Measured Perception

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 your body allows the player to create a space around them that is an extension of their senses, allowing the player to be aware of the size and mass of whatever may be around them and where exactly they may be.

Current width: 4 meters.]

‘So it's like a sort of spatial awareness skill. Damn, I never knew this was how it would actually feel to use one.’ He looked down at his hand, turning it over and flexing his fingers, his body covered in this green grid.

He raised his left hand, folding it into a fist as he thought, ‘Guess I don't have to worry about getting bitten with this one.’ He clenched and unclenched his fist, testing the sensation.

“You alright Min-joon? You've been awfully quiet after our encounter with the ghouls.” Ji-woo’s voice snapped Min-joon out of his train of thought. He turned abruptly to face her, his movements jerky.

He shrugged awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Oh, sorry to make you worry, I was taking a look at something.”

“Oh, ok then. You had me scared for a moment there, with the way you just stood frozen,” she said, tilting her head to the left with a smile.

“Yeah, no need to worry. I'm alright.” Suddenly, his eyes landed on something, and a blush crept onto his cheeks. He quickly looked away, rubbing his eyes as if to clear the grid from his vision.

‘Wait… what is this…’ His eyes fell on her chest, watching in shock as the green grid seemed to measure them. He shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his chest.

‘Wait… that's her size… she's quite big though, how am I just now noticing? Shit, shit, get your mind out of the gutter.’ Min-joon shook his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to will the image out of his mind.

“What’s up with you? Is there something on my face?” Ji-woo asked with a slight blush, her hands fidgeting nervously.

“N-nothing, something got in my eye is all,” Min-joon countered, waving his hand dismissively. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to act casual.

He may not have known, but Ji-woo knew he lied. “Oh, ok, well Hyun-soo is saying we should gather up,” she said, pointing at the group in the distance. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glancing at him curiously.

“Oh… alright.” Min-joon said awkwardly, rubbing his hands together as he began following Ji-woo towards the group. His steps were hesitant, his mind still reeling from the new ability.

In his thoughts, Min-joon called out to the system, ‘System, I would prefer if you reserve the activation of this skill only in combat situations… else I don't think I'll be able to look Ji-woo straight in the eye if I'm always subconsciously aware of what her measurements are.’

[Understood player, skill: ‘Tactical Insight’ has been deactivated.]

They hurried through the base, their footsteps echoing in the deserted corridors.

Reaching the exit, they emerged back into the afternoon sunlight. The air felt heavy and still, the silence broken only by the distant cries of unseen creatures.

"We need to find a defensible location," Hyun-soo said, his voice strained. "Somewhere we can rest and regroup."

Min-joon took a look at their surroundings. The sprawling base offered little in the way of shelter.

"Maybe those buildings over there?" he pointed towards a cluster of sturdy-looking structures on the far side of the fence.

"Let's check it out," Hyun-soo agreed.

They carefully made their way across the perimeter, keeping a watchful eye out for any sign of movement. Reaching the buildings, they found a combination of workshops and storage units. One, made of reinforced concrete, looked particularly promising.

Finding a crowbar amongst the scavenged supplies, they pried open the heavy metal door. Inside, the air was thick with dust but otherwise clear. Shelves lined the walls, most bare, but a few held tools and various supplies.

"This could work," Ji-woo said, stepping inside.

"At least for now."

Hyun-soo nodded. "We'll barricade the door and take turns keeping watch. We need some time to rest and examine what we found."

Everyone pitched in, using furniture and debris to create a makeshift barricade. They all felt exhausted, but adrenaline kept them moving. Finally, with the entrance secured, they collapsed onto the dusty floor.

Min-joon pulled out the folder again, his fingers tracing the worn leather cover. Opening it, he spread the detailed maps across the floor. The evacuation routes snaked across the city, some leading outwards, others dead-ending in red ink.

"These are detailed," Ji-woo said, crouching beside him to examine the maps. "But where do we even begin?"

Hyun-soo joined them, his brow furrowed in thought. "We need to find a settlement, another group of survivors. These evacuation routes might lead us there."

"But which one?" Min-joon pointed to the collection of red lines. "We have no idea what's out there."

Suddenly they all fell slient, the whole spece felt more suffocating as they slowly took in how grim the entire situation was looking.