WeTried Translations

Translator: ZEROSUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

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Chapter 222

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The regressor is mentally weak (1)

"So... does that mean you do not know the required sacrifice amount for players with S-grade traits, or players with SS-grade traits?"

"We do not. The book only reveals information once the threshold is met. It does not give exact sacrifice values. If it did, we could have reverse-calculated them and secured far more information."

"Ah..."

Choi Ji-won and Martin kept talking, but I could not focus at all.

No matter how much I thought about it, there was no explanation besides Dok Su-hee. Honestly, I did not remember doing anything from Floor 16 to Floor 22 that could have changed history. Maybe before I regressed, sure. But after I regressed, I just quietly cleared the Tower. Only a month had passed.

But Dok Su-hee? She could be the variable. If she had gained knowledge of the future, she had more than enough ability to affect it. If it was Dok Su-hee, with her Inventory ability, she could stop human sacrifice in the United States. The disappearance of the United States warehouse was probably part of that butterfly effect too.

If that led to the Association declining, the United States Government declining even harder, and Michael Zetter preparing one huge reversal, then I was ready to applaud. Even to me, that looked like a pretty good outcome.

The United States Government, the root of all evil? It deserved to collapse.

The Association, the United States Government's mole organization? Same thing, just corrupt trash that needed to be purged.

She probably watched from up close, decided Michael Zetter was genuinely a good person, and backed him for that reason. She likely judged that wiping out all the trash I just mentioned and putting Michael Zetter at the top was the ideal route, then made her move. Dok Su-hee was selfish, but she was not thoughtless. If she were, she would have been caught before betraying us on Floor 3.

Still, I had one question, or maybe one problem. Why did she not contact me directly? If she had come to me and said, "The United States Government is attempting human sacrifice. We need the regressor's help," she could have earned points with me and stopped the disaster more easily.

Michael Zetter would not have ignored Choi Ji-won's opinion either, so things would have moved faster in every way. Well, maybe she had her reasons. Maybe she was in no position to contact anyone, or maybe she was in the middle of some urgent mission.

Or maybe she was really that cunning and wanted me to find out on my own? Good deeds done right in front of someone can look performative, and people question the sincerity. But if they discover those deeds by chance, they feel more moving and more genuine. If Dok Su-hee was trying to show her own good nature, she succeeded.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"I hope... Miss Ji-won will support the Association President. The path he wants to walk is full of thorns. If a hero like Miss Ji-won helps him... things will become much easier."

"Hmm... I do not think I can decide that right away."

While I kept thinking, Martin and Choi Ji-won's conversation went on.

Choi Ji-won's passionate information gathering continued until the auction time ended and Floor 22 cleared automatically, and I stayed hidden behind a tree and listened the whole time.

It felt like I had even more to do once we got back to reality.

-You have cleared Floor 22.

We set aside the reward items for now and clung to our phones.

"What about Dok Su-hee? Can you reach her?"

"...She is not picking up."

I sent a text to the number Dok Su-hee gave me in the previous cycle, but no reply came back. Looks like my guess was right. She was in a situation where contact was impossible.

Still, just because we could not reach her right away did not mean things were bad.

"Things are unfolding in a good direction, right?"

"Yeah."

There is an expression, "your blood flow opens up." Once one thing starts going well, the rest tend to follow. Everything was moving according to plan.

Climbing the Tower quickly? Since entering Floor 16, we had cleared up to Floor 22 in only one month. Assuming we kept this pace, we could conquer the Tower before monsters even appeared. Of course, it would not stay this easy forever.

Then was reality going badly? No, not that either.

At first, it looked like the United States and the Association were collapsing, but this was all part of Association President Michael Zetter's plan. With Dok Su-hee's assist added, he had launched a plan to sweep out all the entrenched corruption cleanly.

Of course, this was all information from an Association executive named Martin, so we still needed independent verification. Still, it was probably not far from the truth. Through repeated regressions, we already knew the United States Government was incompetent and Michael Zetter was competent.

"If we could contact Dok Su-hee... or at least Michael Zetter, that would be best."

"I already sent an email... what do we do? Should we wait for contact, and once we fully understand the situation, regress?"

"That is the rational move."

Rather than charging straight into Floor 23, it was a hundred times better to understand the situation first and then regress. Acting while knowing you will regret it is stupid, but acting rashly and regretting it is even stupider.

"Then... should we rest until then?"

"Should we?"

I could not help feeling happy at the idea of rest. Lying on a soft bed for the first time in a while, eating good food, playing some games...

I made a huge plan for eating and lazing around, but there was one variable I did not see coming.

Only one day after clearing Floor 22:

-This is Association President Michael Zetter. I was planning to contact you first, and now we are connected. I heard the rough outline from Martin. Would it be possible to meet and talk in person?

-Then shall we talk at the house where you saw me before?

-Good. I will come via teleportation.

A message came from Michael Zetter.

So...

"Let's go, Jun-ho."

"...Haa."

There was no time to rest.

Choi Ji-won's house. Living room.

Michael Zetter appeared via teleportation, and he looked exactly like he did in my memory.

Slightly curly black hair. Deep-set eyes. Broad shoulders and a tall frame. A white man with a trustworthy look.

Well, only one month had passed, so of course he looked the same as in my memory. If someone's whole impression changed in one month, that would be weird too.

"Nice to meet you."

"Yes. Nice to meet you too."

Michael Zetter held out his rough hand, and Choi Ji-won naturally took it and shook it.

Next, Zetter's gaze turned to me.

"...Kim Jun-ho. No, Mr. Jun-ho."

"...?"

Michael Zetter blinked once or twice, then naturally held out his hand. What was that? Why was he acting like that? I felt awkward, but I still took his hand and shook it.

"Then, please sit."

As soon as that short greeting ended, Zetter sat down first and offered us seats. Was that not something the homeowner should do?

"I trust you already know the rough situation. The current Association is rotten, and it must be removed."

"Yes. Martin told me that."

"Would you be willing to support me publicly, Ms. Ji-won?"

"...I have not fully grasped the situation yet, so that would be difficult."

"I see."

Michael Zetter nodded, as if he had expected that answer.

"The reason I came to see you today is... to ask one favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes. It is a favor that came up after I cleared Floor 29 three weeks ago and decided to tear down the Association."

"...Wait. You cleared Floor 29?"

"That is right."

"Weren't you at Floor 23 just one month ago...?"

"Yes. In fact, Floor 24 to Floor 29 only took one week. But... I guess that part is not being heard."

He was at Floor 23 a month ago? My memory was mixed from endless regressions, so I could not be sure, but if Ji-won said so, then that was that. Right, Michael Zetter cleared Floor 23 one month ago. That made me realize how fast we were really growing. We had reached right up under that Michael Zetter.

And now, going even further, Michael Zetter said he cleared up to Floor 29 in just one week. If he could do it, we could probably do it too, but he did it without regression.

I was only impressed for a moment. Then I came to my senses and noticed Michael Zetter staring straight at me.

"But before that... is there something you want to ask me first, Mr. Jun-ho?"

"Yes?"

"You've been moving your lips for a while... You may speak first."

"Ah. Thank you."

Was I that obvious? I admitted my mistake to myself, then asked the question I had been holding onto.

"Um, did Dok Su-hee not come with you? We cannot reach her."

"...You mean Ms. Dok Su-hee?"

"Yes."

Michael Zetter responded to contact, but Dok Su-hee was still completely silent. If Dok Su-hee was really the one who influenced Zetter, then there were many things I needed to ask her face to face.

But Dok Su-hee had vanished and only Michael Zetter came here. I asked because if he was her superior, I thought he would know where she was.

"...How did you know Ms. Su-hee belongs to the Association?"

"...Ah."

For a moment, I had overlooked something.

In this continuous present timeline, I had never gotten involved with Dok Su-hee after Floor 3.

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