attempts to use the capsule. The registered sample will be transported intact.]

Perhaps because they weren’t truly organic, they were exempt from incineration. Still, that didn’t solve the problem.

“It’s too cramped. Even if you folded yourselves up, there’s no way all of you would fit inside.”

The capsule was meant for a single passenger, with a weight limit of 100 kilograms. Squeezing ten Skeleton Soldiers inside was impossible. He stood them in line beside the capsule, racking his brain.

Then Skeleton Soldier Number 1, the Squad Leader, raised his bony arm, “If we use our Bone Dislocation skill to break ourselves apart, would that work?”

Right, they did have a skill to dislocate their own bones. Their volume would shrink, making it theoretically possible to cram them inside.

“But could you put yourselves back together afterward?” Eun-Ho asked.

“There’s no need to! We only pull ourselves apart to explode, anyway!” the soldier replied with grim eagerness.

“... Next idea,” Eun-Ho said flatly.

What good were piles of broken bones? He wasn’t about to start a bone-soup business.

Then a sudden thought hit him, born from the Skeleton Soldier’s half-baked suggestion.

“Give me your hand,” Eun-Ho said.

“W-what for, Captain?”

Snap!

He seized the Skeleton Soldier’s hand bones in both of his own, then focused.

Crack! Crunch!

Manipulating each joint of the connected fingers, he invoked the skill.

“Severing Muscle and Dislocating Bone!”

[You have activated Severing Muscle and Dislocating Bone(Lv. 1)!]

The system responded at once.

[The difference in Strength between you and the target is overwhelmingly big.]

[You may dismantle the target’s bones and muscles at will.]

Rattle!

White fragments scattered onto the floor, and every bone from the fingers down to the wrist neatly separated under his control.

“C-Captain?” the soldier stammered.

Eun-Ho gathered the pieces and reassembled them according to his will.

Clack! Clack! Clack! Rattle!

“Captain! I-It’s moving again!”

Clatter!

The Skeleton Soldier flexed its restored hand freely.

I thought the Severing Muscle and Dislocating Bone skill was just a torture skill. But clearly, it can do more than that. This actually works.