The Regressor Makes an Effort (13)
The Regressor Makes an Effort (13)
Swoosh. Swoosh.
Sleds gliding across the snow that had begun to pile up.
I sat on one of them, staring endlessly down at the ground.
"Ah, fuck. It's heavy as hell. Get off."
"Hey, hey. He's gonna hear you, you bastard."
From the front, I could hear someone pulling the sled grumbling.
"..."
"N-no, sir..."
I shot them a look full of killing intent and they fell silent in an instant. I lowered my gaze back to the ground and sank into thought.
"...Choi Ji-won."
Choi Ji-won. Choi Ji-won. Choi Ji-won.
I rolled the word around in my mouth, savored its fragrance, and swallowed.
When I touched my lips, the sensation was still vivid. Why had she confessed to me?
She probably didn't want my emotions to die. The scabbard I received as a reward on Floor 3, and the fact that I could gain emotion-related traits from others—this Tower is oddly obsessed with emotions. In a place like that, if you clear it like an emotionless puppet, a negative ending might be waiting. I think her judgment was right.
"..."
But regardless of whether the judgment was right or wrong, for the one who experiences it, it's truly excruciating. I'm alone again. Is this a regressor's fate? Is writhing in this sense of loss unavoidable?
"No, what is with that guy...?"
"The hell do I know..."
I could hear muttering again. This time I didn't even have the will to stop them, so I just lay back on the sled.
In this cycle, I'd handled things quite differently from last time.
The part about getting cooperation from Ahn Gyeong-nam and Baron Jorge was the same. I showed off my connection with Ahn Gyeong-jun, half-forced him to look at an unrelated book and lie, and gave the Elixir to Baron Jorge.
But my method of controlling the players was different. When they asked who I was, I didn't answer. When I saw signs of discontent about to erupt, I silently drew my sword and threatened them.
I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, so I communicated through action, letting them know that if they disobeyed, they had no idea what I'd do.
"That bastard's aura is seriously bloody..."
"He's definitely got something... look at the way he carries himself..."
Fortunately, whether my threats worked or not, the Awe Trait and Curiosity Trait both activated, and people just muttered from a distance.
"I mean, Mr. Jung-hyun. Is this right? I don't think so..."
Of course, a few still couldn't accept the situation and whined at Yun Jung-hyun, who was acting like a leader.
"Let's follow that man's orders for now."
"What???"
"I'm just as unhappy with this situation as you are. But how many people would it take to bring him down? This is the Tower. Even if all of us jumped him, we might not win. And aren't the otherworlders on his side?"
"...But still."
"Let's think positively. What he's saying isn't complete nonsense, and I think it's worth a try. And this is classified information, but the survival rate of people who entered Floor 4..."
"...Understood."
It seemed Yun Jung-hyun had already committed to cooperating with me, so nothing stood in my way.
It was amazing. The future I'd suffered so much to earn, I could obtain just by keeping my mouth shut and maintaining a certain presence.
I drew one of my swords and held the blade up to the sky.
The sky, filled with falling snow, was murky and dark.
**
Day 5. The monsters were finally visible.
"Wh-wha...!"
"Th-that...!"
"Run. I'll hold them off."
I stepped forward calmly. I might not be able to draw the sword named Hope like I did last time, but having done it once, I could do it even better.
That's what a regressor is. Naturally, a "first-time experience" may not actually be the first time for a regressor. You can skip the learning curve everyone else has to go through, and present only the result to the world. To anyone watching, you'd probably look like a monstrous genius.
The problem, I suppose, is that you also have to endure the negative experiences multiple times.
"Hey, let's go. Let's go. That bastard said he'd hold them back."
"B-but..."
"Can't you see your legs are shaking? Let's go!"
"F-fine..."
People fled, albeit hesitantly.
"..."
Baron Jorge looked at me, gave a silent nod, and left to round up the otherworlders. He was probably thinking something like, "The man who gave me an Elixir couldn't possibly be a bad person."
"Hoo."
Just as I was about to close my eyes and focus my mind, I sensed someone approaching.
"...Hello. My name is Yun Jung-hyun."
Pale-faced, Yun Jung-hyun approached, brushing the snow off his shoulders.
"I won't ask for details. May I know your name? It's just personal curiosity, and I won't tell a soul."
"..."
I had no idea what might happen if I gave my name to this man who used to work for the National Intelligence Service. Maybe my personal information would get dug up, maybe I'd end up under surveillance.
"Kim Jun-ho."
But with a heart half-resigned, thinking "whatever happens, happens," I calmly gave him my name and stood up.
Because I had realized that in my current state, it was impossible to focus my mind.
**
The rough sword scars carved into the earth were the only proof of the fierce battle. Once again, the wolves couldn't get past me.
"..."
As time passed, I gradually fell back. This was about when the black wolves would be surrounding me. I wanted to clear Floor 4 safely, with no room for variables.
By retreating when about five minutes were left, I managed to clear Floor 4 without facing the black wolves.
00:00:00
[Settlement]
[Players] 100 / 100
[NPCs] 300 / 300 (Key NPC survival success +20,000)
- Penalty applied: (None)
- A reward worth 50,000 points will be distributed to all survivors.
- Top contributor [Kim Jun-ho] receives an additional special reward.
When I blinked, I was inside a familiar hotel room. The message that popped up would have made anyone else jump for joy, but I felt nothing. It just felt like I'd done what needed to be done.
Without even checking my rewards, I went through the portal, returned to my rented room, and collapsed onto the bed.
"Ah."
I knew I had to enter Floor 5 right away. I knew it in my head, but putting it into action was a different matter.
"Ah."
I had no desire to do anything. I just wanted to lie down.
Out of habit, I fiddled with this and that, thinking maybe I should move somehow.
"..."
Playing games, eating something good—nothing stirred any emotion. My only reaction was, "Oh, is that so."
I thought carefully about what I was feeling. A hollow sensation, as if a huge part of my heart had been torn out. It was an unfamiliar sensation.
Yeah, this is loss. The feeling brought on by a woman who had taken root in my heart suddenly vanishing.
When I searched online to see how normal people deal with loss, I found only textbook solutions like "Meditate" or "Don't drink too much."
"Heheh..."
My Meditation Trait had been active for a while. No, I'd been using it ever since Floor 4. If I hadn't, I might have been rolling around on the floor, howling.
Truthfully, I already knew deep down. I knew that only time could solve this.
I felt tears spilling down my cheeks. Without even thinking of wiping them, I closed my eyes.
I don't want to think about anything. I just want to sleep.
**
For a guy who regressed precisely because he didn't want to waste time, I sure spent my time wastefully. I just existed.
When there was nothing to do, I slept. When I couldn't sleep, I watched TV. I'd flip to a random cable channel, stare blankly at whatever movie was on, eat when I got hungry, and sleep when I got sleepy.
It was a life closer to an animal than a person.
Vrrr.
The phone at my waist vibrated. A message had arrived. The sender was Choi Ji-won.
"..."
Without checking it, I flipped the phone over.
In this state, I didn't want to meet a Choi Ji-won who didn't know me. I didn't want to face her looking at me like a stranger.
Of course, that didn't mean I did anything productive. I just holed up in my rented room and watched TV endlessly.
'Do you believe in God?'
'I do. Because I am God. Someone who can control their own destiny—that's God.'
I let the time slip by, watching an old Hong Kong movie on the cable channel.
"...I'm hungry."
I was a little hungry, but I couldn't bring myself to look at my phone. While I was wondering whether to go to the convenience store in front of my place—
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang. I didn't remember ordering any delivery. Was something from a courier coming? Had I ordered it before entering Floor 4?
I forced my hazy brain awake and got up. I glanced at the mirror and saw that I looked like a zombie, but I didn't care and opened the door.
"Who is—"
My body froze on the spot. I was too shocked.
The first thing that came to mind was, 'How?' Had I ever given her this address? I had, actually. But that was in a previous cycle. So back to square one: how?
Did she look up my residence? But that had never happened in any of the cycles. Did I do something different this cycle and change the future? Butterfly effect?
No way. Our spheres of activity don't overlap.
Though it was absurd, there was only one possible explanation.
"Jun-ho."
Through the hallway window, the sunset shone behind her back.
"Kim Jun-ho."
Choi Ji-won looked at me and smiled, more dazzling than the sunset.
"It's been a while?"
- Regressor's emotions have exceeded the threshold.
- Target's emotions have also exceeded the threshold.
- Target : [Choi Ji-won]
- Returning stored memories.