BRDM 01

CHAPTER 1

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Prologue

Lee Hyun thought his life was like a pearl.

A pearl that is made by filtering and refining through mud.

Although he grew up as an orphan without parents and suffered every kind of hardship, his life was always a series of glories.

He entered the Awakener Academy as the top of his class, graduating early.

He became the world’s youngest ranked player and later became the leader of the Special Missions Unit.

His life shone as brightly as his career, which could be said to be nothing short of glorious.

But…

[You are experiencing extreme fatigue.]

[Fatigue level: 91]

[Your current state is ‘critical’.]

“Does any of that matter in this situation?”

[The curse “Ring of the Frozen Hell” cast by the Queen of the Snow has forcibly shut down your mana circuits.]

[Your core has been damaged. You can no longer manipulate mana.]

The dungeon, where even the breath froze instantly, was in absolute zero temperature.

The four-star dungeon, <Ice Palace>, which had appeared after 20 years, was in chaos, after a series of fierce battles.

‘Gyeong Ryeol.’

The comrade who was always busy complaining had his heart pierced while protecting him.

‘Mireong.’

A junior who respected him despite the mere two-year age difference, had half of her upper body ripped off and froze to death.

They weren’t the only ones.

Most of the comrades who had been laughing and talking closely with him had either died or were severely injured, lying on the ground.

The 66th Special Missions Unit.

A special forces unit known as the Awakener Unit, or Qinglei (青雷), had been severely damaged and was close to complete destruction.

[Your vision has been severely damaged.]

[The “Curse of the Frozen Hell” has paralyzed your optic nerves. You have entered a state of ‘blindness’.]

Lee Hyun desperately tried to see his comrades’ faces, but his vision was being covered by ice crystals, and he could no longer see clearly.

The curse he received from killing the boss monster, the Queen of the Snow, was relentless.

Even in her death, she wasn’t going down easily.

“…Why did this happen?”

Lee Hyun approached the one closest to him.

Moon Su-chan.

An orphan like Lee Hyun, who had been by his side for over 20 years, all the way to the military academy.

His older brother. No, he was like a parent to him.

“Ugh… Are you crying? Crying…? Always… this damn boy… can’t stop whining…”

But Moon Su-chan was gasping his last breaths with a dagger lodged in his heart.

His trembling lips were still smiling.

He had always been a person who smiled a lot.

“Why did this happen?!”

“Because… my foolish younger brother… was about to die… I had to save you… Otherwise… who would have done it…?”

When Lee Hyun delivered the final blow to the Queen of the Snow, prepared to destroy his own mana core, he was betrayed in a way he never expected.

Four of his comrades, who coveted the sacred relic that the Queen possessed, ambushed Lee Hyun from behind.

The situation had unfolded so quickly. Lee Hyun managed to kill two of them, but couldn’t stop the other two.

In the end, the sacred relic was stolen, and Lee Hyun was left in a life-or-death situation.

At that moment, Moon Su-chan intervened.

He took the blow meant for Lee Hyun.

The traitors escaped before the other surviving comrades could act.

The shock Lee Hyun experienced was immense. One of the traitors had been his lover.

“Damn it! Do you think I’d be grateful for this kind of thing?!”

“Of course not… you ungrateful bastard…”

“Just wait here. There must be healers outside the dungeon, I’ll go get them!”

Moon Su-chan grabbed Lee Hyun’s wrist before he could leave.

“Don’t… go. I’m finished anyway…”

“You’re not finished! I’ll get you out of here!”

“Don’t you see? You’re blind…”

For a moment, Lee Hyun’s body stiffened.

Moon Su-chan’s smile deepened.

Golden eyes.

Golden Eyes.

It was also his code name, and those two eyes drew an arc.

“Anyway… you can’t lie… and that’s why you always get betrayed. That’s why I told you… not to trust too many people… that person was one of them…”

“I know, I know! So stop talking! I’ll call a healer!”

“Take my eyes.”

Moon Su-chan slowly lifted his head.

In his transparent golden pupils, Lee Hyun’s tear-streaked face was reflected.

“What are you saying?”

“You know what my eyes are, don’t you? I’m finished here, but… you aren’t.”

It had never been publicly known, but Moon Su-chan’s eyes were a sacred relic.

Hwanan Geumjeong.

The eye that revealed the truth of the legendary tale of the Great Sage, the Monkey King.

Moon Su-chan said he had acquired this power when he was young, while playing in a cave he discovered in the mountains.

He had received it as a gift from the monkey sages.

From then on, Moon Su-chan had always been a reliable ally to Lee Hyun.

He always led the way, searching for enemies and checking for ambushes.

The fate of their unit was often in his hands.

Pathfinder.

Guide.

Moon Su-chan would always boast that his two eyes, which could help Lee Hyun, were his greatest pride.

“Stop saying that crap! I’m not taking them, just get up!”

“Live for me. Live well.”

“Hyung!”

“Save it for later…”

And then, Moon Su-chan’s eyes slowly began to close.

“No! Open your eyes! Please!”

Lee Hyun poured every healing potion he had into Moon Su-chan. He shouted to the remaining comrades to bring reinforcements.

“But… I thought our little brother was handsome… but up close, he’s a bit ugly…”

Thud.

But Moon Su-chan’s body slumped, still smiling.

Lee Hyun’s cries filled the dungeon.

[The boss monster has been defeated. Dungeon quest has been successfully completed.]

[The dungeon is closing. Everyone, please retreat to the safe zone.]

[10]

[9]

…

 

And then, four years passed.