"What is this?! I'm I in some kind of manhwa or something??" Jun-Hyung shouted as he stared at the golden screen in front of him. "What kind of quest is this? Are you expecting to use my own money?"
Sighing Jun-Hyung shook his head as he exited the building. As he did, he looked back at the abandoned building. He never expected this place to be a restaurant.
Then slinging his jacket over his shoulder again, he began walking back toward his home.
An apartment complex, with his home being located on the 29th floor.
Opening the door to his home, Jun-Hyung walked inside his cozy home, where his little one was there to greet him.
"Moommmm… Oppa got into a fight again." Ha-Run spoke while giddily skipping toward the kitchen.
Baek-Ha-Rin is a charming and youthful girl with a delicate face and a petite frame. Her ebony eyes gleam with warmth and intelligence, and her long, raven-black hair cascades in soft waves around her shoulders. She has a certain innocence to her that makes her seem much younger than she actually is, but her quiet confidence and inner strength shine through in the way she carries herself.
"What?!" A yell came from the kitchen. It was Jun-Hyung's mother.
Jun-Hyung's mother is a warm and loving woman with a kind and nurturing presence. Her long, black hair falls in soft waves around her shoulders, framing her gentle face. Her ebony eyes are warm and inviting, reflecting the depth of her compassion.
Well, that was before Ha-Rin snitched on her older brother.
Despite her gentle nature, Jun-Hyung's mother is also fiercely protective of her family. When it comes to defending those she loves, she won't hesitate to stand up for what she believes in. Her maternal instincts are always in overdrive, and she has a knack for making everyone around her feel safe and cared for.
"You got into a fight again?! Huh?!" With a sense of urgency in her step and a look of concern etched on her face, Jun-Hyung's mother made her way across the room. Her hands, damp and slick, moved back and forth across her apron, leaving behind a trail of moisture as she closed the distance between herself and her son.
"What? No…! I'm like this because I fell off a bicycle!"
"Really? Who's bicycle was it?"
"My friends."
Jun-Hyung's mother fixed him with a piercing gaze. After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth to speak, "I sent you to that school for you to learn and have an easy and good life in the future, not to get into fights."
"I know."
"I swear… if you get expelled for dropping out, then I'm disowning you." Jun-Hyung's mother let out a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She turned and made her way back to the kitchen.
"Just stay in school and study," Ha-Rin spoke with a playful tone, sticking out her tongue mischievously.
"Are you still not over what happened yesterday?" Jun-Hyung spoke.
"No!" Ha-Rin shouted while running off.
Later that night...
As Jun-Hyung slumbered soundly, his head resting on the pillow, a shimmering gold screen danced in front of his closed eyelids, casting a radiant glow upon his peaceful countenance.
00:00:282
00:00:067
Quest failed!
In a sudden, jarring moment, Jun-Hyung's eyes sprang wide, but he found himself plunged into a murky void as though a black veil had been thrown over his vision. His surroundings were cloaked in an impenetrable darkness, a suffocating absence of light. Gradually, he became aware of a dreadful sensation, the realization that his limbs were tightly bound, immobilized by some unseen force.
True to his fears, Jun-Hyung found himself in a state of half-undress, his torso exposed and vulnerable, as he lay shackled to the corners of a rough-hewn wooden table. Heavy chains encircled his limbs, binding him tightly to the unforgiving surface, like a prisoner of a medieval torture chamber.
Panic gripped Jun-Hyung's chest as he frantically writhed against his restraints, his limbs straining against the unyielding chains. With each futile attempt to break free, his breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding against his ribs like a caged bird. Meanwhile, the ominous reverberation of metal clanging filled the air, echoing throughout the shadowy confines of the chamber.
Suddenly and without warning, water cascaded down upon Jun-Hyung's face like a relentless deluge, pummeling him with the force of a raging waterfall. The weight of the water pressed down upon him, suffocating and unyielding, like a suffocating embrace from a watery abyss.
At first, Jun-Hyung was surprised by the sudden gush of water that hit his face, but he quickly realized that wasn't the main problem.
'The water isn't stopping!'
The water continued to pound down upon him. He felt his lungs beginning to constrict, his chest heaving with each desperate attempt to draw in air. The water had become a merciless assailant, intent on drowning him in its icy embrace.
Straining against his bonds, Jun-Hyung sought to shift his head to one side, hoping to divert the torrent of water away from his face. But the cloth that obscured his vision clung to his skin like a suffocating shroud, making it impossible to maneuver his head. In his desperate efforts to avoid drowning, he unwittingly invited more water up his nostrils, filling his lungs with icy tendrils that choked him from within. Each movement seemed to bring more water into his struggling body, intensifying the feeling of being smothered by the relentless deluge.
In a heartbeat, Jun-Hyung's pulse spiked, pounding like a frantic drum against his ribs as his body fought for oxygen. Just as he felt himself teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, the water ceased its assault, leaving him gasping and wheezing for breath. The respite was only temporary, however, as the acrid taste of bile filled his mouth and nose, a bitter reminder of the water that had nearly drowned him moments before.
As Jun-Hyung's hopes of escape began to flicker out like dying embers, the water surged back with a vengeance, striking him anew like a vicious wave that refused to relent. His body tensed, convulsing with the effort to fight off the relentless onslaught, but it was a losing battle. Once again, he was engulfed in the icy embrace of the water, his struggling body at the mercy of its merciless force.
In a blurred vision, Jun-Hyung was barely able to make out the golden screen that was in front of him because of the cloth over his face.
8:59:31
Morning...
"Son... it's time to wake up." Jun-Hyung's mother knocked on Jun-Hyung's door. But as she realized that there wasn't any response, she immediately busted down the door with the thought that Jun-Hyung had snuck out of home again, but that wasn't the case as he was sitting upright on his bed.
But Jun-Hyung's face wore a haunted look, as though he had been thrust into the depths of a nightmare. His eyes, usually bright and lively, were now hollow and sunken as if drained of all life. Beads of sweat rolled down his pallid forehead. However, as if determined to push away the darkness, he shook his head vigorously. Then, with a forceful exhale, he plastered a fake smile on his lips like a mask of happiness that barely concealed anything.
"It was just a nightmare," Jun-Hyung spoke as he got out of bed and began dressing, and slung his bag over his back. "I'm heading out."
"You're not going to eat?" As his mother inquired, Jun-Hyung solemnly shook his head and strode out of the front door of his home. With a sudden burst of energy, he dashed toward the elevator. The moment he got off, he ran out of his apartment complex.
He looked in front of him, where he saw the same golden screen floating in front of him.
Quick Quest: Cast off the veil of impurities that shroud your restaurant and breathe new life into its very soul. Rid the space of any blemish or stain, and pave the way for a new era of culinary excellence. Then, with a mind full of vision and a heart full of passion, embark on a journey of discovery and creation, acquiring the finest furniture, the most advanced stoves and ovens, and all manner of accouterments to adorn your culinary sanctuary. The system will take notice and reward you for how well you do.
Time limit: 12 hours
Minumin reward: 20% synchronization with the restaurant
Penalty: Death