WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Alyo
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Surviving Among the Anomalies ◈
Chapter 87: Private Judicial Relief Organization
──────
“This is the first time I’ve seen such enormous good karma. The Scale has tipped so far that it has decreed passage to Paradise!”
“Someone like this must not be kept in a detention cell!”
“Lee Seung-hoon, we will get you out!”
One of the lamenting judges closed their eyes and reached out a hand.
Just as when they had disabled the CCTV cameras, darkness seeped into the bars, and the door opened on its own.
“By the way, who are you people?”
Once I stepped out of the detention cell, the judges bowed politely.
“We are judges of the Private Judicial Relief Organization.”
“Arbiters who save good people failed by the rotten judicial system.”
“Arbiters who punish evil people left unpunished by the rotten judicial system.”
The Private Judicial Relief Organization.
It was one of the groups the Foundation had told me about, one that had been witnessed but whose purpose remained unclear due to a lack of information.
“You came here to judge evil people too.”
“That is correct. This is judgment, but it is also salvation.”
“By judging them, we erased their bad karma.”
“Those who survived will stand at the starting line again, while the deceased will return to reincarnation instead of falling into hell.”
That was quite an interesting thing to hear.
“Are you saying your judgments erase the target’s bad karma while also imposing a fitting punishment according to the amount of bad karma they have accumulated?”
“This makes that possible.”
The judge at the front held out the Scale.
“Over a lifetime, humans accumulate good karma and bad karma. Their fate, whether Paradise or hell, is determined by the total. This is a tool that judges the karma accumulated thus far and delivers a fitting reward or divine punishment.”
“What is it called?”
“It is called the Balance of Good and Evil. Since evil people deserve no sympathy, it consumes all the bad karma they have accumulated at once and delivers divine punishment. But it also has the flexibility to divide and use the good karma of good people.”
The judges soon spoke to me.
“Good person, we would like you to join us. Even after we revealed ourselves and explained who we were, you did not lose your composure. You are qualified to stand with us.”
“With your help, we may be able to achieve the ultimate goal we seek.”
“The Chief Justice said that if there were someone with enough good karma to reach Paradise, our goal could be achieved.”
“Your good karma surpasses that requirement with ease. You may be able to save the world.”
So that was why they had been so kind and explained everything to me. They wanted something.
“May I think about it for a while?”
“Take all the time you need.”
“We will await your answer.”
“Before that, we will remove you from this place.”
White energy flowed out from the body of the judge holding the Scale.
Facing the side of the Scale that had tipped toward Paradise, the judge cried out.
“I offer my good karma to invalidate Lee Seung-hoon’s imprisonment in the detention cell.”
Then another person installed a zipper in the wall and pulled it down, opening a passage to an alley somewhere in the city.
“With this, you have never been imprisoned in a detention cell.”
“Go now, and take this.”
One of the judges handed me a small business card.
The number written on it was an ordinary mobile number beginning with 010.
“If you decide you wish to join us, contact us anytime.”
“Our work is the salvation of humanity.”
“Let us save humanity in place of this world’s rotten judicial system.”
They installed another zipper in the wall and disappeared through the passage.
Beyond it, I caught a glimpse of a sign written in French.
‘Is it an Anomaly with an extremely wide range, or no limits at all?’
I left the alley.
When I arrived home, breaking news about the incident at the police station was playing.
[Mass Death of Detainees at Bucheon Police Station.]
[According to survivor testimony, multiple intruders wearing judges’ robes carried out the killings.]
A few minutes later, the report changed.
[The detention-cell tragedy was caused by suffocation due to gas exposure and a disturbance brought on by hallucinations.]
[The earlier detainee testimony was also a hallucination caused by gas poisoning.]
[Was the building’s deterioration the cause? Who is responsible for the tragedy?]
It seemed the Foundation had intervened.
“There’s nothing about me.”
If the Foundation had intervened, they would have known I was involved and contacted me directly.
The fact that they had not meant that information about me had vanished from the incident without even the Foundation knowing.
‘Was that an effect created by the Balance of Good and Evil?’
A zipper that crossed space.
Darkness that seemed capable of dismantling or destroying the abilities of objects.
And a Scale that measured karma and delivered divine punishment or rewards.
“The Private Judicial Relief Organization...”
They were quite an interesting group.
＊＊＊
I wrote information about the Private Judicial Relief Organization in Notebook in My Head.
[They possess multiple Anomalies, and may possess Anomalies capable of manipulating information and altering perception, so I will record information about them in the notebook.]
Organizations that used Anomalies had appeared in the game as well.
[With very few exceptions, organizations that appeared in the game were no different from Anomalies that hindered the player’s survival.]
[It was common for an organization to possess multiple Anomalies. When encountering one, the strategy was to quickly use information about the organization to determine what Anomalies it used, what its tendencies were, and how to respond.]
[For now, it seems possible to deal with the Private Judicial Relief Organization by accumulating good karma. It is unlikely to harm me further.]
The stronger the Foundation, the lower the probability that organizations would appear, just like Anomalies.
Fortunately, the real Foundation had once collapsed, but the Munchkin Mary Sue Constellation, which had caused it, attacked other organizations just as indiscriminately, so there had been no problems until now.
However, with the Foundation continuing to weaken, it seemed organizations were beginning to act.
[Even if they do not interfere with me, there is a possibility that they will negatively affect humanity.]
An organization was a group of people who shared a goal.
Whether voluntary or forced, they would ultimately act to achieve that goal.
[What is their goal?]
[Through the encounter in the detention cell, they revealed much information.]
[1. They judge evil people and save good people. By judging evil people, they reset their bad karma. They called helping good people through the use of good karma the salvation of all.]
[2. Rather than leaving this to the law of the state, they resolve it through their own efforts.]
[3. They possess multiple Anomalies capable of making this happen.]
[4. Judging from their reference to “this world’s rotten judicial system,” they distrust the real-world judicial system.]
[5. It is unclear whether this applies only to Korea’s judicial system or includes foreign countries as well. However, they appear to have at least one branch in France.]
[6. If foreign countries are also within their domain and subject to their judgment, then the ultimate goal they speak of is likely global in scope.]
[7. Judging from their claim that my joining them, and my good karma sufficient to reach Paradise, could help them achieve their ultimate goal faster, their ultimate goal requires a large amount of good karma.]
And from what I had seen, their goal was clear.
[8. The Private Judicial Relief Organization’s ultimate goal is presumed to be the judgment of all evil people, the salvation of good people, and the activation of an Anomaly that accomplishes this.]
A simple, clear, and firm goal.
The simpler the goal, the less noise there was, and the stronger an organization’s unity became.
[Questions]
[1. They appeared quickly after the Foundation’s collapse. How did they acquire so many Anomalies in such a short time?]
└[1-1. They may have traded with or received aid from the Mysterious Merchant, Golden Omnipotence Corporation, Lucifer Company, or an equivalent Anomaly.]
└[1-2. It is also possible that the leader guiding them is an Anomaly.]
[2. Their references to karma, Paradise, and hell indicate that they follow an Eastern afterlife. The Balance of Good and Evil also appears to be an Anomaly created in the Eastern hells. However, the Karma Call Center said that the Eastern hells had abandoned harsh punishment in favor of reform and reconciliation, while the Balance of Good and Evil’s judgment function was severe punitive justice.]
└[2-1. Did they acquire an Anomaly created during the era of harsh punishment? Or, as with the Hell Train, are there factions even within the Eastern hells?]
[3. Their ultimate goal will be achieved even without me. There are many good people in the world, so attaining that goal is inevitable. What kind of world will exist after their ultimate goal is achieved?]
└[3-1. Does their ultimate goal truly benefit the human world? Cases such as the Munchkin Mary Sue Constellation, The One Remaining Monkey’s Paw, and the Dimensional Explorer show that an Anomaly’s goodwill is not directly proportional to human survival.]
In the end, they would achieve their goal.
That was why I had to choose.
[Choices]
[1. Report them to the Foundation.]
[1-1. The Foundation is already aware of their existence. I am unlikely to be the only one who received their contact information, so they possess a means of evading the Foundation, and the current Foundation has no way to neutralize it.]
[1-2. This choice would result in my connection to the Private Judicial Relief Organization being cut off.]
[2. Stand by.]
[2-1. I would have to hope that their ultimate goal is positive.]
[2-2. If it is achieved in a negative direction, I will not be free from its effects either.]
[3. Join them.]
[3-1. By joining the organization, I can obtain information and verify the possibility of their goal.]
[3-2. Through my right eye, I can determine whether their actions lead to destruction.]
[3-3. If their goal is positive for humanity, I can assist them. If it is negative, I can interfere with or stop them.]
“They say writing clarifies your thoughts and helps you make choices.”
Writing it out like this gave me the answer to what I needed to do.
I immediately called the number on the business card.
“Hello?”
“Lee Seung-hoon.”
The voice of the judge from the detention cell came through the phone.
“Will you join us?”
“Yes.”
From this moment on, I would become a member of the Private Judicial Relief Organization.
“Please.”
＊＊＊
I arrived at the place where we had agreed to meet.
I had not informed the Foundation. I was mindful of the danger posed by Anomalies activated by information or conditions, and I truly intended to join their organization.
“You have come.”
“Come this way.”
A man dressed as a judge appeared after opening a zipper.
When I crossed through the hole in the wall, I arrived inside an unfamiliar building.
“We sincerely welcome your joining us. However, our goal is far too distant and grand, and there are those who do not understand it and seek to interfere. Therefore, we wish to verify your sincerity.”
“Will you use a lie detector?”
“There is a fairer method than that.”
The interior was solemn, and enormous doors stood before us. Before them stood a blindfolded statue of a goddess.
“That is the Statue of the Goddess of Justice. It distinguishes truth from falsehood in all who visit this place.”
“So, a lie detector.”
“Do not compare the power of a goddess who discerns absolute truth to a machine.”
They demonstrated.
“I declare that, as a member of the Private Judicial Relief Organization, I will devote myself to humanity.”
The statue did not react.
Then another judge appeared from the other side.
‘They have zipper abilities over there too. So it was not a single Anomaly.’
The judge who emerged by opening the wall with a zipper had brought an outsider like me.
“You brought someone who has accumulated good karma as well.”
“I brought someone who visited once before, but had to leave temporarily due to urgent business. Since it is this person’s turn first, I will test their sincerity first.”
“Do so.”
The judge shoved a kind-looking man forward.
The man repeated the words the judge had taught him.
“I declare that, as a member of the Private Judicial Relief Organization, I will devote myself to humanity.”
At that moment.
『Falsehood.』
The man was crushed flat.
The red trace left on the floor, blood spattered in every direction, and scraps of skin and clothing that had once been the man were the only evidence that he had existed in this world.
“So it was a lie.”
“What a pity.”
Like a fly struck by a flyswatter.
I had not eaten Friendship, but even with my superhuman physical ability, I could not observe what had just happened. I saw only the result, so it was a death even I could not have avoided.
“Now it is your turn.”
“Yes.”
Of course, that was under the premise that I would betray them.
“I declare that, as a member of the Private Judicial Relief Organization, I will devote myself to humanity.”
Why would I betray them?
If their goal truly was for humanity.
If it created a just society where good people were rewarded and evil people were judged.
If it produced results that greatly benefited humanity.
Then I was truly ready to devote myself alongside them.
『Truth.』
The Statue of the Goddess of Justice declared.
“Welcome, new judge.”
“Welcome, new judge.”
So please, let that truly be the case.
“Thank you.”
Otherwise, I would stop them even if I had to destroy them all.
“I look forward to working with you.”
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