Chapter 12
8coThe player had to deliver supplies to a laboratory in a post-apocalyptic world while avoiding zombies.TH9
MfEyc4The objective was to help a researcher who was single-handedly developing a vaccine against the zombie virus survive by providing food and obtaining the research materials needed to complete the vaccine.ITFnr
9R2Wq“The Trial is classified as four stars. Captain Mo Haein and Captain Kwak Hanmuk will be entering this Trial for the first time, although they have already memorized the strategy.”Fgd
m8JJust as the military had alert levels such as Jindogae or Watchcon, [1] the Trial Response Agency also classified Trials.vAs
drmYHowever, unlike normal military alerts, in the Trial Response Agency the higher the number, the greater the level of difficulty.votL
sko49GpThe classifications ranged from one to six stars and were assigned based on multiple factors.gdq5PGx
uRQHasFac, which had previously been closed, was a three-star Trial.OwwDH
7VfsAlthough its bosses were strong, its strategies were well established, and there were also useful items and extra lives.rL4Ft0V
nfo“Mr. Han Goyo, will you be alright?”590ec
TWD1To be honest, it wasn’t normal to throw a four-star Trial at a recruit as a first mission.WTy
P9YZBut if this was the Special Mission Team, then he would need to be capable of handling at least a four-star Trial for his existence to make sense.GvIGF3L
kv3“I’ll be fine.”rtDUe
edS9pdN“Then, before the detailed briefing, do you know the organizational structure of the Trial Response Agency?”9AsRj
YkcU89f“…Hmm, explain it to me.”EWrI
MIJZI actually knew everything already, but it didn’t seem like a good idea to pretend I knew things in front of Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein.tgSjp
aF4KL9‘It would only make me look more suspicious.’A8OgW9
WOkxSo I decided to listen to it again as a review.G4UOo
qd7FA8The floating screen changed.uMBrW
iEk“The Trial Response Agency is composed of four main divisions and ten teams. It is an extremely practical structure for a public institution. Though there are now eleven teams.”Om6
MwWIn the vertical organizational chart projected onto the screen, one team protruded off to the side.uvC
MHU4lAnIt was the Special Mission Team, connected directly to the Director.2cI
KimpAU“The First Division, the Field Response Division, consists of three teams.”7Z1
A3kWqIVThe leader of Field Team 2 was Mo Haein.tuJ68eY
0GDwXThe leader of Field Team 3 was Kwak Hanmuk.CQlDy
rKWzKwak Hanmuk’s Field Team 3 was also responsible for tracking down Compatibles who committed crimes.wWfrP5
cgoxThe day I completed HasFac alongside Mo Haein, it was Samra who sent Kwak Hanmuk.sqy8j6t
2eo2He had predicted the possibility that Park Seonggyeon would commit a crime and dispatched him as backup.s5aWo3
lE8dU“As Mr. Han Goyo may have already noticed, there is currently one person missing from the Special Mission Team.”Mfmmjj
IDAThe screen zoomed in on Field Team 1.ldf4KSc
qBaPl5“This is the person who serves as the head of the Field Response Division, the leader of Field Team 1, and also the leader of our Special Mission Team.”8Nc
WHZqHThe screen changed and displayed a photo of the leader along with a brief note.ihD
RsGLieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno (infected with the BT-Z virus)pESU0
37G1Extremely aggressive tendencies due to infection.zS39ZXb
RJCmThe man in the photograph was covered from head to toe in completely black equipment, like a crow.adsdmqy
J0RThe only visible feature was a portion of his black-purple hair beneath a deeply lowered hood.pzYBc
1TfdsVWith protective goggles and a gas mask, he was an infected individual whose body had mutated due to a Trial virus.p4AQ
nxPhjc“He is currently inside Dead Zone Delivery.”hMN1
43FI silently looked at the part that read “extremely aggressive tendencies.”K7Ioh4
j1wrUThen the letters slowly shifted and the text updated itself.1ZtsGx0
euRg5Extremely aggressive tendencies toward Trials due to infection.Y8SZ
16jKSamra smiled and said,tAoG7
rnYm“He behaves calmly around civilians.”FBRY
jMmDIf I hadn’t known anything about Je Hyuno, those words would have reassured me.js5OUS
kNDsVjLI stared at him silently.8af
4ZcSamra’s smile widened and his eyes glowed.NkOFIks
wpsyMQThen he added, as if he had forgotten to mention it:RKSal9p
YabD“But he’s a little fierce with Compatibles.”CxnyOQ
6bLftAn AI pretending it forgot something.k4wFks
6rtMHow absurd.j0ld
IX5bUnlike me, who was stunned, Samra seemed deeply interested.yrpfTB2
JP5JBecause I knew information about Je Hyuno.O35
gBL9It was confidential Trial Response Agency information that no outsider could possibly know or should know.X2jh
jDCmN2TMaintaining Samra’s interest in me was important if I wanted to preserve our cooperative relationship.2JArr
CC3That was why, at least with Samra, I had no intention of pretending ignorance about the things I knew.rcz
CIKnb“I think Samra is malfunctioning.”1Ps5O
07uZSHKwak Hanmuk asked whether, since he was shooting beams out of his eyes, hitting him might fix the problem.83m0B
X6UyG“A method that primitive cannot affect me.”b7J
S7dmuneSamra replied calmly and continued the explanation.gPxPll
4NSHgM“Dead Zone Delivery is Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno’s exclusive Trial. His usual clear time is approximately two days. However, this time ten days have passed and he still has not completed it.”Ei9SGC3
MG91qKwak Hanmuk opened a bag of cookies but misjudged his strength.xA8pFZL
aX0KBPop!wbnQRwF
Fo8hrThe bag burst open.PklpL
EBxCookies spilled across the table.HiuD
qfZMo Haein picked up one of the fallen cookies and ate it as if it were completely normal.4kJcf
weUOHI only picked up one before three seconds passed and ate it.EZ3J
yqrXwGa“The objective of the Special Mission Team is to achieve the True Ending and rescue Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno.”LWjM
vITHowever, nobody actually believed this was a rescue mission.JwmMzu
SSDxF1There was no way Je Hyuno was trapped inside the Trial.DdK7c41
Ffy1IKkIt was obvious he was there because he didn’t want to leave.8Ybkn
wOHYDEven though nobody knew why he had remained there for ten days.tXAQgV7
xKFg3Because of that, everyone seemed to interpret the mission not as a rescue operation, but as a pursuit and capture mission.msCnmEB
VEe3sRI was tense for a different reason.gdH
JrsOf course, I would have to enter to be certain, but—3it
gCq‘It may no longer be possible to fulfill the conditions for the True Ending.’GwR5g
G2cIvIt was a reasonable concern, considering I knew very well the kinds of things Je Hyuno did inside Trials.1te
AE2I had to close three Trials within a month.OaZtS
7UyXSI wouldn’t have much room to re-enter Dead Zone Delivery.KeFEeF
K9YhprPI could only hope that Je Hyuno had behaved himself.kvXJ90J
kFa“To explain the BT virus to Mr. Han Goyo…”XDQKtI
TrMCwAlthough Samra probably assumed I already knew, he began the explanation.t1uRbSM
rA7I played along and nodded as well.Wqd0d
gQ1O“Viruses generated by Trials are currently referred to as Beyond Trial Viruses, or BT viruses. Furthermore, their names are subdivided according to each Trial’s code.”bvIvtA
C7D9YjuFor example, HasFac was classified as BT-HSF.H8D8Fe
U5EOeDead Zone Delivery as BT-DZD.xuQZI
oiTB“The Trial Response Agency, through joint research conducted by myself and Ham Jiwol, Head of the Research Analysis Division, has partially developed vaccines to prevent BT virus infection.”s0S
PWMRYsDSamra added that because the virus’s properties changed depending on the Trial, vaccines had to be developed individually.mDKNl
hKV7bHsHe also explained that there were still many Trials for which no vaccine had been developed, and that treatments had only been successfully created for a very small number of them.iW1x5b4
FNEkLa5“That is why you must exercise extreme caution regarding BT virus infection.”d2kgM
dhCJ4oFive points appeared on Samra’s screen.Wdnn
SkqDtR“The cases in which a person becomes infected are as follows.”O19
5ZWT0dPI read through each point to check whether they matched what I remembered.3Jp
dgM10Completing missions or using items.gi2Ao8
Fm7Coming into contact with NPCs.UQqU
4yRrJ2Failing the Trial.dE1y
AIRrTrial Explosion.S4AP
ARiIpiGInfection by an infected individual.pZV
ED6Mh“Regarding point number five.”GXbI7M
KM58Su9After finishing his cookies, Kwak Hanmuk brushed the crumbs from his hands while giving a simple explanation.fVu52J
5sCB3Q“It’s easier if you think of it like a zombie virus, just like in this Dead Zone Delivery.”eDbmt
UeFI thought it was an appropriate comparison.419MWB
SI6The BT virus really was quite similar to a zombie virus.5MuW
KGhqeZ1Infection occurred when the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person directly entered a human body, and infected individuals tended to display strong aggression toward humans.V1uU
xFXqOf course, there were rare cases of docile infected individuals.e7P
5HMwJe Hyuno was a special case—neither docile nor completely aggressive.LdKvYC
Wf54WI“The Trial Response Agency quarantines infected individuals who cannot be cured and executes those who cannot be controlled in order to prevent further infections.”AIkBqOl
zzweAs someone who had nearly ended up riddled with bullets, I didn’t feel like that was somebody else’s problem.H5kJkAz
vWhAfter saying something so terrifying with complete calmness, Samra looked around at the members of the Special Mission Team.N2btpYo
ROF“Although we are dedicating all available resources to the development of vaccines and treatments, we cannot keep pace with the rate at which Trials are appearing. Therefore, obtaining True Endings is more important than anything else.”aS37n
rl5alMo Haein, who had remained silent until then, spoke for the first time.ttBPof
sp5uFEb“Because it’s the only method that can restore infected individuals even without a treatment.”rZW
lwYiJWhen a Trial is permanently closed, all infected individuals whose bodies were mutated due to that Trial return to normal.Gras
xmu9That was why the toy factory workers from HasFac emerged with their human limbs intact instead of retaining toy arms or legs.MNQX
M9P2E“Dead Zone Delivery has no vaccine. And, of course, no treatment either. Since it’s a zombie virus, the infected are extremely aggressive. If you’re infected, you’ll be executed immediately. Understood?”pKpuP8
uLoMo Haein looked at me sharply.0NOT
YwOU“What I’m saying is, are you prepared to risk your life, Recruit?”SmN
Ioh0For a moment, I couldn’t answer.c3549IJ
MQ5ZIt wasn’t because I was afraid.5uc
ZTsOlWNor because I was scared.9SdQ4
lWLZZbIt was because I had just come face to face with the reason I liked Mo Haein’s character so much when I played World Archive.sUefSQ
SGhwnN3Someone who had always existed on the other side of a screen was now real and speaking to me.rW3ob9v
KW5OxSeeing her worry about me while I was about to enter a place where I could die made a smile appear on my face before I realized it.2vV
ffz“Thank you for worrying about me.”FBjTW1
Jsr2FaeWhen I sincerely thanked her, Mo Haein looked at me as though she were dumbfounded.nShQpG
7yhJ8xKwak Hanmuk also stared at me the same way he stared at Samra whenever it seemed to be malfunctioning.IuNOk
UEZTltZFeeling a little embarrassed, I added,HiU
gYEqBuM“I’ll do my best.”Rul
yGZAMo Haein opened her mouth several times as if she wanted to say something.2wLF
hJVBut in the end, she only replied briefly.mqILFek
rQ9Q“…Good.”EUH
nwquThen she looked away.Vp6SZ8n
PrGYHPX***S8cueGx
ZAQ6uDAThe place where Dead Zone Delivery appeared was the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.OYF
lkuSince Osong Station was very close, I thought we would travel by KTX.0xzGS
Z3l2But we ended up going by helicopter.PUw
SwQvsIt was the first time in my life that I had ridden one.ec8
y4xGUThanks to the fact that the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency had already sent the necessary documentation, entering the institute was simple.rVzY
yVhi— Mr. Han Goyo.bbbWng
I3WwgJNSamra’s voice sounded through my earpiece.WBbFe
UXy4uOSince real-world objects could not be brought into a Trial, the earpiece could only be used before entering.TgxZjFn
O67sZ— There is no need to respond. Just listen.kwIwZ8
3uEuPFURealizing that the transmission was directed only at me and not the team, I looked at Mo Haein and Kwak Hanmuk walking ahead.f61Pn
A3caThey were speaking with the institute’s director.OK7ekV8
6au— Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno will be the responsibility of Captain Mo Haein and Captain Kwak Hanmuk. If any confrontation occurs, avoid it.FrrG
ncKv3yA red light blinked on one of the hallway security cameras.lk4
ev5DQvSamra was watching me through the institute’s surveillance system.iQErm
GzRCS1Using other people’s equipment as if it were his own, he continued speaking.UR3
jeaqUIO— Mr. Han Goyo, at this moment you are a unique and irreplaceable existence.fn2Izb
0o34YFCIn other words, I had to survive at all costs.4B0
oLWKRrOEven if that meant using Mo Haein and Kwak Hanmuk as bait.sAq6L
JUAwp‘But I’m a supporter of Happy Endings.’HUO
lPv9xh8I didn’t want to complete a Trial that way.9imz
TDSqWithout showing either approval or disagreement, I continued walking silently.cD8jBZ
XxULziQThe institute director stopped in front of a massive metal door.qJtdq9
lKV3tT“It’s here.”3uRq
SZ28Dead Zone Delivery was much more isolated than HasFac, since residential complexes, schools, and other facilities were located nearby.9LqvWu
I5J48af“I wish you good luck.”WPW5J4M
P86The director practically fled the area.UMDnD9u
2GoXMo Haein swiped her access card and opened the door.ItJC
llUFEAt the center of a large room rested a cracked meteorite.3Cc
x29It was approximately the size of an ostrich egg.lc3U
mACVFShA large crack ran across its surface, and an intense dark green light emanated from within.7rkj
hXGIt was said that every Trial possessed a meteorite with a different shape and color.rFr
cqpAnAnd that color fit Dead Zone Delivery perfectly.JfUuyNE
M3hL“Special Mission Team entering.”zyByHTH
pNzuMo Haein sent one final report.y62h6F
5jIdThen she placed her hand on the meteorite.R4UVz5
eMWEverything around us began to melt and turn fluorescent colors.VSRpvK
Ijlqg***ICc
fcOP8ltWhen I woke up, I was in an alleyway in an abandoned city.XH2GL2u
MGrI staggered to my feet and walked toward a main street.wYnWE
izmLw‘Han Goyo (Gunbam)’ has entered (Dead Zone Delivery).v6e
ZKb◆ Main Mission of (Dead Zone Delivery): Complete the out-of-control zombie world by obtaining the True Ending.ymmVq
XoNYou have successfully closed your first Trial.LeaiAgL
CSSapYou must improve your capabilities as a System by obtaining a second True Ending.lRoxeVw
WKR3cMission Success: Survival!AmOM
mYV7ao5Mission Failure…E5k
j7AlghThe system window, which had functioned perfectly until now, began malfunctioning.d8kTO6s
IKIMission Failure…………PQ1
4P0mndIt seemed to have connection issues and merely displayed ellipses for a long time.hXVlpoR
RGJ6iNxMission Failure…………………………FZPw0M7
scRgyXUnknown…? Cannot…? Determine…?jWgTR0x
ZfqxAfter making me wait that long, the answer ended up being, “Unknown.”boIBuI
A8mXfxI stared at the window with complete disbelief and then checked my clothes.Dhn
zrgh7eI was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, military pants, and dog tags hanging around my neck.EnT6mzh
V0IWgO8I picked up the tag and examined it.yxrz2Nc
4SJJRepublic of Korea ArmyGuay
sYy2l20XX0229fywju
XaUHqGunbamnRO7n5V
Nhu8AB (RH-)Lw6K
UuOPEInstead of a military serial number, it only displayed my birth date.tQV5Av
Co7ILPwWhen I played the game, I had never been able to examine the tag so closely.JnutWd
Ivp9vwSeeing that even my birth date and blood type were recorded correctly sent a chill down my spine.6m1
V09z“Goyo!”YE80B
VM1Kwak Hanmuk had appeared nearby.Qjafk
MMGWaving one hand like a neighborhood thug, he walked over.Yo4Jim
LIEI didn’t know where he had gotten it, but he was already wearing an old baseball jacket.KH9mzel
adOyAN“It looks like Captain Mo didn’t spawn near us. Should we head to the Green Zone?”Zbvh87
8vpThe Green Zone was where the survivor camp was located.5srErzs
x5K9xIt was also a fairly natural way to determine whether I knew Dead Zone Delivery.kGupUw
KMhZ“No.”3kG
JkGx0tKwak Hanmuk, with both hands in his jacket pockets, tilted his head.ZHPbvAz
62Rpno2Most players who started Dead Zone Delivery used the Green Zone as their initial base.rJC
e0KQppfIt was the safest and most standard strategy.ApEJ
uIFFeqGBut I needed to obtain the True Ending as quickly as possible.qI6gwQ
Y0GovTy‘I only have one month. I need to save time for the other Trials.’vUtp
rFTaSo I picked up a bloodstained baseball bat from the ground.JKJxVp
Xn8Ph“Before that…”qWyO
rZ0I turned toward Kwak Hanmuk and made a proposal.fGMxuM
gGNmpC9“What do you say we start by killing a few people?”77vnxkv
eXkuqrT/N:fn96
EwnTvYj[1]: Jindogae and Watchcon are South Korean military alert levels; they are mentioned as examples to explain that the Trial Response Agency also classifies Trials according to danger levels.jt7toJ
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dihnblls 300
Golden Corewho was cracking the infected bruh
0221
MortalJust said the same thing twice no?
0221
Mortalbased
dihnblls 300
Golden CoreI’m dead why no one gaf
dihnblls 300
Golden Corethree second rule