Life Mission Chapter 16:
Life Mission
Volume 1 Chapter 16
The deepest hideout in the underpass – it was built as a bunker in case of emergency situations, but it had been a long time since it was used for those purposes .
A place with plenty of space for tens of thousands of people was bustling with blood-sucking insects .
To use military terms, this was their headquarters . The habitat that Zephyrus had discovered was a small camp of the evil blood-suckers .
Seuseuk .
As they got closer to the center, higher levels appeared . There was a clear order .
The weaker ones were gathered on the outside, but the stronger ones had constantly dug in to get to the center . Something was brewing .
Kyarung!
A stifled cry as if something was caught in the throat . As soon as the sound was heard, it became quiet .
As a thorn the size of a human arm scratched the hard concrete, 5 demon blood-suckers a few times the size of the evil blood-suckers raised their heads .
Demon blood-suckers controlled the incoming insects and drew a circle .
It was to protect the giant cocoon behind them . The cocoon was large enough for all 5 of the demon blood-suckers to fit in .
The top of the cocoon cracked . Something inside was trying to get out .
The demon blood-suckers and insects moved as if they were having seizures . It was like looking at fanatics enshrining a pseudo-Sheikh . It was about half larger than the normal demon blood-sucker . It was an elder to the insects .
Kiik!
They could not describe the despair they felt when they lost their king in a losing war . Fortunately, the king left an heir and the heir was about to be born .
-[We are not yet finished . Worship his return . ]
This was what they would have said if the demon blood-suckers’ thoughts were translated into human language .
Kwakwang!
The cocoon could not withstand the power being exerted from inside and a hole formed . The creature that sprang out of it surged towards the ceiling .
Woowoowoowoo!
There was a mighty power in its roar .
This was when Cha Jun Sung had passed out . This was the type of mental collapse that a Level 7 mutant could invoke .
Keukeukeukeuk .
The ceiling was cracking . It had been split by a thorn sharper than a knife .
As it was in the basement, the concrete’s thickness was unimaginable – but the mutant had pierced it .
It was easily 100m from its head to its tail, and 10m in diameter .
Other than the cone-shaped thorn, the underground creature had blades attached to it . The thorn was larger than a person .
It looked similar to the demon blood-suckers but the underground creature was more fit for destruction . Its color was a harmony of blue, red, and black .
The blood-sucking insect’s 3rd form of evolution .
The blood-sucking lords took one spot in the 36 nightmares .
Seuk .
The blood-sucking lord looked down . The things that gathered . They were weak and insignificant, but he could tell that they were a fellow species .
Kiah!
The blood-sucking insects howled . The king they had so waited for had been born .
How could they express this happiness?
They were ready to avenge the sorrow they felt in the past under the new king’s command .
Mental collapse .
It was the mind control used when high level mutants wanted lower creatures to submit . This concept of lower creatures included humans .
3 years ago in Life Mission, a Level 8 mutant was let loose in a big city .
Outbreak event? That was the basic objective . At the time, Lifers below the 5th stage of body modifications in a 500m radius passed out .
Cha Jun Sung survived the mental collapse and caught the mutant with other Lifers .
Level 8 was that fearsome . He recognized the same noise in the Underpass before passing out . But Underpass was only supposed to be a Class E . What was going on?
“How could it be a blood-sucking lord . Even I’ve only caught one before because they’re so hard to find . ”
Disaster and nightmare .
It was the way to refer to Level 9 and Level 8 mutants . Blood-sucking lords were a Level 8 mutant .
Its ability to exert its power was real . In the virtual version, it destroyed a 10-floor building that Cha Jun Sung was hiding in with a flick of its tail .
He had meant to surprise it, but could not fool its sensitive senses .
‘This is incredible information . It’s information that brings value just by having it!’
Lifers advance through missions . He was struggling with Class E right now, but it was obvious that he would soon pass Class D to go on to C and B .
There were missions until Class S . The blood-sucking lord’s strength was estimated at Level A .
It was unthinkable at the moment, but as it became a goal to seek without rest, it would become the grounds to cross over to Level S .
‘Keep the goal big . We advance one step at a time, but I must be ever prepared . And knowledge is key . ’
He did not care about the boundary between the virtual and real . As long as he had made up his mind, he would become the best in reality as he had been in the virtual version . Overload does not change just because it was now in reality .
Kiak!
The Great Spider, whose body was cut off, fell over . Cha Jun Sung blew at the heat coming out of the red fire . This signified mission completion as he had caught the last one .
“Jin Hyuk, come here . ”
“Okay . ”
Cha Jun Sung called Zephyrus, Park Jin Hyuk . 10 days ago after the Underpass mission, Park Jin Hyuk had contacted him immediately upon his return .
They made plans the next day and entered a mission where they formally introduced themselves .
Park Jin Hyuk was young . He was now 19 years old . He had earned his GED for school . Cha Jun Sung didn’t see it as a problem because this was not a day and age where schooling meant everything as it had in the past .
“With today, you’ll be getting all Class E equipment?”
“It’s close but it should be . It’s all because of you . Thank you . ”
Bow .
Park Jin Hyuk bowed politely . In 10 days, they raised 30,000 points .
They had initially planned to get there in a month, but they had done it 20 days faster . A lot of it was thanks to Cha Jun Sung and his experience .
Underpass, which had been Park Jin Hyuk’s reliable mission, became the one to avoid .
The blood-sucking lord was there . It was a given to avoid if it in their right mind . They had to have at least the 7th body modification and the battle shoot to try it . But at least they knew to avoid it . Valuable information indeed .
“To commemorate becoming comrades, I’ll tell you something . ”
“What is it?”
“I said I completed a Level D special mission, right? Class D store has something important . ”
Park Jin Hyuk thought about it . Cha Jun Sung would not have told him this for no reason . Cha Jun Sung was curious to see if Jin Hyuk would be able to read what he was thinking .
“What’s in the Class D store?”
“Body modification . ”
Park Jin Hyuk’s eyes rounded . He had not played Life Mission for long, but he knew the importance of body modifications . It was absolutely necessary for Lifers .
He had not been able to find it anywhere in Class E, but it was hiding in Class D?
“Are you saying we should attempt a Level D mission? I don’t have it in my list . ”
“Think outside the box . ”
He was at an age where he had a questioning and curious nature . They were discussing Level D mission and store right now . It must be related .
“I think I know what is it . ”
“What are you thinking?”
“Special mission!”
“Right . I’m thinking of giving that mission a try . There’s nothing left to do in Level E . It’ll take half a year to buy Level D equipment with the points we earn here . ”
Each level had its own wall . If he could not break through it, he could not advance .
Cha Jun Sung was at an advantage over Park Jin Hyuk because he completed a Level D mission . If he invested 1 year, he could freely advance to Level D missions .
On the other hand, Park Jin Hyuk was a Level E . Unless he attempted a Level D mission, he would stay at Level E even if he gathered hundreds of thousands of points . Cha Jun Sung was asking if he will take the challenge . No reward without risk .
“My guess is that if we get it, the Level D mission will open . Granted, mine is already open . ”
“Will it be okay with the two of us?”
“No . ”
Cha Jun Sung revealed his negative thoughts . It was 3000 points at least . He did not know what type of mission the upgrade mission was . But it was dangerous for just two to go in .
“There are more 1000 point parties . I’m sure we’ll find someone soon . ”