Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Chapter 9. Seed of Fate
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Breaking news. A Dungeon Break occurred today at Ilsan Lake Park due to the saturation level overflowing in the Ta-01 Dungeon. Fortunately, swift action prevented any casualties, but experts are expressing concerns over these successive unexpected incidents.
We'll connect with our on-site reporter for more details...
The screen split, and the image of the reporter at the scene appeared on one side. The reporter, wearing a serious expression, looked into the camera and recited her prepared lines.
- This is Ilsan Lake Park. At around 4 p.m. today, a Dungeon Break erupted from the artificial island in the center of the park. The official resolution time was 5:05 p.m.
The scene was unusually quickly contained, but the government has dispatched Hunters to search the surrounding areas, suspecting there may still be monsters lingering.
Even in the middle of the night, the search continues at full throttle.
A broadcast drone camera flew overhead, capturing the entire park landscape. It also showed police officers with lanterns controlling people's access.
The announcer asked gravely.
- Is it confirmed that there were no casualties?
- Yes. Two government-affiliated Hunters sustained minor injuries, but they've already been treated and sent home.
- How was a sudden Dungeon Break like this handled so effectively?
The reporter's excited face filled the close-up, and a name burst forth from her precise enunciation in front of the camera.
- According to testimonies from the Hunters on site, astonishingly, a single Hunter resolved the situation immediately. The top contributor is none other than the Wandering Pilgrim!
“Pfft!”
Lying on the hotel's plush bedding, casually watching TV on the large screen, I spat out my beer.
The announcer, hearing the reporter's words, took over with evident excitement.
- The Wandering Pilgrim—does that refer to the current Rank 1 Hunter in the system rankings?
- Yes. Testimonies are pouring in that the name 'Wandering Pilgrim' appeared as the top contributor upon the Dungeon Break's resolution.
Cough, cough.
Choking, I checked the time on my phone.
It was 9 p.m.
Had the 9 p.m. main news shifted in weight since I'd left Korea?
Hearing 'Wandering Pilgrim' pronounced so clearly by the announcer made my mind go blank.
The snacks and beer I'd bought from the convenience store right next to the hotel suddenly felt insufficient. My palate, roughened by the potato chips, felt dry.
- According to a Hunter who was on site, after the barrier was released and the monsters were freed, they were taken down in one strike...
The mind-numbing broadcast continued.
Only later did I realize, stunned with my mouth agape, that Baek Sa-hyeon's name hadn't been mentioned once during the entire breaking news segment.
This was outside my expectations. Since I'd slipped away discreetly, it would've made sense for him to step up and claim credit. After all, he had done something.
My face hadn't been revealed, so even with the top contributor name specified, he could've easily taken his share if he'd wanted...
Unexpected.
And to think it'd lead the 9 p.m. news like this...
With a queasy feeling, I set down the now-tepid beer can.
It seemed public interest in this enigmatic Rank 1 was higher than I'd thought.
I'd expected backlash like "Who the hell is this hiding their identity?" but the tone of the broadcast was surprisingly favorable.
Not that it was entirely welcome.
If someone overtook me for Rank 1, interest in me would wane, but that wasn't happening anytime soon.
Whatever. Rankings like that didn't matter to me.
Not when I had no business getting distracted by such things right now.
In my vision, the same message had been floating since the Dungeon Break ended a few hours ago.
- You will receive the reward for completing the quest.
- Reward item: The 'System Administrator' recognizes Player 'Wandering Pilgrim' as a special management target.
- The System Administrator is initiating system stabilization work to reduce the overload on the special management target.
- Friction between Player 'Wandering Pilgrim' and Server: Republic of Korea is stabilizing.
- Time until system stabilization: 18:56:32
- A new quest will generate after system stabilization.
The 'quest' that popped up alongside the sudden Dungeon Break had me expecting quite the reward.
But unexpectedly, it came loaded with all sorts of sticky keywords.
After sitting quietly for hours, calmly turning it over in my mind, I reached a conclusion.
'This is the most helpful hint I've seen so far.'
Truth be told, I'd been puzzled why the system kept causing sudden Dungeon Breaks and overloads.
But seeing this message made it clear.
It was all because I'd been to Tartarus.
When I first returned to Korea, this system's reaction confirmed it.
To this system, I was just a regular person entering a dungeon for the first time, but my soul remembered my days as a mercenary in Tartarus.
The system couldn't properly recognize me as such.
I'd thought the stat penalties covered the discrepancy, but apparently not.
In other words, the system's inability to accept me had caused all the instability like Dungeon Breaks up to now.
And this quest's reward was stabilizing that.
So, judging by the message alone, I no longer had to worry about Dungeon Breaks or errors popping up wherever I went.
I wasn't thrilled about Dungeon Breaks following me everywhere either, so no complaints about the reward.
But the real key in that message wasn't the reward item itself.
The important part was... this.
The Korean system didn't welcome the chaos I caused either. And it wasn't omnipotent.
'I would've killed me.'
If something was causing unwanted chaos, the simplest fix would be to eliminate it.
Yet instead of killing me, the system gave me a quest and stabilized itself as a reward for completion.
This... couldn't it mean the system couldn't handle an unstable element like me without framing it as a reward?
In other words, maybe the system could only act—offering rewards—based on player actions?
It gained serious credibility when considering how the system had reacted to my offhand words before, issuing quests and rewards.
“...Damn it.”
So, ultimately, the system's intent was to use 'me' to quell this world's chaos?
I tossed the empty beer can roughly into the trash and sprawled out on the bed like a starfish.
What good did pondering this crap do?
A sense of powerlessness welled up to my toes.
Closing my eyes only brought flickering images... Damn it.
Since it wasn't positive thinking, I quickly banished the intrusive visions.
Probably because I'd set my hopes too high for the reward from that last dungeon raid.
It had acted like it'd give amazing info, but all I got were useless memories.
I desperately wanted to return to Tartarus ASAP, but with no visible progress, it was frustrating.
The only sure thing at this stage was how weird this system was.
No amount of solo head-scratching would uncover a way back to Tartarus.
Damn, if I'd known, I should've read those books alongside Lucas when he was studying the system.
Or tortured some system-worshipping demon bastards to squeeze out info...
I tossed and turned until dawn and must've fallen asleep at some point.
I woke to my phone vibrating.
Groggily checking it, I saw a text.
It was 9 a.m.
Sender: Choi Min-hyuk.
The message was brief.
The requested item has been approved. Sending details via text.
Rubbing my eyes, I saw an address listed.
What was this?
A URL was attached to the text. Clicking it brought up a simple map and the building's floor plan.
I blinked at the floor plan in a daze for a while before it hit me.
Ah, my new residence.
They'd processed it fast. I'd figured it'd take a few more days.
Or maybe yesterday's actions influenced it. Choi Min-hyuk seemed impressed that I'd stepped up for the Dungeon Break.
Though from his perspective, knowing I caused it felt a bit guilty... But I resolved it, right?
Strictly speaking, it wasn't my fault anyway. It was all that shitty system's doing.
Why send someone to another world suddenly and then bring them back? If it'd left me alone, there'd be no friction or whatever.
Cursing the system profusely while showering, I emerged to another incoming call on my phone.
This number only four people knew, yet it was surprisingly busy.
This time, a missed call.
From Lee Woo-yeon.
Ah, right. I'd meant to contact him and forgot.
Shaking out my wet hair, I summoned and equipped my earring.
Better than a phone call. The message I'd grown somewhat used to appeared.
― Kang Ye-na, isn't this too much? How can you go radio silent like this?!
It was just text, but I could've sworn I heard Lee Woo-yeon's voice as an auditory hallucination.
I nearly clapped my hands over my ears.
Well, this was my bad. I'd be pissed too if someone dangled info and then ghosted for over a day.
Better apologize straightforwardly.
“Ah, sorry. I was so wiped yesterday that I forgot to call.”
― How do you forget something like that? I waited all day without eating!
“Why didn't you eat? Seriously? Why?”
― Of course it's a joke. I ate. It's all for making a living.
“Why say a joke so seriously...?”
Lee Woo-yeon replied so deadpan it deflated me. He had a talent for startling people.
Anyway, my hair was getting too long—toweling alone wouldn't dry it anymore. Taking advantage that it wasn't a phone call, I blow-dried while continuing the chat.
“Anyway, it was on the news yesterday, so you know what happened.”
― Oh ho, so that's why you didn't call?
“Not exactly... Just saying you get the gist.”
― Seeing it on the news and hearing it straight from you are totally different. I want to hear the Wandering Pilgrim's heroic tale firsthand—
- 'Blue Bond Earring' use has been terminated.
Ah, I cut it off without thinking.
Of course, the connection came right back.
Suppressing my irritation, I spat each word into the air like chewing them out.
“Keep teasing, and you'll really die by my hand.”
― Why be embarrassed about a name you chose yourself? Just change it if it's that bad.
“I'm not embarrassed! I just don't want to hear it from someone else's mouth!”
Because 'Wandering Pilgrim' was a player name infused with my philosophy and convictions.
And I absolutely, definitely wasn't embarrassed by it. I just hated hearing it from a modern Korean's lips! I wanted to etch it into my heart alone and reaffirm my resolve.
― Whatever. So? What's the deal with Baek Sa-hyeon yesterday?
“Ah, Hunter Baek Sa-hyeon. We ran into each other by chance yesterday...”
I'd helped him out during the Dungeon Break situation—or so I was about to say—when Lee Woo-yeon abruptly asked something weird.
― Ah, never mind that. Between me and Baek Sa-hyeon, who's more handsome?
“You crazy bas—”
― Ahaha. Don't curse. Just genuinely curious.
Why the hell would he be curious about that?
Dumbfounded into silence, the inevitable silly message popped up.
― Truth is, I've already heard the gist of what happened, like you said. So that's all I was wondering about? Oh, one more thing.
With item-based messaging, I couldn't see his face, but I could easily imagine Lee Woo-yeon grinning.
― How the heck did all those Hunters miss seeing your face? I'm dying~ to know.
This was the real point.
I clicked my tongue.
This guy didn't just watch the news—he'd gathered testimonies from other Hunters at the Dungeon Break.
It happened yesterday afternoon, yet his info network was impressive. He wasn't even in an intelligence agency, and Eternal Guild was basically a private company.
Well, he was practically Korea's Rank 1 Hunter, and this was his home turf, so maybe not impossible.
“Just ask that straight from the start. No beating around the bush. It's annoying.”
― Ahaha. But seeing you say that, looks like you will tell me?
I answered readily.
“When are you free?”
Not just telling him—I'd planned to test Silver Veil on Lee Woo-yeon anyway. Wondered if he'd notice.
But something felt off.
I'd expected an immediate chipper reply, but silence stretched from the other end.
By then, my hair was fully dry. I found a hair tie, gathered my locks into a high ponytail. Just needed to dress, and I could head out anytime.
“What? Why so quiet?”
― Ah... Moved, I guess?
“What nonsense?”
― Specifically, it's like the feeling from that touching YouTube video about adopting a stray cat.
Shouldn't have asked.
Pointless banter.
“So, you got time or not? Busy?”
― Busy, but I can make time for you. I'll fit your schedule. When works?”
Show-off.
Glancing at the clock, I replied.
“As soon as possible? Right now's fine.”
― ...Huh?
“Oh, and if you have a car, bring it.”
― What?
I had to head to my new place anyway. Might as well use Lee Woo-yeon while contacting him—two birds with one stone.
That casual thought.
But an hour later.
When Lee Woo-yeon pulled up to the hotel lobby in a red convertible, I thought.
Ah, should've gone alone.