Chapter 182: Selection
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 182: Selection
“So it's you. The main character in that ridiculous story about being my future self, or whatever.”
Looking at her glaring at him and speaking so bluntly, Baeksan felt the urge to put her in her place, but he forced it down.
“I don't know how much that brat Kang Ma-ri blabbed. But yes, it's true.”
“Ha, haha… that's absurd.”
Heuksan let out a scornful laugh, discharging the electricity flowing through her body into the floor and grinding her teeth.
“I didn't exactly trust that woman's words either, but the circumstances lined up, so I went along with it. But now you expect me to believe that my future self has come to see me?”
“And what are you going to do if you don't believe me?”
Baeksan looked down on Heuksan without a shred of mercy.
“At your current level, you can't do a thing to me. Can you even beat me?”
As Baeksan said this, Heuksan clenched her fists.
He was right. Realistically, there was no way for Heuksan to defeat Baeksan.
“Listen up. I don't give a damn whether you believe my story or not.”
Saying that, Baeksan let out a long sigh.
“I know you won't fucking believe me even if I tell you about the stupid-ass doodles you used to scribble in your notebook as a kid, or how you were out riding your bike the day before your mother died and missed her last call. I know you wouldn't believe crap like that.”
“That’s…”
For the first time, Heuksan’s eyes wavered.
She couldn't just dismiss the story about her mother's death.
“But there's one thing you'd better remember.”
He sighed again, long and deep, and pointed to Kang Ha-chan’s face.
”Kang Ha-chan. This guy died because of me.”
“What?”
The moment those completely unexpected words left Baeksan's mouth, bewilderment filled her eyes.
“This fucking idiot is a crazy son of a bitch who tried to save returnees even as a normal human.”
Hearing those words, Heuksan's eyes trembled.
“…Wait. Are you saying Kang Ha-chan was originally a normal person?”
“Why do you think you and this guy use the same aura?”
It was true; Ha-chan used the exact same aura as Heuksan.
No matter how she looked at it, that aura, so similar to her own, indicated that he had only learned Baeksan's techniques.
“This guy is a normal person. In fact, you could say he just got caught up in my business. The only reason he can use any power now is purely because I intervened.”
Baeksan's expression turned grim.
The memory of Kang Ha-chan's final moments was still vivid in Baeksan's eyes.
It happened after he had climbed far up the Tower of Revelation, back when the world had begun to change with him at its center.
When a single mistake had brought death to his doorstep, the one who saved him was none other than Kang Ha-chan.
“That's the kind of guy he is. Even as the world changed, he was still trapped in a madness that made him save others, with no regard for his own body.”
“…What's the point of living a life like that?”
As Heuksan spoke, completely unable to understand, Baeksan gave a hollow laugh.
“I don't know. That's what I'm in the process of figuring out.”
With that, Baeksan looked down at Heuksan.
“So you should figure it out, too.”
“You want me to figure it out?”
“Because no matter how much you run, this guy will eventually chase you down.”
Heuksan looked at him with a weary expression.
Because it seemed like Kang Ha-chan would actually do that.
“The decision is yours. But remember one thing.”
Saying that, Baeksan stared intently at Heuksan.
“Make sure this guy doesn't die because of you.”
Then, he seemed to scoff at the difficult life his past self would have to live.
“When this guy died, the world went and got itself fucking destroyed.”
It was advice born from deep experience.
“The world was destroyed? Why?”
Hearing this, Heuksan looked at Baeksan, her expression one of utter confusion.
She couldn't comprehend how the world could be destroyed just because one person died.
“You haven't checked what kind of people are surrounding this guy, have you.”
Heuksan flinched at his words.
She'd had too many other things on her mind.
Naturally, she hadn't bothered to pay any attention to Ha-chan's circle.
“I bet you don't even know about your sister's ability.”
“My sister? You mean… my unni?”
Hearing her use the female term for an older sister, Baeksan clicked his tongue before continuing.
“Do you think your sister became the chairperson of the World Returnee Association for free?”
“Well…”
Heuksan fell silent for a moment.
Heuksan had watched from Seol-hyang's side, seeing the work she did.
Managing returnees on a global scale while also resolving dimensional issues, she displayed nothing short of superhuman ability.
It was no exaggeration to say that the world of returnees revolved around her.
That ability alone was extraordinary, but Baeksan's words implied there was something more.
“And then there's the kid who's always sticking to Kang Ha-chan.”
The moment he said ‘kid,’ Heuksan thought of Si-ho.
Her spatial abilities were enough to astound even Heuksan.
She had even secretly watched Si-ho's training sessions a few times while staying with Kang Ha-chan, running countless combat simulations in her head.
“And the Heavenly Demon.”
The Heavenly Demon was a woman who was clearly very fond of Kang Ha-chan.
A returnee from the Murim world, from the feel of it, she had displayed absurd martial power back on the 23rd floor.
Not only that, but the power dwelling within her was so unsettling that just watching it was enough to give one goosebumps.
If she had to make a list of people she never wanted as an enemy, she would be at the very top.
“What do you think will happen to those three if Kang Ha-chan dies?”
And the answer was very simple.
Even to the distrustful Heuksan, the love those three had for Kang Ha-chan was nothing but pure and direct.
They were just crazy about each other.
She had just accepted it as a fact and moved on.
But what if that love were to lose its destination?
Even Heuksan could arrive at a very simple answer.
“The world…”
…would break.
Because those three would go on a rampage to avenge the one who killed Kang Ha-chan.
“And it's not just those three.”
Baeksan swept his bangs back with a tired expression.
“They're not on the same level as those three, but there are others who could at least wipe out a country.”
Heuksan looked dumbfounded.
She couldn't believe that one person could have such connections and become a walking time bomb.
“Do you get it now? The reason I insisted on regressing to this guy's side.”
Finally understanding what he meant by ‘the world was destroyed,’ Heuksan looked at Baeksan.
The deep sorrow in his eyes told her that this entire story was true.
“You'll see it for yourself in this upcoming incident. You'll see just how many relationships are tangled around this guy, snowballing into something massive.”
Advising her that this was her chance to see it with her own two eyes, he let out a long sigh.
“So remember my warning. Whether you believe me or not, there's no harm in protecting this guy.”
Just keep that one thing in mind, Baeksan said.
Then, feeling his time was up, Baeksan let his bangs fall, only to remember one more thing. His face crumpled into a fierce scowl.
“And, just in case.”
Hearing him say ‘just in case,’ Heuksan flinched and looked at Baeksan.
Because his eyes were dead serious.
Is this another story related to the apocalypse?
As Heuksan watched him, slightly anxious, he casually dropped the words.
“Absolutely do not fall for this guy.”
“What?”
Hearing that, Heuksan let out a deflated sound.
Her expression was one of someone questioning what they had just heard.
Just a moment ago, she'd been so angry at the feeling of being betrayed again that she'd tried to kill him. Fall for him? What nonsense.
She was already going crazy with irritation just looking at his face.
…Wait, why was I so angry?
Then, Heuksan suddenly flinched.
For Heuksan, who was already accustomed to betrayal, being betrayed now should have elicited no particular emotion.
She would simply eliminate the traitor with cold detachment.
But the emotion she felt this time was deep disappointment, along with rage.
Only after her head cooled did Heuksan realize that she, a person who distrusted all humans, had felt such disappointment and anger. She wore a dumbfounded expression.
Could it be? Had she really started to trust Kang Ha-chan in such a short time?
Zzzt.
Her hair stood on end.
Feeling a bad premonition, Heuksan turned her head to see that Kang Ha-chan, his hair now settled, had opened his eyes.
He looked at her for a moment, then gave an apologetic smile.
“Did you finish talking?”
Hearing that voice, so kind and completely different from before, Heuksan instinctively took a step back.
Do not fall for him.
Baeksan's words echoed in her mind.
“Wh-Who would fall for someone like you?!”
As Heuksan pointed and shrieked, a look of confusion appeared on Ha-chan's face.
“Uh, d-didn't you finish talking?”
Seeing Ha-chan's own bewildered expression, Heuksan, who had flared up in anger, slowly lowered her pointing finger.
Her face flushed with irritation.
“…We finished talking, but.”
Muttering, Heuksan bit her lip and abruptly turned away.
For some reason, she didn't want to look at Ha-chan's face.
The fact that Ha-chan had thrown his life away for her, even if it was in another world, kept replaying in her mind.
And that the Ha-chan of this world was likely no different.
Feeling that same bad premonition, Heuksan knew she had to change the subject quickly.
“Ah, something happened downstairs, right?”
Heuksan asked, barely stopping herself from biting her tongue.
At that, Ha-chan seemed to remember and nodded eagerly.
“Oh, right. Dimensional entities from the Divine Realm appeared in the US.”
Hearing his answer, Heuksan slowly swept her bangs back.
She needed an outlet for this frustrating feeling, and this was perfect.
“Take me there. I'll help.”
When Heuksan said that, Ha-chan's eyes widened.
“Really?”
As he exclaimed with a brightened expression, Heuksan flinched, avoided his gaze, and gave a curt nod.
“Thank you. That's a huge relief.”
Watching her, Ha-chan let out a long sigh of relief and smiled warmly.
“Let's go. Everyone will be grateful.”
“…Grateful, my ass.”
Hearing Ha-chan's words, Heuksan began to walk after him.
All the while, she tried her best to ignore the intense, prickling sensation on the back of her head.