Chapter 121
──────
Dream Merchant I
Shin Noa
1
Before I knew it, my story had passed 120 chapters.
I haven't actually counted the numbers myself, but according to Oh Dok-seo, that's the case.
I wouldn't really know, but according to the claims of the "self-proclaimed web novel expert" Mr. Oh Dok-seo, the number 120 has some symbolic meaning.
"Got it, old man? Anyway, I need 120 chapters' worth. You have to hand them over to me without any issues until chapter 120."
"Why's that?"
"Because I'm planning to stock up generously until chapter 120 and then release them all at once on the platform... Ah, fuck. Even if I explain, would you understand? You said you'd never even looked at web novels before the Void's arrival anyway."
"Hmm."
"Anyway, 120 chapters! At minimum, I need 120 chapters' worth. I'm saying this because I have a plan!"
Oh Dok-seo badgered me as if he'd become my editor. Actually, he was performing the role of an editor.
What could I, an old and sick man, do about it? I had to go along with what the young man wanted.
However, the method of writing was up to me.
I preferred traditional methods. I wrote by hand in notebooks and passed them to Oh Dok-seo. Sometimes I reverted to an even more traditional method—not writing at all, but delivering oral literature directly.
When I let him experience the old traditions that this generation had lost, Oh Dok-seo made an emotional expression.
"No... shit. How am I supposed to work with this? You need to give me usable manuscripts."
I was a kind author to my editor. Therefore, I answered at a level appropriate to Oh Dok-seo's intellectual capacity.
"Not my problem."
"......"
"Good luck with that."
My role was simply to tell and deliver the story.
It would be troublesome if they made me do all the editing, revising, typo-checking, and formatting to fit some specific format.
Not because it's annoying, but because a regressor's life is busy.
If my story is officially released somewhere and errors are found, that's not my fault. It's naturally entirely Oh Dok-seo's fault.
How could I, Jang Ui-sa, who possesses [Perfect Memory Ability], make mistakes?
Between us, if by any chance typos or such are observed, you can just blame "that damn Oh Dok-seo bastard." Though he's a chuunibyou otaku, he has good character, so please, generous readers, try to understand him.
Anyway.
They say 120 chapters is a monumental number, so this might be a good opportunity to summarize the Korean Peninsula cities that have appeared in my story so far.
Call it a newly created map for the Apocalypse era.
If I transcribe the memo I gave Oh Dok-seo while explaining the current situation, it goes as follows:
――――――――――
[Busan]
Headquarters of the National Road Management Corps.
Food produced in the Gimhae Plains and Kyushu through the 'Sword Queen' is stored in Busan. The patrol units of the National Road Management Corps also serve as merchant caravans, transporting food and supplies from Busan throughout the country. For this reason, patrol units are sometimes called 'caravans.'
Judicial and military power within Busan is exercised by the Three Thousand Worlds Guild. The National Road Management Corps and Three Thousand Worlds are in a blood alliance.
The last hope of the Korean Peninsula. Water outages and power cuts happen at every opportunity, but as long as there's the romance of rain and candlelight, there's no problem. Still, cheers to you who live through today.
- Key Figures: Noh Do-ha, Dang Seo-rin, Yoo Ji-won, The Old Man Sho's corpse.
[Daejeon]
Massive containment city. The majority of refugees and displaced persons from the Korean Peninsula gather here.
Near Daejeon, creatures altered by Void Poison (空虛毒) inhabit in large numbers. Using this ecosystem, Daejeon produces its own food. However, food safety is absolutely not guaranteed.
The Daeman Association Guild, which should be considered practically controlled by Pink-hair, manages Daejeon. If you don't value your life, please visit this city and enjoy some tourism.
- Key Figures: Voldemort.
[Sejong]
One of the major holy cities of the Korean Peninsula alongside Pyongyang. An earldom by Cheon Yo-hwa, for Cheon Yo-hwa, for the sake of Cheon Yo-hwa.
The Baekhwa Guild, composed of Baekhwa Girls' High School graduates, strongly dominates the city.
Originally, Baekhwa Guild members were children of families believing in a pseudo-religion called Cheon-il Cult, and they still serve Cheon Yo-hwa. While Cheon Yo-hwa herself hates pseudo-religions, anyone can see the city operates like the headquarters of a cult.
If you suddenly get tired of living in the apocalypse, try badmouthing Cheon Yo-hwa in Sejong. The recommended phrase is "Isn't it a bit crazy to still wear your school uniform everywhere?" and you can take a biology lesson realizing anew that so many organs exist inside your body.
- Key Figures: Cheon Yo-hwa.
[Seoul]
The frontlines. Everything south of the Han River has been devastated. Boasts the cheapest housing prices on the Korean Peninsula.
A defensive line has been formed to block the endless stream of anomalies pouring from the north. All bridges except the Submerged Bridge and Seongsu Bridge have been demolished for security.
Originally my hideout was also located in Seoul, but after the Inunaki Tunnel was renovated, Cheon Yo-hwa's Baekhwa Guild has been defending Seoul.
Highly recommended if you're an old-fashioned type who still wants a Han River view. However, note that along with the Han River view, an anomaly view comes free of charge.
- Key Figures: Saint.
――――――――――
Besides these, there are various cities like Jeju Island, Naju, Pyongyang, etc., but since they haven't been covered in my story yet, I'll omit them.
"Huh? Old man."
Once organized like this and spreading out a map, you might think the same as Oh Dok-seo.
"Isn't it surprisingly doable?"
"Hmm."
"Food production is fine, forces are running well centered on Busan. And Cheon Yo-hwa follows you really devotedly, right? Then even if saving the whole world is too much, saving just the Korean Peninsula should be totally possible, shouldn't it?"
"Well."
Sorry, but things aren't that easy.
As you all witnessed in the previous episode, Daejeon evaporated overnight.
I'll say it again at this opportunity.
This world hates humanity.
2
First, I should point out that maps made when the world was still normal are of no help at all.
Because this world is quite sincere about fucking over humanity.
If the National Road Management Corps recklessly sends out patrol caravans, the following accidents occur quite frequently:
- Ah, this is bad. Daejeon should be around here. Why does it feel like we're just going in circles?
- Team Leader, big trouble. We've been wandering around this area for 14 days already. Even when we post on SG Net, there are no comments at all...
- 14 days? What are you talking about, Vice Team Leader? It's only been 4 days.
- Excuse me?
Disappearance. Evaporation. Missing persons.
Just crossing a distance that should be no more than two bus stops, but taking over two weeks in terms of time.
Thinking you're walking on a road, then realizing you're descending toward the bottom of a pond.
Where river water should flow, a rock salt mine rises; where mountains should be, a vast lake spreads to the distant horizon.
Literally a labyrinth.
The world devoured by the Void is one giant maze, no different from a Labyrinthos.
My role in such a world is breaking through the labyrinth. If I were to use Greek mythology as a metaphor, I'd be like Theseus who pierced through the maze and made steak out of the Minotaur.
"Undertaker Your Excellency."
"Hm? What is it?"
"On my map, Patrol Unit 21 has been stationary for 3 hours already."
"No movement at all?"
"Yes."
"What about the utility poles? The transmission lines?"
"They seem to be cut. The reports periodically posted on SG Net also stopped 180 minutes ago."
"Ah... Trapped in the Void again. I keep saying problems always arise when patrol units are sent near Daejeon. Saint? Are you watching?"
[Yes.]
"Please send a message to Patrol Unit 21 in the Constellation's name. Tell them a rescue team will arrive soon, so don't panic and wait in place."
[Are you planning to go yourself?]
"Yes, if the lines are cut, I need to repair them too."
[Understood.]
Yoo Ji-won's 'Mini-map' and the Saint's 'Telepathy.'
Thanks to these two's support, I somehow managed to connect cities even in this harsh apocalypse.
While control over areas (面) was unthinkable to even hope for, governance over lines (線) could at least be expected.
And of course, besides the Saint and Yoo Ji-won, numerous talented people were assisting the National Road Management Corps.
"Ha-yul."
"Yeah?"
"The lines are cut again. Let's go lay some thread."
If Theseus is to walk through the labyrinth, there must be an Ariadne too.
Puppeteer Lee Ha-yul.
This child who pulls out puppet threads like a spider was also an indispensable talent in managing the Korean Peninsula's national roads.
3
Carrying Ha-yul on my back and running, I was able to quickly discover Patrol Unit 21 sitting slumped in the middle of a forest.
A considerable amount of time seemed to have passed since they were already ensnared by the Void, and the squad members looked utterly haggard.
"Ah...! Undertaker-nim!"
The patrol unit's team leader recognized me and brightened up. My official position within the National Road Management Corps varied with each regression, but I always received respectful treatment from the members.
"You've come!"
"Yes. You've all worked hard."
I took out Ha-yul and chocolate from my backpack. Ha-yul walked off on her own making squeaking sounds, and I distributed the chocolate to the squad members.
"How many days have you been stranded?"
"By my count, today is the 15th day. But each member perceives a different number of days, so it's not accurate."
"Properly ensnared, I see. What about the sun?"
"I observed the direction according to the regulations, but on day 1 it rose in the south, day 2 in the east, day 3 in the north, and so on—the direction the sun rose changed each day."
"The moon?"
"I consistently observed one, but there was exactly one testimony from a squad member who saw three moons."
"Any missing members?"
"No. Everyone moved in groups of three."
Of course that couldn't be true.
When even celestial phenomena were contaminated from being so deeply eroded by the Void, the possibility of all members returning safely was truly slim.
Upon checking, the patrol unit that should have consisted of 24 people was reduced to 21. However, their colleagues neither perceived nor remembered the 3 missing persons at all.
I let out a deep sigh.
'At this rate, I'll really have to carve a separate path near Daejeon, jeez.'
Then Ha-yul looked at me. The kid's tiny hands moved busily.
- Found it. Broken place.
It was sign language.
Normally Ha-yul would have a puppet she keeps as a housekeeper to speak for her, but this time we moved so urgently that we left the housekeeper behind.
Still, the two of us conversed just fine in sign language. Sometimes we even chatted in Japanese sign language instead of Korean sign language.
"Where?"
- Here.
Swish-
Ha-yul raised a golden aura and gestured, and thin puppet threads were pulled out from the ground. The thread was snapped in the middle.
Transmission Line (傳線).
The puppet threads Ha-yul produces aren't only used for guild hideout security. Like this, puppet threads were laid continuously underground on roads used by the National Road Management Corps.
Lee Ha-yul's puppet threads demonstrated performance close to room-temperature superconductors limited to aura. Anyone skilled in aura could send Morse code through the transmission lines.
More importantly, the 'transmission line' was truly like Ariadne's thread for patrol units.
In the Void, both celestial phenomena and compasses were easily rendered useless. In such a labyrinth, Ha-yul's puppet threads were the 'only objective reference point.'
Lee Ha-yul and I buried puppet threads only on the safest paths.
In other words, as long as patrol members moved while channeling aura through the transmission lines, they could at least avoid danger zones.
Conversely, the moment puppet threads were cut for some reason, the patrol members' survival rate dropped sharply.
"Why do you think it's cut?"
- Don't know. Presumed to be the work of anomalies living underground.
"Sigh... I've lost count of how many times this has happened just around here. I'll really have to give up on the Daejeon route and only send through the Sejong route."
- Is that okay?
"The more this happens, the more isolated Daejeon will become and the Void transformation will progress more seriously, but well. There's no other way. Let's reinstall the transmission line first. Try burying it a bit deeper underground this time."
- Okay.
Threads flowed from under Ha-yul's fingernails. The puppet thread fell, splitting the earth like cake.
Thud-
Meanwhile, I brought over a utility pole and planted it. Utility poles were easy to obtain anywhere in the country, and they were perfect for use as markers indicating 'transmission lines pass underground here.'
The repair work finished quickly. But the truly important rescue work was just beginning.
"Team Leader Park."
"Yes, Undertaker-nim."
"Take your team members and head up to Sejong. I have some business nearby, and I'll join you when it's done."
"Understood. Thank you!"
The patrol unit caravan moved.
If it were after the 380th regression, Bbyong-i and Kong-kong-i would have served as horses and carriages, but unfortunately this incident occurred in the 205th regression. The patrol members pulled handcarts and walked away.
"Alright. Let's handle this quickly and go back. Ha-yul, get on."
- Okay.
Ha-yul jumped and clung to my back like a sloth. I thoroughly scoured the surrounding area with the regressor's extraordinary footwork.
Lee Ha-yul reached out from behind my back. Her fingers formed sign language.
- Smile. Smile. Smile.
"......"
This kid liked being carried around on my back. According to her own expression, it feels exactly like riding a roller coaster.
Anyway, after wandering around for a full hour, I couldn't find the missing persons.
Just when I was thinking about giving up and going back, something that shouldn't be visible in the remote Void came into my view.
- Brother. Over there.
"...Yeah. I see it too."
I stopped my feet.
[DREAM CASINO]
[Dream Amusement Hall (夢遊娛樂場)]
Flash flash.
Pink and red neon lights shone brilliantly. In a situation where power outages occurred every day even in Busan, I had no idea where they pulled such electricity from.
"What the... a casino...?"
...It seemed the missing Management Corps members had changed professions to become gamblers.