Chapter 166
Chapter 166
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: A Vacation with Dang Seo-rin
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1
As you all know, I, the Undertaker, sometimes take a vacation whenever stress builds up.
True to my regressor nature, the scale is grand. I don't take puny breaks like a week or two. I dedicate an entire loop to vacation.
But what about the other Awakeners?
Of course, Sim A-ryeon lives every day like a vacation, so she doesn't need one. And No Do-ha, with Zhuge Liang possessing her mind, probably doesn't even have the concept of rest installed.
However, those two belong to the realm of the "non-human." Right now, I'm talking about humans.
Any normal person needs rest.
Even Dang Seo-rin, who is human compared to those two—extremely human, in fact (with a history of corruption)—was no exception.
"Hi, Undertaker? Wanna go on a trip?"
One day, when I returned to base, there she was, sitting in my personal chair as if it were the most natural thing in the world, munching on potato chips.
If it were you, how would you react in this situation?
A. A trip? What trip out of nowhere? Did you drink alone again?
B. Sorry. Could you wait another thousand years on top of a thousand?
For reference, both A and B are wrong answers.
This is what I said.
"Sure, sounds good. Where do you want to go?"
Here's a pro tip for getting along with people. If someone suddenly says they want to go on a trip, match their vibe first. Otherwise, your head might embark on a long-distance journey.
"Heh? Didn't expect an instant OK. Aren't you busy these days? Got time for a trip with me?"
"You're just as busy. And no matter how busy I am, I always carve out time for a vacation. That's part of what makes me a busy person."
"Hmm."
Busan's leader, Comrade Dang Seo-rin, smiled in satisfaction. See? My response was spot on.
"For real? Then we're really going on a trip?"
"I said it's fine."
I pushed even harder.
"Got a destination in mind?"
"Destination. Hmm, destination... Hold on. Why is this chair so ridiculously comfy? It's criminally fluffy."
"That's an anomaly called [Chair That Makes You Not Want to Get Up]. It recovers fatigue while you sit, but stay for three hours or more, and your butt flesh gets Theseus'd right off."
"Oh my god. What even are anomalies...?"
"That's exactly what makes them anomalies—the reaction they provoke."
"Hmm..."
Dang Seo-rin fiddled with the brim of her witch hat, crumpling it. It was her habitual gesture when deep in thought.
"Honestly, no specific destination. As long as it's far away, anywhere's fine. Oh, just not too close like Jeju."
"Hm."
It felt like when a close friend vaguely suggests grabbing food "anywhere."
"For someone like you, I recommend the following destinations."
But I was a regressor.
This wasn't the first time Dang Seo-rin had caught "sudden trip fever," so I'd prepared for nearly every scenario.
I confidently handed over a guidebook. Clean cover, professional printing. It could go straight on a bookstore shelf.
"Whoa. What's this? [Travel Guide for the Three Thousand Worlds Guild Leader]...?"
"A custom travel itinerary just for you. As you can see, the first page is Hawaii. It's perfectly established as a 'void resort.' Pretty recommendable, aside from the high prices."
There were daily Pearl Harbor airstrike parades from the sky and occasional SCP spawns, but still.
Factoring that in, it was rated Hawaii (Travel Difficulty: ★★★★).
"Undertaker, you..."
Dang Seo-rin looked deeply moved by my insane preparedness.
I smirked inwardly. Success.
"Nice, but anything besides Hawaii?"
Damn. Normally, she'd wrap it up here and we'd go hunt for good eats.
Of course, if so, the story would've ended with "We had a great meal and got smashed, the end," and wouldn't even be an episode.
"The ocean's right here every day anyway. Honestly, I want something more exotic. Like... how about Paris?"
"Which Paris?"
"Huh? What do you mean, which?"
Dang Seo-rin tilted her head.
"Paris, France. What else?"
"Time periods overlap there. Paris during the Huguenot Wars, during the French Revolution, during World War II—six Parises total. Want religion wars and witch trials? Huguenot era. Red guillotines and Napoleon? Revolution. Pick your flavor for romance in Paris."
"Seriously, what even are anomalies...?"
"That's exactly what makes them anomalies."
"Hmm."
Rustle rustle. Dang Seo-rin carefully browsed my [Travel Guide for the Three Thousand Worlds Guild Leader].
"Oh. Here."
Squish. Her finger pointed to this:
Uyuni Salt Flats (Travel Difficulty: ★★★★★★★☆).
"Hm."
It was the place where rain fills the desert horizon to the brim, turning it into a mirror reflecting the blue sky. The most brilliant "mirror" on Earth.
For reference, it's in Bolivia, South America.
For reference on reference, the Inca Empire used to be around there. A nation of fashionistas who valued heart aesthetics over facial ones.
For reference on reference on reference, to anomalies, spacetime is like taffy—completely arbitrary. Just as witch trials and revolutions erupt simultaneously in Paris, a "Whose Heart Is Prettiest?" contest was in full swing in the Inca void.
"..."
A bead of sweat formed in the regressor's heart.
Yes. Uyuni was never an easy trip even before. Post-apocalypse, the difficulty skyrocketed.
I desperately scanned Dang Seo-rin's expression, like a North Korean citizen reading Comrade No. 1's mood.
"Yeah? Yeah? What do you think? I've always wanted to go there since forever."
"..."
The leader comrade was quite excited.
If it were you, how would you react?
I swallowed blood but kept my face neutral.
"...Let's go. Uyuni Salt Flats. Honestly, I've always wanted to too."
"Tomorrow!"
"You're serious...?"
"What?"
"Tomorrow's tight. Day after."
"Yeah!"
2
The next day, I woke from a hangover expecting Dang Seo-rin to hastily inject sanity into her brain and return to guild duties—but nope.
"Alright, let's go! Undertaker!"
Instead, she was fully geared up. She'd gotten a red leather trunk and even wore sunglasses.
Airport fashion fit for Incheon. Extra effort in her witch hat and robe too.
I let out a groan.
"Who called regressors omnipotent? Can't even predict tomorrow's fate—a mere mortal..."
"Huh? What'd you say?"
"Nothing. Anyway, we'll be gone a week or two at least. Three Thousand Worlds okay?"
"Of course. I've been dropping hints about leaving for half a year in front of the kids. They're sharp; they'll handle it. If not, purge. You okay?"
"Told you. No issue."
No Do-ha, the highway corps leader, would go berserk in rage at the temp replacement upon return, but what's death more than death?
Dang Seo-rin slipped sunglasses on me and giggled.
"Now we take your private plane? That, what was it? Red puppy?"
"Red Pig. Savoya S-21 mod. Don't mess it up again. Sadly, Red Pig can't make it to South America. Fuel shortage."
"Then how?"
"There's ways. Appreciate your luck, Dang Seo-rin. No one else makes travel guides like this anymore."
"Ooh. Confident much?"
First, we took the Inunaki Tunnel.
Maybe sensing my overseas trip, the pedestrian path was unusually friendly.
→ Trap here →
Ghost spawn point! Careful!
(Cheers) Have a safe trip. (Congrats)
Such Japanese graffiti on the walls. Probably from periodic magical girl mural makeovers boosting favor.
We super-highway-passed to Seoul.
"Dang Seo-rin. Know Korea's first airport?"
"Huh? Gimpo?"
"Nope. Yeouido Airport."
It existed.
Just look at Robot Taekwon V launching from the National Assembly building—Yeouido was prime for takeoffs. Past lawmakers' empty heads floating skyward had reasons.
Real history's Yeouido Airport faded after losing to Gimpo, but now it's Korea's sole international airport, revived gloriously.
Dang Seo-rin, guided there, looked dubious.
"Yeouido had this all along?"
"Nope. Every May, the 'Comprehensive Income Tax Anomaly' spawns. Taxes pile up to a threshold, spawning the 'Yeouido Airport' void."
"Whoa. Our taxes build an airport? Anomalies?"
"Yeah. They're dead serious about role-playing government. Using taxes properly? Anomalous enough."
"Seriously, what even are anomalies...?"
That reaction, etc., omitted.
Dang Seo-rin tugged my sleeve.
"Undertaker, look."
"Hm."
"All the airport glass is bright red? Thousands of red handprints. Am I seeing wrong?"
"Ignore. Interior design."
"..."
As said, modern architecture trend is voidism. Blood on glass? Cute detail.
Original Yeouido Airport operated before overseas travel was free for most.
Back then, it was a privilege for elites—a luxury dream for average folk.
Naturally, officials at check-in looked stern.
-Where from?
The hatted official anomaly mumbled, mimicking human speech.
Murderous zeal to teach escaping SCVs their place.
Impressive acting. If fingers hadn't sprouted where eyes should be, I'd buy it.
"I'm this kind of person."
I flashed my ID.
Farmed from Namsan yesterday. Took two days to prep.
-Ah. Special Task Force, huh.
Tone instantly polite.
-Contact received yesterday. But the lady...?
I feigned displeasure.
"Need I explain every detail?"
-No, of course not. Sorry. Proceed, agent.
Airport crawling with anomalies, but we strolled to the gate comfy.
Dang Seo-rin muttered beside me.
"Kinda... not the overseas trip I imagined..."
"For South America, plane's easiest."
Ignore the ~60% crash rate minor flaw—great transport.
Walking to gate, I said.
"We go Spain first. Cross to South America from there for Inca anomaly bonuses. Flight's long, but safer that way—"
Finally boarding.
I had to stop explaining. Dang Seo-rin behind me froze too.
"Hm."
"Uh."
The old plane had 212 passengers seated. In pairs.
All 212: "Undertaker" and "Dang Seo-rin" faces.
Dressed just like us, for a trip.
Stare-.
They stared at us; we at them. Including us, 107 Undertakers and 107 Dang Seo-rins fell silent.
"..."
"...This interior design too, Undertaker?"
Hm.
Didn't see this coming.