Chapter 84
Chapter 84 - Crossroads(1)
"Cessna... you mentioned a woman with blue-colored hair? Are there any other characteristics? Or any places you suspect she might be?"
Seolbaek followed my sudden request without hesitation. She even asked me back about Cessna's characteristics.
Though caught off guard by the unexpected question, I recalled Cessna's appearance and answered step by step.
"Well... if she hasn't changed her outfit, she'll be wearing a white dress. And check places where you can learn cooking. Or... look around restaurants famous for their food. She'll definitely be there."
"Re, restaurant...? Y-yes... I, I understand for now."
Seolbaek kept tilting his head, seemingly unable to comprehend my request.
Right. She must be confused about being asked to search restaurants when she probably expected to find a capable hero. I wouldn't understand either if I were her.
"I... understand your doubts, but please search as I said. I'm asking you, Seolbaek."
"D-doubts? No! I just thought it was a bit unusual!"
Seolbaek kindly said so.
But Seolbaek, I'm the first one to be suspicious. You don't need to say such empty words.
'At least... Jena definitely said so in my previous life.'
Cessna passed the 'Valley of the Dead', currently the highest difficulty test, faster than anyone else. While she might be a bit unhinged, her combat ability should definitely be helpful... probably.
Seolbaek seemed to be repeating my mission to herself, then suddenly looked up at me again.
"And then? After I find Cessna... what should I do?"
"After finding Cessna..."
I shook my head at that point.
The premise was wrong. Whether Seolbaek finds Cessna or not, her next task would be the same.
"Whether you find Cessna or not, you must go to the Plains of Promise before midnight. Have Zenon return to where I am... and Seolbaek, while you wait at the Plains of Promise, cast the strongest defensive technique you can use on yourself."
"The strongest defensive technique..."
I spoke rapidly, and Seolbaek looked like she was desperately trying to understand what I was saying.
Since I only gave a rough explanation before, she probably couldn't understand why I was asking her to do these things.
Finally unable to contain her curiosity, Seolbaek carefully asked a question.
"Plains of Promise...? You mean that closed hero testing ground west of Kern?"
"Yes."
"But nobody should be there now since the hero test is completely over?"
"That's exactly why I'm telling you to go there."
That white explosion tracks the location of the ring.
Therefore, when the explosion occurs, Seolbaek needs to be at the completely empty Plains of Promise.
Only then can we safely protect the city and its people.
"Seolbaek. Your defensive skill can definitely withstand the explosion. You can trust me on this."
"Ah... yes."
The biggest proof is that I returned to the past when I asked Seolbaek to protect Lucy at the moment of the white explosion in my previous life.
If Lucy had died despite using the defensive skill, the immortality contract would have been broken and I would have died in the final loop.
"The problem is that Aran only has one body so we can only defend one person... but that's a problem we can solve by reducing the number of people caught in the explosion to just you, right?"
"Ah! So that's why only I should go to the Plains of Promise..."
"Yes. That's right."
If we can do this... the countermeasure against the explosion would be perfect. Seolbaek seemed to finally understand, nodding to herself.
But problems still remain. Unlike Seolbaek's brightened face, mine darkened a bit.
'That explosion is just the beginning of events.'
That's also why Seolbaek and I have to split up and move separately.
The Immortal Cult who caused that explosion. And one of the Four Demon Kings, Astarte, whom they're trying to summon using Seolbaek as a sacrifice.
These major players remain.
Given that all citizens who survived the explosion in my previous life were found dead, either the cult members or the summoned Astarte must have been running rampant in Kern after the explosion.
Let's say we somehow prevent Astarte's summoning by preventing Seolbaek's death. The Immortal Cult members hiding in Kern still exist.
They're the main body. If we lose them, it's all for nothing.
'At least in my previous life, the Border Duke’s friend came...'
If things go according to my plan this time... I probably won't be able to borrow Jeokrang's power.
Recalling the conversation from my previous life, he seems to have rushed to Kern after hearing the news while being elsewhere. In other words, he's not in Kern at this point.
And since there won't be a tragedy in Kern this time, there won't be any news for Jeokrang to rush to Kern for.
'That's why I need Zenon's power even more.'
We need that high-performance dropship(?) to move Seolbaek to the capital and the Plains of Promise. And he knows at least some information about the Immortal Cult who were his business partners.
At minimum, he should know the approximate scale and power level of the cult members hiding in Kern.
Even just that would be good for now. We need any information about the enemy in this situation.
This first step is most important. I anxiously stared at the restaurant entrance.
"Hey hero. Let me ask one thing too."
Then Lucy, who had been quiet until now, tugged firmly at my collar.
This is unusual. She'd been indifferent and silent until now, so I thought she wasn't interested in the situation.
I blinked and faced Lucy.
"What is it suddenly?"
"Those red-haired pointy-eared bastards. Is it okay to just leave them alone like that?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Like this, if we stay far away, won't they run away? That's what I'm saying. If it were me, I would do that."
"I already put a tracker on Jena, expecting that."
Huh. At that point, the Demon King held her breath. Her face showed she hadn't expected such thorough preparation.
Of course. Though I might spend money foolishly, I'm quite sharp when I focus on work.
The Demon King narrowed his eyes, trying to find any loopholes.
"Didn't you say those big pointy ears can teleport! Won't the tracker be useless once they leave Kern!"
"That won't be the case?"
"... It won't?"
When I answered promptly, Lucy raised her eyebrow.
Right after, as questioning gazes poured in, I quickly explained why.
"Zenon can't leave Kern until today's mission is complete."
"H-how do you know that?"
"Because his sister is being held hostage by the Immortal Cult."
"Huh...? How did you know that?"
"Well, that's thanks to the amazing and sharp intuition and insight of the incredibly cool Park Jeong-yong?"
"Bull and shit..."
I fell into contemplation while kicking stones on the street.
I first suspected this fact because of the last words Zenon muttered in my previous life.
―Wait, Jena... Once this is over... No one will touch you...
In other words, someone is touching her now.
Back then I couldn't think about it because I was dying, but now that I think about it, it makes sense. Once I deduced that far, everything fell into place.
It was unbearably cliché, and therefore all the more the realistic explanation.
'This also explains why Jena had to stay in Kern until right before the explosion.'
For some reason and method, the Immortal Cult holds Jena's lifeline.
That's why Zenon has been forcibly following the Immortal Cult's dirty requests until now.
And the Immortal Cult promised freedom to Zenon and Jena after this final request.
This is roughly how it goes.
―Even if you complete this job properly, do you think the Immortal Cult will release your sister?
That was the meaning behind the words I threw at Zenon just before leaving the restaurant.
Choose wisely. The rope you're holding onto is rotten. Get your act together after taking a hit from your sister. That was my warning.
When I spelled out my deduction, considerable shock was carved into Lucy's face.
"T-to think that far... Y-you, hero. You... weren't completely brainless after all?"
"I was always smarter than you. Two weeks confiscation for that disrespectful mouth."
"Aga-ga-ga! O-okay! I get it! Stop pinching my cheeks!"
Once again, the conversation between Lucy and me ended with cheek pinching. Just as I was vigorously abusing her cheeks in all directions.
Screech. Along with a long noise, the restaurant's entrance door opened.
'Fi-finally!!'
My gaze, along with Seolbaek and the Demon King's, simultaneously turned to the entrance. The red-haired siblings were approaching us.
I immediately released Lucy's cheeks and observed the two.
'The result...!'
I first checked Jena's complexion.
When Jena, who clearly showed signs of relief, met my eyes, she smiled painfully and made a V sign.
Success. It's a success.
Alright. Everything's going according to plan. The start is smooth! I unconsciously clench my fist.
"...... Park Jeong-yong. I still don't trust you."
Perhaps disliking how I was rejoicing alone, Zenon, who had come close, started with those words. Thanks to that, my excitement cooled down sourly.
I smiled awkwardly and decided to go along with Zenon's mood for now.
"Well, don't trust me. You don't have to. Just do what you're told well. Deal?"
"...... Understood. Is that all for your conditions?"
"That's all. What are your conditions?"
"This side also has just one condition. Thorough guarantee of Jena's safety. That's all."
"......"
Really a sister complex freak filled to the bone marrow with Jena. At this level, it's beyond disgusting and becomes admirable.
I smiled slyly. My gaze was on Jena who was sticking close to Zenon's side.
"Even you don't think the Immortal Cult will release your sister, right? Figured you might as well hop on the Jeong-yong coin since you've got nothing to lose?"
"......"
"This is how social rookies usually get hooked by black companies like you. What a sucker."
"... I don't know what a black company is... but I can't deny being called a sucker."
I don't know how the two initially came into contact with the Immortal Cult.
But on Earth, the ways evil companies and multi-level marketing schemes capture individuals are mostly similar.
First, they recruit by any means necessary. They find weaknesses. They persuade by promising to bury those weaknesses if you work hard. The more you work, the more you're stained by the company's illegal activities, making it harder to leave. You work until death. Then when the company faces a crisis, you're the first to be thrown away as a meat shield.
Then the weakness that's no longer useful... is discarded.
Whether the sucker mentality is hereditary, my father died living like such an idiot.
So these methods are very familiar. Disgustingly familiar.
'Back then, father's weakness was....'
Oh no. Unpleasant memories from Earth are trying to surface. I clicked my tongue once and pushed away the stray thoughts.
"Park Jeong-yong. As I said, I still can't trust you. So unless you show proof that you can definitely protect my sister... Jena... I too will find it difficult to cooperate."
"Proof, huh."
Sorry. Actually, there isn't any.
Can I definitely protect Jena? How would I know? I can't even protect my own life right now. Maybe this time too we'll all end up buried in Kern together?
Although I thought that way, I obviously couldn't say it outright. I patted Zenon's shoulder and spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Let's discuss long-term matters after resolving the short-term ones first. Let's focus on preventing the imminent Astarte summoning first. Okay?"
"Ah, to think you even know about Astarte... The Immortal Cult wouldn't have carelessly leaked information... Just who are you...?"
Zenon's expression became dazed as if possessed by a ghost. His eyes were filled with curiosity bordering on fear when looking at me.
Well, of course. Despite coming out without thinking after falling for his sister’s words, he's been desperately trying to maintain his dignity. Well, whatever, let him have it.
'Since it would hurt his pride to submit to me, he needs to salvage at least that much.'
I had already lost everything to Zenon in my previous life, so I had no pride left to maintain.
So instead of pointlessly maintaining my pride and opposing him, I decided to pursue more practical benefits.
"Now let me ask you a few things too."
"... I don't know the details like the Immortal Cult's objectives. I won't be much help with questions about that."
"Ah, right. I'll only ask about things you might know, so don't be nervous."
The questioning time arrived without fail. I asked him three things in total.
First. The approximate scale and power level of the Immortal Cult members who infiltrated Kern.
Second. The exact activation conditions for summoning Astarte.
Third. Who would win between Zenon and Park Jeong-yong, and why?
... The last one was purely a productive question asked to analyze the cause, correct what I missed, strengthen our forces, and create a better future.
It absolutely wasn't a question asked with thoughts of uncovering Zenon's weaknesses to make him grovel under my feet if we ever fight in the next life.
... I always pursue practical benefits.
Indeed I do.