Chapter 5
Who Am I?
I stood frozen, staring at the minibus that had suddenly leapt out and smashed the monster, sending it flying far away.
Had the minibus been designed with fighting monsters in mind?
It was covered in sharp metal spikes, like a hedgehog, but the tips of the spikes were slightly worn, as if it had already seen a few battles.
“…Am I going crazy?”
Was I seeing things because of the aftereffects of alchemy or the explosion? I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but the minibus was perfectly fine.
No, it actually charged again toward the monster it had collided with, aiming for its abdomen, and crashed into it.
BANG!
The monster’s belly collided with the minibus’s spikes, spraying sticky fluids in all directions.
VROOOOM- VROOOM!!!
The monster flapped its broken wings in pain, trying to escape, but the minibus was relentless.
BRRRAAANG!
The minibus attacked the monster’s abdomen repeatedly, as if it were the enemy of its family. The monster, which had once forced me to the brink of death, couldn’t even display its former aura and soon stopped moving entirely.
A hollow feeling came over me as I watched the monster that had almost killed me meet its end.
“……”
The minibus nudged the monster a few more times to make sure it wasn’t moving, and only then came to a stop.
I stared blankly at it before finally snapping out of my daze, struggling to rise to my feet, and approached the minibus.
Covered in the monster’s fluids, the minibus reeked, but it had saved my life—did it really matter?
I staggered toward the driver’s seat.
As if waiting for this moment, the window rolled down, revealing a beautiful woman with bright red hair.
Frowning as if something had annoyed her, she looked at me and said,
“Who… are you?”
Normally, I would have focused all my attention on a driver with looks that could rival famous celebrities.
But right now, my attention was drawn to the cool air spilling from inside the minibus and the water bottle in the cupholder, and I couldn’t help it.
I forced my gaze from the water bottle to her and said,
“…Thank you for saving me.”
“Forget that. What kind of idiot dragged that thing all the way here?”
Dragged? I had barely survived a sudden attack; this wasn’t intentional.
“I didn’t drag it here… I was suddenly attacked and was just trying to survive…”
She frowned even more sharply at me. She looked like she might abandon me at any second, so I quickly bent my waist at a 90-degree angle and begged for mercy.
As my head bowed low, my body wobbled as if someone had pushed me from the side. A piercing gaze bore into the back of my head.
“Ha… Fine. Take it.”
After what felt like an eternity of silence, she sighed and spoke.
I looked up to see her extending a pale, delicate hand, offering me a cup.
The cup was well-used, scratched, and slightly dented.
I barely managed to lift my aching body and looked inside the cup. A clear liquid, probably water, sloshed inside.
Seeing her offer this without any trickery, I felt a mix of relief and gratitude—and a bit of suspicion—so I activated my ability.
[Aluminum Cup]
An aluminum cup with signs of long-term use, showing scratches and wear. Durable enough to be used for several more years.
※ Can be compressed or melted to obtain a small amount of aluminum.
[Rainwater (Purified)]
Rainwater collected and exposed to sunlight for over six hours for sterilization. Safe to drink, though not ideal for experiments or potion-making.
Satisfied that her intentions were pure, I didn’t hesitate and gulped down the water.
“Ha… what a ridiculous guy…”
She watched me drink without hesitation as if observing a zoo animal.
After emptying the cup, I thanked her sincerely.
“Thank you so much.”
Perhaps it tasted so good because I had just escaped death.
She held out her hand, probably wanting the cup back, so I gave it to her and asked,
“Sorry, but could you help me a little more?”
Having been rescued from near drowning, I shamelessly asked for more help.
Seeing her furrow her brow, I tried to frame my request in a way that would benefit her.
“I’m penniless after the monster attack, but I’ll compensate you somehow. If you don’t believe me, you could even sell me as a slave—I won’t resist. If that’s too much, just tell me the direction to the nearest oasis.”
I didn’t assume drinking water would lead to finding the “Oasis Mirage,” so I asked boldly.
I could have hinted at using alchemy to gain more favor, but
“…I don’t know what kind of world this is. Better to save it for later.”
Alchemy was my last resort, so I decided to hide it and carefully observed her, expecting either a refusal or consent.
“Hey.”
Instead of replying immediately, she called me sharply.
Had I misspoken? I looked up at her in slight surprise.
Her emerald eyes glimmered like a wounded predator, filled with disdain.
“Do I look like some bat or hyena that sells scum like you?”
Her growl-like voice made me realize my mistake; I bowed my head deeply.
I had misjudged someone who had helped a near-death victim and given water in the desert without expecting anything in return.
“I’m sorry.”
After a long silence, she wiped her hands with a handkerchief and asked,
“So… just to the oasis, right?”
“Yes… I saw the Mirage of the Oasis.”
“Mirage of the Oasis…”
She muttered the words thoughtfully while inspecting me from head to toe.
She looked at me like she was assessing merchandise.
“So being penniless… the oasis is enough?”
“Honestly, I’m already grateful for what you’ve done. Asking for more would be too shameless.”
“Right.”
“But if you’re okay with it, I’d like help contacting an acquaintance in the city. Like you said, I’m penniless.”
She blinked at my boldness, then tapped the steering wheel with her white fingers, deep in thought.
I exhaled slowly.
‘Okay… I said I’d contact an acquaintance, but…’
I didn’t know if Changwook or other rankers had fallen into this world with me, nor whether they’d be friendly or hostile.
‘Better than freeloading, at least the hurdles are lower.’
I prayed she would agree.
After what felt like an eternity, she pointed to the dead monster and said,
“I’ll help if you give me a share of the monster.”
“A share?”
Hadn’t she been the one to kill the monster? What share?
Seeing my confusion, she calmly explained:
“You made the desert wasp crash, right?”
“Oh… the desert wasp. Yes, that’s right.”
“It’s easy to capture once it’s down, but making it land is hard.”
Indeed, a monster that could take bullets on its body and perform acrobatics to dodge attacks—just grounding it was a big deal.
‘Pretty fair.’
She could have just taken the corpse for helping me, but this felt reasonable. I nodded.
“Then I’ll ask you to handle the sale as well.”
“Fine.”
She opened the minibus door.
“Get in.”
Grateful, I quickly climbed in.
‘So cool.’
The desert air, hot from the sun, felt refreshing as the minibus’s air conditioning swept over me.
The water and cool air gradually restored my vision, strained from thirst, heat, and the monster’s threat.
Finally, I could truly appreciate her celebrity-level beauty.
‘She’s stunning.’
Her crimson hair flowed down her back like rose petals.
Red lips and emerald-green eyes carried fatigue and detachment, radiating a decadent charm.
Wearing a tank top and dolphin shorts, her sensual figure was on display, but the gun on her thigh erased any lingering inappropriate thoughts.
I tried to suppress curiosity and looked for a place to sit.
‘No place to sit…?’
The interior, aside from the driver’s seat, was a mess.
Only one small bed fit one person on the driver’s side wall, with a large machine on the opposite side for two people, and the rest was cluttered with junk.
To get inside, I’d need to remove a lot of it.
“Don’t just stand there. Come here.”
Seeing me hesitate, she frowned and pulled me roughly toward her.
Exhausted and dehydrated, I couldn’t resist and fell into her arms.
Her scent, mixed with desert sand and oil, was overwhelming—not pleasant.
She held me and pressed a button.
BOOM
The minibus shook violently.
“Alright. Sit now.”
She pushed me onto a small chair that had appeared behind the driver’s seat, while the monster’s body was loaded on top.
Exhausted, I sat and thanked her again.
“Thank you for saving me.”
She wiped sweat from her hand and said,
“Gratitude’s unnecessary. I got my share.”
Rough, but reassuring. If she’d claimed I didn’t owe her anything without context, I’d have suspected a trick.
‘Better than falling into some unknown game world.’
“Late introductions. I’m…”
I changed my answer to my nickname.
“Goretech.”
“Goretech? Lame name.”
I chuckled awkwardly.
“This way, it’ll be easier to contact my acquaintance.”
She clicked her tongue and introduced herself.
“Camilla. Camilla Silver Scale.”
I repeated her name to remember, then asked a few questions.
“May I ask a few things?”
“If it’s not weird, sure.”
“What do you do?”
The minibus’s exterior was covered in spikes, and the interior was full of scrap.
She answered promptly.
“I’m an engineer and scrap dealer.”
“You dismantle scrap and sell it, or melt it down and sell ingots?”
“Yes. I also take commissions to sell things using the materials I get.”
I used my ability on a large dog-shaped scrap inside.
[Pet Robot D-37]
Damaged by bombardment and shocks, the battery and outer shell are broken, with acidic substances entering the damage.
Designed for elderly care, it can carry heavy loads and protect its owner.
※ Can extract AI circuitry and artificial muscles if dismantled.
“Pet robot…”
I muttered, realizing it was unfamiliar from Net Diver.
“Do you fight monsters often?”
“No, usually only if one attacks while I’m collecting scrap. This was an exception.”
“Lucky to meet you then.”
She didn’t respond, indifferent.
Looking outside, the sun was sinking into the sand, the sky darkening like my uncertain future.
Despite traversing the desert, I saw no one. Just sand… and more sand.
‘Where is this place, and what happened to me?’
Another country in Net Diver? A different SF world unrelated to it?
Are Changwook or other players here?
What’s the mana for alchemy?
‘What will happen to me now?’
Exhausted, I finally fell asleep.
