Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 42

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Got a Gallery in the Wild ◈

Chapter 42: Con Artist (3)

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Wi Seorak, the Demon Brain, had overcome countless crises in life.

The greatest of them had been the oppression of those in high places.

With an exceptional mind, Wi Seorak had been a threat to them.

A mere commoner like Wi Seorak being far more capable than the proud heirs of great families?

They could never tolerate that. Whenever they got the chance, they kicked away the ladder beneath Wi Seorak.

But Wi Seorak had climbed through sheer spite and grit. A ladder was never needed.

You would think they would have acknowledged that by then, but unfortunately, Wi Seorak had no luck with people.

What came in return was terrifying oppression. It was through that process that Wi Seorak developed such fierce resolve.

With that resolve, Wi Seorak entered the Demonic Cult and used that exceptional mind to rise all the way to the position of Demon Brain.

“What's wrong? Do you use the gallery too?”

“Well...”

Today, Wi Seorak faced the greatest crisis of life once again.

It was an order from the Heavenly Demon, a being who stood above ten thousand others and in the heavens.

After hearing her command, Wi Seorak's mind raced at full speed.

It came to only one answer.

‘I'm fucked.’

This was seriously fucked.

For an absurd reason, Wi Seorak had encountered the greatest crisis of life.

As a gallery user, Wi Seorak could grasp the current situation.

News had spread that the Inner Core listed in the Auction House was fake. It was an incident involving Grylls, who had caused such a stir lately.

‘Wild Grylls. She must have stepped in to help him.’

Yu Sowol had clearly called Wi Seorak in to help Grylls. That much was easy to predict.

What Wi Seorak had not expected was being ordered to access the gallery.

Wi Seorak quickly turned over the possibilities before opening their mouth.

If even a second of silence passed, Yu Sowol would grow suspicious.

“Heavenly One. By gallery, do you mean the Continent-Wide Gallery?”

“That is correct.”

“As it is Heaven's command, I shall obey. Yet this dull-witted servant cannot grasp the situation. Please tell me why.”

Even while stalling for time, Wi Seorak's mind kept spinning.

Accessing the gallery and leaving a verification post as ordered.

If that happened, every post cursing Yu Sowol would be exposed.

The fact that Wi Seorak used a registered user account instead of a semi-registered one made the danger feel even more real.

‘I'd created a registered username out of necessity, and now this happens...’

Why had Wi Seorak used a registered username? Trade and the Auction House.

The Demonic Cult was located in a fairly remote place. Supplies were therefore vital.

In the past, it had been practically neglected, and many people had starved.

Things had improved greatly after Wi Seorak reformed it and Yu Sowol made her debut in the Martial World.

‘I need to resolve this without getting caught.’

At the time, it had been done out of necessity, so Wi Seorak had not thought much of it.

But who could have known Yu Sowol would openly order them to reveal their handle?

It was Wi Seorak's mistake for failing to predict just how different her way of thinking was from everyone else's.

‘Will Heaven respect my privacy?’

The Heavenly Demon, Yu Sowol, had a domineering and overbearing personality.

She was someone who did whatever she wanted without caring about other people's opinions.

With martial strength to support that personality, she was revered by demonic cultists.

‘She has to. Otherwise, I'm dead.’

The Heavenly Demon in the gallery was strangely different.

Her overbearing attitude and self-centered personality remained the same, but she had a human side.

You could tell from the boundless consideration she showed Grylls.

Wi Seorak desperately hoped she would extend that same consideration to them.

Otherwise, they would die socially or physically.

“Reason? Must I explain even that much?”

“...”

“Or is there some truth you cannot let the gallery discover?”

“I do not use the gallery, Heavenly One.”

“You tell lies without even hesitating.”

“...”

Fuck. Wi Seorak cursed internally.

They had tried to keep their voice from shaking, but she had seen through them.

Still, they had no choice but to lie. Only then could they hope for Yu Sowol's understanding.

If Yu Sowol had been an unreasonable tyrant, Wi Seorak would have lost their head long ago. Thankfully, she was not one.

At the very least, she was someone who knew how to respect those beneath her. Otherwise, she would have ordered Wi Seorak to force their way through the Forest of Four Seasons.

Hoping for understanding after lying was unreasonable, but there was no choice if Wi Seorak wanted to beat extremely slim odds.

The moment they entered the gallery, physical death would be certain. This was a gamble with their life on the line.

“I shall believe your lie. But from now on, you would do well to speak the truth.”

“I will remember that.”

“Good. Did you ask why? I shall tell you everything.”

Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness. Wi Seorak breathed a sigh of relief inside.

The gamble they had staked their life on had ended successfully. That did not mean the danger had passed.

“My benefactor is being falsely accused. Lend me the wisdom to resolve this situation.”

“This servant's wisdom belongs entirely to Heaven. Please give the command.”

“The situation is this...”

Yu Sowol's explanation was simple, but packed with detail.

Wi Seorak had already pieced together everything, so they were mostly just pretending to listen.

Countless possibilities had already been laid out in their mind. Sorting through them one by one was not difficult.

“Do you understand?”

“I do. Someone has not only doubted Heaven's discernment, but has even spoken lies. They deserve divine punishment.”

“...”

Yu Sowol narrowed her eyes at Wi Seorak.

It was the sort of look that asked whether someone who had just lied had any right to say that.

Wi Seorak could not see her expression while bowing, but they could read the mood well enough.

Their conscience felt as if it were being stabbed by daggers. Wi Seorak did their best to ignore it.

If one lie could save their life, it was a very small price to pay.

“May I offer my opinion?”

“Speak.”

“First, we cannot rule out the possibility that the Inner Core won at auction is an ordinary object with no effects at all. The one you gave me may have been an Inner Core, but there is no guarantee the other one was.”

“Hmm.”

Yu Sowol nodded. That point had concerned her as well.

The reason she had overlooked Wi Seorak's lie was that this was not something she could resolve through simple thought.

She had planned to first confirm whether Wi Seorak knew of the gallery, then borrow their wisdom.

Her overbearing manner had made her order Wi Seorak to reveal their handle first, but Yu Sowol had not realized that herself.

‘It seems they have something to hide.’

In any case, Yu Sowol understood them. The gallery was an ideal place to vent desires and stress.

Wi Seorak must have often behaved in ways they would be ashamed to show others.

All gallery users were like that. She could understand perfectly.

“Then is there no solution?”

“They have made uncertainty the issue, so we must cleverly use that uncertainty against them. It is a matter of credibility.”

“I would say my benefactor has greater credibility.”

“This is not something to take lightly. Gallery users are like hyenas. Once they spot prey, they tear into it without caring about anything else.”

“Hyenas...”

Yu Sowol nodded at the comparison of gallery users to hyenas.

Users rushed in like mad whenever something entertaining happened.

Whether it was true or false did not matter. They simply bit and tore because it was entertaining.

On the other hand, if they could secure trust, that pack of hyenas could become allies.

“The slanderer's goal is likely one thing, reaching an amicable settlement with Heaven's benefactor.”

“An amicable settlement?”

“If Grylls gets suspended, his life may be in danger. That is what they are aiming for.”

“They are toying with someone's life.”

Yu Sowol put on an expression of displeasure.

If she could have had her way, she would have tracked them down and beaten them senseless.

But location tracking was an authority only the Head Mod possessed.

She did not think the Head Mod would grant her that authority, especially not in a situation like this.

“Is there a solution?”

“There is a simple method.”

“What is it?”

“You must make your debut in the gallery, Heavenly One.”

It sounded funny to say that she should make her debut in the gallery, but the point was simple.

She had to verify her identity in the gallery, proving that she was the real Heavenly Demon.

The registered user who had constantly posted shitposts, and who was now an assistant moderator, had to prove that Yu Sowol was truly the Heavenly Demon.

“You rejected my command, yet you dare make a suggestion. What a contradiction.”

“My apologies, Heavenly One.”

“Speak honestly, without a single lie. Do you have no intention of verifying your identity yourself?”

“I would rather hang myself and die.”

“Hmm.”

Were they truly that unwilling to verify themself? Yu Sowol nodded.

She did not want to lose someone as capable as Wi Seorak over such an absurd reason.

“Even if I verified my identity, it would not mean much. They could say we had coordinated our stories.”

“I see.”

“What does Heaven think...”

“I refuse.”

Yu Sowol's response was firm. It was an unmistakable rejection.

Wi Seorak was curious about her answer, but they did not dare ask.

‘Is she embarrassed?’

There was no small chance of that. More than that, Wi Seorak knew about the Heavenly Demon's activities as an assistant moderator in the gallery.

That was why she had generously overlooked their lie. Empathy was the beginning of understanding.

‘If she reveals her identity, there would be no reason to use the gallery.’

Wi Seorak's thoughts, however, were completely wrong.

Was Yu Sowol refusing to reveal her identity in the gallery because she was embarrassed? Absolutely not.

‘How could I give up treating people however I please, driven by instinct without any ceremony or dignity?’

Yu Sowol was actually open and proud about it.

Her words and actions did not change at all, whether in reality or in the gallery.

The joy of living as a single human being outside the frame of the Heavenly Demon.

Yu Sowol liked that life very much. That was why she was reluctant to reveal her identity.

If she lived as the Heavenly Demon even in the gallery, life would become not only monotonous, but boring.

‘There would be those who approach me only because they see my majesty.’

Kindness directed toward the Heavenly Demon, not toward a human being. It would be no different from reality.

If that happened, she would immediately quit the gallery.

That was why Yu Sowol could never give up her anonymity.

Anonymity was usually used as a shield, but for her, it was a means of showing herself exactly as she was.

‘Though my benefactor does not seem interested in who I am.’

That was also why she liked Grylls.

His consideration, respect, and manners were filled with pure goodwill.

It was warmth Yu Sowol had never felt in her life, so she wanted to help him.

“If necessary, I can put my name on the line. Yet I wonder whether it is worth that much.”

“Your words are absolutely correct.”

So even the Heavenly Demon was human in the end. She knew shame.

As Wi Seorak's not-quite-misunderstanding continued, Yu Sowol opened her lovely lips.

“Is there no other method?”

“There is. We need only redirect the hyenas' attention toward the one who told the lie. Grylls has built up credibility as well, so it should be easy.”

“Explain it... Wait a moment.”

Yu Sowol looked into the air as she spoke.

Wi Seorak stole a glance at her before immediately entering the gallery.

Something must have happened there. Otherwise, she would not have acted like that.

‘Nothing seems different?’

The gallery had not changed. Posts cursing Grylls were still everywhere.

There were occasional people defending Grylls, but they were only a small minority.

The posts were nearly flooding the gallery, enough that the Head Mod had issued a warning.

“Demon Brain.”

“Yes, Heavenly One.”

“My benefactor has found another Inner Core.”

“What?”