ocean-life Chapter 14
Chapter 14
After leaving the hospital, Seongho ran along the mountain trail.
The goal was twofold: to shake off any potential pursuers and to minimize encounters with zombies.
The problem, however, was that the path proved to be quite challenging for Im Chan and Im Ji-hyo.
Instead of slowing down or changing course, Seongho quickly found a more efficient solution.
"Ah, you're so fast! Wow!"
Im Chan, and even Ji-hyo, were unexpectedly running up the mountain trail.
After climbing for dozens of minutes, Seongho finally stopped and lowered both of them down.
"Let's rest here."
"Yes, yes... okay..."
Im Chan, with shaky legs, managed to steady himself.
During this brief pause, Seongho opened his status window.
A few moments later, the timer ended, and the increased stats reverted to their original values.
Seongho first checked his abilities.
If it dropped to zero, standing would be impossible.
**Physical Ability: 5**
**Special Ability: 8/12**
Thankfully, it seemed the buff from the fortune cookie didn’t disappear when the timer ended.
Seongho sighed in relief after confirming the difference between recovery and growth.
He recalled when his physical abilities surged to 10 from the fortune cookie’s effect.
He had easily ascended the mountain with an adult man, a child, and several heavy backpacks.
‘Even though my awakened power isn't combat-related, I was worried about that.’
It seemed he could make up for his lack of combat ability with physical strength.
‘That takes a load off my mind.’
Seongho, pondering his future growth, unpacked his backpack.
While Im Chan spread out the sleeping bag, Seongho used the lighter he had found on the first day to start a fire.
As Seongho worked, Im Ji-hyo, who had been lingering beside him, asked.
"What about Ji-hyo? What should I do?"
Where could she possibly be of use with those tiny hands?
"Don't bother me, just sit down."
"Chi."
Im Ji-hyo pouted her lips.
But she didn’t press further.
Seongho had realized after briefly moving with her that Ji-hyo tended to give up quickly.
Whatever it was, whenever Seongho or Im Chan said no, she wouldn't insist any further.
The little girl seemed to understand her place, which made Seongho feel a bit uncomfortable.
At that moment, Im Ji-hyo, who had been hovering around Seongho, spoke up again.
"Hey, I have something I want to ask."
Seongho glanced at her curiously before responding bluntly.
"What is it?"
"Is it really because of you that Ji-hyo isn’t sick? Dad said so."
Her eyes, looking up at Seongho, were now sparkling.
Seongho felt awkward as though he were bragging about something childish in front of the child.
He cleared his throat, trying to sound more serious.
"Of course. You saw it yourself in the ER earlier. I treated you, and everyone else there. Not just you, but everyone in the ER..."
"Wow, you’re amazing!"
**[System Message: Your presence among the world’s members is now stronger.]**
**[The influence of the Destiny Pioneer has slightly increased.]**
**[Your deviation points decreased by 4.]**
Seongho, surprised, looked back and forth between the glowing face of Im Ji-hyo and the system message.
The sudden change left him momentarily stunned.
But then, the information he had gained through the Pioneer’s Cradle suddenly resurfaced in his mind.
‘So... this means my presence is more impactful because I told her I treated her?’
Just conveying the information without showing any power had an effect?
Thinking it over carefully, it made sense.
‘Some people are easily swayed by unfounded rumors.’
When the rumors about Seongho spread among the people at the hospital, there was no significant reaction, meaning not everyone was influenced.
But someone like Im Ji-hyo, young and innocent, or others who desperately longed for miracles?
They might be affected by the rumors, even if they couldn’t see it with their own eyes.
Had he taken it as a rebuke?
Im Chan swallowed nervously, shut his eyes tight, and took the orb into his mouth.
"Uh... is that it?"
"Yes, now we just need to wait a few days."
"Yes..."
Im Chan, who had been hesitant for a long time, seemed a little dazed now that it was over so quickly.
But the next night, he awakened his powers.
Both Seongho and Ji-hyo focused on Im Chan’s hands.
"Wow! Dad, that’s amazing!"
The potatoes that Im Chan had been holding began to sprout.
‘He awakened quicker than I thought.’
Maybe being infected by the virus orb triggered a faster response.
Seongho buried his unconfirmed hypothesis in the back of his mind and watched with satisfaction as the change occurred in Im Chan’s hands.
‘This is it.’
It was just as Seongho had expected.
Im Chan’s awakened power was related to plant growth.
In the original story, it was used to cultivate plants like poppies or marijuana for drug production.
‘Not anymore.’
Seongho intended to keep Im Chan away from dangerous crops and instead focus on growing food for the survivors.
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, beansprouts, ginkgo nuts, persimmons, apples, and hundreds of other crops and fruits!
Seongho nodded contentedly at the thought.
**[System Message: Congratulations! You’ve successfully changed Im Chan’s fate once again!]**
**[You have influenced the fate of the world.]**
**[Fate alteration reward granted.]**
The sudden message startled Seongho, but it wasn’t his first time experiencing this.
Though surprised, he managed to suppress his emotions.
Glancing at Im Chan and Ji-hyo, he delayed receiving the reward, preferring to analyze the situation carefully.
He had actively helped Im Chan awaken his abilities and redirected the focus to survival-related crops.
Im Chan, who originally would have used
his powers for drugs, was now focused on food production.
‘If I use this advantage well, I could receive even more rewards for fate intervention.’
Just as Seongho was deep in thought...
"Ugh...!"
Im Chan, who had been focused on growing potatoes, suddenly collapsed.
His face was ashen and pale.
Seongho quickly figured out the reason by looking at the scattered potatoes.
"Stop now and rest. You’re in danger of collapsing if you keep going."
"Ah, yes..."
Im Chan wiped his sweat and accepted Seongho’s suggestion.
Even though he had been sitting still, he felt as if he had just run a 10 km race.
"Ah, was that why you felt strange in the ER yesterday?"
Seongho nodded and explained the nature of the awakeners’ powers.
"This ability is like the muscles in your body. When you overuse it and recover, the total output and efficiency increase."
"Ah..."
"Right now, a few potatoes is all you can handle, but one day, you’ll be able to till entire fields."
Before finishing his sentence, Seongho reached out.
Im Ji-hyo had picked up a potato from the floor and was about to eat it.
‘Raw potatoes? That’s dangerous.’
Im Ji-hyo's expression, which had been sulking after losing her potato, brightened when Seongho threw it into the fire.
"Thanks to Im Chan, we don’t need to worry about food anymore. Let’s bake some potatoes for dinner."
"Ah, yes! That sounds great."
Both Seongho and Im Chan threw the rest of the potatoes into the fire.
As the smell of roasting potatoes started to fill the air...
"Um..."
Im Chan cautiously spoke up.
"Where are we going? I mean, we’ll follow you anywhere, but... just wondering."
It was the first time anyone had asked about their destination.