Chapter 67

“T-this way, please.”

The day after buying the coffee machine.

I entered the Maze Shopping Mall again, guided by the mole.

Since my personal business was done, this time I came for official business—to find the would-be terrorist.

It’s not like I planned to take him down myself.

That’s the protagonist’s—Lee Si-woo’s—job. I just wanted to mark him, confirm the scene from the original story, and maybe get some clues about Quaker.

In the original story, Quaker helped him carry out the terrorist attack at the end of the episode. So… I planned to subtly approach him, scrape some info about Quaker, and then bail.

That was my goal.

Understanding Quaker’s movements was crucial.

At the very least, I wanted to know where Quaker’s hideout was.

To tighten the noose around Quaker’s neck, I needed as much info as possible.

By the way, this place is unnecessarily complicated.

I’ve already turned seven corners, and I have no idea where I am anymore.

“The layout is unnecessarily complicated.”

“Well, it’s because the original electronics market kept expanding and expanding. The guy who made the Maze Shopping Mall like this, Park Sang-chul, died during the war, but, you know…”

Park Sang-chul… huh.

I hadn’t heard that name in the original story.

In the original, it was just explained that some User used their ability to repeatedly expand the building, creating the Maze Shopping Mall.

So, this unexpected info was kind of an interesting find.

Though I have no idea how to use it.

“Why did he die? If he was hiding in a place like this, he should’ve been safe unless it got bombed directly.”

“H-he was executed…”

“Executed…?”

“T-the higher-ups would know the details.”

I see.

I heard the government did a lot of shady stuff during the war.

In the original story, the government’s atrocities were just starting to come to light when I got reincarnated, so I don’t have a way to know for sure.

One thing’s certain though…

These bastards reek of rot.

It’s like they’re in the same state as the old Japanese ruling party.

It’s not like there’s no opposition, but the ruling party has been passing around the presidency for nearly 20 years.

People aren’t without complaints, but they’ve been pacified in various ways, so on the surface, it seems peaceful.

It’s a time where people going missing or dying doesn’t carry much weight.

It’s a tougher era where just surviving is hard enough, so people don’t have the energy to care about what’s happening above.

Even voting rights are limited, like in ancient Athens, only given to Seoul citizens.

“S-so when Park Jung-woo returned, many people hid him.”

“Is he like a son?”

“Y-yes. It’s a sad situation.”

Hearing the backstory, I feel a bit guilty.

I was planning to use him since he’s a villain, but…

“For someone in that situation, he took my request pretty well.”

“W-well, a guide’s job is to work once paid. I needed the money urgently.”

So, he sold me out to buy booze, huh.

Well, that’s how shady folks are.

Not that I’m one to talk.

“Alright, alright. Just guide me properly.”

“Y-yes.”

We passed through the winding, complicated paths, heading deeper inside. The further we went, the more eyes were on us.

Maybe it’s rare for people to come this deep into the Maze Shopping Mall, or maybe it’s because the mole moving cautiously caught their attention.

Either way, it wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Being blatantly watched isn’t exactly comfortable.

But I can’t show it now, so I’ll just pretend not to notice.

“Hey, how much further?”

“W-we’re almost there.”

As the mole said, we entered the inner part of the Maze Shopping Mall, and the walls started to look different, just like in the original story.

If the previous buildings were relatively new, now the walls were visibly cracked and damaged.

Is this the Yongsan electronics market area?

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but the atmosphere feels even gloomier.

Is it because the buildings are old, or because the people living this deep are just gloomy?

I subtly checked the people I occasionally passed as I went deeper.

There’s no telling when or where Park Jung-woo might show up.

“T-this is the place.”

“…It’s spacious.”

And it feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen sunlight.

The ceiling of the central area of the Maze Shopping Mall was open, probably because it was originally an asphalt road connected by someone’s ability.

“…This smell is…”

“W-we grow crops in the central area.”

Crops, huh.

Well, it’s an era where self-sufficiency isn’t uncommon, so it’s not strange to see farming here.

“So, where’s Park Jung-woo?”

“I-I don’t know exactly. He keeps moving around… but he should be around here. Many residents here knew Park Sang-chul…”

I see.

So, I’ll have to do some investigative questioning.

Is that even possible?

I doubt the residents would talk about Park Jung-woo. I sat on an old bench, lost in thought.

Would they tell me if I said I don’t plan to fight?

I’d be lucky if they didn’t just curse me out.

What if I threaten them?

I’m not good at threatening, and it might backfire.

Places like this usually have strong community bonds, so it’d be hard to get info.

What if I bribe them?

I don’t have the money for that.

I’ve been spending a lot lately, so I can’t throw money around. Bribing would be a last resort. Though I’m not even sure if it’d work.

“Hey, is there anyone with a loose mouth?”

“Oh, t-that’s hard to find. Y-you’d get beaten up for that here.”

“Tch.”

In the end, the only way is to make the most of my knowledge from the original story.

I got up from the bench and stretched.

“Follow me. We’re going to work.”

Honestly, I didn’t want to do this, but… gotta use what I have.

“Y-yes.”

————————

“Are you the village chief?”

“…Who are you?”

The village chief, who was tinkering with machines in his front yard, looked at the owner of the voice with wary eyes.

‘It’s been a while since an outsider visited…’

He ran a hardware store, but customers were rare.

Being located deep in the Maze Shopping Mall, you needed a skilled guide to find his shop.

Most customers finished their business in the outer areas and left, so for him, this was his first customer in months.

So, he took a moment to size up the newcomer.

‘This guy’s involved in dangerous work.’

A menacing gaze.

Scars visible here and there on his body.

A faint smell of blood, even though he tried to hide it.

The village chief immediately sensed he was a dangerous man.

‘Why is someone like this here?’

It’s not uncommon for criminals to come and go in the inner parts of the Maze Shopping Mall, but no one had ever come looking for him directly, so it was natural to be suspicious.

“Ah, don’t worry. I’m not a dangerous person.”

The man with a dangerous aura smiled.

A snake-like smile that made the village chief’s hair stand on end.

“Right, so what brings you here, non-dangerous person?”

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Looking for someone… this isn’t a lost and found.”

“Haha, but I think you might know where the person I’m looking for is.”

‘Is he here for Jung-woo!’

The distance closed.

He walked leisurely to the counter and locked eyes with the village chief.

Eyes that looked like they could twist someone’s neck without a second thought.

‘Is this a threat?’

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m not that kind of person. I pay my taxes… well, not really, but I live a decent life.”

“People involved in shady business usually say that.”

“Is that so? Well… maybe. Anyway, if you’re not planning to tell me… just pass on this message.”

…On the night of the full moon, a wounded wolf will be waiting in the square.

“…I don’t know what that means, but alright.”

‘…Is he from the organization Jung-woo joined?’

He didn’t talk much about the organization Jung-woo joined for revenge, but the village chief couldn’t help but misinterpret the meaningful request.

He didn’t know much, after all.

Having achieved his goal, Isaac smiled and brought up a mundane request.

“Thank you. Then, as a customer—could I buy some nails here?

…As many as possible.”