Chapter 72 – Concerns

Recently, I have been in the midst of preparing for a defense battle.

The objective of this operation was to install about eight more Mana Facilities, increase the number of defensive structures, and completely annex the factions in the vicinity of southwestern Seoul.

Of course, the core of this was undoubtedly Seoul National University.

As the translation work in the production workshop’s library progressed, researchers whose curiosity about the Underground City had peaked began exploring the dungeons themselves.

Furthermore, since it was a task that yielded immediate financial gain, everyone started scrambling to recruit the “brains,” and they were certainly being absorbed and integrated into our faction.

While the talented individuals were technically already within our sphere of influence, there was still a need to formally incorporate Seoul National University into My Faction.

The primary reason was that Seoul National University’s library boasted the largest scale among domestic university libraries; an equally important reason was that it was a complex space housing laboratories equipped with numerous pieces of experimental equipment.

Meanwhile, since the area to be defended had become so vast, I needed people to divide and take charge of various regions. Thus, I was in the middle of drafting operational plans with Sua and Choi Yongjin.

“I’ll take charge of the north, including Yeouido,” Sua said confidently. It seemed she intended to carry out the defense battle by utilizing the vast waters of the Han River.

“I’ll trust you with it, Ms. Sua.”

“Hehe…”

As Sua beamed, Yongjin looked at her and gave a confident smirk, adding in a bold voice, “Then I’ll take the south.”

“The front you have to cover will be quite wide; will you be alright?” I asked him tentatively.

Recently, the Volunteer Knights had been moving in a slightly different direction. This happened as the Large Production Facilities were constructed.

As the number of Breakers gradually increased, quite a few bikers found themselves unemployed.

General Ability Users had all been reorganized into infantry using Magitech Armor and other gear, leaving only those bikers who possessed vehicle-related abilities.

Similarly, this became possible because the large Armored Transport Planes guaranteed their mobility.

In response to my question, Choi Yongjin simply nodded.

“It is sufficient. I will show you myself.”

This was Choi Yongjin, after all. Having memories of my previous life, I knew for certain. If he said he was fine, then he was fine.

“Then I’ll trust you.”

I nodded back to him.

After the three of us spent some time discussing specific operational details and making decisions, we disbanded. At that moment, a small head of pink hair peeked in from behind the operations room.

“Siwoo-oppa, are you all finished?”

“Yeah,” I answered lightly.

Seoyeon looked at Sua with a momentarily anxious gaze, then looked at Choi Yongjin and smiled.

“Oh, Seoyeon?”

“Yes! My sister told me to come quickly if you were done.”

The person she referred to as “sister” was Choi Yongjin’s Fiancee.

However, she still had a tendency to struggle with trusting people. This was especially true for those who hadn’t been her comrades in her previous life. It seemed her heart only opened once she had certainty that they would like her.

‘That’s why she isn’t very close with Sua and Minju…’

Fortunately, however, she got along well with the original group, such as Yongjin and Seongjae. And… the person she felt most comfortable with… was undoubtedly me.

I had confessed to her alone that I possessed memories of a past life; this was because she had already made fairly accurate guesses about it, and I felt this would make her more comfortable.

After all, compared to others with whom I had to build a relationship from scratch in this life, I was the only person who already had a pre-existing connection on one side.

“Siwoo-oppa, about that thing you mentioned last time.”

She began to speak with a bright smile.

“What?”

“You know, that thing!”

“Ah, that?”

It seemed to be something regarding the previous life.

“I’m a little curious about something…”

“Alright. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Okay!”

She disappeared, looking delighted.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sua, who witnessed this entire situation from the side…

felt a bit complicated.

‘Oppa…’

Sua had been quite shocked when she first saw Seoyeon calling Siwoo “oppa.”

But that wasn’t all.

‘They’re going off to talk alone again…’

There was something undeniably secretive between the two. Rumors had even circulated that “Siwoo had a girlfriend hidden away in Chuncheon.”

However, Siwoo had completely denied such rumors.

He claimed they were something like childhood friends who had known each other for a long time.

‘I’m jealous…’

She also wanted to become close with Siwoo. For instance, compared to Seoyeon, even their forms of address were different.

But for some reason, the word “oppa” wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

‘I feel like I could just do it, though…’

They had become quite close by now. They had also experienced many things together. At this point, it wouldn’t be strange to say it.

‘Right. I’ll just do it.’

As it happened, Siwoo was standing right in front of her.

“Um, Si… Siwoo… Op…”

It was just as she opened her mouth.

“Ah! Yes, Ms. Sua. Let’s end today’s operational meeting here. I’ll see you at dinner!”

Siwoo waved his hand a couple of times and left the room.

“Ah…”

Sua was left alone in the room, utterly defeated.

* * *

I spent a moment examining the military map spread across the large table.

Sua would handle the northern Han River line.

The Volunteer Knights would handle the south.

The western sea was being diligently patrolled by the Submersible Patrol Craft, so there was no particular need to worry about it.

The urban warfare in the east was planned to be handled by the newly emerging Ability Users within My Faction, along with my machines. This would establish a defensive line encompassing the entire north, south, east, and west, but…

There was still one place I had missed.

‘The problem is Gwak Sangyong’s Faction.’

There were eight Mana Facilities to be expanded this time. They were being installed across a very wide area, and the number was significant.

Moreover, they weren’t just being installed in the Seoul area. They would occupy the empty space between Incheon and Geumhwa Bucheon, and to the north, they would include Gimpo City.

While I could sufficiently fend off the Monsters, Gwak Sangyong’s Faction could not.

Recently, rumors had been circulating that they had lost everything up to Hanam City to a Villain located in Namhansanseong Fortress… If I officially started the defense battle, they would surely be swept away.

Like a shrimp’s back breaking in a fight between whales.

‘I should probably contact him soon.’

In my previous life, Gwak Sangyong’s Faction boasted considerable power, remaining a core pillar of humanity even after losing much.

If I could fully ally with them before their strength waned… it would undoubtedly be a great help.

‘Well… shall I start by helping him eliminate the Villain?’

Eliminate the Villain of Namhansanseong Fortress and help recover Hanam.

For Gwak Sangyong, it would be an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Besides that…

There was one more proposal that only I could make to him.

‘He said his wife and two children were trapped in a villa on Jeju Island.’

This time, I intended to make sure he didn’t lose them.

‘Let’s see… if he can hold out without joining My Faction.’

I smirked.

* * *

A short while later.

Sua headed to the market to change her mood.

Lately, there were more and more things to see at the market.

“Wow…”

She spent a moment looking at a material processor’s shop where the heads of Monsters were hanging in clusters.

“A-A puppy!”

She also saw a pet shop selling puppies.

“My goodness…”

It’s overwhelming enough to live alone, yet someone is intentionally adding another mouth to feed. Until recently, this was something unimaginable.

Other than that, clothing stores and shoe stores were becoming common.

They were shops that might seem ordinary, but the interesting part was the slogans they wrote as advertisements.

[Guaranteed Unused]

[Absolutely Not Second-Hand]

It was a given in the previous world… but not today. Frankly, who knows if the clothes were looted from a corpse? After a horrifying thought, Sua shuddered for a moment—

‘I’m glad I get clothes from Mr. Siwoo…’

She felt grateful for her situation.

Furthermore, the shops selling wearable items weren’t limited to clothes or shoes.

Recently, Magitech Armor rental shops had opened…

These were places where one could rent not only a Worker Bug but also Magitech Armor for a week using Worker Bug Coins.

The defensive capabilities were, of course, included, along with firearms utilizing explosive functions. Though it was confidential, only Sua knew that they might eventually be able to operate small cars as well.

Aside from the Magitech Armor rental shops, Artifact production workshops were also active.

From blacksmiths making swords and armor, reminiscent of the Middle Ages… to enchanters performing magic infusions using vast amounts of Mana Stones.

‘It’s like some fantasy…’

Sua smiled anew.

However, she had no need to visit the workshops. She had already received an Artifact from Siwoo with performance far superior to any mass-produced item…

And it was because there was a specific shop she was looking for.

‘Is there a new shop?’

Regardless of what anyone said, the flower of the market was food.

After the world changed and everyone experienced food shortages, people became obsessively focused on food more than clothes or shoes.

This was especially true not only for those living in the Fortified City but also for people from other regions drawn by the abundance.

In a world where Monster invasions were an ongoing reality… the act of buying and eating food—ranging from cheap fried chicken or baeksuk, stir-fried squid, or more luxuriously, Maned Deer kimchi stew—was becoming a unique oasis.

Of course, Sua, who had lived here from the beginning, walked through the market with familiarity, browsing the shops.

Then, one shop caught her eye.

“E-Egg bread!”

It was a food that had been hard to find recently… and with the cold weather, the sight of egg bread made her mouth water instinctively.

“How much is it?”

When she asked the price, the middle-aged woman in the stall smiled happily and began to add a comment.

“My, two pretty young ladies are coming one after another! Two for one Worker Bug Coin, five for two.”

“Huh?”

Surprised, Sua looked back and saw Minju just as she was leaving the stall in the opposite direction.

“Wow! Minju-unnie—!”

The moment Sua called her, shwaaaa— pat!

Whatever the rush was, she vanished in an instant.

‘What, again?’

Sua tasted bitterness. For some reason, it felt like today, whenever she called someone, no one ever listened until the end.

“Give me five, please.”

Feeling gloomy, Sua bought the egg bread and headed toward the street.

And… when she reached the Shopping Mall 6th Floor.

She realized why Minju had been in such a hurry. She was chatting with Siwoo, each holding an egg bread in their hand.

“So you flew here straight from the market?”

“Yeah, why! You said it didn’t matter.”

“Aren’t you using your abilities too much now that you’ve been granted permission to reveal them?”

“Aaaah, I don’t know. Anyway, the egg bread is warmer, so it tastes better, right?”

“That’s true… but there was no need to go this far—”

“Listen, my favorite person. A fan is giving this to you, so shut up and take it.”

“We practically live next door; isn’t this basically being a sasaeng fan?”

“You didn’t know?”

The two laughed loudly, their voices echoing through the hallway. The two, who were the same age, had agreed to speak informally to each other a few days ago, and they seemed to have grown significantly closer since then.

Sua was shocked.

‘Right, I heard Minju-unnie was a huge fan of Mr. Siwoo…’

Actually, thinking about it, it would have been stranger if she hadn’t approached Siwoo so aggressively.

“See you later then!”

As Minju also passed by—

Sua felt a sense of crisis.

‘Am I… the only one falling behind?’

Falling behind—what was she thinking? Just as she was harboring confused emotions about whether this was even a competition to begin with…

Clack—

Siwoo stepped out of his room.

Facing him in an awkward posture, Sua—

“Ah, Ms. Sua. Is something wrong?”

“Ah, uh, well—”

She made up her mind.

“Um, Siwoo-oppa. I have something I’m curious about regarding this operation—”

As she spoke hesitantly, brown hair fluttered behind her.

* * *

Meanwhile… a moment later.

“Y-You’re going to Jeju Island?!”

Her astonished voice echoed through the hallway.