Life Mission Chapter 44:
-[You have gotten through the beginning of the Biology Institute and entered the center . ]
As soon as the door to the cargo lift opened, they received a welcome and unexpected notice .
The journey through the beginning had finally ended and they were moving on to the next step . The lifts were large enough to hold all of the force members with space for more .
It had not been created for transportation at first, but since it was aimed for large capacity loads, it was easy to load and move people with it .
“The warehouse is as big as a gym . ”
“What do they have saved here? Is this too related to the linked special mission?”
One Lifer approached a container box and tried opening it . It has a padlock on it but that does not matter .
-[You have discovered a large object . The linking special mission is starting . ]
-[Level E Special Mission: Procurement]
-[Goal: Attainment]
-[Content: Move the materials into the briefing room regardless of the type . ]
-[Reward: 1 point per 1kg]
“The food storage and hospital are the same . ”
“Tsk! If the space compression bag were big enough, we would have gotten a few thousand points . ”
There was so much that Hocheon could not keep all of it to themselves, but they did not bother putting their hands on it . The absence of space compression bags is a big reason why .
Even if they had them, there would be no room inside because it would be full of items they need to take care of the mission .
“What a waste . ”
“It’s however you think about it . ”
Cha Jun Sung looked around the warehouse . If all of it was taken to the briefing room, it would be worth a few million points .
If the food warehouse and hospital was added, they would no longer need to worry about points . If they complete the mission however, there is no re-entrance .
It is a type of balance . There is a limit to the points that they can obtain .
With the underpass that Park Jin Hyuk found, it could not be seen as a completing with killing the blood-sucking insects . The blood-sucking lord needs to be killed for it to be over .
Repeating the task of emptying the bag and filling it again seems to be ignorant .
If someone enters the mission during that time, it becomes like a dog chasing a chicken . The reality version that Lifers experience is not forgiving enough to allow for tricks to work .
It is an enclosed space with restricted access, save for a few cargo lifts . It was ominously silent . They could only hear the sound of wind leaking in from somewhere .
“It’s the entrance . ”
“Is there just one?”
As they walked along the container box, they quickly found the entrance door . Unlike the lift, there was just one . It seems they have to leave through that door .
It has a door like a valve because it stores important material . The handle did not turn whether it was because it is locked or rusted over .
Chun Myung Ik called one of his guild members . The man cut the valve with a fever cutter from the space compression bag . They carried with them all sorts of items .
It did not cut in one try . It took quite a while to open the door, but it was still better than making a lot of noise by trying to open it with a bomb .
Creak!
The door opened up to a narrow passage like a train compartment . One person at a time? If they tried to fit two people in, it would be packed tight .
Now it was time to input the seekers, but Chun Myung Ik spoke to the Lifers who asked for equal hunting opportunities .
-[Go in . ]
-[You’re telling me to go in there?]
-[Of course not . I’m telling all 15 people who came to me yesterday . ]
-[I’ll turn it down . If we go in and a mutant comes at us, won’t we be the ones taking the hit? Put in the seekers like you normally do!]
At that, Chun Myung Ik touched his face . Hocheon’s guild members held their breaths . It is behavior that he shows when he is really angry .
-[Do you swallow it if it’s sweet and spit it out if it’s bitter?]
-[What are you talking about?]
-[I told you to fall back if you don’t have the confidence and now you’re saying that you want to put the seekers in because it seems dangerous? I’m sure I told you that I don’t like people who don’t keep their word . ]
The Lifers shut their mouths as though glued . Their shock was apparent . Everything that Chun Myung Ik was saying is correct .
“They’re caught . ”
“Chun Myung Ik is obnoxious, but they won’t be able to refute that . ”
He had given them the opportunity to hunt because they had frustrations about the slow progress . However, they are trying to pull out now because it is a dangerous situation .
No matter how much they tried to look at it in a good light, they could not . They were completely trapped . Chun Myung Ik had justified reason to condemn those who disobeyed him .
-[If you will not go in, I’m going to send the list of your names to all guilds in Korea . If you can’t follow through, you shouldn’t have said anything in the first place . ]
-[You can’t do that!]
-[Please!]
It is an extreme measure and it is possible with Hocheon’s influence .
The 15 Lifers looked at each other . It is safer the later they go in .
If they are being forced to go in, they need to avoid being at the forefront . Everyone looked at one person . The first Lifer who brought up the issue to Chun Myung Ik .
He looked like he was going to cry . He would turn back time if he could .
The Lifers went into the passage . They do not have a choice .
It is not a width that can hold 100 people, so they went in 20 people at a time from the beginning . Cha Jun Sung was in the 2nd half of the group .
There were thick and thin pipes all over the passage walls .
The surface itself is a sturdy steel . It would be difficult for a mutant to get through . The ceiling and floor were similar . All they have to do is be careful with the front .
Since it was the basement and there was not much ventilation, the internal temperature was high . Tension and heat mixed to make them sweat . It felt bad, but they endured it .
Each time they opened the door, the group leader was relieved . They were on edge just in case a mutant might appear .
It was when the door opened for the 4th time . The view changed suddenly from that of a place they needed to go into a place that they need to escape from .
They could not go out recklessly . They were going out as though waiting for something .
The group leader put his vision goggles on . The range is short because it is a basic model . The effect was weak as well because the wall is thick . Only the open front is clear .
-[Go forward . ]
‘Damn it!’
‘Damn . ’
Chun Myung Ik’s radio reacted the same as if it were the leader’s .
It was strangely dark even though the power had been turned on . Why is this? Is it something the mutants did? As they relaxed, they started having other thoughts .
Their feet became heavy with tension . They could not get out because they might be attacked by surprise in their blind spots . One Lifer threw a photothermal grenade after thinking a while .
The grenade flung far hit the ground and gave off a bright light . As it is an open space without obstructions, the brightness had its best effect .
‘Chair? Table? Vending machine?’
‘Is it a rest area?’
A few people from the leading group stuck their heads out and looked around .
They could not figure out the situation outside by seeing what is inside the door . What could they do when they did not want to expose their bodies but stick their heads out .
They were in desperate need of navigation equipment, but the point consumption for that would be severe .
There are commonly seen products on the market .
Their first impression was that it is a rest area for public use . They could be wrong but this was their feeling . Fortunately, they did not see any mutants .
‘Seems empty . ’
‘Whew!’
One Lifer let out a deep breath . The hot breath rode the air and spread throughout the rest area .
Thump .
A sound similar to a heartbeat rang in the leading group’s ears .
It was weak at first, but it grew loud enough for all of the force members to hear . It is a living sound that a machine cannot make – there is no doubt that it is a mutant .
Sniff sniff!
They are certain that it is the heartbeat of one being . It just seems like several hearts were beating at the same time and after overlapping multiple time, it was like a drum was being pounded mercilessly .
-[It’s a hatchery . ]
Cha Jun Sung unintentionally revealed the mutant’s identity in the radio .