The Brainwasher I
I don't particularly like aphorisms or maxims.
Being impressed by a saying is akin to admiring a photograph of a beautiful landscape rather than experiencing the scenery firsthand.
For those who have visited that landscape, it may hold commemorative value, but for others, it's just a fake antique used for interior decoration in their home.
However, there is one Nietzsche aphorism that I find useful even for a pragmatist:
- He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.
This truly is the ultimate guide for hitchhikers traveling through the end times, isn't it?
To make it a bit more practical, you can tweak the latter part slightly:
- If you gaze long enough at Go Yuri, Go Yuri will also gaze back into you.
Go Yuri.
Her personal color is pink.
Her Pokémon type is Psychic.
Her special skills are a soft smile for everyone and a brainwashing hypnosis beam.
If she had appeared as a Kadabra in the first-generation Pokémon anime, she would have gained a cult following among children, but unfortunately, she was reincarnated in reality, causing me a headache.
What I want to convey to you is that I, the Undertaker, put in a tremendous amount of effort to seal away this Pokémon.
'What if I don't look directly at her and take a picture? Wouldn't that reveal Go Yuri's true form?'
Click.
I committed the audacious act of secretly photographing Go Yuri. It was a move that risked my life.
The act of photographing itself was successful, but the result was disappointing. The performance difference between a standard camera lens and my retina was negligible.
In short, the photo showed the same pink hair, the same soft smile. Hmm. Somehow, the photo seemed inferior to the real thing.
When I realized, 'Hmm, the photo is worse than the real thing,' I knew I had already fallen under a weak hypnosis. A chill ran down my spine, and I immediately burned the photo.
Failure.
'What if someone else takes the picture?'
I had Yu Ji-won, whose life wasn't particularly precious to me, take the picture. The result was the same. Yu Ji-won returned unharmed.
Failure².
For the record, these tests were never conducted in the same cycle.
Regarding Go Yuri, research had to be conducted more cautiously than handling a nuclear bomb. Naturally, all tests had to be conducted in different cycles.
'What if I record her voice with a recorder――?'
Failure.
'…Wait. What if I use a spirit camera?'
It was a clever idea.
By this time, I had received an instant spirit camera from the Magical Girl Association as a reward for defeating the Inunaki Tunnel.
Click.
I had high expectations for this test. The spirit camera was a precious artifact. There couldn't be a more suitable item to reveal Go Yuri's true nature.
Then it happened.
Whirrr...
A strange noise started coming from the spirit camera, which was developing the photo normally.
Rrring! Clang! Clang-clang-clang! Clang-clang-clang!
It was the sound of a telephone. Or perhaps, the loud noise of a red fire alarm button being pressed.
Clunk! The camera jerked on its own, and the next moment, it spewed smoke as if a fire had broken out inside.
Then it stopped.
"..."
Goosebumps rose on my skin.
"What's the matter?"
What was even more chilling was that Go Yuri had approached before I even noticed.
She was right in front of me.
Go Yuri tilted her head and bent down, looking up at me from below.
"Huh. You look familiar... Oh, wait, weren't you the one at Busan Station waiting room? Um, your name was definitely... Undertaker. Yes, Mr. Undertaker, right?"
"..."
"Wow! What a coincidence to see you here! Ah, but the object in your hand keeps emitting smoke. Is it alright? Something seems…"
Go Yuri smiled brightly.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
Damn.
It was foolish to trust such a camera. No matter how powerful a treasure it was, how powerful could it be if it came from a group cosplaying as magical girls?
But a regressor is a profession that establishes countermeasures even for such contingencies. I immediately activated Protocol 552-71.
"An unexpected storm is roaring! The wind sounds noisily, and Zhou Yu urgently descends onto the terrace, looking at the banners!"
"…Huh?"
"Oh ho! As the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird flank the White Tiger and Black Tortoise to the northwest, a great southeast wind rises with a roar! Crash! The drum board spins! Ah, like thunder, Zhou Yu's heart falls at the sight!"
"Uh, wait... What?"
"Heavens! Ah! Why did you birth me and Kongming together! Woo woo woo! Wooo!"
"..."
I danced like a madman, running toward the horizon. The dignity, character, and everything else I had built up over a thousand years as a regressor were all thrown into the mud.
The original name of Protocol 552-71 was "Singing the Song of Red Cliff." Or acting crazy.
For the record, I was good at singing Pansori.
I was even better at acting crazy.
Indeed, even the world's greatest curiosity monster, Go Yuri, didn't pursue a human failure. Dobby was free, and I escaped.
And I never approached within 30 kilometers of Go Yuri in that cycle.
Failure.
――Go Yuri was indeed a dangerous existence.
As the founder and mastermind of the Library Society, I had a hard time resisting the urge to add [Go Yuri-class] to the end of the danger lineup [Village-class - Polis-Class - Continent-class - Ocean-class - Outer God-class].
My business partner and National Road Management Corps Chief Noh Do-hwa, with whom I consulted whenever I had such thoughts, maintained a calm expression in the operations room.
"From my perspective, you seem more dangerous…"
"Hmm."
I didn't necessarily agree with Noh Do-hwa's point, but I adjusted the strategy.
"As I mentioned, 'She Who Must Not Be Named' is dangerous to all humans, not just me. Everyone projects their ideal type onto her, so no matter how emotionally detached I am, I can't help but fall for her."
"Damn. I don't even know where to start tackling this... First, was your ideal type pink hair…?"
"That's a trivial issue, Chief. But by addressing the above issue, we can form the following hypothesis. If someone has no emotions at all, they might be safe from 'She Who Must Not Be Named,' right?"
"Hmm? A person with no emotions? Does such a person exist…?"
"More precisely, it should be someone who has their feelings of affection for others, in other words, the ability to like someone, suppressed. Go Yuri's perception manipulation starts from there."
"..."
"..."
We turned our heads almost simultaneously.
"Hmm?"
Scratch, scratch.
There, the operations control officer of the National Road Management Corps, Yu Ji-won, was carving wood with a knife. She was carving pieces to use on the chessboard [Mini Map].
"Why are you looking at me?"
The high-intelligence psychopath tilted her head.
Yu Ji-won.
Her personal color is silver.
Her Pokémon type… who cares. Anyway, she's a psychopath. Investing much time to explain her would be a waste of life.
Comparing her to Go Yuri, there was nothing she could win in except appearance.
As unrealistic as it seems, Yu Ji-won was incredibly beautiful. It was just an objective truth I couldn't distort.
Among the awakeners in Korea, the two rivals for top appearance were Go Yuri and Yu Ji-won. This land had no hope.
That's right. I always assigned Yu Ji-won to monitor Go Yuri.
On the map of Korea spread out in the operations room, a black bishop (♝) with the word "Go Yuri" engraved on it was always moving around.
"Ji-won, you need to contact 'She Who Must Not Be Named.' Naturally, you must never let her know I sent you. Most importantly, if I sense even a hint that you're brainwashed, I will isolate you immediately."
"Hmm..."
Yu Ji-won stroked her chin. To stroke her chin in front of someone else and go "Hmm" was such an obvious sign of a psychopath that it was chilling.
"Your Excellency, I have a condition."
"What condition?"
"When you move to the next cycle, please get me something."
This was the sound of a born maniac.
If Yu Ji-won were an ordinary psychopath,
'Huh? The next cycle's me? That's a completely different person from me now, isn't it? I'll pursue my current happiness.'
'I'll live for myself now.'
That's how she would have thought, but no. Our psychopath had extraordinary brain patterns.
'Hmm. If that person (Undertaker) causes the world to regress, no matter how hard I work to accumulate wealth and power, it would all disappear with one click of regression, wouldn't it?'
'Why should my power and safety disappear because of a click bug?'
'But I can't kill the regressor.'
'Therefore, I must cling to the regressor.'
'In other words… I must negotiate with the regressor to pass more power and information to the next cycle's me. Then, even more in the next cycle. If I continue to inherit the legacy…'
'The ultimate victory will be mine.'
'I will now go all-in on the regressor coin.'
This was the outrageous thought process she had reached.
How do I know this? Because she told me directly.
Now, I am confident that no further explanation is needed as to why I consider this good-looking maniac to be insane. At least, I have never seen a character in any work of fiction involving infinite regression with such a brain flow.
Reality always easily triumphs over fiction.
"Ji-won."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Do you even have an idea how many times I've heard that from you?"
"No. But your statement just now reassures me that I'm sane in any cycle. It's comforting."
"I think we need to replace the word 'sane' with something else…"
"Hmm. Intelligent? Reasonable? Clever?"
"It's like the exact opposites of all those words fit perfectly."
"...?"
In the end, I had to make another promise to Yu Ji-won. For the record, she's ranked at a depth of 1,000 meters in my cafe's system.
She started at 100 meters.
I don't need to explain how she crawled from 100 meters to 1,000 meters. I'll just add that I'm very good at keeping promises.
I dispatched Yu Ji-won and followed her. Of course, maintaining a strict distance of hundreds of meters.
Go Yuri was running a soup kitchen in Daejeon. She distributed food twice a day, morning and evening, in exchange for some labor from ordinary people.
I watched the scene through binoculars. Seeing Go Yuri smiling brightly while wearing an apron, my teeth couldn't help but chatter.
The apron even had Chinese characters on it.
Three Kingdoms (三國志).
'Scary! Go Yuri!'
I shuddered.
'Even in such a moment, you try to bewitch my mind! Do you think I would feel any affection for you just because of that?'
Moreover, the apron was not blue or red, but green, the symbol of the Shu Han.
Truly formidable brainwashing!
My hands trembled. Forcing the binoculars aside, I saw our ultimate weapon of the National Road Management Corps, the silver-haired psychopath, walking steadily.
And――
"...."
"...."
The two entities met.
The one who absolutely creates affection and the one who absolutely does not feel affection.
In other words… a contradiction!
Just their contact alone seemed to break the laws of the universe and insult social ethics, creating a meeting that should never have happened in proper history due to a bizarre twist of fate (me).
My heart swelled involuntarily.
-x-X-x-
The Brainwasher II
And thus, the collision of two black holes brought about the end of the solar system... Unfortunately, such an ending did not occur.
The world was fine. The encounter between Go Yuri and Yu Ji-won did not cause any macro-level disturbances.
Given that the universe manages to endure decades under the colonial rule of countless monsters, it was surprisingly resilient.
".... ...."
"...? .... ...."
From a distance, the two were having a conversation.
I couldn't eavesdrop as they were out of my hearing range. Besides, the conversation content would likely be distorted due to Go Yuri's [Perception Manipulation].
Go Yuri bowed slightly. She handed over something indistinguishable, perhaps a business card or a letter. Yu Ji-won accepted it and bowed her head as well.
A moment later, Yu Ji-won returned as if nothing had happened.
I hurriedly approached Yu Ji-won.
"What did you talk about? What was your impression of Go Yuri? Did you feel an inexplicable desire to agree with her?"
"Pardon? No?"
Yu Ji-won responded with a sentence that exemplified the subtlety of the Korean language.
"We just had a conversation. It went very smoothly."
"Oh…!"
I sighed. So even a psychopath couldn't resist Go Yuri's power.
"…I see. It must have been a special experience for you. It's probably the first time you've felt even a small amount of positive emotion toward a human. When will you ever have such an experience again?"
"Hmm?"
Yu Ji-won tilted her head.
"Excuse me, sir, but I don't understand what you're saying. I did not feel any affection toward the target."
Now it was my turn to tilt my head.
"What do you mean? You just said the conversation went well."
"Yes? It did."
Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, Yu Ji-won stated expressionlessly,
"How does having a smooth conversation equate to feeling affection for the other person?"
?
"Sir, a smooth conversation brings comfort. More precisely, it's the satisfaction of not having to waste excessive dialogue to enhance mutual understanding, thus saving time. It's like taking the subway instead of walking to school, which is much faster and more convenient. That doesn't mean you feel human affection for the subway train, right?"
"...."
"Ah. My apologies, sir. Everyone has different tastes. Do you perhaps have a fondness for subway trains?"
Of course, I didn't. One person with a bizarre attachment to railways was enough.
But listening to Yu Ji-won's lengthy explanation, I had a revelation.
'Maybe it could work! With Go Yuri! If this unparalleled psychopath can avoid [Perception Manipulation], it might just be a miracle!'
I couldn't hide my excitement as I grabbed Yu Ji-won's shoulders.
"Ji-won."
"Yes, sir."
"From now on, use any means necessary to get close to 'He Who Must Not Be Named.' Become friends, or whatever it takes, and observe her every move. Report everything to me. Can you do that?"
"Of course, sir. Leave it to me. But..."
"Oh, don't worry. I'll make sure your will is conveyed to the next cycle's you."
"I swear my loyalty, sir."
A silent understanding passed between us.
The Saintess, who had been quietly observing the situation, muttered.
[Mr. Undertaker, I've been wondering whether to point this out, but... Isn't it obvious that you're stalking Go Yuri?]
It wasn't worth considering.
As if I'd stalk someone who runs a soup kitchen for free, wearing a green Three Kingdoms apron, smiling politely at everyone. Do I look like that kind of person? Ridiculous.
From that day, Operation "Paradox" was launched.
The strongest shield in Korea, a character who would always have a warning in any work [※This character is a side character and cannot be conquered], was deployed right in the middle of Daejeon.
Yes. Yu Ji-won stayed in Daejeon and contacted Go Yuri daily. Since Go Yuri had to report to the soup kitchen every morning and evening, she had no way to avoid Yu Ji-won.
On the second day, nothing unusual happened. The two seemed to have a warm conversation.
The same on the third day.
And the fourth day.
Finally, on the fifth day.
[Mr. Undertaker, something strange seems to be happening with Yu Ji-won.]
I felt a nibble on the line.
"What kind of strange occurrence?"
[…It's hard to explain, but when Ms. Yu leaves her lodging and starts walking, strangers approach her and strike up conversations.]
"Hmm. Maybe people are just entranced by her Hermes-grade face."
[You're the first person I've heard describe someone's good looks that way... No, it's really strange. You should come and see for yourself.]
So I did.
I discreetly followed Yu Ji-won without being noticed.
"Oh, Ms. Yu! I happened to get some lucky apples. Please, take one. Oh, don't worry about the money. Just take it! You're so pretty, I can't help it!"
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."
"Wow! It's Ms. Yu! Let's play together today! Come swing with us in the playground!"
"Yes. If I have time in the evening."
…As the Saintess had said, it was a strange scene.
Every time Yu Ji-won walked down the street, people of all kinds approached her to talk.
I've mentioned several times that Yu Ji-won was as beautiful as a crystal sculpture carved from eternal ice. She always had a perpetual frostiness about her due to her lack of expression.
Would it be easy to approach such a person and start a friendly conversation?
Even if they did, they'd receive a reply with a monotonous voice and emotionless eyes behind glasses.
In short, there was no reward for being friendly.
Yet people approached Yu Ji-won as if it was the most enjoyable thing, continuously striking up conversations.
"Saintess, please connect me to Yu Ji-won telepathically. I need to check her mental state."
[Alright. …Connection established. I'll relay Ms. Yu's words. Please speak comfortably.]
"Thank you. Hey, Ji-won. Are you okay?"
[I'm fine.]
Yu Ji-won's response, relayed through the Saintess's voice, was utterly nonchalant.
"From what I see, Daejeon has already fallen to She Who Must Not Be Named. At least, the people who talk to you are definitely enchanted by She Who Must Not Be Named. They're trying to keep you in the city by any means."
[Hmm. I also found it strange. But if their aim is to win my favor, their tactics are shallow.]
"What?"
[It's annoying.]
"...."
[When the restaurant owner recognizes me and makes small talk, I don't show it, but I find it bothersome. The whole street feels like one big, annoying restaurant.]
The next day.
The city of Daejeon fell silent.
"...."
Yu Ji-won left her lodging, but no one approached her.
The lady who gave her apples the day before, the kids who begged her to play, all passed by her expressionlessly as if they didn't know her.
I couldn't help but be terrified.
[Now, this is comfortable.]
Yu Ji-won wasn't shaken at all.
Her feelings were simply akin to being lucky to find an empty seat by the window in a cafe.
Despite the sudden cold shoulder from the city's residents who had been clinging to her the day before, she showed no signs of unease or confusion.
But this meant… Yu Ji-won had won.
No interactions, no bewitchment!
Then, the city truly went berserk.
"Ahhh!"
A resident ran and collided with Yu Ji-won. The resident lost balance and fell.
At that moment, screech—crash! A truck passed by and crashed into a building. The resident got up and grabbed Yu Ji-won's hand.
"Thank you! Really, thank you! If I hadn't bumped into you, I would've been hit by the truck and died! You saved my life!"
"Yes. Take care of your life."
"...."
As soon as Yu Ji-won entered a bakery, the staff lined up and set off fireworks.
"Congratulations! You are the 100,000th customer since our opening! As a special event, we will give you five items free every day from now on…."
"Sorry, I don't prefer such events. Please give it to the next customer. I'll take a baguette if you have one."
"...."
Everywhere Yu Ji-won went, she was saved from 'coincidental accidents,' and 'amazing probabilities' of good fortune found her.
Yu Ji-won ignored all of it.
[Why did I ignore them? Because following your orders, Your Excellency, is far more advantageous than forming friendly relations with those people.]
[They won't take care of my next cycle, will they?]
Using the funds I provided, Yu Ji-won ate what she wanted and bought what she wanted, simply going to the plaza twice a day to chat briefly with Go Yuri.
In short, she lived comfortably, doing what she wanted in this end-of-the-world scenario.
Conversely, maybe it was just my imagination, but the residents' faces seemed to grow more haggard by the day.
Bang! Bang-bang, bang!
By the 30th day, a gunfight broke out near Yu Ji-won's lodging.
The following scene was reconstructed based on Yu Ji-won's later testimony.
Right after the gunfire, a man with a gunshot wound on his arm pounded on Yu Ji-won's door.
"Please help! Please open the door! I'll repay you!"
Before the host could respond, the door opened on its own.
Yu Ji-won, who had been reading a Latin book by the window, raised an eyebrow in annoyance.
"What is it this time?"
"Oh. I'm the head of the top guild in this city. My subordinate backstabbed me. But… he couldn't kill me despite the surprise attack. My brothers will avenge me."
"Ha."
"If you hadn't opened the door, I'd be dead in the hallway. Thank you. I'll give you everything in this city…!"
Yu Ji-won put down her book and walked over.
For the record, Yu Ji-won was the operations manager of the National Road Management Corps and, in a cycle when we exterminated the Meteor Shower, she led one of the 12 squads.
In other words, Yu Ji-won was second only to me in aura manipulation.
A warlord with a bullet wound in his arm was no match for her. Yu Ji-won lifted the guild leader effortlessly, like a chicken.
"Huh?"
Then she opened the door and tossed him into the hallway. The guild members aiming to betray him flinched.
Yu Ji-won spoke to the assassins.
"What are you doing? Aren't you going to kill him?"
"...."
"Then I'll go back to reading, so don't disturb me."
Boom. The door closed.
That was the scene reconstructed from Yu Ji-won's memory.
No more gunfire was heard in the hallway.
That night.
A strange sound echoed in the dark sky over Daejeon.
-Oooo.... Ooo...
-Hehehe, hehehe! Hehe!
It sounded like the cries of beasts, the roars of tigers, and the countless laughter of children. All the sounds mixed and echoed simultaneously.
Even I had never experienced such a phenomenon.
"Saintess, can you observe what's happening in the city?"
[I'm sorry. I can't see anything. It seems all the awakeners in Daejeon are either asleep or for some other reason, I can only see darkness.]
"..."
[If you permit, I can go to Ms. Go Yuri.]
"No."
I responded immediately.
I had a gut feeling.
This state was not achieved through the 'correct strategy.'
It felt like using a cheat code to unlock an ending in a game.
The problem was that this was far from a happy ending. Whatever was awakened forcibly must be incredibly enraged.
"Go Yuri, or the entity overshadowing her, can enchant and control the entire city's population. Confirming this information alone is a great achievement. Any further contact is dangerous."
[Understood.]
"What about Yu Ji-won?"
[Just as dark. The same as the other awakeners.]
The bizarre cacophony continued throughout the night.
Yu Ji-won's whereabouts were revealed when morning came. At 7 AM, she woke up and walked out of her lodging as if nothing had happened.
I immediately entered Daejeon and contacted Yu Ji-won. I asked if she had heard the strange noises last night.
"Noises?"
Yu Ji-won tilted her head.
"I don't know, Your Excellency. Since the fourth grade, I've been wearing an eye mask and earplugs to sleep."
With daylight, not only did the cacophony disappear, but the city's residents also vanished.
The Saintess's [Clairvoyance] still couldn't observe anything. The only visible awakener was Yu Ji-won.
Even when I deployed Yu Ji-won's [Mini Map], the result was the same. Neither Go Yuri nor any other Awakeners in Daejeon responded.
It was as if they had evaporated in an instant.
After that day, until the end of the cycle, neither Go Yuri nor the citizens of Daejeon reappeared.
"Oh."
Yu Ji-won pulled something out of her pocket. It was a letter.
An item that would serve as the epilogue for this episode.
"Your Excellency, please accept this."
"What is it?"
"Ms. Go Yuri asked me to deliver this letter to you."
"...."
"To be precise, she asked me to deliver it to [the first person I meet after I can no longer run the soup kitchen]."
I hesitated but took the letter.
I opened the envelope. A sweet apple scent wafted out.
-謀事在人, 成事在天.
-Planning is man's work; achieving it is heaven's.
"...."
Mosa jaein, Seongsa jaecheon. A phrase from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Similar in meaning to "Do your best and leave the rest to heaven," it could be given to anyone.
But the fact that it was a phrase from Romance of the Three Kingdoms shook my heart uneasily.
'Could it be that she knew I sent Yu Ji-won?'
…More importantly, I knew Go Yuri's handwriting. She had once been part of my guild, so it was natural.
The handwriting on this letter was distinctly different from Go Yuri's writing back then.
Perhaps this phrase was the first genuine aspect of Go Yuri I had ever seen.
The first trace not filtered by [Perception Manipulation].
I turned the letter over.
-The butterfly of the typhoon and the butterfly in the dream are different beings.
My entire body tingled as if struck by static electricity.
A phrase hinting at the existence of the blue Morpho butterfly of the anomaly 'Butterfly Effect' and the butterfly that appeared at the end of 'Logout Game.'
A message only I could decipher in this world… and simultaneously, one of the pieces of information I was most curious about at the time.
How much did Go Yuri know? Or was this simply a reflection of the information I wanted to see, like a mirror?
From where had I been enchanted?
"…Ji-won, when did you receive this letter?"
"Oh. On the first day, when we parted."
"...."
"She promised no harm would come to me as long as I delivered the letter. It was a fair deal."
Yu Ji-won tilted her head.
"Is there something strange written in it, sir?"
"...."
I remained silent.
Just folding the apple-scented letter, I pondered once more.
――In the end, the strongest spear and the strongest shield would always result in a draw.
-x-X-x-
The Dreamer I
Before I knew it, my story surpassed 120 chapters.
I didn't count the numbers myself; according to Oh Dok-seo, it was true.
Though I wasn't sure, 'self-proclaimed web novel expert' Oh Dok-seo insisted that the number 120 had symbolic significance.
"Got it, mister? Anyway, I need 120 chapters. You have to hand over 120 chapters without any setbacks."
"Why?"
"Because I'm planning to stockpile up to 120 chapters and release them all at once on the platform*... Ah, damn. Do you even understand when I explain? You haven't even looked at a web novel before the Advent of the Void."
*This novel was released with 120 chapters on kakaopage in April 2024.
"Yeah."
"Anyway, 120 chapters! I need at least 120 chapters. I'm saying this because I have a plan!"
Oh Dok-seo scratched at me as if she were my editor. In reality, she did perform the role of an editor.
What could an old and sick person like me do? I had to follow the young one's lead.
However, the method of writing was up to me.
I preferred the traditional method. I wrote by hand in a notebook and handed it to Oh Dok-seo. Sometimes, I went even more traditional and told the stories orally.
When I let Oh Dok-seo experience the old traditions lost by the younger generation, she looked moved.
"Seriously... Damn. How can you do this? You need to give me usable manuscripts."
I was a kind author to my editor. So I answered according to Oh Dok-seo's intellectual level.
"Not my problem."
"..."
"Good luck."
My role was merely to tell the story.
If I were asked to edit, revise, proofread, and format it, that would be difficult for me.
Not because it was bothersome, but because the life of a regressor was busy.
If my story was released somewhere officially and an error was found, it wouldn't be my fault. It would be entirely Oh Dok-seo's fault.
Would someone like me, who possessed [Complete Memory], make mistakes?
Between us, if any typos were observed, you could blame "Ms. Oh Dok-seo". Though she had a chuunibyou otaku personality, she had a kind heart, so please understand her with your broad minds.
Anyway, since 120 chapters was a milestone number, it seemed like a good opportunity to summarize the cities of the Korean Peninsula that appeared in my story so far.
Let's call it a newly crafted map in the apocalypse era.
Here's the note I handed over to Oh Dok-seo while explaining the current situation:
――――――――――
[Busan]
The headquarters of the National Road Management Corps.
Food produced through the 'Sword Marquess' in the Gimhae Plains and Kyushu is stored in Busan. The patrol teams of the National Road Management Corps also act as merchants, transporting food and supplies from Busan nationwide. Therefore, patrol teams are sometimes called "caravans."
Judicial and military powers in Busan are exercised by the Samcheon World Guild. The National Road Management Corps and Samcheon are in a blood alliance.
The last hope of the Korean Peninsula. Power outages and water shortages occur frequently, but with the romance of rainwater and candlelight, there are no problems. Cheers to those living today.
- Key Figures: Noh Do-hwa, Dang Seo-rin, Yu Ji-won, Old Man Scho's corpse.
[Daejeon]
A massive refugee city. Most refugees and displaced people from the Korean Peninsula gather here.
Near Daejeon, many creatures mutated by the Void Poison live. Using this ecosystem, Daejeon produces its own food. However, the safety of the food is not guaranteed.
Managed by the Satisfaction Guild, which is practically controlled by Pink Hair. If you don't value your life, please visit and enjoy the city.
- Key Figure: Voldemort.
[Sejong]
A prominent holy city of the Korean Peninsula along with Pyongyang. The county of Cheon Yo-hwa, by Cheon Yo-hwa, for Cheon Yo-hwa.
The Baekhwa Guild, composed of alumni from Baekhwa Girls' High School, strongly dominates the city.
Originally, the guild members of Baekhwa were descendants of families that worshipped a pseudo-religion called Cheonilgyo, and they still serve Cheon Yo-hwa. Although Cheon Yo-hwa herself despises pseudo-religions, the city's operations make it look like a cult's headquarters.
If you're tired of living in the apocalypse, go to Sejong and curse Cheon Yo-hwa. Recommended phrase: "No matter how you look at it, isn't wearing a school uniform a bit crazy?" This way, you can take a biology class and realize how many organs you have in your body.
- Key Figure: Cheon Yo-hwa.
[Seoul]
The frontline. South of the Han River has been scorched. Boasts the cheapest housing prices on the Korean Peninsula.
A defense line is formed to block the monsters constantly pouring in from the north. All bridges except for Jamsu Bridge and Seongsu Bridge have been destroyed for security reasons.
Originally, my hideout was also in Seoul, but since the Inunaki Tunnel was renovated, Cheon Yo-hwa's Baekhwa Guild has been defending Seoul.
If you are a nostalgic person still wanting a Han River view, it is highly recommended. Just note that with the Han River view, you also get a monster view.
- Key Figure: Saintess.
――――――――――
There are many other cities like Jeju, Naju, and Pyongyang, but since they haven't been covered in my story yet, I'll skip them.
"Hey, mister."
Once you summarize and look at the map, you might start thinking like Oh Dok-seo.
"Isn't it doable after all?"
"Hmm."
"Food production is smooth, power is well-organized around Busan, and Cheon Yo-hwa follows you fervently. Saving the world might be impossible, but saving the Korean Peninsula seems definitely possible, right?"
"Not sure."
Sorry, but it's not that easy.
You must have witnessed Daejeon disappearing overnight in the last story.
Let me say it again.
This world hates humans.
First, I need to point out that maps created when the world was intact are of no use.
Because this world is very serious about giving humanity a big middle finger.
If the National Road Management Corps blindly sends a patrol caravan, incidents like the following happen frequently.
-Oh no, this is bad. Daejeon should appear around here. Why do we keep going in circles?
-Team Leader, it's a big problem. We've been wandering around this area for 14 days now. Posting on SG Net gets no comments at all...
-14 days? What are you talking about, Assistant Team Leader? It's only been 4 days.
-What?
Missing. Disappearance. Vanishing.
Despite crossing a distance equivalent to only two bus stops, it takes more than half a month in terms of time.
They think they are walking on a path, but suddenly they find themselves heading towards the bottom of a pond.
Where the river should flow, a salt mine appears, and where the mountain should be, a vast lake stretches to the horizon.
A literal labyrinth.
A world consumed by the void is no different from a huge maze, a labyrinthos.
In this world, my role is to break through the labyrinth. If compared to Greek mythology, I would be Theseus, who navigated the maze and roasted Minotaur steak.
"Undertaker."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"The 21st patrol team has been stationary on my map for three hours."
"Not moving at all?"
"No."
"The power poles? The power lines?"
"They seem to be cut. The reports that were regularly posted on SG Net stopped 180 minutes ago."
"Ah... They're trapped in the void again. That's why sending patrols near Daejeon always causes trouble. Saintess? Are you watching?"
[Yes, I am.]
"Please send a message to the 21st patrol team in the name of the constellations. Tell them not to panic and wait at their location. A rescue team is on its way."
[Are you going to check it out yourself?]
"Yes, I need to repair the power lines if they're cut."
[Understood.]
Yu Ji-won's 'Mini Map' and Saintess' 'Telepathy'.
Thanks to their assistance, I managed to connect cities in this harsh apocalypse.
Though it was impossible to control vast areas, ruling the lines between them was still feasible.
And of course, besides Saintess and Yu Ji-won, many talents assisted the National Road Management Corps.
"Ha-yul."
"Yeah?"
"They said the power lines are cut again. Let's go lay the threads."
If Theseus was to navigate the maze, he would need Ariadne.
The Puppeteer Lee Ha-yul.
This kid, who spun puppet strings like a spider, was also indispensable in managing the roads of the Korean Peninsula.
When I ran with Ha-yul on my back, I quickly found the 21st patrol team sitting in the middle of the forest.
It seemed they had been trapped in the void for quite some time, as their faces looked utterly exhausted.
"Ah...! Undertaker!"
The team leader of the patrol recognized me and brightened up. My official position within the National Road Management Corps changed with each cycle, but I was always treated with respect by the team members.
"You came!"
"Yeah. You've all worked hard."
I took out chocolate and Ha-yul from my backpack. Ha-yul walked around on her own, and I distributed the chocolate to the team members.
"How many days have you been stranded?"
"From my perspective, it's the 15th day. But since the days each member perceives are different, it's not accurate."
"Thoroughly bewitched. What about the sun?"
"I observed the direction as per the guidelines, but on the 1st day, it rose in the south, on the 2nd day, it rose in the east, on the 3rd day, it rose in the north, and so on. The direction changed daily."
"The moon?"
"I always saw one, but there was one testimony from a member that they saw three moons."
"Any missing members?"
"No. We always moved in groups of three."
Of course, that couldn't be true.
Given how deeply the void had consumed even the celestial phenomena, the possibility of everyone returning safely was slim.
Upon checking, I found the patrol team, which should have had 24 members, reduced to 21. However, none of the remaining members recognized or remembered the missing three.
I sighed deeply.
'At this rate, I'll really have to clear a separate path near Daejeon.'
At that moment, Ha-yul looked at me. She busily moved her tiny hands.
-Found. Broken place.
It was sign language.
Usually, Ha-yul had a puppet she carried around to speak for her, but we had left it behind in our haste this time.
Still, we communicated well with each other through sign language. Sometimes, we even chatted in Japanese sign language.
"Where?"
-Here.
Swoosh—
Ha-yul waved her hand, and a thin puppet string rose from the ground. The string was broken in the middle.
Transmission Line.
The puppet strings Ha-yul produced were not only used for the security of the guild hideout. Underneath the roads used by the National Road Management Corps, we laid puppet strings.
Ha-yul's puppet strings exhibited near room-temperature superconductor performance limited to aura. If skilled in aura, one could even send Morse code through the strings.
Most importantly, the 'Transmission Line' was truly Ariadne's thread for the patrol teams.
In the void, constellation phenomena and compasses were easily nullified. In such a maze, Ha-yul's puppet strings were the 'only objective indicators.'
Ha-yul and I buried the puppet strings only along the safest paths.
In other words, as long as the patrol members moved along the strings infused with aura, they could at least avoid dangerous areas.
However, the moment the strings were broken, the survival rate of the patrol members plummeted.
"Why do you think it broke?"
-Don't know. Presumably due to creatures living underground.
"Ha... This is the umpteenth time near this area. I really should abandon the Daejeon route and only use the Sejong route."
-Is it okay?
"The more we do this, the more Daejeon will become isolated and the voidification will worsen, but what can we do? Let's bury the line a bit deeper this time."
-Okay.
Puppet strings flowed out from under Ha-yul's nails. The strings cut through the ground like a cake and sank.
Thud—
In the meantime, I brought and planted a power pole. Power poles were easy to find anywhere in the country, and they served as a perfect marker indicating 'there's a transmission line underground here.'
The repair work was quickly finished but the real rescue operation was just beginning.
"Team Leader Park."
"Yes, Undertaker."
"Take your team and head up to Sejong. I'll join you after finishing some business around here."
"Understood. Thank you!"
The patrol caravan moved.
If it had been after the 380th cycle, Byojoki and Kongkongi would have pulled the carts, but unfortunately, this incident happened in the 205th cycle. The patrol members pushed handcarts themselves and moved away.
"Alright. Let's finish this quickly and return. Ha-yul, get on."
-Okay.
Ha-yul jumped and clung to my back like a sloth. I scoured the surrounding area with the regressor's unique walking technique.
Ha-yul, from behind, stretched her hands and formed sign language.
-Fun. Fun. Fun.
"..."
This kid liked riding on my back. She said it felt like riding a roller coaster.
Anyway, after an hour of searching, we couldn't find the missing members.
Just when I was about to give up and go back, something that shouldn't appear in the void caught my eye.
-Oppa, over there.
"...Yeah. I see it too."
Thunk. I stopped walking.
[DREAM CASINO]
Flashing.
Pink and red neon signs shone brightly. In a situation where even in Busan, where power outages occurred daily, I wondered where they got such power.
"A casino...?"
...It seemed the missing members had turned into gamblers.
-x-X-x-
The Dreamer II
It had been so long that I couldn't remember, but before I became an awakener, in my first cycle, I must have been a pretty decent young man.
Smoking? I didn't do it. Drinking? Not really.
Of course, I never got addicted to gambling either. Except for the fact that I re-rolled my life over 1,000 times to see the best ending.
-Oppa. I'm curious. I want to go inside.
"Hold on."
Therefore, even though Ha-yul tugged at my sleeve as soon as she saw the casino, I, a morally upright young man, didn't give in easily.
Instead, I drew my sword first.
A single slash.
An abrupt strike. My signature weapon, the cane-sword Do-hwa, sliced the world diagonally in half.
Rumble—
Dust rose from all directions. A part of the casino building, which had started illegal operations in the void, collapsed without resistance.
"...! ...!"
Ha-yul jumped around excitedly beside me, but it was just a silent scream.
No matter how curious I was, it was crucial to test whether 'physical force worked' on the opponent.
It wasn't just because I was the type of TRPG player who would suggest to the Game Master, "Can I fetch gasoline and burn down the house from the outside?" before entering a suspicious mansion.
Simply determining if physical force was effective allowed me to gauge the danger level of the void and the monsters.
I calmly observed the reaction of that 'casino anomaly.'
"Hiieeeeek!"
And then I witnessed an astonishing sight.
Tiny creatures came rushing out from the casino entrance, shrieking and flailing.
"The headquarters is collapsing!"
"Hiieeek! An earthquake? Is it an earthquake?"
"That's impossible! Our revolutionary front base was built in the safest area of the Korean Peninsula, considering all possible natural disasters."
"But an earthquake is happening!"
"Comrade 107! How can you deny the reality of a disaster happening right before our eyes with your petty bourgeois attitude?"
"I cannot endure self-criticism anymore."
"Hiiek! Comrades! Please, no purging!"
They were none other than the Tutorial Fairies.
The avatars of the Fairy King, a subordinate of the Outer God Infinite Void. In short, they were just imitations of imitations, rushing out to repair the building.
'...Why are they here again?'
I was dumbfounded. I sheathed my cane-sword and approached the fairies.
Tap, tap. I tapped the shoulder of the nearest fairy.
"Hey."
"Hoeh? Is it a human guest? Sorry, but due to a sudden earthquake disaster, our establishment is temporarily... heeeek? Undertaker!"
The fairy flipped over. Other fairies, who were on ladders holding hammers and tools, all looked this way simultaneously.
"Undertaker? Why? Why is the Undertaker here?"
"The Nightmare of Busan Station!"
"The Tyrant of Baekhwa Girls' High!"
"Comrade 107! What is this? Didn't you assure us that this place would never be discovered?"
"Hiyyyyyak! Run! Run away! If we get caught by that bastard again, our whole race will be annihilated!"
The fairies scattered in all directions, but it wasn't a very smart move. Sometimes, in RPG battles, the 'Run Away' command doesn't work, and this was one of those times.
"Ha-yul."
-Yes.
Spider silk shot out from Ha-yul's fingertips.
Shortly after, all 27 fairies were wrapped in spider silk and delivered in front of me.
"Hiek, hieek..."
"Hey. Weren't you all exterminated along with the Fairy King when Infinite Void was sealed? What are you doing hiding in this backwater?"
The fairies trembled.
"The Fairy King was just our oppressor...! We never truly submitted to that creature!"
"Oh. So, you mean there's a faction for the king and a revolutionary faction? But wasn't that just part of your setting? Are you still living with that revolutionary stuff?"
"Saying it's just a setting! No! We are very serious!"
The following fairy's words were quite shocking.
"We originally lived well without the Fairy King! But that terrifying entity created the Fairy King to oppress us!"
"...Huh?"
"Now that the Fairy King has perished, we have finally achieved the long-desired liberation of our fairies! However, due to prolonged oppression, our national capital is limited... Thus, we reluctantly entered the gambling business to raise revolutionary funds...!"
"Revolution is innocent!"
After gathering the suspects' testimonies and information, I reached a startling truth.
"So, you mean you had nothing to do with the Outer God Infinite Void, but Infinite Void created the Fairy King and just forcefully ruled over you?"
"Exactly!"
"So, the division between those who followed the Fairy King and those who didn't was real... There were royalists and republicans?"
"Have you been listening with your ears or a toilet bowl, human!"
Goodness.
Yes, in fact, the 'Tutorial Fairies' had nothing to do with Infinite Void. Infinite Void had created the puppet dictator Fairy King to oppress the fairies.
It was a form of colonial rule.
However, after I and Cheon Yo-hwa exterminated Infinite Void, the situation drastically changed. The fairies suddenly found themselves liberated and scattered everywhere, turning into guerrillas with a determination never to be dominated by a colossal anomaly again.
The casino established here... the so-called 'Dream Casino' was a business run by guerrilla fairies.
The reason for its operation? To build a fairy anomaly community by the fairies, for the fairies, and of the fairies!
'Indeed, all the anomalies at Baekhwa Girls' High were ghosts, but the Tutorial Fairies felt somewhat out of place.'
Who would've thought such a secret was hidden?
As I marveled at the wealth of information I didn't know about the world, Ha-yul jumped up and down next to me.
-Oppa. Oppa.
"Hmm?"
-Over there. I want to look around.
Apparently, Ha-yul had been very interested in the casino from the beginning. Well, since the danger had been confirmed to be almost non-existent.
"Hey, little ones. Give us a tour of how this casino operates."
"Hieek. That's nonsense! We can't reveal the interior of our revolutionary base to a bourgeois oppressor...!"
"Should I call Cheon Yo-hwa and ask her to put you in the hourglass where Infinite Void was sealed?"
"A tactical retreat for strategic advancement is understandable even among proletarian comrades...!"
We entered the casino.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the missing members of the caravan were found inside. More precisely, not in the casino but in the hotel built above the casino, where all three were fast asleep.
"What? Why are they all sleeping? Is this your doing?"
"Hieek...! T-This was done with mutual consent! At our casino, we exchange the chips that guests win for dreams instead of money!"
"Exchange for dreams?"
"Yes! Look at our menu...!"
A fairy pulled something out of its bosom. It was a large menu. It was far too big to fit into the fairy's body, but instead of nitpicking, I decided to read it.
――――――――――
♪♫*♪~Feels like walking in a dream~♪♫*♪
Thank you for visiting our 『DREAM』 casino ٩(♡ε♡ )۶! We welcome you with all our heart!◕‿◕)⼃
――――――――――
Rip.
I reflexively tore up the menu.
"Hieek? What are you doing!"
"Sorry. It's my instinct..."
"Is your instinct to tear up menus when you enter a store? That's scary! We put a lot of effort into making these with good paper, so don't waste them!"
Hmm.
I calmly received another menu and read it again. This time, for the sake of my mental health, I excluded the emoticons and only narrated the contents of the menu plainly.
――――――――――
[Dream Casino Guide]
*Welcome!
*At 'Dream Casino,' guests can enjoy various games using Fairy Coins. Fairy Coins are purchased with your 'time.'
*Rate: 1 hour = 1 Fairy Coin.
*To use the entertainment facilities in this casino, you must bet at least 1 Fairy Coin.
*Fairy Coins can be exchanged for the following rewards:
- 10 Fairy Coins: Enjoy a comfortable dream for a night. Guaranteed sound sleep. Dream content is unspecified. You can freely set the time from a minimum of 2 hours to a maximum of 24 hours.
- 50 Fairy Coins: Enhance a specific sense in the dream. Vision, smell, taste, etc. The memory of the sense is likely to remain relatively clear after the dream ends.
- 100 Fairy Coins: Choose a specific location in the dream. Any space within 100 square meters (e.g., a top-class restaurant before the end times). Movement beyond the set range is impossible. You can decorate the scenery seen through the windows for 10 Fairy Coins. Please consult with a staff member for detailed settings!
- 1,000 Fairy Coins: Choose a person to appear in the dream. Even someone who no longer exists in reality is possible.
- 2,000 Fairy Coins: Set the relationship between yourself and the person in the dream. Please consult with a staff member for detailed settings!
- 3,000 Fairy Coins: Set your own appearance in the dream. Change of appearance, social status, forgery of resume, gender change, age change are all possible. Please consult with a staff member for detailed settings!
.
.
.
- 10,000,000,000 Fairy Coins: Guarantee a perfect lucid dream. Promises senses and intellect identical to reality!
This item is a membership. Customers who exchange for this item will be immediately upgraded to 'VVIP' status, and the 'lucid dream' will be guaranteed when using other products.
- 100,000,000,000 Fairy Coins: Freely set the flow of time felt in the dream. Do you want immortality? Live for 100 years in a dream during 1 second in reality! If you get tired of the dream life, you can wake up immediately.
This item is a membership. Customers who exchange for this item will be immediately upgraded to 'VVVIP' status, and the 'time speed control' will be guaranteed when using other products.
*Note: The maximum number of coins that guests can exchange at once is 9,000 Fairy Coins.
*Note: This establishment may demand the repayment of the principal at midnight sharp every day. If you cannot repay the principal, your time will be confiscated for the amount of the missing coins.
How the confiscated time is used is entirely up to this establishment. We wish you safe and healthy gambling.
――――――――――
"..."
I was at a loss for words for a moment.
There were so many issues to address that I didn't know where to start. But first, as a regressor, I asked the question I had to resolve.
"Hey, do you guys... have the ability to manipulate dreams?"
"Hoeh? Of course."
"We are dream fairies."
"We couldn't do our main job due to the oppression of the Fairy King, but our true name is Baku[1], the Dream Eaters."
Shock! A truth revealed in the 205th cycle!
The true identity of the Tutorial Fairies was Baku, the Dream Eaters, also known as Succubi and Incubi!
-Fairy Coin. 9000 coins, wish to exchange. Exciting.
Next to me, Ha-yul, who seemed to have absorbed some Japanese culture, was burning with the spirit of Pachinko. I flicked her forehead and looked at the fairies.
"What happens to human customers whose time is confiscated?"
"Hoeh. This happens."
Suddenly.
One of the caravan members who had been lying on the hotel bed suddenly stood up. Ha-yul, startled, shrank back.
The member was a middle-aged man. His beard was overgrown, likely because he had been trapped in the void for days.
He muttered with a vacant expression, his eyes glazed over.
"Hoeh, hoeh, Fairy number 5000... reporting my name and rank..."
"..."
Silence.
Both Ha-yul and I looked at the fairies, demanding an explanation.
The Tutorial Fairies, no, the Baku, tilted their heads with a clueless expression.
"Hoeh. That customer took out a full loan of 9000 coins and lost it all in baccarat in just one day. Now he has to work as a comrade of our Fairy Revolution Club for the next 10 years!"
"That's right!"
"Hoeh! We will keep advancing without stopping until the day of revolution!"
This is insane.
It's a breeding ground for anomalies.
Footnotes:
[1] Baku (獏 or 貘) are Japanese supernatural beings that are said to devour nightmares. They originate from the chinese Mo. According to legend, they were created by the spare pieces that were left over when the gods finished creating all other animals. They have a long history in Japanese folklore and art, and more recently have appeared in manga and anime.
-x-X-x-
The Dreamer III
"But before the revolution could even begin, we were caught by the notorious reactionary, the Undertaker..."
"Hoeek. Tears, we have tears..."
Droop.
The fairies' bodies drooped.
To reiterate, fairies were anomalies that directly challenged human physics.
Not only did their shoulders slump like humans, but their entire bodies melted like slime, sticking to the ground.
"Why do the attempts of those who dream of a world revolution always end in disaster?"
"Failure, another failure..."
"From the moment we left our homeland, we gave up wealth and honor, but seeing all the seeds of our revolution turn to ashes is truly exhausting..."
Dark clouds began to form around the fairies' slime bodies.
Hmm.
There were countless points I wanted to address, but first, I needed to clear up a major misunderstanding.
"Hey. I don't understand, so let me ask you something."
"Hoe...?"
"Why am I a reactionary?"
Blink, blink.
The fairies tilted their heads in confusion.
"Well, you caused chaos at Busan Station and Baekhwa Girls' High, so naturally, you're our enemy. And our enemy is the enemy of the revolution."
"That binary thinking is certainly fitting for revolutionaries, but isn't it true that I helped you?"
"Hoeek?"
At that moment, I felt what they call a 'kill angle.'
You could say I felt infinite possibilities.
The first material humans made into a weapon was not stone but the tongue. I wielded an intangible sword.
"At Busan Station, you oppressed humans first, so you should be grateful that I stopped you before you committed any evil deeds. Isn't that right?"
"…Is that so?"
"And I defeated Infinite Void at Baekhwa Girls' High, causing the Fairy King to perish. Thanks to that, you were freed from your shackles. Aren't I your liberator?"
"...."
"...."
The fairies looked at each other.
"Hoe?"
"Now that you mention it, it sounds plausible..."
"If self-salvation is impossible, aiming for external salvation is an acceptable revolutionary methodology."
"But wouldn't that just be accepting another new oppressor?"
Whisper, whisper.
Suddenly, a revolutionary debate erupted. For revolutionaries, a debate was a type of coliseum. Those who lost were purged. I also fervently joined the debate.
"No, that's not it. Did I try to dominate you after defeating Infinite Void? I left you alone."
"Hoe."
The truth was, I thought they had been exterminated along with Infinite Void, so I ignored them. But in the grand scheme of revolution, minor details didn't matter. Only the linear progression of history was important.
"I didn't interfere even when you gathered and opened this casino. How can I be a reactionary and an oppressor?"
"Indeed..."
"There's logic in that...!"
"Wait! Then why did you just destroy our casino with your sword?"
It was a sharp question, but far too weak to damage my iron face.
"Well, you kidnapped our management team first, so I attacked."
"Hoeek, kidnapped? We didn't..."
"Moreover, no matter how much the ends justify the means, how can opening an illegal gambling den be revolutionary? Why not sell drugs too? You'd be a perfect mafia gang cartel."
"Hoeeeek..."
"Then... were you really the savior of our race, Undertaker?"
Their eyes sparkled as they looked up at me. Suspicion and expectation mixed in their gazes, proving now was the time for the finishing blow.
I smiled kindly.
"Don't call me that. We are comrades in the revolution, born on different days but sworn to die together."
"Huh!"
"Comrade Undertaker...!"
The fairies sprang up.
"How could this be! We misunderstood Comrade Undertaker's true intentions all this time!"
"Now that I hear it, not a single word is wrong! Comrade eliminated the Fairy King and its vile master, and asked for nothing in return!"
"Liberator!"
"The Torch of Freedom! Our Savior!"
"Ah, Revolution! The leader guiding the ignorant masses! Comrade Undertaker is the avant-garde of this world!"
It was over.
What was there to hide? From that moment, I leveraged my defeat of Infinite Void to become the secretary-general of the fairies.
When I established the 'Canned Hotel' to train writers in the 560th cycle, the ability to mobilize the fairies en masse stemmed from this position.
"But regardless of mutual misunderstandings, I'm sorry for destroying your base."
"It's okay, Comrade Undertaker!"
"We're the ones who lured your subordinates to the baccarat table, so we're more apologetic!"
"Hmm. No, no. I understand how commendable your revolutionary spirit is. So, I have a proposal..."
I smiled broadly.
"If you truly want to complete the revolution, you can't stay hidden in this backwater. You need to move to the city. What do you say, comrades? Would you like to experience city life with me?"
"…Hoe?"
A month later.
A splendid banner hung at the entrance of the Inunaki Tunnel that opened into the sea off the coast of Busan.
[Coffee Shop Hideout Event!]
[New Entertainment Facility 'Dream Casino' Now Open!]
[Massive Entertainment Hall Run by Baku! Welcome to Dream Utopia!]
In this modern era, it was fair to say it was the age of advertising. Naturally, just hanging a banner wasn't enough to appeal to customers.
"Huh? What's this?"
"Was there always an ad like this...?"
For the first time, 'advertisements' appeared on SG Net. Whether surfing the website or posting, the 'Dream Casino' ad sparkled continuously on the screen.
It was practically a monopoly.
People who clicked the ad received a welcome gift of 100 coins. While it wasn't as fun as visiting the casino in person, an 'Internet Casino' was also established for simple online entertainment.
Of course, it was just a trivial pastime, a kind of bait.
This would eventually make people curious enough to visit the main branch—the 'real casino' in Busan.
And there was more.
"Undertaker, do we really need to go this far?"
"Trust me. This casino business will definitely be a hit."
"…Alright."
The Saintess sighed but reluctantly followed my lead.
Soon, every Awakener active on the Korean Peninsula received a constellation message.
[The Dream Baku manages the casino.]
That's right.
The debut of a new constellation!
Previously, I had created a new constellation called 'The Librarian of the Great Library' when establishing the 'Library Society's Encyclopedia of Anomalies' board. I put Sim Ah-ryeon in charge.
This time, by setting up the casino in the Inunaki Tunnel, I forged a new constellation called 'Dream Baku.'
[The Dream Baku is the lord of all fairies.]
[The Dream Baku desires you to be intoxicated in dreams. Play. That is the way to praise and worship the 'Dream Baku.]
[The deeper your faith in Dream Baku, the more varied the types of entertainment you can enjoy in the casino.]
The Librarian of the Great Library. The Dream Baku.
Gradually, the scale of the website was expanding to fit the name 'SG Net'—'Constellation Net.'
Names borrowed from historical figures were slowly becoming more real, reaching out to awakeners.
Noh Do-hwa, who had been informed of my plan in advance, frowned.
"Undertaker, is there a reason we must proceed with this casino business? Even if the transactions are only 'time' and 'dreams,' a casino is still a casino. Won't it have adverse effects...?"
"It will."
I didn't deny it.
"Some awakeners might get addicted to gambling. As a result, they might mortgage their entire lifetime to the fairies."
"Even so...?"
"Even so, we must proceed. Not just because there are too few entertainment facilities these days. Chief, look at this."
"Hmm...?"
I lifted a transparent box. Inside were coin-like objects lined up.
They were casino chips.
"We have finally discovered something. What do you see, Chief?"
"Uh. Aren't those casino chips...?"
"Yes. Money."
Clatter.
I grabbed a handful of chips and dropped them on the table.
"Currency. Money, Chief. Think about it. If we succeed with Dream Casino, we can finally circulate 'safe money' in this damned apocalypse."
"...!"
Noh Do-hwa's eyes widened behind her glasses.
Our gazes electrified.
"Until now, we've only managed to maintain exchange rights in very limited ways, backed by food. But this is different. Fairy Coins, used in Dream Casino, can literally be exchanged for 'any goods' people want."
"In a dream..."
"Yes, even if it's a dream. A dream you can set up yourself isn't much different from reality. Look at the last item. With a hundred billion coins, you can turn all those dreams into perfect lucid dreams. With a trillion coins? You can control the flow of time in the dream."
"Aha. Aha..."
"Practically, very few people will manage to hold a hundred billion or a trillion coins. But it doesn't matter. Currency is originally an illusion, a fantasy, a ghost. The difference from mere individual delusion is—"
"Not a single person's dream but a dream shared by all humans... Hence, a fantasy that carries the weight of real-world materials..."
"Exactly."
"Huh. Literally a dream casino. The play of Baku..."
Noh Do-hwa picked up a casino chip I had dropped with her delicate fingers.
"Good..."
Her monocle glinted. A sigh escaped from her slightly parted lips.
"Not the gold standard, nor petro-dollars, nor Bitcoin, but 'dream standard'... Hah. Currency, which started with the dream of civilization, returns to its original form at the end. What a paradox..."
"How about it?"
"Huh..."
Noh Do-hwa adjusted her monocle. Then she looked at me intently.
"It suits you..."
"Pardon?"
"I said it suits you. This is essentially an advanced form of your power, isn't it? Time Seal or something..."
"..."
"I know you regard Time Seal as a curse, not a power. But from my perspective, you are also a kind of Baku, Undertaker. And you've just strengthened your power by subjugating anomalies... Congratulations. What do they call it? Ability upgrade...?"
"I only repeat the same day endlessly. The fairies' dreams are just simulations. No matter how powerful their abilities, they can't create dreams by accounting for all variables in reality."
I looked at Noh Do-hwa.
We examined each other's gazes.
"Master Artisan Noh Do-hwa. Just as the sword Do-hwa you made wasn't something the Outer God Infinite Void could calculate."
"..."
"I will aim for reality. As I have so far. Forever."
Silence fell.
With a deep sigh, Noh Do-hwa nodded.
"...Good. Then there's no worry. Let's proceed with the currency reform immediately. It's a damned brilliant plan..."
That was the highest praise Noh Do-hwa could give.
"Oh, and what will we name this new base currency to be circulated in our world? Fairy Coin...?"
"No. I thought of calling it Dream Currency (夢貨), but simply calling it 'Won' might be better."
"Oh? Why's that...?"
"Familiarity will make it easier for people."
I tossed the casino chip, or rather, the new world's currency, to Noh Do-hwa.
She skillfully caught my money.
"A dream flowing in this endlessly repeating world, so Won (圓). A currency that lives off human wishes and dreams, so Won (願). And a target of curses and lamentation, so Won (怨). Conveniently, both Japan and China use the terms Yen (円) and Yuan (元), respectively. It can be interpreted in many ways. Powerful spells often hide behind multiple names."
"Hmmm... Well."
Noh Do-hwa pocketed the money with her usual twisted smile.
"Not bad. I'll leave the magical aspects to you, Undertaker, as it's your specialty..."
There's an epilogue.
Not long after, the National Road Management Corps began to serve as a 'bank.'
They freely supplied each major guild in various cities with 9 billion Won worth of 'currency.' Interest-free.
When the guild leaders visited Busan, they each used the casino and left excellent reviews in reality and on SG Net.
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: It was a midsummer night's dream. How long has it been since I tasted such a high-class omakase restaurant? A glass of wine. A warm partner. It was a time to realize again the truth that life is enough with just that. Though I couldn't leave photos, isn't that also a form of beauty? Today's saying: Moment, stop. You are truly beautiful.
-[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Totally recommended!! I could enjoy an ordinary school life! I achieved my bucket list of walking home hand in hand under the cherry blossoms! (>_<);;
Rave reviews.
Naturally, the guild leaders' reviews stimulated other guild members and further piqued the interest of awakeners across the Korean Peninsula.
Within less than two years, the Won became the official base currency.
It was almost no problem to exchange goods with only the Won in the Korean Peninsula-Japan archipelago-China continent regions, considering the naming preferences of those still concerned with the sequence of the countries' names.
The 205th cycle might have been a critical turning point in some sense.
Of course, many incidents occurred due to Dream Casino and the Won... But those are stories for another time.
So, let's end this chapter with a glimpse into a dream I bought at the casino.
"Brother Hyun-deok!"
"Oh! Undertaker! My brother, you've done a great job!"
"How could this be my achievement alone? Thanks to Brother Woonjang leading the soldiers, and the fault lies with Jo-jeok for betraying the people's will. Ultimately, it's Brother Hyun-deok's merit for gathering the scattered people of the world."
"Hohoho. I can't compete with your eloquence, Undertaker."
I, no, Yu-bi, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu, and the Undertaker Sworn Brotherhood founded the Shu Han in the dream. Naturally, we cut off Cao Cao's head and threw it into the waters of Xu Province.
This was true justice. The proper Romance of the Three Kingdoms. A story so moving, one couldn't watch without tears.
I was deeply moved.
How could I selfishly keep this thrill to myself?
Right after waking from the dream, I pounded the keyboard (the reincarnation laptop given by the Outer God).
In no time, a lengthy Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel was completed.
I handed this 'masterpiece' to my so-called editor.
"Dok-seo, make sure to include this in the main story. Wow, even I think it's a masterpiece. A monumental parody of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I plan to serialize it on SG Net too, so in the main story..."
"Wait. Are you telling me to insert a 600-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms parody into the novel I'm editing?"
"Exactly. That solves the issue of the number of chapters you mentioned perfectly. The readers will cry tears of joy."
"Aren't you a crazy maniac?"
"...?"
...Unfortunately, it seems my masterpiece won't be included in the main story due to some ignorant chuuni.
-x-X-x-
The Disbeliever I
Do you know what promise Koreans will never keep?
"Let's have a meal together sometime."
That's right.
To Koreans, this phrase doesn't actually mean meeting up to increase insulin secretion when you're really hungry.
To interpret it precisely,
"We are not allies, but at least we declare that we are not hostile to each other at this moment."
Every country has sophisticated diplomatic expressions like this.
For example, when a Japanese person from Kyoto asks, "Would you like some ochazuke?" it doesn't mean "Wow! Traditional food! The Japanese are so kind!"
If North Korea launches a missile, the automatic AI translation in your head should process it as "Please notice us! We're here too!" instead of "Damn Southern bastards, die!"
It's the same with "Let's have a meal together sometime."
If you respond to a Korean's statement with "Sure! When? Tomorrow? Next week?" the other party will seriously question whether this diplomatic relationship is worth maintaining.
And there's one common diplomatic statement that transcends national borders:
"The end of the world is coming soon! Everyone!"
"Hell is coming! I can see the scenery of hell with my eyes! Get on the new ark before the hellfire pours down!"
"I am the Son of Heaven and the Savior. Those who believe this truth will be blessed, but calamity will follow the disbelievers, this I declare."
It's the doomsday prophecy of cults.
Anyone who lives with their brain's translation function always on knows that the proper interpretation of "Someday, the world will end!" from cultists is: "But if you donate, we might be able to extend the deadline."
People who don't understand this basic diplomatic language are a minority in any country. The marginalized weak who are excluded from international diplomacy are always exploited.
And then the Void arrived.
"Wow! The end of the world really is here! The guru's prophecy was true! Guru! What should we do now? Should we start the mass suicide you mentioned?"
"Uh."
The brains of anomalies didn't have a translator installed. Of course, they couldn't understand the subtleties of human diplomacy.
On the day the Void arrived, cult leaders worldwide felt an involuntary urge to ask the anomalies, "Are you seriously that clueless?"
"No… what I meant was, just because the end is near doesn't mean we have to commit suicide…"
"Guru, stop talking nonsense and hurry up and kill yourself."
Most cult leaders found themselves on the receiving end of the clueless accusation instead.
But they didn't need to be too sad. Their followers weren't mean enough to completely abandon their gurus. They kindly completed the "prophecy fulfillment" achievement together.
- Breaking news. This morning at around 11 a.m., evidence of mass suicide was found in a facility in Chungcheongbuk-do…
- According to police investigations, there is no clear connection between the recent series of collective incidents…
- The terrorist group that occupied the Seoul subway has been identified as members of a certain cult. They committed mass suicide once a day, including their leader…
It was a harsh season for cult leaders.
There had never been such an unemployment crisis. Running a cult required more stringent choices.
However, in troubled times, heroes always emerge.
In the Korean Peninsula, two cult leaders successfully overcame countless suicide suggestions and declared, "I want to live! With you!"
Entry number one.
"All Awakeners must join the New Buddha to escape the sin of killing as soon as possible! Those who don't are going against the will of Hwaeom! They are disruptors of universal peace!"
"Immortality without killing! Spiritual Hwaeom! Eternal cosmic peace!"
New Buddhism.
Coincidentally, a monk in central Korea who had settled in his city saw the zombie virus, the Udumbara, and reached enlightenment.
The faith that wearing flowers on their heads would make them immune to anomalies resonated deeply with modern people who doubted the performance of their mental translators. They willingly replaced their brain translators with more eco-friendly materials.
New Buddhism rapidly expanded its influence, dominating the Korean Peninsula, the Japanese archipelago, and the Chinese continent. At one time, South Korea's most popular export was not K-pop but K-religion.
Of course, once I started defeating the Udumbara, it lost all its influence. The monk and his followers booked a one-way ticket to Nirvana.
Entry number two.
"Understood! Brothers and sisters! I, your shepherd, will lead the way!"
"As expected of our leader!"
"Mo Gwang-seo! Mo Gwang-seo!"
Mo Gwang-seo.
Like all pioneers of new doctrines, Mo Gwang-seo had a unique background.
He was a double excommunicate, first excommunicated by the Catholic Church from the Mary's Ark of Salvation, then again by the group that excommunicated him. He was truly an unparalleled cultist.
When you multiply a negative by a negative, it becomes a positive. Unusually for a cult leader, Mo Gwang-seo had a mathematical brain and was convinced he was on the right path of faith.
His followers numbered around 210. He didn't even rank among the top cults on the Korean Peninsula, but Mo Gwang-seo didn't mind. After all, Jesus had only twelve disciples (one of whom respected Brutus more than his master).
Mo Gwang-seo's confidence was not without basis.
More accurately, he created the basis.
"What's that smell? Leader, what is that?"
"Ether."
"Pardon?"
"This is the holy ether that will guide me to heaven, contained in this barrel."
The latest chemical substance Mo Gwang-seo called ether was also known as gasoline.
Indeed, Mo Gwang-seo proved he was on a different level from other mediocre cult leaders.
Before his followers could even hint at wanting an explosive show like the one they heard the next-door cult leader had, Mo Gwang-seo had already prepared gasoline.
"Brothers and sisters! Fire has always been holy ether! It purifies the worldly filth and brings us closer to heaven! But cleansing these foul airs is no easy task. As a soul who has penetrated the six spiritual realms, I will pave the way and guide you all to the heavenly kingdom above."
The commonality between a rock star and a cult leader is the importance of performance on stage.
As soon as his speech ended, Mo Gwang-seo doused himself in oil from head to toe.
The smell of gasoline was so strong that even someone with pollen-impaired senses in spring could notice it.
"Everyone! You must do the same. Each of you must break through this wind path I open with your full might as one so that the souls left on Earth can easily ascend! And let the world be saved by the merciful light of glory and the blessing of love! In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen!"
Mo Gwang-seo quickly ran outside the hall. He had received a normal education in South Korea and knew what would happen if gasoline ignited in an enclosed space.
Incidentally, he majored in film directing in college.
"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen!"
"Leader! Leader!"
Moved by the cries, a few followers shouted "Amen!" and chased after the cult leader. One particularly fast follower easily caught up to the leader and hugged him tightly.
"Leader! I'll go with you! I'll pave the wind path with you!"
"Oh- ohhh!"
Perhaps Mo Gwang-seo intended to keep running and escape.
After leaving the followers' sight, he might have planned to detonate pre-set explosives to make it seem like the leader sacrificed himself to ascend.
Then, if he returned a few days later, he would appear to the followers as a resurrected messiah. This would be a textbook example of turning a crisis into an opportunity.
What Mo Gwang-seo didn't account for was that his performance was so brilliant it overly inspired the followers.
"Let go! Let go! Don't touch that—"
Boom!
According to survivors, an explosion occurred near the parking lot of the hall. Even if Mo Gwang-seo had doused himself in oil, simply catching fire wouldn't have caused a massive outdoor explosion.
Mo Gwang-seo and the two followers who went after him were blown up on the spot. Particularly, Mo Gwang-seo's body was torn to pieces and burned for a long time.
"The leader has ascended!"
"The leader has paved the wind path!"
"Ah, holy. Amen..."
Had the story ended here, it wouldn't have been different from countless other cults that sprang up and naturally dissipated right after the Void's arrival.
As always, misfortune struck when the curtain didn't fall at the story's end.
"Huh?"
"What is it, Mr. Kim? Don't change your mind now, just douse yourself with gasoline."
"No, look! Look at the leader's ascension site! That's...!"
"What?"
As the remaining followers were preparing for a group immolation in the parking lot, someone pointed.
There was light.
This wasn't a literary interpretation about logos meaning light in the Bible. The literal 'light' appeared near the outdoor parking lot of Okjeong Lake in Okjeong-dong, Yangju, Gyeonggi Province.
Step. A human silhouette walked out from the center of the light.
"Oh, ohhh..."
It was Mo Gwang-seo.
Backlit by the light, Mo Gwang-seo looked as if he was surrounded by a halo.
Thud. The followers kneeled without hesitation.
They wept.
"A miracle..."
"The leader has resurrected!"
Smirk.
Mo Gwang-seo, or rather, the being the followers believed to be Mo Gwang-seo, did not answer. He merely smiled kindly.
But that was enough for the mentally conditioned followers.
Like heroines in light novels falling for the protagonist's head-patting technique, the followers washed their tears with tears, kissed Mo Gwang-seo's feet, and pledged eternal loyalty.
"It's a resurrection! It's a miracle of resurrection!"
Now, the followers no longer needed the wind path to ascend to heaven.
The very place where the resurrected Jesus existed, this land, was the holy temple.
They didn't hear trumpets, nor did they see angels, but those trivial details didn't matter. To live as a cultist, you must have the courage to ignore life's trivialities. And the 200 followers were indeed courageous.
"Chairman Mo Gwang-seo was the resurrected Jesus!"
"Oh! Amen! Amen!"
"I am saved! We are saved!"
Mo Gwang-seo won.
Where? In the religious war.
In this land called the Korean Peninsula, a jar of despair with 20 gods and 50 resurrected Jesuses waging eternal crusades, Mo Gwang-seo was chosen as the last man standing.
Now, Mo Gwang-seo's cult was reborn as the 'Resurrection Church.'
"Spread this miracle far and wide!"
"Believe in the miracles of holy water and holy fire!"
"Evangelize and evangelize again! Amen!"
Followers of the Resurrection Church traveled across the country with holy water—gasoline—marked on their foreheads.
While New Buddhism absorbed followers from the Buddhist sects, the Resurrection Church voraciously devoured Christian believers.
Of course, other cultists became the most tempting prey.
"What? Apostatize? How dare you! Our leader received the Eucharist from the Pope, and it turned into flesh and blood in his mouth, and our statue of the Virgin Mary shed tears 500 times, and we have photos and evidence!"
"So what? Our leader resurrected."
"What?"
"Our leader is the resurrected Jesus. What can you say to that?"
Mo Gwang-seo's resurrection didn't end at one. The first time was hard; the second, third, and fourth were easy.
Every Sunday, Mo Gwang-seo was engulfed in gasoline and set ablaze. And each time, he walked out of the light, beaming a merciful smile.
"Ah, ahh!"
"Do you believe now?"
"I believe! Amen!"
The material 'evidence' other cults boasted of was nullified by the vivid resurrection show before their eyes.
Sinning by killing the person they believed to be Jesus every Sunday was justified before the mission of evangelism. It was unrealistic to expect rationality from them.
Attending Sunday mass and then returning to their base, the apostates immediately arrested the 'false prophets.'
"You Satanic bastards! Do you think you can do this to me and get away with it?"
"Shut up! You are Satan!"
"What, what?"
The competitors who were gods and Jesuses yesterday turned into Satan overnight.
Followers criticized themselves for being deceived by the Antichrist and poured the holy water from the Resurrection Church on Satan's head.
"Please, spare me! Please, spare me!"
"Let the ether purify the filthy soul. Amen."
"Amen!"
Holy beacons ignited across the country. Naturally, stories of the Resurrection Church began to reach me, who was active between Seoul and Busan.
'...What the hell.'
My eyes grew cold.
There was nothing special about cults themselves. They had always been prevalent on the Korean Peninsula.
Ever since Hwanung hypnotized a perfectly normal bear, saying, "You are not a bear anymore, but a human," this land had been famous for mental brainwashing.
But the Resurrection Church was a bit different.
I was a sound Korean. So, as soon as I heard Mo Gwang-seo's story, the AI translator in my head worked furiously.
A being that keeps resurrecting?
But doesn't understand human language?
Glows and smiles silently with each resurrection?
'...No matter how I look at it, that's not a person. It's a human transformed into an anomaly.'
Indeed.
These cultists were no longer content worshiping humans and had started venerating 'anomalies' as Jesus.