At this moment, the mansion in Hannam-dong could be considered one of the safest places on Earth, amidst the chaos of a viral outbreak and undead crisis that had turned the world upside down. It would not be an exaggeration to declare it the second safest location in the world. Of course, the first was Ryuseoha's island in the Polynesian archipelago.

This place provided an optimal environment where they could focus solely on crafting items without worrying about external attacks. However, upon arriving here, the awakened crafters who felt the heavy responsibility of the future of their homeland did not receive rare crafting materials or expensive equipment.

“Next, please.”

What awaited them in the spacious living room, comparable to a small gymnasium, was none other than a physical examination.

“Transformation ability measurement device is functioning properly. Item possession check complete. Next, please.”

Only after thoroughly verifying that there were no dangers could they resume their crafting tasks. This somewhat coercive measure by Choi Kang-ho considered the feelings of his lover, who was concerned for the safety of his older sister.

“Shall we head straight to the Blue House?”

As soon as the examination was over, Ryuseoha reached out, eager to go to the conference room.

“Can I not see my sister before we go?”

Choi Kang-ho tilted his head as he gazed at her outstretched hand, questioning whether she intended to leave without seeing her.

“Time is of the essence.”

In response, Ryuseoha calmly smiled, conveying her trust in Last, who had recently been assigned to provide close protection to Ryoo Jeong-a.

“A quick face-to-face would be fine.”

Choi Kang-ho tried to persuade her again, but he only received a shake of her head. Since his older sister was now fully aware of the situation, any meeting would undoubtedly lead to a long conversation. More importantly...

“We decided to focus on you when we’re together, right, Choi Kang-ho?”

She didn’t want to make her family a source of jealousy for her lover again. Just as her sister was precious and her concerns were valid, so was Choi Kang-ho, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

“I didn’t mean to say you should cut ties with your family…”

Choi Kang-ho murmured, his expression awkward despite Ryuseoha’s sweet yet firm voice.

“I just meant not to take it for granted to sacrifice or feel obligated to support your sister.”

His large hand moved cautiously as he caressed the cheek of his young lover.

“It doesn’t mean you have to bear the burdens of life just because they are family. It doesn’t mean you should not interact with anyone.”

However, despite the adult-like comforting words, there was a burning excitement in his gaze that tasted of possessiveness, as if he fervently wished for Ryuseoha to not engage with anyone else.

“Yes, I understand.”

Ryuseoha smiled softly, showing no signs of hiding her joy and desire. She leaned comfortably into his hand caressing her cheek and nodded again.

“Let’s talk after we finish this task.”

Ryoo Jeong-a would need time to sort out her feelings as well. Now that she had learned about her younger sister’s sacrifices and pains, she would be seriously contemplating her future course of action.

Just as it had been during the lockdown, once they sorted out their roles considering each other’s feelings and abilities, they might drastically change their attitudes toward daily life.

Having concluded their conversation in that manner, the two moved on to a gathering of government officials. Meanwhile, the situation outside had deteriorated further.

The media, which had been clamoring for some time, gradually lowered their voices. It was due to the virus infiltrating even the broadcasting stations, rendering operations paralyzed. The TV was now continuously airing pre-recorded briefings from the Blue House.

Ultimately, the declared state of emergency brought all citizens' activities to a standstill, and the circuit breaker was triggered, halting all trading in the stock market.

“No, does it make sense to stop all flights!”

“Are you bragging about trying to flee overseas? Do you not feel any shame...?”

“What? You punk, to someone like me who’s like the sky...!”

In the emergency response meeting room, heated discussions were ongoing about the president's preemptive measures. However, the members of the National Assembly, who were engaged in a futile argument, quickly fell silent with the appearance of Choi Kang-ho.

“The biggest problem is the undead swarming in from beyond the military demarcation line…”

“Concentrate army troops near the DMZ frontline…”

“Make sure that air force fighters can be deployed in case of emergency…”

“The numbers are insane; the Defense Ministry and the personnel from each department can't handle it…”

The discussion, which had momentarily strayed off course, returned to a constructive direction. The most urgent issue at hand was the undead, estimated to number in the millions, moving southward.

“Are there still no responses from North Korea and China?”

Moreover, the countries in the direction of the approaching skeletal army were refusing direct phone connections. The president’s silent nod conveyed his acknowledgment of the grim situation.

“Ugh. The embassy has also gone dark; what are we supposed to do…?”

“Does this make any sense? They are shifting the burdens they should bear onto us…!”

Government officials who had received the confirmation were bursting with frustration. The sight of countless corpses buried in China, pushing down to the south through North Korea, was unbearable pressure, evident in their agitated expressions and voices.

In reality, the number of North Korean residents who starved during the hardships of the 90s approached a million. Meanwhile, most of the domestic hunters and soldiers were already scattered across the country performing defense duties. Therefore, it was no surprise that they were lacking in troops.

“Ugh, we need to hold out somehow until the barrier is established…”

While the government officials arrived at a conclusion with no clear answer, Ryuseoha quietly took out a communication item. It was a hotline connection prepared with the thought of this situation in mind.

However, no matter how many buttons she pressed, there was no response from the receiving item. Whether they were deliberately ignoring her or if a problem had arisen that was too big for them to receive communications, she couldn't tell…

“Choi Kang-ho.”

At the calm call of her lover, all eyes in the conference room turned to him. As the one who had foretold this situation, they looked at him with anticipation, wondering if he had some brilliant solution.

“Shall we go play a game of stacking blocks?”

However, her sudden suggestion left everyone looking bewildered.

On the other hand, Choi Kang-ho, who immediately understood the analogy, chuckled and nodded in agreement.

At the northern tip of the Korean Peninsula, an unexpected wall construction was underway. At Choi Kang-ho's gesture, the bridges connecting the North Korean and Chinese borders collapsed, and the nearby mountain peaks were sliced off as if cut with a knife.

A massive wall, constructed from parts of the mountains, suddenly rose overnight along both the land borders near Baekdu Mountain and the rivers following the Yalu and Tumen Rivers.

Using earth attribute skills instead of excavators, the soil and rocks were unearthed and moved using psychokinesis. With delicate pressure control, the resulting structure was solid enough to rival any castle wall, towering high and majestic.

[Granting buff ‘Health Recovery’ to designated target (level unknown, 1 person).]

Working on a stretch of over 1,300 km was no easy task even for a transcendent being. However, with the repeated buffs being applied, there was no chance for Choi Kang-ho's mana or stamina to dwindle.

[Granting buff ‘Mana Recovery’ to designated target (level unknown, 1 person).]

Whenever Ryuseoha, who was diligently supporting him, began to run low on mana, Choi Kang-ho would channel his mana into her. Using the mana she received, she would then grant buffs again.

Thanks to this outrageous feedback loop, as long as they stayed close together, their mana levels would never drop. This abundant mana resulted in tireless bodies and an incredible workload. It was a remarkable positive cycle.

Since the troops that should have been deployed had vanished without a trace, everything proceeded smoothly. Occasionally, skeletal soldiers that had been trudging down would charge at them, but no bones could dare cross the threshold of [Sanctuary].

<Yu Seohwa, please help me.>

The communication item, which had been quiet, reacted just after the blockade had been established at the border with Russia. It wasn’t a voice connection; only a string of text translated into Korean appeared on the item’s screen.

<If you come to Beijing right now, I will send hundreds of thousands of troops to Korea.>

It was a proposal that hinted at the urgency of their situation. Sighing softly in resignation, Ryuseoha cast aside the lingering reluctance she had and threw the item away.

“Shall we also play a treasure hunting game?”

She proposed suddenly. Her lover, who agreed once again without hesitation, followed her to a mountain village bordering Korea in Jilin Province.

“Now, where could the treasure vault be?”

Standing at the entrance of the low hill, Choi Kang-ho placed a soft kiss on Ryuseoha’s forehead, who was nestled comfortably in his arms, speaking in an excited voice. He looked quite eager.

“If I find it without a hint, will I get a prize?”

“What do you want?”

He smiled at her playful inquiry and, instead of answering, lightly rolled his foot across the surface of the gentle hillside.

Boom—!

Just as a thunderous roar resounded, the ground suddenly collapsed as if a sinkhole had formed. A massive pit opened, and piles of dirt cascaded down below.

“I found it.”

The two of them, who had fallen along with it, were able to witness a very wide and luxurious place filled with high-grade items—another ‘treasure vault.’