Day 3 – 9:15 AM, Underground Shelter
Kyung-min sat against the cold stone wall, his fingers twitching slightly. The past hours had been quiet, but not peaceful.
The shelter wasn't large—just a reinforced storage area beneath a collapsed government building. The dim emergency lights overhead flickered inconsistently, barely illuminating the space. Dust hung in the air, and every breath carried the faint scent of old metal and concrete.
The others were resting, some more comfortably than others.
Ji-hye leaned against a crate, arms crossed, her dagger resting on her lap. Tae-sik sat nearby, one knee pulled up, occasionally glancing toward the shelter entrance.
Seok-hoon was resting against a pillar, his sword beside him. His breathing was even, but Kyung-min knew he wasn't fully asleep.
Min-jun was hunched over a makeshift table, scribbling in a notebook, deep in thought.
The Silver-Haired Woman, as always, seemed completely unbothered. She sat alone, her expression unreadable.
Kyung-min exhaled and finally opened his status screen.
[STATUS SCREEN – HAN KYUNG-MIN]
[Level]: 3
[EXP]: 10%
[Class]: Soul Archivist (E-Rank, Support)
[Profession]: None
[Title]: "Seeker of the Unknown"
[HP]: 125/125
[MP]: 180/180
[Fatigue]: 5/100
[Gold]: 420G
[Attributes]
Strength: 9
Agility: 12
Stamina: 10
Intelligence: 18
Perception: 16
Stat Points Available: 10
[Skills]
Soul Archive [Lv. 2]
Spectral Insight [Lv. 2]
Basic Dagger Mastery [Lv. 2]
Death Echo [Lv. 1]
Recorded Souls: 0/5 Slots Used
[Inventory]
Beginner Archivist's Quill
Dull Iron Dagger
Lesser Beast Cores x3
Basic Health Potion x1
Basic Mana Potion x1
Gold Coins: 420G
Kyung-min looked over his stats carefully. He still hadn't used his unallocated stat points. Every choice had to be calculated.
Strength affected his physical power and minor HP gain. Agility determined his movement speed and reflexes. Stamina dictated endurance and resilience.
He needed all three.
After a brief pause, he made his decision.
[Stat Points Allocated]
Strength: 9 → 10
Agility: 12 → 14
Stamina: 10 → 12
[HP Increased: 125 → 135]
[Speed and reaction time slightly improved]
The numbers faded from his vision.
He clenched his fist. He felt… a little better. Not stronger, but more stable. A fraction faster.
It wasn't much.
But in this world, even the smallest edge mattered.
9:30 AM – The Overlooked Resource
Kyung-min tapped the air, bringing up the System Shop for the first time in days.
The store interface flickered into existence, a simple menu displaying available purchases based on his class and ranking.
Most items were locked.
Weapons beyond basic E-Rank gear required a higher combat proficiency. Skill books demanded specific class compatibility. Even health potions had a weekly purchase limit.
But then—
His eyes landed on something unexpected.
[System Store – Consumables]
🔹 Basic Health Potion – 100G
🔹 Basic Mana Potion – 100G
🔹 Field Rations (3-Day Supply) – 75G
He froze.
Food.
There was food in the store.
9:35 AM – The Realization
Kyung-min's mind raced.
The others had completely overlooked this.
They had spent hours rationing what little they had, assuming that what they found was all that existed. But the System itself provided resources—if one knew where to look.
It made sense. The apocalypse wasn't just about survival. It was about adapting to new rules.
And this was one of them.
9:40 AM – A Private Decision
He could buy three full days of food for 75G.
That wasn't a bad price.
But should he tell the others?
They had already begun resenting him for surviving when others had died.
If they knew he could access food they hadn't noticed…
His fingers hovered over the purchase button.
He had to decide.
9:42 AM – Underground Shelter
Kyung-min's finger hovered over the purchase button.
This could change everything.
A three-day food supply wasn't just a convenience—it was a lifeline. The others had spent the morning rationing their supplies, convinced that once the food ran out, they would be forced to scavenge.
And now, he had a way to bypass that entirely.
He could buy the food, keep it hidden, and use it for himself.
Or—
He could reveal it.
And risk everything that came with that knowledge.
He exhaled slowly and pressed confirm.
[System Purchase Complete!]
[-75G]
A soft glow filled the space in front of him as a compact, vacuum-sealed ration pack materialized in his hands. The bag was sleek, marked only with a generic [System-Supplied Field Rations] label.
Three days of food. Enough to keep someone alive and functional.
The realization settled in.
The System provided food.
And that meant something.
This wasn't just about scavenging anymore. The System wasn't just a set of rules—it was an entire infrastructure.
But before he could process that thought further—
"…Where did you get that?"
9:47 AM – The Group's Reaction
The voice belonged to Ji-hye.
She had been sitting near the entrance, half-awake, but now her full attention was on the ration pack in his hands.
Tae-sik, resting nearby, followed her gaze and sat up. His eyes narrowed. "Where the hell did you find food?"
The shelter fell silent.
Seok-hoon, who had been still up until now, shifted slightly, turning his gaze toward Kyung-min. Min-jun glanced up from his notebook, adjusting his glasses.
Even the Silver-Haired Woman, who rarely reacted to anything, tilted her head slightly.
Kyung-min felt the weight of all their stares.
His mind raced.
He could lie. Say he found it before they arrived. Say it was left behind by whoever used this place before.
But that would only delay the questions.
And worse—if they found the truth later, he would lose what little standing he had.
So he told them the truth.
9:50 AM – Dropping the Information Bomb
"It's from the System Shop," he said simply.
Silence.
Ji-hye frowned. "What?"
He held up the pack. "The System sells food."
Tae-sik's expression hardened. "Bullshit."
Min-jun, however, was already processing the implications. "Wait. That means…"
Kyung-min nodded. "We're not limited to what we find. As long as we have gold, we can buy what we need."
Seok-hoon's expression remained unreadable, but he was thinking.
Tae-sik let out a bitter laugh. "You're telling me we spent the last few hours stretching scraps when we could've just bought food?"
Ji-hye clicked her tongue. "So how much does it cost?"
"Seventy-five gold for a three-day supply."
Seok-hoon finally spoke. "And how much gold does everyone have?"
That was the real question.
Because now, resources weren't just about what they could find—they were about what they could afford.
9:55 AM – Resource Accounting
One by one, they checked their gold balances.
Kyung-min: 475G (after the purchase).Seok-hoon: 450G.Ji-hye: 430G.Tae-sik: 500G.Min-jun: 550G (the wealthiest).
Tae-sik cursed. "So what, we can buy seven more? That's not enough for all of us."
Ji-hye exhaled. "It's better than nothing. If we space it out with what we have left, we can last at least another four to five days without risking going outside."
Kyung-min saw the way they shifted slightly, the way their postures relaxed just a little.
Because now, survival wasn't just a countdown to starvation.
It was manageable.
Seok-hoon crossed his arms. "Fine. But we ration it carefully. No wasting gold on unnecessary items. We prioritize food first."
Min-jun nodded. "Agreed."
Tae-sik sighed. "Whatever. Just make sure it's fair."
And just like that—
Kyung-min had changed the rules.
10:10 AM – The Silver-Haired Woman's Observation
The group settled, the tension momentarily eased. Plans were made, purchases arranged.
But Kyung-min felt a gaze lingering on him.
He turned—and found himself face to face with her.
The Silver-Haired Woman studied him with a knowing look.
"You didn't have to tell them," she murmured.
Kyung-min held her gaze. "If I didn't, they would've found out eventually."
"True." She tilted her head. "But it still would've given you an advantage."
He didn't answer.
Because he knew she was right.