Life Mission

Though they might seem fine on the outside, people were mazes inside.

The world inside a mission had no law or order. Even if someone commited a crime, they could not put them on trial. When people are put in extreme situations, they turn into devils.

“I’m not forcing you to do it.”

“I’ll try it. I got this far in Level E missions with just my body. The advance mission shouldn’t be so bad since I’ve got good equipment and you.”

Park Jin Hyuk made up his mind. If he changed his equipment, he would have the confidence to take on 1000-point missions alone. With Cha Jun Sung on top of that, he was not scared.

“That’s impressive.”

Cha Jun Sung knew that he would do it and patted his shoulder. They had become quite close in a matter of 10 days. If compatible, time didn’t matter.

“It’s for me. I’m sure you’re the same, but I hate losing.”

“Except in studying.”

“Ha ha! Right. Except in studying.”

Kikik!

They checked each other’s thoughts. All they had left was to wait until the D-day.

If they gave up a mission, it would become congested. Lifers were growing by the day. If they stayed still, the Lifers would catch up to them and then they would be left behind.

“How many points go into body modification?”

“300,000 for the 2nd stage and 100,000 for the first stage.”

Ahem.

Park Jin Hyuk coughed. 300,000 points! It was easy to say 300,000, but it was dark. It would take them months.

“I gathered 100,000 so I can do the first stage.”

“You’ve gathered 100,000 already? Jackpot! So I guess you’ll do the 1st stage of body modifications?”

“Yeah. I’m going to go do it today.”

“The advance mission after a body modification? It’ll be easier than we thought.”

He wished it could be like that, but Cha Jun Sung knew that it would not be as easy as they were thinking.

Level 1 was fine. But if Level 2 mutants came out in hordes, he would not be able to handle it.

1 or 2 mutants between the two of them was just right. Even with body modification, 3 or 4 mutants would be all. He was not going to become unbelievably strong.

“From now on, let’s observe Lifers’ dynamics instead of gathering points.”

“Okay.”

Now they would lower the number of missions and search for a party to go into the advance mission with. The maximum number of people they could enter with for a mission in Class E is 10.

The day that number is filled would become the day they go into the advance mission.

***

After Cha Jun Sung left Park Jin Hyuk, he did not return to the real world. He needs to go through body modification. He went into the briefing room for the first time in a long while.

“100,000 points.”

Gulp.

He swallowed as he saw the number of points he had accumulated come up on the PDA screen.

It was the result of suffering for two months. With this, he could purchase the one or two of the best equipment in the Level D store.

The list of things he wanted to buy was endless, but he had already made up his mind.

“Body modification.”

He needed to rely on personal skill rather than equipment. In that end, body modification is a necessary course for Lifers to strengthen their bodies.

No matter how great the equipment was, he could not use it properly if his body was garbage. If the foundation was weak, it was just a sand castle that will be blown over in the wind.

“Odin, prepare it.”

-[Once you accept it, you cannot overturn it. Shall I set the body modification?]

“Yeah.”

-[Setting, setting complete. 100,000 points will be deducted.]

Cha Jun Sung’s points fell to 100. He went into the body modification room slowly. It was simple. A cylindrical object in a transparent material closed around him.

It was similar to the body modification room in the virtual version. He did not see any terror-inducing instruments. There were only tubes to eject liquid.

Seureuk.

Cha Jun Sung took off the equipment he had been wearing. Body modification was not a raw surgery where his flesh was opened to tamper with his bones, muscles, and organs.

It was instead injected with transcendental cells that transformed people into superhumans.

“This is nerve-wracking.”

-[You do not have to worry as there are no side effects until the 4th stage.]

“How about the 5th?”

-[I will tell you then.]

“Stingy.”

Wiing.

Cha Jun Sung pressed the switch on the cylinder. The clear entrance opened. This is the first time he is doing it in real life, but he already knew what was going to happen.

Since he knew, Odin did not offer a separate explanation. He did well on his own. There was no reason to tell him what to do.

-[Take a deep nap.]

A thick reddish liquid came down the hose and filled the cylinder, swallowing Cha Jun Sung. It must’ve allowed him to breathe though because he quickly fell asleep.

Though there was nothing like an oxygen tank, he did not choke but breathed normally. The cylinder’s shape was simple, but it contained the technology of a secondary science.

Bibik!

A hologram appeared on the face of the cylinder that listed Cha Jun Sung’s condition.

-[1st stage of body modification operation. Time 3 hours. Heart, pulse, blood pressure normal.]

The probability of success is 100%, but Odin did not neglect his duties. He did not miss any of the changes arising in Cha Jun Sung and checked each.

-[Congratulations on taking a step, however small, into the world of being a superhuman.]

Though his physical ability had barely doubled, he was definitely on the path to becoming a superhuman. When he woke up, the world would be different.

***

Seureuk.

His eyelids quivered as he opened his eyes. He saw a familiar wall. It had felt like a moment, but he had returned from the briefing room and was home.

‘I’m naked.’

Cha Jun Sung got up from his bed. He was still in his undressed state. His equipment was organized on one side of the room. Odin had sent it to him because he could not wear it.

Tak.

Since he woke up at home, his body was activated. He could feel a power that he did not normally have. When he looked in the full length mirror, he could see the new muscles that had developed everywhere wriggle.

He swung his fist.

Was it fast?

Honestly, he could not tell. It was difficult to determine because body modification was not just in muscular strength, but also in fortifying strength and the senses.

Cha Jun Sung went up to the 2nd floor in a comfortable training suit. It was a gym rivaling a professional health center.

It was just for 1 person, so there was just one of each machine but this would be enough to tell him how much he had changed basically.

‘You need to know yourself well. Being drunk on power is stupid.’

He started exercising after a little stretching. He did not overexert himself from the beginning. He set everything to the strength he had done before the body modification.

10 minutes passed. He put the dumbbell down. 10kg did not feel very heavy. The heaviest was 50kg. He would need to lift that.

His biceps split and his veins bulged. He smiled.

The normal person could never lift 50kg with one hand.

To lift the weight of a woman with an easy movement of the arm would hurt anyone who is not a bodybuilder or of a related career.

Clunk!

As the weight was greater, so was the sound. If he had been at a professional gym, he would have gotten everyone’s attention because he was using weights beyond imagination.

Whether it was a push-up or a chin-up, it was easy to do with one hand. Exercises that could be increased in intensity with the help of machines did not put any burden on his body.

He became more surprised as he continued to exercise. It felt like he had all of the advantages that athletes have.

‘It’s embarrassing to be called a superhuman.’

It was outstanding, but the anatomy was a mystery. There were a lot of people who could get to this state without going through body modification if they put the effort into it.

He had to become much stronger to gain the strength of a true superhuman.

‘This won’t do.’

His body itched. He cannot wait until tomorrow. He had decided on one mission per day because no matter what happened, there was always fatigue.

He stopped exercising and went back to his room to put on his equipment.

The red fire would be back-up – he would only use the sword. With this body, Level 1 would not be a problem even if he did not have the help of firearms and grenades.