Chapter 141: Quad 9. How to End the Game
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 141: Quad 9. How to End the Game
—Those from the otherworld suggest bringing this to a conclusion at the Sajuk River in Jeongwol. Since this game consumes everyone's time and inflicts great harm upon the world, we ask those who understand righteousness to cooperate in ending this game as quickly as possible.—
This notice, posted in every village they passed, had begun appearing throughout the Eight Provinces of Gangbuk at some point.
"I want to believe those words, but do you really think it'll work?"
Seo-un nodded at Dump's lament.
"There's bound to be a few bastards who will commit to camping no matter what."
Even players who didn't go around slaughtering civilians were likely to avoid unprofitable battles for the sake of their final score.
"Especially since the people of this world can go about their daily lives while operating in secret," Li Lingwei added.
"The biggest problem is that the force field isn't shrinking. If it weren't for that, we could have ended the game quickly."
Everyone nodded at Li Lingwei's words.
Seo-un fell into deep thought for a long while, his mind racing. Then, as if he had reached a realization, he spoke up.
"Perhaps..."
At his words, the team's expectant gazes focused on him.
Thud!
Seo-un’s expression turned serious as he looked at the vending machine that appeared with a heavy sound.
"As I thought... it's different."
"What is?"
Everyone quickly gathered behind him in the middle of the provincial capital, their expressions shifting as they examined the vending machine.
"The items... they're different?"
"Quite a few are the same, though."
Seo-un quickly scanned the items in the final, most expensive row.
[Gongseon's Treasure. Demon Domain.] [Red Dragon's Toy. Tail Ring.] [Epic Monster Summoning Scroll.] [...]
After staring at the Epic Monster Summoning Scroll for a long time, Seo-un spoke.
"I was thinking. Do you think there might be an item in the vending machine that can increase the game's speed?"
"Looking at those items, it seems entirely possible," Gi-chan agreed with a nod.
"Whew. But it says a thousand Blue Coins. Even if we pool all our coins together, we can't afford it. The game will end before we can even collect a thousand."
At Rimin's words, a thought flashed through Seo-un's mind like a bolt of lightning.
"Everyone, check your vending machines."
At his command, the entire team summoned their own vending machines without a word of protest. After looking through all of them, Seo-un nodded.
"The items are identical... which means the items in the vending machine change according to the time. We just need to summon them and check periodically..."
As he trailed off, organizing his thoughts, Dump spoke up.
"Even so, like Rimin said, we'll be short on coins. There's no way an item that affects the game would be cheap. And there's no guarantee it'll even show up."
"It's just a hunch, but the probability is high. The developers have seemed desperate to speed up the game every single time so far. They must have made it possible to increase the game speed through hidden rules or items."
"Even if such an item exists, what about the coins?"
"Look at the map. I've marked it."
The ping Seo-un placed was the location of the Epic Monster confirmed when the Heavenly Demon was slaughtering players. It was not far from their current position—a distance that would take about two days to cover.
"Wait, don't tell me..."
As Gi-chan seemed to catch on, Seo-un nodded.
"It's a simple thought when you think about it. But everyone might be overlooking it."
Gi-chan and Juriel's faces brightened at Seo-un's words. It was a point they had missed until Seo-un pointed it out.
The fact that the Heavenly Demon was designated as an Epic Monster meant he wasn't on the participant list for this game. That meant he couldn't have looted the items and Blue Coins of the players he hunted.
Realizing this, Rimin asked with an urgent expression, "Will they still be there?"
"They'll definitely still be there."
As Seo-un spoke while looking at the map, everyone nodded with hopeful expressions.
It was only natural; the Heavenly Demon, designated as the Epic Monster who had massacred the players, hadn't moved very far from that spot yet. Considering he had killed the last player roughly two hours ago, no player would dare approach that vicinity.
"It's only a slight detour on our way anyway, so we can just give up on sleep for about three days and move," young Lyle said, and everyone nodded.
Having navigated through Cloyd Survival, playing for several days without sleep was a common occurrence, so it didn't even feel like much of a hardship anymore.
And so, Seo-un's team began to move with increased speed for some blind item farming.
*
"Ice Empress. I can't hear a single word they're saying."
At the words of the woman leading the warriors of the Ice Empress Castle, the Ice Empress shook her head.
"I cannot hear them either."
The women, who were now blatantly following Seo-un's group, were only about fifty paces away. When even the Ice Empress said she couldn't hear their conversation from that distance, the women looked very surprised.
"Seeing as a strange energy, somewhat different from Qi, is blocking their surroundings and cutting off sound, it must be a technique from another world."
"They are moving."
"Follow them. We must not lose them. If we follow them, we will surely encounter those bastards who have committed heaven-defying atrocities!"
As she commanded and led the way, the Ice Empress's face was full of vitality.
*
Near their destination after running for two nights straight, Seo-un's team members were looking at the map with tense faces.
"He hasn't budged from this spot for two days... It's strange."
Everyone nodded, agreeing with Jin Long's words. For some reason, the individual known as the Heavenly Demon, the Epic Monster, had moved slightly away from the scene after the fight ended and hadn't moved since.
"Could he be recuperating because his injuries are severe?"
At Li Lingwei's words, a smile spread across the faces of all the team members except for Seo-un and Nam Sa-gwang.
"It's not impossible... but if you're thinking of trying to hunt him, you should give up on that."
Nam Sa-gwang also nodded and chimed in.
"He's not someone we can handle right now. No matter how injured he might be."
The team members who hadn't experienced the Heavenly Demon firsthand seemed to be hoping for a chance, but the two who had fought him didn't even consider clashing with him.
"Unless it's an unavoidable situation, there's no need to seek him out. He's not someone you'll gain anything from meeting."
Juriel spoke while looking at the women resting less than thirty paces behind them.
"Would it be impossible even if those people joined us?"
"I already assumed we'd be using them as full combat power. That woman called the Ice Empress is at Sa-gwang's level or below."
"Seo-un is right. And even if she's living in seclusion, as long as she resides in the Ice Empress Castle, she won't point her sword at the Sun and Moon Divine Cult during a time of peace like this unless she's gone senile."
The team members' expressions turned serious again at their words.
"The distance... is delicate, then."
At Rimin's words after looking at the map, Seo-un also nodded.
"It's a little over a kilometer. Even if their line of sight is blocked..."
Seo-un trailed off, not needing to say that it was a distance from which it would be practically impossible to escape the Heavenly Demon's grasp if they were caught.
Then, Lyle cautiously joined the conversation.
"Um... would this help?"
As all eyes gathered on the single scroll he pulled from his subspace, Lyle answered hurriedly.
"Oh, it's a group teleportation scroll."
"Where did you get that?!"
At Dump's question, Lyle scratched his head and replied, "Just in case, I asked my master to get it for me."
"This might actually make it possible."
As Rimin spoke while looking at Seo-un, Seo-un also nodded.
"Not bad."
After speaking, Seo-un ran a hand through his hair. Without fail, several strands of hair came away in his hand.
The moment three clones appeared in the air, the warriors of the Ice Empress Castle, who had been pretending to be indifferent in the back, jumped to their feet.
Ignoring the women, who were wide-eyed and open-mouthed, Seo-un spoke to his clones.
"Sweep up the coins first, and if you have time, bring the items."
After handing them three subspace rings, the three Seo-uns began to sprint toward the items.
Seo-un sat down and began to replenish his consumed Immortal Demonic Energy, while Lyle gripped the scroll tightly so they could flee at any moment. The other team members kept a close watch on the map, making sure the Epic Monster marker didn't move.
Nam Sa-gwang turned around for the first time and approached the warriors of the Ice Empress Castle. As he began to approach, the Ice Empress, who had been sitting and looking elsewhere, stood up.
"You should go your own way now."
"I have no obligation to listen to your interference, regardless of where I go."
Despite the Ice Empress's words, Nam Sa-gwang replied in a calm tone.
"It's true that I was glad to see you after so long and that it brought back old memories, but I have no intention of heading into a death trap with you like in the old days. If you're not careful, the Heavenly Demon will come. We have a means of escape, but you don't, old woman. There's no telling what that fickle brat will do, so staying far away is the best policy."
The Ice Empress's brow furrowed at his serious tone.
"Why is the Sun and Moon Divine Cult in Gangbuk?"
"How should I know his inner reasons? He's a man on the threshold of Wuji. There is no place in this world he cannot go if he wishes."
At the mention of the threshold of Wuji, the Ice Empress turned away. She might have stayed if she were alone, but as long as she was with the warriors who were the pillars of the Ice Empress Castle, she couldn't gamble with their lives.
"Where will you go once you finish your business here?"
At her question, Nam Sa-gwang smiled and replied as he turned back to his group.
"Paeju Fortress."
In the clearing where the three clones arrived after running for a short while, boxes and Blue Coins were scattered messily across the ground.
After sweeping up the coins first, they quickly opened the boxes and began to gather items they deemed necessary into their subspaces.
The situation they feared didn't occur, and by the time the clones, having finished their rough farming, returned to the waiting group and laid out the items, the sun was beginning to rise.
The clones, who had swept up various consumables and unique items, distributed them appropriately. Seo-un smiled as he finally swept the coins into his subspace.
"Hyung, how many are there?"
"1,942."
Everyone's eyes widened at Seo-un's words.
"Th-that many?"
"It seems the coins those guys hadn't used were farmed."
"That means there's a high possibility they can't be used after the game ends."
Seo-un nodded at Juriel's words. He thought so too.
"It's almost time."
At Lyle's words, the corners of Seo-un's mouth curled up.
According to his checks so far, the items in the vending machine changed roughly every eight hours. Sometimes there were big changes, sometimes not, and some items were always present.
— Ding! Would you like to summon the vending machine?
The vending machine appeared as soon as he moved his hand toward the 'O' button. A look of deep conflict appeared in Seo-un's eyes as he examined the machine.
"What's wrong?"
Juriel asked, finding it strange that he was agonizing even though the item related to game speed he wanted wasn't visible yet.
"It's nothing."
He didn't tell Juriel, but Seo-un's dilemma continued because of one particular item.
[Epic Monster Summoning Scroll.]
An item that, if used correctly, could create a massive variable. For someone like him, who often played to gain an advantage amidst the chaos caused by major variables, it was the most eye-catching item.
The problem was that if he bought that item, which was among the most expensive, it would consume 1,000 Blue Coins, leaving him short for the item he was waiting for.
The vending machine had more than one or two items that made his eyes sparkle. He felt it was a waste to give up all those items and spend 1,000 Blue Coins on creating a variable in the game.
After agonizing for a while, Seo-un shook his head.
‘Let’s wait for now.’
If the item he wanted didn't appear in the end, the Epic Monster Summoning Scroll would become a meaningless item. Furthermore, even if the desired item did appear, there was no guarantee that this scroll would still be in the vending machine then.
Deciding to see how things played out, he cleared his mind, stood up, and headed toward their next destination.
*
"Strange. How do they know exactly where the Alliance Leader is and launch these ambushes?"
At Jang Do-cheon's words, the Alliance Leader beside him scratched his head. He had never acted so clumsily in front of anyone else, but he always became like this in front of Jang Do-cheon.
"I'm not sure. We're moving separately, just the two of us... yet these strange people keep appearing. There was no sign of anyone tailing us at all."
After seeing about thirty corpses disappear, the Alliance Leader couldn't take his eyes off the spot where they had vanished, as if it were a marvel. Their unique techniques were fascinating, but more impressive was the martial prowess of Jang Do-cheon, who had wiped them out.
Truly, an immortal will emerge from the Yugok Sect.
With that thought, he respectfully asked the pensive Jang Do-cheon.
"But, is it true that I will also be going to that world?"
"Most likely. Since I have also gained new authority."
Since they were alone, Jang Do-cheon spoke informally, and the Alliance Leader looked up at the sky with a face full of curiosity.
"I am curious. Just what kind of world it will be."
"The scenery and the people are different. It will be of help to you as well."
After saying that, Jang Do-cheon began to move again.
The two had been moving day and night for nearly ten days, visiting villages that were off the beaten path to protect the common people. Initially, Jang Do-cheon had intended to move alone, but the Murim Alliance Leader had joined him to observe his martial prowess firsthand.
He judged that an opportunity to see and study the martial arts of a man who never showed himself outside the Yugok Sect would never come again, and he couldn't let it slip by.
*
—90 degrees, 300 meters!
At Seo-un's voice over the team chat as he focused with his right eye closed, Jin Long and Li Lingwei moved quickly.
The bastards hiding among the people watching the street performers in the city noticed something was wrong and began to flee quickly.
—Tsk! We've been spotted!
At Li Lingwei's words, Seo-un quickly gave an order.
—Sa-gwang! Are you far? There are four over here.
—I'm finished now. Hold them there!
Seo-un, who had been locating players with his Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils, opened his closed right eye and moved.
—Everyone, give chase!
At his command, the team members who had been spread out in all directions began to move toward the pings.
The players, who were fleeing by smashing through the firmly closed city gates, were halted by new warriors blocking their path.
— Whoosh!
As soon as the six warriors blocked the players' path and swung their swords, sword qi accompanied by a freezing chill flew from their blades. The players' barriers, which they barely managed to block with, froze and shattered, and their expressions crumpled.
Jin Long, who had caught up to the masked warriors, drew his sword, but the four warriors exchanged glances and committed suicide on the spot.
"Damn it!"
He quickly approached the fallen men to search them, but the corpses disappeared first. He searched the boxes they left behind, but no items that could help predict their identities appeared.
The incident not long ago, where the Alliance had forced the Seongeom Sect into seclusion and instantly killed twenty first-generation disciples and several elders who resisted, had already spread far and wide throughout the Gangho.
Due to the statement issued by the Alliance afterward, both large and small sects in the Righteous Faction were thoroughly investigating whether their warriors had any connection to Cloyd.
It was becoming a trend for sects with Cloyd players among their members to voluntarily report to the Murim Alliance and claim their innocence, stating they had nothing to do with the massacre of civilians. It was only natural, as a sect could be wiped out in an instant.
And this was not much different for the Unorthodox sects. The Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance had also destroyed five sects related to the recent massacre.
Due to their actions, which were far more aggressive than those of the Righteous Faction, the Murim sects were desperate to manage any members related to Cloyd. The fear that a single bad apple could lead to their sect being closed or, at worst, exterminated was very real.
"Since we can't confirm their faces anyway, it'll be hard to verify their identities. Lately, I haven't seen any of them carrying anything that could prove who they are. They're too busy committing suicide at the drop of a hat."
Given the atmosphere in the Gangho, warriors who had laid hands on civilians were quick to take their own lives as soon as they were confronted. They chose to die without leaving evidence rather than even thinking of fighting. It was the best way to handle it, as a mistake could bring great calamity upon their sect.
After checking the time, Seo-un summoned the vending machine once again. He had made it a habit to check every eight hours.
!!!
His eyes widened as he scanned the items.
[Force Field Adjustment Ticket.]
The moment he saw the four-word item, Seo-un's eyes quickly searched for another.
[Epic Monster Summoning Scroll.]
Seeing the two items he wanted appearing together, Seo-un's expression became complex and subtle.