Episode 84: Crossroads
“Seseona… You mentioned a woman with silver hair, right? Are there any other distinguishing features? Or perhaps an area where we can start looking?”
Seop Baek complied with my sudden request without a word, even going so far as to ask me about Seseona’s characteristics.
I was momentarily flustered by the unexpected question but began to respond slowly, recalling Seseona’s appearance.
“Hmm… if she hasn’t changed her outfit, she’d be wearing a white dress. Look around places where you can learn cooking or places known for good food. She’s likely to be there.”
“F, food…? Y, yes… I, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Seop Baek tilted their head back and forth, clearly perplexed by my request.
Right. If I were looking for a capable fighter, it’d be strange for me to ask you to look in restaurants. I wouldn’t understand either if I were in your shoes.
“But… if I may ask, why does this seem suspicious? Still, why don’t you follow what you’ve said, Seop Baek. Please. I’m asking you.”
“It’s n, not about suspicion! It’s just somewhat… unconventional!”
Seop Baek kindly tried to assure me despite my inner doubts. Honestly, I’m a little suspicious too, but you don’t have to sugarcoat it.
‘Anyway… this was clearly stated by Gena in my previous life.’
Seseona passed the hardest test currently known, the Valley of the Dead, faster than anyone else. Honestly, she’s probably just a screw loose, but her combat ability will undoubtedly be helpful… probably.
Seop Baek seemed to mutter my instructions to themselves and then looked back up at me.
“And then? Once I find this Seseona person… what should I do next?”
“If you find Seseona…”
I shook my head mid-sentence.
The premise is incorrect. Whether you find Seseona or not, what you have to do next is the same.
“Regardless of whether you find Seseona or not, you must reach the Agreement Plains before midnight. Bring Zenon back to where I am… and Seop Baek, while you’re at the Agreement Plains, use the strongest defensive skill you have on yourself.”
“The strongest defensive skill…”
I spoke rapidly, and Seop Baek was desperately trying to keep up with my explanation.
Given my vague explanation earlier, it’s natural that they wouldn’t quickly understand why I’m asking them to do these things.
Eventually, Seop Baek couldn’t help but ask carefully.
“The Agreement Plains… isn’t that the abandoned Hero Test site west of Kern?”
“That’s right.”
“But it’s completely empty since the Hero Test is over. There won’t be anyone there.”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m asking you to go there.”
The white explosion is triggered by the ring’s position.
Therefore, at the moment of the explosion, Seop Baek must be in the Agreement Plains, where no one is around.
Only then can we safeguard the city and the people.
“Seop Baek. Your defensive skills are capable enough to withstand the explosion. You can rely on them. No doubt about it.”
“Yes… understood.”
In my previous life, when the white explosion occurred and I asked Seop Baek to protect Ruci, that was when I was sent back, providing a strong hint.
Had Ruci died despite using the defense skill, the Resurrection Contract would have been nullified, and I would have perished in the explosion as well.
“The problem is that there’s only one body of Aaran capable of defense… meaning we can only protect one person. But by ensuring only you are caught in the explosion, we limit the casualties to one person.”
“Ah! S, so that’s why only I am heading to the Agreement Plains…”
“Exactly.”
With this, we’ve secured a perfect plan against the explosion to some extent. Seop Baek nodded in understanding, their expression brightening.
But the bigger issue remains unsolved. Unlike Seop Baek, I remained slightly somber.
‘The explosion is merely the beginning.’
That’s why Seop Baek and I have to split up and work separately.
The ones behind the explosion—the Resurrection Sect, and one of the Four Demon Kings, Astarte, which they intend to summon using Seop Baek as an offering—are still at large.
Considering that all the survivors of the explosion in my previous life were killed, it’s evident that either the Resurrection Sect members or the summoned Astarte must’ve continued to wreak havoc in Kern afterward.
Even if we manage to stop Astarte’s summoning by preventing Seop Baek’s death, the members of the Resurrection Sect hidden in Kern will still be around.
They’re the main body. If we fail to deal with them, we’re in serious trouble.
‘In my previous life, the Baron’s friend came, at least…’
If everything goes according to my current plan, it’s likely that I won’t be able to rely on the strength of Adrang this time around.
Recalling our previous conversation—it’s my assumption that he was in another region and rushed to Kern upon hearing the news. That is to say, he’s not in Kern at this point in time.
Moreover, considering that there won’t be a tragedy in Kern this time around, there’s no reason for Adrang to come rushing to Kern either.
‘Which is why Zenon’s strength is even more critical.’
With his advanced dropship, we can transport Seop Baek to the capital and the Agreement Plains. Plus, Zenon has some degree of knowledge about the Resurrection Sect, as they were a business partner.
At minimum, Zenon knows the approximate scale and strength of the Resurrection Sect members hiding in Kern.
Any bit of information about the enemy is crucial at this point.
This first step is incredibly important. I anxiously stared at the entrance to the restaurant.
“Hey there, Hero. Let me ask you something.”
As I waited, Ruci, who had been quietly standing there, suddenly grabbed my collar tightly.
What a surprise. I thought she was uninterested in the situation since she’d been so silent and aloof.
I blinked and turned to Ruci.
“What’s the matter?”
“Isn’t it suspicious to just leave those red-eared bastards as they are?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean, they could escape while we’re keeping our distance. If I were them, I’d do just that.”
“In that case… I already instructed Gena to place a tracker on them.”
Whoa. The Demon King sucked in a breath. A face revealing they didn’t expect me to be so prepared.
Anyway, just because I’m generous doesn’t mean I don’t have a sharp mind when needed.
The Demon King narrowed their eyes and tried to find a flaw in my plan.
“That pointy-eared giant can teleport, right? Once outside Kern, wouldn’t your trackers be useless?”
“Maybe not.”
“… Not?”
I replied immediately, and Ruci raised an eyebrow.
When she began to question the reasoning, I quickly provided an explanation.
“Zenon won’t be able to leave Kern before completing today’s mission.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because his younger sister is being held hostage by the Resurrection Sect.”
“Huh…? And how do you know that?”
“Hey, what do you expect from this amazing and insightful Park Jeong-yong?”
“Bullshit…”
I kicked a pebble on the ground while lost in thought.
The reason I first suspected this situation came from Zenon’s last words in my previous life.
— Wait, Gena… Once this is done, no one will be able to touch you…
In simpler terms, someone is touching her right now.
I didn’t realize this when I was on the verge of death, but now looking back, it makes sense. From there, everything fell into place.
It’s a mundane yet realistic story.
‘That explains why Gena must remain in Kern until just before the explosion.’
For some reason or by some method, the Resurrection Sect is controlling Gena’s life.
That’s why Zenon has been forced to follow their dirty missions this whole time.
And the Resurrection Sect has promised Zenon and Gena freedom once this final task is completed.
Something like that.
—Even if you succeed with this matter, will the Resurrection Sect actually release your sister?
The last words I said as I left the restaurant directed right at Zenon carried such meaning.
Choose wisely. The rope you’re holding onto is rotten. Take a jab at your principles and wake up. That was my warning.
After explaining the whole thing, Ruci’s face was visibly shocked.
“You, you thought this far… Hey, hero. Are you not completely dumb after all?”
“I’ve always been smarter than you. Two-week confiscation of your rude mouth.”
“Agaga! Argh, understood! But don’t pinch my cheeks anymore!”
Our conversation inevitably ended with me pinching Ruci’s cheeks, and as I gleefully twisted them left and right—
Keeeeek. The prolonged sound echoed as the restaurant door opened.
‘F, finally!!’
The intense gazes of myself, Seop Baek, and the Demon King all turned toward the entrance. The fiery red-haired siblings approached us.
I immediately released Ruci’s cheeks and inspected the two.
‘The result…!’
I first checked Gena’s expression.
The tension clearly dissipated from her face when she met my eyes. She smiled weakly and made a ‘V’ gesture with her hand.
Success. It succeeded!
That’s it. Everything is going according to the plan, and the start is smooth! Unconsciously, I clenched my fists tightly.
“Park Jeong-yong, I still don’t trust you.”
Perhaps disliking the sight of me rejoicing, Zenon, who had gotten closer, interrupted with those words, quelling my excitement.
Embarrassed, I chuckled and decided to humor Zenon.
“Well, you don’t have to trust me. Just follow my orders, and we’re good. Deal?”
“… Understood. Are those your only conditions?”
“Yes, that’s all. What about you?”
“I only have one condition: the absolute assurance of Gena’s safety. That’s it.”
“…”
Truly, every bone in his body is filled with sister-complex to an almost disgusting level. At this degree, it surpasses disgust and becomes something akin to awe.
I grinned slyly, my gaze on Gena who was glued to Zenon’s side.
“Don’t you think yourself that the Resurrection Sect won’t release your sister? Maybe you should take a shot at the Jeong Yong Coin at no loss?”
“…”
“Most social newbies are ensnared by organizations like that. They’re suckers for that kind of thing.”
“… I don’t know what a black company is, but I can’t deny your accusation about being a sucker.”
I don’t know the exact circumstances that led these two to the Resurrection Sect, but the process by which individuals get trapped in wicked organizations like those in Earth is mostly the same.
You’re recruited by any means necessary. They leverage your weaknesses. They tempt you with promises to cover them up if you work hard. You end up doing illegal things that trap you further into their system. You work until you die. And when the company runs into trouble, you’re cast aside as cannon fodder.
Any leverage that’s deemed useless when the time comes… gets disposed of.
Is it genetic to be a sucker? My father was a complete idiot who died living that way.
Thus, I’m very familiar with such tactics. Too familiar, almost disgustingly so.
‘Back then, my father’s weakness was…’
The bad memories from Earth were resurfacing. I spat and shook off my train of thoughts.
“Park Jeong-yong, as I said, I still don’t trust you. If you don’t show me irrefutable proof that you can reliably protect my sister… Gena… then I can’t cooperate.”
“Proof, huh?”
Sorry, but I don’t have that.
Can I guarantee I’ll protect Gena? No, I can’t. I can barely protect my own life, squandering it while struggling. Probably, we’ll just end up burying our bones together in Kern again.
Though this is what I thought, I couldn’t say it outright. I patted Zenon’s shoulder and said in a reassuring tone.
“Let’s resolve the immediate problem first, then discuss the long-term ones. We need to stop the summoning of Astarte first. Okay?”
“Ah… you even know about Astarte? The Resurrection Sect certainly wouldn’t leak that information… exactly who are you…?”
Zenon’s face became clouded as if possessed by some spirit. His gaze was filled with a mix of fear and curiosity.
Of course. You fell for your sister’s words completely, and despite that, you’ve been pretending all along. Go ahead, maintain your dignity.
‘It must hurt your pride to bend to me, so let you keep your dignity.’
I’ve already been stripped bare in my previous life by Zenon, leaving me with no pride to maintain.
Thus, instead of foolishly upholding my pride and opposing him, I’ve decided to focus on practicality.
“Now, I have some questions for you.”
“… Even I don’t know the Resurrection Sect’s detailed purposes. I can’t help much with that.”
“Alright, understood. I’ll just ask what you know.”
The question time has arrived. I asked him a total of three things:
First, the approximate scale and strength of the Resurrection Sect members hiding in Kern.
Second, the exact activation conditions for summoning Astarte.
Third, if Zenon and Park Jeong-yong were to fight, who would win and why?
… The last one is purely to analyze weaknesses, correct any mistakes I’ve made, boost my strength, and create a better future.
It’s absolutely not to expose Zenon’s weaknesses so I can make him grovel in a rematch in my next life.
… I always seek practical results.
Sure, that’s all.
