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Chapter 4: The Beginning of Restructuring (4)
Assistant Manager Gwak's brows furrowed, but he took a calm step forward.
He subtly calculated the distance to ensure the wooden bat wouldn’t reach him.
"Why are you digging your own grave?"
"What... What are you talking about?"
"Some people have already fled to other safe zones. If they survive, everyone will know you killed your colleagues—a murderer."
"......."
"There might be missions later requiring collaboration with others. Wouldn't that put you at a major disadvantage?"
Assistant Manager Gwak's eyes darted nervously, showing his unease.
"How... how do you know that?"
"That's how it always is when it comes to picking and firing people. I've had plenty of experience with restructuring and layoffs..."
I decided not to mention that I learned about the 'next stage' through the system.
Instead, I made up a plausible excuse.
The restructuring I experienced couldn't be the same as Earth's version, but my explanation seemed convincing enough, as he didn’t press further.
"Think rationally."
This was a mission where only a certain number of people could survive.
At first glance, it might seem better to go solo, since it’s a competition after all.
But...
‘The initial stages aren’t too strict on the number of people. It's better to move as a group, survive through the early and mid-stages, and compete within the group in the later stages.’
I wasn’t sure if Assistant Manager Gwak could think that far ahead.
If he refused...
"Who do you think you are, stepping in like this? Do you think I’m an easy target?"
I’d have no choice but to resort to another method.
"You... you bastard. I’ve always hated your guts. You think you’re on the same level as me, huh?"
He glared at me with murky eyes, seething with contempt.
A man who categorizes people into 'levels'—someone who harbors murderous rage against those 'above' him for looking down on him, yet dismisses people like me at the bottom of the food chain as 'beneath' him.
‘The ones right above you are always the scariest.’
"I don’t care if we’re on the same level or not."
"Shut up! Who are you to lecture me? You piece of trash!"
Was he incapable of the most basic reasoning?
I figured there was nothing more to say and turned to leave, but a heavy object came hurtling towards me.
— Thud!
It was a brown flowerpot, thrown by an agitated Gwak.
Thankfully, my body moved faster than my judgment.
I stepped back just in time, evading it before I even realized what it was.
[Measuring data required to unlock skills.]
‘Again?’
"Don’t ignore me! Don’t you dare ignore me!"
Gwak, now fully unhinged, kept throwing flowerpots, aiming to bash in everyone's heads.
People gathered at the meeting room entrance scattered to avoid the flying pots and shards.
‘Pathetic. Wasting critical throwable weapons like that.’
"You lunatic!"
— Crash!n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Those who witnessed his attempted murder and reckless violence began fleeing one by one, their faces pale with fear.
"Eunho, should we head down now? Maybe we can make it to the 4th floor if we hurry."
"It’s already too late."
Even at my pace, it would’ve been cutting it close.
The lower floors were likely packed with people by now.
Jieun seemed to understand, biting her lip with a troubled expression.
"...Is this the end for us?"
"No. The game hasn’t even started yet."
"Then what...? Eek!"
She stumbled as she bumped into someone trying to escape in the chaos.
— Grab!
I caught the man by the wrist before he could flee further.
"What... What are you doing?"
"If you don’t have a plan, join us."
He wasn’t particularly tall, but his sturdy build stood out.
The physique of someone well-acquainted with physical training.
"I do have a plan. I was going to try another safe zone."
"Don’t you think it’s too late for that?"
When I pointed it out, he averted his eyes, avoiding my gaze.
I shook his shoulder and spoke slowly, clearly, just as I had with Jieun earlier.
"Three minutes, 180 seconds left. Five seconds to reach the stairs. Based on your stride, it’ll take about 15 seconds per floor to descend. That’s 165 seconds to reach the 4th floor, leaving you with 10 seconds to spare."
"Huh? Wha—?"
"There are over 700 survivors left in this building. Only two safe zones exist. Everyone fleeing from here must already be cramming into those zones. What do you think you’ll find when you get there?"
"The 4th floor safe zone will be... Oh!"
"It could be even worse than here."
The man finally grasped the dire situation and hung his head.
"I understand now. But even so, we can’t just fight them off, can we?"
Tanned skin.
A body like chiseled stone.
A crew cut.
His mannerisms and speech were stiff, but not awkwardly so.
"You worked out? Or military?"
"I was discharged last year as a sergeant in the Army. How did you know?"
Dragging him by the wrist, I led him out into the disheveled office.
"We’ll discuss that later. For now, find something we can use as a shield."
"A shield... Oh! Would a frying pan work?"
"...We’ve got three minutes. Look around for something bigger."
“Leg enhancement.”
Would it work? It had to work. It must work.
In the 0.1 seconds of waiting for the system’s response, my heart sank and then soared.
[Mission reward has been granted.]
[Limp recovery rate: 100%.]
“...!”
[Recovery Rate of Limpness: 100%.]
"......!"
Tap.
I lifted my right foot and took a step.
Tap. Tap.
Left foot, right foot.
Not even the slightest delay.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
It’s light.
So light that I feel like I could fly.
'It worked......!'
Like a madman, I jumped on the spot.
I noticed Jieun staring at me wide-eyed like a startled rabbit, but I didn’t care.
The exhilaration was indescribable.
I wanted to keep jumping all night.
"Haa......."
"Eunho! Congratulations!"
But I have to survive.
For that—
'I’m still not there yet.'
Reviving my dead leg is an invaluable reward.
However, I used all three of my rewards to restore my body, so I’m naturally at a disadvantage compared to those who used theirs to enhance their already healthy bodies.
It’s like starting three steps behind everyone else.
In that case—
'First, that method.'
Catching up to and overtaking competitors ahead.
It’s something I’ve done all my life with the utmost effort—and succeeded at.
So, I’ll move ahead.
I’ll outrun them, and I’ll survive.
I have to.
"It’s all healed, right? Oh my goodness......!"
Jieun clasped her hands over her mouth, looking genuinely thrilled, as if it were her own accomplishment.
She really is a kind person.
"Thank you. I’ll just step out for a moment......."
"Haa......."
Just as I was about to rise, I heard Jaehyuk’s labored breathing.
Only then did it occur to me—I had forgotten him, sprawled out on the floor.
I propped him up against the wall.
"Mr. Jaehyuk! Are you okay?"
"Hoo......."
He was too out of breath to respond.
"There’s a shard stuck in you. We’ll need to remove it......."
A shard of a flower pot was lodged in his side, the shirt around it soaked with blood.
If left untreated, the wound could become infected.
"......It’s going to hurt. Please bear with it."
"Hrr, hreeeeeeeeeek!"
Jaehyuk screamed.
"I haven’t touched it yet."
"......."
Maybe it was from the movement causing his clothes to rub against the wound.
I carefully reached out with my fingers—
—Plop.
"Huh?"
The flower pot shard came out with a small pop.
"Looks like this is the end for me......."
"Excuse me?"
"To my mother back home...... my final words......."
...Final words?
I unconsciously frowned.
"Mr. Jaehyuk?"
At the sound of his name, he looked up at me with a wistful gaze.
"Say them yourself, your final words."
"You’re too...... cruel......."
The corners of his brows dipped, his eyes glistening, lips pressed tightly together.
He looked wounded.
"You’re not dying. Not from something like this."
Three centimeters?
No, maybe two?
It was just the very tip of the shard with a bit of blood on it.
Looking closer, he hadn’t even lost much blood in the first place.
It’s not enough to die, even if he wanted to.
'Why is he so scared?'
I thought I was getting a Doberman as an ally.
Turns out he’s just a black mutt.
[Translator - Night]
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