24-Hour Friendly Market, Specializing in Dimensional Items - Chapter 76

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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24-Hour Friendly Market Specializing in Dimensional Items Episode 76

Episode 76. The Flower Language of Scouting is Regret (2)

Salty taste kept pouring into my mouth.

“Ugh, ptui.”

I tilted my head back toward the ceiling as much as possible and barely avoided the seawater.

I wasn’t particularly afraid of water, but the thought that I might be submerged at any moment dominated my mind.

As I flailed my hands trying to find some way out.

“Oh, no!”

The flashlight I was holding left my hand all too easily.

The gentle aura of the flashlight glowing somewhere beneath the murky water was of no help in this pitch-black situation.

‘This is scary.’

I quickly acknowledged the crisis and urgently opened the message window.

[Manager Park Ji-woon]

[Park Ji-woon]

[Is Park Ji-woon there?? Please, I’m in urgent need right now]

What came to mind was Park Ji-woon, who had told me to contact him if anything happened during the scouting mission to the 53rd Floor.

Less than 10 seconds after sending the messages in succession, a quick reply arrived.

[> New Message

– What on earth is happening? Ι Manager Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

A message with no unnecessary words.

Only after seeing the short and concise message did I realize that I had urgently called out without any explanation of the situation.

The thing I hate most is people who just call out on KakaoTalk without stating their business!

But there was no time to despise myself.

I urgently typed the next message.

[I’m currently trapped underwater and I can’t swim, so I think I’m about to drown]

A few seconds of trembling with fear in a space where I couldn’t properly distinguish objects.

As soon as I received Park Ji-woon’s next message, I opened my eyes wide.

I was so scared that my brain wasn’t working properly.

[> New Message

– Lee Hae-won, didn’t you say you could purchase items? Don’t you have even a single item that could help? Ι Manager Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

“Sam-iiiiiii-!”

At my resounding voice, a notification window faintly illuminating the darkness appeared.

[⁕ Yes, did you call me? :)]

How wonderful to see this!

It had no consciousness or body, but at least it had light.

I spoke quickly with the diction of a hip-hop survival show winner.

“Search for items that let me breathe underwater!”

But that was the moment.

Kuuuuung-

Before Sam-i could even display the search results, a roaring sound came from somewhere.

“…What’s that?”

As I looked around in bewilderment, once again an ear-splitting sound echoed from the distance.

The sound felt more muffled and heavy due to the water, and just as I was about to look out through a small window.

A trembling vibration throughout my body began to spread even to the water filling all directions.

‘What is this?’

Violent vibrations strong enough to make the foot I was barely standing on slip.

And a roaring sound that seemed to shake my entire body.

The chilling combination made my heart start beating rapidly.

Though I was safe in any situation thanks to the Merchant’s Mark, I could sense that some unusual threat was approaching me.

This was closer to instinctive fear.

And then.

Kwang!

“Ugh-“

The entire ship tilted sharply to one side.

I, who had been standing on tiptoes, lost my balance and crashed into the wall beside me.

That moment was like a revolving lantern.

The moisture-laden wall creaked horribly as if screaming.

My body swayed submerged in water as if it had lost all sense of space.

No matter how much I struggled, there seemed to be no air pocket where I could breathe comfortably.

My limbs wrapped in the water-soaked robe moved sluggishly, and even my vision began to blur hazily.

At the same time, salty seawater rushed wildly into my mouth.

Was this what death was like?

It felt like my lungs would burst.

‘This won’t do!’

Without any more time to think, I swung my hand through the air.

As soon as I thought of the option to exit through the Warp Gate, familiar blue light spread before my eyes.

I reached out toward it without hesitation.

* * *

“Gasp, cough- gag!”

Babel Square on the 50th Floor, in front of the Warp Gate.

I collapsed on the floor and vomited up the water that had filled my lungs.

The salty seawater felt like it was burning my throat.

I vaguely heard someone carefully placing their hand on my shoulder and asking if I was okay.

I had no energy to pretend I was fine and kept coughing for a while.

My whole body trembled as I gasped for breath.

‘Cra, crazy.’

My heart was beating as if it would burst.

Having just escaped from that urgent situation, I couldn’t even make proper judgments.

I had just instinctively fled.

I had no thoughts other than that I needed to survive.

“Phew….”

Having barely caught my breath, I gripped the damp hem of my robe tightly.

Not only my body but even my hair was soaked through, with water dripping steadily.

The cold running down my skin made me want to throw off the robe, but a sudden thought made me barely suppress the urge.

I was….

‘Right after visiting Floor 53 while hiding my identity.’

As soon as that thought occurred to me, my eyes snapped wide open.

I lowered my head deeply and pulled the hood properly over my head.

The sensation of being mercilessly thrown into cold reality.

‘What kind of confidence made me say I’d do reconnaissance?’

If I was going to get scared and run away just because I couldn’t swim, there was no need to act so confident.

“What was I even trusting in…?”

It was then, as I muttered self-deprecatingly.

[> New Message

– Ms. Lee Hae-won, are you alright? Ι Manager Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)

– What’s happening? Are you safe right now? Ι Manager Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)

– If it’s a dangerous situation, you can give up. What we’ve learned so far is enough. Ι Manager Park Ji-woon (Dimension-Earth)]

Park Ji-woon’s message illuminated before my eyes.

I stared blankly at the message floating on the ground and blinked.

Asking if I’m alright?

‘How could I be alright.’

Saying what we’ve learned so far is enough must be Park Ji-woon’s consideration.

To be honest, I was scared.

What use would it be to insist otherwise here?

It was true that I got scared and ran away.

Yet the reason I was still gripping my fist and pressing against the ground was absurdly simple – just my pride.

‘My pride is hurt.’

What kind of person am I to be this simple?

Didn’t I really think I might die?

More than the painful sensation of swallowing water just now, I hated the thought of telling Park Ji-woon ‘There’s only a sunken ship on Floor 53.’

To speak so boldly about doing reconnaissance on Floor 53, only to report something so trivial.

‘That’s not cool at all!’

At least I need to figure out what kind of structure Floor 53 has and what dangers exist to save face.

Especially since I’ve staked Brother’s whereabouts on this!

It didn’t take long to change my mind.

‘Let’s go back and look properly this time.’

[I’m fine. I’ll go back in and take another look]

After sending a clean message to Park Ji-woon, I examined the item list Sam-i had recommended.

Until now I’d only seen scenarios where I stood on solid ground, so not anticipating such a setting was definitely a mistake.

So this time, properly.

After selecting and purchasing one of the items, I took a deep breath.

[Simple Gills (D)

When equipped, allows free breathing underwater for 30 minutes. Destroyed after duration expires.]

The only reason I chose this over all the other good items was purely because it was cheap.

It’s definitely not because I was scared of having to stay there for more than 30 minutes.

Really.

‘At least with this, I won’t drown.’

My heart was still beating fast and my fingertips trembled slightly.

However, my legs were faithfully walking toward the Warp Gate.

* * *

As soon as the blue light faded.

Splash-

I felt a cold sensation under my feet.

Making my preparedness for water lapping below my neck seem pointless, this time water was lapping around my ankles.

This was a completely different place from before.

I was standing on a small reef in the vast ocean.

Roughly estimating the size, it was a very narrow space with about 2 pyeong of footing.

I slowly raised my head.

“…It’s the sky.”

A faintly cloudy night sky stretched out before me.

The countless stars visible beyond the clouds were brilliant enough to make the fear I felt earlier seem meaningless.

A bright moon was creating sparkling ripples on the calm waves.

What I saw before me now was just a peaceful night sea.

Beyond the horizon stretching in all directions, nothing else was visible.

No land, no ships, no islands.

Only an endlessly stretching sea was visible.

I calmly looked around once more.

Why exactly am I standing in such a boundless space?

My resolve to properly inform Park Ji-woon of whatever information I found had already vanished from my mind.

No clues, no hints, no direction.

This place literally has nothing.

At least on Floor 51, the previous scenario, there was a village and people to talk to for information.

‘Should I turn off the Merchant’s Mark?’

That would be the only answer if I wanted to see the scenario content.

But I’d rather not experience what I went through on Floor 51 again.

‘I made that resolution less than a week ago!’

A woman can’t retract her decision this quickly.

Waves splashed and wet my ankles, and the cold sea breeze scratched across my face.

I finally changed my mind to contribute to national power, and this is what I get.

“What am I supposed to do without a playing field.”

I shook my head and sat down on the reef.

My robe was already soaked through, so it didn’t bother me anymore.

‘Should I try going underwater….’

It was when I was contemplating whether I should choose an option I didn’t particularly want to choose.

Splash-

An unnatural water sound came from not far away.

I reflexively raised my head and looked in the direction of the sound.

Beyond the horizon, waves were rising quite high.

How could such high waves rise on such a calm sea?

I frowned as reasonable doubt crossed my mind.

“What is that?”

The water was splitting unnaturally, and something was rising above the surface.

Slowly, very slowly.

The distance was too far to see clearly, but something was definitely emerging above the water’s surface.

Though the distance wasn’t particularly close, I could at least tell that it was getting closer.

I held my breath and stared in that direction.

There wasn’t really anywhere to hide, but the world inside the Tower of Babel was generally kind to me.

As long as I had Merchant’s Mark activated, I would absolutely never get hurt.

Holding onto that small belief, I was planning to find any useful clues and return.

The sound of splitting water began to grow closer.

Splash-

‘Why am I getting so nervous?’

I swallowed dry saliva and quietly observed the approaching waves.

However.

“Where did it go?”

The rhythmic, repetitive sound suddenly stopped.

It was the moment I frowned and raised my head at the night sea that had instantly become quiet again.

Whoosh-

Something massive shot up out of the water.

Before I could even figure out what the cylinder-shaped thing was, it flew straight toward me.

No, it seemed to curve like a whip in the middle…

But I had no time to react.

A massive shadow struck me down.

“Argh-!”

Sharp pain shot through my right side.

With a short scream, I was slammed into the water.

Without even a moment to take out and use an item, the cold, deep darkness swallowed me.

Everything went black.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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