Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: I Totally Saw That Coming
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3
At some point, the 'witch hunt' anomaly swept across the Korean Peninsula.
If it had only ended with people posting shitposts on the internet, that would have been fine, but this anomaly had a terrifying aspect all its own.
"I knew this would happen."
"What?"
"I knew this would happen."
"What the hell are you talking about? You agreed to enter the Void too. Who could have predicted such a ridiculous anomaly would pop out of there...."
"I knew this would happen, I tell you? Honestly, the way you barged into the Void without any preparation. Tsk tsk."
"...."
Exchanges like this were happening all over the country.
Those contaminated by the anomaly would, whenever some problem arose, go to extreme lengths to act like they 'already knew it', or pretend to be in a 'fair and objective third-party position'.
It was truly bizarre.
Ever since the world began to be dyed by the Void, hadn't the scope of events humanity could predict shrunk to the size of a palm?
Thus, the attitude required of people living in our era was simpler.
'I didn't know this would happen.'
'I don't know, so I'll prepare as much as possible.'
'I don't know, so I'll get hit, but I'll learn while getting hit.'
On the other hand, this anomaly was directly rebelling against such trends.
"I knew this would happen."
"I knew you'd pretend to know."
"Ugh, I even knew you'd pretend to know that I knew you'd pretend to know!"
"I knew you two would be pretending to know each other like that. I've known it for a very, very long time."
Even when a completely unfamiliar Void appeared, or when hearing news they'd never encountered before, people somehow leisurely flaunted their 'knowledge'.
At this point, I had to admit that this anomaly was more formidable than I'd thought.
But what good did admitting it do?
I scratched my head and patted the shoulder of the internet's strongest asset.
"A-ryeon, good work."
"Ah. Y-yes."
"It seems pointless to refute each and every smear one by one. Good work, let's stop the operation now."
"Ah. Yes, Guild Master. Haa.... I-I knew this would happen...."
"...."
That day, a small circle was added to the back of A-ryeon's head.
For Sim A-ryeon, who only kept triangles and squares in her heart, it would serve as a fine external attachable conscience circuit.
In any case, the situation was gradually, very gradually, becoming serious.
Just a short while ago, fissures were detected within minor guilds that had been running steadily.
Scenes of citizens quarreling in the city streets were occasionally witnessed.
It was still tolerable for now. It wasn't an anomaly like the Ten Tribes that openly massacred people.
However, it was obvious that leaving it alone would lead to a serious incident.
"B-but, Guild Master."
"Yeah?"
"In my opinion, this feels a bit different from 'witch hunt'.... No. I think it's completely different."
Sim A-ryeon said, stroking the bump on her head.
"Why do you think that?"
"Well, it's happening not just on the internet but in reality too. Witch hunts are supposed to be more insidious.... At least conducted hiding behind the mask of anonymity."
"Hmm. Modern witch hunts can happen in reality just fine. Ever heard of the Dreyfus Affair?"
"Dr-Dreyfus...?"
"The incident famous for Émile Zola's 'I Accuse'."
"Ah. That one.... I knew about it too, but... It's famous, that, the 100,000-sub YouTuber Émile Zola...."
No, really.
Anyway, Sim A-ryeon mumbled with her lips.
"Ha, anyway, at least it's hunting while blending into a crowd or the masses or some large group, right...?"
"Yeah, that's true."
"Yes. But this anomaly is different. F-first of all, smearing the National Highway Management Corps' Great Demon King or the Three Thousand Worlds' Witch.... It's a bit...."
"A bit?"
Sim A-ryeon muttered bluntly.
"A bit less vile, you could say."
"....?"
A question mark floated above my head, but Sim A-ryeon ignored it and rattled on.
"On SG Net, no matter how much they hide behind anonymity, there's a risk of the Constellations finding out. So people don't cross the line recklessly. It's even more so in reality. But.... Picking fights with the two strongest powers on the peninsula? It's ridiculously upfront. No foul smell...."
"A-ryeon. What are you saying right now?"
"G-Guild Master, you're too fixated on the 'witch hunt' keyword because the Three Thousand Worlds' Great Witch is being attacked."
What.
"Besides, even though you pull villain shit on SG Net, you're just a Romance of the Three Kingdoms parrot.... You have zero expertise in real trolling. This isn't a witch hunt."
"Then what anomaly do you think it's related to?"
"Here."
Sim A-ryeon pressed hard on her smartphone screen. At her fingertip was an SG Net comment.
-Anonymous: I knew this would happen
The phrase that appeared most frequently while investigating this anomaly.
Pointing to it, Sim A-ryeon said.
"This is the core of it. Ah, pretending to know. Pretending to have it all figured out. So this isn't a witch hunt anomaly.... It's a braggart. Or an expert."
"Expert?"
"Y-yes. Should I say fake expert? Anyway, ones who love to show off, prefer to stand out rather than hide in the crowd, and constantly pretend to know.... It's closer to an 'expert anomaly'."
That was the diagnosis from self-proclaimed internet expert Sim A-ryeon.
4
If there's one advantage to me, the Undertaker, it's that I know how to listen to experts.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and even the villain Goryeo Jang had points to learn from.
Sim A-ryeon was utterly thrilled at the situation of imparting wisdom to me regarding anomalies.
"O-of course, I understand why you got confused, Guild Master. It does feel like a witch hunt at a glance.... There's incitement. A bit of responsibility dodging too. And your age, no matter how much you try to act young, has its limits...."
There was a brief moment for attaching an additional external conscience circuit.
"It's probably because the anomaly is evolving in real time. Soon it'll evolve into the even larger category of 'internet culture'."
"Y-yes."
I have no idea why it's spreading to reality beyond the internet though— Sim A-ryeon whispered.
"Anyway, if we leave it like this, I think all of humanity will turn into forest friends. Awakener supremacy and awakener hatred will get way stronger too...."
Just imagining it was horrifying.
'The Sim A-ryeon-ization of all humanity!'
Chills ran down my neck.
No matter what, humanity deserved a more noble way to perish.
We needed to suppress it early.
"How should we exterminate it? Please share your wisdom, Professor Goryeo Jang."
"Hee, heehee. Ehehe...."
Sim A-ryeon rubbed her fingertips happily.
"Um, the best way is.... To crush them so hard fake experts can't even squeak!"
"Crush?"
"Yes! Ga-gasping so they can't even say 'I knew it'! A feat only you, Guild Master, can pull off. Something so amazing and outlandish that no one can nitpick....!"
"Outlandish."
"It has to be something absolutely no one can predict! Not 'I knew it', but making them go 'I really didn't see that coming'.... Show a shocking, big event...!"
"Shocking."
Hmm.
I opened a notepad in my head and jotted down Professor Goryeo Jang's words verbatim.
During that, the Saintess's voice (for some reason urgent) came via telepathy from beyond my eardrums.
[Wait a moment. Mr. Undertaker. Even if Sim A-ryeon is an expert on internet culture, blindly following her advice has problems....]
At that moment, Sim A-ryeon drove the nail in.
"I-I wouldn't have suggested this strategy if it weren't you, Guild Master. After all, fake expert-ing about Admiral Yi Sun-sin is the way of the world...."
"Hmm."
"But you, Guild Master, excluding me, are the greatest on earth, right? So you'll definitely show a solution to such a trivial anomaly that they can't even imagine!"
"Hmm."
"I believe in you, Guild Master...!"
Sim A-ryeon clenched her fists.
I nodded.
"Of course. Just trust me, A-ryeon. Your Guild Master will stage a scene that no one anywhere could have predicted."
"Ehehe. Yes!"
The Saintess, probably watching the same scene through my eyes, sighed softly.
[Why does Mr. Undertaker torment Sim A-ryeon every day, yet lose his cool and get swayed at crucial moments like this....]
A-ryeon's Guild Master sortie!
5
First, I selected and captured the people most severely contaminated by the 'expert anomaly'.
A total of 360 heads.
Not coincidence, but an intentional number.
Long ago in Athens, when Socrates was sentenced to death, exactly 360 voted for execution.
In short, 360 symbolized 'mob rule' and 'mass psychology'.
Not stopping there, I even carved stone pillars with aura and built a Greek-style building.
Whether defining the anomaly's identity as expert bullshit or witch hunt, this place had transformed into the perfect temple to summon the anomaly.
"Mr. Undertaker! How can you kidnap people and tie them up like this! I knew you'd do this someday!"
Murmur murmur.
The people suddenly captured by me and bound shouted in uproar.
"Even if there's no law these days, this is too much! I knew it!"
"Abuse of power by an Awakener! Outrage! Just as I predicted!"
"I've known since you and the Management Corps Chief schemed to take over the peninsula. Tsk tsk."
"Dang Seo-rin must have told you to do this! I mean, between you two, I knew it! I knew!"
"See? Worship them as war heroes and they become dictators. I knew it."
What? Did a bunch of people awaken prophecy abilities without me knowing? As far as I knew, there were only two prophets.
'Definitely abnormal reactions.'
These were survivors who steadfastly made it through the apocalypse. They had sharp judgment and keen senses.
If 'that Undertaker' captured them and tied them in a weird Greek temple, they should instantly sense something extraordinary was afoot.
Yet people were busy complaining about my attitude. Even claiming they knew it all along.
Their minds were already thoroughly contaminated by the anomaly.
"Everyone, quiet down."
I made a paper megaphone and shouted.
"No! Telling us to be quiet in this situation!"
"Silencing the citizens' voices!"
"Dictator! Dictator! Dictator!"
"Kill us! Go ahead, try it!"
People immediately raised a clamor. Filtering out redundant 'I knew it' chants, I continued.
"How could I kill you all? However...."
I glanced to the side.
There stood Yoo Ji-won, the operations team leader of the National Highway Management Corps, silver-haired psychopath, silently.
"If Yoo Ji-won here snaps and kills someone, there's nothing I can do about it."
"...."
"...."
Chill-.
The temple fell silent in an instant.
Normal psychopaths knew to read the room and hide their psycho side appropriately, but Yoo Ji-won here played by different rules.
Once she gained confidence that No Do-ha at society's pinnacle and the Regressor on the throne of time wouldn't abandon her, Yoo Ji-won released her seal without hesitation.
If given justification and necessity, Yoo Ji-won would slice people freely.
There were various reasons why security on the apocalypse-stricken peninsula was well-maintained.
"For now, behold this aura."
I drew Doha and raised it to the sky.
Then I poured all my aura into it.
―――!!
The ink-black aura swallowed even the noise as it pierced the heavens.
The clouds sliced by the aura strangely turned into storm clouds. Despite the bright midday, a small night sky draped like a hole in the celestial dome.
The result of me pouring my full power into the aura.
"...."
"...."
Clap.
Clap clap clap-.
Amid everyone's silence, small applause sounded.
No need to look. Yoo Ji-won was clapping expressionlessly alone.
Ignoring Yoo Ji-won's flattery lightly, I turned to the 360 people.
"What do you think?"
"...Th-threatening citizens with brute force!"
"Ha. It's just showing off aura. No different from flexing muscles."
"Studies show excessive aura hinders efficiency in real combat...."
"I knew he was that kind of guy."
The anomaly hesitated briefly but still leisurely wagged tongues.
More precisely, it was manipulating the contaminated people to wag theirs.
I muttered.
"Doesn't seem enough after all."
"Shall I execute them all, sir?"
"They just got unlucky and contaminated. What execution? Moving to the next method."
If aura flexing wasn't enough, I had no choice but to pull out the secret weapon.
The peninsula's top combat assets weren't just one Goryeo Jang villain.
I uttered the name of the second ultimate weapon.
"Ji-won."
"Yes."
"Bring Sword Marquis senior."
If aura show isn't enough, fine.
Now, witness the badass 'marrow cleansing show' of the Mount Hua Sect Leader.
