Min-joon's mind raced, the system notifications flashing before his eyes while the surreal events unfolded around him. The silver-haired woman's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the chaos they had just escaped."Who are you?" Hyun-soo repeated, his voice edged with suspicion.The woman lowered her hands, her yellow eyes scanning the group. "My name is Eun-ha. I'm part of a resistance group formed to combat the growing threats." Her gaze shifted to the ashes of the spider. "We've been tracking that mutated spider for days. You're lucky we found you when we did."Hyun-soo's grip on his knife tightened, but he didn't lower it. "Why should we trust you?"Eun-ha took a step forward, her expression serious. "Because we're all fighting the same battle. The world is overrun with these creatures, and surviving alone is getting harder every day. We've established a safe zone where we gather survivors and resources."Min-joon glanced at his companions, noting their varying expressions of ho
Min-joon slammed his fist down on the keyboard, feeling frustrated. Another raid wiped out. Ten hours wasted, the only reward a growing ache in his back and a dull throb in his forehead. He glanced at the clock on his monitor - 3:14 AM. His reflection stared back, dark circles under his blue eyes etching themselves permanently into his pale skin. His messy black hair looked like a crow's nest after a particularly aggressive squirrel attack. 'Ramen again?' Min-joon thought as he sighed, pushing back from his chair. His empty stomach rumbled as he did. He stretched, popping his knuckles one by one, a satisfying crack echoing through the silent apartment. The only sound besides his own was the whirring of the computer and the occasional distant wail of a police siren. Stepping into the cramped kitchen, he grabbed the blue packet of instant noodles. The microwave hummed as he filled the cup with water, the smell of sodium and processed cheese already filling the air. As he waited, he t
Min-joon pressed his ear against the apartment door, listening for any sign of movement. Silence. He glanced at Ji-woo, whose face was pale and drawn. "Think it's safe?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.Min-joon shrugged. "Hard to say. But sitting here won't get us anywhere." He took a deep breath, the stale air filling his lungs. he grabbed a bat from a corner and with a nod, he grasped the doorknob and twisted it slowly. The door creaked open a sliver. He peeked through the gap, his heart hammering in his chest.The hallway was empty, bathed in the strange red glow of the moon. Min-joon slowly pushed the door open wider, his grip tightening on the doorknob. "Alright," he whispered, waving his hand for Ji-woo to follow. "Let's move."They crept out of the apartment, moving silently down the hallway. Min-joon's eyes darted back and forth, scanning for any sign of danger. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the sound of their own footsteps.They reached the fire escape a
The red moon cast an crimson glow over the rooftop, bathing Min-joon and Ji-woo in its light. The blue interface shimmered in Min-joon's vision, a clear indicator of the extraordinary events that had just unfolded. "So, let me get this straight,""You have a… system in your head now? And it lets you level up… forever?" Ji-woo asked, finding it a bit hard to believe. Min-joon nodded, still trying to wrap his mind around it all. The information overload had been staggering, but the core concept was clear – he could become stronger, infinitely stronger, by defeating enemies. "It sounds crazy, I know," he admitted, "But look." He placed his hand in her forehead and focused his mind, and the blue interface flickered, displaying his current stats:[User: Min-joonLevel: 1HP: 100/100MP: 50/50Strength: 5Agility: 7Intelligence: 8XP: 0/100]"See?" he pointed at the screen. "Level 1, zero experience points. A total newbie." Ji-woo squinted at the floating interface, she could see it,
The worn leather bracer felt cool against his skin as he strapped it onto his arm. It wasn't much to look at, but the +1 defense boost felt significant, a nice improvement. Looking up at Ji-woo, he saw a hesitant smile creep onto her face. "Alright, Mr. Level-Up-er," she called down, "Come on back up before another one of those things decides to join the party."Min-joon chuckled, the sound a little shaky but genuine. Scrambling up the fire escape, he rejoined Ji-woo on the rooftop. The red moon was still hanging ominously in the sky, but it seemed a little less frightening now. He had faced a monster and emerged victorious. Maybe there was hope after all. "That was…" Ji-woo started, searching for the right words. "Crazy. And terrifying. And somehow… cool?"Min-joon grinned. "Cool is definitely not the word I'd use, but yeah, definitely crazy and terrifying." He held up the worn leather bracer. "At least I got a souvenir for my troubles."Ji-woo knelt beside him, examining the brac
Min-joon stood at the edge of the rooftop, his body tense, gripping the baseball bat so hard his knuckles turned white. The two ghouls on the adjacent building moved quickly, their green skin glowing under the red glow of the moon. He could see their sharp, clawed fingers clutching the edge of the roof as they prepared to leap. Min-joon glanced at Ji-woo. She was crouched low, her dark hair still pulled back into a messy bun, her eyes wide and locked onto the approaching creatures. Her small frame seemed even more fragile against the backdrop of the chaotic city. Despite the fear in her eyes, she held a broken piece of metal pipe in her hands, ready to defend herself. 'We have to do this,' he thought, trying to summon courage. 'We can't back down now.' "Ready?" Min-joon asked, trying to sound braver than he felt. His voice was calm, but his heart pounded loudly in his ears. Ji-woo nodded, her grip tightening on the pipe. "Ready as I'll ever be.” As the first ghoul leaped towards
Ji-woo's sudden grin caught Min-joon off guard. 'What is she thinking?' he wondered, watching as she scanned their surroundings with newfound determination. "What is it?" Min-joon asked, tightening his grip on the bat, ready for whatever she had in mind.Ji-woo pointed towards a fire escape ladder that snaked down the side of their building. "If we can get down to the street, we might be able to lead them away and circle back around to the library from another side."Min-joon glanced at the ladder and then back at the ghouls. The idea had merit. The street below was dark and littered with debris, offering plenty of cover. But it was also dangerous, with unknown threats lurking in the shadows. He hesitated, weighing their options. "Alright," he agreed finally. "But we need to move fast. Once we're down there, we run and don't look back until we're safe."Ji-woo nodded, her grip on the metal pipe tightening. "Got it. I'll go first, make sure the coast is clear."Before Min-joon could
Ji-woo's expression was one of slight disappointment. "Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.Min-joon felt a bit defensive. "Hey, you were the one who asked, so you don't get to act like I said something weird."She looked away, pouting a little. "I just thought... maybe there was something else. Something more meaningful or... I don't know, personal?"Min-joon shook his head. "No, not really. Why do you ask? What are you curious about?"Ji-woo let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. She seemed to gather her thoughts before looking at him again. "Min-joon, do you have any experience with romance?"Min-joon blinked in surprise. "Love?" he asked, not sure he had heard her correctly.She nodded, her gaze steady. "Yes, love."He scratched his head, feeling even more awkward. "Not really. Why are you asking me this now?"Ji-woo's cheeks flushed a light pink, and she turned to face him more fully. "What would you do if a girl confessed her feelings to you?"Min-joon felt a r
Min-joon's mind raced, the system notifications flashing before his eyes while the surreal events unfolded around him. The silver-haired woman's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the chaos they had just escaped."Who are you?" Hyun-soo repeated, his voice edged with suspicion.The woman lowered her hands, her yellow eyes scanning the group. "My name is Eun-ha. I'm part of a resistance group formed to combat the growing threats." Her gaze shifted to the ashes of the spider. "We've been tracking that mutated spider for days. You're lucky we found you when we did."Hyun-soo's grip on his knife tightened, but he didn't lower it. "Why should we trust you?"Eun-ha took a step forward, her expression serious. "Because we're all fighting the same battle. The world is overrun with these creatures, and surviving alone is getting harder every day. We've established a safe zone where we gather survivors and resources."Min-joon glanced at his companions, noting their varying expressions of ho
Min-joon rushed to wake everyone up, his voice echoing I'm the small space. "A massive spider is approaching! Get up, everyone!"Some of them looked at him with confusion. "What are you talking about?" Ji-woo asked, rubbing her eyes.But then a massive screech pierced the air, freezing everyone in place.Hyun-soo immediately jumped up. "Everyone, get up now!"Dr. Kim Soo-yeon fumbled in confusion, trying to gather her thoughts and belongings.Hyun-soo peeked through the crack in the barricade and saw the enormous spider coming closer. "We need to remove the barricade and get out of here," he ordered.Ji-woo hesitated. "Won't we be overwhelmed if we encounter any ghouls outside? Isn't staying here safer?"Hyun-soo shook his head. "Think about how strong small spiders are—how they can lift up to fifty times their own body weight. This thing is massive. It could easily tear through our barricade like it's made of paper. If we stay, we're sitting ducks. We need to move, now!"The system i
Dr. Kim Soo-yeon took a deep breath, her shoulders slumping. "All we can do now is try to survive," she said, her voice steady but filled with a somber resolve. "We could move around and see if there are any other survivors we can team up with. Increasing our numbers might increase our chances of survival."She looked at each of them, her eyes reflecting the harsh reality they faced. "But trusting people, given the way the world is now, will be a hard thing to do. Desperation makes people do unthinkable things. We have to be careful, but we can't lose hope." Hyun-soo suddenly gritted his teeth, out if nowhere he punched a shelf in frustration, the metal buckling under the force. The group watched in shock as the massive shelf, loaded with all sorts of equipment, crashed to the floor. His hand was bleeding, but he didn't seem to care."Calm down, Hyun-soo!" Jin-ho shouted, rushing over to him. "You're going to hurt yourself even more."Hyun-soo shook his head, flexing his injured hand
Just as the group huddled around the maps, a metallic clanking sound echoed from the back of the room, far behind the towering shelves that lined the walls. The sound made all of them instantly tense up, as they all turned their gazes towards that direction.Hyun-soo, the leader, reacted first. He immediately rose to his feet, instantly pulling out his dagger. "Stay alert, Jin-ho, Seung-min, with me."He said, his voice tight with tension. He gestured for Min-joon to stand beside him, forming a defensive line. The other two men in the group, Jin-ho and Seung-min copied their movements, eyes looking around the room for any sign of a threat.Slowly, cautiously, they crept towards the back of the storage unit. The air grew thick, as they all silently wondered what was the source of the noise. The whole room fell completely silent, with the only sound being their rasping breaths and steps. Min-joon found himself holding his breath, straining to hear any further sounds.Suddenly, a hologr
The moment the system’s voice echoed in his head, a sudden green grid appeared in his vision, spreading out and encompassing everything. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision, but the grid remained, overlaying his surroundings.It was as if he became completely aware of the structure of the things around him, their location, and mass, even beyond the walls. He took a step back, almost stumbling, his senses overwhelmed by the new input.‘W-what is this… it's so weird.’ The sensation was very alien; it felt as though he could see behind his eyes. Although it didn't include color, he was still completely aware of whatever was around him. He touched his temple, massaging it in an attempt to alleviate the strange feeling.The system window suddenly materialized before him with a message:[Tactical Insight Lvl1.Description: Knowing the position of all variables or obstacles on a battlefield is more than enough to allow one to win a thousand battles!Spreading out your mana beyond
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
Min-joon tightened his grip on his baseball bat, feeling the weight of it in his hands. Ji-woo walked beside him, her dark hair still tied up in a messy bun. She looked small but intense, her eyes looking around their surroundings. The rest of the group moved quietly, each person alert and ready for any danger.Hyun-soo led the way with his tall and muscular frame. The scar on his cheek made him look tough and experienced. He knew what he was doing, and they had to trust him.As they made their way through the deserted streets, Min-joon noticed the buildings around them. They were crumbling, windows shattered, and debris scattered everywhere. It was a clear reminder of how much the world had changed over the span of a single night. This place used to be so full of life.Suddenly, a soft chime sounded in Min-joon's head. He stopped, and glanced around to see if anyone else heard it. But everyone else kept moving, unaware.'Seems it didn't happen like it did last time with Ji-woo.'A me
Min-joon took a deep breath and stood up, stretching his legs. The cold, damp basement had left his muscles stiff. Ji-woo, with her dark hair still in a messy bun and her small frame tense, slowly rose beside him. "We should check if the coast is clear," Min-joon whispered, trying to sound confident. He didn't feel confident, but he knew they had to keep going.Ji-woo nodded, her grip on the metal pipe tightening. "Yeah, let's go."They made their way up the narrow staircase, the old wooden steps creaking under their weight. Min-joon led the way, his baseball bat ready in his hands. He pushed open the rusted door at the top, peeking out cautiously.The street was eerily quiet. The moon cast long shadows, and debris littered the ground. Min-joon signaled for Ji-woo to follow, and they stepped out into the open, moving quickly but silently.Suddenly, Ji-woo froze, her eyes wide. Min-joon turned to see what had startled her. A group of people emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn. The
Ji-woo's expression was one of slight disappointment. "Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.Min-joon felt a bit defensive. "Hey, you were the one who asked, so you don't get to act like I said something weird."She looked away, pouting a little. "I just thought... maybe there was something else. Something more meaningful or... I don't know, personal?"Min-joon shook his head. "No, not really. Why do you ask? What are you curious about?"Ji-woo let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumping slightly. She seemed to gather her thoughts before looking at him again. "Min-joon, do you have any experience with romance?"Min-joon blinked in surprise. "Love?" he asked, not sure he had heard her correctly.She nodded, her gaze steady. "Yes, love."He scratched his head, feeling even more awkward. "Not really. Why are you asking me this now?"Ji-woo's cheeks flushed a light pink, and she turned to face him more fully. "What would you do if a girl confessed her feelings to you?"Min-joon felt a r