Light of Arad: The First to Walk - Chapter 163



Only Noblemtl

163

Jinseong and Chili Shrimp made eye contact.

This is because they were startled by Vivi’s remark and looked at each other.

Why did Chili Shrimp look straight at Jinseong instead of saying anything to Vivi?

‘No way!? Ms. Vivi is right… …? Really? A lie- No, oh, is that so?’

Jinseong thought as he looked into the still round eyes of the chili shrimp.

Are you surprised that they found out you’re a woman? That can’t be true.

Above all, to Jinseong, the words and actions that Chili Shrimp had shown so far were at least those that a ‘middle-aged man’ in his mid-40s would do… … .

‘You tricked me. I don’t know what you were trying to extort from Vivi, but this money-mad ghost scammed me!’

There were also memories that came to mind only then.

The chili shrimp spoke clearly at his home.

Instead of doing ‘Anton Jjeol’, he wants to be paid appropriately, and that payment doesn’t have to be money, it can be something else.

In particular, he specifically said that he would ‘help you with special abilities’ or ‘create something for you.’

‘Probably because he found out about Vivi’s ‘non-standard modifications’. Chili Shrimp was quite shocked and tried to get more out of Vivi, but the negotiations eventually fell through and Vivi ended up going around Anton alone?’

Jinseong smiled as if he knew everything.

The chili shrimp’s eyes widened when they saw the smile and turned to Vivi.

“Rain, Vivi you! That… that….”

“why?”

But no more words came out of Chili Shrimp’s mouth.

Rather, her red eyes that were looking at Vivi were quickly moving back and forth between Jinseong and Vivi.

“Hahahaha, what is this? You were just showing off by giving me ridiculous nicknames and stuff, but that’s all-.”

“!”

Shoooooooo… … The 4th Apostle, the Conqueror Cassius’s clone, has evaporated.

Jinseong flinched at the sudden action, but that was it.

The chili shrimp neither said nor did anything more.

Chili shrimp that remains quiet after turning its back on Jinseong.

Vivi looked at the chili shrimp, smiled, and turned her head towards Jinseong.

“Ahem, by the way, Mr. Jinsang, do you have anything to say to me? As you probably know, I’m already level 85 and have even completed my second awakening.”

Jinseong burst out laughing at the pose where he stuck his chest out and lifted his chin.

Does Vivi really believe that Jinseong helped her?

Are you expecting something like, ‘Thanks for helping me’ or ‘You’re already level 85, that’s amazing!’?

Jinseong could not help but sigh and speak, knowing that her gaze, shining beyond her glasses, was sincere.

“……You’re not even in my party, and you’re using all your 2nd awakening skills, so what are you expecting?”

The intentions may certainly be good.

But why don’t you know that the target you’re trying to help is included in the scope of the damage?

When I was thinking that I still couldn’t decide whether she was smart or not, Vivi said.

“Huh? What’s the problem? Jinsang-nim will avoid it anyway.”

It was a remark that made Jinseong shut his mouth for a moment.

When was the last time the two of them spoke in heaven?

‘It may not have been that long for me… … but it must have been different for Vivi.’

I was in the Tower of Despair where the flow of time was different.

For Jinseong, it had been at most two days since he met Azalea until he came face to face with Soldoros, but according to what he heard from Sharan right after he returned from there, more than a month, but less than two months had passed.

Of course, that amount of time must have passed for Vivi as well.

Even though I’ve grown to the point where I can use the level cap of 85, finish the dungeon area: Power Station, and go to the dungeon area: Anton on my own…

Does she still have extreme trust in Jinseong?

I don’t know if I should say it’s touching, but my throat is sore.

Jinseong knows how amazing it is that the coward he was when they first met came all the way to Anton on his own in just a little over two months.

“Ahem, uh……”

“Okay, go ahead.”

I know how thankful I am that such a coward changed and came to save me from fighting Casillas, and that he trusted my skills.

“go…….”

“Huh~?”

So Jinseong said.

“You’re so slow, you’re only level 85! Ahem! I gave you such special training while you were working on the cartel. You should’ve reached level 90, Vivi.”

In a hoarse voice, accompanied by a cough.

“Huh?”

Now, even Vivi couldn’t help but be shocked and her eyes widened.

Vivi is speechless, Chili Shrimp is still speechless, and Jinseong is embarrassed and keeps his mouth shut.

In the still silence flowing between the three, the murmurs of those still taking refuge and the celestials wandering about, curious about the commotion, could be faintly heard.

Jinseong barely opened his mouth.

“So, so, why did you… come all the way here? I appreciate you helping me, but- Ahem, anyway, there shouldn’t be anything around here, right? If you cleared the Slough side, shouldn’t you be right over to the Anton- Noble Sky ship?”

With a half-hearted expression of gratitude.

Vivi also seemed to feel better at those words, as she pushed up her glasses and smiled brightly.

“I was going to do that too, but I heard a rumor that there’s some kind of research lab that makes androids nearby! When I was in the Imperial City, I became close with Melvin and learned a lot from him, and I also had a promise with Jinsang… So I was on my way to check it out. But then all of a sudden, bang! Bam! And it was Jinsang! Imagine my surprise?”

Jinseong felt a sense of discomfort amidst Vivi’s excited and chattering words.

It’s understandable that she became close with Melvin.

It’s already been two months, and didn’t she say she would stay in the imperial palace when Jinseong was originally heading there?

It shouldn’t take even a month to clear Dungeon Area: Time Gate and Dungeon Area: Power Station, which is plenty of time to discuss and learn about science/engineering with Melvin for over a month.

That is, the problem was not that I became close with Melvin.

“The lab that makes Androids…”

A story about a place that Jinseong himself has no memory of.

The area designated as a dungeon in the Eaton Industrial Zone ends at the Power Station.

There are four power plants involved in producing electricity, but is there a research center or something that produces something?

Here?

“Yes! It was my first time hearing the name, so I was on my way to check it out.”

“What’s your name?”

Even though she saw Jinseong’s serious expression, Vivi couldn’t hide her excitement and said.

“Helix Labs? Do you know about it, Jinsang?”

“……crazy…….”

Jinseong’s eyes widened.

It was a name that could no longer be joked around with.

* * *

Jinseong swallowed dry saliva.

The Eaton Industrial Area, where Casillas was dueling, was located close to the outskirts of the Slough Industrial Area.

It was a remote place, and most of the power plants there were completely destroyed by Anton’s transfer, so even the Celestial Empire no longer cared about it.

“Sure… they probably wouldn’t care. In the first place, the power plants occupied by Anton’s four subordinates were more important, so they might not have cared.”

“Tsk, if I knew this would happen, I should’ve asked the terrorist. I’ve been saving that guy and hanging out with him several times now, and the person in charge of the power station hasn’t said a word. Or did he get patched after I was possessed?”

The one that inherited Jinseong’s admiration was the chili shrimp.

As expected, she was in a state of shock as she had repeatedly cleared the dungeon area: Power Station.

There was a place where several buildings were built east to west, forming a single complex, within a mostly dark area with occasional flashes of lights.

All three of them instinctively and intuitively knew that this was the Helix Lab.

Vivi, whose eyes were shining next to the very serious Jinseong and the chili shrimp, said.

“There was a place that specialized in researching and producing Androids… I guess there must be a lot of data and samples left over? Hehe, no matter how close I became with Melvin, it was a technology he didn’t really teach me. Finally! Finally!”

I was so excited that I was even stamping my feet.

She, who was still a bakery shop owner, asked Jinseong as if she had just remembered.

“Oh, by the way, how did you know about the Helix Research Institute?”

“That’s right. I’ve been playing DnF for quite some time, but there’s a place I’ve never been to.”

The chili shrimp also turned its head and looked at Jinseong.

Jinseong sighed as he looked at the darkened complex of buildings.

Dungeon ‘Helix Research Institute’.

A place to research/produce androids, as Vivi said.

The android occupying that place is collectively known as MLA, the ‘Melvin Richter Android’.

It was also the place where Melvin Richter established the humanoid prototype before creating Leah Richter, an android whom he treated as his younger sister.

‘That Super-Earth was so powerful and contained such superior artificial intelligence… … that Melvin Richter eventually gave up. Soon after, something happened in the zodiac, and while Melvin was away, the abandoned Super-Earth created self-replicating androids based on its own information.’

The dungeon where Melvin’s super-machine MLA-771 and the MLA-750, which was created by cloning the MLA-771 itself, exist as ‘monsters’ is the Helix Research Institute.

Even though it was a dungeon with a setting that didn’t seem particularly special, there was one reason why Jinseong frowned as soon as he heard Vivi’s words.

“This is… a dungeon that doesn’t exist in the domestic Dungeon & Fighter.”

“huh?”

“…What does that mean? Then it’s in overseas DnF?”

Although Dungeon & Fighter is a game that provides global service, there are some differences between each country.

Just as Shizuki, who Jinseong encountered during the Jin:Blue Dragon Tournament in Suju-guk, was first created in Japanese Dungeon & Fighter and later came to Korea, there were differences in the operation of certain NPCs or certain dungeons.

So Jinseong couldn’t help but sigh.

“Yes. It’s a dungeon that existed in Japanese and Chinese DnF. It was never released in the domestic DnF.”

“Hey, how does Mr. Jinseong get overseas DnF information?”

“Overseas… Ah! Oh my!? That guy told you, right? And you’re acting all smart and all? Just like Nils back then!?”

“Ah, that guy was rambling on the community, but I knew about it. I was curious as to why it wasn’t coming to Korea since it wasn’t exactly an overseas concept dungeon, and anyway, that’s not what’s important right now… phew…”

The dungeon ‘Helix Research Institute’ is not secondary information like ‘Left Straight Nils’, but content that users can enjoy directly. At that level, even if it’s related to overseas Dungeon & Fighter, it can’t escape Jinseong’s attention. Jinseong wanted to say this, but that wasn’t what he was concerned about at the time.

If there is a reason why a dungeon that is not available in Korea was released, it is ultimately one thing.

Because it might be contaminated.

‘And this time, the contamination is aimed at Vivi… … . Rather than contaminating the epic quest, is this the way to approach it?’

It’s not like NPC Mathias Nessmann’s chili shrimp playing crane games that are important.

At this point, it would be safe to say that Vivi’s main scenario, who is a candidate for the ‘Forged Blade’ and should be a true adventurer, has been tainted.

The question was, what should be done to correct this contamination?

Vivi stops him from entering the Helix Lab? Is that the best course of action?

Because of such worries, Jinseong had a hard time making a decision.

‘Maybe I got a hint from Melvin. Then it’s clear that we can make androids here.’

Vivi, who has been in contact with Melvin for a long time.

What if you could acquire the technology to create Android here?

[Keep kek kek… … What are you thinking so deeply about, Jinseong.]

Wouldn’t it be possible to give a new body to Heukgu, the being that is speaking in Jinseong’s head right now?

Even if it is treated as your own item or equipment, the perks you get from Nemer will also apply!

Because while it is invisible to ordinary users like ‘Pure’, it can become a great ally to Jinseong if used well!

So, the truth was the choice.

Enter the Helix Lab.

“Ms. Vivi, you’ll go in even if I tell you to?”

“Huh? Why are you asking such a question? Are you Jinsang?”

“Ah, yeah, I guess so… Then let’s go. Together.”

Let’s make sure that Vivi doesn’t get into trouble for obtaining information.

Let’s help her as a nipper.

‘And then when you’re done, blow up the lab on your way out… … Just in case other users or possessed people can’t get in. That should be fine.’

Jinseong trudged towards the Helix Research Institute with a weary gait.

Bibi, who was following behind with brisk steps, turned around and asked.

“Are you going too, Sister?”

“That, that’s right! Vivi, you! T-It’s a bit much to call me that!”

“You’re my sister, so why are you embarrassed?”

“That’s not it……”

Chili Shrimp watched Jinseong’s expression and slowly approached Vivi’s right side.

Jinseong didn’t bother to look at her.

Because even though I couldn’t sympathize with the chili shrimp’s feelings, I could understand them.

‘Even if I were playing around like a net cam, if a girl who thinks I’m a real girl follows me around and calls me “Unnie”, I’d be embarrassed… … Especially since she revealed to me that she’s actually a net cam and ended up like that -. If it were a game, I’d log out right away.’

Of course, it was a foolish idea that had no idea what the chili shrimp was, nor what the situation or thoughts were.

So each person has their own thoughts.

The three entered the Helix Research Institute.