Chapter 4

I took a step forward and gently pressed my ear against the door.

Before leaving the room, it’s a must to listen carefully, right?

*Listen Carefully*

...

I consciously activated the *Listen Carefully* skill, but I couldn’t hear anything.

Not hearing anything made me even more uneasy.

Ridiculous thoughts popped into my head, like someone might be waiting for me to come out.

No, it’s okay... it’s okay!

The Prime Minister tried to send me out of the room without any equipment at first, so there’s probably nothing out there.

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!

Alright... alright! ...Alright!

I’m going, I’m going out!

Shh, shh, let’s go!!

I slowly turned the doorknob without making a sound and opened the door just a little bit.

The corridor outside the room seemed to be connected, with a white marble-like floor stretching straight ahead.

The lights were on, so it didn’t seem like I needed the flashlight for now.

After confirming that there was nothing there, I cautiously opened the door and stepped out of the room.

Of course, I closed the door slowly and quietly as well.

The corridor was about 2 meters wide and quite spacious, with organic EL base lights spaced evenly along the high ceiling.

From what I could see, there was no sign of anyone, and there were no threatening spots.

The only downside was that my military boots would make noise if I didn’t walk carefully.

There was nothing I could do about that, but since I had come out of the room and confirmed the surroundings were safe, I decided to check the terminal, which was likely updated.

*Mission [Start Exploration] Successful

Reward: 10,000 yen has been credited to the terminal*

*Mission [First Exploration]

Explore any of the rooms

Reward: 10,000 yen

Client: Minister of Defense, Kato Tadahiro

Comment: Complacency is the enemy, being cautious is good*

This makes 30,000 yen, and my funds are steadily increasing.

From the comment, it seems my exploration approach is not wrong.

With the government’s support, I’ll continue to be ultra-cautious.

After all, I only have one life.

The mission doesn’t specify which room to explore, so I’ll go out of the office and explore the room on the left.

*Listen Carefully*

There was no sound coming from inside the room.

I slowly opened the door.

Of course, I didn’t forget to look down the corridor every 10 seconds.

“...uhp!”

The room was pitch black.

I couldn’t help but make a strange sound.

This is bad, this is bad, this is bad!

I cautiously closed the door.

Is it time to use the flashlight already?

No way!

What if something is hiding in the room and attacks me as soon as I turn on the light?

Wait, thinking about it, when I opened the door a little earlier, the light from the corridor must have gone into the room...

Thinking this, I quickly and quietly retreated to the office.

“—pant, pant, pant, pant”

I panted heavily, leaning back in the office chair.

Of course, the office was securely locked.

“That was pretty scary just now.”

I don’t even know what was scary.

If I had to say, maybe it was my cowardice?

I was making it sound like a grand adventure, but in reality, I just stepped out into the corridor and opened the door to the next room a little.

Reflecting on myself, I’m worried about what’s to come.

But there’s nothing I can do, I’m a coward.

I took a deep breath, pulled out my knife, and held it in reverse grip.

At this point, I remembered that my current awkward state was being exposed to the government.

*Listen Carefully*

The map at the edge of my vision, the detection map, showed nothing, but I listened carefully just in case.

I couldn’t hear anything from the corridor.

I opened the door without making a sound and stood in front of the door to the next room.

*Listen Carefully*

I couldn’t hear anything.

I turned on the flashlight in the corridor and gently rolled it into the next room through the slightly open door.

I caught a glimpse of a bunk bed and quickly closed the door.

*Listen Carefully*

I concentrated all my nerves and listened intently.

If I heard any sound, I would retreat to the office.

The knife in my right hand?

It’s just for show!

I couldn’t hear anything from inside the room.

I waited for about 10 minutes just in case, but still couldn’t hear anything.

I switched the knife to my left hand and waited for another 10 minutes, but still couldn’t hear anything.

I slowly opened the door and checked the room, but the flashlight was still illuminating the bunk bed in the same position as before.

*Spot*

“—uhp!?”

A reaction came from right next to me!

Oh no!

How could I forget about the transparent, odorless, and soundless enemy that didn’t show up on the detection map!?

I might be putting up a futile resistance, but I instinctively raised my knife towards the reaction.

It was the indoor lighting switch.

Phew!

I retrieved the flashlight and pressed the lighting switch, carefully looking around the now bright room.

Near the door were two closets and a set of tables for conversation.

Apart from that, there were rows of bunk beds.

There were probably over 20 bunk beds, and apart from neatly folded bedding, there was nothing else.

*Spot*

I couldn’t hear anything.

Spot!

...What?

Spot!!

...It’s not working.

I switched the terminal to the status screen and checked the *Spot* skill.

*Spot: 58 minutes and 46 seconds remaining until next use*

Oh, it’s a skill that can’t be used consecutively.

What a useless skill!

Learn from *Listen Carefully*.

*Search*

No reaction.

It’s probably safe.

Alright, let’s start the exploration.

First, I checked the closet near the entrance.

I held the knife ready in case anything came out and cautiously opened the closet.

I considered tying a wire or rope to open it, but that would make noise every time.

Inside the closet was a nightcap.

Oh, this is mine.

And it’s the one I’ve been using since elementary school.

I opened the other closet, and inside were a cardboard box and two bottles of tea.

The box was heavy.

A sticky note on the box read, *Special Combat Rations for Ueno-kun* in handwriting.

I’m so grateful, everyone is so kind...

I couldn’t just leave these things behind, so I took them back to my private room.

I checked each of the bunk beds in the room, but apart from the bedding, there was nothing.

At the back of the room, there were two sets of tables and two bookshelves.

The bookshelves contained series like *World Insects* and *World Poetry*, which were probably for entertainment, but they didn’t interest me at all.

Unfortunately, I probably won’t read these books.

After a thorough exploration, I returned to the office for safety and checked the mission screen.

*Mission [First Exploration] Successful

Reward: 10,000 yen has been credited to the terminal*

*Mission [Swift Exploration]

Explore 5 rooms

Reward: Type 32 Infantry Armor 3

Client: Minister of Foreign Affairs

Comment: Being cowardly is not shameful, and no one will mock you*

Thank you for the encouraging words.

But, I have to say this.

Isn’t the difficulty and reward a bit too high?

From 10,000 yen to an armor suit is a huge jump.

Type 32 Infantry Armor 3: Price 300,000 yen.

This protagonist is too much of a coward.

I need a heroine to come and save me!