Chapter 15
Just Run (4)
7.
After a meteorite named Meteor Shower fell into the Ability Management Department, Deputy Director Choi Seong-hoon was left alone in the appraisal room.
Minister Hwang Beom-seok (on the phone):
– Hahaha! Didn’t I always say so? Your face is perfect for TV!
Choi Seong-hoon:
“Apologies. I should have gotten permission from you first before the broadcast….”
– Act first, report later. You did well. Didn’t you make a great first connection with Player Meteor Shower? You didn’t make any mistakes, and thanks to you our image has improved. A win-win. That kid, Meteor Shower—his brain works fast.
He was reporting the day’s events to his superior, Minister Hwang Beom-seok.
– Our public image has been in the gutter lately, hasn’t it? We need to show, even if only bit by bit, that we’re a people-friendly agency.
Choi Seong-hoon:
“We weren’t able to sign a contract with Player Meteor Shower. He gave the impression of questioning whether we could even handle him. He said our diplomatic relations could collapse because of him.”
– What? Hahaha! That guy’s incredible. Entertaining, really entertaining. What a masterpiece of an excuse. So, how was Player Meteor Shower when you actually met him? You can only tell some things face-to-face.
At that question, Choi recalled the earlier scenes.
New players visiting the Department for the first time—especially newly awakened ones—were usually tense.
But not Player Meteor Shower.
He knew his own value precisely, and he knew how to use it.
Above all, confidence.
He radiated a confidence whose source was impossible to pin down.
Choi Seong-hoon:
“It seems our assumptions were wrong.”
– Hm?
“I don’t know where he has been for the past seven years, but he is without doubt a strong one. The composure and confidence that only the strong possess—everything about Player Meteor Shower proves it.”
Choi had met countless players while working in the Ability Management Department.
Players.
Since the Abyss appeared, they were humanity’s only saviors.
Naturally, nations had no choice but to take a deferential stance toward them.
And that caused many problems.
Arrogant players raised their voices, disrupting order, while some lunatics even committed crimes openly.
Player crime was no longer rare—it had become a weekly news phenomenon.
Choi Seong-hoon:
“I don’t believe Player Meteor Shower can be controlled.”
– That strong, huh? What if we summon a 6th-floor player and test him?
“I doubt it would matter.”
– Surely not even your trait could…?
“Correct. I can’t see anything.”
– Hoh.
Choi Seong-hoon wasn’t only an employee of the Department; he was also a player himself, with the exploration-type innate trait 〈Insight〉.
“If even my ability can’t measure him, he’s at least at the 6th-floor level.”
– Interesting. Then did he deceive us? Conquered up to the 6th floor, yet claims to be only a 1st-floor player?
“That’s unlikely. He really is a 1st-floor player. After all, only 1st-floor players can enter the Bloodsucker’s Labyrinth.”
The basic rules of the Abyss never broke—except during a Transfer Phenomenon.
Choi calmly organized the situation.
“The Transfer Phenomenon where the Red Drake Elite appeared is also likely related to Player Meteor Shower.”
– What’s your basis?
“Something that had never once occurred, happened around a player type that had never before appeared. The odds of such extreme coincidences happening twice? I don’t think so.”
– Sounds plausible. So what do you think is the best course of action?
Without hesitation, Choi answered.
“Maintain a safe distance and observe. If he can’t be controlled, then our only option is to get along with him.”
– Good. That’s exactly why I sent you. Excellent.
“You think so as well, Minister?”
– Korea is falling behind in the Abyss. At this rate, we’ll soon be labeled an Abyss backwater. Would you sit still and collapse, or at least struggle? It’s not a hard calculation.
Hwang Beom-seok’s judgment wasn’t optimistic—on the contrary, it was brutally realistic.
Do what can be done.
That had been his lifelong political creed.
– I watched the broadcast. That guy is the real deal.
Choi Seong-hoon:
“Yes. His showmanship is outstanding. In the footage from seven years ago, he looked lacking in confidence, but now he’s like a completely different person.”
– Where has he been for seven years to change that much? I’m dying of curiosity.
“If we grow close, won’t he tell us?”
– Ha, it’s been a while since I’ve heard such irresponsible words from you. Heh. Anyway, understood. Keep working at the Seoul branch and stay close with Player Meteor Shower. Remember, our unfriendly neighbors might sniff him out and approach him.
For now, it was still a time of mutual probing.
Rushing in would gain nothing.
Choi answered quietly.
“Understood, Minister.”
– Oh, by the way, did Player Meteor Shower get home safely? You should’ve given him a ride.
“He insisted on refusing, said he had something to do today.”
– Something to do?
“He said he’s the type who has to test good items right away—and went straight to the Western Abyss Gate.”
– You really should’ve given him a ride.
“He said riding the subway again was his wish, so he took it.”
– …That’s quite the unusual wish.
“I think so too.”
– You’ve worked hard. This old man will hang up now.
“Goodbye, Minister.”
After the call ended, Choi set down his phone with a heavy sigh.
He looked up at Meteor Shower’s image projected on the screen, lost in thought.
“Meteora… damn, what a name.”
He had the feeling that someday, that man would smash everything apart.
8.
The subway was still crowded.
And the oddballs were still there.
Would you believe it—after seven years, there was still an old man carrying around a bamboo flute on Line 1.
Well, anyway.
Instead of heading straight home, I came to the Abyss.
After all, I’d just gotten a busted OP item—of course I had to test it.
It was only 2 p.m., and there was nobody at home.
My brother said he’d be home late today, and my sister Binna had gone out with Ian.
What was the point of loafing at home?
Besides, I’d already handed out all the loot from the last dungeon to the viewers, so I had nothing left in hand.
Having eaten the item God of Farming, it was the perfect time to stock up properly.
“Hello.”
“Player Meteor Shower! We enjoyed your broadcast. You may enter.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Good luck.”
The staff guarding Seoul’s Western Abyss Gate greeted me warmly.
Guess this morning’s broadcast made quite a stir.
It felt good to be recognized.
I headed toward the entrance and placed my hand on the tower-shaped gate.
[〈Floor 1 – Silent Fields (Seoul Western Starting Point, Republic of Korea)〉]
[Player 〈Meteor Shower〉. Welcome to your entry.]
Entry was, as always, instant.
I had thought about streaming my hunt, but decided not to this time.
If I looted something good, people would just pressure me to give it away again.
And once someone gets a freebie, they’ll always want another.
“I have to eat too, you know.”
The second stream’s donations were sweet, sure—but I couldn’t cash them out right away.
I couldn’t keep mooching off my brother’s card forever.
Now I understood why big streamers would keep playing off-air after ending a broadcast.
I, too, deserved to explore the Abyss at my own pace, enjoy looting, and sell the spoils to the Department.
Still, just in case…
“Can I record video only?”
[Switching to 〈Video Recording〉 mode.]
[All footage will be stored in the 〈BOD–7〉 database. Can be exported later.]
“Start.”
Footage was a must.
In-seop said he’d introduce me to an editor. If things worked out, I’d have some solid source material.
With everything ready, I headed straight for the sauna dungeon to test the effect of the 〈Lucky Matryoshka〉.
You can enter a dungeon once a day, so today should still be fine.
Since I’d been there yesterday, finding it again was easy.
Outside the safe zone, with no one watching, I sprinted at full speed—took only five minutes.
[Entering 〈Floor 1 – Bloodsucker’s Labyrinth〉.]
[〈Requirement: Rank (1st Floor or below)〉 satisfied. Entry permitted.]
[Clear record detected. No achievement points awarded.]
No achievement points, since I’d already cleared it once.
Today, I planned to take the right path.
Yesterday had been the left path—time for something new.
Kwaaang!
Once again, I blasted open the door.
[Entrance unlocked.]
[Please enter the dungeon.]
I strode in boldly, then turned right at the fork.
Unlike the trap-filled left route, monsters appeared soon down the right path.
Kiieeeek!
Krrrriik!
Goblins.
The same type I’d seen when filming with In-seop.
Exactly 23 of them.
Differences from the goblins outside?
They were gaunter, and purple drool dripped from their mouths.
Clearly, these ones had a “parasite infection” gimmick.
“Hm.”
Since the first broadcast had no real combat footage, maybe I’d make this a membership-exclusive battle video.
I drew in a breath and activated my Skill Archive.
[Innate Trait 〈Skill Archive – Berserker Zerah〉]
[〈Skill: Thunder Strike〉]
[Power: 10%]
As the name suggested, it was a skill to move like lightning and strike enemies in succession.
Bzzzt!
Blue sparks leapt across my body.
Lightning wrapped around me as I stepped forward.
Kiieeek!
Bzzzzap!
Their flesh and bones were so soft, I could hardly feel the impact.
It was just a warm-up romp, but—
[Rare Item 〈Lucky Matryoshka〉 effect activated!]
[Normal Rank 〈1st-Floor Low-grade Mana Stone〉 obtained.]
[Normal Rank 〈1st-Floor Low-grade Mana Stone〉 obtained.]
[Magic Rank 〈1st-Floor Mid-grade Mana Stone〉 obtained.]
The goblins’ heads burst apart, spewing loot everywhere.
The floor was suddenly littered with items.
If I remembered correctly, 1st-floor low-grade mana stones sold for 100,000 won each.
Out of 23 goblins, 15 dropped mana stones.
Normally, 20 goblins would give you about 5 stones.
“…So the drop rate really is triple?”
It was about three times the normal rate.
On top of that, two mid-grade mana stones worth 500,000 won each.
In summary: 13 low-grades, 2 mid-grades—total value about 2.3 million won.
I’d have to test more, but the feeling was clear already.
This thing is seriously busted.
If I beat the boss and entered the reward room in this state, what kind of loot would I get?
Would I get another capsule?
I couldn’t hold back.
“You’re dead today.”
I’d test this thing thoroughly, without restraint.
Just you wait.
9.
And that day, when I came to my senses—
[Player 〈Meteor Shower〉 has cleared 〈Elimination Quest: Goblin King〉 in record time.]
[Player 〈Meteor Shower〉 has cleared 〈Exploration Quest: Swamp of Death〉 in record time.]
[Player 〈Meteor Shower〉 has cleared 〈Promotion Quest: Dullahan〉 in…]
…somehow, I had already qualified for 2nd-floor entry.
Ah, sweet capitalism!
Well… things will work out somehow.
Don’t you think?
