The Regressor Is Too Strong (7)
The Regressor Is Too Strong (7)
"The Starting Forest of the Starting Village. It's definitely a symbolic place."
"Why didn't we think of something so simple? In games, cheat items often show up right where everything begins."
"It's not that we're dumb... it's more accurate to say Choi Ji-won's insight is far beyond average. She picked up a clue in that library that everybody else walked right past."
"Hm. Yeah. Guess the name 'Hero' isn't just an empty title..."
A dark night. A group of people were chopping wood without even lighting a fire. Swinging axes in pitch blackness like this could easily injure someone, but they carried on without incident, guided by sharp senses and perfect control. These were people who clearly knew how to use their bodies.
-Thud!
A small tree went down. The woman with the axe tilted her head slightly to check the ring pattern, then started on another tree.
"See anything?"
"No. Just ordinary tree rings."
"Hmm... how about we rest for a bit?"
"Let's. Choi Ji-won could show up any time."
Moving some distance from the forest, the group of players hid themselves in a nearby patch of tall grass. Proof that what they were doing was far from honorable.
"So when's Choi Ji-won coming?"
"The longer she doesn't come, the better. We might even find the hidden piece before her."
They weren't especially tired, but rest always went down sweetly. While the players chatted idly—
"Emergency! Emergency!"
A player who'd been checking something suddenly shouted, jaw hanging open.
"Shh! Shh! Quiet! We'll be heard!"
"No, heard or not... Choi Ji-won's gone."
"...Gone? Where?"
"To the river... she went to the river. Check your friend window right now. Her location's marked as the river. Wasn't it the village chief's house just a little while ago?"
"To the river?"
What happened? The hidden piece was supposed to be in the forest, wasn't it? Suddenly the river?
As confused players buzzed—
"Wait."
A smart-looking man with glasses was muttering to himself.
"What if... cutting down trees 'in the forest' was never the goal?"
He rolled his eyes busily like he was running calculations, then his eyes went wide as if he'd realized something.
"Damn it, damn it! I was too shortsighted..."
The man with glasses shot to his feet. Seeing him, the other players scrambled up as well.
"Hey, what's wrong? What's the matter?"
"We'd completely assumed that 'chopping down trees' was Choi Ji-won's goal. Right?"
"Uh, yeah? That's why we started felling trees carefully in the first place. So we could run again when she came back."
"But Choi Ji-won, who supposedly wanted to cut down trees, holed up in the library and never came out."
"...That is weird, but then why did she start chopping?"
"What if cutting down trees isn't the 'goal'... but the 'process'?"
"...Huh?"
"What if Choi Ji-won has embarked on a journey to claim an unprecedented hidden piece that nobody else could find... and 'chopping trees' is nothing more than part of that process...?"
"...My god."
If the man with glasses was right, this was an emergency.
Once you submit an entry at the auction house, a 12-hour timer begins. Normally, you can tail the front-runner's movements within those 12 hours and obtain the same entry, but... what if that process was a long, long journey that couldn't be caught up to in a mere 12 hours?
And what if the reward was something tremendous, befitting such a grand journey?
"Damn. We have to chase her."
Waiting in the forest thinking she'd come back was a grave mistake. No, an enormous blunder.
"H-Huhk..."
"Damn, in that case..."
A sense of crisis finally spread across the other players' faces.
"Just what kind of hidden piece could..."
"Heh-heh..."
And even an anticipation they couldn't quite hide.
**
Obviously, no such hidden piece exists. Choi Ji-won is just repeating the most "plausible-looking" actions she can manage. Why? Because the players spying on her will supply their own reasons. People naturally invent justifications the moment they convince themselves they were right, after all.
"Ugh, this is so brutal..."
So what was I doing in the meantime? I was just as busy.
Deep under the ocean, I defeated the 'Sea Dragon' in the temple and tucked the 'Deep Sea Rose' into my clothes. At my waist, a pouch already held the 'Tears of the Oasis.'
I staged this whole farce partly to avoid being tracked, but also because I genuinely needed to earn money. Getting to the deep sea required items sold at the shop, and buying items required coin. And earning coin meant doing manual labor in the village, naturally.
The players here all know each other, so if a new face like me showed up, I'd draw attention. I might even get hit with a friend registration.
But while I worked my butt off in the village, the other players poured all their attention into the forest, and by the time I left town for the desert, their gazes were fixed on Choi Ji-won heading for the river.
The result.
"They really didn't notice me."
While I obtained two SSS-grade hidden pieces without any interference, they hadn't even registered my existence. All because they were blinded by their own greed.
-Ji-won, are there still people in the village?
-No. They're all here.
-Okay.
After exchanging whispers with Choi Ji-won via the 'Friend Registration Ticket,' I carefully headed toward the village.
Those people won't have a clue what happened until the auction is nearly over.
**
Time flew by quickly.
"What? Now she's investigating vines in the jungle?"
"Is this for real...?"
Choi Ji-won's eccentric behavior continued, and the players who'd been following her gradually began to have doubts... but they'd already invested too much time, and because it was "that Choi Ji-won," they kept at it for now.
Even the dwindling hours drained away, and when only about four hours remained—
"What are you people doing here?"
"...Be honest with us, Choi Ji-won. Where is the hidden piece?"
"Huh? What piece?"
"Don't lie...! We've been watching you all this time. There has to be, there has to be a hidden piece...!"
"I was just looking around Floor 22?"
"...Ah, shit. We got played."
The players who'd been hoping for a free ride finally realized they'd been duped. Of course, even if they sensed the trickery, it was already far too late, and since they hadn't suffered any real loss, I don't feel the slightest bit of sympathy.
So what did I do with the remaining time? I got to work distributing the hidden pieces I'd previously only confirmed existed.
"Excuse me, you're Alex, right?"
"Yes, that's correct..."
"May I have a moment?"
Back when we were waiting for the monster's appearance and gathering information, Choi Ji-won had investigated the faces, names, and even general personalities of players who stood out. According to her, among the players searching for hidden pieces on Floor 22 on their own, there were a few who showed real promise. Decent personality, talent, and diligence.
We decided to give the hidden pieces to those people and place them in our debt.
"Thank you, thank you so much!"
"Is this for real?"
"Whoa..."
Players expressing their gratitude to Choi Ji-won again and again. From a distant hiding spot, I watched the scene in secret. The goodwill had to be directed solely at 'Choi Ji-won.' I could also use it for this 'Immortal Sage' concept I've been pushing lately, but it'd be a little tacky for the mysterious Immortal Sage to personally point out hidden piece locations, wouldn't it? It's not like I'm appearing in their dreams to tell them.
One by one, we funneled the hidden pieces we'd uncovered to talented and virtuous people, until at last it was the final turn.
"We've met before, haven't we?"
"...Miss Choi Ji-won. It's been a long time."
That man's name is Martin Williamson. A Hispanic American in his mid-forties. Former Navy, they said, and an expert with a handgun.
"...I didn't expect you to remember me."
Choi Ji-won and Martin first met in Korea. It was before we began sharing regressions, at a ceremony to receive a Presidential Commendation. They shook hands there and had dinner together. She'd said Martin was a solemn man back then.
"So you do remember."
That's not all. When Choi Ji-won was gathering intelligence in the United States, she had dealings with this man. Martin was an executive at the Association, and she was a rising player. In the future, Martin would grow into a fast-rising executive within the Association, which is why we decided to invest a hidden piece in him ahead of time.
"What is your reason for sharing information like this?"
"Just an investment. You're capable, Mr. Martin, and you're an executive at the Player Association, right? Let's call it currying goodwill with someone trustworthy."
"..."
"The auction ends in two hours, so please accept it without any pressure."
The other players didn't reject this offer. Getting stronger was one of the reasons they risked their lives to climb the Tower in the first place.
"...If you're trying to gain my goodwill, you may be making a mistake."
"What do you mean?"
"Because I... will be resigning from the Association soon."
"Excuse me?"
But Martin's answer was truly unexpected.
"...Hoo. Yes, I thought I should tell someone. And if it's the Hero Choi Ji-won, there's no one better. Would you please hear me out?"
"...Tell me first."
"The Association... has changed recently."
Martin glanced around as if someone might be listening.
"It's all because of the 'Book of Truth'..."
And he began a shocking story.