Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Returning Home
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[Dokgo Gyeom and the Eternal Unity Church suffered a massive humiliation, and the cults that participated in the Masquerade incurred losses too vast to quantify in mere words.]
'Yeah, this time it really was a hard bet.'
No cult would collapse immediately.
But those whose leaders got captured wouldn't be able to operate for a while. And some had lost their most capable disciples, the ones they were banking on.
[On top of that, tonight's events will bring major changes to the chaotic power dynamics in Paju.]
And a few more things besides.
Tonight's happenings would trigger a ton of changes.
As if sharing my thoughts, the message window popped up one by one, summarizing them.
[Foreigners' Entry and Exit Management Office? Yang Seo-ho's stuck in Sejong City for the foreseeable future.]
[Children of Fomalhaut? Already weakened, and now saddled with some ridiculous false charges.]
[This will ripple out to the Red Heads of the Three Heads Alliance tied to them. Might as well prepare funeral wreaths for Cheongho while you're at it? Quite thorough.]
Ah, going great until it suddenly scratches at me? You bastard.
I nearly summoned mana to swat the message window away, but barely held back.
[I don't know how far you planned ahead, but the results are unbelievably impressive. Tonight, you truly foresaw everything and controlled it all.]
'Of course I calculated every bit of it.'
There was that one horrifying moment when my mask slipped off midway, but overall, it all worked out.
[You have dismantled the 'Sejong City Masquerade.' Experience gained.]
[You have defeated numerous 'Faceless Mutants.' Understanding of 'Mutants' has increased.]
[You have exerted strong influence over numerous 'Cultists - Eternal Unity Church.' Understanding of Cultists has increased.]
[You have exerted strong influence over numerous 'Cultists - Imperial Forest Church.' Understanding of Cultists has increased.]
[You have exerted strong influence over numerous 'Cultists - Dongrae Church.' ...]
...
[You have accumulated enough experience to reach the next level. Level increased by 1.]
[Discovery: Acquired a secret item of the Masquerade (1). Experience gained.]
[Discovery: You have found a secret space. Experience gained.]
[Experience Bonus: You have achieved a total of (7) accomplishments in the 'Sejong City Masquerade.']
[You have accumulated enough experience to reach the next level. Level increased by 1.]
Level 42 now.
Leveling up was getting tough in this range.
Especially since I hadn't personally handled some of those accomplishments or kills.
Considering that, gaining two levels from this was pretty solid.
'Levels were just a bonus this time anyway.'
First, addressing what the message window had griped about earlier.
The destruction of the Masquerade.
Shifts in the power balance among Paju's factions.
Eliminating potential future archenemies.
And most importantly...
'The Judges can no longer unite.'
The accusations and suspicions the Judges hurled at Dokgo Gyeom. His maniacal antics. The Masquerade was done.
I'd sown doubt and discord among them.
If luck held, their grand Judge route might fizzle out entirely.
And that's exactly why I kept staring at the message window's explanations.
'So, what's the next scenario to pop up?'
[Confidence overflowing already, huh? Maybe you've convinced yourself you can control everything coming your way. Can't deny it outright.]
Huh? Am I imagining things?
Felt like whatever was behind the message window was getting pissed.
[That knowledge of yours is your greatest weapon, after all. But who knows how long it'll stay valid? And the madness rooted in your head. You got lucky this time, but next time? Look forward to it. A chaotic future keeps barreling toward you.]
A declaration of war?
Fine, do your worst.
I'm steadily stocking up on weapons to shove down your throat.
With that, the message window vanished for good.
'Well, it all wrapped up nicely, right?'
A few dicey moments midway, but I handled them. Overcame everything with Newtype instincts, so yeah, mission accomplished.
'And above all...'
The massive pile of masks stacked in the back seat.
And Achilles huddled uncomfortably among them.
'No, not that.'
The treasure chest holding the masks.
'Yeah, that.'
More precisely, the [Faceless One's Mask] inside it.
Hurry back.
My nerves are itching.
Hurry, hurry, hurry—I want to smash that chest open and grab the mask.
"......"
Hm. Something's nagging at me.
Too bad—the message window didn't spoil the next scenario.
But what it did say to me...
"Madness."
"Yes?"
"Hyun-deok."
"Yes? Yes?"
"Do I... look like a crazy bastard by any chance?"
"Huh? Yes? Uh... Well...... Like......"
Jang Hyun-deok babbled to himself for a moment before flashing a warm smile.
"Wizard, don't take this the wrong way. Just hear me out."
"Stop! Don't say it!"
Even I could tell my Mask Obsession was getting out of hand. Maybe that moment my mask came off earlier was my chance to shake it off.
But I couldn't hold back and chose to put it back on.
No, but how was I supposed to resist in a place stacked with that many masks!
'Sigh, damn it. If I could control this at will, it wouldn't be madness.'
Hoards of obsession targets set ablaze or whatever wouldn't cut it.
Back in Paju.
Paju's nightscape differed from Sejong City's.
Right below North Korea. The city with the most monster outbreaks in South Korea. A place of bizarre phenomena no normal person could accept. A city of crime, corruption, and madness.
Forests, mountains, rundown old town centers, plus grotesquely towering skyscrapers and apartments.
A bizarre landscape where light and shadow tangled haphazardly.
The car carrying me veered from the lights into the outer darkness.
"Get chills like crazy around here."
"Mountain winds blowing down make it chilly."
Because of the magic circle channeling阴气 into the mansion.
"Don't you hear weird noises?"
"Birds."
The wails of specters patrolling the mansion grounds.
"Eek!? There! Something's shadow over there!"
"Tree shadow."
One of the test subjects I released a while back. Still alive, huh.
"Anyway, theme park arrival!"
"Why do you keep calling my house a theme park?"
"You don't know? Just my thought, but how about developing some tourist packages as a side gig?"
"Higher up, it's crawling with them—what tourist spot?"
"True enough. Anyway, this hellhole......"
Jang Hyun-deok had once said he'd ditch Paju once he made bank. Gotta cut back on his pocket money from now on.
"Anyway, you busted your ass all night. Hey, pop the back hatch."
"Oh, sure."
Crash.
Dozens of masks tumbled out from the back seat.
"Ugh, the seats!"
"...I'll tell Tudor, get it compensated and replace the seats."
Seats were trashed.
Scrape, shake!
Achilles hopped out, shuddering as he shook blood from his patchwork body.
Some of the haphazardly grabbed masks still had heads—er, human noggins—attached.
And some were just straight-up drenched in gore.
"Just fixing it isn't enough! Who's gonna heal the wounds in me and Zoom-zoom's hearts!?"
"Zoom-zoom'll perk up with new seats."
I tried brushing him off, but Jang Hyun-deok kept whining.
Eventually, Heo Sang-hyeon even stepped out from the mansion. Probably wondering what the commotion was.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine! Good night! See you!"
Spotting Heo Sang-hyeon, Jang Hyun-deok paled and bolted after mumbling that.
"Shin-hwa-nim, who the heck was that...?"
"Looks dumb, but he's got a weird constitution."
Must be his shaman traits making Heo Sang-hyeon scary to him.
'No, wait—is Sang-hyeon just objectively creepy-looking?'
Vampire-pale skin.
Freakishly huge eyes.
Twig-thin fingers.
Lifeless drifting hair.
A voice carrying the chill of the grave.
"......"
Ah, right—the monster butler tending a haunted mansion.
"Let's head in."
[Invisible Hand]
Creak!
Rumble!
Dozens of masks and the huge treasure chest floated into the air.
"Excuse me, step aside a bit."
"Ah......"
Heo Sang-hyeon, already gawking wide-eyed at the masks, made a weird noise and moved.
Straight into the mansion.
The gruesome, eerie interior felt downright cozy now. Guess I've come a long way.
"Ugh, wanna crash."
Tension easing at last.
But no time for that. I headed straight for the basement.
Drip, drip...
Dust, blood drops, trash clumps falling to the floor.
'Someone else'll clean it up anyway.'
Not dumping it on Heo Sang-hyeon, of course.
The mansion's starving cleaners were occult cleaning machines transcending robot vacuums—specter golems.
"Shin-hwa-nim? Those masks..."
"Oh, souvenirs from Sejong City. If any catch your eye, I could spare one... no, maybe one."
He wouldn't actually ask for real, right?
"No, no! That's not it. What... what are you planning to do now?"
Huh? What's with this guy?
What I'm about to do is simple.
Open the chest.
Claim the reward trapped inside.
Not easy. It'll drain a ton of energy.
And it'll take a good while. Gotta start now.
No reason to hide it, so I told Heo Sang-hyeon my schedule.
"Then... Shin-hwa-nim."
Heo Sang-hyeon wore an expression I'd never seen before. Stern, stubborn (and huge-eyed). Emotions? Anger, shock?
"Wash up first."
"Yes?"
"Wash, sleep, eat something. I absolutely cannot let you hole up in the basement like this."
Who are you to decide what you can and can't allow?
That's what I nearly said.
I'd have if not for the mirror in the living room reflecting my state.
"My condition..."
"......"
Stern and stubborn? Nah.
Better read his expression as worry and dismay.
"Ah, damn."
I sighed, scratching my head.
Only now did I snap somewhat to my senses.
The wizard in the mirror was a sight.
Blood, dust, stains, monster fluids, someone's brains, scorch marks.
Caked in every kind of filth and garbage.
'Spectacle.'
The mask—who knows what dumpster it got fished from—was trashed.
Face hidden, but posture and stance screamed on the verge of collapse.
And the cloud of garbage trailing the wizard.
No—masks.
Not just blood- and muck-soiled ones.
I'd noticed earlier but brushed it off.
Some masks I grabbed still had human heads or flesh attached. Totally fine with that?
"Huff! Haa......"
Deep breath.
"Whoosh......"
Another. Focus.
"Ugh, Sang-hyeon is way more... No, that's not something that punk could point out."
Can't dodge with thoughts like 'Why didn't you say sooner?' Pointless. Stupid Kim Shin-hwa! What a mess!
I spread my arms to Heo Sang-hyeon.
"Thanks, I snapped out of it. I'll stack this in the basement and head back up."
"Meal?"
"Eating now might ruin sleep. Better wash and crash. Unpacking tomorrow."
"Got it."
Heading to the basement, I paused and turned.
"Oh, and..."
"Yes?"
"Nah, never mind."
Probably best not to mention [Super Rookie Heo Sang-hyeon].