A Legion Grows From My Smartphone

Chapter 22: The Game Board (5)

[The legion, a lineage of creatures unlike any other, absorbed everything by disassembling and digesting it.]

[The goblin's brain was more sophisticated and systematic than any we've encountered so far. Using it as a blueprint, the legion developed its own brain.]

[Just as when we first discovered ants, this will mark a significant turning point in our evolution.]

I'm glad you don't find it repulsive."

I offered a wry smile.

The stereotype of goblins as dim-witted, diminutive, low-ranking monsters that even ordinary people disregard was still prevalent, but these goblins were different. The image of the goblin who effortlessly wielded a police officer's gun was still vivid in my mind.

[We might evolve into a new form.]

"It seems like it will take more time."

The 20th floor, part of the stem, was vast. We hadn't even finished exploring it yet. And that's not even considering the other branches connected to the stem. There was so much to consume. For the first time, the issue was the slow pace of consumption.

[This place is indeed a vast world. And there must be a master here. Look at the screen. Our scout has found a creature presumed to be the master of this place.]

"...It's enormous."

The creature was enormous, at least as large as a truck. Its form was unrecognizable, making it impossible to determine whether it was a reptile or an amphibian. It walked on two

short, thick legs, an unusual trait for the creatures in this world. Its hunched posture and long, muscular arms, tipped with gleaming sharp claws, gave it a gorilla-like gait.

[The legion observed this unfamiliar enemy with interest, deciding to hunt.]

The creature lumbered towards a large two-headed turtle. The turtle, naturally, tried to evade it hastily.

[The creature lifted its fist, smashing the turtle. Its long neck stretched out, opening a wide mouth.]

I frowned at the sight. There was no face at the end of its elongated neck, just flesh that split open to reveal a mouth full of sharp teeth, reminiscent of a moray eel. It swallowed the smashed turtle whole.

"What a bizarre world."

[The legion prepared to hunt. This was our first time hunting such a large enemy, but we already knew how to hunt large enemies.]

Despite my repulsion, the legion was confident. The nest, which had been storing energy, began to squirm and move.

"But isn't it too big?"

[We've also obtained new weapons. The legion plans to actively use the goblin's genes we obtained this time.]

A twinge of unease crept over me. The legion never employed anything that seemed inefficient, so their favoring of goblins was unexpected. What potential did they see in them?

[We determined that we can leverage our strengths. Among all the samples we have, the goblin is the most versatile. We now understand tools.]

"That's true."

[No matter what form it takes, the potential to modify and evolve is limitless.]

Eggs began to populate the nest, a nest that had devoured every single cell of the 20 floors and even the most insignificant branches. From these eggs, new soldiers, modeled after goblins, would soon emerge and awaken.

"So, what about the brain? Can it communicate with me?"

[Given your knowledge of goblins, we now meet the minimum requirements to learn a language system.]

"That's good," I smirked.

Watching the growth of players like Cha Ji Yeon and Oh Yoon Ah, who possessed similar or even equal intelligence, was captivating. They became stronger through communication with each other. Having experienced the power of communication firsthand, I couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement.

"Can we converse?"

[-]

"We can converse, right?"

Despite the legion's rapid growth, my path to communication with them was far from smooth.

[We are learning language.]

"Damn..."

[How can we learn without a teacher?]

My hopes were crushed. Language? The only creatures communicating in the cave were the squeaking rats.

[Furthermore, the language system of goblins is distinctly different from that of humans. The legion hasn't matured enough to learn advanced language yet. My advice is, instead of waiting for the legion to learn Korean, it would be more beneficial to find another way.]

"Find a better way? Are you suggesting I learn sign language? Forget it. Let's move on. So, when can I expect help from the legion?"

[No one has reached Chapter 3 yet. Although players and units are connected by a single thread, those who are currently helping each other are overcoming the world's barriers with their own abilities, not the game's options.]

"Is it my fault again? This is really absurd."

I rubbed my chest in frustration.

Perhaps I was just being too impatient. It had only been a month. While others had been communicating and interacting from the start, we had grown from a single cell to this point. The legion hadn't rested for a single second. I couldn't rush them under these circumstances. Since I had been tied to them from the beginning, it was something I had to accept.

I needed to be patient and wait. Surely, there would be advantages for us in the end. I decided that my role was to buy that time.

"Oppa, you're not sleeping, are you?"

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I closed my phone. I still needed more time.

"What's up?"

"Are you...?"

"Yes. I was looking at my kids."

My voice trailed off into silence. She looked intrigued, but we had agreed not to delve into my units to prevent any unforeseen complications. Naturally, my sister couldn't resist hinting at her curiosity.

"Aren't you going to share any of your units with me, oppa?"

"Ugh..."

"My kids are late bloomers. But why are you here?"

"I received a text from Yoon Ah."

This was significant news. Had she made a decision after speaking with Cha Ji Yeon?

"What did she say?"

"We can't go to school for a while anyway. We're meeting tomorrow. But she said you should come too."

"Will Cha Ji Yeon be there as well?"

"...Yes. She views you and me as... the same. I believe she has something important to discuss."

Kang Do Yeon bit her lip, trembling. She must have assumed that I got involved because of her.

"It's not a big deal. Don't blame yourself. This was our plan from the beginning."

I reassured her nonchalantly. I didn't consider it a bad thing either. It was better than letting her get involved alone. Most importantly, neither Cha Ji Yeon nor Oh Yoon Ah knew my true identity. Now that we've made contact, they would undoubtedly take actions beyond that. For me, it was an opportunity to gather information for free.

"I suppose I'll have to act convincingly."

I chuckled, though there was no apparent reason for my amusement.

*

"Do we really need to go when everything is so chaotic? Can't we just stay home..."

"It's not a big deal, we'll be fine."

Early in the morning, after calming my mother's fears, my sister and I left the house. The neighborhood, no, the entire country was in a state of turmoil. Dozens of people had been killed or abducted, half of them young students.

"Let's go."

We crossed the road and made our way to the meeting place. The area, still grappling with the unresolved situation, was swarming with grieving families, police, and media. Our destination was a cafe a little further away. Throughout the journey, we remained silent.

"They're over there."

Kang Do Yeon was the first to spot them and pointed them out. A petite girl was standing with a middle-aged man and woman. Could they be Oh Yoon Ah's parents?

"Are you here? This is...Ha ha!"

" ?! "

Oh Yoon Ah approached us, her greeting warm and welcoming. Suddenly, a middle-aged woman smacked her on the back of the head before bowing politely in our direction.

"We are her parents. We've heard the story. We're sorry. We're sorry for involving you in such a terrible incident. I'm sorry. Do Yeon."

"No, we..."

We were both startled, caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events. We left Oh Yoon Ah clutching the back of her head, moaning in pain, and exchanged uneasy greetings with her parents.

"It's really okay. After all, we managed to survive in that crisis thanks to her."

"And anyway, we're a team now."

Oh Yoon Ah's mother sobbed as she gently touched the mark on my sister's wrist. She had a mark on her wrist too. Oh Yoon Ah had also given her parents power. She probably didn't plan to use them as human shields.

"Let's all calm down for now. That person is coming."

I subtly intervened, fiddling with the sleeve covering the back of my hand, and sorted out the situation. A large van approached and stopped.

"Everyone, get in."

The person who drove the car here was Cha Ji Yeon.