Chapter 10
【Floor Master, Baby Child God withdraws its gaze.】
【You are cursed.】
【Baby Child God’s Curse – ‘Starvation (S+)’】
【Details: Feel intense hunger. As you approach the deep layer of the Fracture, you forget that you are human……】
Mmm.
Blinking her eyes, Oh Ji-yoon closed the system window with her mind. Although she wanted to avoid status conditions if possible, it was unavoidable.
However, she didn’t have big worries. In any case, when conquering a Fracture, she didn’t eat food, and she had no companions.
Meaning, there was no risk of forgetting she was human and harming a companion. Thinking that it was fine as long as only she was injured, Oh Ji-yoon shifted her steps.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ makes a fed-up face: ‘Aren’t you nervous?’]
“No, I’m not.”
She tilted her head as if it were no big deal. In fact, from Oh Ji-yoon’s perspective, she couldn’t understand the Constellation’s thinking.
‘I’m an F-rank, after all.’
Did they forget? An F-rank is so pathetic that even clearing a C-rank Fracture is difficult.
Naturally, no matter which Fracture she went to, she had no choice but to do it at the risk of her life.
Getting used to it was inevitable. Isn’t there a saying like that? Pain that doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.
Oh Ji-yoon didn’t know it, but not getting scared no matter what situation arrived was her strength.
“Anyway, let’s head down to the next floor now.”
Since she set the target time at three days, she had to move quickly. The 1st floor wasn’t even worth touching since monsters didn’t appear, and she had even perfectly cleared beating up the criminals, which was the only thing she had to do.
Oh Ji-yoon stood on tiptoe and looked down beneath the floor.
【Recognizing S-rank Fracture, “Baby Child God”’s ■ ■■■, Floor ■■.】
【■■ ■ ■■ ■■,■? ■━】
‘It’s gloomy.’
There was a peculiar atmosphere. Oh Ji-yoon, who was staring downward, tilted her head.
“Around when will the Ranker Support Headquarters move?”
This didn’t seem to be the normal passage leading down to Basement Level 1. Black, sticky air flowed across the cliff where Basement Level 1 was clearly visible.
If she looked around, there would probably be a passage allowing her to go down to the lower floor, though.
Oh Ji-yoon pondered.
“Should we drop by somewhere before going?”
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ opens its eyes wide, asking where she’s going.]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ clicks its tongue: ‘She definitely had a weird thought.’]
The criminals she saw earlier were definitely wearing restraints as well. If so, there should be a restraint storage room and management office too.
Oh Ji-yoon decided to self-reinforce her restraints before setting out on the full-fledged Fracture conquest.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ wears a haggard face: ‘…Why are you so carefree?’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ flinches after mistaking plastic for something else: ‘If I were your Constellation, my insides would be burning, …Eek!’]
“It’s fine, I tell you.”
Munch, munch. Oh Ji-yoon, who had bitten down on a syringe with her lips, mumbled.
They were currently somewhere between the 1st floor and Basement Level 1. The passage connecting Basement Level 1 and the 1st floor above ground was shaped like an emergency exit staircase, and just as Oh Ji-yoon expected, it seemed to lead to the guard breakroom building.
Letting out a low sigh, Oh Ji-yoon aimed the syringe.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ shakes its head: ‘No, I mean, we’re going to enter the Fracture now, so why are you administering an anesthetic?’]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ worries: ‘There’s a cell phone inside her stomach and anesthetic in her blood vessels. Won’t her body explode?’]
Probably not. Oh Ji-yoon, blinking her eyes blankly, pushed the syringe all the way in and tilted her head back.
‘Phew….’
It hurts like crazy.
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ worries about you: ‘Ji-yoon. Should Constellation-nim ask for a handicap?’]
[Your Constellation chose a ferret as its avatar. It stands on two feet like a meerkat.]
“Ask for what? I’m a death row convict now.”
Ah. The anesthetic is circulating again. Oh Ji-yoon pulled together her body, which was growing faintly drowsy.
If she had administered this anesthetic in the middle of the 1st floor, she might have been attacked and died. Since she shoved it in wildly without even knowing the dosage, her vision was blurry.
Phew. Letting out a sigh, Oh Ji-yoon curled her body up.
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ speaks a principle: ‘How others treat you is something you create yourself.’]
That’s true.
That’s why she was doing this so people wouldn’t be scared, please—just because she was a super-large Fracture generator.
Oh Ji-yoon sullenly took on a sad hedgehog posture.
“If it weren’t for the Quest Window….”
By now, she would have bought a car and bought an apartment unit…….
She would have rented out a hotel suite and slacked off to her heart’s content. Eating delicious breakfast while lounging at the hotel pool….
Oh Ji-yoon sprawled out while drawing an impossible future. She was like crumpled laundry.
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ worries about you: ‘Ah!’]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ pushes you round and round with its small paws: ‘Ji-yoon, Ji-yoon… try waking up, okay…?’]
“Now I can’t even go to a hotel, can’t eat breakfast… at this prime young age…”
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ feels anxious: ‘We can just go, right? Right?’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ wiggles its eyebrows: ‘Is this Perception Distortion… or is she anesthetized.’]
Of course, even if told to play like this, she knew she wouldn’t be able to play.
In the first place, was it even possible to eat hotel breakfast at the pool? Well, she would have had to have played around to know. Returning her face to normal, Oh Ji-yoon rolled around.
Perhaps because her life was exceedingly boring, she was able to make up her mind to die easily. If it had been fun, it wouldn’t have been easy to give up.
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ rolls you round and round: ‘…Ah. This is fun….’]
Pat, pat. The warmth of the avatar touching her back was warm.
Blinking her eyes, Oh Ji-yoon opened her mouth carelessly.
“Constellation-nim, please be happy. I’ll lie down in the cell and prepare for death.”
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ nods its head: ‘Then I’ll prepare the memorial service.’]
Perfect. The one enjoying life, the one whose life is over, and the one wanting to guzzle booze using all this commotion as an excuse.
Oh Ji-yoon said listlessly:
“A memorial service? Gambler-nim, you’re trying to drink booze, aren’t you? Stop drinking booze.”
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ thumps its chest: ‘Hey, kid. For an old person, I’m totally fine. Completely vigorous.’]
“Did such a person drink so much booze that he became unable to even read letters, so he couldn’t even return to his home world?”
They say the world of Constellations is made of letters. But that Constellation-nim, mind you, drank booze like crazy until he couldn’t read writing.
Sigh….
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ nods its head: ‘I can still drink more. I’m going all the way.’]
“Living like that is why you’re an alcoholic.”
Oh Ji-yoon clicked her tongue.
Ah. It’s a slightly horrible feeling. Reflexively lifting her body, Oh Ji-yoon lowered her head again. Whether the anesthetic was circulating properly, every time she moved, her body bent unnaturally.
Is it because she’s an F-rank? Just receiving a little anesthetic makes her body weak and sickly.
Oh Ji-yoon let out a sigh and raised her body again.
At the same time, the system window popped up.
【Entering the center of “Baby Child God (S-rank)” Fracture.】
【If you do not clear the mission, entering the next floor is impossible.】
【B1 Floor Mission ??? (Incomplete)】
【▶B1 Floor Monster, Swarm of Hungry Ghosts (餓鬼) appears.】
‘Huh?’
Bzzzt. The screen shakes.
It was like black bugs gnawing away from the outer edges. Oh Ji-yoon stared at the flickering system window.
After the black dots wriggled several times, the window reading ‘B1 Floor Mission ??? (Incomplete)’ had shifted before she knew it.
【Patch Complete!】
【Skill, ‘Scenario Preview (Passive S)’ generates a Quest.】
Beep. What unfolded along with an unknown ringing in her ears was a different landscape.
The ground Oh Ji-yoon was standing on changed into a sparkling silver dome, and beneath it was flooring with sunken curves.
Plates, forks, and knives flowing across an open space far wider than what she saw on the 1st floor.
【Quest – For the Clearing of B1 Floor! (Incomplete)】
【Details: On B1 Floor of S-rank Fracture “Baby Child God”, the monster ‘Asura’ resides. Help him solve his worries and remove human flesh items from the ‘Restaurant’ menu.】
【Hint: The ups and downs of all life depend on your mind.】
“…Is the concept of B1 Floor a silver restaurant?”
……A restaurant run by a monster?
Oh Ji-yoon parted her mouth subtly.
While Oh Ji-yoon was looking at the Quest Window and feeling half-hearted, thinking, ‘Is the mission something like this?’, ‘I see why an error popped up…’—
Director Cha Ho-bong was reviewing documents.
“Didn’t you say you definitely fastened the restraints?”
“Yes. That is correct, Director.”
An employee wearing a white lab coat opened his mouth. Cold air brushed past. At the firm affirmation, Director Cha Ho-bong fell silent.
“…Is an occurrence like this quite common?”
“No. It is close to an impossibility.”
The employee answered coldly.
Swallowing a silent sigh, Director Cha Ho-bong put down the document. On the document, text was written in large letters:
[Oh Ji-yoon Homicide Incident Report]
“…So after putting on S-rank restraints and activating a skill, she fell from a height of 63 floors and survived on her own power……”
It was a completely locked voice.
Standing upright, the employee spoke:
“That is correct. Also, whatever Director’s guess may be, I would like to inform you that our company bears no responsibility…”
The employee rolled his eyes.
[…Year August 15. Confirmed fire at Ranker Oh Ji-yoon’s residence. Total destruction from unknown cause. Mother deceased. Survival of father confirmed. However, starting from that day, no further records of father’s survival discovered. Appears to have lived with Ranker Oh Ji-yoon, but no traces could be found. Missing person report not filed.]
It was a series of ominous words. Dark room. Above Director Cha Ho-bong, who was reviewing ‘Oh Ji-yoon’, a deep shadow fell.
Dim light read through Oh Ji-yoon’s records……
[…Year August 15. Ranker Oh Ji-yoon’s maternal uncle critically injured. Strong blow to the back of the head appears to be the primary cause. Secured testimony that Ranker Oh Ji-yoon possessed a blunt force-type relic on that day. After maternal uncle was attacked, maternal aunt was caught in sudden financial hardship.]
[…Year August 15. A-rank Ranker deceased. Ranker Oh Ji-yoon named as prime suspect. Due to insufficient evidence…]
“Rather, we would like to ask. Is Ranker Oh Ji-yoon truly human?”
The employee broke the deep silence. The document recording Oh Ji-yoon clamored as if telling them to look here.
Deaths and disappearances. Ranker Oh Ji-yoon’s life, strangely drenched in blood.
“The restraints Ranker Oh Ji-yoon wore are for S-rank use. Normally, the moment Ranker Oh Ji-yoon activated a skill, she should have died.”
“Isn’t it strange? Everything surrounding Ranker Oh Ji-yoon is… yes. The pieces don’t fit together….”
Cha Ho-bong muttered while remaining submerged in thought. When he first ordered the investigation, he hadn’t expected anything special. An F-rank, and a girl soft-hearted enough to save people in an SS-rank Fracture. He considered that she merely lived a slightly unfortunate life with nothing special about her.
…However, how was it as of now?
There was no way to know at all how she conquered the SS-rank Fracture, nor could its purpose be known.
Every record was profound and meaningful. Ever since she was young, Ranker Oh Ji-yoon was dragged into an strangely diverse array of accidents; because she was young, and because an F-rank could not cause an event of this scale, she repeatedly slipped off the suspect list.
Director Cha Ho-bong turned his head and stared at the monitor.
However, the really strange thing was…
‘…Why is there a record?’
There was a record from the time of the fire that took the life of Oh Ji-yoon’s mother. Considering the fact that her residence was burned down without a single speck remaining, it was a strange thing.
Director Cha Ho-bong inevitably recalled the mother’s remaining record. The recording on the voice recorder was strangely clean. Clack. The sound of pressing the voice recorder played, followed by a voice of clean audio quality.
[‘Bye, Mom. Ji-yoon is leaving now. See you again. I love you.’]
Bye, Mom. I’m leaving now. See you again, I love you. Oh Ji-yoon repeated the same words several times.
As if she couldn’t be sure whether it was being recorded properly. Or as if the recording was important.
The sound of Oh Ji-yoon putting down the voice recorder and disappearing played. A bit of silence. Just when one might think there were no more records, a raspy, weakened voice crawled out:
[‘Ji-yoon… don’t leave Mom behind…….’]
The police officer in charge of the case at the time heard all these records, yet did not hold Oh Ji-yoon accountable for her crime. Because she claimed that since there was no way for Oh Ji-yoon to save her mother, it was a choice made out of sheer helplessness.
It was a plausible claim.
Until it was confirmed that Oh Ji-yoon was someone who could rescue survivors even from an SS-rank Fracture.
‘Is Ranker Oh Ji-yoon… truly a good-natured person as we thought?’
The absolute premise that had continued ever since Oh Ji-yoon rescued survivors from the SS-rank Fracture was shaking.
He turned his head. Among the things gathered to analyze Oh Ji-yoon’s whereabouts, a CCTV video that happened to have good image quality flashed.
Inside it, Oh Ji-yoon was crawling on all fours and barking.
