Chapter 134: Reunion-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 134: Reunion-1
The first thing to return was my sense of smell.
An acrid odor stung my nose.
Next was my hearing.
The distant clanging of metal reached my ears.
And finally, my sight.
When I opened my eyes, something familiar was floating before me.
`[Number of Dimension Transfers: 7]`
Right. I had lied down on the bed for a short nap, and that was how I died.
It’s a relief, at least, that no one killed me.
Emma... I hope it takes you a very, very long time to decode that text.
And even if you do learn its contents, I hope you keep on living.
I had thought that perhaps a natural death was the condition to end this godforsaken dimension transferring.
That damn pigeon bitch would want me to 'die while suffering at someone’s hands.'
So, I figured if I died of natural causes, a crack might form in the curse she placed on me, and it would finally end.
But the result was a failure.
Whether I’m killed by someone or die of old age, the dimension transferring continues.
The only thing left is to take my own life.
But I don't have the courage to try that yet.
—Cough, cough!
My throat stung, forcing out a dry cough.
Right, let’s stop thinking about the previous dimension.
There’s nothing more I can do there.
What matters is what happens from here on out.
"What is this place?"
I turned my head to look around.
First, a house came into view. It wasn't a modern home made of concrete, nor was it a mansion built of brick; it was a small hut with walls made of mud.
The room was so cramped that my feet would touch the wall if I lay down.
I pushed myself up.
I had wondered why the sunlight was hitting me so directly inside a house, and it turned out there was a massive hole in one of the walls.
Broken wooden planks and household utensils lay scattered across the floor in a mess.
"War? A disaster?"
It looked like it had been destroyed by war or perhaps hit by a typhoon.
Given the smell of burning drifting in from outside, the former seemed more likely.
The last dimension was supposed to be an easy one, wasn't it?
Dropping me into a war zone the moment I arrive seems a bit high in difficulty.
I stood up and checked my body.
I was wearing rags. There were frayed spots here and there, but they didn't look like they were scorched by fire.
"I just look like a poor person."
Judging by the house and the clothes, I didn't seem to have been living a life of luxury.
The clothing suggested an Eastern setting, and seeing the abandoned farming tools outside, it seemed my previous self was a farmer.
Staring at the hole in the wall, I opened the door and stepped out.
"Whoa..."
The scene outside was even more gruesome.
Some houses had their roofs blown off, while others had their walls collapsed.
And then there were the corpses of people strewn about everywhere.
—Ugh.
A wave of nausea surged up.
It reminded me of the Black Sky Cult.
That high mountain built of the dead.
Memories I thought I had forgotten resurfaced, flashing before my eyes.
Ah, now isn't the time for this.
First, I need to figure out where I am and get some help.
Perhaps because I had been lying down for so long, my legs felt weak. I staggered along the path, surveying my surroundings.
Passing by the carelessly abandoned corpses required a great deal of courage and a strong stomach.
I pinched my nose and walked as far away from the bodies as possible.
Following the path as it widened, I saw a courtyard-like area in the distance where people seemed to be gathered.
I felt that if I went there, I might find someone alive.
However, as I walked, I noticed something strange about the state of the corpses.
If there had been a war, the bodies should have been mangled—pierced or cut by something—but these were all intact, without any external wounds.
Instead, whether from long exposure to the sun or advanced decay, they were all shriveled like mummies.
Their skin had lost its elasticity and shrunken, and their cheeks were hollow.
Their pupils were cloudy, as if covered by a white film, with not a single spark of life remaining.
"Are these... actually corpses?"
They looked like something out of a zombie movie.
With that thought, I entered the square.
I looked around, but there were still only corpses; no living person existed besides myself.
Unsure of what to do, I decided to take a gamble.
"Is anyone here?! Is anyone alive?!"
I tried to shout as loudly as I could, but perhaps because I hadn't eaten, my voice didn't come out as strong as I intended.
I cupped my hands around my mouth like a megaphone and shouted again.
"Is anyone here?! Is anyone alive?!"
I called out once more.
I hoped someone would hear this and come.
I shouted with the desperate wish that, if possible, it would be someone who could help me.
However, despite my cries, the surroundings remained silent.
Is there really no one?
Let’s try one more time.
"Is any—!!"
Suddenly, with a dull impact, my body was thrown forward.
I fell flat on the ground, and something stepped on my back, pinning me down.
"Ack! That hurts!"
"You... reveal your identity."
Even while being restrained, I felt a sense of relief that a person had found me.
At least it was someone I could talk to.
"I-I don't know. I just woke up and the village was like this."
"Don't lie! We clearly confirmed there were no survivors. Which side sent you as a spy? Or are you in league with those monsters?"
A young-sounding voice continued to interrogate me, uttering words I couldn't understand.
"I told you, I don't know anything!"
I struggled and protested, but the force treading on me only grew stronger.
Unable to budge an inch, I continued to shout, pleading my innocence.
"Remove your foot."
A mature woman's voice, different from the one interrogating me, reached my ears.
Then, the shoes belonging to the owner of that voice appeared before my eyes.
"But Master, this person is suspicious."
"I sense no evil energy from him; he seems to be someone who was hiding. He must have seen many terrible things, so let him go."
At the woman's command, the pressure on my back vanished.
"Please, stand up."
At the woman's words, I pushed myself off the ground.
The person who had told the other to release me was a middle-aged woman. She had a sturdy build and looked physically formidable.
"Please understand; my disciple is simply very thorough. Things are quite chaotic in this vicinity."
"Yes... well... but was there a war or something? The people are all..."
"It seems you were caught unawares and haven't grasped the situation yet. Regardless, this place is a mess, so follow me. I will explain things once we find a suitable spot."
The woman led the way, speaking to me with polite formality.
I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded and followed behind her.
"Ah, before we go, you should at least greet my disciple. This, too, is a twist of fate."
The woman cast a glance behind me, and only then did I turn around to face the person who had been restraining me until now.
Hair tied back, sharp eyes, a slender jawline.
I rubbed my eyes and looked at her again.
"Hmph. I only subdued you because you were acting so suspiciously, so don't feel too wronged."
With a pouting face, she grumbled, puffing out her cheeks as if she found me distasteful.
"....."
Looking at that face, I couldn't say a single word.
The girl offered a martial arts salute and introduced herself.
"Namgung So-yu, 37th-generation disciple of the Flame Wheel Master. That is my name."
The girl, who bore the face of the Master I had momentarily forgotten by pushing her to the back of my memories, stared at me indifferently.