I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 76: SAVE.

The White King lowered its chin slightly, as if considering its own words, then muttered again— softer this time, but no less deliberate.

"Yes... we caught two humans. They strong."

The green-blue beam pulsed once behind it, bathing its pale fur in shifting light.

"One is child. Small body... fragile appearance."

A faint pause.

"But her potential surpassed anything."

The abyss seemed to hold its breath.

Si Hon’s throat tightened.

(Is it talking about Hana? Fuck. Yeah. I’m not dumb. Of course it is.)

His mind replayed everything in flashes— the strange cube... and the fact that he just ’accidentally merged’ the mysterious button with it... woke her up, and the way she even rewound time once.

(She was once just a weird cube. And because of me... she was set free.)

The White King slowly raised one arm, long fingers stretching outward toward the beam as if feeling its warmth.

"The other one... human."

Its voice changed— less reverent, more analytical.

"Not too strong. Not too weak."

It tilted its head, eyes narrowing slightly as if replaying a memory.

"But her mana surpassed anything."

The statement landed differently.

Heavier.

Measured.

"Seems like she does not know."

A slight pause.

"But it is true."

Si Hon felt something colder than fear crawl up his spine.

Not too strong.

Not too weak.

But mana surpassed anything.

(Unaware?)

That wasn’t raw potential like Hana.

That was something hidden.

Something dormant.

Something dangerous in a different way.

The White King’s raised a hand slowly curled into a loose fist.

Silence fell across the chains.

Then—

The White King lowered its arm slowly.

"Both of them are the best for sacrifice."

The words did not echo.

They settled.

Heavy.

Final.

Si Hon’s stomach dropped so hard it felt like he’d stepped off the abyss himself.

(Shit...)

His mind raced faster than the green beam pulsing in the center.

(Yea... for sure, of course it’s Hana. Who else is a ’child with absurd potential’? She used to be a literal cube. A weird cube. And now look at her. Yeah. That’s her. I’m not dumb.)

Then the King extended one pale fur arm and pointed lazily toward the second chain.

A gray-white Munch stood up immediately.

Not hurried.

Not proud.

Just obedient.

"Take the two human," the King ordered. "We will sacrifice them now."

The selected Munch dipped its head once, then began moving along the chain, slipping between the seated bodies with slow, deliberate precision.

When it reached the stone wall, it climbed upward effortlessly and vanished into a dark opening carved between the terraces.

Si Hon’s jaw tightened.

(Shit. That’s too far. Way too far, how am I supposed to go there?)

All around the abyss, the seated Munches began clapping.

Slow at first.

Then synchronized.

Thousands of thick hands striking iron links and furred palms together in unified rhythm.

The sound rolled across the abyss like thunder trapped underground.

It wasn’t joyful.

It wasn’t chaotic.

It was ceremonial.

Above, the fourteen humans on the highest chain did not move.

They didn’t clap.

They didn’t cheer.

They sat still.

Farming aura like a NPCs in a cutscene.

Si Hon blinked.

(Why do they look cooler for not reacting? What is this hierarchy.)

But that wasn’t important.

The clapping masked sound.

Opportunity.

Si Hon swallowed and crouched low.

Carefully, slowly, he eased himself down the ledge. His boots scraped against stone as he slid onto a lower outcrop, then dropped quietly onto one of the carved terraces.

Thousands of Munches sat only meters away, facing the King.

None looked back.

None turned.

They were fully absorbed.

Good.

He ran.

Not recklessly.

Controlled.

Fast.

The synchronized clapping swallowed the sound of his footsteps.

He reached the dark opening in the wall and slipped inside without hesitation.

The noise from the abyss faded instantly.

The tunnel beyond was narrower.

Cruder.

Less ceremonial.

More functional.

He ran deeper until he spotted the gray-white Munches ahead— the one chosen.

(It’s this one. This is the one getting Hana and Arven.)

He slowed his pace and followed at a distance.

The Munch moved steadily, unconcerned.

Confident.

Like it knew no one would interfere.

The tunnel widened.

Then the space opened into a cavern lined with prison cells.

Stone walls curved around in a half-circle, iron bars embedded directly into carved arches. The ceiling was lower here, heavy with shadow. The floor was uneven, worn down by pacing feet.

Torches burned along the walls— real flame this time.

Orange. Flickering. Warmer than the ritual white fire outside.

Si Hon froze in the entrance shadow.

There.

Behind one of the barred cells.

A soft whimper.

Then another.

Human.

His heart slammed against his ribs.

The Munches approached the bars and went inside then spoke flatly.

"Human."

Silence.

Then again.

"Follow. Or die."

A trembling voice responded. Low. Hard to hear.

And then—

"Arven!"

The name echoed against the cave.

(Hana!)

There was no mistaking it.

The pitch.

The panic.

Si Hon’s body moved before his brain could process it.

He shifted his weight forward, preparing to lunge—

And two windows slammed into existence in front of his face.

「Si Hon. You would not survive direct engagement.」

Mimi popped in beside it instantly.

「(｀へ´) AMBUSH! 아빠 don’t be stupid!」

He stared at them.

They stared back.

The Munch stood only a few dozen meters.

Hana’s breathing was uneven, Arven’s voice was strained.

He could hear them.

His fingers tightened around the damp useless stick he picked up.

Then slowly—

He nodded.

"...Yeah. Fine."

He stepped back into shadow and slid behind a large stone outcrop near the cavern wall.

(Luckily... there’s always a rock whenever I need one.)

He paused.

(Seriously. Who designs caves like this? Is this structural support or divine intervention?)

The Munches spoke once again.

"Follow," it repeated. "Or me drag you too."

Metal scraped as something inside shifted.

Behind the stone outcrop, Si Hon finally looked down at the stick in his hand.

It was damp.

Splintered at one end.

Pathetic.

He stared at it for a full second.

"Wait... what am I supposed to do with this?" he muttered under his breath. "Poke it to death?"

The muffled sound of flesh thud echoed from the cell.

His jaw tightened.

He glanced around again.

Inside the dim prison cavern, one of the cells near the edge looked different.

Quieter.

Empty.

Except—

A skeleton slumped against the wall.

Si Hon hesitated.

Then moved.

Low. Fast, but controlled.

He slipped from behind the rock and crossed the shadowed ground, keeping to the edge of the torchlight. The cell door was slightly ajar.

(Luck... please. Just once.)

He pushed it gently.

It creaked—

But the ceremonial thunder from the abyss outside swallowed the sound.

(Luckily... it’s open.)

He stepped inside.

The skeleton wore a thin white T-shirt and loose pajama bottoms. Time had drained it of everything but shape and stillness.

But something pressed faintly against the fabric beneath the ribs.

Si Hon crouched.

Slowly, carefully, he lifted the edge of the shirt.

A small dagger rested there, wedged into the waistband.

Worn leather grip.

Short blade.

Scratched.

But intact.

His breath left him in relief.

"Yes."

He pulled it free.

As he stood, he noticed the wall behind the skeleton.

Long scrape marks.

Deep.

Repeated.

Desperate.

His eyes flicked to the skeletal hands.

The fingertips were worn smooth.

(He tried to escape.)

A quiet weight settled in Si Hon’s chest.

(Why didn’t they sacrifice this one...?)

No answer came.

And there wasn’t time to think about it.

He slipped back out of the cell and returned to his stone cover, dagger clutched tight.

The metal felt colder than he expected.

He swallowed.

(Status... can I enhance myself with All-Directional Movement?)

A small blue interface materialized in front of him.

「Yes. You can. But you must focus fully.」

Mimi’s projection popped into existence beside it, hovering anxiously.

「Mimi here, 아빠! Listen carefully! Use your passive skill first— in one second you can trigger All-Directional Movement! That’s why you only have one chance! And you don’t need teleport! Just move perfectly! (≧▽≦)」

Si Hon exhaled slowly.

"Thank you, Mimi. You explain better than my system. It’s useless sometimes."

The blue familiar flickered beside her.

「ಠ_ಠ」

And then—

"Clang."

The prison door opened.

Si Hon’s spine stiffened.

Heavy footsteps.

Dragging.

He leaned slightly to see—

A gray-white Munches stepped out of the cell, gripping a fistful of green hair.

Arven.

Her body stumbled forward as it dragged her, fingers gripping the creature’s wrist in resistance.

Hana followed behind, her small hands clenched tight, fear written across her face but refusing to cry.

(Fuck. Fuck.)

Si Hon’s pulse roared in his ears.

The Munch walked directly toward his position.

Each step closer.

Closer.

Five meters.

Four.

Three.

Si Hon closed his eyes.

One breath.

He gripped the dagger so tightly his knuckles turned pale.

(Focus.)

The system flared around him.

「One-Breath Focus — Perfect concentration for one second.

Calm Mind — Panic reduced.

Stamina Flicker — Energy equivalent to one full breath.」