Day 3 – 10:30 AM, Underground Shelter
The tension had settled, but it hadn't disappeared.
Even after deciding on rationing the food purchases, the unspoken divide in the group remained.
They had agreed to buy enough to last several more days.
But agreeing on that didn't mean they agreed on everything else.
And now that the shock of the discovery had worn off—other concerns took priority.
Seok-hoon leaned against the shelter's cold wall, his arms crossed. "Food is handled for now. But that's not the only problem we have."
Ji-hye stretched out her sore arms. "Weapons. Some of us are still using garbage-tier gear."
Tae-sik grunted. "And we don't know what's waiting outside after nightfall. We barely made it through last night. What happens when something stronger finds this place?"
Min-jun, still flipping through his notebook, nodded absently. "We have time to prepare, but we can't just sit here doing nothing. We need a plan."
The Silver-Haired Woman sat off to the side, watching without saying much.
And Kyung-min, as always, listened.
Because this wasn't just a discussion about survival.
It was a negotiation of priorities.
Day 3 – 11:00 AM, The Unspoken Vote
The conversation was at a standstill.
Seok-hoon and Min-jun refused to rush into anything. Ji-hye and Tae-sik refused to sit around doing nothing.
And then—
Kyung-min spoke.
"I think we should do both."
Silence.
Tae-sik frowned. "The hell does that mean?"
Kyung-min met his gaze. "We shouldn't risk going out blindly. But we also can't afford to do nothing. The System already showed that there are hidden mechanics, like the shop. That means there might be other things we're missing. If we wait without preparing, we're wasting time."
Seok-hoon raised an eyebrow. "And your solution?"
Kyung-min exhaled.
"We need to test things without drawing attention to ourselves. That means sending one or two people out at a time, in shifts, to scout. Not everyone at once."
Ji-hye considered his words. "Small teams are better than all of us moving together, but it's still risky."
Min-jun adjusted his glasses. "Less noticeable, too. If we all leave, we're a bigger target."
Seok-hoon nodded slowly.
Tae-sik still looked annoyed, but he didn't argue.
Because this was the compromise.
And just like that—
The balance of control shifted slightly in Kyung-min's favor.
Day 3 – 6:00 PM, Rationing & Inventory Check
After the scouting decision was made, the next priority was supplies.
Kyung-min sat with Min-jun, tallying up their remaining food and resources.
[Food Supplies]
🔹 System Rations (3 Days) – 5 Packs (Bought from the shop.)
🔹 Dried Canned Goods – 2 Days Left (From the previous shelter.)
🔹 Water Supply – 3 Days Left (Collected before escaping.)
[Weapons & Gear]
🔹 Basic Dagger (Kyung-min)
🔹 Throwing Knives (Ji-hye)
🔹 Short Sword (Seok-hoon)
🔹 Basic Armor (Minimal Protection – Tae-sik, Seok-hoon)
The conclusion was obvious.
They were stable for a few days. But once the food ran out, they would have to leave.
Seok-hoon sighed. "We'll make do with what we have."
No one disagreed.
Because there was no other option.
Day 4 – 10:00 AM, The Waiting Period
The next day passed in relative silence.
Most of them spent the time resting, maintaining weapons, and listening for outside movement.
Kyung-min used the time to adjust to his new stat allocation. He practiced simple movements, testing his improved agility and stamina.
Ji-hye was sharpening her throwing knives.
Tae-sik sat against the wall, muttering under his breath. He hated being inactive, but there was nothing to fight yet.
Seok-hoon remained alert, keeping track of anything unusual outside the shelter.
Min-jun continued analyzing the System. He tested purchase limits, checked for price fluctuations, and tried to see if the System responded to their actions.
And the Silver-Haired Woman?
She did nothing.
Or at least, that's what it looked like.
She sat in her corner, observing, always listening.
Day 5 – 7:00 AM, Breaking the Silence
Two days had passed.
Enough time for the real problem to settle in.
"…We can't stay here forever."
Tae-sik broke the silence, his voice laced with frustration.
Seok-hoon, who had been resting, opened one eye. "We already decided on scouting teams."
"Then let's move already." Tae-sik pushed himself up. "We're just wasting time at this point. We have no idea what's happening outside."
Kyung-min felt it too.
The tension.
The restless energy from being trapped in one place for too long.
Ji-hye sighed. "Fine. Who's going first?"
The Silver-Haired Woman finally moved.
"I'll go."
Everyone turned to her.
Ji-hye frowned. "You? Alone?"
She smirked. "Unless one of you wants to slow me down?"
Seok-hoon exhaled. "Fine. You and one other person go first. Who's going with her?"
Kyung-min didn't hesitate.
"I will."
The Silver-Haired Woman's eyes flickered toward him, but she didn't react.
Seok-hoon nodded. "Done. You two go first. Get a read on the situation. The rest of us will wait here."
The conversation ended there.
And for the first time since arriving at this shelter—
Kyung-min had a real role to play.
He wasn't just the weakest link anymore.
He was part of the first mission.
And he had no idea what that would mean for him.