"Huff… huff…"
I panted heavily, turning to look back.
Beyond the portal, I could still see the Orc searching for me.
The creature attempted to step through several times, but…
[An external entity is attempting to enter.]
[The entity does not meet the required conditions.]
Crackle!
It was blocked by an invisible wall.
Bang! Thud!
It pounded on the wall in frustration, but nothing changed.
The creature no longer tried to enter.
It just stared at me, licking its lips.
"I'm alive…"
Just as I was about to heave a sigh of relief,
Then, a message appeared.
[You have entered the Subspace for the first time.]
[You will receive a reward for using the tutorial.]
[Reward: 1 Mana Stone]
Is this what they call the Mana Stone?
A mysterious blue gemstone was now in my hand.
It was a message I had seen since I first awakened my abilities, but this time, something was different.
A familiar voice was added to the message window.
I called out to the owner of the voice.
"PAX…?"
[Greetings, Jeong-gyeom nim. How can I assist you?]
My only friend at work.
AI PAX was reading the status message for me.
"What on earth…"
I looked around.
The place I was in just a moment ago.
The interior of the logistics center was visible, but the view outside the window was empty, like a blank sheet of paper.
As if I were in outer space or in a nonexistent time and place.
I asked.
"Where is this…? And what are you?"
AI PAX's response was prompt.
[This is the PAX Fulfillment Center located in Gunpo City, Gyeonggi Province. It is a facility with five floors above ground and a total area of 10,000 pyeong, housing all the products needed for customers' lives from around the world. Approximately 150 AGVs are equipped here…]
[I am PAX, the mascot of the Fulfillment Center here to assist Kim Jeong-gyeom nim with your tasks.]
Damn, I thought it was my first day at work.
The scene looked like any other day at the logistics center, but there was one key difference.
Not only were all the lights turned off, but the AGV robots that moved the shelves and the conveyor belts had come to a complete stop.
PAX spoke up.
[The facility's power supply has been cut off. It is crucial to restore power as soon as possible. The longer the delay in power supply, the more severe the problems will be with maintaining the quality of the products.]
Was it just my imagination?
For an AI, the voice sounded somewhat urgent.
"What kind of severe problems?"
[The most critical issue is at the Fresh Center. The refrigerators and freezers have stopped working, and the automatic shipping system is also currently offline.]
The refrigerators had stopped?
That was a big problem.
Outside, the landscape was like a war zone.
I might have to endure here in this Subspace for a long time.
I had to prevent any issues with the most crucial resource—food.
"How do we supply power? This is a subspace, right?"
Surprisingly, the solution was simple.
[You can use Mana Stones as a resource. Each stone can power the facility for 24 hours.]
The Mana Stone I received as soon as I entered the Subspace.
PAX was asking for that.
I handed over the Mana Stone without hesitation.
"Here, take it."
I also hoped that the items here would remain safe.
As I raised the Mana Stone into the air,
[Received 1 Mana Stone.]
It dissolved away, disappearing like a mist.
And then…
Click!
Whirr…
The lights in the logistics center turned back on, and the AGV robots started moving again.
With the whirr sound, even the ventilation system kicked in, making me feel a lot more relieved.
"…Bought us a day."
[Indeed.]
"How can I get more Mana Stones?"
[The Mana Stone given by the awakening system is a one-time thing.]
[You can harvest Mana Stones from beings of the Otherworld.]
"Beings of the Otherworld, you mean..."
As I quickly turned my head, I caught sight of the handsome green Orc still guarding the portal.
"That thing?"
[That's correct.]
In simple terms, I had to defeat that Orc to get a Mana Stone.
The goal was set, but the method to take it down was unclear.
How on earth was I supposed to defeat that monstrous creature?
The only tool I could potentially use was the transparent wall blocking the creature.
And…
This Fulfillment Center.
I asked.
"Can I still search for items like before?"
[Yes, you can. What item are you looking for?]
"There wouldn't happen to be any weapons, right? Like spears or longswords."
[We don't deal with weaponry, but we do have various types of decorative swords or camping knives.]
A decorative sword meant it wasn't a real sword but just for display.
A knife wasn't a bad option either, but it didn't seem like it would be enough to take down that Orc.
"What about an axe?"
[We have hand axes available. The location is shelf G-76. Up to the fourth shelf is filled with axes and related tools.]
I headed towards the automated display and searched for shelf G.
Navigating through the seemingly endless partitions felt like walking into a giant library.
Eventually, I found shelf G-76 and selected a suitable hand axe from among the dozens available.
It didn't look like a lethal weapon, but among them, it seemed to have decent weight and a sharp edge.
[Fiskars Axe (Small), price is 72,500 won.]
About 72,500 won.
But I didn't need to pay.
From now on, I was the rightful owner of everything in this place.
Just as I picked up the axe…
"Huh?"
The axe I held in my hand was the last item remaining on the shelf.
However, as soon as I took it out, the shelf magically restocked itself.
Even if I kept taking out more items, the result was the same.
[The items here are digitized versions of real objects. They can be replicated, so while they can be damaged or altered, they won't be depleted.]
In other words…
"These items can be duplicated? That's cheating!"
[That's correct.]
An infinite-stock logistics center.
The Fulfillment Center brought into the Subspace had truly become a monstrous place.
"…Well, anyway."
With the axe in hand, I left the display area.
The Orc remained motionless, still staring at me from beyond the portal.
What a persistent creature.
"You've dug your own grave."
Hiding the axe behind my back, I slowly approached the creature.
There was only one chance.
If it sensed a threat, it might try to escape.
Once I got close enough.
I took a deep breath slowly.
The creature was large enough to fill most of the portal's frame.
At this distance, I was confident I wouldn't miss.
Its head.
The Orc's eyes grew cautious, as if it sensed something was off.
But…
"You're already too late."
Whoosh!
Putting all my strength into my shoulder, I swung the axe.
The axe spun in the air and then…
Thwack!
It struck the creature's head.
Splat!
Green blood gushed from its head like a fountain.
Thud!
The creature fell backward.
Its body twitched a few times, but soon, it lay still and cold.
"Phew…"
The grudge I held over the past three days was finally resolved.
.
.
.
Step, step.
After taking down the Orc, there was one place I headed to first.
Thanks to the restored power, the facility's lights and even the computers that processed orders were back on.
I arrived at the Picking Station and quickly entered information using the keyboard located at the bottom of the monitor.
Tap-tap-tap.
This Picking Station served as a kind of 'pickup point', where the AGV robots delivered the ordered items.
With the power back, I could use the facility to its full convenience.
"Let me place an order."
Tap-tap-tap!
As I typed in items on the keyboard, PAX added in its clear voice:
[Light Combat Boots, priced at 52,500 won.]
[Military Tactical Vest, priced at 58,000 won.]
[Aluminum Canteen, priced at 11,800 won.]
[Jeju Samdasoo, 2L, 24 bottles, priced at 25,920 won.] (TL Note: Water)
[Large Military Backpack 80L, priced at 29,900 won.]
[Emergency Rations, 2 Meal Sets, Spicy Stir-fried Pork Bibimbap, 10 packs, 110g each, priced at 22,500 won.]
"All of this is free, huh."
Backpack, combat boots, military vest, canteen filled with water, and emergency rations.
The joy of shopping was quite satisfying.
But as I stuffed each item into the bag, an indescribable sense of déjà vu hit me.
"…Damn, this feels like packing military gear."
How long had it been since I was discharged? The situation felt painfully ironic.
After roughly finishing my preparations, I ordered two more items.
[Book, Seoul Metropolitan Area Detailed Map, priced at 31,500 won.]
[Monami Ballpoint Pen, Blue, 12P, priced at 4,480 won.]
Thud.
An AGV robot tossed over a book and a box of pens.
"There really is nothing you can't find here."
This Fulfillment Center even had books.
The item I ordered was a 200-page map book that covered the entire metropolitan area.
I could have used my smartphone, but with the internet down, no matter how much I tried, the map app wouldn't work.
Flip.
I opened to the first page, which displayed the entire metropolitan area.
Then, I started marking several locations with the pen.
"Big sister who works in Gangnam, little sister in Euljiro, my eldest hyung and his wife who just set up their newlywed home in Dobong-gu…"
And finally, my parents and grandfather in Uijeongbu.
I marked each member of the Kim family, scattered around like Dragon Balls.
It was like nuclear fission had scattered them far and wide.
"Why does everyone have to be spread out in the most inconvenient places…"
The one silver lining was that they were all located to the north.
I could track them down one by one, in the closest order.
For now, I planned to find my little sister in Gangnam first.
"I hope they're all safe."
My current location was Gunpo City.
Technically, it was in the metropolitan area, but it was still far from Seoul.
The distance was quite far, but… if I armed myself with the power of family, maybe I could make it somehow.
Besides, this Fulfillment Center was truly remarkable, even offering a reliable ride.
Squeak, squeak.
The AGV robot struggled a bit as it brought my items over.
With a flashy headlight shining, it looked pretty cool.
PAX announced.
[Two-tone Kodiak Sports Electric Bicycle 16.5Ah, Black color, priced at 1,890,000 won.]
Click!
I took the bike and adjusted the height of the seat.
"Before I started this job… I never imagined they'd have stuff like this."
It wasn't a car or a motorcycle, but for now, it would be more than helpful.
According to the product description, it could travel up to 100km on a single charge.
At this moment, I didn't envy a Tesla at all.
Sitting astride the seat, I looked out past the portal.
There lay the Orc's corpse, an axe lodged in its head, and beyond it were overturned, destroyed, and burnt trucks and buildings scattered everywhere.
It wasn't exactly a picture of a happy world, but…
"Let's get going."
Whirr…
I started up the electric bike.
Behind me, the Fulfillment Center, filled to the brim with display shelves, stood in all its grandeur.
From drinks, food, and even entertainment—literally, everything imaginable was there.
Compared to the world outside, this place could almost be called a paradise.
But…
"My troublesome family isn't here, are they?"
Ding!
['Troublesome family' is not a registered item.]
PAX chimed in.
With that, I stepped out through the portal.
With the 10,000-pyeong PAX Fulfillment Center at my back.