Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: The Faceless Statue
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They may have defeated the Gigant, but the army of white giants still rampaging through the city remained a threat.
Thanks to this, Lee Si-woo's party had to spend a full day cleaning up the city, during which Si-woo's Wish, the Hand That Burns Calamity, performed unbelievably well.
It was only natural, if you thought about it.
After all, the white giants turned to ash and vanished with just a touch of his hand, no battle required.
After clearing out the white giants and getting the situation somewhat under control, the familiar system message appeared before Lee Si-woo's eyes once more.
[You have cleared Secret Chapter 4.]
[Calculating rewards….]
*Ting.*
[Calculation complete. Return to the starting point. Rewards will be distributed upon your return.]
After confirming the chapter's completion, Lee Si-woo sat down on a nearby bench.
The bodies of citizens killed by the white giants were scattered around like movie props, but he paid them no mind, focusing entirely on Si-woo, who could be called his past self.
Si-woo was running around nonstop, rescuing citizens and tending to the injured.
Seeing Si-woo act more like a firefighter than a wanderer, Lee Si-woo felt a sense of disconnect.
‘We look the same, but our essence is different.’
Si-woo genuinely cared for people and wanted to save them.
But he was different.
He had been selfish and greedy since he was young.
Yes, to the point where now, he felt nothing no matter how many strangers, whose faces he didn't even know, died.
‘Strange.’
Lee Si-woo referred to Si-woo as his past life, but strictly speaking, it was more accurate to see him as his past.
Jin and Yellow Eyes had killed Lee Si-woo, but they had resurrected the same person, after all.
So, except for his memories, Lee Si-woo and Si-woo should have been identical in every way.
Be it personality or essence.
‘That’s not me. No, to be precise, I should see him as the me before I became me.’
Jin was a demon and called him 'brother'.
This virtual world, too, was like a stage created for him by an ancestral demon.
Therefore, it was more correct to see himself as closer to the ancestral demon than the human Lee Si--woo.
‘Who am I? Am I Lee Si-woo? Or am I a demon? Also, why did the human Lee Si-woo become a demon? Or… why did the demon become a human? Are we mixed? Or did one side devour the other?’
Amidst his confusion, Lee Si-woo was curious about his identity and essence, and he wanted to move on to the next chapter as soon as possible.
Yes, enough of this child's play of rescuing people who might be human or just bits of data.
"Brother. What are you doing over there? Come help."
Lee Si-woo replied in a monotone voice to Si-woo, who was sweating profusely as he asked for help.
"Sorry, but I think it's time for me to go back."
Si-woo asked with a complex expression, a mix of disappointment and regret.
"...So suddenly?"
"It's not sudden. Now that the Gigant is defeated and the white giants are dead, there's nothing left for me to do in this city."
"We have to help the people. And find a cure for the mutant virus..."
Lee Si-woo cut Si-woo off.
"That's your job, not mine. You know, don't you? That I'm not from this world."
"But... the people are suffering so much..."
"Shouldn't you worry about your own future before you worry about others?"
"What? What do you mean..."
"Even before, when you only had information, there were plenty who coveted you. Now, you've gained the ability to handle even the monsters of the White Calamity. Hmm, I wonder how the faceless people will react now... I'm curious myself."
"......"
"I won't say anything about you helping people. Regardless of my personal feelings, what you're doing is the right thing. But remember, just because it's right doesn't mean it's always wise. Especially when it concerns yourself."
As Lee Si-woo stood up from the bench to leave, Si-woo spoke to his back in a quiet tone.
"You said you came from another world. Another timeline."
"Yes."
"But some intruder said this world is fake. A fabricated world."
"You'll find crazy people everywhere."
"Well, maybe. More importantly, I don't think the world I live in is fake. But... besides you, no one else ever mentioned anything about timelines. Yes. Not a single person."
Lee Si-woo glanced back.
The ridiculous Frogbear helmet met Si-woo's calm face.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm not sure, but I thought maybe the woman who popped out of your Wish wanted to say there were two Si-woos. So... this might be a bit outlandish, but perhaps you're... me from the future..."
Lee Si-woo chuckled at Si-woo, who trailed off, perhaps realizing how absurd his own words sounded.
He thought the kid was completely different from him, but seeing how his mind worked in strange ways, he realized they had some similarities.
However, that didn't mean he could affirm it.
"If I were you, wouldn't I have participated in the rescue? If, as you said, I felt indebted to the people."
"...I guess so. Tsk, sorry. It felt a bit strange even as I said it... I don't know if it's just me, but at first, I couldn't tell because your voice was muffled by the helmet, but listening to you now, it somehow sounds like me..."
Not wanting to let Si-woo entertain any more stray thoughts, Lee Si-woo cut him off sharply.
"If it were for my own survival, I wouldn't care if this city was destroyed. Not only that, if necessary, I would even use the citizens as bait to ensure my own safety. Si-woo."
Lee Si-woo continued in a chillingly calm voice.
"I'm different from you. No. Different isn't enough. It would be more accurate to say we're wrong for each other. If you're the right answer, then I'm the wrong one. So don't worry. You are not me. And I am not you."
With those heartless words, which couldn't even be called a farewell, Lee Si-woo left, and Si-woo watched his retreating back in silence for a long time.
* * *
When Lee Si-woo returned to the starting point with Luctator and Plenitas, a system message appeared.
[Secret Chapter 4 Clear Grade: A]
[A key will be provided.]
[A chapter clear perk is granted. Please select the perk you want. (Only one can be selected)]
‘A key? Huh, could it be... for the secret area in the base city? The one in Testament? Hmm, so this is given as a reward. And a perk...’
*Ting.*
A list of choices appeared before Lee Si-woo's eyes.
[Map: Allows you to check the geography with a satellite map anytime, in any situation.]
[Triple Magazine: Triples the magazine capacity of any weapon used.]
[Suit Durability Enhancement: Doubles the suit's HP.]
[Suit Function Enhancement: Increases the suit's physical ability enhancement by an additional 30 percent.]
[Plunder: Randomly steals one item from the target's inventory. (Limited to once per day)]
[Special Research Log: ???]
After checking the list of perks, Lee Si-woo asked Luctator and Plenitas.
"Did everyone get the perks?"
"Aye."
"It popped up, but what is this? I've never seen anything like it."
"Elder and Ms. Plenitas, you should both choose Heal. For now, that's the most efficient option."
"Ah, my apologies. I've already chosen MAP."
At Luctator's shameless words, Lee Si-woo clicked his tongue and said.
"...Yes. Well, I wasn't expecting much from you, Elder. And while it's a shame, the map is a useful function too. Then, Ms. Plenitas?"
"I chose Heal."
"Good choice."
After urging them to make their choices, Lee Si-woo selected the Special Research Log.
Though other useful perks caught his eye, he was most curious about the research log right now.
A faint halo of light appeared before Lee Si-woo, and from within it, a single USB drive dropped out.
‘Hmm, unlike the usual research logs that were notebooks or scraps of paper, this is a USB. It looks like it was made to be checked in Testament.’
As Lee Si-woo picked up the USB, another system message appeared.
*Ting*
[Hidden Quest Gigant Subjugation Complete, Clear Grade: A]
[A Faceless Statue will be provided.]
‘Huh? A Faceless Statue?’
A Faceless Statue emerged from a halo of light at Lee Si-woo's feet and was placed neatly there.
Seeing the Faceless Statue, Luctator's eyes sparkled as he spoke.
"A Faceless Statue? Oh, if you touch that, do you get another Wish or does your mana increase?"
"Getting another Wish would be impossible, but your mana will probably increase."
"Ooh, then give it to me. If my mana increases, won't I be a great help to you?"
As he said, considering future battles, it made sense for the statue to go to Luctator.
After all, it seemed meaningless for Lee Si-woo's Wish, Card Draw, to have more mana.
‘I haven't figured it out for sure yet, but from experience, the contractors from my cards seem to appear with just enough mana to use their most powerful magic or technique exactly once. And this seems to be unrelated to my own growth. So, in this case…’
"No. I think it would be better for Ms. Plenitas to have it."
Plenitas pointed to herself with her index finger, a reluctant look on her face.
"Huh? Me?"
"Hah, what are you talking about? Why her and not me? Isn't it obvious that I should be the one to have it?"
"No. It's right for Ms. Plenitas to have it. After all, what you lack right now is mana, isn't it, Elder? Besides, since we can't confirm how much mana this Faceless Statue increases, it's better to first enhance the power or efficiency of the Food Wish, and then have you utilize that."
Thinking Lee Si-woo's words made sense, Luctator stroked his chin and took a step back.
"Hmm... now that I hear it, that sounds acceptable. Indeed, eating that child's food does restore mana..."
Seeing that they had more or less reached an agreement, Lee Si-woo gestured with his eyes, urging Plenitas on.
She hesitated for a moment, but since he was giving her something good, she awkwardly touched the Faceless Statue.
A halo of light extended from the Faceless Statue and seeped into her body.
Lee Si-woo asked her.
"How is it?"
Plenitas savored the mana surging within her body and said.
"My mana has increased by a lot. And I have a feeling that if I use my Wish, even better quality food will come out. Should I try it?"
"No. It's fine. We'll use it later when we need it. More importantly... the bus isn't coming."
As Lee Si-woo said, there wasn't a bus in sight around the ruined station, no matter how hard they looked.
Luctator said with a worried expression.
"It seems the chapter has been so messed up that the buses aren't running anymore. Hmm... what should we do..."
Lee Si-woo recalled the teleport ring that Kinis from Testament had given him.
Remembering the ring's function to teleport to any saved waypoint he had previously visited, Lee Si-woo fiddled with it.
A list of all the places he had been to, from the chapter area to Testament in the base city, appeared before his eyes.
"Don't worry. It seems we can go directly to the base city from here."
"Huh? What do you mean..."
Before Luctator could finish his sentence, Lee Si-woo designated his companions by shooting a beam of light from the ring at them and then activated its teleport function.
Simultaneously, a red light shot out from the ring and enveloped them, and in the spot where they had vanished without a trace, nothing remained but the desolate ruins of the station.