WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 82: Episode 17 - SSS-grade Talent (1)

I frowned at Yu Junghyeok’s words.

Move east immediately? I just saved him, and now he was giving me orders?

Before I could even retort, Yu Junghyeok spoke again.

―The [Catastrophe of Questions] is awakening.

…What? My confusion must have irritated him because his face twisted in frustration.

―Someone is waking the catastrophes.

A short while later, Suyeong and I were heading toward Gangdong District, leaving Lycaon, still lost in his meditative state, behind.

And we were moving at an incredible speed.

“You’re just leaving that wolf there?”

“The Imyuntar can sense the location of their talisman’s owner. He’ll find his way back when he wakes up. More importantly…”

I glanced sideways at Suyeong as she ran alongside me.

“Can’t you carry him? Use your avatar or something.”

“No way.”

Han Suyeong recoiled, keeping her distance.

“Weren’t you just saying Yu Junghyeok might not be such a bad guy?”

“That was then, this is now. Would you carry someone who chopped off your head?”

I couldn’t exactly argue with her logic, even if I wanted to.

Junghyeok’s voice came through the [Midday Tryst].

―You can leave me behind. I don’t need your help.

―Stop being so stubborn. I’ll leave you behind for real if you keep this up.

I couldn’t see his face since I was carrying him, but I could imagine his scowl.

―When will you be able to move on your own?

―In two days.

―And once you’re better, you’re going to try to kill me, right?

I asked half-jokingly, but his ominous silence was enough to unsettle me.

I deliberately slowed my pace.

―If that’s how it’s going to be, I can’t help you. How am I supposed to trust someone who’s trying to kill me? Swear on the [Oath of Existence] that you won’t kill me until the end of this regression.

―I can’t do that.

Coward.

―Fine, then swear not to harm me until after the fifth scenario. If you can’t even do that, I really won’t help you.

After a moment of hesitation, Junghyeok finally replied.

―I swear.

Surprisingly, he agreed easily.

The [Oath of Existence], a binding constraint on oneself.

A cold, blue flame ignited around Junghyeok’s body and pierced into his heart. If he broke the oath, that fire would consume his heart. Feeling slightly relieved, I kept running, but Junghyeok added:

―I won’t kill you. But…

―But?

―I’ll return the blow.

―What?

I blinked in disbelief. He wanted to hit me?

―You’re not still upset about what happened two days ago, are you?

Junghyeok didn’t respond.

Damn it. I should’ve known it was too easy.

―…Fine, just once. But go easy on me, okay? Deal?

If one hit could mend my relationship with Junghyeok, it might not be a bad trade. At least I wouldn’t die from a single blow anymore.

Before long, we crossed Cheongdam Bridge and entered Gwangjin District. The environment gradually began to change. Strange plants I had never seen before sprouted between the streets, and the stench of decomposing bodies was replaced by the foul odor of beast excrement.

Massive plants had grown out of the ground, their thick stalks coiling around the nearby skyscrapers.

[The Tier-7 Plant Monster Yanaspleta is wary of you.]

I stopped Suyeong as she prepared to draw her weapon.

“Don’t make any sudden moves. It won’t attack unless provoked.”

“...Don’t those things usually lash out with their tentacles?”

“That only happens in manga. These are docile. Just watch your step and don’t trample the roots.”

From the rooftop of a building, the sunflower-like head of the monster watched us with unblinking eyes. It looked terrifying, but it was actually a benign creature. Still, this wasn’t a situation to take lightly.

Plant-type monsters typically appeared only after the Great Hole was fully opened.

“Looks like the terraforming of Chronos has begun.”

Terraforming.

The fifth scenario was a war between worlds. Humanity fighting off invading worlds. Just as Seoul was being overtaken by Chronos, China would be fighting off the [Third Murim World], and Japan the [Hundred Demon World].

Suyeong, scouting the area with her avatar, muttered, “This place is crawling with monster colonies. Damn it.”

“If the catastrophes are awakening, the terraforming must be accelerating.”

“Who the hell is waking up the catastrophes?”

“Someone like you, probably. You woke the Fire Dragon, remember?”

Suyeong pursed her lips in annoyance.

“…I did pretty well back then, didn’t I?”

“That’s only because the mid-grade dokkaebi penalized the Fire Dragon. And you didn’t even kill it yourself, so don’t get cocky.”

“Won’t there be penalties this time too? If we fight a weakened catastrophe, we might actually profit.”

“The [Catastrophe of Questions] doesn’t care about penalties. It’s doubtful a dokkaebi would even impose one.”

We quickly maneuvered around the monster colonies. All around us, low-tier beast species were feasting on corpses. Judging by the signs of destruction, Yu Junghyeok must have fought his way through this area to reach me.

For someone in his condition, covering this much ground was impressive.

I spoke to him through the [Midday Tryst].

―I have a question.

―…

―Why did you come to find me? Honestly, I thought you’d just kill yourself in that state.

―Kill myself? Don’t be ridiculous.

If he’d seen his future in the eighth regression, he wouldn’t be saying that.

But his next words took me by surprise.

―If I were going to give up so easily, I wouldn’t have started this journey in the first place.

For the first time in a long while, I felt a faint echo of the emotions I had when I first read the Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse. Maybe Suyeong was right. The Yu Junghyeok I thought I knew—a man who gave up easily, killed without hesitation, and endured countless tragedies—wasn’t the Yu Junghyeok of the third regression.

Maybe I didn’t know this version of Yu Junghyeok as well as I thought.

[Your understanding of the character Yu Junghyeok has increased.]

Junghyeok spoke after a pause.

―The only person I could think of was you. If you’re capable of breaking the [Absolute Throne], you might be of some use.

―You’re not mad about me breaking the throne?

―I don’t dwell on the past. Besides, I was uneasy about it too. You destroyed it to eliminate the [Outer God], didn’t you?

―…You knew?

I was genuinely surprised. I’d never had such an open conversation with Yu Junghyeok before. Was this cool-headed side always part of him? And had he always been this sharp?

Junghyeok continued.

―Honestly, it wasn’t a bad move. The problem lies in the aftermath. Because you broke the throne, the guides scattered, and the collection of the meteorites was disrupted. It’s also why the terraforming of Gwangjin and Gangdong districts accelerated. The wanderers are using the power of the meteorites.

―Using meteorites doesn’t accelerate terraforming.

―One of the [Ten Evils] has obtained a [Catastrophe Meteorite].

The mention of the [Ten Evils] sent a chill down my spine.

I had suspected it, but hearing it confirmed was something else entirely.

―Don’t tell me it’s Poison Beauty, Lee Seolhwa?

―…So you knew.

―She’s the only one capable of using the [Thousand Spirit Poison].

But something didn’t add up.

―Then how did you end up poisoned? If you knew she was your opponent, you wouldn’t have confronted her directly.

―I tried to persuade her.

―Persuade her?

Images from TWSA flickered in my mind as Junghyeok spoke.

―I thought I could make her an ally.

An ally… That’s right. It finally clicked.

Lee Seolhwa, the Poison Beauty, was one of Junghyeok’s companions during the second regression.

Being part of the [Ten Evils] didn’t automatically make someone a villain. Just as Gong Pildu, the Armament Lord, had changed in this regression, Lee Seolhwa only became one of the [Ten Evils] in certain regressions, such as the first. In others, she was one of Junghyeok’s most reliable allies.

―That wasn’t like you.

―I know. It was pathetic.

―…

―She wasn’t the Seolhwa I remembered. I knew that. But for a moment, I wanted to believe. I wanted to believe the woman from my memories still existed.

The loneliness in his voice caught me off guard, and I found myself hesitating.

In the second regression, Seolhwa had briefly been Junghyeok’s lover.

―I understand.

Junghyeok fell silent for a moment.

―You sound like you’ve experienced regression yourself.

―You don’t need to live through regression to understand.

I knew better than to claim I understood him fully, but for someone like Junghyeok, who had never truly been understood and likely never would be, it felt right to say it, even if just once.

[The character Yu Junghyeok is deeply shaken.]

[The character Yu Junghyeok feels a faint sense of comfort.]

―Strange. You’re not a regressor, yet… Is this part of your prophetic abilities?

When I didn’t answer, Yu Junghyeok continued.

―Don’t get me wrong. I still don’t think highly of you. You’re the bastard who kidnapped my sister.

―Kidnapped? I was protecting her. You must’ve realized that with [Lie Detection], so why keep accusing me…

“Dokja.”

Suyeong’s tense voice cut through the conversation, and we came to an abrupt stop. In the distance, I could see Cheonho Bridge leading into Gangdong District. Hovering above the bridge was the brilliant light of the [Great Hole]. Figures were crossing the gap into Gangdong District.

Damn it. Already?

As we fully entered Gangdong District, the density of unfamiliar plants covering the ground increased. Gnarled, grim trees stood in ranks between buildings, their canopies providing a home for small, agile beast species.

Gangdong District had already become half an [other world].

Suyeong bit her lip nervously.

“Are we too late? What if the catastrophe has already awakened?”

“It hasn’t yet. If it had, the scenario would’ve started.”

A few steps later, we spotted several markings scattered across the ground. They looked like graffiti, but they were actually boundary signs—a warning not to approach any further.

This was undoubtedly the Poison Beauty’s territory. Unlike the other wanderers, she had claimed a section of Gangdong District and was expanding her domain. The situation was progressing faster than I’d expected.

Suyeong muttered, “If this is how well-defended her group is, it won’t be easy to take them down. Do you have a plan?”

“No. We’re not here for a full assault.”

“What are we doing, then?”

“All we need is the meteorite. Once we have it, we leave. I’ll create a distraction while you secure the meteorite.”

Of course, saying it was one thing, doing it would be another.

If we had an ally like the [King of Wanderers], things might have been different.

Junghyeok interjected.

―There’s no need to rush. Even if the catastrophe awakens, the [Catastrophe of Questions] is a disaster that can be suppressed early.

Suppressed early? Only Junghyeok could say something so arrogant.

―Suppressed by whom? You? In your current state?

―No, you will. Isn’t that what you’re here for?

―Why do I have to?

―Because you’ve awakened the guide and learned the [Way of the Wind].

His irritated tone suggested he was bitter about me stealing the skill meant for him. I grinned and replied.

―I didn’t learn it.

―…What? Did you not have enough time?

If only that were the case.

―No, I just lack the talent.

Junghyeok’s silence radiated sheer disdain.

―If that was the case, you should’ve…

“People ahead.”

Suyeong’s warning interrupted the conversation. I drew my [Unbreakable Faith] as figures came into view. If there were people within the Poison Beauty’s domain, they were undoubtedly her subordinates.

I handed Junghyeok to Suyeong’s avatar.

“…Just hold him for a moment. I’ll take him back in a bit, okay?”

The sounds of people approaching grew louder, but something felt off. Normally, a single group moving together wouldn’t make such a racket. A clear female voice echoed from the front.

“Everyone, head toward Cheonho Bridge!”

These people weren’t the Poison Beauty’s group. Someone was rescuing survivors from Gangdong District, guiding them to safety.

Out of breath, the unarmed survivors spotted us.

“Get out of the way! Hurry!”

Before the man could finish his warning, an arrow whistled through the air and struck him. He collapsed, and his back rapidly darkened as poison spread through his body.

“Capture them!”

Members of the Poison Beauty’s group appeared, numbering in the dozens. Men and women alike nocked arrows and fired them into the air.

As I moved to take cover, a web of threads appeared in midair, forming a barrier. The arrows tangled in the threads and fell harmlessly to the ground. Han Suyeong’s eyes widened.

“…What kind of skill is that?”

The threads shot toward the Poison Beauty’s group, slicing through the legs of those caught. Screams echoed as they were incapacitated.

The threads originated from a single woman, dressed in a skintight black combat suit that accentuated her movements as she leapt through the air. She wielded two knives, sending threads of magical energy dancing across the battlefield with unparalleled precision.

Her movements weren’t just efficient—they were mesmerizing. Her skill was far beyond that of any ordinary Incarnation.

[This character’s information cannot be read through Character Profile.]

[This character does not have a Character Profile.]

Even my [Character Profile] skill was useless.

Suyeong murmured, “Hey, that woman…”

She didn’t need to finish. I already knew.

“…Sangah?”

The woman standing before me, wielding threads like a goddess of war, wasn’t the Yu Sangah I knew two days ago.

Footnotes:

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