Chapter 20: The Lost World of the Corrupted (4)

During Ha Hee-Jeong’s current life, in the sixth floor’s waiting room.

[Ha Hee-Jeong (Earthling, C-66432)]

Title: N/A

Affiliation: Tower of Ordeal

Patron Deity: Fifth Class, The Master of the Five Carriage Wheels (Share percentage: 0.00% / 100.00%)

Strength: 29.4

Agility: 37.9

Stamina: 35.5

Mana: 79.2

Skills: Fire Essence lvl 4, Spell Precision lvl 7...

Her sponsor god had been demoted from a first to a fifth-class god. She wasn’t sure why that was the case, but maybe when she had regressed it had also affected her sponsor. However, that wasn’t the critical issue.

Ha Hee-Jeong sighed deeply as her eyes drifted away from the status window. Nothing had changed in this second life, either. Her status window still boldly declared her affiliation as “The Tower of Ordeal.”

***

Everything had seemed manageable when we started running from the construction site. Although it had felt like every enemy in the vicinity swarmed us, we hadn’t been overwhelmed by the numbers. Oh how wrong we had been.

These strange, unknown zombies had started appearing from all directions just as we reached the downhill stretch near the Consular Section of the Chinese Embassy. Thankfully, we saw Exit Three of Myeongdong Station come into view shortly after.

The zombies filled the massive six-lane road in front of the station. The moment one spotted us and let out a horrific shriek, the other thousands of zombies turned their heads our way. Then, they charged at us with terrifying speed.

A shiver ran down my spine. It felt like we were trapped in a low-budget horror movie. For a moment, the sheer numbers overwhelmed us.

“This way!”

“Don’t look back! I’ve got the rear covered!”

As we descended the stairs leading to Exit Three, Ha Hee-Jeong chanted a spell, sending a wall of flames erupting in front of the enemies crowding us from behind. Blocking the zombies’ path temporarily, the brief reprieve she created was just enough to allow us to push forward.

Phew... When did things get this bad?

“Hee-Jeong! How long will that wall hold?”

“Three minutes! Two if we’re unlucky! We need to get to the platform before it fades!”

“Doppy! Cast a healing spell on Ho-Su!”

Seo Ho-Su looked rough. He was covered in blood, making it hard to see where he was injured, but I could tell his movements had slowed.

“

Kriee!

Heal Wounds!”

“Vitality!”

“Vitality!”

Doppy, Seo Ha-Rin, and Chloe shouted in turn. A brief, radiant light enveloped Seo Ho-Su and me.

I could feel my drained energy being restored, enough to push through the enemies again. I swung my mace fiercely at the zombies charging up the stairs.

“

Guh, Guhhh!”

Using the energy of the Lightning Essence that coursed within me, I unleashed a bolt at a nearby clump of enemies. The lightning surged through them, and those within three meters of the first impact crumpled to the ground.

“Run!”

We fought through the zombies closing in on us and jumped over the turnstile. Thankfully, there weren’t many inside the station. It was a stark contrast to the surface, which was swarming with zombies.

Maybe they don’t understand the concept of subways? Or maybe they just hate underground spaces?

It definitely wasn’t because they wanted to eat humans. During the chase, I had realized there were no traces of human activity on the sixth floor.

It felt like the tower just copied the space without adding the details and actual beings.

I had checked a restaurant out of curiosity, but there were no supplies, nor electricity. Even the building we first hid in was empty.

“Hee-Jeong, we’re heading toward Chungmuro, right?”

“Yeah, turn right here.”

We descended onto the platform, taking out any wandering zombies, then smashed through the screen doors. Before more could gather, we slipped onto the tracks and hid.

“

Grrr...

”

The zombies that arrived on the platform after us couldn’t spot us through the screen doors. They wandered around for a bit before heading back toward the turnstiles. It was time to move again.

“Let’s get going.”

“Su-Hyeok, it’s to the right, yeah?”

“Yes.”

Seo Ho-Su and I took the lead, while the rest of the group quietly followed behind.

“Ha-Rin doesn’t talk much, does she?”

“Oh, my daughter’s just really shy. She’ll warm up once she gets to know you.”

Worried that our voices might carry, I kept my conversation with Seo Ho-Su quiet. Out of the six of us, only Seo Ho-Su, Ha Hee-Jeong, and I were talking.

Seo Ho-Su’s comment that Seo Ha-Rin was incredibly shy explained her lack of conversation. On the other hand, Cole seemed like the kind of guy who didn’t enjoy talking much, seeming more like the strong, silent type.

Chloe, though...

I didn’t think she was naturally quiet, and it felt more like she was sulking, keeping her mouth shut out of spite. And Doppy? It wasn’t one to talk unless someone specifically asked it something.

As we walked along the tracks toward Chungmuro, the awkward silence seemed almost tangible. Honestly, I had had less awkward first dates.

It wasn’t like we were staying quiet to avoid attracting zombies, either. There weren’t any of those freaks on the tracks inside the screen doors.

Maybe the zombies can’t get past the doors? Also, I guess most people in this party just have a quiet nature. Who knows.

Now and then, Seo Ho-Su and I exchanged a few words, while Ha Hee-Jeong tried to chat with Doppy and Seo Ha-Rin. Ha Hee-Jeong seemed eager to get closer to Seo Ha-Rin, probably because of what she knew from her first life, but Seo Ha-Rin looked a bit overwhelmed by the attention.

I mean, if I were that shy and someone like Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly got all buddy-buddy, I’d probably feel uneasy too. Does Ha Hee-Jeong even know what Seo Ha-Rin’s like? Weren’t they comrades before she regressed?

I quickly realized that since they had met on the forty-first floor, Seo Ha-Rin’s personality could’ve changed before reaching that point.

I was lost in thought when Seo Ho-Su nudged me.

“Su-Hyeok, are you listening?”

“Oh, yeah. I heard the part about you being into martial arts novels back in school.”

“Exactly. That’s when I got hooked on genre fiction.”

I bet Seo Ha-Rin took after her mother. There was no way she’d be this quiet if she were like her dad.

I nodded along as Seo Ho-Su kept talking, clearly enjoying himself.

“I’m just saying, although I have read fantasy novels my entire life, I never thought something like this would actually happen to me.”

“You mentioned genre fiction novels had a lot of stuff similar to what we’re going through now, right?”

“Yeah. Status windows, towers, parties, constellations, gods. They were full of epic adventures.”

He chuckled, but there was a hint of something else in his laugh.

“But that’s just fiction. Living through this with my own daughter? That’s a completely different story.”

“Yeah, I totally get that, and Ha-Rin’s still in high school.”

“At this point, I’m just thankful my wife isn’t caught up in this mess. If Ha-Rin loses her dad, at least she’ll still have her mom.”

“...”

The conversation took a serious turn, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Su-Hyeok, this isn’t a novel. I’m not the protagonist. If something happens to Ha-Rin and me, promise me you’ll save my daughter first. Okay?”

“... I’ll save both of you.”

“Look, if you ever have to choose between us, I need you to save my daughter first. Please.”

“Alright.”

Seo Ho-Su’s voice was calm, and I nodded. Only then did he seem to relax, a small, relieved smile appearing on his face. For someone who always seemed cheerful, it was clear he had his own heavy concerns.

I wondered how much he had struggled before asking someone young enough to be his son to make such a promise. He probably brought it up after seeing my abilities and knowing I was currently ranked first.

That makes sense, I guess.

Seo Ho-Su never held back. He always put himself at risk to protect the others, making sure none of the zombies slipped past him. He also pushed himself hard, trying not to slow us down. I liked him.

Yeah, he was a talker, but he was also someone you could trust. Neither he nor his daughter, Seo Ha-Rin, were the type to give up easily.

“Hold on.”

Hearing Ha Hee-Jeong’s voice from behind, I tensed up, ready for action. The dim lights along the dark tracks flickered slowly.

... I couldn’t sense anything, though.

Huh?

Wait, there is something.

Although it wasn’t moving, I could feel a faint pulse. It felt like the energy I sensed when using the Lightning Essence skill.

Is this magic?

A faint sensation of energy was coming from the far corner of the opposite track, the one leading from Chungmuro to Myeongdong. Lying there was a bizarre egg, wrapped in black tendril-like veins. Next to it, a silver ring, necklace, and a black pill were all neatly laid out.

“... Is this what I think it is?”

“Looks like it. There’s a ring and a necklace here, too. And this...”

“That looks like some kind of elixir.”

As we got closer, a notification window popped up.

[■■■ ■■'s Corrupted Egg]

- A creepy egg.

- Whoever looks at it will feel uneasy.

- Handle with care.

The description felt like it was leaving out a lot. The egg definitely gave off a sketchy vibe, something that stirred up a deep, primal disgust.

[■■■ ■■'s Ring]

- Strength +4, Agility +2, Stamina +4, Mana +2

[■■■ ■■'s Necklace]

- Strength +1, Agility +3, Stamina +2, Mana +6

[■■■ Elixir]

- An unknown elixir.

The ring looked perfect for close-combat fighters, while the necklace seemed ideal for mages or priests. As for the elixir, its vague description left it a complete mystery.

After checking out the items for a bit, Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly spoke up.

“Su-Hyeok and I will take these.”

Her decisive tone made Chloe speak out in protest.

“Why!? Why do you two get to keep them?”

“We found these because of me. And do you really think you’d have made it this far without Su-Hyeok and me?”

“W-well, you two did help a lot, but shouldn’t we at least talk about it first? Just taking them like that seems unfair.”

Chloe looked around for support, but Seo Ho-Su seemed to agree with Ha Hee-Jeong, and even Cole shook his head at Chloe.

“I think Ha Hee-Jeong’s right. We wouldn’t have gotten this far without them.”

“So, what? I’m the bad guy here?” Chloe grumbled, but Cole didn’t argue.

Instead, he asked Ha Hee-Jeong a question.

“No, that’s not it. Hey, Hee-Jeong, is that egg the hidden mission?”

“Yes, breaking the egg will start the hidden mission.”

“That egg is seriously creepy, though.”

“Alright, let’s just smash it and get it over with!”

Ha Hee-Jeong looked at me like she was expecting me to break it.

Does she really want me to do it?

I gave her a questioning look, to which she nodded, confirming what I thought.

I turned my attention back to the weird egg. Every time the black tendrils around it twitched, it pulsed slightly.

Alright, let’s do this.

I wrapped my mace in a thick layer of lightning and raised it high into the air.

Wait a second.

A strong feeling suddenly washed over me, the same one I had relied on during the tutorial, screaming that I shouldn’t break it.

Is this my Sixth Sense?

I froze, my mace still raised, and Ha Hee-Jeong stared at me like I was losing it.

“We shouldn’t break it.”

“What?”

“Don’t break it.”

Even though Ha Hee-Jeong was a regressor, she hadn’t cleared every hidden mission. I’d trusted my instincts during the tutorial, and now it was time to follow them again.

“Doppy, you can cast a spell that purifies objects, right?”

“

Kriee!

Goblin! Can do that!”

“Cast it on this egg.”

Doppy stepped forward. Just before it could open its mouth, the others started protesting, having finally recovered from their surprise.

“Su-Hyeok, Hee-Jeong has foresight, you know...”

“Su-Hyeok, maybe it’s better to smash it like Hee-Jeong said we should?”

“I’ve got a Sixth Sense skill. I’m telling you, we shouldn’t...”

That’s when we heard footsteps pounding toward us that sounded like someone was being chased. Everyone turned their attention to the path we had just walked.

“Please, help us!”

“Help! The zombies are right behind us...!”

Five people were sprinting toward us, a horde of zombies closing in behind them.

Damn it, these fucking idiots.

“Prepare for battle!”

***

「Invisible message: The Corrupted Seraphim Queen’s Egg has been discovered for the first time in Zone 54 of the Lost World of the Corrupted. All hidden missions in other zones have been canceled.」

「Invisible message: The Corrupted Seraphim Queen’s Egg was not destroyed. The hidden mission ‘Lost King of the Corrupted’ has been canceled.」

「Invisible message: The hidden mission ‘Lost World of the Corrupted Seraphim’ has begun. 5,000 achievement points have been added to the point totals of the climbers who discovered the egg.」