Chapter 4

The front was blank, with only a name and phone number written on it.

'NIS?'

I’ve read about it somewhere.

It’s said that NIS business cards are either blank or disguised as publishing companies.

The man pointed to a car parked by the roadside and repeated.

“It’s an emergency. I just need you to come with me for a moment.”

‘What should I do...’

Glance.

A gun was visible in the inner pocket of his suit.

New Encounter

“Alright.”

It’s not because I’m afraid of the gun.

I obediently got into the back of the black sedan.

The comfort was incomparable to my bed in the container.

Before I knew it, my eyes closed.

“Wake up. We’ve arrived.”

I had only just closed my eyes, yet we were already there.

“Where are we?”

“It’s our agency. Please get out and follow me.”

Resident registration submission, comparison, computer verification, and so on...

Several rigorous inspections followed.

When we went underground, a door with no markings appeared.

Beyond the door was a single iron table, two chairs, and a large mirror on the wall.

‘Interrogation room?’

“Please sit. Would you like some coffee?”

The man asked in a businesslike tone.

Rumble.

My stomach made a loud noise as if a war was breaking out inside.

I scratched the back of my head.

“Is there anything to eat? Maybe some gomtang, or seolleongtang...”

The man glared at me with a fierce look.

“This is not a place for jokes.”

“But I’m really hungry. If you have something to ask, give me something to eat.”

Ding.

The man checked a message on his phone.

“Sigh. Please wait a moment.”

The man sighed and left the room.

‘Is someone watching me from somewhere?’

Not long after, a bowl of seolleongtang and rice came out.

Red kimchi and white broth.

Properly cooked beef noodles.

I added salt and pepper without a word and started eating the seolleongtang.

‘This place is a real hidden gem.’

It’s delicious.

Before I knew it, I had finished the meal.

The man looked at me and chuckled.

“You really have a thick nerve. It’s usually hard to act so comfortably here...”

“Ugh. Well, I haven’t done anything wrong, so why should I be scared? So, what do you want to know?”

The man snapped his fingers, and the CCTV in the corner of the ceiling glowed red.

“Your name, occupation, awakened ability, how you got into the portal, and what you saw and felt. Please tell me everything without omission.”

“Huh? Why? I don’t want to.”

The man’s eyebrows twitched.

“Hey, Seo Jin-woo! I said this isn’t a joke!”

Bang.

The man slammed the table.

I shrugged and spoke.

“You already know my name. You’ve investigated enough, so I don’t know what you’re curious about. Besides, is this the way to treat someone you’re curious about? Yelling at me... how can a regular citizen like me open up?”

The man glared at me with a fierce look after my long speech.

Creak.

The door opened, and an elderly gentleman entered.

Thump.

The man quickly stood up.

“Wait outside for a moment.”

“B-but, Director...”

“Kim Officer!”

The director called out firmly.

The man bowed and left the room.

“You live in a shack next to Suseo Station?”

The director smiled as he sat down.

“Yes.”

The director looked disappointed at my answer.

“The green belt has been lifted, but it’s a pity.”

“What can I do about it?”

“The portal at the Suseo Station intersection... It’s gone, right? Did you remove it?”

The director looked at me directly and asked.

“Yes, I removed it.”

The director nodded approvingly.

“Good. We are not in a position to be picky about this global situation. I want to ask you some detailed questions.”

“Hmm. Yes. Should I call you Director?”

“Yes, feel free to call me that.”

The director leaned back in the iron chair and folded his hands.

“Can you believe everything I tell you?”

It’s a different world.

No matter how much I explain, how can you believe it?

The director nodded solemnly.

“That’s a reasonable point. Fine. Then let me make a proposal.”

Click.

The director took out a GoPro from his inner pocket.

“If you enter the portal again, can I ask you to record the inside with this?”

‘Hmm. Then...’

“What do I get in return? You’re not going to talk about patriotism or something, are you?”

The director smiled and nodded.

“Patriotism is important, of course. We need to maintain the social system. However, if you keep your promise, the government will provide all the conveniences it can for you.”

“For example?”

The director’s eyebrows twitched.

‘It won’t do to just gloss over it.’

“I can offer you a key position in the government’s portal response task force. Money... I don’t think you need it, but if you do, I can provide it...”

This kind of situation often appears in spy or action movies.

I shrugged and spoke.

“Are you asking me to believe what you’ve said so far? From someone I’ve never met before?”

‘It’s a civilization game, so I can’t help it. I prefer something concrete.’

This game ultimately requires expanding territory.

Land is needed more and more.

Whether I like it or not, the government’s cooperation is essential.

The director quietly sent a text, and Kim Officer entered immediately.

Everything he had said earlier was written down.

At the bottom was the seal of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Response Task Force Director.

“Do you believe me now?”

“Yes, I guess. Then I’ll tell you.”

I described the situation inside as detailed as possible.

Except for my ability.

“What ability did you awaken to?”

Kim Officer’s question.

I shook my head.

“I’m not sure yet. If I’m going to work with the TF, there will be another chance to talk about it.”

The director nodded, and Kim Officer opened the door.

“Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll take you back now.”

I pointed to the seolleongtang.

“This was really delicious... Can I have one more bowl, please?”

The director sighed without a word.

* * *

“Where would you like to be dropped off?”

The driver glanced at me and asked.

I held the warm, wrapped seolleongtang and smiled happily.

“Please drop me off at the Suseo Station intersection.”

The driver kept glancing at me.

“Why?”

“Well, you were on the news.”

“Huh? The news?”

When I turned on the internet, my face was plastered all over the news articles.

First! The person who made the portal disappear?

Suseo Station intersection, the portal is gone.

Portal entry and exit, video released!

‘Video?’

When I clicked on the article, my appearance in front of the portal at the intersection appeared.

“Behind! Behind! Monster!”

A scream was heard, and the video captured me tripping and falling into the portal.

“Huh? Did someone just disappear into the portal?”

The video continued with a surprised voice.

A moment later, another angle of the video played.

It showed me coming out of the portal.

“Look, the portal is disappearing!”

The portal vanished as light shot up into the sky.

In the video, I was looking around with a dazed expression.

“Is that a monster?”

“Is it human?”

Whispers from the crowd were also heard.

“A! I live in Suseo!”

My voice echoed in the quiet street.

– Haha, he lives in Suseo!

– Is it necessary to emphasize that he’s Korean? Is it some kind of K-Awakening Class?

– What did he awaken to?

– It looks like he tripped and fell? It’s obvious he’s clumsy.

– Maybe there’s nothing inside? What kind of analysis is this lol?

The comments on the news article were all mocking me.

My face turned red.

‘Damn... Next time, I’ll make sure to record a proper video.’

“We’ve arrived.”

I got off at the Suseo Station intersection.

The car left, and I headed towards the container with a lighter heart.

“Hey, we should go this way!”

“There’s a portal in Seongnam too. We should stay in Suseo.”

“Ugh, I’m so frustrated. We need to be near the military for safety! What do you know?”

“What do you mean you don’t know? When did you start taking care of me?”

“This is the truth!”

‘People are fighting on the street.’

In the middle of the road.

A man and a woman were arguing.

The man was trying to drag the woman towards Pangyo, but the woman was resisting.

‘It’s a tough world.’

Just as I was thinking that,

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

“Ah! Help me!”

“Aaaah!”

Screams were heard.

‘Goblins? Where from?’

The goblins I saw in the portal.

Two of them ran out from between abandoned cars.

Their bodies were covered in bright red blood.

I quickly grabbed a frying pan.

‘No portal? Leftovers?’

Or maybe they came from another portal.

“O-oh, don’t come. Go away! Or, kill this woman instead of me!”

“Aaaah!”

“Eek.”

The man pushed the woman over and ran without looking back.

‘What a bastard.’

The goblins shouted and approached the woman.

Swish.

One goblin threw a sword at the man’s back.

“Gah.”

The sword tip protruded from the man’s chest as he ran.

Thud.

The man fell, and the woman, left alone, trembled in fear at the sight of the goblins.

“P-please, go away. P-please, save me.”

‘Even if the man is like that...’

I can’t let the woman die in front of me.

“Hey! Do you see that container? Go inside!”

I shouted at the woman and pointed to the container.

“M-my legs.”

“Just staying there will get you killed! Move quickly!”

In the meantime, I quickly scanned the situation.

The goblin who threw the sword was unarmed.

I swung the frying pan at the goblin holding the sword.

Clang!

The goblin quickly raised his shield to block.

‘Strength increase.’

“Huff.”

Bang!

I charged at the goblin like a bullet.

With a full stomach, I felt invincible.

The goblin tried to dodge to the side.

‘I’m faster!’

I swung the frying pan and slashed the goblin’s face with the momentum of my charge.

Clang!

A clear sound echoed as the goblin fell to the ground.

“Squeak! Squeak!”

The remaining goblin charged at me with his bare hands.

‘Where?’

I knocked his fist away with the frying pan and immediately kicked the goblin with all my strength.

Thud.

The goblin fell, foaming at the mouth.

I vertically slammed the frying pan down.

In an instant, I took down both goblins.

‘No achievement?’

There was no reaction on my status screen.

‘Well, goblins aren’t anything new.’

It feels like I’ve already extracted everything from them.

As the tension eased, I finally noticed my surroundings.

Some people were peeking out of their windows, filming me.

‘Why don’t they help?’

I understand.

They need to survive.

I trudged back to the container and opened the door. The woman was crouched in a corner, hiding.

She was pale and trembling.

I cleared my throat.

“Ahem. Are you okay?”

“Bastard!”

“Excuse me?”

I was suddenly cursed.

The woman seemed to regain her senses and stood up, bowing to me.

“I’m sorry. I meant the bastard, Choi Daeri, earlier...”

“Ah, is he your boyfriend?”

“No way! He’s just a coworker, but that bastard... sniff.”

‘People are still going to work in this situation...’

They are truly remarkable.

“Where do you live? You can go now, it’s safe.”

“My house exploded. Sniff.”

‘Ah...’

Some people’s homes were destroyed by monster attacks or unstable base energy supply causing floods.

She must be one of them.

“So, I came to the company because I had nowhere to go... that bastard... sniff.”

I scratched my head.

“Yes, I see. Take care of yourself...”

I bowed and opened the container door wide.

It was a signal for her to leave.