164 – Returners become stronger (9)
People can endure if they have a goal. This is an eternal truth.
Everyone sets big and small goals in their lives. On a small scale, buying clothes you like, on a large scale, getting married, having children, and ending your life happily. The reason we can endure the painful and tedious process is because we are all moving toward a sweet goal.
Therefore, the easiest way to make people despair is also…
“… “Hasn’t it been three days?”
“Yes.”
Just before you reach your goal, take it away. This is what the players walking through the wilderness are like now. Even though it was the fourth day, more than the three that the bearded man had first mentioned, they were still walking by the carriage.
It would have been better if I had said from the beginning that it would take 5, 7, or 10 days. However, he hinted that he only had to endure it for 3 days, but if he realized that he would have to endure more than that… The human mind rapidly becomes exhausted. Negative thoughts are blooming all over the place.
Usually, this will lead to increased irritation, quarrels, and eventually infighting. The human mind, when pushed into a corner, often causes abnormal behavior that does not make sense.
“How much further do we have to go?”
“I’m bored so I’ll search around.”
However, the players currently walking on the 13th floor… I’m just trying to do that. His mental state is fine, and he doesn’t look particularly tired.
“Wow… “Is he really a monster?”
“Hey, I can hear you. “You idiot.”
Choi Ji-won is walking with his colleagues at the front. Because she took the lead and eliminated all threats.
When there is an attack during the day, he and his colleagues kill all the monsters, and at night, he protects the entire carriage by staying on guard. Thanks to Choi Ji-won, players were able to preserve their physical and mental strength.
In fact, considering physical stamina alone, it is possible to not sleep for three days and nights. Because the other players were clearly superhumans and talented people.
However, the problem is mental strength. You keep your senses heightened at all times in preparation for an attack, and you stay on guard at night, giving your mind no time to rest? This is not something anyone can do. Even if he manages to stand still, his face would be close to that of a living corpse.
“… “
Choi Ji-won, who is currently in the lead, looks very fine. Her eyes are clear, her senses are keen, and her steps are full of strength. Even if her body is fine because she took the potion, how can her eyes be fine?
“The world is really unfair. I heard that woman was a kendo genius before she joined the tower. “It seems like even her characteristics are fraudulent.”
“Hey, are you in a position to say something like that? “You turned your life around by receiving good traits from an Amsaeng bastard.”
“Um… “That’s true.”
While some players were looking at Choi Ji-won and whispering.
“That… “Bungbung.”
“Why?”
“Can you really feel nothing?”
“Do you know that this is already the third time you’ve said that? “Don’t get annoyed and just stay still.”
Bungbung frowns and gets irritated at my question.
That’s right. The secret to Choi Ji-won’s ability to preserve her mental strength was thanks to a crazy trick called ‘shifting with Bungbung’.
Don’t you get tired if you keep paying attention all the time? If there are two minds in one body, all they have to do is take turns resting with each other. That’s why Choi Ji-won took the lead during the day, and Bungbung took the physical lead at night… It’s daytime now, but Choi Ji-won said he wanted to rest, so Bungbung is out.
In particular, Bungbung did not show any signs of difficulty even while doing tedious repetitive work, perhaps reflecting the fact that he was a sword, but according to Choi Ji-won’s explanation, he said that he did not understand why it was difficult to stay still and focus his attention. I guess I was thinking too much from a human perspective.
“Uhm… “
Anyway, I feel like all my strength is being drained from Bungbung’s answer, ‘I don’t feel anything.’ It’s already been 4 days and there hasn’t been any sign.
I thought that I would not arrive at ‘Kalada Village’ on the third day. I didn’t count the timer for 3 days in the message window, it was just something the man who first said was saying.
“This is so suspicious… “
But what really bothers me is that the journey so far has been so smooth. It was truly ‘very smooth’. So much so that my doubts grew.
Attack? A herd of animals, all with red eyes, attacked. No, since it surpasses the physical capabilities of ordinary animals, I will call it a monster. Anyway, all the attacks were nothing more than attacks by monsters, and we were able to easily stop them thanks to Choi Ji-won and I’s actions. A monster that was fast and strong but lacked intelligence was just a big target.
Since the attacker was human, there was no instance of him muttering something meaningful, or hearing a human voice with a mysterious shaking inside the carriage, or having an arrow with a letter tied to it hit the carriage.
“There must be something…” “
I’m sure there’s something I missed. Just like the previous towers, there will be a hidden reef that divides the players and forces them into fights that ultimately lead to their destruction. Something absurd, with huge benefits for liars and penalties for everyone else… I haven’t figured out its existence yet.
In fact, if you think about it really simply, the story could be that the luggage inside the carriage was actually a trap. Well, it makes sense if a bomb explodes when you open the carriage. But this is too, too simple. Prediction was also easy.
“Is it the first day? Shouldn’t it have been okay to kill the herd of cattle? I should have just let it crash… No, that’s not it… “
“Hey, what are you thinking so complicated about? “You idiot.”
“Shut up. “Bungbung.”
“Yes, you too.”
I ignored Bungbung teasing me and continued to worry again. It feels like a piece of meat stuck between my teeth, and no matter how much I touch it with my tongue, it doesn’t seem to come out. I must have missed something…
But no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t come up with a clear answer.
“Something… Something… “
“… It’s Junho. “I lost, but shouldn’t I go to sleep soon?”
“Shut up. “Bungbung.”
“… “Is it Junho?”
“Sorry. “You were the support.”
In the end, another day passed.
**
The next day. Afternoon.
“It was a bit dangerous.”
I was relaxing my shoulders among the numerous carcasses of eagles. The attackers this time were a flock of eagles, and their feathers were so sharp that I almost got hurt trying to snatch the wings off with my hands. If it weren’t for the ‘invisible gloves’, it would have regressed.
“Wow, these guys are a bit strong.”
“I was weak until now.”
Other players doing the same thing. No one was hurt, but it seems like the spirit that was slowly starting to relax has been awakened. If there were players who were not skilled, they would have suffered great damage.
“Um… Shall we reorganize our formation? It seems like the level of difficulty is slowly increasing from now on. Rather than just randomly surrounding the carriage, distribute the power… ”
Choi Ji-won also seemed to think this could be the beginning, and tried to rearrange the players.
Stand tall.
“… “Did he stop talking?”
“Why are these kids who haven’t even eaten like this?”
The horses pulling the carriage suddenly stopped. These are horses that until now have looked like machines rather than living things. There has never been a time when it stopped during the day rather than at night. The moment when players became tense due to an abnormal phenomenon.
-Ji Ik.
With a sound like tearing paper, the air was strangely distorted and the space was distorted.
“Ah, are you adventurers? Thank you for your hard work.”
As the distorted space peeled away to reveal a village made of wood, a nun who seemed kind-hearted came out and said hello.
“… ?”
“… Uh?”
I was embarrassed that the air was suddenly torn apart, but my embarrassment was doubled when a warm woman dressed as a nun came out of it. Of course, whether people were embarrassed or not, the nun led the carriage into the village.
“There are no scratches on the carriage. It is clear that God guided us. “I’m glad no one was hurt.”
“That… “Is this Kalada Village?”
“This is a dangerous item, so thank you for escorting it safely.”
Ignoring the words of a player who stuttered, a nun grabbed the air with both hands as if holding her cloth. As she brought her arms together as if drawing a curtain, her space warped again and the nun and her village slowly became transparent. The Machado we have been escorting so far.
“… What?”
“Is it the end?”
20 Players were left alone in the empty wilderness.
A clueless player approached the location of the village, but was unable to pass through, only hitting something solid in the air. Shield? Barrier? Incantation? I don’t know what it is, but there is something blocking the entrance to the village.
“If I hit this, will it break?”
“Aren’t we actually deceived? “It’s possible that the carriage was stolen by that woman.”
From Noble mtl dot com
A message window appears in front of the players just before they begin to use force.
-Cleared the 13th floor.
“… “A portal has appeared.”
Along with that, a blue portal appeared in the air, so although it was futile, it seemed like he had succeeded in clearing the 13th floor.
“Is it the end? “The 13th floor is a bit easier.”
“Choi Ji-won has a good ride on the bus.”
“Everyone worked hard.”
As soon as the portal was created, players entered the portal one after another without looking back. Finally, the skinhead man said hello to Choi Ji-won and entered the portal, leaving only me and Choi Ji-won left in the wilderness.
“The scenery here is so nice, but I was so nervous the whole time that I couldn’t see anything.”
Only then did Choi Ji-won sit down on the sand, as if the tension had eased. I sat down next to her, being careful not to get hurt by her sand.
“First of all… “I’m sure we missed something.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Common sense tells me, this can’t be the end. There must be a route we haven’t noticed. When we return to reality, let’s start gathering information right away. “Can we still contact the association?”
“It is possible. Should I contact you right away when I get back?”
“Then.”
After enjoying the scenery for about 5 minutes, the two of us got up and headed toward the portal. Finally, after looking around the wilderness, I entered the portal and returned to reality. Up until this point, I was feeling pretty good. Because I succeeded in clearing the 13th floor in one go.
But after returning to reality.
“They say there is no such thing as a hidden route?”
“… “No?”
“Uh. “All the other players said that it would be over if they lasted for 5 days.”
“… “
… That can’t be possible?