Chapter 260
Chapter 260
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 260
Chapter Title: The Last Day of Vacation
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- This isn't a joke. Everyone's in a frenzy right now. If you saw it for yourself, you'd be shocked.
"It's that dangerous, huh?"
It was Park Kwanglim.
For some reason, Park Kwanglim—who had talked about escaping Mokpo to avoid danger—was calling from Gongju in South Chungcheong Province.
"Why Gongju of all places?"
- It's near Gyeryongsan Mountain, isn't it? I think that's definitely the spot.
"Gyeryongsan... Yeah, there are plenty of cultists hanging around there."
- Exactly. What do you think? You really not coming? If we play this right, we could score big.
"Hmm, Gongju..."
What an absurd event.
The Manse Ilwon Church, which had been rampaging in Mokpo, had ultimately been crushed by the Foreigner Management Agency led by Yang Seoho.
And in a stunning turn, Yang Seoho had captured the monster leading the Manse Ilwon Church—Dokgo Gyeom.
- This is a historic event. It won't happen again.
Park Kwanglim repeated it in his distinctive accent.
He wasn't excited just because Yang Seoho had caught Dokgo Gyeom.
Yang Seoho had decided to transport Dokgo Gyeom to Sejong City. Upon hearing this, the remnants of the Manse Ilwon Church began rallying affiliated cults, other races, and criminals—
"They're planning a massive rescue operation? That's really what I think it is?"
- You understood correctly. That's exactly it.
"Ha, what is this, some medieval fantasy?"
Where the hell does this game plan to go?
- Cultists have been unusually quiet this past week, right? That's why.
They're quiet because I took a vacation from this game's administrator.
No, wait. Could it be the other way around? Did they stay quiet because they anticipated this situation, allowing the administrator to boldly declare it?
Yeah, but the cultists are all over the place—it's not like they could all be silenced. Maybe they just pretended to provide me with compensation to keep me from moving.
Or perhaps both.
If that guy really is this world's administrator, one action could produce multiple effects.
"Even so, if it's already leaked, Yang Seoho must be prepared, right? They could just change the date or route. Isn't this rumor a bit too far-fetched?"
- I figured you'd say that.
"Haa—what is it?"
Right, plausibility isn't the issue.
- This is unofficial info, but it seems Yang Seoho's going for a frontal assault.
"Tough guy. Frontal assault?"
- They're openly publicizing the transport route. They'll take the West Coast Expressway north, then veer toward Gongju and head into Sejong City.
"Sweeping up any eye-catching bastards along the way?"
- Exactly.
So, something like: "This is my route—come get me if you dare."
"What a hegemon. A total overlord."
The game of hide-and-seek I played with cultists in Paju for a while feels laughable now.
An overwhelming display of force in a tyrannical march.
- At this point, it's a matter of pride for the cultists too, isn't it? The atmosphere in Buyeo and Gongju has been off lately. Word is, some ominous relic was recently discovered in one of those two places.
"Relic?"
- Yeah, not just any relic—it's tied to a powerful abyssal entity. And the artifact unearthed from it sounds like no joke. That's why the cultists are feeling cocky.
"Man, everyone's so bold."
What doesn't happen in this tiny country?
"So, what's your point?"
- Come on, the Foreigner Management Agency's short-staffed these days, right?
"Short-staffed, yeah."
The Foreigner Management Agency is currently understaffed.
No major incidents happened during my week-long vacation, but right before that, there were events too big for them to handle alone.
In Paju alone, organized thugs fired heavy weapons in the middle of downtown—practically a war—and an entire apartment construction site collapsed.
The breach in the Great Wall to the north of Paju still hasn't been repaired.
"......"
All my fault.
Especially the hole in the Great Wall—that's the most critical issue.
Even with the Foreigner Management Agency and the military deployed there, they're too busy blocking monsters pouring in from the north, so repairs are dragging on.
- That's why they're pulling in Foreigner Management agents nationwide, police forces, and even private fixers. The cultists on the other side are transcending religions to bring in extralegal personnel too. What do you say?
"What's there to say?"
- Kim Shinhwa, which side do you think you'd gain the most from joining?
A loaded question. The answer's simple.
"Both."
- Hahaha! Right. You could make either enemies or allies.
He's been beating around the bush, but now I get what he wants.
Park Kwanglim has a highly unique ability called [Dowsing]. The power to locate a desired person.
In a battlefield, he could profit big just picking up trash. His ability is a commodity sellable to both sides.
"You'll need protection."
- Exactly. And mobility for high-speed travel. I'll handle negotiations and the small stuff.
Jang Hyundeok and I could go as a set and escort Park Kwanglim.
"Sorry, but I've decided not to play strategist for a while—"
- Eh? You're turning it down? You won't do it? If Kim Shinhwa gets involved, you could steer the fight's outcome, results, and aftermath however you want. You could even reach for that unearthed artifact and the relic itself.
That's true.
From what I hear, it's shaping up to be an event with a bigger turnout than Masquerade.
It might seem ridiculous, but [Cthulhu World] actually has events with a similar vibe. Probably implemented with some tweaks.
Plus, that relic at the end.
Park Kwanglim thinks it's Gyeryongsan, but if I'm right, it's Buyeo. Sounds like the Baekma River ruins have been excavated. And in those ruins...
"I'll think about it. Got a lot on my plate right now."
- If Kim Shinhwa sits it out, I'll do it alone. Decide by tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
The call ended there.
"Damn, on the last day of vacation, everyone's tugging at my sleeves, not letting me rest properly."
As I said that, I recalled another proposal that had come in.
* * *
Right after Go Kyungsun left Basilissa.
"How was it?"
"What?"
"Our little Kyungsun. He struts around acting like the boss, but whenever he's desperate, he comes whining."
"It's tricky."
Cure is a competitor to Helistic, but compared to Helistic—which had secretly built labs and bases nationwide long ago—they're a step behind.
Late entrants into Korea too.
But the reason they've expanded to Helistic-level influence so quickly is one.
'The backing of an abyssal entity.'
Helistic has something similar, but Cure's is more cult-like. And the abyssal entity they serve...
"Hmm, feeling like taking Kyungsun's commission?"
"Isn't that why I introduced him?"
"That job could go to anyone. Doesn't matter who, I get paid the same. And—"
Tudor winked at me and pointed to her office. Then, playfully:
"Miss, shall we talk somewhere quiet, just us?"
"...Who're you calling miss?"
I said that and headed to Tudor's office.
* * *
"Ugh, did you really have to pry into a lady's secrets with everyone around?"
"You feel like opening up now?"
"You're curious about Orb and Panier, right?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry, nothing big to tell. Oh? Don't get up, sit. I'm not teasing."
Only then did I sit back down.
"Some secret oath?"
"No, I really don't know much. To me, they're just—"
Tudor covered her right eye with one hand. She stared at me with only her left eye for a moment before speaking.
"I have one ability others don't."
"Ability?"
"Yeah. I can sense when this world's continuity breaks. My grandma called it the 'Evil Eye (魔眼, βασκανία).'"
"What does 'continuity breaking' mean?"
"The world's shape warps drastically, or someone rewinds time—that kinda thing. Not exact. Learned it from long life experience and old texts."
Not precise, but Tudor's a witch who's lived at least 200 years in this world. "Long life" means that scale.
"But it's not that impressive. I can just perceive it. Can't influence it."
"Then Gong Isu?"
"Oh, come on, I told you before? Gong Isu... not sure. An exception? But—"
"But?"
"Excluding Gong Isu, similar things happen when it occurs."
"What things?"
"Someone appears before me. Not always, but people with prior memories—and missing heads."
"......"
"Felt something similar a few months ago. Realized the world's continuity broke, structure reordered. And—"
"I showed up?"
"Yeah. You were hard to recognize—different from Orb or earlier ones—but probably you."
"I have my head and memories intact."
"But your influence on this world is huge. Maybe another headless one exists. Doesn't matter."
"Doesn't?"
"I'm not collecting headless people. Just being kind to those I like."
"......"
"Satisfied now?"
"Nothing else you know? For real?"
"Oh, for real."
Still suspicious parts, but I'll trust for now. If she's hiding more, hard to uncover right away.
Tudor giggled, spread her arms, and said:
"There, I shared my secret. Your turn to pay up."
"Ugh, what? What do you want?"
"That vacation nonsense for real? Not working?"
"Just exaggerated to Go Kyungsun. Starting again in two days."
"Ahh—what, that's it?"
"Yeah."
Tudor tapped her nose tip with a finger, then said:
"Then, along with Kyungsun's proposal, think about one more."
"It was a commission after all."
"Yeah. My darling Collie's in a bind."
"Curtain Call?"
"Yeah, told you before. Sokcho."
"Oh, that Yeonam Construction building on Seoraksan?"
Moon Seunghee of Yeonam Construction building on Seoraksan.
Should've finished quick, but local bigwigs hired fixers to sabotage.
Kwak Daeyong asked for help too; I turned down a formal request once, but Curtain Call took it.
Again there?
"Yeah. But trouble cropped up. Fourteen could go if you won't, but you're the most reliable to me."
"What trouble?"
"During blasting, they found a weird cave by chance."
"Aha."
My reaction irked Tudor. She furrowed her brow slightly and called me out.
"Aha? Oh, you knew something again?"
"No, just that there's an unknown relic there."
"Ugh, not a cave—a relic?"
"Yeah. It's a relic. Those local bigwigs and fixers Yeonam thought were obstacles? Cultists worshiping an abyssal entity tied to it."
The fixers are fixers, technically.
Such a small cult, they had to hire fixers.
"So, what? Wanna do it? Yeonam says they'll pay whatever if you resolve it fast."
"Hmm, planning to rest till tomorrow. Need a bit more time to think."
"Ugh—fine. Tell me ASAP if you decide. If not, gotta send someone else—say no quick if no."
"Got it."
* * *
And now, another new proposal.
"What to do. Sokcho, Gongju, Busan. Which way to go?"
As my mutter ended, a message window popped up.
[Have you rested sufficiently for the week? In that time, you received a total of three commissions. Since they require heading to fairly distant locations, choosing one means you can't go to the others.]
Was it watching me?
Like it waited for me to say that.
[Which of the following three quests will you accept?
1. [Goblin Extermination]
Client: Cure Medical Care
Assistant: Go Kyungsun
Location: Busan
2. [Dokgo Gyeom and Yang Seoho, Clash of Two Prideful Powerhouses]
Client: Park Kwanglim
Assistant: Park Kwanglim
Location: Gongju or Buyeo
3. [Legend of Ulsan Rock]
Client: Yeonam Construction
Assistant: Curtain Call
Location: Sokcho or Seoraksan
Please select your desired option.]