NOVEL NEXT C3
Chapter 3: The 8th Prince creates a dungeon
When the old iron door opened, a completely different scene unfolded from the outside world.
“Is this all real…?”
Ha-yoon blinked several times.
It was even harder to believe, having just passed through the death-filled streets patrolled by zombies.
People bustled about in the alleys.
The street, lined with crudely built structures and shabby tents, resembled a small city transplanted here.
Stalls extended along the roadside, and the savory aroma wafting from them made Min-hyuk tug on Ha-yoon’s arm.
“Sis! That smells so good over there!”
“You’re right.”
The smell of meat reached Ha-yoon’s nose.
Unconsciously, she swallowed.
When was the last time she ate? It had been ages since she’d had a warm meal.
The place they used to live was in a commercial district.
They had boarded up the entrance on the first floor with wooden planks, living in a space where proper food was a luxury, and even washing was difficult.
It was a place where they barely managed to survive.
Of course, leaving that place wasn’t an option.
In a world like this, who would take in children?
Had the world not ended, Ha-yoon would have been middle-school age.
Just having a place to stay was a blessing, so she endured the discomfort.
But that place, too, eventually met its end.
Zombies broke through the flimsy wooden barricade and invaded.
In the end, Kang Ha-yoon escaped with her younger brother, running for their lives. By luck, they reached this shelter.
“Sis, look! They’re selling clothes over there too!”
The stalls sold more than just food.
Clothes, daily necessities, and even weapons were on display.
People were busy bartering and trading goods.
This stark contrast in atmosphere was due to nothing more than a single wall separating the areas.
As they looked around, the guard guiding them spoke up.
“Shall we head back now? The administrator is waiting for you.”
She had expected this.
Knowing that she was an Awakened, the shelter’s management would undoubtedly want to secure her cooperation.
‘Will this be okay…?’
Still, Ha-yoon felt a sudden unease.
Though she had awakened, her powers were incomplete.
What if she ended up being used?
She and her brother had struggled to survive for three years.
Living in hardship didn’t suddenly make her smarter or more knowledgeable.
Focused on surviving day-to-day, she had little understanding of how the world worked.
If she handled this poorly, she could be exploited by adults.
So Ha-yoon remained cautious.
‘No, it’ll be fine.’
She shook her head.
When she thought about it, coming here was all thanks to the Nameless God.
‘Don’t I have God on my side?’
The one who saved her and her brother.
The one who gave her the power of awakening to survive.
As long as that divine presence was with her, everything would go well. What did she have to worry about?
Her only concern was how to repay the god who had given her this opportunity.
‘God, I’ll show my gratitude as quickly as I can.’
With that thought, Kang Ha-yoon prepared to meet the shelter’s administrator.
Kang Ha-yoon entered the shelter by my choice.
The shelter’s interior was more impressive than expected.
Lying on the bed and watching the screen, I couldn’t help but marvel.
From the outside, you wouldn’t know, but inside it looked like a small city.
‘The security seems pretty good too.’
In an apocalyptic world, I had expected a lawless, survival-of-the-fittest situation akin to the medieval ages.
However, the view on the screen defied my expectations.
Armed personnel were stationed everywhere, moving in an orderly fashion to patrol the area.
‘This place is well-organized.’
Ha-yoon, too, seemed fascinated, looking around with her brother as they explored. Guided by the guard, they headed toward a building.
I adjusted my posture, leaning back on the bed.
Now, the important scenes would begin.
[Ha-yoon meets the shelter administrator.]
[The shelter administrator welcomes Ha-yoon warmly.]
‘Meeting the administrator first, as expected.’
Rubbing my chin with my thumb, I fell into thought.
If Ha-yoon hadn’t awakened, could she have received such treatment?
Probably not.
All of this was thanks to the 10,000 gold I invested…no, thanks to her awakening ability.
‘Investing that 10,000 gold was definitely the right choice.’
A faint thrill ran down my spine.
It was the satisfaction I hadn’t felt in a long time—the excitement of making the perfect decision in a game.
I glanced at the pouch of gold coins on my desk.
There were still 90,000 gold coins left.
If investments like this continued to feel this rewarding, I could do it over and over again.
‘My gaming skills haven’t faded.’
Even after 16 years away from gaming, my fingers and mind still remembered.
“Now then…”
I swung the smartphone toward the air a few times.
The screen still displayed the shelter.
‘I’m starting to get bored.’
Thrills aside, the current situation was dreadfully dull.
Text-based games like this tended to get tiresome quickly.
“Sigh.”
A sigh escaped.
If zombies kept appearing as they did early on, it might’ve been different, but now that safety was guaranteed, the boredom set in.
“Should I keep going for the points?”
I bit my lip lightly, contemplating other options.
There were two games I’d installed initially.
Apart from “The Last Day on Earth: Survivor Growth,” I still had “Dungeon Master.”
“Maybe I should try a little more?”
Turning off the game now would be a waste if the character died, along with my invested gold.
Resolving to continue, I refocused on the game.
An NPC, the administrator, was speaking to Ha-yoon.
[The shelter administrator offers Ha-yoon the best possible conditions.]
Shelter Administrator: “I promise you top-tier living arrangements and education for you and your brother!”
【Please choose Ha-yoon’s next action.】
▶ Accept the administrator’s terms.
▶ Reject the terms and play hard to get.
▶ Attack the administrator. (*Extremely low chance of becoming the shelter administrator yourself.)
Once again, three options appeared.
My gaze moved quickly.
“The first one, obviously.”
This was a no-brainer.
The shelter seemed like a safe place for the siblings, and if the administrator was offering such hospitality, there was no reason to refuse.
‘Besides, the administrator doesn’t seem like a bad person.’
Better to accept goodwill readily than to create unnecessary hostility.
[Ha-yoon has now joined the shelter.]
[You receive 100 points as a reward!]
“Wow!”
I jumped up without thinking. The reward was much more than expected.
“This is great!”
Choosing the first option paid off.
Survival games like this usually rewarded decisions that ensured the character’s safety.
Laughing, I bounced lightly on the bed, feeling good.
With 116 points accumulated so far, I’d soon be able to afford another app.
On the screen, the administrator smiled, seemingly pleased with Ha-yoon’s choice, and handed her something.
[The shelter administrator is satisfied with Ha-yoon’s choice and gives her a small gift.]
[Ha-yoon received a ‘pistol’!]
“What?”
I blinked. Double-checked the screen, but it was true.
“They’re giving a gun to a minor?”
Was it because of the apocalyptic setting?
Or maybe it was just a quirk of the game design.
“It must depend on the world’s rules.”
After all, in this world, 17-year-olds were treated as adults and even sent to serve as city lords.
“When you think of it that way, a pistol isn’t so strange.”
Judging by past-world standards wasn’t necessary.
The screen transitioned again.
The meeting with the administrator concluded, and the guard was now leading Ha-yoon and her brother to their living quarters.
“The facilities are nice too.”
I swiped the screen upward, scanning the surroundings. A building located in the shelter’s center looked like a small villa, with a clean exterior and proper security systems.
‘This must be where the shelter’s key figures reside.’
Moving from the bed to my desk, I leaned back in the chair and exhaled a sigh of relief.
“At least they won’t suddenly die here.”
The siblings, guided by the security guard, were shown entering the house on the screen.
Minhyuk, like an excited puppy, jumped around joyfully, and a bright smile bloomed on Ha-yoon’s face.
“This feels like I’m raising a character myself, and it makes me happy.”
For no reason, I felt proud as well.
Was this why people played games?
The emotions I was feeling after a long time while playing the game weren’t bad.
‘Should I start trying out other games now?’
Judging by the current atmosphere, it seemed unlikely anything dangerous would happen for the time being.
If the administrator had any sense, they wouldn’t assign anything risky to Kang Ha-yoon.
Most likely, she would spend some time adjusting to the shelter.
Just as I was about to press the exit button with my finger:
[Kang Ha-yoon wants to express her gratitude.]
“Hm?”
I paused for a moment. Was I going to earn more points again?
The total points I had accumulated so far were 16.
That wasn’t bad at all.
[Kang Ha-yoon expresses her thanks and offers you a ‘pistol’.]
“What?”
Something entirely unexpected happened.
Offering a pistol?
On the screen, the pistol in Kang Ha-yoon’s hand disappeared.
“Wait a second, what’s going on here?”
The problem was that the pistol had vanished.
It couldn’t be found anywhere in the game.
Of course, I was still just holding my smartphone in my hand.
“Tsk, is this a bug?”
It was disappointing, but there wasn’t much I could do about it.
It wasn’t as if I needed a weapon urgently, nor did its absence pose any threat to the siblings’ safety.
There was no need to waste time searching for a pistol that had disappeared due to a bug.
“Let’s just play a different game.”
I decided to forget about the pistol and pressed on another game, Dungeon Master.
“Is Dungeon Master just a game about managing a dungeon?”
It seemed simpler than raising survivors.
“Looks convenient.”
Suppressing a yawn, I tapped the screen, and a brief explanation appeared.
[You are the Dungeon Master. As the Master, you must manage and develop the dungeon.]
As expected, it was a dungeon management game.
[The way you manage the dungeon will influence the world.]
[Please choose a location to create the dungeon.]
The explanation continued until a map suddenly filled the screen. It was a map I was very familiar with.
“This is the world I live in?”
I clicked my tongue as I examined the map closely. The game’s setting wasn’t some fictional world but the very world I lived in.
‘Who on earth made this game?’
I frowned, deep in thought.
The previous game had an apocalyptic setting on Earth, which was a common theme, so that was acceptable. But this was completely different.
The map mirrored the world I lived in, as if someone had intentionally designed it just for me.
After briefly worrying with a serious expression, I came to no conclusion.
Well, why overthink it?
After all, the fact that I stumbled upon this smartphone in the first place didn’t make sense.
“Let’s just enjoy it.”
I had nothing better to do, and this smartphone had appeared just in time to keep me entertained.
Thinking about it too much was simply unnecessary.
“But this map’s quality is amazing.”
The map included not only various countries but also the Exion Empire, where I lived.
Even the northern city of Kverndel, located in the empire’s north, was meticulously detailed.
It was far more precise than any map I’d seen before.
“Should I just pick any random spot?”
As I surveyed the map, a curiosity arose.
‘If the map is this detailed, the other elements should also be accurately represented, right?’
Since it was the world I lived in, I became curious about how well the game’s representation matched reality.
I had felt the same in my previous life.
Whenever a foreign game used Korea as a setting, I wanted to see how well they had portrayed it.
‘By examining the accuracy, I might figure out the essence of this game.’
For this reason, I chose the dungeon’s location.
The selected location was the northern city of Kverndel, in the empire.
[A dungeon will be created near the city of Kverndel.]
Specifically, it was at a location somewhat distant from Kverndel, where I would be assigned as a lord a year later.
If this were an actual dungeon, it would be horrifying, but this was just a game.
In reality, if a dungeon appeared near a city or village, a subjugation team would be organized for safety reasons.
‘Come to think of it, Jade mentioned being in Kverndel, didn’t he?’
The creation of a dungeon near Kverndel reminded me of the 7th prince, Jade.
I recalled Crown Prince Raiel ordering Jade to subjugate the dungeon.
“Well, that has nothing to do with me. Let’s just play the game.”
Whether or not a dungeon existed near the city was an issue for my future self a year from now to worry about.
Right now, I was content to lie on my bed and enjoy the game.
[You can now manage the dungeon.]
When I tapped on the dungeon, its interior appeared barren. As expected, it was completely empty without a single monster.
[There are no monsters in the dungeon.]
[Create monsters through the summoning system.]
“Ah, a summoning system….”
Now it was a gacha game.
I clicked my tongue.
“But where do I summon them?”
As I explored the game, looking for a way to summon monsters, a message popped up.
[Linked data has been found. Would you like to check it?]
“Linked data?”
What could it possibly be linked to?
This was my first time playing this game.
[The item ‘Pistol’ obtained from ‘The Last Day on Earth: Raising Survivors’ has been found.]
[Would you like to place the item ‘Pistol’ in the dungeon?]
“What the heck….”
The pistol I thought had disappeared due to a bug reappeared.
“Damn, it’s freezing to death.”
The 7th prince, Jade Chronos, tightened his hood and exhaled, his breath visible in the freezing air.
The cold air vividly demonstrated the subzero temperatures.
Visiting the city of Kverndel for the first time, it was just as he had heard.
The wind was fierce all day, and it felt as though his entire body would freeze just standing still.
“I need to finish quickly and return before I freeze to death.”
Jade was there because of an order from Crown Prince Raiel.
The task was to clean up the nearby dungeon in preparation for the youngest, Kain, who would be appointed as the city’s lord next year.
The thought of suffering for his youngest sibling annoyed him.
But, of course, defying the crown prince was not an option.
“I’m going to beat the hell out of that brat when I get back.”
Naturally, Jade’s anger was directed at his youngest sibling, Kain.
A crooked smile crept across his lips.
As he thought of Kain, the 8th prince, his knuckles cracked naturally.
He could hardly believe the kid shared royal blood, given his complete lack of ability.
“I’ll make him pay for putting me through this trouble. Heh.”
The thought of tormenting Kain upon returning lifted Jade’s spirits.
As he reveled in his thoughts, one of his knights approached urgently.
“Your Highness! Prince, sir!”
It was his escort knight.
Despite the biting cold, the knight’s forehead was dotted with sweat.
“What is it?”
“Well, a dungeon has appeared nearby!”
Jade’s eyes lit up with excitement.
He had been bored anyway—this was perfect.
“Let’s set out immediately.”
Jade gripped the sword at his waist lightly, and a faint blue aura shimmered from its hilt.
‘That brat must be living comfortably while I suffer here.’
Kain’s image flashed through his mind again.
It felt like this filthy mood needed to be vented on the dungeon.