200 – Surviving in the Wilderness #1
A city located in the south of Korea.
It is said that after a near catastrophic accident at a nuclear power plant years ago, all the nearby people evacuated and relocated, leading to this place being referred to as “Ghost Town.”
Due to the emergency evacuation, there were many belongings and cars with keys left abandoned throughout the city.
The story of a group of runaway teenagers who illegally entered “Ghost Town” targeting stores selling precious metals or luxury items frequently made it to the news for this reason.
Brrrrr—
The truck driven by Lee Jin-A came to a halt with a rumbling sound.
Along the road leading to “Ghost Town,” there were numerous checkpoints manned by soldiers and police to prevent unauthorized entry into the area.
“Please hold on for a moment for inspection.”
“Here.”
I showed my invitation, which I had received for the A Rank Battle, to the soldiers.
At that, the soldier, alternating between looking at the invitation and my face, brightened up and pulled down the face mask covering his face.
He looked like someone who had just turned twenty.
“Could it be that you are the Haildo of Squirrel Beast?”
“Yes, I am indeed that legendary Haildo.”
Is there a problem?
Soon, the soldier’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I also raise a Squirrel Beast! My Squirrel’s name is Hokuk! I met him while on patrol!”
—Cough…!
A Squirrel Beast peeked out from the soldier’s ration pouch.
Its camouflage pattern resembled an old frog uniform, having a unique spotted appearance.
I had never seen a Squirrel with such a pattern before.
Fascinating.
Perhaps because it wasn’t one from Primal Village, but from another region, its pattern was quite unique.
It was indeed something special, raising a question in my mind.
“You’re an active-duty soldier, and you raise a Squirrel Beast?”
“Yes, that’s correct. As you probably know, Squirrel Beasts demonstrate exceptional efficiency for various patrols and searches, right? So I received permission.”
I had heard that the military had improved compared to the old days, but I never imagined they would allow raising Squirrel Beasts.
I had heard a rumor about someone raising a hamster in a training camp locker, but that was just a story.
It seemed that, similar to the existence of military dog units in the past, there were now signs of establishing a unit for “Squirrel Beasts.”
Even the vast organization of the Military seems to be trying to adapt to the times.
Anyway.
With such a feeling, we were able to enter “Ghost Town.”
Inside “Ghost Town,” a battalion-sized force known as the “Ghost Unit” was stationed, controlling everything in the abandoned and quarantined city.
All of them were skilled veterans as soldiers.
The military uniforms and armor they wore were as modern as those of active Awakened, and the goggles and scopes attached to their weapons were quite impressive.
Rather than younger soldiers, the main composition of the “Ghost Unit” included non-commissioned officers and junior officers, among whom there occasionally seemed to be low-ranking Awakened as well.
“Wow, it’s extremely strict. I’ve only heard rumors, but this is my first time seeing it, and it’s managed far more strictly than I imagined. I thought it was just a neglected place.”
Following the soldiers’ guidance, Lee Jin-A lightly commented as we parked in the parking lot.
Clack—
Lee Jin-A closed the car door and got out.
Due to her flashy attire and colors, I could feel the attention of the crowd directed towards her.
It must be quite unusual to see someone dressed like a yellow parrot getting out of an old delivery truck.
Click-click-click—
A woman in military uniform with a rank of lieutenant approached us and saluted.
“Welcome, seniors. I am Lieutenant Kim In-Sol, in charge of the guide. I graduated as a fifth cohort from the Awakened Training Center, and I am currently active as an E-rank Awakened.”
“I am Haildo, and this is Lee Jin-A.”
I briefly introduced us.
Then, the soldier who identified herself as Kim In-Sol guided us to the main building where the Ghost Unit was stationed.
# # #
Inside the main building, there was a large auditorium.
It was set up with tables, chairs, and a projector that was projecting a certain screen towards the front of the auditorium.
It was a map of “Ghost Town.”
“Look over there. It’s Haildo, right?”
“Wow, it’s really him.”
Those who had arrived early and were seated in the auditorium murmured at my entrance.
They were all A Rankers who I had seen at least once in magazines, on the internet, or on MyTube.
Since people gathered in groups, it seemed that factions and teams had already formed, and there were hardly any individuals like Lee Jin-A and me who were alone.
Freelancer Awakened like “Goblin – Do Joon-Hwan,” who is ranked 15th, or “Accuracy – Kim Yu-Mi,” ranked 21st, also appeared to have partnered up.
“Is it just me, or do I feel like the stares we’re getting aren’t exactly normal?”
Perhaps due to her past experiences in a clique, Lee Jin-A quickly grasped the situation. The stares from all the A Rankers towards us felt odd, filled with their respective desires or curiosity.
Could it be called the fate of a celebrity?
“I think A Rankers are thirstier for attention and self-promotion than newbs. If someone can take me down, who’s been rising in popularity recently, the publicity is practically guaranteed.”
I said this while glancing around.
In this auditorium, which resembled a training ground, I could see numerous cameras installed, from terrestrial broadcasters to various news channels.
Upon seeing that, Lee Jin-A said.
“So it was true that this A Rank Battle would be broadcasted live. If we get knocked out right away, the embarrassment in front of so many people would be too much, right?”
It seemed someone thought of broadcasting the rank battle to earn money from ratings and advertisements.
Given that it was a large-scale plan, people would certainly be interested, and edited videos would probably circulate on MyTube and elsewhere.
This was a prime opportunity to raise my name, Haildo, even higher.
Alright, I felt motivated.
“Lee Jin-A, keep an eye on the people around us. Pay attention to who is with whom and if there are any particularly bad relationships.”
In my opinion, the match had already begun.
It would be smart to conduct a reconnaissance operation and gather as much information as possible.
“Now that everyone’s here, I will start a brief briefing. I am Lieutenant Kim In-Sol, overseeing this event.”
Snap—
As Lieutenant Kim In-Sol saluted, the chaotic atmosphere was quickly subdued.
Taking advantage of that momentum, Lieutenant Kim In-Sol added further explanations.
“This is a satellite image of the city. A Rank Awakened will spend the next week living and surviving in this city.”
It was a simple rule.
Of course, Lee Jin-A frowned as if she found it hard to understand.
“Is that it for the explanation? Is there nothing more to say?”
“You’ll have to find out and judge the rest on your own.”
We received watches-like devices to wear on our wrists.
It felt like a smartwatch that measured heart rate, body temperature, bl**d pressure, etc., and seemed to be a good product made by Osa Group.
It would be used to monitor the conditions of the Awakened from the operational control room of the Ghost Unit.
“This smartwatch will assess your physical state in real-time to determine whether you can continue surviving.”
Swoosh—
At that moment, someone raised their hand.
It was “Goblin – Do Joon-Hwan,” a man equipped with a large sniper rifle on his back. He particularly stood out with his tactical gear, including a mask and goggles, suggesting he was a former special forces member.
“What happens if the watch is lost or severely damaged?”
“In that case, you will be disqualified, regardless of the reason.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
With Kim In-Sol’s casual response, I could hear some people making exclamations of surprise. This essentially meant that if anyone wanted to eliminate an opponent they didn’t like, they could simply break or steal that wristwatch.
“This abandoned city can be broadly divided into seven districts: ‘Shopping District,’ ‘Residential Area,’ ‘Riverside,’ ‘Power Plant,’ ‘Harbor,’ ‘City Center,’ and ‘Park Forest.’ Each area will have corresponding dangers and obstacles.”
We were told to choose one of those seven places to begin surviving. The key issue would be where everyone would start and how they would strategize survival in each area.
“Hey, Haildo. You said our goal is survival, right? Choosing the ‘Shopping District’ or ‘City Center,’ where there’s a lot of food, would be advantageous, wouldn’t it?”
Lee Jin-A quietly said, making sure only I could hear.
Her suggestion was undoubtedly valid, but I had no choice but to shake my head.
The opponents we faced were A Rankers, so they would surely be aware of such obvious choices.
The ‘Shopping District’ and ‘City Center,’ both advantageous for survival, would certainly draw many people, and with just the two of us, the chances of an early elimination were high.
“It’s not as simple as just selecting a good location. It’s crucial to judge where others are stationed and how their forces are arranged. In that sense, I believe this area looks favorable.”
Swoosh—
I whispered a specific location into Lee Jin-A’s ear so no one else could hear.
After about ten minutes of such tactical discussions, we each selected a district in the abandoned city using the tablets placed in front of us.
“Now please take the medicine in front of you. You will awaken in a randomly designated location within the district you selected when you open your eyes.”
I swallowed a red pill.
Soon, drowsiness came over me, and when I regained consciousness, I realized I was lying in a park filled with thick trees.
I had chosen the ‘Park Forest.’
Originally a regular arboretum, it had grown wild and untamed since the city was abandoned and blocked off, developing a massive ecosystem due to lack of maintenance.
Woof—!
Shh—
Meow—!
It seemed that the animals around me were safe as well.
Now, I just needed to search for Lee Jin-A.
“Hey, Squirrel, can you help me find Lee Jin-A? She’s very likely to have awakened somewhere in this park. Since we decided to choose the same place.”
Woof—!
