Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Producer II
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Shin Noah
No Do-ha's patients never hesitated to sing the praises of their "teacher" whenever they gathered.
"Man, seeing that road get wrecked in the convoy was so damn satisfying."
"Tell me about it. With the asphalt all cracked up like that, no ugly messes in sight. Instead of fussing over those needlessly wide lanes, just paving it neat and pretty as a single lane? How much better is that?"
"As expected of Teacher No. She's from where again?"
"Some place called Haenam Land's End."
"No wonder! Born and raised in a spot with good water and clean air! We need a big shot like that in our neighborhood too."
At first glance, it sounded like old grandpas muttering chit-chat over a game of go.
But old folks always preferred winding backroads over straight highways. Translating their true intentions, it went something like this.
'I'm jealous! So damn jealous!'
'Please pave ours too!'
No Do-ha was the kind of person born into this world with passive skills in human distrust and misanthropy. Naturally, she could intuitively sense the ugly, sordid desires lurking beneath people's words.
Yet this weirdo was endlessly generous with her patients. Like a limited-edition affinity level, perhaps? Much like a dictator who despised humanity but played the mere butler to his pet, No Do-ha maintained her mental balance in her own peculiar way.
"Sir... Would you like me to pave your neighborhood road too...?"
"Huh? No, no, Teacher! That's not what I meant!"
"That's exactly what you said and meant, though... So, would you like me to pave it, or not...?"
"Sigh. It'd be nice if you did. Really nice. But I feel bad whining to you when you're so busy with construction..."
"Yes. You must feel sorry. In this shitty world, all you've got left is your age, so of course you're clinging to a promising engineer like me. I know you're stepping up to speak for everyone, so keep feeling sorry along with the other patients..."
"......"
No Do-ha had come to visit the Guild Alliance.
Both then and now, the alliance's leader was Dang Seo-rin. As for me, I was little more than a mercenary captain called in occasionally for work.
"Come on in, Teacher No Do-ha. I heard you've started a new business lately."
"You honor me... Calling it a business in front of Three Thousand feels a bit presumptuous. It's just scraping by with a few middle-aged laborers rolling in the dirt trade, paving a few rickety miles shorter than the new roads..."
Surprisingly, No Do-ha was polite to Dang Seo-rin.
Not because their personalities meshed well. Their wallets did.
Anyone would suddenly find manners they didn't know they had after seeing the material assets Dang Seo-rin donated to No Do-ha's workshop every quarter.
"What's with the humility in front of me? So, what's up?"
"Well. It's about repairing the existing roads to make it easier for patients to travel... But fairness is an issue, and people are petty—if they think they're the only ones left out, they sulk alone, right? So since we're already doing construction..."
"Are you thinking of overhauling Busan's entire road network?"
"Yes, well... That'd be cleaner. But it turns into such a massive project. And guilds claiming territories as their own turf aren't few and far between."
"Hmm."
Dang Seo-rin fiddled with the tip of her conical hat.
"You want me to sort out the territories for you?"
"Yes. If that's too much trouble, just invite me to a guild meeting or something and give me a spot to speak..."
"Yeah. That might be better. If it looks like I'm pulling strings for you, some guilds will throw fits. Better for you to handle it from start to finish—no room for gossip that way."
"That makes sense. Guild leaders are all prickly with their pride and greed..."
"Alright."
Dang Seo-rin smiled brightly.
"I'll set up a spot as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Leader."
No Do-ha let out a sinister chuckle.
"If you ever end up crippled, I'll do a full-body rebuild for a steal. Just come back with your brain and heart intact..."
"......"
The key phrase to note here wasn't "crippled," but "a steal." No promise of doing it for free, even in death.
No Do-ha bowed and left the train car.
Dang Seo-rin glanced at the sofa where I sat. By sheer coincidence—or not—I happened to be visiting Three Thousand Guild as a guest right then.
"What do you think?"
"No Do-ha's a good person."
I sank back into the sofa. The lounge car of what was practically Korea's only ultra-luxury train had been renovated into this space, making the chairs incredibly cozy.
Dang Seo-rin shot me a pouty look.
"She called me a cripple."
"More precisely, she said 'if you end up crippled later.' Don't take it to heart. Weighing every word she says will just tire you out, Leader. Have you ever seen Three Thousand's guild leader watch No Do-ha treat her patients?"
"No."
"I've spent a full day stuck to her side observing once."
Not this regression loop, but another one.
Oh, and just to clarify: I spin my tales as if everything flows in a single storyline, but that doesn't mean all these events happened in one loop. More often, I weave and edit incidents from multiple loops into something coherent.
Take describing this country's government collapse, for example. I'm not glued to the radio 24/7—how could I know every statement from the Second Provisional Government or the coup forces?
One speech I heard in loop 4, another in loop 11. The sight of refugees grabbing Seoul's Vice Mayor of Administration and hurling him off a bridge? I didn't witness that until loop 37.
My "omniscient observer perspective" was forged from countless loops and experiences.
And I invest as much time as needed to judge if someone's trustworthy. One loop, I even stuck by No Do-ha's side like a squire, handling her chores.
Unfortunately, in past loops, I wasn't here on the day No Do-ha visited Dang Seo-rin. So her project always fizzled out after covering just Busan city limits.
But from now on, things would change.
Because this time, I was "coincidentally" visiting Three Thousand Guild's HQ.
"Patients with health issues often have troubled minds too. And it's not just them—their guardians feel it too. Even hearing their complaints and curses, No Do-ha has never once turned away a patient."
"Hmm."
"She might look shady and talk funny, but good luck finding anyone else like her anywhere."
"She rips off Awakeners all the time."
"She picks her marks carefully. Didn't I say? She's never refused a patient once. Do you think only well-off Awakeners visited her workshop?"
Dang Seo-rin rested her chin on her hand.
"...Still, she's spent her life just tending patients. Can she handle something this big?"
"She's not the type to scale responsibilities to her size—she scales herself to the responsibility. She'll be fine."
"......"
Finally, she nodded.
"Alright. If the Undertaker vouches for her character, I trust it."
And once Dang Seo-rin gave her trust, she followed it to the ends of hell.
Before long, a nationwide guild summit convened off Busan's coast. The "off coast" part? They floated a cruise ship.
No fuel to actually sail, so it stayed docked at the pier—but even that was unimaginable luxury in these times.
Official events like this typically drew meddlers from the Second Provisional Government or the Youth Officers' Corps, but they were thoroughly excluded.
A few "self-proclaimed bigshots" sent protests, but Dang Seo-rin brushed them off. Second Provisional Government's Foreign Minister? What's that? Oh, a Fukushima Korean Association member? Sorry, can't hear you from the Korea Strait—swim over and try again.
A summit of guild leaders only.
The sole guest invitee was No Do-ha. Excluding token chefs, singers, and a jazz band for show.
"Uh... Leader...?"
"Yeah?"
No Do-ha scanned the attendees and made a troubled face. A rare expression for her.
"Not sure if it's just me, but it feels like not just Busan guild leaders, but national heavyweights are all here...?"
"Oh."
Dang Seo-rin waved it off casually.
"Don't worry. We announced the summit, and inquiries poured in from everywhere. Haven't seen faces in ages. Might as well renew some connections while we're at it?"
"Ah..."
It was bullshit.
The program went like this. First, host Dang Seo-rin stepped up for greetings. Short and sweet, making it clear she wasn't the star.
Then it was my turn.
Cheers erupted like an explosion.
"Undertaker! It's been ages!"
"Come visit Gangwon sometime. The kids miss you like crazy."
"How's Sim A-ryeon? Thanks to you sending her last time, we cleared the gate without a hitch."
"I'll make time to host you soon!"
Off in one corner, even the Sword Marquis elder sat with arms crossed.
Korea's top Awakeners, all assembled.
I downplayed myself as a mere mercenary captain earlier, but get this? Tiny neutral Switzerland once thrived on mercenaries. The trust from that easily converted to banking—historical precedent.
Simply put, among these national guild leaders, few hadn't owed me a favor.
And like dutiful debtors, they were desperate to repay principal and interest to this bank called me. They knew what snowball awaited if they delayed.
"I sincerely thank you all for crossing far and perilous distances to gather here. Normally, that'd be a throwaway pleasantry. But today's summit theme is wrapped in those words: far and perilous roads. Isn't it time we fixed them?"
"Right on!"
"Woo-!"
Today's theme? Already detailed in the invites.
Heck, the moment guild leaders opened their letters, the Saintess fired off constellation chat. Something like ['Saintess of National Salvation' highly approves of this quest].
Dang Seo-rin's authority. My credibility. Constellation endorsement.
A literal trinity. Nothing stronger on the peninsula—probably the world.
"You all know her already. Our eternal Awakener supporter! Thanks to her, losing limbs to monsters is no big deal! She's earned huge merits boosting combat prowess to the max: the owner of 'No Do-ha Workshop'! ...And even foul-tempered Awakeners have to nod at her character and personality. Everyone, give a roaring welcome! Limb Producer No Do-ha!"
Thunderous applause exploded. Not hyperbole—actual thunder. Who cast thunder magic?
Up front, Dang Seo-rin led with her First Melody, beaming with joy.
By the way, Dang Seo-rin held grudges forever. If someone called her crippled, she'd happily prove who really was one.
I'd only described her good sides so far, but she'd once grabbed a rival guild leader who spat "Hey, you bitch!"—castrated him, then cooed, "Oh my, a TS bishoujo here? So, who's the bitch now?" while grinning.
Deep bad blood with that guild leader, sure. But solid proof her alliance leadership wasn't won on poker chips.
Ever hear "greens look the same" or "birds of a feather"? I used to be her top confidante, rising to vice guild leader under her.
"......"
Bathed in goodwill from Dang Seo-rin and me, No Do-ha trembled with joy.
After my intro, she trudged onstage, grabbed the mic. Her expression? Hmm. Probably wore it often back as a grade-7 civil servant.
Simpler:
"I'm No Do-ha..."
We're fucked.
무한 회귀자인데 썰 푼다