Chapter 80
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: The Scales (4)
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Originally, the rule was that every time a trade failed on the scales, the wall would inch closer toward the scales side.
But the moment the lock on the firmly sealed trapdoor clicked open...
We could see the wall very slowly pushing toward our side.
This moment...
'So the door wasn't the trap.'
The red letters TRAP and DANGER scrawled on the wall weren't referring to the door—they meant the wall itself was the trap. That's what finally clicked.
I considered just opening the door right then...
"Phew... Elf."
"Yeah?"
"...There's a high chance what's beyond here is the exit."
"Right? See, my instincts were spot on!"
"But there's no guarantee the exit is safe."
"What do you mean?"
"There's a strong possibility that the monster who got the body enhancement suit I pulled out is beyond this door."
I couldn't imagine the monster on the other side letting us go easily.
So we decided not to provoke it by opening the door.
"...Even on its own, the monster's tough enough... but wearing an enhancement suit too...?"
"I don't know if it's actually wearing it, but if the monster recognizes the item's value, it probably is."
"Guess we turn back then."
"Yeah. I can get you out of here while you sleep, so you can rest easy, right?"
I immediately suggested to the elf that we get out of here.
"Sleep? Here?"
"Yes. I can take a sleeping person back to the safe zone."
"You're not human, are you?"
"That's not the point right now..."
"Hm... Yeah, no reason to complain if you're saving my life."
"Finally, some normal thinking...!"
"By the speed... looks like we've got 2-3 hours left. Good thing we don't have to rush to sleep."
"Right. Sleep over by the scales. Once you're out, I'll take you and get us out."
"Thanks, human. For this favor... next time you need help, I'll drop everything and come running."
"That's... reassuring."
"Right?"
As the elf said...
The wall's advance was ridiculously slow, so it would take quite a while before it could damage the scales.
As long as the elf fell asleep within that time, I could leisurely carry her out.
No need to panic.
"Still, just in case—get some sleep quick."
"One promise first. When I'm asleep, don't kill me."
"Why would I kill you?"
"...My artifact?"
"Hm... That's a pretty valid concern."
"...Human?"
"Kidding. And I won't. I'd even sign a contract if I could, but with no stones left for either of us, one slip-up and..."
"Yeah, that'd be worse."
"Exactly. Trust me."
"Okay... I trust you. I mean, I have to trust the guy who came to help."
With that, as the elf went off to sleep, trusting me...
I turned back to watch the wall creeping toward us.
'What happens if I smash the scales...?'
The rulebook clearly said not to break the scales.
I didn't know why exactly, but...
It seemed likely there'd be penalties in the space if the scales broke.
'If I can't find the solution... just return without hesitation.'
If I couldn't figure out the strategy in time, I'd hit return without a second thought.
For now, I decided to think of ways to stop the advancing wall.
Of course...
[That wall is coming toward me right now (No joke)]
The wall attached to that door is slowly coming toward me.
In about 2-3 hours, it'll smash the scales we're on.
The rulebook clearly says not to break the scales, but if the wall comes here, it'll break them.
Planning to return before that happens since I don't know what occurs if they break.
Help me brainstorm an escape from this ghost story.
Hm... What made the wall start moving all of a sudden?
Opened the locked door with the key and it suddenly did that.
What if you lock the door again?
Oh, doing it right now.
The very first comment was incredibly helpful.
I rushed to the door with the key still in it, turned it to lock it again, and...
"Oh."
The advancing wall actually stopped.
Stopped!
First try??
Anon 1 is the real ghost story vet.
?? For real?
Yup! But the key broke.
??????????????????
The key broke??
No way...
Anon 1 total troll ffs
We need to punish Anon 1
Agreed.
No, nooo... The key breaking is just an act of god...
Locking the door again stopped the wall's advance.
But as the inventory description warned, after exactly two uses, the master key shattered mercilessly.
'Too bad, but I can make another key next time.'
I felt a bit regretful about the master key breaking, but I focused on the win of stopping the wall.
The moment I turned to tell the elf...
Click—
"?"
Right behind me, the sound of the locked door unlocking again...
'...Damn it.'
The wall started slowly advancing toward us once more.
'...So it had a key.'
This confirmed a few things.
There was another monster using scales beyond that door, and it had a key to this locked door.
Yet it hadn't opened it because... it must have judged that opening it wouldn't help its survival.
OP: Wall moving again. This time the monster beyond unlocked it.
Block the door quick
Nothing to block with...
Tch; what now?
Not planning to open the door for now.
Opponent monster must know it'll get wrecked if it enters Big Whale's area.
Lmao for real
Rule: wall moves when door lock opens?
I thought originally wall comes this way each failed trade on scales.
I quickly shared the situation and asked for help.
Failed scale trade = wall approaches?
Yeah
Check the scales now. Did opponent put something on?
Opponent put something on.
Try putting something on too, Big Whale. If trade succeeds, maybe wall moves to opponent side?
What? Put Big Whale's stuff on?
Failed trade = Big Whale TS?
No joke you idiots lol but Big Whale TS would be hot af
Ugh...
But doesn't this make sense? Opponent put stuff on scales so wall keeps coming?
A decent idea came up.
'This means... I have to use the scales myself after all.'
I'd avoided using them directly due to unease...
But now no choice. I opened my inventory to find something to put on the scales.
'Fridge, phone and charger, bomb... this bomb, this bomb too... this is meth. This... lighter... hm...'
If asked what's most valuable... probably this camera I have.
But I couldn't risk losing it.
I was about to put the fridge I'd carried for easy meals in emergencies...
Then it hit me.
'What if this works?'
A clever idea popped up.
I took out the fridge, then casually placed some food from inside on the scales.
The moment I did...
'As expected...'
The scales weighed it, decided, and sent the food to the opponent.
Confirmed: food counts as trade items.
"You're done for now."
Time to show what real free value looks like with infinite food supply.
"This is chicken."
Put chicken on.
Pizza.
Hamburger.
French fries.
Grilled fish.
Stone pot bibimbap.
Fish and chips.
Whole roast turkey.
Fried rice, pancakes, kimchi stew, surströmming and tofu... fridge is stacked. Save those for bomb terror later.
"Yeah, pile it on."
Kept loading food onto the scales.
Each addition made the scales value my side higher.
As long as unused new food doesn't spoil, I'd win due to scales recognizing full value for non-used items.
When I realized that...
'Here we go!'
Useless keys kept coming my way.
And the wall advancing on our scales... now headed to the opposite side.
This moment.
"So it's a race to see who smashes the scales first?"
To escape this ghost story, destroy the opponent's scales. That was becoming clear.
Kept piling food from the fridge...
"Hm?"
Suddenly the scales tipped one way, carefully weighing unlike before...
"What, is this key different?"
Another new key appeared.
'...No way?'
The ghost story valued keys highly... so this was likely the key for that door?
I grabbed it, ran to the wall pushing toward opponent, jammed it in the keyhole, turned...
Click—
Sure enough.
The open door locked again.
"Whoa, it was really urgent huh."
The opponent monster was desperate.
"How desperate to hand over the real key."
To stop the wall, just relock with key—but it gave me the actual one?
From its view, maybe it thought I had the real key since I'd unlocked once.
But giving away its own key?
'Just die then.'
All 290k stones the elf used were probably with that monster.
I'd keep pushing the wall, recover stones from it—
"Hm?"
Moment I went to unlock again...
Glanced back—mountain of food gone.
'...What does it have?'
Opponent had something overwhelmingly valuable.
"...Gotta keep it locked for now."
I'd pile more food than that value.
Walked to scales, pondered...
'This unused key should have some value?'
Threw one of its sent keys on.
"Huh?"
Opponent sent a paper...
Fuck you tasty
Keep losing you rice bitch
"...Ha?"
Look at this monster?
Trying teabagging now?
"...It eats the food, huh?"
But this monster made a huge mistake.
It told me it eats food...
"Fine, I'll show you who I am."
Opened fridge again, pulled various foods.
Among them, whole ham roast.
"Eat this too."
Slipped meth inside ham discreetly, put back on scales.
Immediately, food vanished.
"Please swallow in one bite, please."
Won't kill it probably, but...
Felt satisfied sabotaging without damaging scales...
Then.
"Wait a sec..."
An idea about scale mechanics hit me.
"...Will this... work?"
Piled all fridge food on scales, waited for opponent's next 'something'.
"...What? Why no move?"
Wondered why opponent wasn't putting anything—
Gonna kill that bastard kid
"Aigoo, you ate it?"
Good, liked the special ham roast.
Anyway.
Not about its anger.
Without touching finished trade scales, went to closed door, unlocked.
Click—
Door unlocked, wall advanced on opponent again.
"It's over."
In this scale-using ghost story, realized how to beat a monster with overwhelming value.
[I won~]
Door keeps advancing.
In 2 hours, opponent monster's scales will shatter.
BTW, opponent has something with overwhelming value.
But I ain't trading lol
Huh? How win if opponent has overwhelming value?
Yeah
How?
Just don't trade.
No trade = wall pushes to Big Whale?
Then earlier guess wrong?
Nah that guess right. Door unlock = side with higher value item on scales wins.
..Am I the only one who doesn't get it? How beat overwhelming value monster in scale fight...?
Ah I got it. Big Whale put something even more valuable.
Big Whale's panties finally emerge!
Lmaoooooooo
Big Whale panties value insane lol
[Ugh... just straight up telling method]
This is it.
Leave as is.
I win!
Leave as is—what?
Ah shit Anon 1 robbed again.
Literally, leave it like that. That trade I already won, so no touch = I keep winning.
Leave won trade? Ah, no way?
That no way yes.
Big Whale put two panties?
Lmaoooooooooooooooo
This it
Right? Lolololololol
Ignoring weird crap above, here's the method.
Scales simple. To start new trade, end previous one.
To end trade, recover opponent's item from scales.
But I'm in won state so not touching! Yeah!
Lololololololololololol
Ah, so opponent can't new trade cuz previous not ended?
Yeah that's it lol
Game so dirty lololol
Oh shit lol Big Whale coin slot trick?
Lolololololol this it lololol
Opponent monster: Fuck let me trade..! Let me trade damnit..! Scales..! Move you fuck scales..!
Prayers for monster's passing...
Monster panic = peak Big Whale
Big Whale actually genius af
Not Do family.
Bandage Whale genius af
Bung family exist???
Who would've guessed.
Its last words were "Gonna kill that bastard kid" crap.
"Whoa..."
"You're up?"
"Nah, didn't sleep."
"...Why?"
"Think about it. World's most entertaining shit happening live—could you sleep?"
"...Something fun happened?"
"Yeah. Happening right now."