The Internal Energy Technique of the Apocalypse 02

The next day.

Meeting in the hotel lobby, Yunyang said.

“We need to completely revise our plan.”

It was an obvious statement.

Abundant supplies of food and water.

Most importantly, clean air.

Since the initially assumed conditions had been completely turned around.

“It was originally a battle that became more disadvantageous the longer it dragged on. We were continuously depleting internal energy to purify the toxins. But now…”

Whoosh!

Winds surged through various parts of the hotel.

The fresh air swept through Yunyang’s hair.

He looked more than surprised, he seemed somewhat baffled.

“Now, our internal energy is accumulating instead. Everyone is gradually getting stronger.”

“So, you’re saying…”

“Yes, it might be better to take a moment to catch our breath. Of course, we don’t have much time to spare.”

The contaminated air of Belzebul was still drifting along the westerly winds.

“Coastal cities in Shandong Province will be hit first. At the latest, the air of Beelzebub will reach them in four days. As you know… after that, Korea will be next.”

A massive disaster was imminent.

And the effects of Beelzebub’s polluted air didn’t end there.

It completely destroyed the surrounding natural ecosystems.

“The green forest areas around Beijing are entirely devastated. Even if we destroy the gate’s core and purify the air… there’s no telling how long it will take to recover from the damage.”

The conclusion was simple.

It had to be finished before the polluted air reached the coastal cities.

I summarized the situation.

“So we need to wrap this up within four days at the latest.”

“Exactly. In the meantime, we should recover as much of our internal injuries as possible.”

With the deadline set, we quickly moved on to the next topic.

The forces we would have to face in Beelzebub’s dimension.

To explain, Yunyang brought out a notebook.

Then, like an entomologist such as Dr. Fabre, he started drawing pictures.

‘…He draws well, doesn’t he?’

Scratch, scratch.

The drawings came together quickly.

They were undoubtedly depictions of monsters, yet for some reason, their appearances felt oddly familiar.

Pointing to the completed insect illustrations, I asked,

“Wasps… moths… and this is an ant, right?”

“That’s correct. You’re right, but…”

They were exactly the same.

Except their size was on a continental scale.

The wasps and ants were about the size of a cow, while the moths were monsters as big as 2 to 3-story buildings. And without exception, they were enveloped in the repulsive force of the 8th Order.

The thought alone was horrifying, but in reality, these creatures weren’t the main issue.

“Locusts… and spotted lanternflies?”

“I didn’t expect to see insects also found in Korea. But yes, that’s correct. In fact, these ones are the bigger problem.”

They were, of course, much larger in size.

Swarming locusts the size of a forearm attacked livestock and humans indiscriminately, while spotted lanternflies the size of kites scattered white powder everywhere.

Though large, they were lower-tier entities that couldn’t wield the repulsive force.

“But there are just too many of them. It’s to the point where killing them is utterly meaningless. Ignoring them and heading straight for the gate might be our only option.”

“Do you think that’s possible?”

“If we envelop ourselves in internal energy, it should be doable. Though we’ll have to accept a certain amount of damage.”

It was a decision that could only be made because their internal energy had been restored.

While he spoke with calculated confidence…

A simpler solution suddenly came to my mind.

“In the end, they’re just bugs, right?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Let’s spray insecticide. I’ve got plenty of it.”

“…What?”

The answer was surprisingly close at hand.

.

.

.

We immediately began experimenting.

A martial artist caught one giant locust and one spotted lanternfly, restrained them in a sealed conference room.

Sssssss!

Dozens of insecticides.

From aerosol sprays like F-Killer and Home Keeper to cockroach-specific and mosquito-specific sprays, with scents ranging from herbal to lemon.

Like researchers in a laboratory, we carefully compared the effectiveness of each product.

But the conclusion was consistent across the board.

“It’s not like they’re completely ineffective, but…”

Flail!

The six legs wriggled as if in agony.

The sight instinctively made me frown.

But that was all.

Ssssss!

Ssssss!

We emptied dozens of cans.

However, no matter how much poison was poured onto the insects, their lives could not be extinguished.

It was becoming apparent that a different solution was urgently needed.

“Ah, right.”

A thought suddenly crossed my mind.

I reconfirmed the time Yunyang had been given.

“Three days from now, in the morning, correct?”

“Yes. We must resolve everything by then, at the latest.”

“Understood. I’ll be back soon.”

With those words, I stepped back into the Subspace.

.

.

.

The abilities unlocked in the Subspace.

They were granted to me, but that didn’t mean they were exclusively for my use.

The Subspace Laboratory.

Whether crafting potions or developing other miscellaneous buff potions, my sister-in-law frequently made use of my Subspace Laboratory.

The reason was simple.

Instead of having to bring materials directly, she could just pull up the laboratory’s hologram, and request PAX to measure and mix according to the combination formula confirmed by the <Alchemist> ability.

This time, I was planning to request something from my sister-in-law.

The creation of an ultra-powerful insecticide to sweep away Beelzebub’s insects.

My brother voiced some concerns, though…

“What? Insecticide? Isn’t that bad for the baby?”

“It’s just a hologram, I told you.”

Fortunately, there would be no burden on my sister-in-law’s body.

The remaining issue was to verify the effectiveness of the insecticide once it was completed.

Luckily, I had recently acquired a way to address this issue.

Not long ago, by reaching Subspace Level 5, I had unlocked a new ability.

◈ Subspace Laboratory (3) (New!)

– You can project holograms of targets identified from the outside.

– Simulations can be conducted on the projected holograms.

※ Only verified information about the target will be reflected in the simulation.

Now, I could project external enemies directly into the laboratory.

This meant I could project Beelzebub’s insects and spray insecticide on them virtually.

Moreover, since everything was made of holograms, the simulations could be conducted in a completely safe environment.

The cost to unlock this feature was 3,000 Mana Stones.

Not a small amount, but as always, it didn’t feel like a waste.

“PAX, unlock it.”

[Understood.]

[3,000 Mana Stones have been deducted.]

[Remaining Mana Stones: 18,877.]

With the goal of developing a new type of insecticide in mind, my sister-in-law accepted the request without hesitation.

“This isn’t much different from what I usually do, really. The bugs are a bit gross, but… since they’re holograms anyway, it’s fine. It might even be as rewarding as when I made the healing potion.”

“I’ll handle the spraying, honey.”

“That’s even better!”

The newlyweds divided their roles side by side.

Starting today, they would conduct repeated experiments spraying insecticide on locusts and spotted lanternflies.

All I could do was desperately hope the development would be completed within the given three days.

***

What remained was the preparation of the martial artists.

“Okay- this will sting a little.”

“Ack!”

My big sister focused on healing those with severe internal injuries,

“Shhhh! Shhh!”

While the others continued their breathing exercises to accumulate their internal energy.

Those who, like Yunyang, were in better condition gathered separately to engage in practical training.

Several of the hotel’s conference rooms had been converted into training grounds, and dozens of martial artists repeatedly honed their skills and strength.

Among them, one person stood out, second only to Yunyang.

Bang!

A crisp striking sound.

Even though it was a sparring match, the man who took the punch was pushed back more than ten meters.

Fwoosh…

The attacker withdrew their fist surrounded by qi.

She was Long Quan of the Destructive Fist Sect.

Her young face looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties, but when she threw her punch, there was no trace of inexperience.

Her reputation seemed to precede her even among the martial artists. She was recognized as the most skilled fighter after Yunyang, Cloud Sword of the Jeokgang Sect.

‘Wait a minute…’

Suddenly, a sense of déjà vu hit me.

There was only one other person I had seen who was similar to her.

No, to be more precise, I had lived alongside such a person.

And that’s why it was like releasing a tiger among a pack of lions.

I immediately rushed back into the Subspace to bring Kim Sol along.

“What’s all this? Are we filming a historical drama or something?”

Then, I dragged Kim Sol forward and introduced her to Yunyang with a martial salute.

“Great Hero, as for this person…”

The initial bewilderment didn’t last long.

Yunyang immediately recognized Kim Sol’s extraordinary nature.

“Hero Jeong-gyeom, this person is…”

The aura enveloping her body.

It seemed that people accustomed to physical training could naturally perceive such things.

Was it like Olympic DNA embedded in the sturdy bones of athletes?

Even though I had just brought her here…

‘…Why are they suddenly fighting?’

A friendly sparring match between Kim Sol and Long Quan began to take shape naturally.

Thud!

After exchanging martial salutes, the two rushed toward each other without any hesitation.

Swoooosh!

Taaang!

Thus began the sparring match.

A few rounds of probing attacks and exchanges ensued, but…

‘It’s not particularly special, is it?’

To me, it didn’t leave a strong impression.

If anything, it felt like Long Quan was holding her own surprisingly well against Kim Sol.

However, as the sparring progressed, an unusual atmosphere began to fill the training ground.

Swoooosh!

Kim Sol’s straight punch struck out sharply.

Gasps of admiration escaped the onlookers.

“That’s Water Fist Technique! It’s Water Fist Technique!”

“Isn’t that just punching?”

“Hero Jeong-gyeom, you lack the eye for this! How could you call that just punching?”

Was it because I’d been on the receiving end of those punches for 20 years?

To me, Kim Sol’s fists were utterly ordinary, yet they elicited awe from the martial artists.

Whoosh!

Long Quan’s fist darted swiftly toward Kim Sol’s abdomen.

Kim Sol absorbed the attack without flinching, then pivoted her body at the waist, redirecting the blow diagonally away from her.

Once again, Yunyang and the martial artists burst into excited exclamations.

“That’s Eight Extremes Fist…?”

“……?”

“How can someone so young have mastered the intricacies of Eight Extremes?”

Around ten minutes later, the sparring came to an end.

It wasn’t a fight to decide a winner.

The two exchanged martial salutes once more and concluded the match amicably.

“Hero Jeong-gyeom, wait a moment…”

Yunyang hurriedly rushed over to Kim Sol, claiming he needed to check something.

He grabbed her wrist to feel her pulse, and then let out an astonished shout.

“Heaven’s Martial Physique…! To think there would be Heaven’s Martial Physique… I can’t believe it!”

“What? Did you say Heaven’s Martial Physique?”

A flood of unfamiliar Chinese terms.

The power of the Mana Stones translated the words for me, but they still made no sense to me.

When I came back to my senses, Kim Sol was already blending seamlessly into the martial artists’ celebratory cheers. She was even perched on one martial artist’s shoulders, spouting cryptic phrases like ‘a hero is a hero and power is power’.

“Dage!” (TL: Big Sister)

The martial artists began chanting in unison.

It was a completely incomprehensible world, this realm of martial artists. Thankfully, Yunyang summarized it for me in simple terms.

“Long Quan wants to pass on her techniques to your sister. It seems it’ll help with her own training as well.”

“Ah…”

It seemed they had found a connection.

It was a good thing.

Kim Sol was a reliable addition to our forces, and if we could grow stronger together through training, there was nothing better than that.

‘Wait? Come to think of it…’

A good idea suddenly struck me.

Standing right in front of me was Yunyang, Cloud Sword of the Jeokgang Sect.

Wasn’t he a master swordsman capable of wielding sword energy?

Zing.

Without hesitation, I opened a portal and stepped into the Subspace.

Then, using the installed portal, I reached out and grabbed Baek Min-woo by the wrist, pulling him in from Incheon.

“What the hell? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“It’s time for you to study abroad, Min-woo.”

After all, he was an Awakened of the swordsman class.

***

And so, three days passed.

The martial artists pushed their internal energy to its peak, drawing from the clear, revitalizing aura of Jirisan Mountain.

My younger sister, Kim Sol, trained alongside Long Quan, mastering the intricacies of martial arts. Meanwhile, Baek Min-woo received foundational swordsmanship lessons from Yunyang, Cloud Sword of the Jeokgang Sect.

Whoosh…

The two of them now exuded an entirely different atmosphere compared to before.

A formless energy swirled faintly around their fists and the tips of their swords, something that had not been present before.

“Finally, the day has come…”

Yunyang murmured softly.

His tone was different from three days ago.

Back then, his voice had been filled with the desperate determination of a life-or-death struggle. Now, it carried a calm confidence, an expectation that the enemies could be utterly swept away.

Thud!

The creaky front doors of the shabby hotel were flung wide open.

After three days of isolation and training, it was time to see the results of their efforts.

But that wasn’t all.

Although the time had been short, there was one more thing we had prepared.

Buzzzzz!

Buzz!

Through the open doors, swarms of locusts and spotted lanternflies poured in like a horde of bees.

But,

Swoosh!

The martial artists calmly reached into the wide sleeves of their robes.

Thud!

What they pulled out was…

A familiar-looking spray can.

As soon as the button was pressed,

Sssssssssss!

A colorless gas dispersed into the air.

Flop! Flop!

Keeeek!

The insects thrashed wildly, foaming at the mouth as they flipped onto their backs.

The ultra-powerful insecticide.

Its development was finally complete.

Completely harmless to humans and scentless to boot.

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