Chapter 9

Water purifies from our water purifier 010

4. Even if I win the lottery, I'll still live in the attic (2)

Screams can be heard from all around. Darkness so thick I can't see a thing.

It's a situation where a human can't think straight.

'You damn thief!!'

I was in the same boat.

But what made me lose my composure wasn't the screams or the darkness, but the 'loss' of something.

"He, he stole my lottery ticket!"

For heaven's sake.

I made sure to check my pocket every ten seconds to ensure I wouldn't lose it.

But he must have stolen my winning ticket when the lights went out.

Winning the lottery has the power to make even monsters covet it.

"I, I'm going out!"

Thud!

The sound of a panicked man running somewhere could be heard.

Probably towards the exit.

'Right. If he opens the door, the light from outside will come in...'

Then I might be able to see the face of the one who stole my lottery ticket.

The man opened the door.

Light poured through the crack.

"It, it's... outside! Cough!"

For a brief moment, I could see.

A man appeared, looking relieved as if he had survived.

-@x%@$

A black silhouette appeared from behind and grabbed the man, disappearing with him.

The door closed, and the bank was dark again.

"..."

I moved to the wall by feeling the floor.

At least if I lean against the wall, I only have to worry about what's in front of me.

'Strange.'

I kept blinking to get used to the darkness.

It was strange.

There is no complete darkness in this world.

Once your eyes adjust to the darkness, you should be able to see the shapes of objects.

But no matter how much time passed, my eyes didn't adjust to the darkness.

'This must be the work of that strange guy.'

It's more like the act of a monster than a terrorist.

No one would carry out such a strange terrorist attack.

If it were a terrorist, they would have taken hostages or pointed a gun at us by now.

'Be quiet.'

The screams that had been heard around me had disappeared.

The monster must have taken people, and they were keeping quiet to avoid revealing their location.

There's a simple way to break this silence.

"Aah."

"!"

"?"

I made a sound by lightly tensing my throat.

The monster didn't attack me.

In the two previous attacks, people screamed, but the monster didn't attack them.

The monster that blocks our vision.

Perhaps it can't hear sounds.

Otherwise, it wouldn't just sit there.

"Huh, huh..."

"Is, is someone there?"

As I spoke, people started to talk.

"Is, is everyone still alive?"

"I'm alive!"

"Our, our child is missing! Can someone help us!"

Just as we were about to fall into chaos again, I said,

"Let's all gather over here. We might be safer if we stick together."

"Where, where is over there? I can't see anything!"

"I'll keep making noise, so crawl over here."

Three claps started.

Clap clap clap-

I made clapping sounds like a kindergarten teacher guiding children.

People were drawn to the sound and gathered around me.

"Can, can I hold your hand?"

It sounded strange at first, but in a scary situation, people often crave the warmth of others.

I readily extended my hand.

"Sure, go ahead."

"Thank you."

A small, soft hand trembled.

"Can, can I hold on too?"

"No."

"Huh?"

A disappointed voice came from right next to me.

People were leaning on each other, scared of the unknown attack.

It's normal.

Anyone would be scared in this situation.

'But why am I so calm?'

I was strangely composed.

I did lose my composure once, but it was due to anger, not fear.

"Will the rescue team come?"

"They will."

They will come.

This is the main branch of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation in Seoul.

The question is whether we can stay safe until the rescue team arrives.

We don't know when the monster will change its tactics and attack us.

What happened to the people who were taken?

They might still be alive.

People started talking about what had been taken from them.

"...It's a precious item given to me by my deceased parents. I even wear it to bed."

"It's the first birthday gift my daughter ever gave me. Now I'm glad she didn't come with me."

"It's my only son, whom I worked so hard to have... Please, someone help me..."

The more I listened, the more I noticed a common thread.

What was taken was something 'precious' to each person.

Things that were inseparable from their bodies.

I was the same.

"We have to save them."

I said seriously.

"How do we save them? We can't see anything, and we have no means to fight back."

"Shouldn't we just wait here? It seems too dangerous."

I shook my head.

========================

-Emergency Quest!-

"Defeat the monster 'Groom' that has appeared at the Seoul National Agricultural Cooperative Federation main branch."

Reward: Random Open Key, Select Open Key, Select Enhancement Key.

Special Note: Groom has a habit of swallowing things it likes. Swallowed items will be digested over time in its stomach.

========================

If I hadn't seen this, I might have agreed.

The quest visible to my eyes, even though I couldn't see the surroundings.

It's indeed a monster.

And I'm supposed to defeat it.

My physical abilities are no different from an average person's.

It would be best to stay out of such a dangerous situation and wait quietly.

But the special note caught my eye.

It digests what it steals.

This means precious items are lost, and the people taken might die.

I didn't reveal what I knew to avoid causing chaos.

Instead, I looked for someone.

"Is there anyone who works here?"

"Me? I'm the branch manager here..."

The voice came from right next to me.

It was the uncle who had been disappointed that I didn't hold his hand.

I grabbed his hand and said,

"Do you know the layout of this place well?"

"Yes... I do, but going to the exit will just make us a target for the monster."

This is the second emergency quest I've seen.

Rescue the Twilight Guild from a Doppleganger.

Neutralize an invisible monster.

The conditions were absurd, but...

The quests seem to be within the scope of what I can do with my abilities.

The first one was solved using the "water purifier that produces potions."

The second one...

"Select Open Key"

I still had an unused open key.

All I can do is use ordinary items in 'special' ways.

Invisible darkness.

What would be needed to dispel such darkness?

The answer came quickly.

"Where are the flashlights in this place?"

* * *

"Heh heh. Come in, come in."

"I don't usually drink during the day."

"Ah, you're leaving an old man to drink alone?"

"...I'll have one glass."

Jeong Hyeon frowned slightly and took a sip of the alcohol.

"Ah, refreshing. Come, have another glass."

The Twilight Guild leader, Ahn Hwan-jae, laughed heartily.

His face was flushed, as if from the alcohol.

To anyone, he looked like a regular old man who enjoyed a drink.

'But that can't be.'

Looking at him, Jeong Hyeon said,

"We didn't come here just to drink, did we?"

"Haste. When you're young and in a hurry, things don't work out."

"Cooperative strategy for the newly appeared 4th floor dungeon. Can we count on you to join us?"

"How long has it been since you finished the 3rd floor dungeon? You want to go into another dangerous place?"

His eyes changed when the business talk came up.

Jeong Hyeon's face hardened.

'I made a mistake. I should have known when that slippery guy suddenly backed out.'

A new 4th floor dungeon appeared...

I was so focused on 'The Tomb of the Fallen Fairy' that I didn't notice.

By the time they finished the dungeon, the ownership had already changed.

"...Anyway, you decided to seek external help, didn't you?"

"That's right, but that doesn't mean I'm a tired tiger."

Ahn Hwan-jae took a drink and laughed.

"I've told you many times. Just have a blind date with my granddaughter. I'll make sure everything works out."

That topic again.

But having a meal together should be fine, right?

Just as she was thinking that,

Knock knock-

Someone came in from the inside.

The Twilight Guild's advisor.

'I told him not to interrupt unless it was serious.'

We were in the middle of a crucial negotiation about the 4th floor dungeon.

Jeong Hyeon frowned.

"What is it? If it's not urgent, we can talk later."

"...It's that. A Groom has appeared at the Seoul National Agricultural Cooperative Federation main branch."

"That's not our jurisdiction. Did you come just to tell me that?"

"Heh heh. The Twilight Guild seems to worry a lot about the world."

Jeong Hyeon glared at the advisor.

I'll fire him as soon as this is over.

The advisor, sweating, leaned in and whispered in her ear,

"...There's someone familiar among the people trapped there. His name is Lee Se-jin..."

Jeong Hyeon's eyes widened.

Her mana, which had been contained, started to leak out.

She hurriedly stood up.

It was an unreasonable action considering the purpose of her visit.

"Uh, what? Where are you going?"

"Something important has come up. I'll take my leave now."

"...If you leave now, this deal is off?"

"I don't care."

It didn't matter anymore.

As soon as she stepped outside, she called the leaders of the combat teams.

"Gather all the combat teams in the guild. It's urgent, so get here as soon as possible!"

Her heart was racing, and her breath was short.

Alchemist Lee Se-jin is in danger from a monster.

A treasure of humanity is in peril!

This is a much more serious matter than a 4th floor dungeon.

Jeong Hyeon's face was filled with anxiety.

"I'm going now."

* * *

"What are you doing, not entering yet! Can't you see the alchemists... people are isolated inside!"

"This is our Holy Guild's jurisdiction. It's not for outsiders to interfere."

Crack-

Jeong Hyeon glared at the person in front of her.

"Don't come any closer. This is a warning."

"The Shields of God will not forgive you if you ignore the warning."

White-armored paladins stepped in front of the person Jeong Hyeon was talking to, protecting them.

All of them were formidable figures.

"It's fine. We were just having a conversation."

"But, Sister."

"I appreciate your concern, but please step back for now."

"Yes, I understand."

Such powerful beings.

The paladins, who were nearly 2 meters tall, followed the person's command without hesitation.

There was only one person who could do that.

'This must be the Holy Guild leader...'

I was a guild leader at a young age, but...

I couldn't believe the person in front of me was the leader of a guild.

A petite girl in a nun's habit with white hair down to her waist.

She was the leader of the Holy Guild, known for handling the 'Mad Shields of God.'

'This is the first time I've seen her face.'

Why did she suddenly come to such a place, when she never attended official events?

She clasped her hands and spoke to Jeong Hyeon.

"I am also concerned about the people inside, but if we enter rashly, the monster might escape outside."

"So we just catch it then?"

"Groom is a monster that lives in darkness. If we're not careful, it might hide in the shadows and escape into the city."

That would cause a major disaster.

Thud thud-

High-intensity lighting stands began to surround the bank.

By blocking the shadows with lights and then entering, it would prevent the monster from escaping.

"Now it's almost ready. When dealing with evil, one must remain calm. That is God's teaching."

The paladins were fully prepared to enter at any moment.

"Guild leader, what will you do?"

"Stepping back might be better..."

The Twilight Guild combat teams behind Jeong Hyeon asked.

The alchemist might be in danger right now.

Just as Jeong Hyeon was about to give the signal to enter,

"...?"

An unexpected event occurred.

"...Who turned on the lights?"

"Sister, it's not the lights!"

"...!!"

Inside the bank, isolated in darkness.

Light burst out from within.