I Activated Cheat Mode in a Bizarre Game

The day after returning from the field mission, things were relatively peaceful.
Following the manual, we managed the monsters, and while debating lunch options with the team, we ended up going with whatever Han Sora felt like eating.

That’s when some unexpected news arrived.
"Considering how well you’ve handled several incidents recently, headquarters has decided to give you an opportunity to choose an item, Minjun-ssi."
Team Leader Park Cheolwoo said this during the post-lunch briefing.

It hadn’t even been a full month yet, and I was already being allowed to select an item.
The team leader said it was because I’d handled a few incidents well—
"Is it because the number of monster sightings has increased recently?"

"...Honestly, yeah, that probably played a big part."
Park Cheolwoo gave a bitter smile.
It didn’t seem like that probably was the reason—it was likely the main reason.

"Since we’re with Team 15, and haven’t been promoted to an upper exploration team yet, we’re limited to owning and using only one item. You’ll need to choose carefully."
Only one item.
It was a bit disappointing, but better than having none.

Especially since I had the “unlimited item use” cheat—what item I picked would make that power exponentially more effective.
"You’ll head to the research building tomorrow and select your item in person. But first, let me tell you about the one I use—it might help as a reference."
Park Cheolwoo gave a rueful smile and gestured to the scanning device on his belt.

It was the same device I’d seen during our mission to retrieve an item from the abandoned hospital.
The one that tracked item locations.
So that was his item.

"I’m using this item detector. Back when I was still just a regular team member, I figured if I had this, I could focus on item retrieval missions with a lower chance of encountering monsters—so I chose it."
Following his explanation, Seo Jihyun spoke up.
She looked as expressionless as ever, but her voice carried a trace of self-mockery.
She pulled a small metallic rod out of her pocket.

"My item is a ‘multi-tool.’ It can transform into any kind of metal tool—screwdriver, wrench, knife, even a shield. I picked it because I wanted to be useful in any situation… but in reality, it’s just a jack-of-all-trades junk tool. It performs worse than specialized tools, so it often turns out useless when it matters most."
She returned the metal rod to her pocket with a quiet sigh.
There was regret in her eyes.

That dagger she’d used at the hospital must’ve been her item.
It would be useful in many scenarios, sure—but against monsters and dangerous items, it definitely had limitations.
"Uh… I guess we’re all sharing now, huh?"

Han Sora gave a sheepish laugh and fidgeted with her necklace.
It looked like a normal accessory, but upon closer inspection, there was a small mechanical device attached to the back.
"Mine’s… just a high-performance location beacon. It automatically sends out my position to teammates in an emergency. Honestly, I’m a huge coward. If I get chased by a monster or get separated somewhere alone… I just want someone to come save me."

Gone was her usual cheerful self—what she showed now was a glimpse of genuine fear.
All three of them wore bitter smiles as they explained their item choices. Then they looked at me.
"So, Kim Minjun-ssi,"

Park Cheolwoo said,
"Don’t get too anxious. Just choose something that’ll really help you, something that you need."
Listening to their stories, something clicked for me.

The team leader, the always-cool Seo Jihyun, even the usually bright Han Sora—they were all carrying their own fears in different ways.
And those fears were reflected in the items they chose.
And somehow, that made them… feel a little like me.

Pretending to be fine on the outside, but trembling more than anyone else on the inside.
...So we’re all the same.
Realizing that brought me a strange sense of comfort—and a sense of belonging.

I wasn’t the only coward here.
The difference was, unlike them, I had a cheat that let me overcome that fear.
As I thought about the first ‘official’ item I’d be choosing tomorrow, I found myself steeling my resolve in a slightly different way.

The next afternoon, I headed to the research building adjacent to HQ, just as I’d been instructed.
"Oh..."
The atmosphere was completely different from the building where the exploration teams usually stayed.

In the exploration building, most people wore protective suits or armored business attire.
But here, researchers in white lab coats moved around busily, and even in the lobby, the air carried faint traces of antiseptic and unknown chemical smells.
Just then, a woman with large glasses approached me.

"Kim Minjun-ssi, this way please."
"Ah, yes."
The researcher quietly guided me along.

Following behind her, I was led through winding hallways and had to pass through multiple security doors.
Understandable, considering we were heading to the item storage area.
"This is it."

Eventually, I arrived in front of a massive steel door.
It looked far sturdier and more solid than any normal storage room door.
A sign next to it read: [Item Storage and Management Zone].

As I took a breath in front of the door—
"...Minjun-oppa?"
I turned at the familiar voice—and there stood Rahee.

It had been a few weeks since I’d seen her, and she looked noticeably worn out.
Dark circles hung under her eyes, and her shoulders slumped as if weighed down by exhaustion.
She held what looked like a crumpled report in one hand.

"Fancy running into you here. But are you okay? You look seriously tired."
I asked out of concern.
Rahee forced a faint smile.

"Ah, it’s just… I’ve had a lot of work lately. There’s more to do than you’d think."
She averted her gaze slightly, as if trying to hide something.
Even in a supposedly low-risk team, work in this company couldn’t be easy.

I’d been through the wringer myself.
"Don’t push yourself too hard."
At my concern, Rahee gave a more relaxed smile.

"Thanks, oppa. You pick a good item too, okay?"
She gave my shoulder a gentle pat, then walked off down the hallway with slow, weary steps.
She must’ve just finished choosing her own item.

Watching her tired figure fade into the distance left me with a heavy feeling.
"Please step inside."
The researcher prompted me again.

I °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° pushed aside my concern for Rahee and turned my eyes back to the steel door in front of me.
Somewhere beyond this door was the item that could boost my survival chances.
After a complex series of authentication steps, the door finally opened—and what lay beyond could only be described as something between a Costco and an IKEA warehouse.

Beneath a high ceiling, endless rows of shelves stretched out, packed with mysterious machines, glass containers filled with liquids, and bizarre objects that looked like ancient relics.
"Whoa..."
The gasp escaped me before I could stop it.

The researcher gave a small smirk, as if used to that reaction, and handed me a tablet.
"This is the item catalog we manage in the frozen zone."
The tablet displayed categories like [Escape], [Defense], [Detection], [Restraint/Capture], [Utility], and [Weapon], along with the full list of items.

"All the items on the shelves in this section are available to select. That far area is restricted to upper teams, so please don’t go near it."
The deeper area was blocked off with red laser lines.
Stronger and rarer items must’ve been stored back there.

"Oh, and one more thing... if the text on the tablet appears blurry or distorted in any way, don’t try to force-read it. Your head could explode."
"Haha... funny joke—"
"It will explode."

"...Seriously?"
I had laughed, thinking it was a joke, but the researcher’s face was dead serious.
Explode… for real?

I made up my mind on the spot: if any info looked weird, I was just going to ignore it.
Swallowing hard, I began walking into the warehouse.
I recalled my teammates’ advice.

Don’t let fear push you into picking something mediocre.
Be cautious—but pick something that’s truly useful to you.
Something that fits with my stats, cheat mode, and skills.

Just then, a translucent window appeared in front of me for the first time in a while.
Obtain an item.
"...Huh."

It felt kind of nice seeing a quest again.
Items were lined up neatly on the shelves, each accompanied by a QR code.
If I scanned them with the tablet, detailed information would appear instantly.

Item Name: Rechargeable Ballpoint Pen
Category: Weapon / Plastic
Description: A pen that charges electricity when shaken. Pressing the button releases stored electricity from the tip.
Info 1. If overcharged by too much shaking and not discharged promptly, it may emit electricity in all directions.
Info 2. Some monsters can detect the electricity generated and will be drawn toward the owner.
Info 3. Frequent use may result in tremors or seizures.
***

"...I can read all of this just fine?"
I had planned to skip over anything that was unreadable, just like the researcher warned—but the item info displayed perfectly clearly.
And it wasn’t just this one—every item I scanned had between one and five info bullet points, and I had no trouble reading any of them.

"So that was a joke...?"
I tilted my head but then began earnestly browsing the weapon section, one item at a time.