Chapter 1420 - IR 2

"Website management?"

"Yes."

It was a power I had never heard of before. Given that Seo Gyu's mere survival was unprecedented, it was not surprising, but I had never even heard of a similar ability.

"What exactly is the ability?"

"Um, it's limited to a single domain name, allowing anyone to connect to it."

My eyes widened.

"What? Anyone? From anywhere?"

"Ah, yes."

In contrast to me, Seo Gyu's voice grew fainter. A downtrodden emotion smeared his tone.

It was clear he had no idea of the value his awakened ability held.

"Yesterday, I tried making a website as a test, but the design can only be upgraded as my power improves. Right now, it's like those old websites the elderly used... it's embarrassing to even brag about to my colleagues. It's utterly useless in combat..."

What.

"Do you need your permission for someone to register on this site?"

"Eh? Oh, yes. It only appears to be a website, but it's really something like a building made by my ability. Um, my will is reflected in real-time. If I were to create a registration system... Uh, probably no one could enter without my permission..."

Impressive.

I inadvertently placed my hand on his shoulder.

Seo Gyu lifted his head back up, and our eyes met.

"Seo Gyu. Remember when I first met you, I told you I was an agent from the National Intelligence Service?"

"Yes..."

"That was a lie."

"What?"

"I lied to make it easier for you to understand. Of course, I gave you the opportunity to select the truth yourself. Let me say it again: I am actually a regressor."

"What?"

"Seo Gyu, why do you think all our party members are geniuses and you're the only late bloomer? It's simple. Because I've regressed about 50 times and only recruited proven geniuses. But you're a first. An unscratched lottery ticket. Somehow, you never managed to survive in the waiting room at Busan Station in all those regressions."

"What?"

"From now on, your ability will be called [Ubiquitous]."

Ubiquitous.

A word derived from Latin, meaning 'to exist everywhere'.

It's commonly used to express that God exists everywhere, but the important thing now was the origin of the term. Latin has the magical power to make anything sound cool.

"Originally, the power is mostly about the name. Site Operation? Community Manager? Moving Network? You're just Ubiquitous."

"Ubiquitous..."

Sure enough, Seo Gyu's expression began to look intrigued.

I grinned broadly.

"Seo Gyu. Let's work on something together."

We immediately moved to Yongsan.

The Saintess greeted us in what seemed like an aquarium-themed underwater temple, leaving it ambiguous whether it was a place for people or fish.

She listened to my story without a word and then spoke.

"That's incredible."

"Right?"

Typical Saintess. She immediately recognized the value of Seo Gyu's ability.

Meanwhile, Seo Gyu himself seemed bewildered by what he had been hearing and kept staring blankly at the Saintess until she finally averted her gaze.

"Um, uh. What's so great about my power...?"

"Seo Gyu. Just imagine if Awakeners signed up on your site. If they had to enter their personal details, all their information would be fed directly into it. We could know everything they post on the site too."

"Ah... But, hyung. Why would those clever people bother to sign up on my site? Especially with their personal details..."

I nodded.

"They definitely will."

It had been less than a year since the gate crisis began.

So Seo Gyu, other Awakeners, and even ordinary people were still somewhat optimistic or indifferent. Life wasn't ruined just by participating.

"This world is going to become more chaotic."

But after the second year, everything would deteriorate rapidly.

Initially, Korea remained relatively calm thanks to the Saintess' 'Constellation Games', but signs of warlordism were already evident in other countries.

"Seo Gyu, humans begin to lose their sanity the moment they're cut off from external communication. But your site is not just a platform; it's sustained by your awakened ability, Ubiquitous. As long as you're alive, it's a public square accessible to anyone at any time."

"..."

"Large guilds will be the first to recognize the value of this site. It becomes a way to stay connected even after entering a gate."

"That, that's true...", Seo Gyu grimaced as he nodded.

To me, it was a bitter but inevitable response.

In my view, the rank of an awakened being's power is determined by how well it overcomes temporal and spatial constraints. In that sense, Seo Gyu had awakened an S-class ability.

It was ironic— holding a rare treasure sword and yet not realizing its value.

Not just me, but the Saintess too looked on incredulously.

"Ubiquitous..."

"Huh?"

I corrected myself. The Saintess wasn't looking at Seo Gyu but at me.

"What's the matter?"

"No, nothing. I just thought the naming sounded quaintly old-fashioned. It's your taste in names, I see."

"Yes? Isn't it a wonderful name?"

"Indeed."

An odd response.

Anyway, the main point now was Seo Gyu's power. I got to the heart of the matter.

"They say seeing is believing. Now, let's discuss with the Saintess here how to develop this site."

"Ah. Well, I hope for your kind cooperation...?"

"Yes. We hope for your cooperation."

Seo Gyu awkwardly shook hands with the Saintess.

Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere didn't last long. Not only had I revealed that I was a regressor, but the truth that the Saintess was actually the embodiment of the Constellations also came to light.

A scream echoed through the aquarium living room.

"――Ack! So, the Constellations were all fakes?"

Seo Gyu seemed shocked.

Understandably, discovering that the pen pals who had secretly supported him during tough times were all virtual beings would certainly be disorienting.

"No... my god. What exactly are you and the Saintess planning? Are you seriously aiming for something big?"

"Come now, don't speak as if it's someone else's concern."

You're part of our party now.

"First, Saintess, please disguise this site as if it's under the authority of the Constellations."

"Okay."

"Seo Gyu, you act like an administrator who has taken over the site management from the Constellations."

"Ah, yes, hyung."

The plan was meticulously executed.

We even pushed through the work while sipping on precious coffee. The three of us huddled in front of computers, transforming the mystical underwater temple into what seemed like an actual PC café.

"PC café... Fish café. Indeed."

"…?"

The Saintess turned to look at me upon hearing my murmur.

Her gaze was intense, prompting me to quickly change the subject.

"Saintess, what do you think we should name the site?"

"Are you talking about the name?"

The change of subject was successful.

"...How about [Apocalypse Gallery]?"

"Hmm. It's a fine name, but the word 'gallery' might remind people too much of a specific type of site. We're planning to operate more like an old membership-based site or café, so it doesn't quite fit. What about you, Seo Gyu?"

"Uh... How about [Viva! The Doomed World!]?"

"It's a cool name, but remember, the site is supposedly set up by a Constellation. It sounds too cheerful. Might modern people fighting against calamities find it a bit infuriating?"

"It's tricky…"

"Um."

At that moment, a great idea popped into my head.

Finally, after fifteen days, we launched the site to the masses.

-Constellations' Playground!

-The only safe internet community!

-Welcome to SG Net!

The site was named SG Net.

This name carried multiple meanings.

First, SG was a nickname I used for Seo Gyu before I knew his real name. Coincidentally, 'Seo Gyu' could also be abbreviated as SG.

Lastly, as it was a site managed by the Constellations, 'Star's Ground' shortened to SG again.

A naming sense aiming not just for a double but a triple entendre!

Perhaps I had a hidden talent for naming as well as Ubiquitous. How could one person be so multifaceted? Sometimes, I scared even myself.

"..."

For some reason, the Saintess looked like she had much to say but chose to remain silent. I ignored her.

Beside her, Seo Gyu wore a gloomy expression.

"Hyung, no one else has logged in yet..."

He just stared aimlessly at the monitor.

In those fifteen days, Seo Gyu had become quite familiar with his power, making the site slightly prettier. Still, it barely reached the level of an early Hi-Tel PC communication design.

If no one appreciated it, even a good design would be meaningless, but we had a marketing tool that was almost free.

"Saintess, please blast an advertisement."

The ad agencies known as Constellations!

"Got it."

The Saintess clasped her hands together.

At that moment, every Awakener active in Korea received the same messages.

[An unknown and nameless Constellation manifests its power.]

[An unknown and nameless Constellation invites you!]

The site address was also sent as part of the message.

Seo Gyu silently watched the monitor with a tense face.

Soon, the number of users displayed on the site skyrocketed.

"Ten... ninety... t-two hundred, five hundred? Wow, how many Awakeners are there in Korea...", Seo Gyu muttered.

But his astonishment was nothing compared to the other Awakeners who logged into SG Net.

Even through the monitor, it was palpable how baffled they were by the sudden appearance of this community.

- Anonymous: Why does this connect so well? Is it a bizarre site? (2)

- Anonymous: Came here at the summons of a Constellation. (0)

- Anonymous: Does anyone know who this unknown and nameless Constellation is? (15)

- Anonymous: Oh, so I wasn't the only one who got the message. (1)

Since the site was known to be created by a Constellation, the users' tones were generally mild.

While the Awakeners were confused, they continued to post and comment, observing the situation.

(2), (15) indicated the number of comments.

However, they were still acting as 'anonymous' non-members for the time being.

"Seo Gyu, now's the time."

"Ah, yes, hyung. I'll post it!"

Seo Gyu, under the member nickname 'Administrator', posted an announcement.

The gist of the announcement was simple.

──────────

1. This site can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

2. An unnamed Constellation whimsically established SG Net. The poster is their representative.

3. The more active the members are, the more SG Net will develop. Members are akin to disciples, and community activity is simple to understand: the stronger your 'faith', the more powerful the descended Constellation becomes on earth.

4. Non-members can use SG Net for only one hour a day, whereas members can use it unlimitedly. Non-believers are non-members, and members are believers, so please understand this distinction.

5. The 'unknown and nameless Constellation' desires nothing from you beyond community activity.

6. Your personal information is strictly protected.

──────────

Naturally, aside from point 1, it was all lies.

As soon as the announcement went up, the non-members stirred. Suddenly, the announcement received dozens, hundreds of comments.

-Anonymous: Is the representative of the Constellation for real?

-CookingQueen: Mr. Administrator, how can one become an apostle of the Constellation?

-Anonymous: Smart move.

-OldManGoryeo: why does everyone here talk like assholes???

-Anonymous: How can we believe this is real? This might be a trick by a specter too.

Several Awakeners had already completed their registration.

'CookingQueen' and 'OldManGoryeo' were among the first to register as members, and others followed suit upon seeing this.

"Is this really happening...?", Seo Gyu marveled, dumbfounded.

All the while, his fingers were busy recording the personal information of the members into a text file.

Occasionally, some non-members expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the announcement, but they were met with messages from the Saintess.

[The Chancellor of the Red Cape feels displeased but confirms the truth of these Constellation's words.]

[The Saintess of National Salvation advises several Awakeners that prolonged internet use is detrimental to real life.]

Thus, other Constellations' renown was leveraged to endorse the legitimacy of SG Net.

Even the most doubtful of Awakeners had to relent somewhat under such assertions.

Initially dominated by non-members, the ratio soon started shifting towards members.

As the information of countless Awakeners poured in, Seo Gyu could not contain his excitement.

"Wow, we're done here, hyung."

"Good job."

I patted Seo Gyu's shoulder.

"But it's not over; it's just the beginning."

"…?"

Seo Gyu seemed not to grasp the meaning of my words.

After all, how could he predict how I intended to use SG Net from here on?

"I'm counting on you moving forward, Seo Gyu."

"What? Oh, hyung, I'm the one who should be saying that!"

Clueless but earnestly following along, my younger brother smiled brightly.

Regrettably, even the 50th cycle couldn't escape destruction.

However, the usefulness of SG Net was proven. That alone made this cycle significantly meaningful.

Me, the Saintess, Seo Gyu. We three as the site's founders and managers experienced a wide range of incidents. The stories intertwined here are too numerous and varied to mention, but I'll likely bring them up whenever I have the chance.

The immediate significance of the 50th cycle was this: from this point on, the actions I took at the start of each new cycle changed slightly.

"Ah, hello there, everyone! Oho? The numbers seem a bit low... Anyway, you must be quite startled to be summoned here all of a sudden, right? But don't worry! I'll be your friendly guide from the start!"

In the past, when I woke up in Busan Station's waiting room, all I thought about was how to quickly get to the old man's café.

But not anymore.

There was now one more person I had to save.

"From now on..."

"You fucking asshole! What the hell are you talking about!"

A booming roar echoed.

I smiled at the familiar voice.

It was like my personal alarm sound, reminding me that life had started over once again.

As I started to move, eager for this cycle, I fondly listened to the swearing that I had missed.

"You fucking asshole!"

-x-X-x-

When you think of the trio of protagonists in web novels—namely, regressors, possessors, and reincarnators—who do you think is their greatest nemesis?

A powerful monster? The protagonist will win anyway.

Stress? Trauma? Obsessive-compulsive disorder? These are not wrong answers. However, it's hard to say these are unique to regressors. After all, stress is a common weakness of Homo sapiens, from your average 35-year-old unemployed person to the 60-year-old President of the United States.

Baldness? How could you say something so harsh.

The correct answer that is both somewhat surprising yet entirely unsurprising... the 'Butterfly Effect' itself.

-Can a butterfly flapping its wings in Beijing cause a tornado on the other side of the Earth?

The Butterfly Effect. A theory that states that small difference in initial conditions lead to increasingly drastic changes over time.

I can confidently say that this very Butterfly Effect is indeed the villain among villains for regressors—an unavoidable archenemy on a single-log bridge, and the sworn enemy of the universe.

Oh, the sheer audacity!

How many regressors have perished due to this Butterfly Effect in their creations?

-I am a reader well-versed in all kinds of web novels, and in the current world I've entered, no one can match my expertise. By working first to save a maid who was absurdly killed early on, I then, according to my interpretion, prevent the first button of tragedy from being set off... Huh? Why does saving the maid lead to a demon king invading?

-Beneath the palace walls, I was kind to a starving child, and 10 years later, the prince proposes to me? I just wanted to live a peaceful life, but what should I do now?

-Why, after I've completed all the quests the original protagonist was supposed to solve and even recruited allies meant for the protagonist's party, taking all the items and opportunities meant for the protagonist, has the protagonist become so weak? Oh dear, do I have to step in?

In the latter case, it's more a matter of conscience and intelligence than the Butterfly Effect.

For the trio of regression, possession, and reincarnation, no situation is as terrifying as the Butterfly Effect, regardless of whether the backdrop is fantasy, modern fantasy, romance fantasy, or alternate history.

So today, as a highly skilled regressor, I, the Undertaker, will tell the story of slaying the Butterfly Effect.

The first time I sensed something was off was around the 30th run.

"Hmm?"

It was just a slight sense of discomfort at first.

'Was this cafe... ever open?'

After the tutorial ended, I went to the building that was once Baekje Hospital, where the body of Old Man Scho had been turned into an interior decoration. I often reminisce about this place and spend time here.

But why was a man running a business in a cafe that should have had a sign up declaring the shop closed?

I couldn't hide my confusion at this first-in-a-regressor's-lifetime experience.

"Excuse me..."

"Yes, sir. Welcome." The man smiled. He was the type to invest 80 percent of his fashion and styling efforts into his beard.

"Is it really okay for you to be operating like this? The world just went to hell."

"Ah... Right. I was planning to flee to Japan, but just the other day a huge typhoon blew through the South Sea, and all the evacuation ships sank." The man sighed.

For me, who had just come down from Seoul to Busan, this was completely new. "A typhoon blew through?"

"Yes. I don't know if you've heard yourself, but thousands must have died. It's mayhem down at Busan Port right now. I was considering paying a handsome sum to board a ship, but the shipowner told me he's setting sail in a week, and if I don't like it, I should leave. Well, what can I do? I have nothing else to do, so I might as well operate for this week. It's meaningless now, though, haha."

The manager laughed. I couldn't.

'I don't remember a typhoon at this time?'

I had [Complete Memory], which was the ability to retain all past memories.

In fact, it was thanks to acquiring this skill during my 5th run that I could spin these tales for you all. I can recall every event and thought I had at the time.

Therefore, I could assert this with 100 percent certainty.

'...This is an anomaly.'

Again, it was at the 'point six months after the tutorial ended' that I arrived at the cafe during the 30th run.

This was what you would call the very early stages of the very beginning.

My actions in the very early stages were always similar. I had barely changed a thing about them compared to the 29th or even 28th run.

It couldn't be my actions.

Yet despite this, in the world of that run, a 'typhoon' had blown through the South Sea.

'What's going on? What's causing this?'

Everything has a cause.

For someone like me, who strictly rejected esoteric concepts like the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics and adhered solely to causal determinism, this was an utterly baffling situation.

"Excuse me, sir."

"Yes?"

"I'm really sorry to say this, but if you're not going to order anything..."

"Oh. Sorry. I got lost in thought for a moment. Um, could I have a café au lait, please?"

"Of course. That'll be 59,500 won*."

*About $43.

"..."

The café au lait, hit hard by apocalypse-induced inflation, was terribly tasteless.

But the event that drove me even crazier occurred in the next run, the 31st.

[We are temporarily closed due to personal reasons.]

When I went to the cafe again around the same time, the closed sign was just hanging there as usual.

"Good grief."

What now?

It was too early to panic, as apart from whether the café was operating or not, numerous variables occurred independently in various runs.

"Huh? Saintess, did you move?"

"Huh?"

"In previous runs, you always lived in your home in Yongsan."

"Ah... It's been a bit hard to gather food for the fish. There's someone in the nearby guild who also has a hobby aquarium. So I moved closer."

"..."

The address where the Saintess lived had subtly changed by the 47th run.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I hereby declare the new capital of the Republic of Korea is now Busan Metropolitan City!"

"Wow!"

"Normal nation! Normal nation!"

During the 71st run, the mayor of Busan had taken control of the peninsula's political scene. I was stunned. That mayor, originally, was supposed to flee to Fukuoka, Japan, to form a second temporary government. (He even took meticulous care of his second family during the escape.)

Other instances included a mid-boss-level monster that should have crossed into North Korea suddenly falling in love with democracy and defecting again, or a meteor shower that should have fallen in Gyeongsangnam-do landing in Jeollanam-do instead, among a parade of other bizarre events.

'No.'

I was feeling rather perplexed.

'This makes predicting the future problematic, doesn't it?'

Although in the majority of runs, the causality proceeded 'normally' without any anomalies, occasionally—and quite abruptly—chaos would erupt.

Well, occasionally experiencing pineapple on pizza might not be a big deal.

However, as a classical determinist, it was imperative that I uncover the cause of these anomalous phenomena.

[Mr. Undertaker.]

And so, on the 82nd run, a clue finally presented itself.

[A typhoon has been observed off the coast of Incheon. It's a massive tornado.]

"What? A tornado in the Yellow Sea? But that area is too shallow for that to be feasible."

[But it's really happening. I am sharing the view of an Awakener at Incheon Port at this very moment. Please be careful, as we don't know where the tornado will head.]

"Goodness, there are a lot of refugees in Incheon already..."

[Don't worry. I've already sent a message in the name of the Constellations to the other Awakeners. Evacuation is underway.]

I quickly logged onto SG Net. Sure enough, the board was in an uproar.

-Anonymous: Breaking news: tornado sighting in the West Sea lol

-[WitchJudge]: I'd like to help, but it's too far away.

-OldManGoryeo: Come on, let's take the old folks to the coffin~

-dolLHoUse: Dangerous.

-Anonymous: Not joking, it looks serious from the photos. If it's that big on the horizon, it's at least 3km across. Not sure about the strength of it, but definitely don't go near it. Any bad luck, and you might get struck by lightning and die.

In the midst of the chaos, someone uploaded photos and videos of a huge tornado. I had never seen anything like it before.

"..."

Then, a lightning strike of insight struck me.

"Yes! It was the typhoon!"

[What?]

"The typhoon! No, I mean the tornado!"

Now that I think about it, didn't the café owner also mention it?

'Just the other day, a huge typhoon blew through the South Sea, and all the evacuation ships sank.'

I stated with conviction. "Every run where a tornado wreaked havoc, the course of events turned out strangely warped. It's definitely the typhoon... It's the one causing these anomalies."

[I'm sorry, Mr. Undertaker. I'm not quite sure what you mean...]

"I'll explain later. Saintess, could you possibly track the path of the typhoon off the coast of Incheon and trace its origin as closely as possible?"

[It might be a bit difficult, but I'll give it a try. I'll check the areas that have been affected by the typhoon.]

Just a moment, whispered the Saintess, likely pulling up a map. Soon after, she had scanned the cities adjacent to the Yellow Sea and reported back.

[Um... The range is too broad to be certain, Mr. Undertaker. Please bear in mind that this is merely a conjecture.]

"That's fine. Where is it?"

[China. Beijing.]

China. Beijing. Tornado.

"Ah."

At that moment, I somehow felt I knew the identity of this tornado.

-Can a butterfly in Beijing flap its wings and cause a tornado on the other side of the Earth?

A phrase succinctly describing the Butterfly Effect.

The original phrase did not mention 'Beijing' but instead 'Brazil'. Interestingly, the original itself was merely a slogan that was invented after the fact.

When a meteorologist first presented the Butterfly Effect at a conference, it wasn't a butterfly but a seagull that was mentioned. Naturally, there was no mention of Brazil or typhoons either.

This alone should clearly illustrate how much these anomalies, these grotesqueries, disregard human history. They possess a humanities-esque sensibility that doesn't concern itself with factual precision.

Of course, someone like me who viewed the world from a strict scientific-causal deterministic perspective might in turn ask this:

-Why did the Butterfly Effect originate in Beijing instead of Brazil?

-The Butterfly Effect theory initially posits that small initial changes lead to vastly different outcomes over time, so why does it immediately send wind blasts in all directions?

I don't know.

Really, I don't.

Anomalies fundamentally have zero interest in our human curiosity and counterarguments. To the sensibility of anomalies, such questions are simply 'not sexy'.

Having lived as a regressor for a long time, let me share an insight of mine...

These bastards are essentially no different from 'AI-generated images'.

To anomalies, our long human history and common pool of knowledge are nothing more than 'prompt inputs'. Just as AI might consider any number of human legs, whether two or three, to be normal for Homo sapiens, these anomalies make no racial distinction between Chinese and Brazilians.

The concept of the Butterfly Effect, which belonged to past human scholarship, has been aggressively reinterpreted by the end of the century.

'An entity that indiscriminately creates storms without being fixed to the flow of causality!'

If I had to describe it, it would be akin to a tornado launcher.

As a result, the 'Butterfly Effect' took on an identity similar to North Korea's missiles. We could be certain that it would launch missiles whenever it got bored, but where the missiles would land was always a matter of whim.

In the 30th cycle, it turned southwards towards Japan, sinking ships meant for evacuation. In the 82nd cycle, it likewise baptized the refugees with a deluge off the coast of Incheon.

Was that all? From the 83rd to the 85th cycles, it drifted elsewhere, toward Mongolia, India, and Siberia. If Major League scouts had seen it, they would have been head over heels, ready to chuck it a contract for its diverse change-ups.

Ultimately, it's rare for tornadoes to strike the mainland Korean peninsula, which made it hard for me, a born and 100 percent bred Korean, to notice the thing in the first place.

"...This is indeed a dangerous existence."

Crunch. The Saintess crushed a potato chip.

Surprisingly, the Saintess was eating chips not from a bag but from a Lock & Lock plastic lunch box. Even her snacks were stored in a vault, confirming that she was not in her right mind.

Furthermore, she picked up the chips with chopsticks, not fingers. Was she truly human at all?

The shut-in, germophobic Saintess said, "It's called the Butterfly Effect, but in reality, it's an unpredictable variable, a random number. Doesn't that overshadow what should be its greatest advantage?"

"You are correct. A bigger problem is that it's difficult to pinpoint the location of this anomaly."

"What?"

"Think about it, Saintess. If the direction of the tornado varies with each cycle, it means its point of origin could also change. Anyway, we're certain it's Beijing, but is Beijing not vast in and of itself?"

"Ah..." The Saintess finally nodded in understanding. "I can see why it's difficult."

"Yeah. Unless the anomaly is as large as Cthulhu, it's not surprising that it hasn't been caught in my information network. We have to find this anomaly within Beijing each cycle, which is as hard as finding a scale in the sea."

"You're right. That makes sense."

"It does. It's nearly impossible for me to handle alone unless there's someone who can share the vision of all the Awakeners."

"..."

"..."

"...?"

"..."

"...I'll accompany you. To Beijing."

"Oh my. There's no need for you to go to such lengths. Whew, but if the Saintess helps, it would indeedbe like gaining an army."

"..."

Shut-in Saintess's heart-pounding overseas mission, confirmed!

-x-X-x-

I had visited China numerous times in past cycles. It was closeby and featured an inspirational locale for the martial arts-obsessed Old Man Scho, who had once taken me to Mount Hwa.

The destination for this trip was Beijing, a city just outside my usual stomping grounds. But who was I, really? To an infinite regressor, few things were truly impossible. After a thorough, on-site investigation spanning the 82nd through the 85th cycles, I finally completed the 'Hitchhiker's Guide to Beijing'.

"First, we acquire a boat in Incheon and head to Tianjin Port."

"Um, Mr. Undertaker, it's my first time on a boat, so I feel a bit, oh, that's dangerous, ah—"

First thing's first, I turned on the sound of the refreshing waves of the sea off Incheon as ASMR (with some additional background noise for ambiance), and we crossed the Yellow Sea just like that.

"Next, we shouldn't move above ground. There are too many anomalies. We could break through, but that would draw too much attention, so it's better to move underground."

"Wait a minute. Underground...?"

"Yes. The Awakeners in China have set up a base in the Beijing subway system. What are you doing? Why not come this way?"

"Um, actually, I'm a bit claustrophobic, Mr. Undertaker, uh, um, oh, danger—"

The Awakeners who hadn't yet escaped the anomaly-ravaged Beijing had formed what's called the 'Beijing Liberation Assault Team'.

Among the stations they controlled, the one I took special note of was Ciqu Station.

The stationmaster there, who also served as the 17th commander of the assault team, was a character with whom I got along well.

They were considerably fond of a foreigner who could speak the Beijing dialect with such proficiency.

By this point, I had already been upgraded from 'this bastard' to 'you'.

And once an anomaly that had been troubling him was sliced into several pieces like serving a rolled omelet by the stroke of my sword, my title was promoted to 'Doc'.

Finally, when I presented a top-grade Pu-erh tea as a gift, the stationmaster finally remembered that we were brothers of faith, who had once served the way of Gong-Meng together in ancient times.

"Brother Undertaker!"

"Bro!"

The identification card issued to me by the 17th commander was as good as a free pass. We immediately entered Beijing.

"...Isn't that just a bribe?"

"Oh my."

A bribe? Who would call a gift exchanged among brothers a bribe?

I had merely gifted a small tea leaf out of goodwill, and the other party had rightly accepted it with grace.

Some complain that China's guanxi culture is practically its own league, but this is simply because they have forgotten the fine traditions of East Asia.

Having gobbled up plenty of regressor experience, I possessed not only expertise in tea ceremony but also numerous other virtues.

First off, the traditional East Asian game of Go could not be ignored. The commander of the liberation team, who preferred Go to three meals a day, shook my hand after a game and exclaimed, "I now know that a master has come from the East!"

Next was calligraphy. The 1st commander, who believed a person's handwriting revealed their true character, performed a deep bow on the spot after seeing my calligraphy of '有朋自遠方來 ("friends come from afar")'.

"Behold this dignified yet immaculate script! You truly are the reincarnation of Yan Zhenqing!"[1]

Of course, I knew the ways of propriety. How could I act arrogantly after receiving such high praise?

At each of these events, we would modestly sip Pu-erh tea and exchange pleasantries.

Exactly 48 hours after arriving in Beijing, I could freely access the information network held by the Liberation Assault Team.

The Saintess, who had observed this whole process by my side, muttered incredulously, "Mr. Undertaker, you seem to have a knack for befriending anyone within ten minutes of meeting them."

She looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask, "Is this the life of a social butterfly?"

"Ah, this isn't my first time. I created this shortest route after four cycles of exploration."

"Indeed. Then, this isn't really my first trip abroad, is it? I must have traveled with Mr. Undertaker in previous cycles."

"No? It's your first time."

"Really?"

"You've crossed into North Korea by yourself before, but this is your first time traveling across the sea. Why else would I invest so much to find the shortest route? I wanted to make your first journey as comfortable as possible."

"..."

"Well, with the world in such a state, this is about as comfortable as it gets. So, Saintess, how do you find it? Any anomalies in sight?"

"...Just a moment, please." The Saintess took a deep breath. "Only a moment."

Then she closed her eyes.

Her role here was singular: a radar.

Despite the Assault Team members hiding underground in Beijing, surveillance personnel were scattered everywhere above ground.

The 17th commander was on brotherly terms with the 1st and 10th commanders, and the 10th commander was close with the 6th, 8th, and 9th commanders, and the 1st commander was well-acquainted with the 2nd, 4th, and 5th commanders.

Their 'favor' and my 'goodwill' combined to manifest this moment, emphasizing the importance of surface surveillance that the assault team members usually neglected.

And the Saintess's ability was [Clairvoyance].

Exactly ten minutes from now, the Saintess would be able to observe all of Beijing without missing a spot.

"..."

One minute.

"..."

Two minutes.

"..."

Three minutes.

"I've found it."

The Saintess opened her eyes.

It hadn't even taken ten minutes. The remaining seven minutes of spare time were a testament to our duo's competence, marked by the measure of time.

"Where is it?"

"The Temple of Heaven Park."

We were in luck. It was close.

"Understood. Then, Saintess, please stay here underground and keep sending me messages while I quickly finish this off and return—"

"Please take me with you." The Saintess grabbed my forearm firmly. "I want to see Mr. Undertaker fight with my own eyes, not just through Clairvoyance."

"...Hmm. It might be dangerous."

"You said it was the most comfortable, safest, and shortest route. I trust you. And..." The Saintess exhaled faintly. That was her way of smiling. "If my first trip abroad ends up being just seawater sightseeing and underground views, even the me of future cycles might feel a bit aggrieved, don't you think?"

It was a rationale I couldn't refute.

As we ran up the stairs of the Temple of Heaven East Gate station, a thunderstorm raged above ground.

The noise battered our ears.

The thunderstorm did not discriminate. Whirlwinds blew across all of Beijing.

"We're in for a rough welcome, Saintess. Hold on tight."

[Okay.]

Perhaps because of the storm's din, the Saintess used telepathy to speak instead of her voice.

I ran towards the Temple of Heaven, cradling the Saintess. Her arms, hanging around my neck like a swing, tightened.

The world was shrouded under a cover of dark clouds.

The once neatly maintained main avenue of the park was now infiltrated by the green of pine and Chinese parasol trees from the forests on either side. It looked as though rust had formed on an old iron sword.

I sprinted down the blade's edge.

-̴̫̿D̵̢̊ȏ̴̭ ̵̥̀ỹ̸̻o̵̝͠ṵ̶̕ ̵̰͝l̶̫͐i̷̥͐k̷͇̃e̵͉̎ ̶̧̃c̷̓͜ŕ̷̟o̵̳̎s̴̨̈s̵̲͂ẁ̶̱o̵͔̒r̴͇̋d̴̟̄s̷̹̊?̶̉͜

̸͇͐-̴̻̍Ŵ̵ͅh̴͓͑a̷̛̙t̶͍͠ ̴͕̈́d̸͈̅o̵̙̐ ̴̛͜y̴̛̘ó̸̧u̶̮̓ ̵͍̋l̵̞̈́i̴͕͌k̶̻͒é̴͇ ̴̙̅t̶͖̑h̸͇͂e̴̠̎ ̵́͜m̷̭͝ó̸̙s̷͙̾t̸͍̋?̴̖̿

I had to, as many the trees themselves were anomalies.

Lightning struck. The forest cast shadows.

Now on Earth, they were the lords of all.

These beings trampled on tree roots, hung from branches, coiled in nests, and looked down arrogantly at an old race that had dared to leap into their domain without fear.

That angle of view didn't last long.

"It's going to get a bit shaky."

[Okay.]

A flash. I slashed through the cumbersome trees in one stroke.

A dark aura, my inner self made manifest, swept down the avenue like a tidal wave. Anomalies parasitizing the trees were instantly uprooted.

As expected of anomalies that had occupied one of humanity's major cities, they didn't lose their balance upon landing, but they didn't fare all that well either.

One strike. I sliced the necks of anomalies whose eye levels had now matched mine.

It took just two cuts for humanity's main avenue to become a path again.

[Amazing,] the Saintess murmured softly. [Really, it's different from watching with Clairvoyance. You are incredible.]

"You flatter me. Despite appearances, I've often been criticized for my lack of talent in martial arts."

[That can't be true. Mr. Undertaker, you must be joking.]

I smiled wryly. "Truly."

In reality, I had no talent for martial arts.

My lack of talent was not limited to my relative martial prowess. I couldn't tell the difference between Pu-erh and green tea without looking at their colors, nor did I know the opening strategies of Go, or even the proper technique for grinding ink and holding a brush.

And I was still lacking in many ways. I had neither the skill to borrow the vision of others nor would I ever have it. That was always why I needed companions.

My companion whispered to me.

[Ah, turn left there—]

[To the right, yes, more to the right.]

[Yes, just go straight ahead, and you'll make it.]

Guided by the Saintess through forest paths and slicing through anomalies, we arrived at a tower in the north of the Temple of Heaven—the Memorial Hall, towering above.

Lightning poured down, illuminating the ramshackle building. Yet the pillars still stood, however precarious their stance, reaching towards the sky like hands in prayer.

At the very center, a dragon was surging higher and ascending.

[That's the place, Mr. Undertaker. All the other tornadoes covering the city originate from that tornado.]

"Yes, it seems so."

The Temple of Heaven.

Since ancient times, humanity has proven its power by being the ones to offer sacrifices and prayers to the heavens. Thus, the tornado spiraling skyward from that very spot was akin to the anomalies proclaiming their victory.

I enhanced my vision with my aura and looked toward the presence detected at the center of the storm, and I couldn't help but smile faintly. "Of course."

[Why are you smiling?]

"No reason. Just thinking about how fittingly bizarre these anomalies are."

In the heart of the tornado was... a small sapphire-colored 'butterfly' flapping its wings.

Blue wings. A morpho butterfly.

This was indeed the identity of the dragon's ascension. An anomaly that proclaimed itself as the current Son of Heaven.

Perhaps on stormy days like this, some of the tornadoes spawned by this 'butterfly' might have traveled beyond Beijing to the opposite side of the Earth.

'...Literally the Butterfly Effect.'

I gripped my cane-sword.

Normally used as a walking stick, it could convert into a sword by twisting the handle—my weapon of choice.

How I came to use such a peculiar weapon is a story for another time.

For now, I'll just briefly mention the target my sword was slicing through.

Noticing my presence, the butterfly tilted its head, fluttering its wings.

-C̶̝͑a̶̘͊ṅ̷̳ ̵̡̏a̸̼͠ ̸̀ͅs̶̩̕ĩ̸̘n̴̲̎g̶̛̬l̴͙̏e̴̺͆ ̶̻̓b̶̤͊l̶͔͛o̵̬̐ẁ̸̗ ̷̥̓f̵̧͘ŕ̵̜ỏ̵̻m̸̙͒ ̴̯̔t̶̥̒h̵̲̑ė̸͜ ̵̗͐r̵͚͗ê̵͎g̴̯͛r̶̭̿e̸̛͚s̶̙̓s̴̀͜i̸͕͂o̷̥̐ṇ̶͘ ̸̪̽d̷͍͐e̸̻̍m̴̢̊ȏ̵̦n̵̙̾ ̸͔͗c̴͕̆u̴̞͊t̵̥̃ ̷̛̩i̸̤̚t̷̝͐?̵̗͆

The wind howled.

I swung my sword.

Amidst the booming thunder, a dark blade streaked silently across the world.

The blade tore through a butterfly that claimed to be the new lord of the Earth.

-T̴͎͐h̸̆ͅẹ̸͊ ̸͔̀ù̶͍n̵̹͠f̵̟͘ǎ̴̜i̶̟̓ṟ̷͘n̷̠̓ë̶͚s̸͈̾s̶̨̀ ̸̣̑o̷̠̾f̵͍̾ ̷̗͋b̶̗̕ȇ̶͓i̴̊ͅń̵̳ḡ̵̨ ̷̱̀c̸͚̎ȗ̷̙t̵̪͠ ̸̘̆d̷̨̒ỏ̵͓w̵̥̍n̴͖͛ ̴͍͛b̴̼̋y̴͍͑ ̴̯̒ǎ̸͖ ̵͇̂r̸̠͒ē̴̩g̴͉̉r̵̬̍e̸̥͘s̸̤̐s̷̞̾o̸̟͋r̴̼͒,̵̥̈́ ̷̦͆p̶̠͋e̸̼͗r̸̩̈́ḩ̵̄ạ̸͘p̷̥̃s̷̤̈́?̸̹́

But tasting the bitterness of a celestial revolution was also the natural course of history for one claiming to be an emperor. I only wished to hasten their liberation from Earth.

Amidst the storm and thunder, the dragon's ascension cried out, and then, as if always a lie, the noise of the world quieted.

[...Ah.]

As the clouds parted, a final shower poured down. The raindrops cast transparent shadows like sunlight.

[It's beautiful.]

My aura unfurled, detecting the presence of still countless numbers of anomalies. Surely after realizing their leader had been defeated, they would swarm this place.

But they wouldn't be faster than sunlight.

During our brief respite, the Saintess stepped down from my arms to look around.

"I'm glad we came on this trip."

The sound of water trickled beneath the Saintess's shoes, akin to a small fish escaping from an aquarium to a stream.

The Saintess turned and moved her lips. Then, in a whisper audible only to me—

[The Saintess of National Salvation praises your achievements.]

I stood there, dumbfounded for a moment, before bursting into laughter.

Surprisingly, this was the first joke I had heard from the Saintess during our 86 cycles together.

There's an epilogue to this.

As a determinist, the Butterfly Effect was an anomaly I could never accept. Yet I, too, am human. Occasionally, I grow weary of the repetitive cycle of life.

At such times, even the Butterfly Effect, twisting the flow of causality to create random variables, didn't seem too bad.

After all, anomalies are also what you make of them.

In each cycle, I typically quelled the anomalies of Beijing within six months before the Butterfly Effect fully stretched its wings, but sometimes I deliberately let them be.

…It was during the 173rd cycle that my complacent attitude finally led to an irreversible 'Butterfly Effect'.

[Mr. Undertaker.]

"Yes."

[Perhaps I have been acting with a preconceived notion of the Constellations until now. Maybe we need to refurbish the image of the Constellations in a more familiar and friendly way?]

"Ah, yes. As you wish."

[I had a great idea last night.]

"It must be a wonderful idea."

Although it was the first time I heard such a proposal, I fundamentally trusted the Saintess and approved without much thought.

The next day.

[Hello, hello! Grrreetings to all the Awakeners of the Korean Peninsula! Nice to meet you, meow!]

[Frrrom now on, I will be the Constellation watching over you, the Saintess of National Salvation, meow!]

[Meow! I look forrrward to our future, meow!]

"...."

Oh my God.

I accidentally dropped my coffee cup.

…Indeed, anomalies and humanity simply cannot coexist under the same sky.

-x-X-x-

Footnotes:

[1] Yan Zhenqing was a Chinese calligrapher, military general, and politician. He was a leading Chinese calligrapher and a loyal governor of the Tang dynasty.

-x-X-x-

Today, Old Man Scho's coffee was delicious as ever. In that vein, like the chapter before last, I think I'll unravel another tale from the 50th cycle.

The 50th cycle marked the first creation of SG Net by our SG-Man, Seo Gyu. SG Net represented a turning point in the Awakener community. Until then, the Awakeners had formed their own guilds and operated independently. Although they occasionally united for major Gate conquests, the guilds were essentially exclusive to each other.

But SG Net offered them a new horizon.

-[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: Seeking peace of mind? Join the Satisfaction Guild! Our main base is in Daejeon!

-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Busan City. Prefer Awakener under 40 with levitation skills. Magic users also preferred. Contact via whisper. Whispers not checked between 11 PM and 9 AM.

-[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: ★Looking for new friends to join the Baekhwa camaraderie club★ >_<)!

SG Net was exclusively for the Awakeners. Guilds, desperate to recruit as many high-quality Awakeners as possible, were naturally turned upside down. They actively promoted their guilds, and soon, guild members began to denote their affiliations in [brackets] before their nicknames, a practice that was solidified on SG Net.

We appreciated the ease of accessing information about other Awakeners, and they were pleased to have a means of freely promoting their guilds.

However, SG Net's influence wasn't entirely positive.

-OldManGoryeo: Idiots flock together.

OldManGoryeo, also known as the villain, was among the first to join SG Net as a full-fledged member. He also hadn't joined any guilds. In reality, he might very well have been affiliated with a guild, but his display name at least didn't include any mention of a guild.

Over time, more 'lone wolves' who insisted on solo-playing emerged alongside this villain. They typically kept to themselves and stayed out of the spotlight and, on SG Net, mostly participated as non-members.

-OldManGoryeo: Heard a Gate opened in Chungju yesterday? If people die, gettin' food's going to be easy, sweet.

The standout feature of OldManGoryeo's history was his blatant refusal to conceal himself. He not only donned his nickname without shame but also blatantly spewed profanities.

By virtue of being a site created by a transcendent Constellation, SG Net had very few trolls on its site. Even if someone wanted to curse, they'd do it as a non-member, anonymously.

With an ecosystem like that, OldManGoryeo, who behaved as if he didn't give a damn about Constellations or anything, inevitably drew people's ire.

-OldManGoryeo: Baekhwa? A camaraderie club? The world is in chaos, and you talk about camaraderie. Fuck camaraderie. Those hairless kids should just hurry up and flee abroad. This country is doomed.

└[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Huuu, that's too harsh (ㅠ_ㅠ)....

└[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: Words are a reflection of thoughts, and thoughts are like mist on a cloudy day, concealing oneself. Why not try using clearer and brighter language?

OldManGoryeo actively picked fights not just with individuals but with entire guilds.

He didn't discriminate between the weak and the strong, most particularly targeting the Baekhwa Guild, which would later become one of South Korea's most infamous mega-guilds.

But that was something only I as a regressor knew for now.

Understandably, the other members were less than pleased.

-Anonymous: Crazy bastard.

-[Yuldoguk] SwordMarquess: Can't we just block that kid?

-Anonymous: just ignore him, he's not worth the engagement

-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Honestly, he's disgusting.

-ZERO_SUGAR: Dear member, you're going to get yourself hurt.

Yet the more attention OldManGoryeo received, the more he seemed to enjoy it.

-OldManGoryeo: fuck off lmfao

As the world began to collapse, the big communities withered away. The internet reverted to a state reminiscent of decades past, fragmented into small, insular communities. The water had risen, and the troll fishermen were unhappy.

For them, SG Net must have seemed like a paradise built anew.

-OldManGoryeo: Honestly, if they have even a crumb of conscience, all the old people should just kill themselves.

-Yeah, the government has already run out of the food reserves, and they're pushing the kids to the front lines with guns.

-In times like these, what use are useless old folks who only leech off the young, sucking their marrow dry? If you think you're a burden to your children, please just die already.

OldManGoryeo seemed to harbor a particularly intense hatred for the elderly. He made it a point to post daily about how all the elderly should end their lives. These were his so-called steady stream of posts.

A few Awakeners agreed with him.

-Anonymous: Hmm

-Anonymous: This guy's an idiot but he's right about the old being disgusting

Most members, however, detested OldManGoryeo's posts.

-Son'sLove: You seem young, but your words are too harsh...

└OldManGoryeo: Are you old? Look at your disgusting nickname. Why don't you just die? It must be nice leeching off your son's spine.

-[Yuldoguk] SwordMarquess: These youngsters are insane.

-[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: Brother, if you ever have a secret you can't tell anyone, feel free to consult me anytime. People are killed by their fellow man, but people also live by them.

└OldManGoryeo: Please just fuck off.

└Anonymous: This bastard is being rude even to CookingQueen. Sigh.

-Anonymous: These guys act like they have no parents.

-[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Huu, guys, don't fight (ㅠ_ㅠ)....

-ZERO_SUGAR: Dear member, you're going to get yourself hurt.

└OldManGoryeo: fuck off lmfao

As one anonymous non-member pointed out, the only solution to dealing with attention-seekers like him was to pointedly ignore them. However, it seemed that for many Awakeners, this was their first experience with internet communities.

"Wow, this guy is really disgusting..."

Among them was Seo Gyu, the site administrator.

"Hyung, can't I just block this guy?"

"No."

My immediate response made Seo Gyu furrow his brow. "Why not?"

"Because you can't appear human."

"Excuse me?"

"..."

I took a moment to formulate my thoughts.

As the cycles of regression prolonged my life, my words became increasingly succinct, so I made a conscious effort to try to speak at greater lengths.

"The administrators of this site are the agents of the Constellations, the apostles of the only-just-revealed Constellation in Korea. If you, as one of them, succumb to human displays of anger, sadness, or outrage, you might gain immediate sympathy, but ultimately, it would undermine your authority."

"Ah..."

"Seo Gyu, you must appear to be from another dimension. The only time you should step forward is if an 'unknown nameless Constellation' is insulted. OldManGoryeo has never insulted the Constellation, so leave him be."

Seo Gyu looked puzzled, probably not fully understanding.

Nevertheless, that was irrelevant. The fact that he hadn't blasted OldManGoryeo with a retaliatory notice post was evidence enough that he was fulfilling his role.

"So what do we do? Just leave it as it is?"

"No. It just means you shouldn't intervene," I murmured as I poured the coffee. "Things in the world remain unknown until you look into them."

"...?"

Then one day.

-iJoinedToday: Fuck, my father just died.

Several years after SG Net was established, a lengthy post appeared on the board.

The content was as follows:

-I usually post anonymously but joined to post this.

-I went out to hunt monsters and bought glutinous rice blood sausages on my way back to where I'm staying, only to find my father gone and a letter left behind. The letter asked me not to look for him, but how could I not?

-So, I spent the last four days frantically searching our neighborhood. Finally, I found him by a stream in the outskirts of the next town over. How a man with a bad back and legs managed to get there, I have no idea.

(Image attached)

-Since everyone here has likely seen the end of a person's life, I didn't blur the images.

-In the old days, there were a few crematories, but nowadays, they are gone. Now when people die, they just toss the bodies in the fields for the monsters to devour. Fucking great, huh? Haha.

-I begged someone I know who uses fire magic to help me because she always complained that she cremated more bodies than she burned monsters. She said people treated her like a human crematory, and I never thought I'd be asking her for this kind of favor.

-My father was also an Awakener, F-rank. His ability wasn't useful for anything, but at least he could spend his time chatting on SG Net. His nickname was 'Son'sLove,' not sure if anyone knows him.

-Coming back from meeting my acquaintance yesterday, I read every post and comment my father wrote, and fuck, OldManGoryeo's posts really got to me. He practically made a ritual out of hoping for my father's suicide?

(Image attached)

-I know you didn't kill my father, but just the fact that someone like you exists disgusts me.

-I will give everything I own to anyone who can kill OldManGoryeo or tell me where he is. No joke. Send me a whisper.

-I see you're confident enough to run your mouth on SG Net as a registered member, let's see if you can keep talking when your face meets an axe.

The post by 'iJoinedToday' caused a stir on SG Net.

-Anonymous: Oh dear...

-[Yuldoguk] SwordMarquess: May the deceased rest in peace.

-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: I pray for the departed soul.

-Anonymous: This can't be true.

-[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: I can't imagine your grief. I don't know what to say to comfort you in your loss, but I'm sure your father has moved on to a happier place.

-[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Huhu (ㅠ_ㅠ)....

-Anonymous: Is this for real?

-dolLHoUse: Condolences.

The post quickly became popular. It surpassed 300 upvotes and garnered hundreds of comments.

99% of the comments mourned the poster's father.

This meant there was 1% that did not.

-OldManGoryeo: Idiot. I'm an expat in Canada, how are you going to kill me? Come if you dare. Just another old fart to cut down hahaha.

└Anonymous: Seriously, disgusting to the end.

This shameless response incited widespread outrage among the members.

"Hyung, do you think he's really an expat in Canada?"

"I highly doubt it." I shook my head. "Of course he's lying. He joined SG Net as soon as it was launched, right after receiving the Constellation's message, and the Constellations don't send messages to Canada."

"Ah."

"It's not impossible that he moved to Canada afterward... But judging by his login times, it doesn't seem likely."

My guess was spot on.

"He's still living in Korea," the Saintess confirmed her eyes closed.

It was easy to tell which ability she was using. If her hands were together, it was Telepathy, and if her eyes were closed, it was Clairvoyance.

Even S-rank abilities came with certain restrictions to their use.

"I will guide you directly via Telepathy."

"Thank you. Also, could you locate where 'iJoinedToday' is living?"

"Just a moment... Yes, I've pinpointed it."

"Hmm."

The usefulness of the Saintess and Seo Gyu spoke for itself once again. Without them, even gathering such minor information would have required considerable effort.

The Saintess murmured, "But this OldManGoryeo..."

"Hmm? What about him?"

"...His identity is multi-faceted. He's a bit of an unusual person." She sipped her coffee expressionlessly.

I shrugged and then logged onto SG Net with my official member ID to post a final piece of advice to OldManGoryeo.

-ZERO_SUGAR: Dear member, you're really going to get yourself hurt.

Ding.

The response was immediate, as if he had been waiting.

-OldManGoryeo: fuck off lmfao

I nodded.

That figures. The young these days really lack netiquette. Managing such troublemakers swiftly was the right thing to do, especially to protect the ambitious SG Net project.

I was potentially the oldest human alive if all the regressions were added up, so it wasn't because such remarks grated on me.

Absolutely not.

-x-X-x-

Thanks to the Saintess, I was able to pinpoint the location of OldManGoryeo.

I would like to write that I immediately moved to defeat OldManGoryeo, but in reality, it took a bit more time.

A regressor's schedule is as tight as that of an A-list actor who just started being hailed as a national treasure.

No matter how dastardly OldManGoryeo was, I had much more urgent matters at hand. I had to upload the 'Aura Demonstration Video (Advanced)' under an alt-account on SG Net, reorganize the Korean Awakeners' Federation, tour famous eateries in Busan, and prepare for the meteor shower, among other things...

It's no joke. My calendar was jam-packed until the seventh year, if we counted from the regressor starting point.

It was nearly fifteen days later when I eventually managed to find some time to meet with iJoinedToday, and even that was a tight squeeze into into my schedule.

I had the Saintess—or more precisely, the Constellation she was enacting, 'The Saintess of National Salvation'—arrange the meeting place and time.

When I arrived at our designated location, there stood a muscular young man with broad shoulders.

"Mr. iJoinedToday?"

"Oh, ah, are you Mr. ZERO_SUGAR?"

"Yes. Nice to meet you. Please feel free to call me Undertaker."

"Pleased to meet you. I am Lee Ju-ho."

We shook hands.

A strong grip. I could feel the all-muscle, no-fat physique of someone who forged their path through this harsh world.

As an aside, I personally believe that one can tell more about a person from their hands than their face.

"Are you perhaps a teacher by any chance?" I asked, sneaking a glance over his shoulder.

"Ah—" Lee Ju-ho laughed awkwardly.

Our meeting place was an elementary school playground. Though the more accurate description would be a split-in-half elementary school.

Peekaboo.

Tiny children were stealthily keeping tabs on us. If a used car dealer had seen the junk those kids were playing spy in, they would have already issued a junkyard disposal for the whole pile. When our eyes met, they scurried off to hide like squirrels.

How adorable.

Lee Ju-ho scratched his head. "Yes, well... These elementary students are currently under my care."

"How commendable, especially in these times. May I call you a teacher?"

"Oh, no need for formalities. Please, just call me however you see fit. I wasn't originally a teacher."

Lee Ju-ho gave a wry smile.

"I was just a math tutor getting paid at a tutoring academy... Somehow, there wasn't anyone left to take up the podium. In the mornings, I finish guild tasks, and in the afternoon I juggle teaching. Another member takes care of being the nurse and art teacher, as well as managing the library."

"Oh..."

Let me just say that by this point, my fondness for Lee Ju-ho had already surpassed Lv. 5.

What was this young man? An angel?

"Ah. By the way, Mr. ZERO_SUGAR, sir, it must have been hard traveling in this hot weather. Would you like something to drink...?" Lee Ju-ho complemented his statement by offering a ZERO Coke beverage.

Since the Gate incident, that sort of commercial product had been elevated to a precious treat. Yet he had deliberately prepared a zero-calorie drink for me, probably because my ID was 'ZERO_SUGAR'.

"Oh..."

Fondness Lv. 6: surpassed.

"What a thought... But I would never refuse. I'll gladly drink it."

"Haha, I'm glad. I thought you'd like it."

"Indeed. It's even more of a treat since it's been a while. And I apologize for being late to say this, but I offer my condolences."

"Thank you."

We then sat side by side on a bench in the half-destroyed elementary school playground.

Once again, the young man's name was Lee Ju-ho.

He was active around Pocheon-Cheorwon. We happened to be meeting in Pocheon as well.

The guild to which Lee Ju-ho belonged could not compare to AAA-class guilds like Samcheon or Baekhwa, but it was solid in its own right. However, as I recall, it was one of those mid-size guilds that later mysteriously disappeared. In this day and age, his guild wasn't the only one.

"So, Mr. Undertaker..."

After some initial chitchat, Lee Ju-ho looked at me.

"You mentioned that you had information about OldManGoryeo."

"Yes, that's correct."

Lee Ju-ho's black eyes darkened, a burning anger for the father he loved. He licked his lips, then asked, "Will you help me kill that bastard?"

Hmm.

I set down the aluminum can. "Whether to kill him is your decision, Mr. Lee Ju-ho. My role is to guide you to your destination."

"By destination, you mean...?"

"Of course, the place where OldManGoryeo lives."

Lee Ju-ho's eyes widened. "You know where that bastard lives?!"

"Yes."

"How on earth— Ah. Perhaps...?"

The words Lee Ju-ho swallowed must have been asking if I was an acquaintance of OldManGoryeo.

"Do not worry," I assured, shaking my head. "I have never even met the man, let alone made his acquaintance."

"Ah."

Though it would later turn out that I had inadvertently lied.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to doubt you, ZERO_SUGAR, sir. But how did you manage to locate him...?"

That was, of course, thanks to the Saintess and her clairvoyant ability. If you keep listening to my story, you'll gradually realize that the Saintess is truly a cheat-level Awakener.

"I cannot tell you, but let me hint that it was thanks to my awakening ability and the Constellation I personally serve."

"Ah..."

"Will you follow me?"

As I stood from the bench, Lee Ju-ho also got to his feet, albeit hesitantly. He reflexively looked towards the direction of the abandoned school, where the children were hiding.

"Ah, um, I didn't know it would come to this... I didn't settle things before coming. I have guild tasks and school tasks to handle. I'm really sorry, but could you possibly wait just a little longer?"

"No, there's no need for that."

"No?"

I smiled brightly. "It's not far at all from here."

I had specifically adjusted my busy regressor-schedule to give myself some leeway in intervening in this case.

"If it's close, how close is it?"

"Pocheon. Mr. Lee Ju-ho, you and OldManGoryeo are actually from the same neighborhood."

Lee Ju-ho went silent as his jaw dropped.

Why hide it?

This case was a simple quest that could be solved with just one proper attempt.

[Turn right into the alley.]

[Then it's left into the next alley.]

[Keep going straight.]

The performance of the 'Saintess', a limited edition navigation product that I alone could use in the whole world, allowed me to find my way even with my eyes closed.

"..."

Meanwhile, Lee Ju-ho, who was following me, never stopped expressing his open confusion.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Ah, yes. It's just... This information was so unexpected..."

He was understandably shocked.

Connecting to SG Net meant OldManGoryeo was also an Awakener. And though Pocheon was not a major city, all the Awakeners there would know each other.

"Oh! Team Leader Ju-ho!"

Sure enough, as we walked down the street, village patrol members who recognized Lee Ju-ho approached us.

Nowadays, a patrol team was a must-have in every village. In keeping with the latest trends, the patrol members looked at me, a stranger, with particular suspicion.

"Excuse me, but what brings you to this neighborhood?"

Lee Ju-ho stepped forward. "Oh, about that... Just taking a walk with an old hometown friend."

"Your hometown friend? Wow. Friendships like that are rare these days." The patrol member opened the road barrier. "Well, if he's an associate of Team Leader Ju-ho, it should be fine. Please go ahead."

After we passed through the security checkpoint, the streets became noticeably tidier. This must be the affluent area of Pocheon, akin to Gangnam Cheongdam-dong. Although, the original Cheongdam-dong had been turned into ruins.

"Excuse me, Mr. ZERO_SUGAR, sir. Is this really the place?" Lee Ju-ho's voice, which had already been hesitant before we entered this neighborhood, began to tremble even more.

"Why? Are you feeling uneasy?"

"To be honest... Yes. This area is primarily where our guild's Awakeners live. There isn't a single member from another guild here."

"Is that so? Then you should brace yourself."

"..."

Frankly, whether Lee Ju-ho was prepared or not didn't matter much to me. After all, I had come all this way just to see how impressively the facial muscles of OldManGoryeo could be re-arranged.

Unlike Lee Ju-ho, I didn't particularly intend to kill OldManGoryeo. A good beating and a warning to 'never troll on the internet again' would suffice.

"This is the place."

We soon arrived in front of a house. Red bricks. A small front yard. It wasn't particularly luxurious, but living in a detached house rather than a communal residence in these times was a sign of privileged status.

Lee Ju-ho's eyes flickered over the building restlessly. It seemed it was indeed the house of an acquaintance.

"Good heavens."

"This is the location given by my Constellation. You know of her, The Saintess of National Salvation, right? Among the Constellations, she is the most trustworthy. Let's go take a look at his face now."

"ZERO_SUGAR, sir, just a moment...!"

Lee Ju-ho tried to grab my shoulder, but by then, I had already stormed into the mansion.

Fitting for an Awakener's hideout, the mansion was equipped with various security devices. However, I infiltrated them as easily as a summer mosquito.

Why? Because I, the regressor, was the very person who initially proposed and implemented these security designs.

Passwords? Traps? Puppeteer's special spider webs? They all crumbled before me, the copyright holder, in less than a second.

"No, what―"

The sound of Lee Ju-ho's astonishment echoed behind me, but I ignored it. These kinds of infiltration operations needed to be quick and decisive, and once initiated, it was best to see them through without looking back.

If this were a game, my profile would probably read [First Profession: Regressor], [Second Profession: Assassin (Thief)].

I reached the heart of OldManGoryeo's hideout in an instant.

"Heh... Here's blue, heehee..."

OldManGoryeo was busy painting on a canvas, so completely absorbed in his art, that he hadn't noticed my intrusion at all.

Only once I stepped up right behind him did his ears finally twitch to attention.

"Huh? Who...?"

A critical hit to the nape. With an optional aura boost.

"Eeek."

Thump.

A woman in a white doctor's coat went limp. Steering her clear of the paint cans so that she crumbled to the floor was my final act of consideration.

OldManGoryeo was, in fact, a woman.

Target secured, mission accomplished.

That was easy.

"Hmm?"

The real problem started then.

Knocking OldManGoryeo out was fine, but taking in her face came with a surprise.

What in the world―

"Surely not...?"

OldManGoryeo, who was now lying on the floor with dancing eyes, was one of the 399 survivors who had been summoned to the Busan Station concourse.

'What a coincidence.'

Given that 399 isn't an especially small number, such a coincidence was certainly statistically possible. However, the real surprise lay in the fact that OldManGoryeo was not just familiar to me, but to all of you readers from a previous chapter.

Our fiery SG-man, Seo Gyu, who was prettily decapitated by the Tutorial Fairy, remember?

"Hieeeeeek!"

There was someone who was drenched in Seo Gyu's blood back then.

"P-people— People have died...! People have—! Aiiieee, he just died!"

Someone who, while running away, scattered Seo Gyu's innards and blood across the Busan Station main concourse, causing a scene reminiscent of Moses parting the Red Sea (though with a bit more crimson).

That person was Sim Ah-ryeon.

'...Why is she here?'

Isn't the world unexpectedly small?

-x-X-x-

"Saintess, is she really the right person?"

[Yes, Mr. Undertaker. It's her.] The Saintess's response came immediately, like she was watching my movements in real-time through her Clairvoyance. [This person uses the nickname 'OldManGoryeo' on SG Net.]

"Huh."

I stroked my chin.

'Well, these things happen.'

My surprise wasn't long-lived. It was mainly because the person in question wasn't all that important to me. After all, Sim Ah-ryeon and I were not entirely unconnected, but our relationship wasn't so deep that I'd call it 'significant'.

To briefly describe how the Busan station main concourse reflects in my eyes, it would be something like this:

[ExtraA]

[Seo Gyu←Important!]

[Tutorial Fairy]

[Vending Machine]

[ExtraB]

[ExtraC]

[Go Yuri←※Danger※]

[Souvenir Shop (Silver Bells to be farmed)]

[ExtraD]

[ExtraE]

[Uehara Shino]

[ExtraF]

[ExtraG]

...

That's about it.

And in that list, Sim Ah-ryeon fulfilled her role of [ExtraB] perfectly.

She was the type of character who, unless specifically pointed out with an arrow, would never catch any reader's eye.

To indulge in a bit of hyperbole, whenever Seo Gyu died, she would then let out her scream of "Hieeek!" and that was the essence of Sim Ah-ryeon's existence.

'Her awakening ability was... healing, right?'

Of course, as a regressor, I had kept track of the abilities of all the extras.

'I remember her not being particularly skilled as a healer...'

In gaming terms, a 2-star healer.

It might be a harsh analogy, but she was like a healer who's tossed in for free just because you logged into the game—initially useful, but eventually dropped from the party as the stages get harder. 'You're expelled from the party. You're just not good enough to keep up with us,' she was told as she was recommended for dismissal.

And my story's genre wasn't tagged with #regret #obsession #misery. What does that mean? Just kick her out and be done with it.

In the first, second, and third runs, I relied on Sim Ah-ryeon, but that was when I was still a novice.

After that... Well. Not particularly?

There were certain events, like the joint funeral in the 10th run, or building the impregnable fortress in the 24th run. But other than those, I didn't have many significant memories with her.

'As a third-rate Awakener, she's lucky she survived in Busan and somehow made it all the way to Pocheon.'

Thinking about it, she had traveled almost from the southern end of Korea to the northern tip.

Somehow, that made me feel a bit sad.

My trivial annoyance over OldManGoryeo's personality was gradually overshadowed by a budding curiosity about Sim Ah-ryeon's life.

'I should hear her out.'

In the end, it was good that I indulged my curiosity.

As soon as I knocked Sim Ah-ryeon unconscious and dragged her to the living room, Lee Ju-ho followed me inside and touched a hand to his brow. "...Oh my," he exclaimed. "To think that a fellow guild member, that the 'Healing Angel' herself, would write such trash and stir up trouble."

"I take it you two knew each other... right?"

Just then, I thought I heard a strange sound, or rather, a somewhat eerie and ashamed sound.

"Healing Angel?" I pressed.

"She's famous around here," Lee Ju-ho replied, his face a mix of confusion and distress. "And she's also a school nurse, art teacher, and librarian at the elementary school where we first met."

"What?"

"It's, well, I mentioned it before. That there was another guild member who looked after the kids... She's the one."

???

I turned my head and looked up at the ceiling.

[It's really OldManGoryeo, Mr. Undertaker. Please don't doubt it.]

I quickly brought my gaze back down to Lee Ju-ho. "Are you saying she's your colleague?"

"Yes, in the guild and at school... After the world fell apart and all medical infrastructure collapsed, people started dying from minor colds or small wounds that led to tetanus... More people died from illness than from monsters."

That was also something I knew well, having seen it countless times during my previous regressions.

Without antibiotics, modern people were quick to die. The reason cremation quickly became the standard method of funerals in the ruined world, and why Lee Ju-ho's fire-mage acquaintance was always busy, was precisely to prevent the spread of disease by burning the bodies.

"But in this area, such needless deaths have ceased," Lee Ju-ho continued, looking at OldManGoryeo. "This person... Healing Angel has been curing everything from minor illnesses to serious cancers with her ability for about a year now."

"Really?"

Her?

A 2-star healer?

"She's well-known for treating patients and students without asking for any compensation. Even my father. Whenever he was ill, she would take care of him... If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have been able to get out of bed..."

Lee Ju-ho's eyebrows pulled into a frown.

"So, Mr. Undertaker, is this person really OldManGoryeo? Could there be a misunderstanding or mistake?"

"No, that part is certain. There's no room for doubt. Ask her yourself when she regains consciousness."

Lee Ju-ho eventually fell silent.

Truthfully, I was more confused than anyone.

'Sim Ah-ryeon demonstrated a level of healing capable of curing cancer...?'

She had never shown such capability in any of my previous regression lives. At most, she had been able to slightly alleviate the pain from scraped knees, or help recover from a cold within a week—abilities akin to Panpyrin.[1]

How could this be possible?

"I'll wake her up."

Lee Ju-ho nodded in agreement.

I threw an empty soda can at OldManGoryeo.

The aluminum can, thrown with a bit of aura, must have felt like a shock of electricity when it hit OldManGoryeo in the head.

"Ugh... Eurgh! Uhhh...?"

OldManGoryeo, also known as Healing Angel, groaned as she slowly blinked her eyes open.

"Are you up?"

"Huh... Ugh, what... Yes...?"

We waited until she fully regained consciousness, then I explained everything from the beginning.

Understandably, she was shocked. "Hieeek...! How, how did you even know I was here? And to come all this way...?"

"The Constellations are rather taken with me." I lied as easily as breathing, then stared at her. "But why did you do it?"

She hesitated in response to my direct question.

An awkward silence fell over the living room.

"Um, the thing is... Well, um..."

However, that very awkward silence spoke volumes.

"Huh."

Lee Ju-ho looked desolate as he realized that his acquaintance was indeed an internet troll.

He said softly, "...Dr. Sim. Was taking care of patients stressful for you?"

OldManGoryeo blinked rapidly. "Hiek. Yes... Yes...?"

"So, you didn't reallywant to take care of patients. No, it was so annoying, yet you couldn't refuse because of your ability... Elementary school kids are always causing trouble. Is that what it was? Did you wear an internet mask to blow off some steam?"

"Wow."

I was impressed. A neat guess, fitting for a refined young man.

The mismatch between ability and personality was a scenario I had often seen.

In this world, having healing powers was a double-edged sword. 'I am a noble because I am a healer, and you are commoners' was a mentality very few were self-possessed enough to admit to.

Quiet, introverted, unable to refuse others' requests—people like that just end up being dragged around.

Until one day, they would snap and cause trouble.

However, in response to this logical and credible hypothesis, OldManGoryeo—Sim Ah-ryeon—whipped her head from side to side in disagreement.

"N-no, no! It's not like that! It's because of my skill—"

"That's right, your skill. Ms. Ah-ryeon, you don't actually want to use the skill [Mobile Hospital], but you have to because of the patients—"

"No, it's a different skill! My second ability!"

Sim Ah-ryeon began to explain her second ability, flapping her arms about.

"Just wait a minute. It was tough to figure out this ability because..."

Since abilities don't appear in neat little skill cards (if they did, I could have easily announced my regressor status), we'll have to rely on Ah-ryeon's voluntary disclosure here. Sim Ah-ryeon's second ability was as follows:

――――――――――

[Grudge Orb]

It is said that those who are cursed will live long and healthy lives.

You are an enhanced version of this. The more you are cursed and hated, the more you will not only live a long and healthy by yourself but also be capable of sharing that longevity and health with others.

* This effect strengthens as the hatred and spite against you grow stronger and more numerous.

* If you possess medical and healing skills, those skills will also be enhanced in kind.

――――――――――

Lee Ju-ho gaped in astonishment as he read the notes about OldManGoryeo's powers.

For the record, I was gaping too.

"What the hell kind of stupid skill is that...?"

It was shocking enough that she had such an ability, but even more astonishing was that she had managed to document it in such detail.

Again, aside from very abnormal cases, Awakeners don't receive a status screen or anything like that. Discovering one's abilities normally requires an endless grind.

What kind of digging did Sim Ah-ryeon have to do to uncover this 'Grudge Orb'?

It seemed I wasn't the only one engulfed in shock and awe.

[The mysteries of awakening abilities are always fascinating to behold.]

It was the Saintess speaking. Apparently, she had been secretly observing, curious about the true nature of the situation.

I looked into the air and articulated clearly, 'Saintess, you didn't know either?'

[What... How would I? Yes, I can observe Awakeners whenever I want, but I can't read their minds. I, too, assumed like Mr. Ju-ho that she was just stressed from caring for patients.]

Indeed.

Shock shared is shock halved. Talking with the Saintess helped steady my emotions, and suddenly, a new perspective dawned on me.

The 'OldManGoryeo Situation'. That's what this series of events unfolding before my eyes seemed to be.

'Indeed. There was a reason she started being called 'Healing Angel' this cycle.'

The world had fallen.

Internet infrastructure had collapsed.

People had to interact face-to-face, just like before the internet existed.

In this lonely world, even receiving 'hatred' was not easy, especially for someone with a gentle disposition like Sim Ah-ryeon. That's why her second skill hadn't stood out in previous cycles, and her first skill had only amounted to a health supplement.

But now, in the 50th cycle, something that never existed before had appeared: SG Net.

In an ideal world for drawing aggro, Sim Ah-ryeon finally awakened. She transformed into OldManGoryeo, becoming a top-tier aggravator. Since SG Net was full of Awakeners, some of them would even kill OldManGoryeo and do so gladly if they got the chance. The overflowing aggro then gathered into the 'Grudge Orb'.

It was more than enough to earn her the nickname 'Healing Angel'.

'Hm? But didn't the Saintess say something unusual when I asked her to locate OldManGoryeo?'

[Yes? Yes, I did say that.]

'Did you realize then that OldManGoryeo was also Healing Angel, like a person with a dual personality?'

[Oh. Uh, no. It was... I'll tell you about it later.]

Then, Sim Ah-ryeon bowed her head to us. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Mr. Ju-ho's father would get hurt..."

Lee Ju-ho sighed.

"I know it's bad to curse others... It's a thorn in my conscience... But"―hic―"still, I need to be resented, to gain strength, to help one more patient..."

She sat curled up with her knees to her chest, scuttling to a corner of the room and muttering to herself.

Lee Ju-ho could only watch silently. After a long while, he asked, "What should we do, Mr. Undertaker...?"

"What can I do? It's your decision that matters, Mr. Ju-ho."

"Uh..." Lee Ju-ho scratched his head, seeming to realize that he was the one who stormed in out of righteous anger. It didn't take long for him to make a decision. "So then―"

It wasn't a difficult decision.

The friends on SG Net who were curious about the outcome of the real-life confrontation would probably be sticking out their tongues. After that day, 'iJoinedToday' vanished, and OldManGoryeo continued to be active.

-OldManGoryeo: Treated the son of a bitch who showed up for the fight well lol

Even the posts became more venomous.

OldManGoryeo, not only adept at stirring aggro but also an excellent artist, even started drawing comics for his posts.

In the comics, a child and an old man appeared. The drawings were unnecessarily dramatic. The content went like this:

-Old Man: Huh? Who's that?

-Old Man: (frowning)

-Old Man: Isn't that our son?

-Child: Daddy, where are you going?

-Child: I wanna go too!

-Child: (smiling brightly)

(A cheerful comic-style picture of the father and son crossing a river)

Lastly, a photo that looked like a family tomb was attached. There was even a Post-it note with OldManGoryeo's nickname on the tombstone.

Needless to say, the conscientious members of SG Net were grinding their teeth.

-Anonymous: Oh my.

-[Yuldoguk] SwordMarquess: I'll take care of this one, just give me the address, kiddo.

-[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: The curses you pour onto others will eventually return unto you. Why not take some time to reflect on yourself? Trust that there is good within you, brother.

└OldManGoryeo: Just fuck off, you crazy fuck

-Anonymous: Didn't he say he lives in Canada? The photo is totally Korean.

-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Contact me if you come to Busan.

-dolLHoUse: im angy

-Anonymous: But why does he draw so well? He's really talented...

Not all members were conscientious. Some were thrilled by the troll.

-Anonymous: Lol double kill lololol OldManGoryeoHam is the real deal lmao

-LiteraryGirl: Thought OldManGoryeo was just good at online arguments, but he's really something in a real fight too lmao

They say a true star drives both fans and haters crazy.

While Lee Ju-ho and I remained silent about the whole affair, OldManGoryeo was going to work drawing all of SG Net's aggro to himself.

At least there wouldn't be anyone around Lee Ju-ho's guild dying untimely deaths from lack of healing.

One more thing.

"Wow, how can an ability like that exist...?"

For the record, Seo Gyu was deeply shocked after hearing the whole story from me.

"It's funny to think that I'm not the only one with a weird ability... What a strange feeling."

It seemed he had managed to shed some of his complexes about his own skills.

Thus, it was a win-win happy ending for everyone. But there was one bit of unforeseen collateral damage.

-Anonymous: Didn't ZERO_SUGAR brag about putting OldManGoryeoHam in his place?

-Anonymous: Talks big then shuts up lol why is ignoring him so pathetic lol

-Anonymous: Nosy lol actually, it was ZERO_SUGAR who got his nose broken lol

-LiteraryGirl: This ZERO_SUGAR person... such a nosy brat.

└[Satisfaction] CookingQueen: To speak ill of others is actually to lower oneself. Every human is a mirror to me, and I am a mirror of all humans. Let us respect and be considerate of one another.

"...?"

I stared at the posts for a moment.

With a hmph, I stood up, went to the kitchen to brew an espresso, and sat back down.

The fact that I had espresso instead of café au lait was a sign that the work I was about to dive into required high concentration.

First, I logged into SG Net with a secondary account, without any particular intention or purpose.

Then, it happened just as I was about to send a message in the administrator-only chat room asking 'Seo Gyu, it's nothing big, but can you find out some personal info about these guys?'

[Mr. Undertaker.]

"Hmm."

[Please don't do that. Really.]

I put down my phone.

Let's just end this chapter with a little bit of dislike for OldManGoryeo.

-x-X-x-

Footnotes:

[1] A Korean medicine which is used for common cold.

-x-X-x-