Regression is Too Much - Chapter 220

WeTried Translations

Translator: ZEROSUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

________________

Chapter 220

──────

The regressor is too strong (7)

"The Starting Forest of the Starting Village. It is definitely a symbolic place."

"Why did none of us think of something this simple? Even in games, cheat items are often hidden where everything begins."

"It is less that we were stupid... and more that Choi Ji-won's insight was far beyond average. She found a clue in that library everyone else walked past."

"Mm. True. So the title of 'Hero' was not just for show..."

In the dead of night, a group of people swung axes without even lighting a fire. In darkness like this, someone should have gotten hurt, but they kept chopping with sharp senses and precise control, making little noise. They were clearly people who knew how to use their bodies.

-Thud!

A small tree toppled over. The woman holding the axe tilted her head, checked the tree rings, then started chopping another tree.

"See anything?"

"No. Just normal rings."

"Hmm... should we take a short break?"

"Yeah. Choi Ji-won could show up any time."

The players moved a short distance away from the forest and hid in a nearby patch of grass. Proof that they knew this was not exactly something to be proud of.

"So, when is Choi Ji-won coming?"

"Better if she does not. We might find the hidden piece first."

They were not exhausted, but a break was always welcome. While the players joked around,

"Emergency! Emergency!"

One player checking something suddenly shouted, mouth hanging open.

"Shh! Shh! Quiet! She will hear you!"

"No, forget that... Choi Ji-won left."

"...Left? Went where?"

"To the river... She went to the river. Check your friend window right now. Her location says river. It was the chief's house a moment ago."

"She went to the river?"

What was going on? Was the hidden piece not in the forest? Why the river all of a sudden?

As the confused players murmured among themselves,

"Wait."

A smart-looking man with glasses muttered to himself.

"What if... cutting trees in the forest was never the goal?"

His eyes darted as he hurried through calculations, then suddenly went wide as realization hit him.

"Damn it, damn it! I did not think this through..."

The man with glasses jumped to his feet. The others saw him and awkwardly stood too.

"No, what is it? What happened?"

"We all assumed that 'cutting trees' was Choi Ji-won's goal. Right?"

"Yeah, right? That is why we carefully chopped trees at first. So we could run if she came back."

"But Choi Ji-won, who should have been focused on cutting trees if that was really the goal, stayed in the library and did not come out."

"...That is weird, but then why was she cutting trees?"

"What if cutting trees is not the 'goal'... but the 'process'?"

"...What?"

"Choi Ji-won started a journey to find an unprecedented hidden piece no one has ever found... and 'cutting trees' was just part of that process...?"

"...My god."

If the man with glasses was right, this was an emergency.

Once a submission is made at the auction house, a 12-hour timer starts. Normally, within those 12 hours, people can track the frontrunner's route and bring back the same submission. But what if that process is a long journey no one can follow in just 12 hours?

And what if the reward is just as massive as that journey?

"We need to chase her. Right now."

Waiting in the forest because they assumed she would come back was a critical mistake. A massive blunder.

"Huff..."

"Damn it, then..."

Only then did the other players' faces fill with urgency.

"What kind of hidden piece is this supposed to be..."

"Heh-heh-heh..."

They could not even hide their excitement.

Of course, no such hidden piece existed. Choi Ji-won was just repeating actions that looked as meaningful as possible. Why? The players spying on her would come up with their own reasons. The moment people decide their guess is right, they start inventing reasons without realizing it.

"Ugh, this is brutally hard..."

As for what I was doing in the meantime, I was busy too.

Deep under the sea, inside a temple, I defeated the Sea Dragon and tucked the Rose of the Deep Sea into my coat. The pouch at my waist already held the Tear of the Oasis.

We staged this whole farce partly to avoid being tracked, but also because I needed money. I needed an item sold in the shop to go into the deep sea, and I needed money to buy that item. Naturally, to make money, I had to do labor in the village.

Most players here already knew each other, so a new face like me would draw attention. Someone might even use a Friend Registration Ticket on me.

But while I worked hard in the village, the other players were focused entirely on the forest. By the time I left the village and headed for the desert, their eyes were fixed on Choi Ji-won, who had moved toward the river.

As a result,

"They really did not notice me."

I got my hands on two SSS-grade hidden pieces without a single interruption, and they did not even realize I existed. They were all blinded by their own greed.

-Ji-won, do you think anyone is in the village?
-No. They are all here.
-Okay.

After exchanging whispers with Choi Ji-won through the useful side of the Friend Registration Ticket, I carefully headed back to the village.

They would not realize what had happened until right before the auction ended.

Time flew.

"What? This time she is examining jungle vines?"

"Is this real...?"

Choi Ji-won's bizarre behavior continued. The players tailing her were gradually growing suspicious, but they had already invested too much time, and she was still "that Choi Ji-won," so they kept following.

And as even the little time they had left continued to drain away, when about four hours remained,

"What are you all doing here?"

"...Tell us honestly, Choi Ji-won. Where is the hidden piece?"

"Huh? What is that?"

"Do not lie...! We have been watching you this whole time. There was definitely, definitely a hidden piece...!"

"I was just looking around Floor 22?"

"...Fuck. We got played."

The players trying to piggyback finally realized they had been tricked. Even if they noticed something was off now, it was already far too late. They had not suffered any real loss either, so I felt zero sympathy for them.

So how did we spend the remaining time? We started handing out the hidden pieces we had previously only confirmed existed.

"Excuse me, you are Alex, right?"

"Yes, that is right, but..."

"Could you come with me for a moment?"

Back when we were waiting for the monsters to appear and gathering information, Choi Ji-won had investigated every standout player's face, name, and rough personality. According to her, among the players searching for hidden pieces on Floor 22, there were a few with real promise. Good personality, talent, and diligence.

We decided to hand hidden pieces to those people and place them in our debt.

"T-thank you!"

"Is this really true?"

"Whoa..."

Players kept thanking Choi Ji-won. I watched from far away, hidden. Their gratitude had to be directed at Choi Ji-won. I could have used it for the immortal sage persona I have been pushing lately, but a mysterious immortal sage directly revealing hidden-piece locations would feel kind of lame. It is not like I was appearing in their dreams to tell them.

One by one, we funneled discovered hidden pieces to talented and decent people, and before long, it was the final turn.

"We have met before, right."

"...Miss Choi Ji-won. It has been a while."

That man's name was Martin Williamson. A Hispanic American in his mid-forties, former Navy, and highly skilled with a pistol.

"...I did not expect you to remember me."

Choi Ji-won first met Martin in Korea. Back before we shared regressions, at an event where we went to receive presidential commendations. They shook hands there and even had dinner together. Back then, Martin was a serious man.

"Of course I remember."

That was not all. In the past, when Choi Ji-won was gathering information in the U.S., she got involved with him once. Martin as an Association executive, Choi Ji-won as a rising player. In the future, Martin grew into a high-ranking figure in the Association, which was why we decided to invest a hidden piece in him in advance.

"Why are you telling me this information?"

"It is just an investment. You are capable, Mr. Martin, and you are a Player Association executive. Let us say I want to buy goodwill from someone trustworthy."

"..."

"The auction ends in two hours, so take it without pressure."

The other players did not reject this offer. One reason they risked their lives climbing the Tower in the first place was to become stronger.

"...If you are trying to buy my goodwill, you may have made a mistake."

"What do you mean?"

"I am... leaving the Association soon."

"Huh?"

Martin's answer was completely unexpected.

"...Hoo. Right, I had been thinking I should tell someone. If that someone is Hero Choi Ji-won, all the better. Please, will you listen?"

"...Just tell me first."

"The Association... has changed recently."

Martin looked around, as if someone might be listening.