Another Quest?

Min-joon felt the strange energy of his new skill moving beneath his skin as the group approached the military base. The imposing structure loomed ahead, a grim reminder of the world they now lived in. The base was surrounded by tall, rusted fences and guarded towers, though it looked abandoned now. He exchanged a look with Ji-woo, whose determination shone through her fatigue.

"Stay close," Hyun-soo ordered.

The rest of the group nodded, moving in tighter formation.

As they neared the gates, Min-joon couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. His eyes darted around, scanning for any sign of movement. The base was quiet, too quiet. They had learned to distrust silence; it usually meant something was waiting to spring.

"Do you think it's safe?" Ji-woo whispered, her grip on the metal pipe tightening.

Min-joon shook his head slightly. "Safe isn't a word that means much anymore," he replied softly.

"But we have to keep moving."

The group crept through the gate, Hyun-soo at the forefront, leading them with cautious steps. Inside, the base was a mess of abandoned vehicles, scattered equipment, and makeshift barricades. It looked like it had seen its share of battles and likely had been overrun at some point.

'All this in a single night? How did everything go to hell so fast?' Min-joon thought.

"We need to find supplies and get out quickly," Hyun-soo said. "Split up into pairs and search. Don't go far and keep an eye out for each other."

Min-joon and Ji-woo paired up naturally, while the others formed their own teams. They moved methodically through the base, checking each room they passed. Most of the buildings had been stripped of anything useful, perhaps by other survivors, but they pressed on, hoping to find something of value.

"Look," Ji-woo said, pointing to a small, intact building towards the back of the base. "That looks promising."

Min-joon nodded. "Let's check it out."

They approached the building cautiously, Min-joon pushing the door open with his bat. The inside was dimly lit, but it appeared to be some kind of storage room. Shelves lined the walls, stocked with crates and supplies.

"This could be it," Ji-woo said, her eyes lighting up.

They looked around for any sign of danger, proceeding in slowly.

'Byt why was the door closed?' Min-joon wonderd.

They began rifling through the crates, quickly filling their backpacks they picked with whatever they could find—canned food, medical supplies, batteries. It wasn't much, but it was more than they had before.

As they worked, Min-joon felt another chime in his head. He froze, glancing around to see if Ji-woo had heard it, but she was still focused on the supplies. A blue holographic message appeared before his eyes:

[New Quest: Locate the Commander's Office. Reward: Skill: Tactical Insight.]

Min-joon frowned. "Another quest?" he muttered under his breath.

Ji-woo looked up. "Did you say something?"

Min-joon shook his head. "No, just thinking out loud."

She raised an eyebrow but didn't press. Min-joon tried to ignore the message, but it kept nagging at him. Tactical Insight sounded like it could be incredibly useful, especially with their current situation. But locating the commander's office in a place this large would be risky.

'Another quest for a skill whan I haven't even gotten to use the first one?'

'We need to find the others and regroup before deciding anything,' he thought.

They finished gathering supplies and made their way back to the meeting point. Hyun-soo and the others were already there, their own bags filled with whatever they had found.

"Good haul?" Hyun-soo asked.

Min-joon nodded. "Better than expected."

Hyun-soo glanced around the base. "We should get out of here. I don't like staying in one place for too long."

"Wait," Min-joon said, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. "I think we should find the commander's office."

Everyone turned to look at him, surprise etched on their faces.

"Why?" Hyun-soo asked, his brow furrowing.

Min-joon hesitated, then decided to tell them the truth—at least part of it. "I have a feeling there might be something important there. Something that could help us."

Hyun-soo stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Alright. We'll check it out, but we need to be quick."

…

They moved through the base, searching for any signs that might lead them to the commander's office. It was slow going, the sprawling complex a maze of identical-looking buildings. The sun cast long shadows, making the desolate area even more unsettling.

After what felt like an eternity, they found a building that looked more intact than the others, with a sign that read "Command Center."

"This has to be it," Hyun-soo said, pushing the door open cautiously.

Inside, the building was in better condition than most of the base. Desks were still in place, and papers were scattered everywhere. They moved quickly, searching for anything that might stand out.

Min-joon made his way to a larger office at the back, his heart pounding. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was spacious, with a large desk and a wall lined with filing cabinets.

"Over here," he called to the others.

They joined him, and together they began searching the room. Ji-woo rifled through the desk drawers, while Hyun-soo and the others checked the cabinets.

"Here," Ji-woo said, pulling out a folder. "This looks important."

Min-joon took the folder and opened it. Inside were detailed maps of the city and surrounding areas, along with notes and plans for evacuation routes and supply caches.

"This is exactly what we need," Hyun-soo said, a rare smile crossing his face. "Good call, Min-joon."

'If these are plans for evacuation, dose that mean the military knew something like this would happen?' Min-joon thought as he gazed at the maps.

Before they could celebrate, a loud crash echoed through the building. Everyone froze, weapons at the ready.

"Stay alert," Hyun-soo whispered.

They moved cautiously toward the noise, Min-joon gripping his bat tightly. As they rounded a corner, they came face-to-face with a group of ghouls, their eyes glowing in the dim light.

"Get ready!" Hyun-soo shouted.

The ghouls charged, and the group sprang into action. Min-joon felt the surge of mana, enhancing his body, sharpening his reflexes and boosting his strength. He swung his bat with all his might, the weapon an extension of his own will. He felt the vibration of the impact travel up his arms as the bat connected with a ghoul's skull, shattering it with a sickening crunch and sending the creature crashing to the ground.

'This power... it's incredible.'

Min-joon thought, barely pausing to admire his strength. He pivoted on his heel, eyes scanning the chaos around him. Ji-woo was a whirlwind beside him, her metal pipe a blur of motion. She ducked under a ghoul's swipe, her pipe swinging upward in a precise arc to catch it under the chin. The ghoul's head snapped back violently, and it collapsed, twitching.

Hyun-soo moved with efficiency, his knife a flash of silver in the dim light. He sidestepped a ghoul, slashing its Achilles tendon and bringing it down before delivering a final, brutal stab to its neck. The others fought valiantly.

Min-joon sensed another ghoul approaching from his left. He turned swiftly, his enhanced agility allowing him to react almost before the ghoul had even completed its charge. He swung the bat again, this time aiming for the creature's midsection. The force of the blow caved in the ghoul's ribcage, and it crumpled to the floor, lifeless.

With each swing of his bat perfectly timed and devastatingly effective. He felt the energy flow through him, guiding his movements and lending him a sense of calm amidst the frenzied battle.

Ji-woo finished off another ghoul, panting but unyielding. "Watch out!" she called, spotting a ghoul attempting to flank Min-joon.

Without hesitation, Min-joon shifted his weight, bringing the bat around in a wide arc. The ghoul, caught mid-leap, took the full force of the blow to its temple. Its head snapped to the side with a sickening crack, and it hit the ground hard.

Hyun-soo and the others held their ground, forming a defensive perimeter around Min-joon and Ji-woo.

The last ghoul lunged at Min-joon, a desperate snarl on its twisted face. Min-joon met its charge head-on, channeling the last of his enhanced strength into a final, powerful swing. The bat connected with the ghoul's jaw, the impact sending it sprawling to the ground in a lifeless heap.

The group stood panting, their weapons stained and their bodies aching from the exertion. The immediate danger had passed, but the adrenaline still surged through their veins.

"Everyone okay?" Hyun-soo asked, scanning the group for injuries.

"We're good," Ji-woo said, her breath coming in heavy gasps.

Min-joon nodded, feeling the adrenaline start to ebb away. He glanced at the folder in his hand, the maps and notes their ticket to survival.

"Let's get out of here," Hyun-soo said. "We've got what we came for."

As they made their way back through the base, Min-joon felt another message flash in his vision: ["Quest Complete. Reward: Tactical Insight."]