Chapter 149
Chapter 149
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Dialogue Window
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Escape from the Wudang Sect's Wall-Facing Training Hall
🎁 Reward 1: Internal Energy +10, Strength +20, Agility +20, Wisdom +20, Charm +15
🎁 Reward 2: An unknown reward awaits
Oh ho.
The system had finally made an appearance after all this time.
'But... how? My hands are tied behind my back... Damn it. Well, whenever it happens, I might as well hunt for some fortuitous encounter first.'
Han Ibi drew closer to the wall under the dim lamplight.
'They must've carved this wall nice and flat on purpose for proper wall-facing. Stare at the wall and reflect on yourself, huh? Whatever, not my problem... Alright, let's read these one by one.'
Due to the faint lighting, he stuck his head out and began scrutinizing the wall here and there.
Sure enough, the cave walls were etched with all sorts of writings.
'Makes sense. In wuxia novels, wall-facing punishments last months or even years, not just a day or two. They'd go crazy with nothing to do. Graffiti everywhere is understandable.'
He diligently started reading the scrawls on the wall.
However...
'Damn it... What is this? Not a shred of the Wudang experts' dignity. Just looks like kids scribbling graffiti.'
Indeed.
The walls of the Wudang Sect's wall-facing training hall were mostly covered in regrets over personal failings.
'This a strategy? Trying to shorten their wall-facing time...'
Of course, a close look in the corners revealed no shortage of resentment and curses toward their sect or punishing masters.
But it was all useless information all the same...
Han Ibi read through them all with irritation and effort, but...
There wasn't even a whiff of ascension to immortality or profound secret arts, let alone anything starting with "martial" (武).
Han Ibi thought.
'How the hell did these guys climb to the top of the murim's twin peaks at this level...'
Then another thought struck him.
'Right. Fortuitous encounters always pop up in unexpected places. So instead of just staring, I need to tap and rub them.'
He'd struck out once in the Absolute Valley before.
'But how?'
Han Ibi let out a light sigh.
Then he lifted his sole and began rubbing and tapping the graffiti.
But some spots were out of reach.
'Damn, why graffiti up so high during wall-facing?'
Han Ibi grumbled but eventually...
Used his head to solve it.
Literally.
For the really high spots, he had no choice but to jump and headbutt them.
However...
Nothing happened.
The cave interior remained unchanged.
The only change was Han Ibi, exhausted.
He stuck out his tongue and panted heavily.
He was too tired.
With his arms bound behind him, movement was inconvenient too.
Thoroughly displeased, Han Ibi plopped down on the floor.
He wanted to sprawl out and rest, but tied hands made even lying down impossible.
'This damn...'
A curse slipped out naturally.
With no choice, Han Ibi sat there blankly for a while.
A chill air brushed his collar.
'Damn, body cold, heart colder.'
That's when Han Ibi realized a persistent sound in his ears.
The sound of flowing water.
There was a hole about pig-loin-sized in the cave side, with underground water trickling below it.
The monotony of white noise.
It somewhat soothed his irritated mood.
Han Ibi closed his eyes, steadied his ragged breathing, and thought.
'They say there's always a way out even if the sky falls. I'll definitely get home. Back to my poor mom's side... How's she gonna live without me.'
His wrinkle-covered mom's face flickered in his mind.
Han Ibi suddenly felt a surge of emotion.
Unable to hold back, he shook his head vigorously and snapped his eyes open.
"They say there's always a way out even if the sky falls... Right! The system gave a quest to escape this place, so there must be a path! Giving an impossible quest would make it trash."
In that instant, Han Ibi felt as elated as if he'd made a huge discovery.
He decided to make good use of his skills.
'First, check surroundings. Yeah, I have that Design Analysis skill from the frog lord. Calming down lets my brain work.'
Design Analysis
Cave structure mapped in contour lines
The cave's shape appeared in the familiar contour line view.
But...
'Hm?'
A very strange line formation caught his eye.
He thought.
'It's blurry because it's far, but... this wall looks weird. The contours overlap in complex ways.'
Despite the cave's simple shape overall.
'What does this mean?'
Han Ibi pondered briefly and realized.
"I see. The wall's thick, but there's space behind it!"
Smashing the iron bars at the entrance right now was impossible.
Besides...
The Martial Alliance inspection team weren't idiots; they'd have set a watch.
'Best way is to slip into the space behind the wall.'
Hoping it wasn't a dead end...
Han Ibi concluded.
But...
'Always the problem. So how?'
He closed his eyes again.
'Think, think some more.'
Han Ibi stayed like that for a while.
But thinking stalled again here.
Damn it!
Nothing but water sounds...
'Wait! Water? Water?'
A thought flashed; Han Ibi stuck his head into the hole where underground water flowed.
'Design Analysis!'
Using the skill, he saw it was about waist-deep for a person.
He eyeballed if he could fit through the hole worn over countless ages.
Then concluded.
'Good. Tight, but doable. Thank goodness I'm not fat right now.'
Han Ibi started feeling upbeat somehow.
'Alright, let's give it a shot?'
About to dive in thoughtlessly, he suddenly remembered his arms were bound behind his back.
"Damn it!"
Of course, if the underground stream stayed waist-deep, it'd be fine.
But if it deepened?
If he had to dive, even briefly?
Han Ibi could do casual swimming from childhood pool days.
But swimming with hands tied behind? Unthinkable.
'Damn it.'
Back to square one.
He despaired.
Plopped down on the floor again.
Just wait to be escorted to the Martial Alliance...?
'No. No! Branded a Demonic Cult spy, no good end in sight.'
Plus, thanks to Baek Mi-ho, his Hongmong Great Law was exposed.
"Hoo..."
Han Ibi sighed deeply, sat a bit, then opened his status window.
Hoping for something.
Then he spotted a skill window he'd never opened before.
A thought crossed his mind.
'Come to think of it, I can talk to this Tactical Stratagems Compendium... Though it's probably same as the system... Still, who knows.'
Thinking that, Han Ibi activated the Tactical Stratagems Compendium.
Ooh, so that's it.
Han Ibi selected 'Yes' without hesitation.
The familiar system chime rang with a warning.
[Warning 1] Internal Energy consumption triples during Tactical Stratagems Compendium conversation.
[Warning 2] Next access cooldown: 10,080 minutes.
[Warning 3] Sensory organs fully blocked during connection. Confirm surroundings first.
'Huh? So many restrictions... 10,080 minutes is how many hours...'
Han Ibi tried calculating briefly but gave up and muttered.
"Ah! Whatever. I'm about to die anyway, what does it matter..."
He sprang up shouting.
"Yes! Connect me to the Tactical Stratagems Compendium conversation window."
Then.
A heavy tone filled his ears again.
A novel sensation, as if entering another space.
Darkness.
Absolute blackness like a black hole.
It was like...
'Space... Like space on TV.'
That's when it came.
A majestic voice echoing through the cosmic void...
It wasn't male, female, old, or child, yet carried unmatched dignity beyond anything worldly.
How it combined all that was a mystery.
Han Ibi instinctively felt he must reply quickly.
After a pause, the voice spoke.
[It might sound childish, but... I'm trapped in a cave right now. So...]
[Huh? Still, to ask for help, I need to explain the situation...]
'Sounds like chuunibyou... Is the system pranking me?'
Still, Han Ibi had to ask directly.
Eh? What...
All that cool posturing, but it's nothing special.
'Gotta lower expectations.'
[I want to free my bound arms.]
Silence, then the voice replied.
Huh?
What, what does that mean...
Suddenly, a flash—vision brightened, back in the cave.
"Eh? What the! Reconnect to Tactical Stratagems Compendium!"
'What the hell! Why cut off like that! "Exploit relative time advantage"? What riddle is this? Some Zen koan system?'
Han Ibi was furious.
One-way system as always.
But what could he do?
Han Ibi pondered the hint given.
'Time... time... What's related to time?'
He opened his status window and checked skills.
A name caught his eye.
[Random Reversal Acceleration]
Right.
Despite the weird name, it handled time attributes.
'Got that far... But what to do with it? It's for suppressing foes in crises... Wait.'
Han Ibi's eyes widened.
He jumped up and looked around.
'Need a suitable rock.'
He wandered the cave and finally...
"Found it. This'll do."
Han Ibi turned his back to a protruding rock.
His next action: activate Random Reversal Acceleration.
Entering deep silence, the slow, heavy water sound grated.
'Let's do this!'
(To be continued next episode)