110 – The Returner’s Efforts (5)
“Hmm… okay? Ask. Rather than that, would you like to eat this jerky too? “It’s cold and shriveled, but it’s more edible than I thought.”
Eom Hong-jun hands over beef jerky with an innocent expression. I can feel pure goodwill in his expression.
“… “
The problem is that this is a situation where you shouldn’t feel pure favor towards me.
I am holding a sword in my hand now. The expression is very stiff. The voice is cold.
If you are a normal person, this is a situation where you feel scared or pressured and have to take a fighting stance. I’m not handing you beef jerky like that.
“Thank you.”
First, I took the beef jerky and roughly stuffed it into my mouth. I ate too much and felt like vomiting, so I just swallowed it.
“What, can I swallow it like that? “I want to try it too!”
Eom Hong-jun was surprised to see me and swallowed the beef jerky in the same breath.
“Kek, kek… “
Immediately, he tapped on the floor, squeezing as if it was stuck in his throat, and was barely able to catch his breath. I watched that scene quietly, and only then did I get to the point.
“Mr. Hongjun.”
“Uh. Why?”
“Where are you going now? “I think I’m packing my bags.”
“Me? “Are you planning to go to Jjeoeogi?”
Even though he is inside the castle and cannot see outside, Eom Hong-jun points into the sky. But since I had only been here for a day or two, I knew right away what he was trying to say.
“… “A mountain range?”
“Yes!”
Eom Hong-jun, smiling brightly and tying a leather pouch. He checked the condition of his winter clothes very carefully and then immediately stood up.
“No, no, why do you suddenly want to go to the mountains?”
I just thought it was a suspicious person, but I had no idea that a crazy person who wanted to go to the mountain would suddenly appear. Now that a survival mission has come out, you’re suddenly going to the mountains? Why?
“That’s right… “Because you want to go?”
Eom Hong-jun looks absurd, as if he is asking an obvious question. It feels like I have become a strange person.
“It’s cold outside.”
“You have winter clothes, right?”
“What should I do at night? “I might die from the cold.”
“Uh… “Maybe so.”
Eom Hong-jun turns his eyes around once.
“But what should I do when I want to do it?”
“… “
“It’s not something that harms others, and it’s not something that’s a problem… Doesn’t it matter? If I die… It can’t be helped. “Then shall I go?”
Eom Hong-jun, smiling happily, heads out of the castle.
I do it because I want to…
That man is not normal.
It’s snowing outside. It’s terribly cold. Moreover, a meaningful ‘survival mission’ has just appeared.
In this situation, you suddenly want to climb a mountain? Because you just want to climb?
He is just a madman. He is just a crazy person who was lucky and survived to the 4th floor.
“… “
Nevertheless, I couldn’t say anything.
Eom Hong-jun in front of me was truly free. I don’t know if this man is alive or dead, but there is a high probability that he will die. But he doesn’t care. He has no fear when it comes to taking on challenges.
Why are most people reluctant to take on reckless challenges? Even if an unexplained desire boils up in your heart, isn’t it because you’re afraid of losing the opportunity cost that you can’t take on the challenge?
But this man… He doesn’t care about that at all. Even before his death, this man will probably climb the mountain.
If this man, who only lives once, is like this, then what was I afraid of?
Why did you think the 4th floor was defense? Because it’s cold outside? Because you have a strong castle? Because the monsters change form every time?
Why did I follow the rules? Was it really, really impossible to get out of the castle? Even if you rack your brains, is it true that it is impossible?
Of course, going to the mountains is 100% suicidal. Topography is also terrain, higher places are colder, and there are even variables such as altitude sickness. There is even a record of winged monsters appearing, so there is no guarantee that monsters will not come.
But.
Leaving the castle itself seemed like a gamble worth taking.
I jumped through the portal and came back to reality, collected a lot of necessary information, and immediately bit my lip.
[You have suffered damage.]
[Return to the moment you first entered the 4th floor.]
***
-117:11:00
Less than three hours had passed since the fourth floor began.
After finishing all preparations, I went out in front of people.
“From now on, we are preparing to leave the castle.”
“… ?”
“… ?”
Everyone tilts their heads in confusion, but I don’t care.
“What you need to make is a sled, a tent using leftover winter clothing, and snowshoes. If we prepare quickly, we expect to be able to do so within 6 hours, and we will aim to depart before the sun sets.”
“… “
“We will survive. Outside this castle. “Do you have any questions?”
“… “Are you crazy?”
“Can’t you see it’s snowing now? “I’m going to search because it’s cold.”
Players open their mouths in shock. I thought I was just a strong person, but I guess I didn’t expect him to suddenly make such a bombshell announcement.
“No, this is a bit…” “
Even Yun Jung-hyeon of the world seems to have difficulty accepting this as it is, and immediately shows his disapproval. Up to this point, the backlash is within the expected range.
“I know what you are thinking. But I also have a clear basis.”
Take out an old book that you prepared in advance and wave it in front of people.
“Did you know that we discovered a secret study on the first floor? Some people may have actually seen it with their own eyes… “
“That’s… “
“I saw it… “
After confirming that people are nodding their heads in confusion, he continues speaking again.
“This book says: ‘A death that cannot be resisted is approaching. Run straight in the direction where the sun rises. ‘That’s the only way to survive.’ We discovered the hidden piece, the raw route. “You missed it, so why are you hesitating?”
Of course, this is a pure lie. This book is an educational book that teaches the dining etiquette of nobles. What I just said was made up.
“That… How can you believe that? “It’s your first time seeing a language, so aren’t you just talking nonsense?”
“No. “The witnesses are standing up. How long are you going to deny it?”
When I gave a signal, the man with glasses approached. He cleared his throat loudly and solemnly declared in a slightly cracked voice.
“That… Everything this person said is true. My trait is an A-level trait called ‘Analysis Completed’… “Are there people from other countries here besides Koreans?”
As Gyeongnam shows himself analyzing English, Spanish, French, and even otherworldly languages used by otherworldly people on the spot, only then do people start whispering.
“… “Is this true?”
“Then we were really lucky and found the hidden piece?”
The man with glasses trembles with guilt as he looks at that scene. Of course, he also knows that I lied. He just went through a little ‘persuasion’ process.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Mr. Gyeongnam.”
“Yes? Who are you?”
“I saved it for you in the tutorial. Don’t you remember? Remove the Minotaur’s head… “
“Uh… ah? Maybe then… !”
“And on the third floor, I became friends with Gyeongjun again… “
“No, really? Wow, such a relationship… !”
“And I heard you and Dahye are lovers? Now, I’ll give you two intermediate potions. I got it on the 3rd floor, but I have no use for it… “
“… Thank you, thank you… ! I’d like to do something for you, but I don’t have anything right now… “
“Child, why is there nothing you can do for me?”
From Noble mtl dot com
I was persuaded through a process called
. Isn’t that truly gentlemanly?
Also, while Gyeongnam Ahn was proving his abilities, he secretly approached Joonghyun Yoon and sold him drugs, saying, ‘I’m friends with Michael Jeter!’ At the same time, I talked a little bit about the Players Association, and trust immediately fell from his eyes.
Players’ perception changed from ‘Is this person crazy?’ To ‘Did this person see something I didn’t see?’
Just as the trend is about to shift to ‘Is going outside the right answer?’
“Wait, wait. Okay, let’s just say we can survive somehow. But what will the otherworldly people do?”
A woman with a jutting chin, handling fireballs, stepped out with a frown on her face.
“They say you can see the dirt floor right now… If the snow piles up and the climate worsens, ordinary people will not be able to survive. “Are you saying we should leave the aliens in this castle?”
No, that woman… In the past, she used to get irritated and say, ‘Should we take care of aliens?’ Now I get annoyed for the exact opposite reason.
But she is not wrong. In extreme situations, the weak are the first to die. And the weakest here are the aliens. If everything goes according to my plan, the most vulnerable will be the aliens.
Of course, we have made our own preparations for this as well.
“We will take a lot of wood with us. All you have to do is start a fire. And why are you worried about otherworldly people?”
“No, what do you mean…” “
“We’re okay.”
Baron Jorge nods with a warm smile.
“I also think the strategy of leaving the castle and running away is a good one. The same goes for the residents of the territory.”
When I first explained the plan to Baron Jorge, he was troubled.
Let’s run away from the castle? The idea itself is good. There’s a chance that a monster could come out of the castle.
But it’s cold outside. The environment itself threatens life. At least if you’re inside the castle, you won’t freeze to death.
Are you able to get through the castle safely? Do you want to go outside the castle and hope for good luck? Both of them were persuasive, so Baron Jorge was pondering over and over again.
“This… Do you know what it is?”
“What is that? The color sparkles… No way, no way… Elric… “
“That’s right. “I’ll give you this.”
“… “
“This is the lowest level, but it is definitely effective. Just one drop is enough to instantly heal shallow wounds. All you need is this… “Wouldn’t it greatly increase the chances of the territory’s residents surviving?”
“I will cooperate.”
A small gift came and went, and Baron Jorge was also ‘persuaded’ by me. There is no doubt that I have the qualities of a leader.
“They say the aliens are okay, is there any reason to oppose it?”
“… “
A woman with a protruding chin who closes her mouth like a mute after eating honey. Now that she’s subdued her, she looks around at her players again and finishes her sentence.
“For your information, those who say they don’t want to go together simply because of personal beliefs… You will need to interview me. We have to come together to survive. “Personal behavior will not be tolerated.”
Hit the floor like in the previous episode! After showing off his strength by hitting hard, he grabbed Eom Hong-jun by the back as he tried to sneak away.
“Oh, no… I have to go to the mountains… “
“Don’t give a damn, just come.”
“Okay… “
This time, I will try to save everyone.