I Became an Illegal Cheat User

94 – Exposing – Interlude

What should one do when they catch a cold?

The answer is very simple.

Take cold medicine and rest well.

So, what should one do to avoid catching a cold?

Eat good food? Boost immunity? Exercise?

Yes, those are all correct. But there is something even more important than those.

That is ‘hygiene.’

Keeping the body, mind, and surroundings clean.

Following such examples, when the divine mandate of the god descended upon the Korean Peninsula, which had been covered in the filth of fallen cultists.

[Breaking News][A certain politician who shouted that the god is a superhuman who does not follow the law has been detected by the corruption sensor….]

….

[…This is news. Early this morning, a large number of fallen cultists attempting to smuggle themselves to the continent of death were arrested. Some resisted during the process, but they were shot down by the heroes’ swift response. The remaining individuals are expected to be executed today….]

….

[Title][Brothers. What is this?]

A strange device installed in front of the restaurant.JPG

– That’s the newly distributed fixed detector.

ㄴ [Author] How is it different from the portable one?

ㄴ Yeah, unlike the portable one that only detects when you make contact, the fixed one activates if there’s someone nearby with magic.

ㄴ [Author] Like this? [Photo of the device blaring loudly.JPG]

ㄴ ? Oh, it does sound like that… But why is it going off?

ㄴ [Author] Why? Damn, I fell…, [Deleted User.]

ㄴ What the hell? You were a follower of the Fallen?

ㄴ Wow, look at how fast they’re getting arrested. It’s insane.

The month that the deity had proposed, no, even sooner, the Korean Peninsula was cleaned up.

Of course, various incidents occurred during that process, but with so many useful abilities in the world, accidental mishaps and witch hunts were resolved quickly.

As the filth that had settled over the Korean Peninsula was cleared away and the cleanup was neatly wrapped up, it was around that time.

“Lee Yu-jin, Arthur, Noah. You’ve all worked hard.”

The tumultuous internship had come to an end.

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head in gratitude as Carly patted my shoulder, saying I had done well.

Then, as Carly patted Arthur and Noah on the shoulder,

“”…Thank you.””

The two of them lowered their heads weakly, their faces looking more haggard than usual.

Seeing them like that, I felt a pang of sympathy mixed with a sigh of relief inside.

‘If it weren’t for Terra and the infinite energy, I would have looked like that too.’

I thought to myself as I glanced behind Carly.

At that moment, the souls buried in paperwork seemed to sense my gaze.

“Ugh…, you guys are the only ones escaping this hell….”

“Take me with you, take me with you. I want to go too…!”

“…Yu-jin, are you abandoning us? Is that what this is?”

They looked at me with eyes almost devoid of light, pleading for salvation.

In response, I turned my head away, silently apologizing. The voices of the extermination squad calling out my name, Arthur’s, and Noah’s grew more desperate.

“…How noisy.”

Kali slightly furrowed her brow and used her telekinesis.

Creeeak, the door that had been wide open began to move.

“Yujin! Yujin…!”

“Kraaak! Arthur! Kraaak! Noah!”

“Captain, please! Don’t close the door….”

Thud.

The door shut. The noise vanished.

“Finally, it’s quiet.”

Kali nodded in satisfaction and gently touched one of the rings on her hand.

Then, she reached into the void that had appeared in the air and pulled out the two daggers she had given me from the last transport.

“Arthur, Noah. Here.”

Kali handed one to each of them.

“Captain, this is…?”

Noah looked at the dagger as if questioning why it was being given to him.

Kali smiled softly and said, “It’s a gift to commemorate the end of your internship.”

“…I heard that to obtain this dagger, one must become a full member. Is it really okay to just give it like this?”

At Arthur’s question, Kali tilted her head and replied, “What’s wrong with that?”

“…Excuse me?”

Arthur stared at Kali with a blank expression, as if he couldn’t comprehend.

Seeing Arthur like that, Kali chuckled and said, “I’m the captain of this unit; who would dare say otherwise? And I didn’t just give it away.”

Kali’s eyes shifted to me and then back to Arthur as she continued, “Though you are merely interns and not full members, to me, the vice-captain, and the other members, you are already part of the unit.”

That’s why I’m giving you this token, she added, patting Arthur’s shoulder.

“…….”

Arthur gazed silently into Kali’s eyes.

Then, he bowed his head slightly, as if to say, ‘I will accept it gratefully.’

He placed the dagger he held into the void space item.

Following Arthur, Noah also expressed his gratitude and stored it in the pocket dimension.

“…I suppose it’s time to get back to work.”

Kali grimaced and clicked her tongue.

Seeing that, it seems even Kali, known as the Destroyer, finds the paperwork overwhelming.

Well, even a superhuman doesn’t have infinite mental strength.

Moreover, instead of decreasing, the paperwork keeps piling up, so it’s no wonder she’s feeling drained.

I looked at Kali with a sympathetic gaze and took out a potion juice from my inventory.

“…Captain, hang in there.”

“…Thanks.”

Kali accepted the juice with an awkward smile.

Then, before anyone could see, she hurriedly stashed it away in the pocket dimension.

That sight almost brought tears to my eyes, as emotions surged within me.

‘…How hard must it be for her to act like that?’

Kali, who used to share even a single bean with her subordinates.

The paperwork hell truly ruins people!

Even now, I silently shouted respect for Gray and the others who were still buried in paperwork.

“Well then, everyone, please be careful on your way back.”

Kali bid farewell and turned to open the door she had closed. Just then, as if waiting for this moment, Gray’s voice echoed from inside.

“Yujin! Be careful on your way back! And let’s meet during the duel season!”

Leaving Gray’s words behind.

“Everyone, stay healthy! Don’t get hurt!”

“Lee Yujin, Arthur, Noah! See you next time!”

“Hey, Yujin! I’ll definitely come during the duel season! Let’s meet then!”

All the members waved their hands holding pens as they bid farewell.

In response, Arthur, Noah, and I bowed our heads, wishing them well.

And just before turning away, I sent potion juice to everyone’s desks.

“Ugh! Yujin, save me… no, thank you!”

“Love… I love you! Save me!”

“Guys! Take me with you, take me… Ugh! Ugh!”

From behind, intense expressions of gratitude echoed.

And the sounds did not cease until the moment I boarded the transport plane.

&

Upon arriving at the base of the 9th Suppression Unit,

I stepped off the transport and asked the two of them,

“I’m thinking of wandering outside; what are you going to do?”

The internship was over, but there was still about a day left of vacation. So today, I intended to truly enjoy some rest.

Of course, that meant nothing more than eating something delicious or finding some useful equipment, but to me, it felt like a tremendous break.

After all, I had never really had a proper rest until now.

“I think I’ll get some sleep.”

Noah said this in a drowsy voice, and Arthur, who was walking beside me, looked at me apologetically.

“Yujin, I’m sorry. I want to go out with you too, but… I’m just too tired right now….”

“Oh, no. You don’t have to apologize. If you’re tired, you should sleep.”

“…Thank you.”

Arthur expressed his gratitude as I lightly leaned against him.

However, this contact was different from usual; it was born of fatigue, so I didn’t pull away.

Instead, I held her arm to help with her weary steps as we entered the elevator.

As soon as we reached the base, I gave the two of them the spiritual elixir to ensure they could rest comfortably.

Thanks to the elixir’s effects, the two of them felt refreshed and expressed their thanks before heading to their respective rooms.

Click, the sound of their doors closing echoed.

But then, once again, click, another door sound followed.

I turned my gaze toward the source of the noise.

“…Yujin, is that you?”

Willie, looking as if she had just woken up, peeked her head out, her hair tousled in all directions.

“Hey, it’s been a while.”

“Yeah… it has been a while… yawn….”

Willie trailed off mid-sentence, letting out a long yawn.

Then, she rubbed her eyes with her small hands and said,

“Yujin, I’m sorry… I think I’ll go back to sleep. I fell asleep while making items just a moment ago….”

“Oh, it’s okay. Sleep well, sis.”

“Yeah… bye-bye.”

Willy waved his hand and stepped back inside.

Clunk, the sound of the door closing echoed. And then, a serene silence enveloped the space.

&

Outside the base, or rather, having stepped out of the association, I wandered the streets as I had told Arthur and Noah.

Each time I caught a whiff of something delicious, I would go inside and have a meal.

I wasn’t originally such a glutton, but perhaps as my status rose, my stomach expanded too; no matter how much I ate, it felt like there was no end.

Anyway, what I did today was nothing special.

I had a meal and then dessert.

If I found decent clothes, I bought them.

As for useful items… I couldn’t find any.

So I deliberately searched for places that looked like worn-out equipment shops.

In the process, I encountered a villain for the first time.

Strangely, the moment the villain saw me, he did something unexpected.

Thud.

“…No way. You’re saying I can’t win even after thousands of simulations?”

He collapsed to his knees. And with a face full of despair.

It was my first encounter with a villain, yet it ended without a fight.

It was beyond anticlimactic; a sense of emptiness washed over me.

Still, well, no battle means it’s a good thing. And since I was taking a break, perhaps it was fortunate that there was no fight.

Thinking this, I bound the villain, who kept muttering, “There’s only instant death,” and handed him over to the association.

Then I resumed my search for equipment shops.

[All are inferior items.]

However, contrary to what I had imagined, there were only truly worn-out pieces of equipment, and I couldn’t find any special items at all.

Ah, so it seems that an old sword imbued with ego doesn’t exist in this world.

Well, there weren’t any such items in the game, so it’s unlikely they would exist in reality.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

Finding ego items in a typical equipment shop is a player’s dream, after all.

With a sigh filled with emptiness and regret, I made my way back to the base.

&

&

&

And time passed.

“I will now begin the duel season.”

The final main quest of the first semester had arrived.