Chapter 51 - 50 : Influence

We decided to meet with Chang-min and Hana Lee to talk about the difficult position they were in. I went with my mother and In-Ji, while Seo-yeon, Ye-Rin, and Eun-ha went to speak with the other four survivors. Hyun-tae opted to stay behind. Following Mother and In-Ji, we moved through the dim corridors of the mall, descending the emergency stairs until we reached the basement level—the place they’d holed up for the past few weeks. Before we even knocked, the rusted metal door creaked open a few inches. Chang-min stepped out first, his figure casting a long shadow across the floor. Hana Lee followed closely behind, cradling her baby against her chest. It looked like they’d only just put the child to sleep. "Oh... Ye-jun, In-Ji, ma’am," Chang-min greeted us, surprised but not unfriendly. "What brings you here?" He stepped aside to let us into their makeshift shelter. Despite the chaos and ruin above, the basement had a strange sense of stillness—like a fragile world carefully stitched together with willpower and exhaustion. Without wasting time, I asked the question outright. "You joined the Raven King’s faction?" Chang-min nodded slowly. "We didn’t have much of a choice, Ye-jun." "There’s *always* a choice," In-Ji replied, voice calm but resolute. Mother, silent until now, stepped forward and quietly explained the hidden clause in the Raven King’s offer. Behind Chang-min, Hana Lee shifted, uncomfortable. Her fingers tightened protectively around the baby. "I don’t know how you guys did it," Chang-min said suddenly, his voice beginning to tremble. "How you completed those impossible missions, how you stayed alive long enough to become... whatever the hell you are now." His voice cracked into something raw. "I was just a regular guy. Nine to six. I worked overtime just to afford formula. I wasn’t built for any of this." Gone was the calm demeanor he had earlier. Hana looked at him, startled by the outburst. The baby stirred in her arms, sensing the unease. Mother didn’t speak. She stood beside me, stoic as always, but I saw the way her hand flexed—the tension rippling through her fingers. "It’s okay," In-Ji said gently. "You did what you had to do. You protected your family." Chang-min exhaled shakily and opened his system tab, a familiar interface flickering into view. [RAKAROZ’S OFFER – RAVEN BLOOD PACT] +5 Immediate Level Boost Exclusive Skill Tree: Shadow Predator Lineage Passive Perk: Urban Camouflage – Move unseen in ruins and cities Trait: Predator’s Instinct – Mark nearby enemies through walls (Cooldown: 60 sec) Weapon Drop: Talon Blades x2 – Shadow-drenched daggers that bleed through armor Familiar Unlock: Ravenling Scout – A flying companion that tracks targets and relays tactical vision Special: Raven Monarch Title – Gain Influence over lower-ranked Raven allies. "Look at this," he said, turning the tab toward us. His voice cracked again. "Tell me this isn’t the best chance I had. Tell me I didn’t make the right call to protect my wife. My kid." He turned to Hana. "Tell me, Hana. Tell me I was wrong." Her voice came out soft, trembling. "No... Not when you’re holding your child... and the system says join or be left behind. Not when they tell you your babies need to be registered ’for safety.’" The word "safety" left her mouth like poison. A heavy silence settled around us. "I’m sorry," Chang-min added, quieter now. "I know what you did for Buk-gu. You kept the district breathing long after hope died. And now..." He trailed off. I looked at him for a long moment. I didn’t see a coward. I saw a man pushed to his limits, doing what any decent father would do. "You did what you thought was right," I finally said. "And we’ll find a way to fix this. The Raven King doesn’t get to write the end of this story." Mother gave a small nod beside me. "We’ll try." Hana looked up, eyes wide and glassy. Mother reached over and gently touched her arm. "We will try," she repeated softly. Just two words. But coming from her—it was a promise. Meanwhile, Seo-yeon, Ye-Rin, and Eun-ha had gone to check on the other group: the elderly man Mr. Kang, the twin girls Soo-min and Jin-ha, and the boy Min-ho. The door creaked open as they approached, and the old man peeked out with cautious, cloudy eyes. "We’re fine," he said in a trembling voice. "We don’t need help." Seo-yeon responded gently, "We brought some supplies. Water, dried meat, disinfectants. Nothing intrusive." After a pause, the old man stepped aside, allowing them in. Inside, one of the twins, Soo-min, tugged on Ye-Rin’s sleeve. "Can you tell us more of your stories? From where we left off?" "Yeah," Jin-ha chimed in. "Last time you were mid-swing, cutting that horned beast in half." Ye-Rin chuckled. "Alright, but let’s find a place to sit first. My legs aren’t made of steel." "Thank you," the girls echoed together. As Seo-yeon handed Min-ho a bottle of water, her fingers brushed his—and froze. His skin was cold. Far too cold. Her brows furrowed, but she said nothing. She didn’t ask to see his stats or pry into the strange chill lingering in his body. Instead, she offered a warm smile and quietly stepped back, keeping her thoughts to herself. When they returned to our meeting spot, Seo-yeon pulled me aside and told me about the strange chill she’d felt from Min-ho—and the unsettling calmness in the boy. I nodded slowly, unsure of what it meant yet, but filed it away. And then—the system flared to life. [SYSTEM NOTICE] Faction Champions Appointed The Champions of both factions have been chosen. In 36 hours, the Raven King’s Champion and the Owl King’s Champion will enter battle. Victory will determine the winning King’s command over the opposing faction. Owl King Champion: Ye-jun Raven King Champion: Cheng-min As soon as the announcement appeared, a scream tore through the silence. Hana Lee. Without hesitation, we bolted toward the basement. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.