by Yoo Seong
–Other Charenjok? Another group of Charenjok disappeared in the prohibited area?
“Yes, that’s why Elder Bakum wanted me to investigate the prohibited area. We assume that some young Charenjok went looking for their parents in the prohibited area and disappeared. I actually thought the children were dead until I met you just now. But if other Charenjok survived then there is a possibility that the children are alive. If the android managing the water facilities captured them then Java might’ve turned them into slaves. Maybe Java brought them into the safe zone or they might be held somewhere in the water facilities.”
–T-that!
The octopus’ heads turned red hot. He was upset. Ark looked at the octopus and continued.
“If Charem’s problem isn’t solved then those children might end up as the Sufferer’s prey. One of them might be your child.”
–I-I am a bachelor!
The octopus snapped angrily. Ark had misunderstood. But he just continued talking without any signs of embarrassment.
“But they are children. If Charem is left in this state then they would 100% turn into Sufferers. In this situation you need to save Charem no matter how unscrupulous Java is. No, I’ll personally persuade Java to release everybody. You know that I have the Charenjok’s token. Please believe me.”
-Uhh…..
The octopus nodded.
–I can’t pretend after hearing such words. I understand. I will help. But I can’t enter the place with the management system either. That’s because this collar doesn’t allow me to go beyond the 39th floor. If I try to climb anymore then POP…..you understand? In addition, there are a large number of security devices on the 39th floor. But I know someone that might be able to help.
“Someone who might help?”
–Come along.
The octopus nodded and turned around before suddenly asking.
–I am called Tuntun. You are?
“I……”
Ark smiled and replied.
“I am Ark. I’m a friend of the Charenjok.”
————————————————————
“This place is?”
He followed Tuntun for a long time. The long pipes finally ended and a wide space appeared. Several hundred pipes crisscrossed in a complicated pattern 20 metres above the wide space.
–I found this place while living here. This is a hiding spot for the Charenjok that Java doesn’t know about. And now…..the Sufferers also doesn’t know about it? We took advantage of this place to hide from the Sufferers.
Tuntun said as he indicated to 30 octopuses. They were the octopuses that had gone missing from the prohibited area. However, there weren’t just octopuses in this hiding spot. A translucent shiny mass shaped like a slime was a NPC? A monster? Anyway, those things were running around this place.
“What is that?”
–Is this the first time you’ve seen it? It is a life form called the Mumu. They are a primeval being living on different planets in the galaxy for millions of years. But they have almost no intelligence.
Tuntun was a surprisingly well informed octopus.
“Why are they here?”
–It has a habit of going around and eating whatever is on the ground. So Java decided to catch a few of them. Anyplace that they move over will become clean. They are a substitution for robot cleaners. Well, it is no different from us being turned into exclusive pipe cleaners. Those guys received the same treatment…..anyway, their circumstances were similar so they also moved to this hidden spot. We tried but we only managed to save 3. Originally there were 100 of them but they were caught by the Sufferers.
A slime like alien life. It was abrupt but there really were many types of guys out there. While Ark was looking at the Mumu strangely, some octopuses approached and asked.
–Tuntun hyung-nim, who did you come with?
–I’ll explain later. Where is that guy?
–That guy? Do you mean Jay?
–I saw Jay around that corner just now……
Ark stared at the place that the octopus indicated.
“Is the useful person that Mumu?”
The octopus had pointed towards a huge Mumu in the corner.
–Not that!
Tuntun suddenly yelled and ran up to the huge Mumu.
–This guy again! Shoo! Shoo! Go away! This guy isn’t for you to eat!
The octopus kicked out and the Mumu immediately moved to the side. Then a man was shown. The man wore a white robe and couldn’t stop trembling. Tuntun slapped his cheeks and shouted.
–Hey! Wake up! Gather your spirit!
“Ohhh…..”
The man painfully lifted his eyelids. The eyes looked around idly before staring with surprise at Tuntun.
“W-who? Tuntun? Why…..?
–It’s me. You were almost eaten by the Mumu just now.
“Hu…. I’m a goner….. I can’t lift a finger anymore….. Then I don’t mind being eaten by another life form…… Yes…..I won’t die…… I’ll be born anew in another life form…..huhuhu.”
–Stop talking nonsense and wake up! The person you’re waiting for has come!
“I-I…..person? Who?”
The man raised his body and looked around restlessly. Then he ran up to Ark and shook his shoulder.
“Food! Do you have something to eat? This is a request! It doesn’t matter if it is fermented soybean paste as long as I can put it in my mouth!”
He was puzzled when the man suddenly ran up but now Ark could understand almost all the circumstances. Tuntun and the Charenjok could avoid the Sufferers in the pipes but it wasn’t a good situation. This wasn’t simply because they were confined. The Charenjok could navigate through the pipes in order to gather food. If they travelled through the control tower then they could obtain 3~4 food a day. It needed to be split between 30 octopuses so of course they would starve. In fact Tuntun was looking for food on the 4th floor when he discovered Ark. But the Charenjok was a species surprisingly good at fuel efficiency. Their satiety fell at a much lower rate compared to other species. In comparison, Jay’s satiety fell quickly and he was in a critical condition and lost all of his spirit. But Ark didn’t exactly have food. While the Phoenix members possessed abundant supplies, Ark wanted to raise the proficiency of Steel Stomach so he only stocked fish in his bag.
“If you don’t mind something like this…..”
Ark pulled out a Bellos’ egg.
“Ah! F-food! I’m going to eat! Ohhhh!”
Jay snatched the egg and swallowed it. And…..
“Phew, I’m alive! But what type of egg is this? Was this egg bio-engineered to be huge? Some planets….ugh! T-this….all of a sudden…..huh? Did I eat the egg of a Bellos? Ahuk! T-then…..ik! Ik! I-it is coming out! Ack! P-please excuse me for a moment. P-please…..ugh! No more!”
Ark quickly retreated. He had already guessed what would happen. Ark and the Charenjok all turned their heads away! Once again, most of the ingredients in the Outlands were toxic so they caused stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea etc. Ark wasn’t affected thanks to Steel Stomach but to the NPC it was like drinking expired milk! Ark would only get a stomach ache but the NPC……
Bujik! Bujik! Bujijik!
It was an embarrassing scene that was hard to describe. Although it was better to be embarrassed than to starve and die.
“Phew, I’m sorry to show you a sight like that. Anyway, I’m alive thanks to you.”
Jay smiled awkwardly and lifted his pants.
“By the way, I didn’t think I would see a person here. Are you part of the rescue team sent by Java?”
“It was a rescue team but……”
Ark ignored the pile of X in the corner and explained the circumstances. The expectations on Jay’s face changed to despair.
“All of the squad members are dead?”
“Probably…..”
“Phoenix…..I’ve heard of them. They are a multinational mercenary unit hired by J
ava. I heard that their skills are the best among the Charem guards…..if even the Phoenix members died…..it is the end. Dammit, do I have no choice but to die here? Ohh!”
Jay looked around with a hopeless expression.
“But I haven’t given up yet.”
Ark replied in a firm voice.
“If I manage to retake the management system at the top then the problem of Charem will be solved. Fortunately Tuntun knows the complete structure of the pipes in the control tower. But Tuntun only knows up to the 39th floor. And I heard there are a lot of security devices that are hard to bypass without a special security card. Like I said, I don’t have contact with Kalbern who possesses the special security card anymore. Tuntun told me that you could help with this matter.”
“Ah, that’s right!”
Jay suddenly raised his head at Ark’s words. He raised his body with a determined expression and replied in a calm voice.
“Yes. In fact I am the supervisor of the research institute in Charem!”
Tutudung!
Jay’s identity was becoming clear! Just now he had placed the X in the corner and…..Jay belatedly realized it and tried to make some excuses.
“No…..I’m not always like this. I’m full of intelligence…..I’m a person who leads with my charisma. W-what’s with those eyes? You don’t believe it? What is that? It is true. I’m like an aristocrat when I’m in the laboratory. Tuntun, say something. Eek? Y-you don’t believe me either? Y-yes. I’m not an aristocrat. But…..no, that’s not it. It couldn’t be helped. There was no toilet. I mean…..yes, I’m sorry. Please don’t spread any rumours.”
But Ark had no interest in Jay’s X or anything else. Ark was only concerned about how Jay could help with the quest.
“Can you help me?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. The top floor. Yes, you want to go to the top floor? I can help you with that problem. Like I said, I am Charem’s head of research.”
Jay’s laboratory was located on the 40th floor where the management system also was. When the biohazard occurred, Jay took refuge in the laboratory with the other researchers because it had high level security. They avoided the Sufferers thanks to the security but the researchers there starved to death. Once all the researchers starved to death, Jay finally tried a desperate escape attempt. He escaped using the elevator on the 39th floor that the Phoenix members used. Just before he was found by Sufferers, he was discovered by Tuntun and rescued.
“When an emergency situation occurs, all the passages on the top floor are automatically blocked off. So the Sufferers also can’t enter the 40th floor. The problem is that an A level security card is required to release the security on that floor. Tuntun knows the safe route to the 39th floor and you only need to rise one more floor to the laboratory. There will be no difficulty heading to the management system from the laboratory.”
“Can you give me the security card?”
“Of course.”
‘There is hope!’
A light seemed to shine after Jay’s answer. Jay then became confused after looking through his pockets.
“Eh? Eh? Eh? W-where is it? I had it when I came here?”
–What are you saying? You’ve lost the security card?
Tuntun glared angrily and Jay shook his head with a pale face.
“Ah, no. That is impossible. I had it just now. Yes, it was clearly in my pocket when I fell asleep just then. It is obviously somewhere here. Obviously….heok! I found it! Inside that guy! That guy ate it while I was sleeping!”
Jay shouted as he pointed to the Mumu. Just like Jay said, a rectangular object like a card floated in the transparent Mumu. Jay yanked his hair after seeing the card inside the Mumu.
“Ugh! No! That is plastic! It will melt!”
–So stupid! Don’t you know how important that card is?
Tuntun looked around desperately and shouted at the octopuses.
–Catch that guy! If that card is damaged then it is all over! Make him spit it out!
The octopuses had listened to their conversation so they knew how important this matter was. The octopuses all stampeded over to the Mumu after hearing Tuntun’s words. They turned the Mumu upside down and even kicked the stomach but the Mumu didn’t budge.
‘Dammit, this is…..’
Ark looked at the scene with amazement. He had finally seen a light of hope in the darkness only to discover that the key was inside the Mumu’s stomach. If this card was lost then he was screwed!
‘I have to make that guy vomit out the card no matter what!’
Ark was about to take out his sword. Then the pile of X caught his eye.
‘Yes, there is that method!’
“Please open the Mumu’s mouth!”
Ark shouted as he ran towards the Mumu. And the octopus pulled down one side of the Mumu’s mouth! Ark took out a Bellos’ egg from his bag and placed it in the mouth. This was the method he came up with after seeing Jay’s X! He made the Mumu eat the Bellos’ egg so that it would make X. But unlike Jay, the Mumu seemed to have no reaction to the egg.
‘Damn, is that guy’s stomach really sturdy? But let’s see how much it can take!’
Ark shoved the Bellos’ egg and fish in to the Mumu’s mouth. Soon the Mumu’s body swelled up like a balloon!
Bujajajajak!
An absurd amount of X poured out. And…..
-You have acquired the
‘Damn, it is really messy…..’
Ark could finally obtain the security card. He didn’t want to explain exactly how he obtained the security guard. Let’s just say that it really was a dirty method. But this was a game! The X and Y were only graphics…..if he thought of it like that then he could endure it. Anyway, he managed to obtain the security card.
-You have acquired
-You have acquired
-You have acquired
Various miscellaneous things were mixed in the X along with the security card. The Mumu digested everything but it couldn’t digest metal objects like bullets or machine parts. It was truly an economical NPC that could pick up metal to recycle it. After the trouble the Mumu probably went around the control tower and ate the items that the guards dropped.
‘Then the other Mumu might also have items.’
Ark’s eyes naturally turned towards the other 2 Mumu. Kalbern replenished his bullets every time a battle ended but there was a limit to how much he could obtain for free. The bullets were gone after it hit someone so there weren’t a lot of bullets remaining. If the bullets completely disappeared before arriving at the management system then the combat power would be cut.
‘Dirty…..it is dirty but…..’
Bullets were the lifeline on the battlefield! So he did that! Even though it was dirty!
Bujajajak! Bujajajak!
He fed the remaining 2 Mumu. He looked through the pile of mechanical parts in the X.
‘Eh? This is…..?’
Something he hadn’t considered was mixed in the X. The item in the pile of X…..
Space 5
Curse VS Curse
“Jackpot!”
Ark’s eyes shone as he exclaimed. Ark was standing in a place lined with cabinets. The reason Ark was in this storehouse…..he had to go back 3 hours.
-You have acquired the plumbing information about the central control tower from Tuntun.
“Okay.”
Ark grinned and nodded. After gathering all the items from the Mumu’s X, he received a thorough education in the control tower’s plumbing information. Once the map of the central control tower was revealed, he discovered another route that didn’t involve the elevator on the 5th floor. It was a secret passage in plumbing of the central control tower.
–Is it really okay to go by yourself?
Tuntun wanted to
accompany him but Ark respectfully declined. The octopuses didn’t have any combat power. So it was more convenient for Ark to act alone. Ark climbed into the pipe again after finishing everything in the octopuses’ lair. The pipe was so narrow that he had to crouch his body so that he could finally enter. But Ark was the supervisor of the pipe cleaning group on R-14.
Susak! Susak! Susak! Susak!
Ark crossed the pipe at a speed that wasn’t inferior to the octopuses.
‘I expected it but it really is no joke.’
When he looked through the gaps a lot of Sufferers caught his eye. He couldn’t be relieved even if he was in the pipe. The Sufferers responded to sound. Every time there was a sound in the pipe the Sufferers would respond and scratch at the wall nearby. And they always looked around restlessly for 3~4 minutes. It made him freeze! He would lie like the dead inside the pipe and not move a finger.
‘I can’t be hasty. I don’t know what will happen if the Sufferers discover I’m in the pipe.’
It took him 13 days to reach Charem. If he made a mistake because of his impatience then he would never get all that time back. The most imperative thing was to get to the management system on the 40th floor…..or at least that’s what he thought……
‘I can’t pretend I didn’t see this even if it is an emergency!’
Ark looked at the key in his hands with shining eyes.
-<39F First Guard Battalion Armoury Key>
This was the item he found in the Mumu’s X!
-What? This brat, when did he pick up something like this?
“Well I’m not familiar with it but the guard quarters and armoury is near the stairs that leads form the 39th floor to the 40th floor. This key should belong to the captain of the guards…..maybe he is in the shape of a Sufferer somewhere.”
Tuntun and Jay both said. But those words didn’t enter Ark’s ear. Armoury…..so it was a weapons storehouse. Looking at the present situation, there was no way a lot of weapons would be piled up in the armoury. The guards must’ve taken the weapons when the Sufferers first attacked. But even in this situation. No, in this situation it was impossible for the armoury to be empty.
‘A key obtained in this method wouldn’t just be decorative. This is a game. If I found the key in a place like this then it is impossible for the armoury to be empty.’
