Chapter 28: Fog Gacha

[Translator – Aren]

February 27, 2028, 2:14 PM.

Our Alteration-type wizard trio was in Yongin Central Market. Specifically, we were tearing through the marketplace alongside military police wearing armbands. Our rifles weren’t even loaded, and they were hanging from our shoulders by their slings, but the intimidation factor was overwhelming nonetheless.

-Clack, clack, clack.

The moment people heard the crisp sound of military boots, they quietly slipped away into side alleys to avoid us. If felt like playing a game of Whack-a-Mole. There were no shoppers browsing around, nor vendors calling out to attract customers like you’d expect in a traditional market.

Instead, Shin Nain, humming hymns, wearing his earphones, would silently point somewhere with his index finger.

The military police would immediately turn their attention toward whoever he’d indicated. They’d grab their rifles by the slings and approach the target while spouting rather terrifying warnings.

"Search inspection. Hands where we can see them.”

"Wh-what authority do you have to do that?!”

"Martial law is current in effect throughout Gyeonggi Province. Refuse the search, and you’ll be referred to a military tribunal.”

"No, I mean…you have to tell me what I supposedly did wrong first!”

Hostile words tended to create hostile atmospheres.

As the standoff between the military police and the unidentified man began, the people who had hidden themselves or quietly backed away started peeking out again. Some even pulled out their phones and began recording, but the military police, not seeming to care, continued, their voice remaining calm and detached.

"We received a tip regarding possible illegal MPC transactions. We’d appreciate your cooperation.”

"..."

The unidentified man, or rather, the suspected MPC black-market dealer, looked to be in his mid-30s.

He wore a beanie and a long padded winter coat. The suspect glanced at the military police, then us. After showing some irritation, he obediently raised his hands. I’d expected him to run or try something clever, but instead he was surprisingly compliant.

Just as I was beginning to feel impressed by this citizen’s exemplary civic spirit, Shin Nain placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered.

"I think he has connections with a military unit around Yongin. He knows he’ll be released.”

"So it’s all just a WWE show, huh?”

When I turned to look at Shin Nain and Lee Sejun, they both seemed to share the same opinion. Apparently Shin Nain had already clued Lee Sejun in.

Lee Sejun folded his arms, narrowed his eyes, then let out a sigh. Meanwhile, Shin Nain simply turned up the volume on his earphones and resumed humming.

Either way, we’d successfully completed our objective of apprehending an MPC black-market dealer in Yongin Central Market.

As we followed the military police, our Alteration-type trio continued scanning our surroundings. Meanwhile, I was busy crunching numbers in my head.

20 MPC from my emergency savings. 15 from 5 days of standby pay. Minus food expenses. That leaves about 30 MPC. And if the reward of this gets added, that’ll probably be another 15 or so…

For making a big score, risking your life on combat operations was clearly the better choice. But if you wanted something steady and safe, small jobs like this seemed superior.

That was what I thought as we exited the market and reached the entrance. The military police sat the black-market dealer suspect down at a nearby street-food stall table, checked their watches, then looked toward the three of us.

"The transport vehicle won’t arrive for about 30 minutes. You are free to do as you please in the meantime, Operators.”

I was wondering whether that was really okay when Shin Nain tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.

When I turned around, Shin Nain and Lee Sejun were pointing their thumbs back toward the market while raising their eyebrows suggestively. Before I knew it, I was following them back inside. That was when Lee Sejun clicked his tongue and spoke up.

"Baek Jemin-ssi, you really do lock yourself away and ignore all outside news, don’t you?”

"Outside news? Beside the Seoul blockade line, what news is there?”

As far as the front lines went, all anyone ever talked about were ominous rumors.

Even someone like me, who had no interest in rumors, had heard bits and pieces through the grapevine. According to what people were saying, they’d successfully turned the outskirts of Seoul into a concrete graveyard. Consequently, the area had become nearly impossible to approach without a wizard specializing in detection.

The number of monsters had dropped dramatically, but in exchange, they now hid in tiny gaps between concrete rubble, cavities formed by collapsed structures and sections of abandoned sewers, launching ambushes whenever they got the chance.

There were even rumors that casualties over the past month had already reached several thousand.

But that didn't seem to be the rumor Lee Sejun was talking about. Seeing Lee Sejun’s somewhat bewildered expression, Shin Nain stopped humming his hymns, pulled out one earbud, and shrugged.

"The rumor Sejun-ssi’s talking about isn’t that one. It’s about the black market.”

Shin Nain proceeded to ramble on at length in his usual know-it-all fashion, but the short version was this:

"So basically, the military doesn’t care about squeezing the civilian economy directly. They’re only interested in preventing firearms from leaking, controlling medical supplies so drugs don’t spread everywhere, and maintaining the value of MPC.”

"They may have switched to a wartime economy, but if they lock everything down too tightly, things fall apart. Besides, the most valuable and expensive commodity is something only the military can provide anyway.”

Shin Nain’s argument was like this:

Whether people used Korean won, which had probably become nearly worthless in Gyeonggi’s underground economy, or USD, which was accepted practically anywhere in the world, the military didn’t care.

The evacuation priority. As long as the military maintained a monopoly on the right to legally evacuate others to safer rear areas, the value of MPC among Gyeonggi residents would remain reasonably secure.

By controlling the supply of MPC, the military gained indirect control over civilians while also reducing resentment toward requisitioning supplies through the issuance of MPC.

That was also why civilian Operators received more MPC than ordinary people. By turning a blind eye to Operators purchasing supplies through the black market, the military guaranteed them economic benefits. At the same time, because Operators were civilians rather than soldiers, the military could delay their purchase of evacuation priority.

The reason equipment and consumables required MPC was also part of that strategy. It delayed evacuation purchases and kept Operators tied to the second blockade line. And even if a civilian Operator somehow saved enough to buy evacuation priority anyway, the military probably would probably only allow it once.

After that, however, according to Shin Nain’s theory, they’d quietly raise the price under the pretext of inflation and value adjustment.

"Which means that us exchanging MPC and shopping here at the black market in Yongin Central Market is beneficial for both us and the military.”

"Baek Jemin-ssi, let’s go get some fried chicken. We can finish a whole bird in 30 minutes, right?”

That explained why these two had dragged along enormous duffel bags.

For a moment, I lamented having come empty-handed. Then I gestured toward them and lowered my voice.

"I’m planning to buy a whole mountain of Coke Zero. Mind carrying some in your bags?”

"If you buy my share too.”

"Deal.”

Negotiations with Lee Sejun concluded smoothly.

The real problem, as always, was Shin Nain.

"I want regular Coca-Cola. Zero’s supposedly bad for your gut microbiome.”

"Tsk. You’d rather drink liquid sugar?”

"A cola without sugar is nothing more than dirty water. The difference between tasty dirty water and sugar water is determined entirely by the sugar.”

I wasn’t thrilled about it, but I nodded with the same reluctant generosity an old landlord might show while tossing scraps to his farmhands.

After that, our trio devoured a whole fried chicken from a market stall each, stuffed the other two’s duffel bags with Coke Zero and regular Coke, then returned to where the military police were waiting.

We bought a grand total of 64 cans of cola and polished off 3 whole chickens, all of which only cost us 6 MPC.

And that was after I generously tossed an extra MPC to the elderly man running the store. The old man thanked me with eyes wrinkled by age, saying his grandchild would now be able to evacuate.

It left me with complicated feelings.

Still, our duffel bags were overflowing with sweet carbonated drinks. And thanks to finally eating some greasy fried chicken for the first time in ages, our trio felt thoroughly satisfied. The old man’s grandchild would get to evacuate, and we got full stomachs, so everybody won.

Wasn’t this what real patriotism looked like?

By the time we returned, however, 3 military trucks were lined up in front of the military police. And the suspected MPC black-market dealer, who had been sitting around obediently before, was now trembling uncontrollably.

The suspect demanded an explanation from the military police, his tone confrontational.

"Hey. Hey…what’s going on here? My uncle’s Lieutenant Colonel Baek Daesan, you know?”

"You are implicated in illegal refugee trafficking."

"Hey! Is it really such a crime to make a little money helping people get out?!”

By the time the black-market dealer decided to run, it was already too late.

The military police were already holding him firmly by the shoulders. And four more policemen had climbed down from one of the trucks and were approaching.

Curious about what those trucks were for, I craned my neck and looked into the cargo compartment. I could see all kinds of people inside.

A curly-haired middle-aged woman quietly praying with her hands clasped together. A monk with a shaved head and pursed lips, dressed in full robes. A handcuffed man calmly reading a book.

But every single one of them had the same atmosphere about them. A kind of solemn resolve or perhaps tension.

Even the man reading his book while ignoring the rattling of his handcuffs seemed distracted. He kept flipping to the same page over and over without actually reading it.

Since our Alteration-type trio had no idea what was going on, we decided to ask one of the military policemen we were at least vaguely acquainted with.

"Who are those people?”

For the first time, I got a proper look at the eyes hidden beneath the intimidating helmet and authority of a military policeman.

Contrary to the rough image you’d expect, he looked surprisingly friendly and innocent. He had a youthful face with freckles scattered across his cheeks. While thumping the black-market dealer on the shoulder with his fist, he answered my question.

"You’ve played gacha games before, right?”

"Huh?”

"You know, the kind where you spend money on your phone to roll for characters?”

"I tried one years ago and quit, so I don’t really know much about them..."

I’d asked who those people were. So why did this guy suddenly talk about gacha games? Was this guy some kind of otaku? That was the first thought that entered my mind. But then I noticed that his expression wasn’t normal.

The young-looking policeman was staring at me with eyes wide open, like Liu Bei after being betrayed by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. I had absolutely no idea what part of me had inspired such profound feelings of betrayal. Frankly, it was quite baffling as well as irritating.

Lee Sejun, on the other hand, seemed to understand instantly, sucking in a sharp breath.

"No way, right?”

"Why are you the only one who gets it?”

As Shin Nain and I turned toward him in confusion, Lee Sejun stared stiffly at the trucks and replied…

"It’s a Fog Gacha.”

"A Fog Gacha?”

Meanwhile, the black-market dealer’s resistance was becoming increasingly desperate.

The military police responded with equal enthusiasm. They grabbed both his arms and began dragging him away. Even then, he kept struggling and kicking.

"Let me go! Hey, you damn…let me go, I said! Aargh!”

Only after I watched the black-market MPC dealer get practically thrown into the military truck did I finally understand what Fog Gacha meant.

They were trying to create more wizards.

Whether the candidates were criminals or volunteers from religious groups didn’t matter, as long as they filled the quota.

It was becoming increasingly clear that conventional advanced equipment and electronic devices alone weren’t enough to deal with monsters like the Amalgams and Predator Spines overrunning Seoul. The appearance of creatures that had survived even the biological and chemical warfare used during the Suwon Station Underground Purge had likely played a major role in that realization.

Attacks carried out through sound. Unknown powers capable of disabling even recon drones.

After witnessing that firsthand, the military no longer had the luxury of worrying about the risks magic might pose.

Between the appearance of groups like The Eastern Scholarly Brigade of the Taegeuk Jesus Advent and everything else going on, it felt like the country was in even deeper trouble than I’d realized. Our Alteration-type trio climbed into the back of a truck where the mood had noticeably soured. 

That was when one of the military policemen nodded toward us in gratitude.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Operators. And this is from me personally.”

Though the shadow cast by his helmet obscured his eyes, he dug into his jacket and pulled out a slightly crushed pack of cigarettes. One stick was already missing.

When I looked up after receiving it, the military policeman adjusted his uniform and added,

"My younger brother participated in the Suwon Station Underground Purge.”

I smiled and handed the cigarette pack to Lee Sejun.

"We’ll share it."

February 28, 2028, 8:06 PM.

After checking the time on my phone’s cracked screen, I gathered our Alteration-type trio and went looking for Captain Kim Howoon and Lieutenant Shin Hangi.

My passion for magic remained unchanged, but Korea was so thoroughly screwed that I felt another round of patriotism was in order. Of course, there was also the small personal desire to go exploring inside the fog again.

Besides, all three of us had reached the same conclusion.

Sooner or later, we needed to find out what conditions were like on the first blockade line. Life as mercenaries inside the second blockade line wasn’t terrible, but neither I nor Lee Sejun nor even Shin Nain had become wizards just to live ordinary lives.

When we explained our intentions, both Captain Kim Howoon and Lieutenant Shin Hangi looked taken aback, though they seemed to obediently relay the request up the chain of command.

"Yes, sir. Conditions at the first blockade line…”

While the tedious reports and discussions dragged on, I absentmindedly stroked the Magic Crash Course booklet.

The frustration of chasing vague theories with no certainty behind them, and the incredible powers that somehow made all that frustration worthwhile. Both these sentiments danced through my mind.

Would I someday learn Ear-branch magic and Heart-branch magic as well?

Were there still other branches left undiscovered? Were there really 22 more spells remaining, totalling up to 25? And what would happen if someone mastered them all?

Lost in that pleasant mix of excitement and anticipation, I waited. At last, Lieutenant Shin Hangi hurriedly pinned a freshly printed document onto the whiteboard with magnets.

"Whew…I honestly didn’t expect you to volunteer for something this dangerous.”

"That means it’s a good assignment, right?”

"From the military’s perspective, for sure.”

Lee Sejun, Shin Nain, and I narrowed our eyes as we read the document.

Shin Nain kept murmuring ‘Amen’ as if he liked what he saw. Lee Sejun fidgeted with his rifle sling.

[Transport and Protection of Personnel Compatible with Localized Invasive Structural Alteration phenomena.]

The mission overview was simple.

Escort compatible individuals to an area north of Seongnam, one of the regions bordering the fog that now covered all of Seoul. However, when I flipped the page over, it was packed with warnings and precautions.

1. Rules of engagement must be strictly followed..

2. Based on testimony from personnel on site, 2 unidentified species have reportedly been observed within 30 meters of visibility inside the fog. Considered extremely dangerous. Avoid all contact under any circumstances.

3. Entry into buildings within unauthorized zones is strictly prohibited.

And so on, and so forth….

As I pulled the printout free from the magnet board, I felt an electric thrill run through me.

Fear of the unknown. Terror that I might, even from a distance, come face-to-face with the very thing that had reduced this country to ruin. The exhilaration of potentially seeing something so dangerous that people were seriously discussing dropping at least 3 hydrogen bombs on it.

And…the countless mysteries and truths that might still be hidden within.

If I wanted to determine whether the Alteration-type magic system was truly some occult art or operated according to an entirely different principle, then I’d have to accept the risks that came with it.

"We’re really going…?”

Now that it was actually happening, Lee Sejun muttered to himself in a voice trembling with fear.

"O Lord, your child shall now march toward the holy battlefield.”

Shin Nain quietly clasped his hands together and prayed. 

They all had their crazy sides, but if you wanted to fight monsters, you needed to be a bit crazy at the very least.

I waved the printout at Lieutenant Shin Hangi.

"So when do we leave?”

That was when people I never expected to see appeared.

One of the middle-aged men from the Korea-flag-cape group adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses, noticed the document in my hand, and turned toward us.

"Lieutenant. I couldn't help overhearing. Is it really that dangerous?"

The Eastern Scholarly Brigade of the Taegeuk Jesus Advent.

They were staring at Lieutenant Shin Hangi with unusually serious expressions.

"Yes, but since combat is expected, the experienced members of Aphorism—”

"Aphorism?!”

That wasn’t the The Eastern Scholarly Brigade of the Taegeuk Jesus Advent speaking.

"We’re the Supreme Archmages.”

"...The Supreme Archmages of Aphorism have already volunteered for the mission, so everything should be fine.”

"Haah…Lieutenant. How can you entrust something like this to children?!”

The middle-aged man’s flag cape fluttered dramatically, revealing the dense pattern of crosses covering it as he looked toward us.

"We’ll accompany them. With great power comes great responsibility. And the more talented the individual, the more important proper guidance becomes! It is surely the Lord’s will that we, chosen as His shepherds, accompany them and guide those who shall become His new flock!”

U-uh.

Huuh?!