I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 107: Library.

Si Hon stared at the list of traits, his gaze lingering on each option as if weighing something invisible beneath their simple names. His hand slowly lifted, fingers hovering just inches away from the glowing panel—

Then, right before he could tap.

A projection flickered into existence beside his hand.

"Mimi."

A small, chibi figure popped out like a glitch from reality itself, her tiny form floating midair with an exaggerated sense of urgency.

「아빠! Don’t! Touch anything yet!」

Si Hon immediately paused, pulling his hand back slightly as he looked at her. "...What is it?"

Mimi puffed her cheeks for a second before suddenly grinning, a spoon appearing in her hand like it was her personal weapon of authority.

「Mimi will fix the traits! Heheheh!」

Before Si Hon could even react, she dove straight into the window.

Literally.

Her tiny body slipped through the glowing interface as if it were water, and in the next second, she was inside the screen— now reduced to a chibi avatar hopping across the trait menu like it was a playground. She bounced from word to word, stepping on each option like a floating platforms until she landed firmly on one.

She pointed down dramatically.

「Choose Survival Tips!」

Si Hon frowned slightly, tilting his head. "Survival tips...? This is a roleplay game. Why would I need that...?"

Mimi froze.

Then slowly turned.

Her cheeks puffed out again, and without hesitation, she raised her spoon and pointed it straight at his face— even from inside the screen.

「Just. Choose it!!! (ᗒᗩᗕ)」

Si Hon let out a quiet sigh, already feeling like arguing would be pointless. "Fine."

He reached out and tapped the trait.

The moment his finger made contact, the entire window in front of him collapsed inward, the options vanishing as the screen shifted into a single line of text.

YOU HAVE FINISHED CREATING YOUR CHARA—

CHA—

CH—

CH—

The words stuttered.

Glitched.

Flickered violently.

Then—

They vanished.

Mimi reappeared beside his hand, floating in the air again, this time with a smug, satisfied expression.

A new blue window materialized in front of Si Hon.

「You have acquired a skill!

Survival Strategy Guide — Sage of All Paths

Passive: The Sage of All Paths will show you what must be done, guiding you toward one of the best possible outcomes. It may assist you directly along the way.」

Si Hon stared at it in silence.

"...ಠ_ಠ... Isn’t this a bit... overpowered?"

Beside him, Mimi’s smirk only grew wider, her tiny shoulders shaking slightly as she tried— and failed, to suppress her pride.

「Heheh... ehhehe... Mimi is the best daughter ever.」

Si Hon glanced at her, eyes narrowing just a little. "...How did you even do that?"

She puffed her chest proudly, gripping her spoon like a badge of honor.

「Mimi can just do it. ( •̀ ω •́ )و」

"Right."

He didn’t even try to question it further.

Minutes passed quietly after that, the chaotic energy settling as everyone focused on their own selections. Si Hon leaned back slightly, letting the moment breathe— until he felt a small tug on his shirt.

He looked down.

Han-Gyeol was staring up at him, eyes calm but slightly expectant.

"Dad... I picked Good Perception."

Si Hon’s expression softened almost instantly. He reached down and gently patted Han’s head.

"Yeah. That’s good thinking. Nice one, Han."

Han smiled, a small but genuine one, before leaning forward and hugging him again, his grip light but warm.

Then—

Mimi reappeared beside Si Hon’s hand once more.

Pouting.

Her tiny brows furrowed as she crossed her arms, floating there like a sulking cloud.

「Mimi... why that kid and Mimi have the same name...」

Her voice softened slightly.

「...and I’m kind of jealous...」

The pout slowly melted into something smaller, more fragile.

「Mimi wants to hug 아빠 too...」

Si Hon blinked for a moment— then smiled faintly.

He lifted his hand and gently brushed his thumb over the ring, his motion slow and careful, like he was patting someone’s head through glass.

"Don’t worry," he said quietly. "Maybe when you reach phase two or three... you’ll upgrade. Get a body."

Mimi’s eyes lit up instantly.

「Really?!」

She giggled, spinning midair as her earlier sadness vanished like it had never existed.

「Imagine— Mimi phase two with a real body! (≧▽≦)」

Si Hon chuckled softly under his breath, then leaned back against the wall once more, letting his eyes drift across the arena as the others continued making their choices.

For now—

He waited.

After a minute— or maybe more— the restless noise of the arena slowly settled, like a storm catching its breath. At the center pillar, the rabbit masked announcer lifted her microphone again, her posture relaxed, her smile returning as if she had been waiting for this exact moment.

"Well then~" she said lightly, her voice echoing across the colosseum. "Since some of you picked very interesting traits... and it seems everyone is finally done..."

Her eyes curved into a grin.

"Let’s not keep things waiting any longer."

Without another word, she snapped her fingers.

Snap.

And suddenly—

The arena changed.

Shelves erupted into existence all around them, rising from the ground in layered rows, stacking and stretching until the entire colosseum resembled a massive, endless library. Towers of books filled every direction, their spines glowing faintly under the shifting light, each section towering high like corridors in a maze designed to swallow people whole.

A soft murmur rippled through the crowd.

"I can’t just drop you all into the game without anything, right?" the announcer continued casually, pacing along the pillar as if this was all perfectly normal. "So go ahead— pick, read... and you might earn whatever the book you choose contains."

She paused just long enough for it to sink in.

"But— only one."

That was all it took.

The crowd above erupted once more, louder and wilder than before— cheers crashing like waves against the colosseum walls, filled with excitement, curiosity, and raw hunger for whatever advantage these books might offer.

Below— where Si Hon is.

The prisoners didn’t hesitate.

Shouts broke out almost instantly as people surged forward, the earlier hesitation completely gone. Bodies moved all at once, rushing toward the towering shelves, hands already reaching, eyes scanning frantically as if the books might vanish at any second.

"Move!"

"Get out of the way!"

"That one’s mine!"

The calm shattered into chaos.

Even Si Hon was pulled into it.

He slowly pushed himself to his feet, his gaze lifting upward toward the endless rows of shelves, watching as people flooded into them like a tide breaking loose. For a brief moment, he just stood there— taking it all in.

Then his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Huh..."

Above each towering section, faint glowing tags hovered in the air, marking entire categories like sign posts in a strange world.

Martial Arts.

Random Survival Skills.

Comics.

Magic Theory.

Weapon Mastery...

And countless more.

Behind him, Edur let out a low chuckle as he pushed himself up, stretching his arms like an old man who had just found something amusing.

"Well then, I guess I’ll go pick something too," he said, glancing back over his shoulder. "My trait’s Super Strength Leader, so I might as well grab something that fits."

He grinned, that warm, Santa like laugh escaping him again as he started walking off without hesitation.

"Don’t die, kid."

Si Hon let out a quiet breath through his nose, watching him disappear into one of the towering paths. Beside him, Seong-su stood as well, Suha already clinging to her hand as her eyes sparkled at the overwhelming sight around them.

"Woah... books... so many books..." Suha whispered in awe.

Seong didn’t respond at first.

Instead, she turned her head slightly—

And glared at Si Hon.

"You didn’t see anything earlier," she said flatly, her tone carrying a quiet but very real threat. "And you definitely didn’t see how I looked. Got it?"

Si Hon straightened instantly, nodding like his life depended on it. "Yes, ma’am."

For a brief second, silence lingered.

Then—

"Dad and Mom fighting?" Suha asked innocently, tilting her head.

Han blinked and looked between them as well.

Both Si Hon and Seong-su froze.

"Ah— no. We’re not."

They answered at the exact same time.

Their eyes twitched.

Seong-su immediately turned away— almost too quickly, gripping Suha’s hand just a little tighter than before as she started walking.

"Our traits are the same," she added without looking back. "Magic efficiency."

Then, just before disappearing into one of the towering shelves, she glanced over her shoulder for the briefest moment— just enough for Si Hon to catch it.

Then she was gone.

Swallowed by the library.

Si Hon exhaled slowly, the tension slipping out of his shoulders as he looked down. Han was already looking up at him, quiet but attentive, his small hand still holding onto his.

"So," Si Hon said, his voice softer now. "Anywhere you want to go, Han?"

Han’s eyes lit up almost instantly, a quiet excitement blooming across his face.

"Yes," he said, pointing ahead. "I want to go... to the comics path."

Si Hon paused for half a second—

Then smiled.

"Alright. Let’s go."

Without hesitation, he tightened his grip slightly on Han’s hand, and together, they stepped forward into the towering corridor marked Comics, their figures slowly disappearing between the endless rows of books.

Behind them—

The arena that was turned into a library continued to buzz with life.

And somewhere deeper within it—

Something waited.