Having walked for some time, the group decided to rest in one of the ruined buildings that seemed the safest. Their time spent walking had accentuated the pain echoing throughout their bodies and had worsen their wounds to a degree.
The building they decided upon looked like an apartment complex of sorts. Most of the ruined buildings here did. Each one stretching far into the sky and wide enough to house multiple rooms and corridors, which Min-ho and everyone else could see through the gaps in the building where walls once stood, showcasing its skeletal structure with layers and layers of floors.
Despite their antiquated outlook, whatever civilization had built these architectures must have been ahead of their time.
Of course Min-ho didn't have the time or energy to admire any of this. What he was looking for was how sound the building was.
The last thing he needed now was tons of stone and wood crashing down on him while he rested.
Fortunately, one look at the building was telling enough that its foundation was still intact.
After deciding upon this location, Dok-su and Ji-su were the first to enter. The latter checking the building for any dangers whatsoever.
Not long after, they returned with good news. Jang-book was the first to head inside between him and Min-ho.
He was likewise carrying in his hands Im-hee, who had given in to her exhaustion a few minutes prior.
Almost after the rain had subsided.
Not that she didn't deserve the rest. With how much pain she had put herself through to heal others, it was a surprise she didn't pass out sooner.
Min-ho was the last to enter. Stepping inside, the first thing he noticed was the wide open space.
Besides the support beams occurring every few interval, there was nothing here but vastness to spare.
At the far end of the room were several circular platforms similar to the one him and Sae-wee had ascended with. Except these ones were half floating, and sporting major cracks at their rims or center. A clear indication that they were no longer functional.
Dok-su and Ji-su stood, scanned the entire room as though giving it a second pass for any danger.
Jang-book had already reached a pillar, where he gently placed Im-hee to lean against.
Min-ho followed suit. He walked to the nearest pillar and bent low, ready to place Sae-wee on the floor to rest.
He had done this a little faster than normal, because amidst the pain screaming throughout his mind and body, a good bulk of his thoughts were fixed on how Sae-wee's body felt against his.
She was warm and soft. Each time he moved, he could feel her curves pressing against him. And the rain did little to help matters.
Although he tried to push these thoughts away, they were prevalent. Which made him feel like a degenerate.
Thinking about this made him smile a bit.
The feeling of degeneracy was the closest he had felt normal in a long time. Even before entering the Z-Tower.
Without putting too much thought into it, he took off his jacket and folded it a couple of times. Then he gently lifted Sae-wee's head and placed his jacket under.
It was still a bit wet, but would have to suffice for his intended purpose.
Now left with a mildly soaked green shirt and trousers, Min-ho sat at the corner of the pillar he laid Sae-wee beside.
The hard and periodic jagged surface of the pillar was far from being comfortable, yet upon laying against it, Min-ho felt like he would melt into a puddle.
The relief it brought his body and mind was indescribable.
He knew for a fact that he hadn't done as much as the others, yet he felt like the weight of the world was pressing down on him, threatening to crush him.
The more he thought about what had happened to them, the more he realized how awful it felt playing leader. Although he took charge in order to survive, further in, he could feel everyone's life in his hands, and the thought of them dying because he had led them wrong was equally as terrifying as the horrors they went through.
Of course, at the end of the day, he barely saved anyone. They all still died.
This thought saddened Min-ho.
He had told himself to become cold and indifferent to the death of others, yet he couldn't bring himself to do so no matter how much he tried.
'Why didn't someone else take charge?' he thought, shutting his eyes and leaning his head on the pillar.
As he did so, a glow shone beyond his lids, prompting him to open them.
Once he did, he saw his Z-Eye, watching him closely.
The sight of it alone had stirred something in him that made his blood boil.
He reached out for it, grabbed it and brought it closer. He wanted to shut if off when his heart suddenly pulsed.
The numbers above it:
129
And it was growing.
It was then that he remembered something very crucial, Pink-hair practically spilled his secret to the whole world.
Though he didn't say much, it was enough to pique the curiosity of anyone who was watching.
He didn't know how to feel about this, but one thing he did know was that he wasn't sure it was a good idea to let the world know of his broken System.
Not only would it put a target on his back if the other Z-Streamers found out, but it unravel in such a way that if he returned to the real world, he doubted he would be allowed the riches he so rightfully earned.
His heart thumped as these fears crept into his mind.
'They still don't know for sure,' Min-ho thought, finding a solution in what Jang-book had said.
It could be that he could mess with Affinities and nothing more. Like a disruptor of some kind.
If he played his cards right, the world should believe it.
Once he decided on this plan, he willed the Z-Eye to shut down, and so it did.
He tossed it to the side, but it only floated back above him, even though it was shut down.
Min-ho shut his eyes once more, his body begging for rest, even if just for a moment.
"I think it's high time you told us the truth," Jang-book's voice rang into Min-ho's ears.
And by its volume, he knew Jang-book was standing in front of him.
When opened his eyes, he didn't just see Jang-book, but the twins standing before him, each of them staring at him askance.