Chapter 288
Chapter 288
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: Hasty Movement
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[Gate Creation]
A bizarre whirring sound echoed as a dimensional gate formed in the space before me. I stepped through it and arrived in Paju in an instant.
There was Basilissa right in front of me.
I launched myself forward using magic, nearly smashing through Basilissa's door in the process.
"Tudor! Tudor!"
"Oh, honey? Perfect timing. What do you think of me?"
Tudor struck a dashing pose.
I had no idea what she'd been up to, but she wasn't in her usual witch outfit. Instead, she was dressed in a sharp suit, complete with oversized horn-rimmed glasses on her face.
Ah, I'm swamped here, and she's playing dress-up?
"You look great. Stunning. But aren't the glasses a bit much? Rimless ones would suit you better. And secure me a car. A secure taxi."
"A secure taxi? Where are you headed? Oh, and take a look at Panni too."
Tudor extended her hand, pointing toward Panni in the cafe.
A girl with a massive lantern for a head was serving customers in frilly classical maid attire.
Ah, this is driving me nuts.
I still hadn't figured out the mechanism, but Panni was likely the [Predator of the Mountainside], fallen from grace as an abyssal being.
How had the majestic [Predator of the Mountainside] ended up like that?
"Tudor— is it okay to make her do that? And get me the fastest person to Ansan. Speed over skill."
"Who's tormenting who? Panni chose to wear it herself."
She couldn't make expressions with a lantern for a head, so I couldn't tell her mood, but she didn't look happy.
No, that's not the point.
"Come on, Tudor! I'm in a hurry!"
"Honey, calm down. What's the rush in Ansan? Sit for a bit."
"Hoo—"
Right, calm down.
I sat in a chair at Basilissa and caught my breath for a moment.
"There. Calmed down. Taxi, quick."
"Fine. I'll get the car right away, so relax. You were in Sokcho and flew straight here? Magic? What about Corrie?"
An orb with a large monitor instead of a head approached, handing me an iced Americano.
"Ah, thanks, Orb. Oh, right. I asked Curtain Call and the others to handle something— can you mediate the money side?"
"Mediate? What, you went and ordered my Corrie around on your own?"
"Your Corrie? They all agreed. I don't have cash now, but I'll pay up later. Lend me some credit."
"Hmm, sure. I can do that much. And honey."
Tudor flashed a playful smile and leaned on my shoulder, whispering softly.
"Yeah?"
"Have you been the one warping spacetime continuity lately?"
"Continuity?"
"I haven't mentioned it to you, but—"
Her whisper tickled my ear. Her voice was so sweet it made my shoulders twitch.
"I can actually sense it."
I already knew that. I'd heard it from Tudor in the previous regression. Though that timeline was erased now.
Tudor grabbed both my shoulders and kept whispering.
"I don't know if you're rewinding time or stopping it— but this world has stronger restorative power than you think. Abyssal beings ignore it and wield their power anyway. At our level, the backlash could cause bigger problems. Keep that in mind."
"...Got it. Thanks for the advice."
Which meant back off a bit— so I gently pushed Tudor away.
"You already know without me mentioning Kong Isu's name, right? Remember where he ended up, even with that power."
"Yeah."
I'd met a Kong Isu from another timeline midway.
The futuremost Kong Isu had chosen to return to the hospital room at Paju Central Hospital.
Backlash, huh...
I glanced at my left hand holding the coffee cup.
In the previous regression, my left middle, ring, and pinky fingers had been severed.
Recently, I'd faced the Conqueror— and those same fingers had been twisted beyond recognition.
"..."
I'd handed things off to Park Kwang-rim, but he'd called with ominous news.
And—
No, it wasn't unfolding exactly the same. I was moving faster than before— resolving more issues— changing more things.
Still, it made me uneasy.
I stood up and said to Tudor,
"I'll head home quick. Get the taxi ready, please."
"When'll you be back?"
"Within an hour."
"Hehe, okay. I'll have the taxi waiting."
"Thanks."
I set down the cup and headed for the door. I'd make a dimensional gate in a suitable alley and head to the Hungry Manor.
"And honey."
Tudor's voice called me back suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm always on your side. If trouble hits, come to Basilissa no matter what state you're in."
"Ah— yeah. Good to know I've got a place to crash even if I go bust."
I said that and left Basilissa.
* * *
"I'm back! I missed you so much, Sanghyeon!"
"Myth Lady?"
"I missed the meals you prepared! But I'm heading out soon, so I'm good on food!"
"Huh?"
Crash! Bang!
Whirrr!
"Yeah, Doldol! Achilles! You guys are so cute! Uwaaaak! Sorry, stay back!"
My panicked reaction only excited Doldol and Achilles more, and they chased me. I screamed and spun around the living room for a bit.
Neither was tied to my phobia, but their motifs— their movements and appearances— triggered it.
"Red! Handle these guys a sec!"
"Screee!"
Whirrr—
Boom!
Crash! Bang!
Red swooped in to help, letting me dash to the basement.
"Whew."
I sighed briefly, grabbed everything useful from the basement, then extended my magic toward the large door in the corner.
"Open up. Let's make a deal."
Creeeak—
A metallic sound from the basement darkness. Mixed with it, an otherworldly laugh burrowing into my ears.
"Amusing words. What deal do you propose?"
A human voice came from the pitch-black barrier. With it, [The Smiling One] slowly revealed itself.
As always, it took Cheongho's form.
"..."
Seeing it more vividly alive than Cheongho ever was left me speechless for a moment.
"Ha, guess I can't say much to Tudor."
She'd taken in weird beings like Orb and Panni.
If we're talking surreal monsters, I had mountains of them. And this one was the strongest and most horrific I'd raised.
At my aside, [The Smiling One], wearing Cheongho's face, scowled.
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. Back to business. Head to Buyeo."
"...You're letting me out?"
Cheongho's face showed surprise.
"Yeah. Get some fresh air, plot some schemes, make some friends."
"Have you finally lost your mind?"
"Of course I'm not letting everything out. I'll lend you a spirit golem. Split into one page and ride that."
"What's the goal? You'll slap all sorts of chains on that page, right? I can't do complex work riding a spirit golem like that— not even human."
It was an absurd, maybe enraging proposal from [The Smiling One]'s view, but it accepted readily.
'I've fed it so well, no wonder.'
Imprisonment aside, it hadn't been all bad for [The Smiling One].
I'd kept supplying it items infused with abyssal influences. To purge impurities and poisons, but those were premium nutrients for it.
Lately, it'd shown some goodwill, letting me plan this.
"Stir things up a bit and come back."
[The Smiling One] used Cheongho's shadow to strike a thoughtful pose— arms crossed, frowning.
"Stir things up? That's it?"
"That's it."
I looked at my left hand again and spoke. Planning to minimize risks.
"What do I get?"
Asking for rewards now? Shameless bastard.
"Don't wanna go out?"
"Fine. But that's separate. Aren't I your servant? If you say so, I could move—"
"True, can't relax without a proper deal."
To prevent it from rampaging freely, I needed a magical contract like with Ihasuh.
And contracts needed fair compensation, not one-sided force.
I showed it an [Avatar Stone] made from [Great Origin] magic.
"I'll give you this."
"Made from abyssal remnants. But too dilute. Got any other avatar stones?"
My other ones meant—
The five from Panni, the [Predator of the Mountainside]'s magic.
Power I couldn't fully control yet.
Same name, but worlds apart from this crude one from Lee Seonbin's extracted magic.
"Forget it."
Tried to play nice, and it wants to bankrupt me?
Kuhuhuhu— hahaha— ahahahaha—
[The Smiling One] let out an otherworldly laugh, then moved Cheongho's hand to point at the [Great Origin] avatar stone.
"I accept."
"Good. Let's start now."
I summoned a spirit golem and drafted a ridiculously— ridiculously— ridiculously looooong contract.
[The Smiling One] even yelled, "Enough! Is there no trust in that head of yours?!" So no worries there.
* * *
Only after all that did I reach Ansan.
Ansan outskirts, far from downtown.
Mount Suri was right nearby.
"Here? This spot okay? You sure you don't want me to wait?"
The secure taxi driver's gravelly voice.
Through the rearview, his crow's feet and even more impressive scars.
"Yes. This is fine. Drive safe."
"Kuhahaha— right. You too!"
He laughed heartily and drove off.
I confirmed it gone, then tried Park Kwang-rim again.
Just endless ringing.
No answer.
"Sigh—"
Classic horror setup.
No choice. I activated stealth magic and walked farther.
"That it?"
I gazed at the wide barbed-wire fence under the gloomy, overcast sky.
'A nursery? Here?'
If this was the nursery, that sinister fence was its wall.
"Not a military base?"
It stretched so long it seemed to encircle the whole mountain.
Razor wire topped it. And...
[Warning! High Voltage]
High-voltage current running through.
"Hyundeok, you grew up in a real gem, huh?"
Wish I'd visited sooner.
I soon reached what looked like the main gate.
A weathered, peeling metal plate read:
[House of Healing]