Dohyun didn't celebrate. The adrenaline high from facing the Broker evaporated the moment he left the parking garage, replaced by the grim realization of his vulnerability. He had provoked a hornet's nest. Hyuk-jin's network was now actively hunting a "Revenant" who wielded a military rifle and stole their money.
He drove straight to the address, navigating the twisting, isolated mountain roads of the northern suburbs. The Civil Defense Bunker was exactly as described in the old records: a low, moss-covered concrete structure half-buried into the hillside, easily mistaken for an abandoned pump station.
He had the deed, but the building was still dormant—a cold, damp shell. He tried the keycard taken from the dead trafficker on the bunker's main steel hatch. A lock clicked, and the heavy door groaned open, revealing a dark, concrete staircase leading down into the earth.
He needed power. He needed a silent, self-sufficient energy source that wouldn't betray his location.
The Silent Power Core
Dohyun returned to the city. He didn't use the Broker's 90 million won—that money was tainted, too easily tracked. He still had the 50 million in debt-fueled cash, which he withdrew from multiple different ATMs across the city over the course of three frantic hours.
His target was a warehouse specializing in industrial generators and solar arrays. He purchased the largest, highest-capacity silent diesel generator and a massive battery bank—all paid for with thick wads of cash. He demanded discrete, late-night delivery to a secondary location, then personally drove the equipment to the bunker site, making the drivers wait outside the treeline while he opened the main hatch.
He used the generator's internal winch to lower the massive machine down the stairs into the main chamber. The delivery men, paid extra and terrified by the isolated setting, were gone within ten minutes. He connected the generator to the existing, defunct wiring panel, fueled it, and flipped the switch. The bunker shuddered. Lights flickered on, revealing a cavernous, mold-stained room.
The System's voice was immediate and commanding: "Objective 1: Power Source Acquisition - Complete. +50 XP. The Revenant has secured immediate power. Objective: Fortress Creation (Phase 1: Basic Habitation) continues. Current XP: 50/2000."
The Air of Paranoia
With the lights on, the bunker's true problems became apparent. The air was thick with mold, dust, and the stench of stagnant water. If he sealed the doors, he would quickly suffocate or get sick. He needed better environmental control.
He focused on the System's interface, using his small gain. "Upgrade Skills: Survival (Lvl 1 \rightarrow Lvl 2). Cost: 50 XP. Survival (Lvl 2) now grants 20% conservation and has unlocked Basic Environmental Analysis and Filter Crafting capabilities."
His mind instantly flooded with schematics—the simple engineering required to clean the air.
He spent the next day scavenging local hardware stores, buying industrial-grade air filters, flexible ducting, and powerful dehumidifiers. He found the bunker's rusted ventilation shaft leading deep into the hillside. Using his new Agility 10 for navigating the tight spaces, and the enhanced Survival skill guiding his engineering, he spent eight grueling hours sealing and retrofitting the main ventilation intake. He rerouted the intake to a hidden, high point, masking it with rock and foliage, and installed a complex filter system inside the main chamber.
He finished the work late that night, sealing the final duct connection with reinforced tape. The air in the chamber, while still cool, was now clean, dry, and sterile.
The System rewarded his relentless effort: "Objective 2: Water/Air Purification System Install - Complete. +100 XP. Current XP: 150/2000. The Fortress is breathing."
The Final Seal
Dohyun stood before the immense, rusted blast door—the final barrier. It was thick steel, built to withstand bombs, but zombies wouldn't be conventional. He needed redundancy.
He returned to the surface, finding a junkyard. He paid an old man cash for three tons of scrap steel, industrial bolts, and heavy-duty concrete mix.
Over the next two days, fueled by cheap instant coffee and the singular focus of his Perception 16, Dohyun physically fortified the inner chamber. He poured concrete reinforcing layers behind the primary blast door, creating a six-foot-thick secondary wall. He spent hours welding extra steel plating onto the inner frame, using a cheap welder he'd bought and learned to operate via quick research and sheer willpower.
His body screamed. His soft, student hands were now blistered and scarred. The System was pushing his limits.
With a final, desperate shove on the lever of a heavy steel plate, the work was finished. The main entrance was now a solid, immovable tomb.
"Objective 3: Blast Door Reinforcement - Complete. +200 XP. Current XP: 350/2000. Major Progress Achieved. Warning: Endurance Check Failed. Host HP: 65/70. Recommended Action: Immediate rest and high-caloric intake. Do not risk further physical damage."
Dohyun slumped against the cold, concrete wall. He had built his tomb. Now, he had to fill it with the weapons and food he needed, all while knowing that Hyuk-jin, Min-ji, and the rest of the criminal network were mobilizing above ground, hunting the ghost who had defied them.
His sister, Yoona, was still unprotected. The true countdown had begun.
The fortress is secure, but his most valuable asset, his sister, remains outside. His body is injured. His funds are limited after the massive spending.
The next logical step must be the immediate safeguarding of Yoona, which will necessitate another high-risk operation, combined with utilizing his newfound XP to prepare his body for combat.