Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Know That You Saved on Hospital Bills Thanks to Me

People commonly say a cat is a mouse’s natural enemy. So is that why it was set as a bonus experience target?

For me it was something very welcome.

Honestly treating people is easy to arouse suspicion in various ways like this time with Happy Quokka.

“Thanks, cat. Shall I buy you a churu?”

“Gomdol.”

Meoww.

At someone’s call the cat ran over quickly.

It was a cat with an owner.

I stood up regretfully.

Toward the cat owner looking at me puzzled, I said inwardly.

Know that you saved on animal hospital bills thanks to me.

Before returning home I stopped by the mart and bought a lot of snacks cats like.

Except for the car thief, all the people I’ve treated so far had no abnormalities even after several days passed.

So now I should freely treat cats with contagious diseases, stack experience, and raise levels.

“Hehe.”

Just thinking of leveling up comfortably a smile came out on its own.

***

Leveling up comfortably my ass.

When I actually tried to find [Contagious Disease Patient] cats they were nowhere to be seen.

Even if one occasionally appeared, they usually ran away quickly. Or hid in places I couldn’t approach at all.

Even if I held out snacks they didn’t approach.

Meow.

Meow meow.

Only sociable neighborhood stray cats flocked in droves.

“I need to change the experience hunting ground.”

I shook off the clothes covered in cat fur and returned home.

Sister looked at me with a horrified face.

“You’re going to an abandoned animal protection center to do volunteer work? You?”

“Yeah. So recommend a place where even a beginner like me can go···.”

Sister suddenly clenched both fists.

“Who are you, bastard. Where did you really kidnap the real Kang Bong-sik.”

“······.”

“Bong-sik, if you’re bored how about doing a part-time? It’s already been a month since you were discharged.”

“I saved some money in the military···.”

“Don’t you think of living alone?”

“Why are you trying to kick me out, Father. Until I graduate and get a job I’ll freeload off you two.”

Mother sighed.

“Other people’s kids sing about living alone, living alone. I don’t know why our daughter and son don’t want to leave so much.”

“Mom. You know how vicious house prices and living costs are these days. If you leave it’s all money, money. It’s good to save that money for marriage funds.”

“Why is Sister saving marriage funds?”

“Well to get married later···. Die, Kang Bong-sik!”

Sister who belatedly realized she was being teased started hitting me.

“Ack! I said I’m not Kang Bong-sik! Who are you hitting me!”

“No? You are Kang Bong-sik. Die!”

Thinking it was play Arong jumped around excitedly too.

Bark! Bark!

“Stop raising dust you guys! Go out and walk Arong!”

I got chased out with Sister.

“Ah, it’s good to come out at night after a long time.”

“You can just come out.”

“This bastard doesn’t know how dangerous it is for a woman to walk alone at night.”

“When you were in school you drank until dawn and wandered around fine, what are you saying. And you can come out with Arong.”

“Hey. Arong would protect me my ass. The opposite maybe.”

When his name came up, Arong who had been walking ahead excitedly turned to look at us panting.

Small and cute.

“That’s true.”

“But what wind blew for you to want to do volunteer work?”

“Just.”

While walking following Arong a convenience store appeared.

I casually turned my head and made eye contact with the part-timer.

It was the part-timer who was there when the drunk caused a ruckus last time. The one who called me uncle.

Whoosh.

The part-timer openly turned their head and ignored me.

“······?”

“Join here.”

I turned to Sister.

“What.”

“Internet cafe. Go into the abandoned dog shelter volunteer board here.”

“I want to see cats.”

“Cats usually aren’t entrusted unless you’re a cat butler. Their habits are different from dogs and there are many sensitive ones.”

“I want to see cats.”

“···Then go into the local shelter website or SNS.”

“Can’t you organize it in a document and tell me?”

Sister hit my back.

Thud.

“Ack.”

“Even if I try to tell you you act crazy. Do it yourself, bastard.”

Two days later.

I carefully drove the car to the place set on the navi.

Residential areas with such narrow alleys and many cars parked at corners are a bit scary because you don’t know what will pop out from where.

[You have arrived at the destination. Ending guidance.]

In front of the address I heard from Sister.

Sister’s friend Im Hyang-gi waved her hand.

“Hello, noona. Get in.”

“Bong-sik, long time no see. You bought a car?”

“It’s the car Mother used to drive.”

Today I decided to go to the abandoned animal shelter together with Im Hyang-gi. Sister asked me because she said she goes to volunteer whenever she has free time usually.

“Fasten your seatbelt.”

I set the shelter I had input in advance as the destination.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes. But you’ve really grown a lot. The last time I saw you was when you were a high school student. You went to the military?”

“Yes. Noona is the same.”

“Haven’t I gotten prettier?”

“How are friends exactly the same as before. Hahaha.”

“······.”

Im Hyang-gi twitched her lips like an angry dog and bared her teeth.

“I’m telling your sister.”

“If you keep making me talk there’ll be an accident. I’m a beginner.”

“······.”

After arriving at the shelter I put on the prepared dustproof clothes and boots, and also put on gloves and a mask.

After briefly listening to precautions with the other volunteers, I entered the kennel.

“Wow···.”

As soon as I entered a sigh came out on its own.

There were extremely many [Contagious Disease Patient]. But on the outside they didn’t look greatly ill.

What caught my eye was the innermost.

It was a completely separated space, but beyond the wall a yellow [Contagious Disease Patient] text was visible.

I asked the shelter staff.

“There seems to be a sick dog over there.”

“Yes. It’s isolated because it caught a contagious virus.”

“What about the hospital?”

“Hospital bills have piled up too much so far so we can’t hospitalize it, we’re caring for it here while giving medicine.”

“Yes···.”

Kennel cleaning proceeded.

I diligently helped with the work, then gradually went near the room with the yellow [Contagious Disease Patient].

Just in case.

I was curious if the estimated MP cost info appears or if the skill works even with a wall in between.

[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Do you wish to treat?]

[(Estimated MP cost 180)]

180?

It wasn’t for nothing that it appeared yellow.

Even receiving the ‘Plague Doctor Mask’ equip effect, you need MP 144.

When I became level 5 max MP only increased to 110.

How much do I need to raise the level.

“Kang Bong-sik, why are you spacing out?”

Im Hyang-gi scolded.

“Yes, I’m going.”

Sorry, doggy.

With the current me I can’t cure you.

Instead I treated two dogs whose treatment MP was 50. Looking at how they didn’t particularly look ill and ate well, it seemed to be a light disease.

After kennel cleaning ended and a short break time.

Drinking the sweet mixed coffee the director made I muttered alone.

“Skill window.”

[Kang Bong-sik (Plague Doctor Lv.5) possessed skills]

[Passive Skills]

-Immunity Lv.1

[Active Skills]

-Plague Treatment Lv.1 (26/100)

-Bloodletting Lv.1 (0/100)

In normal games when skill level rises the power strengthens. Then the MP cost should decrease more, but proficiency is still 26.

“How long will it take to raise this too···.”

“Bong-sik, if you finish the coffee do some nailing over there.”

“Yes.”

I returned home in the late afternoon.

After washing I lay on the bed.

Sniff sniff.

Even after washing does the shelter kennel smell remain, Arong persistently sniffed my head, hands, and feet. Then brought the walking leash.

Bark!

“Hey, let hyung rest a bit···.”

Bark!

“Okay···.”

I went out for a walk taking Arong.

Walking then stopping. Walking then stopping.

We reached Arong’s regular animal hospital.

Arong didn’t even look at the animal hospital, and scratched hard at the bakery door right next to it.

“No, Arong. Don’t scratch other people’s property.”

Just as I pulled the leash and barely moved the spot.

The alley between the bakery and animal hospital.

Sob.

A sobbing sound was heard.

The owner of the yellow [Contagious Disease Patient] cat I saw at the animal hospital a few days ago was crouching.

“Fuck, what do I do···. They said even if treated there’s no guarantee it’ll fully recover···. The body has weakened too much···. Hey, do you know a place I can get a loan? If I transfer to a bigger hospital maybe it can recover?”

The cat’s condition seems quite bad.

Some people might think ‘It’s not even a human, making a fuss over just a beast kid’, but maybe because I also raise an animal.

A greatly pitiful feeling arises.

“Hey, Arong.”

At that time Arong approached the cat owner.

Wagging his tail pretending to be close and tilting his head.

Whether knowing the unfamiliar dog was trying to comfort them, the cat owner sniffled while stroking Arong.

“···I’ll call later.”

“I’m sorry. Arong, don’t casually pretend to be close to strangers.”

“No, it’s fine.”

The cat owner bowed their head and left the alley.

Groan.

Arong whimpered looking at that back then proceeded to the opposite side.

I followed Arong walking and sighed.

Since it was a yellow text, that cat would also be an overwhelming target for the current me to treat···.

[Contagious Disease Patient]

“Huh?”

At some moment a yellow text appeared beyond the wall.

Approaching a few more steps.

[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Do you wish to treat?]

[(Estimated MP cost 190)]

Ah.

Here, it’s the animal hospital hospitalization room wall.

Anyway the estimated MP cost is 190.

10 higher than the number I saw at the shelter today.

I checked the MP gauge.

[MP 30/110]

Even though it recovered in the meantime it’s a number that doesn’t even reach.

“······.”

Still, shall I try treating with the MP I have now once?

Who knows?

Maybe the condition will improve even a little.

I put my hand on the wall.

I still don’t know if treatment is possible with a wall in between.

“Treat, yes.”

The warm heat haze that flowed from my hand smoothly entered beyond the wall.

[System]

-Used ‘Plague Treatment’.

-‘Plague Treatment’ proficiency +0.5

-Experience +2.74%

-Cat treatment bonus experience +0.27%

[MP 0/110]

Treatment works even with a wall in between.

[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Do you wish to treat?]

[(Estimated MP cost 167)]

I poured in MP 30, but the estimated MP cost that appeared again is 167.

Since it’s a living being, it doesn’t seem to recover simply by the numerical amount.

Unless treated all at once.

“Let’s go, Arong.”

The next day, dawn before sunrise.

I went to the animal hospital again holding the ‘Plague Doctor Mask’.

[Contagious Disease Patient]

It was still yellow.

[This is a Contagious Disease Patient. Do you wish to treat?]

[(Estimated MP cost 165)]

Huh.

The estimated MP cost decreased by 2.

Did the body condition improve a tiny bit?

“Yeah, get better more.”

[System]

-‘Plague Doctor Mask’ equip effect: Skill MP cost reduced by 20%

My recovered MP in the meantime is 70.

Anyway at my level I can’t cure it all at once, so I’ll at least improve it.

You give me bonus experience.

“Treat, yes.”

[System]

-Used ‘Plague Treatment’.

-‘Plague Treatment’ proficiency +1

-Experience +7.98%

-Cat treatment bonus experience +0.8%

[MP 0/110]

Beyond the wall.

[Contagious Disease Patient] changed to green.

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