After giving his team a brief warning, Jin-hyuk lifted his gaze toward the sky.
'Now's the time to move.'
The instant the thought crossed his mind—
Tring!
[The 'Solar Energy' from the first wave has settled.]
As expected.
The timing was perfect, and Jin-hyuk smiled.
[You have acquired a total of 1,500 'Solar Energy'.]
Solar Energy was obtained by killing zombies. Using it, players could grow more diverse and powerful plant-based defenses.
'We can't carry this floor with plants alone.'
The plants that blocked the first wave were undeniably powerful, but their activation delay meant they couldn't completely suppress massive waves.
As the waves progressed, enhanced zombies—or even aerial special zombies—would inevitably appear.
Naturally, the plants had to evolve alongside the threat.
This floor was a tightrope walk between zombies and plants.
That balance would decide victory.
[You have earned the title 'Botanist'.]
[Botanist
Acquisition Difficulty: SS (4th Floor Exclusive)
Description: Increases the performance of all plant defense towers by 10%.
It is commonly believed that plants lack intelligence or emotion—this is false.
Plants sympathize with the mind of the botanist and annihilate his enemies.]
Normally, the Solar Energy gained from the first wave capped at around 300.
That limitation existed because of slow flowering speed and the difficulty of plant growth.
Which was why most players ignored plant defenses entirely.
But Jin-hyuk had chosen Sangam Stadium.
A massive base.
By sweeping zombies across a wide area, he secured five times the usual Solar Energy.
This changed everything.
[Carbon Plant / Destructive / Required Solar Energy: 300]
[Frozen Plant / Ice Type / Required Solar Energy: 350]
[Rock Plant / Defensive / Required Solar Energy: 250]
[Runaway Plant / Wide Type / Required Solar Energy: 600]
Four options.
Jin-hyuk didn't hesitate.
"Ice plants on the east, south, and center. One rock plant in the west."
The Runaway Plant remained in reserve.
'Perfect.'
Next—
Jin-hyuk accessed the coin exchange.
'Ten kilograms of cow dung. Five bags of leaf compost. One hundred Pentella dung beetles. One hundred gray earthworms.'
All excellent fertilizers.
But not equally effective.
Only someone who had died before knew the optimal combinations.
[The cotyledons of the plants are moving.]
[They are savoring sweetness for the first time in their lives.]
Hearing the plants' reactions was likely due to the Botanist title.
"That's right. Eat well. Grow tall," Jin-hyuk muttered as he sprinkled the fertilizer.
Behind him—
The others stared in horror.
"Nuna… he's gone crazy, right?"
Lee Taemin swallowed hard.
"You see it too?"
"Just how long was he stuck in the Tower?"
"I-I'm scared…" Yoo Yeon-hwa whispered.
"Mr. Jin-hyuk doesn't actually think he can talk to plants… right? Please tell me I'm misunderstanding this."
Teresa and Yoo Yeon-hwa both shook their heads.
"If it's him…" Teresa said carefully.
"…it might be possible."
Even Chun Yuseong frowned.
Meanwhile—
"Huhuhu. Anastasia, yes—chew properly."
"Christina too."
Jin-hyuk gently stroked the plants.
Five minutes later, he handed the base over to his companions.
"Secure food first. Sweep all convenience stores in the alleys."
"Food and water are the priority."
"We'll handle medicine and daily necessities," Teresa replied.
"Once the waves escalate, leaving the base will become dangerous."
"Avoid fighting other guilds if possible," Jin-hyuk added.
"But don't let them push you around."
The streets were already crowded with players.
With time before the second wave, many were desperately scavenging.
'Tch. Too late.'
Jin-hyuk clicked his tongue as he walked past them.
They came here unprepared.
Did they really think last-minute looting would save them?
Most of these bases would collapse before the later waves.
Dumping coins into defensive upgrades was the only real path to survival.
'If they understood that, the 3rd floor wouldn't have been such a massacre.'
For most players, the Tower was still unfamiliar territory.
They were bound to make mistakes.
'I shouldn't judge them by my standards.'
Jin-hyuk chuckled.
Eventually, he arrived at the building next to the mart.
Unlike the mart guarded by murim and Triad forces, this place was abandoned.
No supplies.
No advantages.
Jin-hyuk stepped inside.
[You have entered the 'Geek's Antique Storage Area'.]
Medieval iron armor, pottery, and relics lined the walls.
Display cases lay shattered. Dust blanketed the floor.
A space where ruined modernity overlapped with forgotten history.
R̃ＡNƟΒＥꞨ
'It's been a while.'
Almost eight years.
He remembered wandering here once—testing how long he could outrun zombies.
Back then, he had lost his weapons.
This was where he planned to die.
Jin-hyuk stopped in front of the paintings on the wall.
Faded landscapes.
Museum leftovers.
He reached out—
Woong!
His hand passed through the painting.
The wall distorted.
A hidden passage opened—leading directly into the mart.
'I knew it.'
Jin-hyuk smirked.
A bug.
Game bugs didn't always disappear in reality.
He slipped inside.
'No guards.'
Of course.
Everyone focused on the front entrance.
No one suspected a hidden route.
Before him—
Mountains of food supplies.
Enough for hundreds of people to survive for weeks.
This was why marts were coveted.
"Thanks," Jin-hyuk muttered.
"Our cutie's going to eat well."
He released the final plant.
[Runaway Plant]
It required an enormous amount of energy.
Good thing there was plenty to consume.
[The Runaway Plant is eating.]
Deep inside the ignored warehouse—
Crunch!
The crimson plant expanded violently.
Elsewhere—
"That bastard!"
"I'll grind him to dust!"
Zhuge Cheon screamed, his bruised face turning purple.
Kwang!
A water bottle exploded in his grip.
"He doesn't deserve respect," Tang Soha said coldly.
"We don't need to lick his feet just to climb the Tower."
Hwangbo Gunak remained silent—then turned.
"Hyun. What do you think?"
"I… I…"
Namgung Hyun hesitated.
"What?"
"Don't tell me you're scared?"
Provocation.
Anger often crushed fear.
But Namgung Hyun didn't react.
Because of Kang Jin-hyuk.
'Is this my limit?'
A wall only visible to those who crossed blades with him.
Then—
Kwang!
The mart shook violently.
"Wak!"
"Kuaaak!"
"S-save us!"
Screams erupted everywhere.
"What's happening?!"
Hwangbo Gunak kicked open the door.
Too early for the second wave.
This wasn't zombies.
And their base—
It shouldn't fall so easily.
There was only one person capable of this.
"No…" Tang Soha whispered.
"A huge plant—came out of the warehouse!"
"It's eating players!"
Confirmation.
"Damn it! My base!"
The mart collapsed.
Pillars shattered. The ceiling caved in.
And amidst the destruction—
"Ugh."
"I brought housewarming gifts since our cherries are edible."
"Didn't expect things to get this messy."
Jin-hyuk scratched his head—
Smiling innocently.
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