After a while, Lee Han felt calm and his mind clearer. He immediately ventured back into the building.
Within seconds, Lee Han realized he was inside an apartment building.
Amazingly, the top floor of the building remains intact, in stark contrast to the chaotic condition of the building below.
A total of ten units lined the floor he was on, catching Lee Han's attention. He approached each door, attempting to open them, but they were firmly locked.
Lee Han rang the bell and knocked on all doors, one by one. Yet no one answered, nor any sound coming from behind the door. It appeared that all the units were empty.
Then he tried to force open all the doors without prevailing, even after trying to break them. All the doors are solidly locked and very sturdy.
He sighed deeply, realizing he couldn't access the apartment to get inside and get cover from the freezing cold. He was acutely aware of the need to find a hiding place before nightfall.
His current attire offered little protection against the harsh cold — he might die the following day if he didn't find a warm place.
Frustration clouded Lee Han, but a few seconds later, something crossed his mind. A flicker of hope appeared as he remembered the system.
"Lara," he called out to her. "Are you there?"
'Yes, Adventurer Lee Han. How can I help?' Lara answered, sounds in his mind. Her cheerful-cute voice managed to calm Lee Han's tense nerves. Even though she is invisible, Lara's presence provides a comforting sense of friendship in this weird place.
"How can I open this door?"
'You can acquire an 'ACCESS CARD,' which grants entry through any door with card access.'
"How can I get that access card?"
Lee Han could picture the access card usually used when they stayed at the hotel. It's the same, right?
'It's in your inventory.'
Instantly, the inventory appears in Lee Han's line of sight, revealing the golden access card, among other things.
"This inventory is so damn cool, Lara..."
Lee Han couldn't hold back his excitement when he saw the inventory. What appeared before his eyes looked more complete than what he saw in his game panel.
Rows of shelves containing the tools he needed were neatly lined up. He saw the tools for survival and the food and beverages there. Looking at the inventory, he feels he is standing inside a huge supermarket.
A smile appears on his lips as he imagines having a massive supermarket in his mind. He will be fine staying in this world if he has this inventory.
What surprised Lee Han the most was a special section for self-defense tools, such as various types of sharp weapons, defense outfits, and almost all types of firearms he knew, neatly arranged on a shelf. However, his eyebrows raised slightly when he saw the words restricted area.
"Lara, so what appears in my inventory belongs to me? I could use them all?" He asked excitedly.
"Yes, you can use them all, but you must pay before claiming it."
Lee Han knows the concept of earning money. He must finish a few quests to get cash rewards or kill the monster.
He glances at the top right corner. There's a display showing how much money he has at this moment.
[5 Gold Coin]
[1000 Silver Coin]
Lee Han thought the elf princess would give him generous money, like when he played the beta tester. But, it seems this time different.
'Adventurer Lee Han, you better buy the access card now, or you will never see the sun again.'
He snapped back to his reality after hearing Lara's voice.
He needs to enter the apartment to hide from the cold. But, looking, he only had 5 Gold coins and 1000 Silver coins, making him want to punch the wall before him.
Lee Han can't help but curse whoever sent him here when his gaze fixed on the tag price under the Gold Access Card; it was 5 Gold coins.
'Adventurer Lee Han, you must hurry to acquire that Access Card. The temperature is about to drop. Don't worry about your money because, with the card, you can access various places throughout District Ten only using that card— 'Lara's voice broke through in the middle of his frustration.
Lee Han agrees with Lara. The golden card was precious. He put aside his worry to buy a weapon. For now, he only needed a warm place to survive.
He pressed [BUY]
Instantly, his gold coins disappeared from his system panel, and a GOLD CARD appeared in his palm.
'Very well, adventurer Lee Han. Now, you can access all this place only using your access card.'
"Let's see what's behind this door," Lee Han said, anticipating what awaited him inside the unit.
As the door swung open, Lee Han stepped into the room and was taken aback by its cleanliness and warmth.
Expecting to find an abandoned, dusty hotel room or apartment, he was surprised to discover a neatly arranged studio apartment with minimal furnishings.
The electronic devices were slightly outdated compared to those in his apartment. Still, they sufficed considering his current location in District Ten—the lowest district in this kingdom.
This area seemed more like a border region than the central hub of District Ten. Surrounding it were numerous mountains and dense forests, with tall buildings a rare sight.
The building that Lee Han found himself in was the tallest structure in the city. The small town's business center was concentrated along the main street where this apartment building stood. As for the residential houses, they were located not far from this place. But he had seen that almost all the buildings had been destroyed.
"I'm safe. At least for tonight," Lee Han murmured, closing the door behind him.
...
Even though the name of this place is the same as the city name in the game, the landscape is different. This location is identical to the city near his town.
"Can I survive in this place!?" Lee Han muttered.