144 – Training by a Returner (5)
Currently, mid-level potions are more expensive than a decent Gangnam apartment. However, if you think about it in reverse, the transactions are quite successful, to the point where you can buy an apartment by paying only the same amount. From a business perspective, that wasn’t that much money.
But what about elixir? How expensive is an elixir that is truly a panacea? The fact that I’ve never heard of Elixir in the news proves its value. Actually, really valuable things are traded in secret.
“… “
Why didn’t I think of this? Choi Ji-won and I cleared the 4th floor perfectly. This means that at least 200 people received low-level elixirs as a reward.
That means that, excluding the elixir we have, there are 198 elixirs… Through repeated regressions, I have not been able to obtain any information related to the elixir. This means that it was completely kept secret in Yangji. Is this possible?
At least one person is likely to have read a story related to elixir on the Internet. No, it’s normal to post about the mysterious crazy guy you met on the 4th floor on the Internet. But strangely enough, no information was spread about my whereabouts on the 4th floor.
The answer to the question ‘Why?’ Is simple. There are people who want to control this information. Then the question becomes ‘how’. How do we control information on the modern Internet?
“Anyway… About 8 elixirs were released in a secret auction in the back world… If you post the Elixir story on the Surface Web… Sniff. Because it gets deleted right away… Sniff. That story was said on the deep web. “Where on earth did this come from?”
Since a panacea called ‘Elixir’, which we had never heard of, appeared in large quantities, it is natural to find its source. As they continued to trace back somehow, they came to the conclusion that they got it on the 4th floor.
“So… Sniff. Jiwon and Junho’s names came up. Even the fact that you can get elixir by saving all players and all NPCs on the 4th floor.”
Yuuki continues talking while whimpering, unaware of my speed. But when I thought about it, a gap in logic caught my eye.
“No… So, because of my actions on the 4th floor, a large amount of elixir was released… “As I delved into the elixir, I realized that people on the deep web were paying attention to me.”
“Yes.”
“But how did you find out my name there?”
My actions on the 4th floor? It deserves enough attention. In fact, when I think about it now, it seems strange that the events on the 2nd and 4th floors did not receive any attention. Because it attracted a lot of aggro while many people were watching.
But what is my name? How did you find out my name? Wasn’t there enough evidence to infer that the person on the 4th floor was ‘Kim Jun-ho’? In the last regression, no one said their name other than Yoon Jung-hyun?
Yuuki answered my reasonable and sharp question as follows.
“That’s it… “I don’t know either.”
“… What?”
“Just… Someone posted Junho’s name and face. “It was quickly deleted, but I saw it.”
“… “
How did people on the deep web find out my name? The answer is… You might say ‘I don’t know’.
This is the version where superpowers called characteristics appear. There are returners, there is the ability to become one with a sword and a person, and there is also the ability to hide. In a situation like this, can we be sure that there won’t be specialized abilities to find people? If someone with detective skills somewhere finds out my personal information, I’m in a position where I just have to deal with it.
“Uhm… “
So, what’s the problem with being famous? As I’ve said every time, if it’s discovered that I’m a ‘regressor’, problems will arise. The returner was very vulnerable to sealing technology.
‘Junho. Wouldn’t it be too much of an overreaction to say that you’re going to regress just because you became famous? ?’
‘There is no need to openly reveal one’s abilities… I don’t think there’s any need to force it to hide it.’
At the same time, what Choi Ji-won said also lingers in my head. Am I really overreacting? No, I don’t think it’s an overreaction.
I don’t know how… These are the people who control ‘Elixir’ related posts posted on the internet. Whether it’s money, power, or technical skills, it would be correct to say that they are people who are beyond imagination. Perhaps it might have caught the attention of those at the peak of power in the human race. Because elixir is worth it.
In such a situation, it is very uneasy to think that my regression will not be affected. There are many people smarter than me in the world. When I start using regression in earnest, there are a lot of things that become noticeable.
It cannot be helped that it has already attracted attention. You have to be careful from now on. Basically, a conspiracy is a conspiracy because the parties involved are not aware of it. Didn’t you know until now that I was famous in the behind-the-scenes world? Maybe it’s already too late now.
“Whoa.”
After organizing my thoughts, I finally let out a long sigh. Yes, what has already happened cannot be helped. What is more important is how we act in the future. Even if you take action, keep your name hidden as much as possible. Or you can create a new pseudonym.
Now, the last thing to decide is…
“Reaper. “No, Yuuki.”
“Yes.”
“Go outside for a moment.”
“… “This is my room.”
“Go out to the living room. “That’s because I have something to talk about with Jiwon.”
“… Yes.”
It is a matter of determining the treatment of envoys. What should I do with the Reaper from now on?
This guy’s ideas are so radical. Are you willing to kill 100 innocent people to save 10,000 people? Would he be able to say that even if he were among the 100 people who die? In fact, when he himself became a target, the Shinigami abandoned his family and ran away. He is not prepared to suffer himself.
Should I coax this guy out and use him? Or should I kill him to nip him in the bud? What is the correct answer?
“Junho.”
Choi Ji-won gently pats her back while looking at me rubbing my forehead with the front of her wrist.
“Are you worried? “What should we do with the Reaper?”
“… Huh.”
Choi Ji-won and I look at each other. We were having the same problem right now.
“I… I don’t know. In truly unavoidable situations, you may have to kill someone. But can we judge who should die and who should live?”
Choi Ji-won keeps stroking my back and speaking softly.
“If you kill someone… There’s no turning back. That’s it. Even if it was a mistake or a misunderstanding, it doesn’t mean the dead person comes back to life. So those who use swords must always be careful. “That’s what my father always said.”
“… “
“So… Junho, I hope you are really, really careful when you kill people. Even if there is a return, I don’t want you to get used to murder. When you absolutely have to commit murder, I wish you would go back and think a lot. “So you don’t regret it later.”
She is Choi Ji-won, who usually appears easy-going, but she was very cautious in the face of ‘death.’ Come to think of it, hasn’t Choi Ji-won ever killed anyone? She is the exact opposite of me, who killed someone in the tutorial without much shock.
“… “
Choi Ji-won is right. If I were to decide the life or death of the Shinigami… Is that any different from the Shinigami who chooses who will die? Do I have the right to judge anyone else? Was my action in killing the gangster in the tutorial without much thought justified? Even if a regression makes it something that never happened?
No. It is not allowed to kill the Shinigami. That just makes me no different from him.
However, it is not okay to leave the Reaper alone. If we leave it alone, there will be more innocent victims in the future. So, instead of killing them, they make them irreversible? I don’t have the skills to do that. There were so many ways to use that stealth ability.
A way to block the Shinigami while at the same time leaving room for him to be exploited. There is one.
“The Shinigami has strange expectations about me, right?”
“… Yes?”
“How about satisfying that?”
This is how to take advantage of his illusion.
**
Before returning, I first returned to Korea. This is to check the current status of people around you.
“Uncle Cheoljin is doing well. “I heard you think you’ll be challenging the 5th floor soon?”
Including Park Cheol-jin, Kang Chan, An Kyung-jun, Kyung-nam Ahn, William Smith, etc… People who had even a little connection with me seemed to get along well. In particular, Kang Chan’s popularity is spreading rapidly these days. It seems that the usual ‘punch’ was also shown on the 4th floor.
After checking people’s current status like that… I re-read a comic book from beginning to end where people die when they write their names in the notebook. This is because the ideology of the ‘Death God’ seemed to have been deeply influenced by this.
After that, I concentrated on gathering information, including reading the news diligently, searching online communities, and briefly communicating with Yoon Jung-hyun. As a result of gathering the information, it was concluded that there would be no problem if the Shinigami suddenly ceased its activities. This is because the real villains have already died or gone missing.
Anyway, this is the end of the preparation. I decided to temporarily embrace the Shinigami. We will see in the future whether this guy is a villain who deserves to die, or a male middle school student who did crazy things due to his blood. After watching enough, I will make a decision.
But right now, it will stop its activities.
In a way that even he can be satisfied with.
[You have suffered damage.]
[Return to the moment you first entered the 11th floor.]