Chapter 88

00088 The Ruined Laboratory

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After a fierce battle, I decided to take a short break. Although it was a bit early, the children's stamina was severely depleted from this single battle. When I made my decision, Yoojeong eagerly sat down, but soon screamed and jumped up from her seat.

"Ugh... It's terrible."

The area around us was littered with the corpses of the dead. While I was fine, Yoojeong and Sol, who still had weak stomachs, wanted to move to a different place. To meet their expectations, I moved towards the room where the dead had emerged. Although it might seem a bit eerie, it was still better than a place filled with corpses.

I had expected something like a laboratory, but the room's interior disappointed me. The space was smaller than I had imagined, making it hard to understand how so many of the dead could have come from such a small area.

I could see broken beds and bookshelves. I couldn't afford to overlook even the smallest detail. While the group rested, I explored the room, searching for any useful information.

As I explored alone, Jeong Hyeon sighed and joined me. When he saw Shin Sang-yong also getting up, the children hurriedly stood up as well. However, by then, I had already finished most of my exploration using my third eye.

"Leader, did you find anything?"

Shin Sang-yong asked, his eyes sparkling. When something interesting appeared, his stammering disappeared. I shook my head.

"No, I searched thoroughly, but there's nothing worth seeing."

After saying that, I showed him about 30 gold coins and an ancient text.

"Eh... just 30 gold? That's too little."

An Hyun's voice was filled with dissatisfaction. After a tough battle, and compared to the substantial earnings from the goblin fight in the open field, the children, including Yoojeong and Sol, looked disappointed. However, Shin Sang-yong was different.

"That's good. 30 gold from exploring one room. Hahaha. Ah, can you show me the text for a moment? I can decipher ancient languages."

"Of course."

Indeed, he's useful. I handed over the text, and he adjusted his dusty glasses to decipher it. His ancient language deciphering rank was D-, but even that was a decent rank by general user standards.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he returned the text, looking dazed as he chewed on some jerky. He seemed to have finished deciphering it.

"Did you find anything? Any important information?"

"Hmm, no, there wasn't anything like that. The text is in diary form. It seems this room was used by one of the residents at the time. There wasn't much content, but... there were a lot of mentions of windows. 'I couldn't practice today because of the window,' 'I disposed of the failures through the window,' and so on. But it's hard to find any connection to the laboratory."

"Windows?"

Shin Sang-yong nodded as An Hyun raised his spear and asked. A thought flashed through my mind. It might just be about windows, but it could also be a clue related to a spear master. Of course, it's not certain yet, but even if it's just a possibility, thoroughly exploring the dungeon wouldn't be a bad idea.

Starting with the text, Shin Sang-yong and I discussed the laboratory. The group listened while resting, and Jeong Hyeon also listened to Shin Sang-yong. It seemed that while his combat skills were superior, Shin Sang-yong was more skilled in dungeon exploration.

"I think the building is at least three stories high. The first floor's size is hard to guess, but assuming the hall we just saw is the center, there are likely paths in the four directions: east, west, north, and south. Excluding the direction we came from, there should be stairs leading to the second floor somewhere."

"Yes. Hmm. It's better to clear the first floor completely before aiming for the second floor, rather than rushing upstairs quickly."

Because we don't know where the spear master might be sleeping. However, Shin Sang-yong, who didn't know my thoughts, nodded vigorously at my suggestion to proceed safely.

"That's a wise choice. Clearing the first floor will take a day, even if we can't fully conquer it. The scale is larger than expected. And the second floor might have even more vicious enemies. It's better to secure a minimum safe area before moving up, considering the worst-case scenario."

Shin Sang-yong often used the word "minimum." People who use such words tend to unconsciously plan for the worst-case scenario. They assume the worst and prepare accordingly. While it might seem a bit frustrating to others, it's a habit that definitely helps with survival.

The children looked disappointed when they heard it would be difficult to clear the laboratory in a day. Especially, An Sol shivered at the thought of sleeping here. Noticing her reaction, Shin Sang-yong spoke cautiously.

"Alternatively, we could clear the first floor and return to the city. This method is the safest. It will take a bit more time, but it's the safest."

I shook my head firmly at his suggestion. With just me and Vivian, I could guarantee that we could occupy this place in half a day, no, in less than six hours. Returning was out of the question. Shin Sang-yong didn't seem to mind, as he still thought it was manageable.

Clearing each floor completely and moving to the next, or staying for a few days and conquering everything at once before returning to the city. The group listened silently and didn't express any direct opposition. I accepted a bottle of water from Jeong Hyeon and concluded our initial exploration goals for the laboratory.

Rest is usually limited to 5 to 10 minutes, but this was a major break. After the intense initial battle, I wanted to fully recover before continuing the exploration. As everyone ate supplies in silence, I noticed Jeong Hyeon slowly opening her eyes. Her gaze was directed at me. I met her gaze, and we exchanged looks.

While looking into her deep eyes, Jeong Hyeon's lips slightly parted.

"Suhyun."

"Yes."

"I have a question."

"Yes."

"Are you really a 0-year user?"

"Yes."

My simple answers caused a small ripple on Jeong Hyeon's calm face. But she quickly regained her composure and slightly tilted her eyes. Normally, such an expression from someone else would annoy me, but with Jeong Hyeon, it felt like a dignified and noble gesture.

"I'm sorry, but I have to say this. I can't believe what I saw. The monsters we just fought were not something a 0-year user could handle alone."

Her tone was more of surprise than suspicion. It seemed she was thinking about how I had defended against the dead alone. I didn't feel the need to stutter or act as I had before. I planned to gradually reveal my skills, and stumbling now would only raise more suspicion.

"Is that so? I didn't find it difficult."

"How did you fight?"

"It's simple. The only advantage the dead had was numerical superiority. The best way to exploit that is through well-coordinated formations or a relay attack. But they just charged recklessly. So, I focused on defending, countering, and using their attacks to my advantage."

"Is that really as easy as you say? I don't know. Have you ever learned swordsmanship in the modern world?"

I nodded at her question.

"I have, but it's not really related. I just understand the situation in front of me and think of the optimal solution. Then I act on it."

"Suhyun, you're a genius."

"I don't think of myself as a genius. I just worked hard."

"Haha. The leader is indeed great. And Hyeon, stop it. It's not bad that the leader is strong. And you can check 0-year users at the User Academy, and we have our companions here."

Shin Sang-yong's mediation made Jeong Hyeon blush and bow her head.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be confrontational. I hope you're not too upset. Your abilities were truly amazing."

"I was a bit hurt by the 'genius' comment, but I'll let it go. However, from now on, don't evaluate my efforts based on your personal standards."

Jeong Hyeon bowed her head, looking embarrassed. She understood that my words were aimed at her.

"Hmm."

Of course, the children didn't understand this deep conversation. If Kim Hanbyeol were here, she might have understood and probably argued with me. But when they heard my praise, Yoojeong and the others straightened their backs and stiffened their necks. Why were they acting so proud when I was the one being praised?

Ignoring my thoughts, Yoojeong puffed out her chest and spoke. Her prominent chest was exposed, and Shin Sang-yong turned away, looking embarrassed. He occasionally cleared his throat, clearly attracted.

"Hehe. Sister, do you know how amazing our brother is? You also went through the User Academy, right?"

"Of course, obviously."

"Our brother was the top of his class. The top of all. Do you know how many instructors from clans tried to recruit him? They even changed his dorm supervisor to a female user. It was so funny to see her fawning over him."

"Really? That much?"

Yoojeong excitedly boasted, and Jeong Hyeon's eyes widened. Being the top of the User Academy was indeed a useful title. An Sol, who was listening, also chimed in.

"Yes, that's right. The famous Golden Lion Clan even offered him a position twice. Hmm."

"Golden Lion? Wow. They rarely offer positions to new users."

"Hehe. Our brother is the best."

That's enough. It's embarrassing.

"But why did you reject the Golden Lion Clan? I'm really curious. I don't mean anything by it."

Before Shin Sang-yong's admiration could end, Jeong Hyeon's question flew in. She nodded, understanding the mention of the Golden Lion Clan, but then asked in a tone of confusion. However, it was An Hyun who answered, not me. Hey, give me a chance to speak.

"It was for us. We've been together since the initiation ceremony. We didn't receive offers from the clan, and only my brother did. In a way, we held him back, so I always feel guilty."

"No, you shouldn't feel guilty. You did well."

"?"

Everyone's gaze turned to Jeong Hyeon, who suddenly spoke in a strange tone. She looked a bit flustered, as if she had answered reflexively. An Hyun tilted his head in confusion and continued.

"Anyway, it seemed he felt bad leaving us behind. As Sol said, he rejected the Golden Lion Clan's offer in front of us on graduation day."

"I almost cried. Looking back, my brother was different from the start."

"Right. If it weren't for Suhyun, we might not have passed the initiation ceremony. Sigh."

At that moment, Jeong Hyeon looked at me with renewed eyes. While An Hyun and Yoojeong were praising me, it was flattering, but it was getting a bit much. I felt a bit embarrassed.

I cleared my throat and announced the end of the break. We had rested enough, and the tense atmosphere had eased. It was time to continue the exploration. Given the size of the laboratory, we needed to move quickly.

After leaving the room, the group fell silent again. We stepped on the scattered corpses of the dead and moved further into the laboratory.

============================ Author's Note ============================

Hello, I'm Ro Yujin.

Another daily update. Ah, it feels like daily updates have become a routine. All of this is thanks to your support. Hahaha. Today, a hint about Jeong Hyeon appeared. If any reader found it, you have eagle eyes. :)

『 Reader Comments 』

1. Person's Life: Eh, reading your writing made me want to watch The Walking Dead. I don't know why. Anyway, congratulations on being number one. :)

2. This and That Waster: Sob. I'm hurt. I'm hurt, okay. Sob.

3. CriaSen: Bingo. I took a lot from there. Of course, I also created some myself.

4. Moonlit Dew: Hahaha. You're tired of the straightforward approach. Hahaha. Actually, I'm secretly looking forward to who will be number one these days.

5. Hweeul: Yes, I can summon the entire 66th Legion. I can summon just the Legion's ruler or the entire special Legion. As long as I have enough mana. And if an elemental summoner has a contract with Ignis, no one else can contract with Ignis. Ignis wouldn't even respond to the summoning. Hahaha.

6. Pakasari: Mmm.

7. GradeRown: Actually... I have a plan for a scene with Sol after finishing the ruined laboratory. Please wait a little longer. Hehehe. ( --)

8. Hohokoya1: Thank you for the coupon. Hahaha. The clan name will make sense if you think about the clan's nature. Hehe.

9. Crying Soul: Ah, you were talking about the growth item for the plant. I was also surprised when it reached level 12. It's fun to watch it grow these days. :)

10. Qhthal: I once held a large-scale clan name contest. Many of you recommended great clan names. I tried to come up with some myself, but I could only think of something like the Heaven and Earth Clan. Ew. ㅜ.ㅠ

Your recommendations and comments are the driving force behind my daily updates. (This is the truth.)

I always read all the comments.

Don't be too disappointed if you're not mentioned in the reader comments.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a message, and I'll answer.

That's all for today.

I hope you always read the story with a comfortable heart.

I always welcome pre-reads, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions.