Damned System

Chapter 26. Murderer (1)

Though I was truly bewildered, I knew I couldn’t afford to waste too much time.

After all, the bounty mission had only a 24-hour time limit.

While I lost myself in thought, it seemed Namkyu had relaxed enough to doze off, and when he was woken up, dawn was just beginning to break, painting the sky a pale blue.

I asked for the address and headed to Namkyu’s home first.

Using mana detection, I scanned the place, but nothing unusual caught my senses.

Judging by the cold, empty one-room apartment, it appeared that Namkyu’s so-called father had also not returned the previous night.

Taking advantage of the undisturbed setting, I cleaned the blood off Namkyu and changed his clothes before taking him out again.

Our final destination was a motel quite far from Gwanak District.

I handed a few 50,000 won bills to Namkyu and earnestly instructed him.

“Use this to order some delivery food and stay put. I’ll contact you by tomorrow or the day after at the latest. Don’t talk to anyone about the game.”

Even though I spoke while cloaked in invisibility, Namkyu, with his swollen eyes, obediently agreed.

“Yes….”

After a brief hesitation, I added Namkyu’s codename as a friend.

Since Namkyu didn’t have a cellphone, there was no other choice. Even if he had one, it was better to handle it this way than to leave my own number.

Because of the chaos from failing the third tutorial, Namkyu’s codename was simply his real name.

“Get inside now.”

Namkyu, as if he had something more to say, moved his lips but ultimately turned with a gloomy expression.

I watched until Namkyu entered the motel before moving on.

Namkyu’s clothes had been stained with blood, so public transportation was not an option.

Therefore, I walked while remaining invisible.

Now it was time to check the parts I had yet to confirm.

Title and reputation.

「Title」

• Description: Players can earn titles by their performances, each providing different system supports.

「Bounty Hunter (Reserve-Activated)」

• Description: A title given to players who complete bounty hunter missions. It activates automatically when starting a bounty hunter mission.

• Effect: Randomly absorbs one of the target’s skills.

“Absorb a skill?”

When I confirmed the effect of my title, I was genuinely surprised.

It meant I would definitely secure one of the target’s skills.

Even with the randomness, it was an impressive effect.

“This is…”

Imagine if a player at my level became the target of a bounty mission.

I possessed four skills.

With this title, I could absorb at least one of them.

Depending on the opponent’s skills, I could obtain skills worth thousands or even tens of thousands of mana.

Moreover, the target’s mana itself would also be absorbed by default.

Though not explicitly stated, the target being a player also meant they were a living being.

My fascination at the concept of the Bounty Hunter title was clear as I reviewed the reputation tab next.

「Reputation」

• Description: Gain recognition for accomplishments acknowledged by the system. Accumulate reputation to receive benefits like shop discounts and increased rewards.

(View Accomplishment List)

(View Reputation Ranking)

Two buttons blinked at the bottom of the description, seemingly enticing a click, but they didn’t catch my eye.

My gaze fixed on a single word after a new window appeared.

“Discount?”

I was more astounded than when reading the title’s description.

In this game, I had to purchase skills and equipment using mana I painstakingly accumulated.

I had cursed it many times before.

Even a few days ago, buying the invisibility skill had made my hands tremble from wasting mana.

But to receive a discount? I couldn’t help but reread the description of reputation over and over again.

The discount rate seemed to vary based on the amount of reputation.

At my current level, it was 1%.

When I opened the shop window, the price of every item was marked down by 1% in red text.

It was a revelation that made hoarding reputation worthwhile.

“The more reputation I gather, the more mana I save.”

I felt a shivering thrill run down my spine and took a deep breath.

It was good to have a means to utilize the shop other than mana.

However, it wasn’t all positive news.

Despite the enticing reward for the bounty mission, I didn’t feel inclined to accept it.

“Killing one of our own…”

The mission’s content was far too explicit.

“It’s telling me to kill a person.”

An instinctive aversion to murder began to rise.

Yet, it was difficult to outright abandon the mission due to the implications.

“Unlike hunting missions, failing this one carries penalties.”

If I didn’t undertake this mission and the time limit expired…

There was a clause that stated the bounty hunter’s whereabouts would be revealed to the target.

Would a player aware of my presence hesitate like I did?

If they had already killed someone, as the mission suggested?

As always, my head started to throb.

Just as I was pondering where to start with this dilemma, my phone vibrated. The caller was Jinwoo.

“Oh, no.”

That’s when I realized I had spent the entire night outside.

I had sent a message the previous night saying I’d be late, but in reality, I hadn’t come home at all.

I sighed deeply and moved to a place where I thought there wouldn’t be any CCTV.

And then, releasing my invisibility, I answered the call.

“Are you already up?”

「Where are you?」

Before answering, I checked the time: 5:03 a.m.

Under normal circumstances, my siblings would be sleeping, and I would be getting ready for work.

I decided to bluff a bit since I had left early.

“I left early, had some things to do.”

「Sigh…」

I heard Jinwoo’s heavy sigh over the phone.

“Why the sigh?”

「You’re lying.」

And then my voice turned sharp, almost as if demanding an explanation.

“What?”

「I know you didn’t come home yesterday. Yeonwoo and I took turns waiting for you.」

Being caught in a lie made Hyunwoo’s shoulder involuntarily twitch.

But I couldn’t very well explain what had happened the night before.

“Why did you wait? Next time just go to sleep.”

「How could we? Isn’t it okay for us to worry about you as we please?」

“It’s not like that…”

「Aren’t you acting strange lately? Something’s going on, right? What is it?」

“Nothing.”

As I couldn’t offer a detailed explanation, vague answers were my best bet.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

「How can I not worry? What kind of thing would have you staying out all night without saying a word?」

“I sent a message saying I’d be late…”

「Being late and staying out all night are the same?!」

Jinwoo’s raised voice made him hold the phone away from my ear.

‘He rarely raises his voice like that!’

I mused anxiously.

Talking about the game was the last thing on my mind for them, so I decided to act casual.

“Stop yelling, are you nagging me for staying out?”

「What did orabeoni say? Is he going to explain?」

Yeonwoo’s chirpy voice chimed in from the background.

「Come on, stay out of this. Seriously, what’s going on? What did you do all night?」

Judging from Jinwoo’s determination, I’d be in for it once I got home as well.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke firmly.

“I’m past the age for nagging about staying out, I have my own business. Stop prying and let it go. Nothing happened that you need to worry about.”

My words were meant to deter Jinwoo and Yeonwoo from asking more questions later.

「Business?」

I never expected this would lead to misunderstandings.

「Do you have a girlfriend?」

*Cough, cough!*

The unexpected comment made him choke. I had to cough violently for a while.

During that time, Yeonwoo’s voice shrieked excitedly on the other end.

「Orabang has a girlfriend? Who is she? Is she pretty? How long have you been seeing her? When will you introduce her to us?」

Just as I was about to protest, my words were caught in my throat.

‘If I say no?’

They’d circle back to stay out and start questioning what I was actually doing.

“Well, if you figured it out, just let it go from now on.”

In the end, I trembled as I told the lie.

“Don’t pry and just go back to sleep.”

「I’ll just get ready. I can sleep early tonight.」

“Do that, then.”

「When will we meet her…?」

“We’re not at that stage yet, so please stop asking!”

The thought of having to further the nonexistent girlfriend story chilled me.

「You’re mean, really mean! I want to meet my sister-in-law too! Kang Hyunwoo, guarantee an introduction!」

Yeonwoo was already protesting. Feeling the heat, I hastily interjected.

“You talk Yeonwoo down, I’m hanging up!”

I ended the call and rapidly tapped the end call button.

It felt like a storm had passed.

It was true what they said about lies begetting more lies.

I knocked my head against the wall, letting out an endless sigh.

All the while, the timer for the bounty mission continued to run its course.

“First, I need to find out what’s going on.”

I had to understand why the mission included the words ‘killing one of our own’.

For that, I needed a means of contact…

I opened a portal site app on my phone to search.

“Wonder if it still exists.”

Recalling using it multiple times as a kid, I hoped it was still around.

Slightly skeptical, I began the search and soon results poured in.

* * *

9 a.m.

The office, empty due to early morning meetings, began ringing with phone calls.

“This is the National Security Division, second Team, Kam Jiwon speaking.”

The newcomer Kam Jiwon, still showing traces of her rookie status, answered briskly.

“I mentioned having something to say about the game, and they put me through to you.”

A slightly deep and calm male voice came through the receiver.

Kam Jiwon’s body flinched.

“I wish to speak directly with the person in charge.”

Just days ago, this could have been dismissed as a prank call.

But now, much had changed.

Instructions had already been given to those handling external calls.

Though details remained classified, terms like ‘game’ or ‘player’ had to be directed to the National Security Division.

Recalling the incident from two or three days prior, Kam Jiwon took a deep breath and said,

“May I begin by confirming your identity?”

“I don’t intend to share my name, but I’m a player. Put me through to the person in charge.”

“For more accurate reporting, we need identification…”

“I said I wouldn’t. I’m calling from a payphone, so don’t waste my time or I’ll hang up.”

Attempting to trace the caller, Kam Jiwon clenched her eyes shut and responded,

“… Please hold the line.”

Switching the call to standby, she got up and rushed into the meeting room.

Unlike the deserted office, the room was packed with the team leader and agents.

As their attention fixed on Kam Jiwon, still bearing a nervous expression, she quickly conveyed her message.

“Team Leader, a call from someone claiming to be a player has come in. They specifically mentioned the game. What should we do?”

“… Location?”

“He threatened to hang up unless the call was transferred. He says it’s a payphone.”

“… Once the location is confirmed, dispatch personnel immediately and transfer the call to the meeting room.”

As Kam Jiwon returned to her station, the 40-something-year-old man, known as the team leader, gave instructions calmly.

“Record the conversation and check for any identifiable information. Team Leader Han Seokjun will listen in as well.”

“Yes, team Leader.”

The agents, previously engrossed in their meeting, sprang into action.

Soon, a phone on one side of the conference table began ringing.

Exchanging glances with Han Seokjun, a man gestured with my head.

One, two, three.

Simultaneously, I picked up the handset and greeted the person on the other end.

“Hello, this is Yang Jochul, head of the National Security Division.”

“I’m a player.”

The voice was calm, void of any trembling.

From that simple fact, several deductions could already be made.