novelraw Chapter 8 : I Don't Want to Stand Out (2)
Chapter 8 : I Don't Want to Stand Out (2)
Chapter 8 - I Don't Want to Stand Out (2)
[#1 Small-Scale] 1.2 Patch Notes
◈ Main Patch
• As 「Escapee」 is added to the character's background description, stats will be adjusted accordingly.
• The proportional value of 「Guts」, a sub-category of the 「Stat: Spirit」, has increased (+2.3%).
• Through a fine adjustment of the 「Stat: Faith」, you have acquired 「Passive: Automatic Muscle Growth During Sleep」.
《STAGE 0 Tutorial Complete.》
《You have acquired 12,945 EXP.》
《Entering STAGE 1 ‘Lake City’.》
〉〉 Auto-saving…….
〉〉 Applying patch.
......
“Taebaek, wake up.”
He struggled to open his blinking eyelids. A pair of broad shoulders came into his blurry vision. It was Kang Hyunseong.
Taebaek wiped the sleep from his eyes with his thumb and briefly glanced around. At this, Kang Hyunseong clicked his tongue in amazement.
“You've really got nerves of steel. How can you sleep so soundly in a vehicle you're riding for the first time?”
Then he let out a chuckle.
“Then again, you're the man who withstood the electric chair. And besides, it also shows how confident you are in your own skills.”
“......”
Taebaek didn't bother to correct Kang Hyunseong's misunderstanding. Instead, he focused on waking his groggy mind.
'When the hell did I fall asleep?'
Taebaek strained his eyes, trying his best not to succumb to the demon of sleep. The reason he was honing his vigilance to the point of paranoia could be summed up in one phrase: because this was Lake City.
Cutting-edge, the best, the pinnacle of science.
The descriptions are glamorous, but the ecosystem of Recons is no different from a jungle. Let your guard down, and you'll be devoured.
No matter how much of an anti-government group they were, they were born and bred in Lake City. Their ethics would be vastly different from those on Earth.
The Resistance is not a volunteer organization. Nor is it an organization of goodwill.
Of course not. How could they be, when they were the main enemy that had pacified the underworld and now stood against the city government?
The underworld is a world where dignity is distant and violence is close. The nature of the Resistance as an organization wasn't any different. If anything, it was more extreme.
United by the ideology of resistance, all its members were rebels. In other words, there was a high probability that every one of them had a fiery temper.
Kang Hyunseong, Yoo Da-hee, and Fumito were prime examples of the Resistance's members. And it was obvious what the guy named Rock would be like without even seeing him.
'Thankfully, nothing happened.'
Taebaek, inwardly relieved, sat up.
Then he noticed something strange. His body, which had been completely exhausted before he fell asleep, was now full of energy.
My endurance is insane. And it's not like I've had any cybernetics implanted.
“The squad members went ahead to wait. Both them and me, well, you were sleeping so soundly it felt wrong to disturb you.”
Just then, Kang Hyunseong nudged him in the side with his elbow.
“But the Commander-in-Chief summoned you, so I had no choice but to wake you. You can sleep comfortably once we're inside, but for now, let's get moving, Taebaek.”
“Yeah, let's go.”
Taebaek got out of the back of the truck with Kang Hyunseong.
“Ugh!”
“Hehe. The air's a bit pungent, isn't it?”
“A bit? You call this a bit?”
“Get used to it. This is the only way in.”
A mind-numbing stench dug into his nostrils. Phlegm bubbled in his throat as if some foreign substance was stuck there.
RUUUMBLE!
A massive hole was spewing forth churning, greenish sewage.
The tunnel, which looked to be at least 20 meters wide, was intimidating in its own right. Its entrance greedily sucked in darkness and wind like the maw of a monster.
A ladder next to the sewer drain trembled faintly. It was probably for reaching another passage at the top of the ladder.
I get that this is a gutter, but...
'Why is the place we arrived at, the supposed headquarters, a sewer?'
Weren't we going to the Resistance headquarters?
Hesitating in bewilderment, Taebaek felt something get crushed under his heel. The squishy texture sent a shiver through his soul.
A rat.
'Fuck.'
Taebaek scraped the sole of his foot on the ground before standing next to Kang Hyunseong again. The smell of a corpse lingered around his ankles.
“This isn't it, right?”
No, it couldn't be. Taebaek refused to believe that the place he would be staying for the time being was a sewage treatment plant.
“It is, though.”
Kang Hyunseong scratched the area around his eyebrow.
“Really?”
“Yep. This is the Resistance headquarters.”
“Why?”
The Resistance is an organization that pacified the underworld, aren't they?
Even the poorest of the poor in Lake City lived in the lowest districts; they didn't live in the sewers.
This wasn't just a blind spot for sunlight. It had to be called a blind spot for the right to life itself.
“Why else? Because the first Commander-in-Chief set up base here. Oh, and for the record, only one person can climb the ladder at a time. Otherwise, it'll collapse.”
You chose the wrong spot, you bastard!
Taebaek covered his eyes with one hand.
“Come on, let's go inside. It may look like this on the outside, but the facilities inside are great. It'll be a real eye-opener.”
Can't spit on a smiling face, as they say.
Taebaek suppressed the urge to add a sarcastic comment.
“...Yeah, let's go with that.”
“When someone's talking, at least pretend to listen. And you heard tonight's menu from Fumito, right? Kimchi-jjigae! How long has it been since I've had that? Oof, the Madam at our cafeteria is an incredible cook.”
Honestly speaking, the mention of kimchi-jjigae was tempting. If they weren't in a place like this, his jaw would have tingled with anticipation.
“Anyway, watch carefully and follow me.”
Kang Hyunseong took the first step. Then, as if demonstrating, he carefully climbed the ladder one rung at a time.
Cree-ak.
It made the person watching nervous just by looking. The ladder was in that precarious of a condition.
“Come on up!”
Kang Hyunseong poked his head out from the top of the ladder and waved. Now it was Lee Taebaek's turn.
Grasping the supports, he began to climb the ladder. Paint chips fell every time he moved his feet.
Creak.
The ordeal in the Neuro-prison was just the prologue. The real beginning was now. He had finally entered the main story.
Creak.
'I have to deceive the Resistance.'
Creak.
The Resistance was a stepping stone for what comes next. This ladder was a rather fitting metaphor for his current situation.
“Grab on.”
“Get your hand away. Am I a kid?”
Kang Hyunseong reached out his hand, but Taebaek refused it.
'Sorry, Kang Hyunseong. Thanks for saving me, but I plan on escaping from the Resistance soon.'
He didn't think Kang Hyunseong was helping him out of the pure goodness of his heart. In Lake City, the metrics for judging a person were two things: value and proof.
'In the end, we're just using each other. There's no need to feel any petty guilt.'
The two entered the narrow tunnel. Because the passage was low and tight, they walked quickly in a stooped posture.
In the space where darkness pooled, Kang Hyunseong led the way and Taebaek followed behind.
Even this formation revealed the power dynamic. One could see Kang Hyunseong's confidence, that he could afford to show his back to someone of Taebaek's 'level'.
Splash.
Dirty water splashed up to his knees. It was unpleasant, but perhaps because he'd built up a tolerance in the Neuro-prison, it was bearable.
Around the time his sense of smell lost all function and went numb.
Kang Hyunseong stopped walking. He fumbled along the wall until, at a certain point, his hand sank in.
Vreee—
A net of light spread out from Kang Hyunseong's palm. The light was a pale green color.
[— Identity of 9th Battalion Commander Kang Hyunseong has been confirmed.]
Immediately after, the grid-like net spread out as if being painted across the entire tunnel wall, then gathered back to its original position.
A gap appeared in the wall, and it slid back with a soft hiss.
A small door formed in the spot where Kang Hyunseong had removed his hand. A gentle light leaking from the crack bisected the darkness.
Kang Hyunseong turned his head halfway back. A meaningful smile was plastered on the side of his face, visible over his shoulder.
“Let's go in.”
Kang Hyunseong entered first, and Taebaek followed. Taebaek squinted, and his pupils immediately narrowed.
Beyond the door was a refreshingly white space, so bright it stung the eyes, as if the previous scenery had been a lie.
“I told you, didn't I? The inside is nice.”
The long, stretching space was lined with plate glass on both sides. Beyond the glass, a three-dimensional map shimmered in all directions, reflecting various locations in Lake City in real-time.
Walking a bit further, he could see mechanical arms descending from the ceiling, delicately operating futuristic devices.
“You're here?”
Yoo Da-hee tossed out the words casually. Her hair was damp, and she was holding both ends of a towel wrapped around her neck. It looked like she had come out to meet them right after washing up.
“The Commander-in-Chief is looking for you, Kang Hyunseong. He said he's sorry to do this as soon as you got out, but he needs to hear your report right away.”
Yoo Da-hee said, gently patting herself dry.
“Geez. He doesn't give a man a break. Then again, I was the one who dawdled instead of coming straight up.”
“The Commander-in-Chief looked pretty pleased. Who knows, maybe he'll even give the 9th Battalion a bonus? Hurry up and go. I'll guide this kid, Lee Taebaek, to the cafeteria.”
“Yeah, thanks. Taebaek, you go on ahead to the cafeteria with Da-hee. The rest of the team should be there.”
Kang Hyunseong left with those words. An awkward silence filled the space he vacated. Just as Taebaek was about to move his lips, Yoo Da-hee gestured with her chin and spoke.
“This way.”
Taebaek matched his pace with Yoo Da-hee's. The two walked in silence, with no conversation passing between them.
'Right. This is better than forcing an awkward conversation.'
As they walked down the long corridor, he sensed a presence up ahead. Who's that? The other person's face lit up first.
“Miss Da-hee!”
The owner of the voice approached with bounding steps. He was a handsome blond man with well-proportioned features.
“Tsk.”
Most people would swoon if a handsome man like that greeted them so cheerfully, but Yoo Da-hee just clicked her tongue.
“How was the mission? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I'm sorry, but we're on our way to the cafeteria. Could you please step aside? Deputy of the 8th Battalion.”
“Ah, my apologies. I was blocking the way!”
As Yoo Da-hee openly showed her displeasure, the man's lost gaze shifted to Taebaek.
“...And who might this be?”
His tone was full of suspicion.
“Ah, this is someone our Battalion Commander Kang Hyunseong personally scouted during the mission.”
The man looked Taebaek up and down with narrowed eyes. Then, he let out a dry laugh as if all the air had gone out of him.
“I knew the 9th Battalion was suffering from a manpower shortage, but I never thought they'd bring in someone so delicate.”
This handsome man had the strange talent of spewing bullshit with a smile. It was true what they said about men becoming endlessly childish in front of a woman they like.
Taebaek clenched and unclenched his fists. He was someone far removed from any violent tendencies.
But right now, he was itching to use his fists. The reason he couldn't just lash out as he wanted was because he didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.
In Lake City, the line between predator and prey is crystal clear. The Resistance was no different.
If he stayed silent and let this situation pass, it would be like fastening the first button wrong in the test of his value and proof.
'To prove my worth, even a little, without resorting to violence... Let's try it. That thing.'
He had just been in need of a test subject. While he was lost in thought, the man flashed a mischievous smile.
“Well then, excuse me. Miss Da-hee, I'll see you later.”
As the blond man passed Taebaek, he bumped his shoulder against him. A collision that was clearly intentional.
It was at that moment.
[Nerfing all of the opponent's stats.]
For a moment, the blond man was overcome by an indescribable sense of weakness. His body staggered greatly, then tilted to one side.
And then his knee hit the marble floor.
“Wh-What... is this?”
His startled blue eyes shot up and met the gaze of the one who had brought him to his knees. Indifferent black eyes.
Lee Taebaek, with the incandescent lights forming a halo behind him, opened his mouth.