Chapter 46: Jang Si-hwan (1)
Thanks for coming back. I wanted to talk more. Make yourself comfortable.
I should be the one thanking you. I received an unexpected reward, thanks to you.
If you hadnt been there, it would have been a dungeon where survival was the best outcome, let alone conquering it. Im the one who should be grateful.
Lets just say we both benefited.
Right! It feels like we keep repeating the same conversation, huh?
Jung Yuri replied with a smile to the rare, warm exchange of gratitude between them.
It was unusual to see gratitude expressed when either could claim all the credit.
Kang-hoo knew that Jung Yuri bore many emotional scars, so he intended to continue treating her with kindness.
He understood she wasnt someone who behaved in a calculating or selfish manner.
If you decide to come out into the world again, contact me. Heres my number. Ill definitely answer if Im not in a dungeon.
Kang-hoo handed his number to Jung Yuri, marking the first time he had ever offered his contact information to someone first.
Thanks. Ill get in touch if I leave Ground Zero. It was both fun and enjoyable.
I feel refreshed thanks to you.
Kang-hoo nodded.
Unless there was a sudden change in her feelings, Jung Yuri was unlikely to rejoin the world anytime soon.
But now that they had established a connection, maintaining it wouldnt be difficult.
Thus, the significant yet brief encounter with Jung Yuri came to an end.
It had been a fulfilling time, gaining both a friendship and an opportunity for skill enhancement.
He resolved to think carefully before using the skill enhancement, considering the many skills he wanted to improve.
It was a difficult choice among various options.
Before returning to Seoul Station,
just before reaching Imjingang Station, he received nearly simultaneous messages from Lee Ye-rin and Han Seo-yeon.
Curious, he read them, and both messages conveyed the same news:
Cha So-hee was at Seoul Station.
Both of them had kept an eye on Cha So-hee, hence they gathered the same information.
It seemed they both had assigned capable hunters to track her, as there had been no issues despite the lengthy surveillance.
After sending a brief thank you message to both,
he decided to return to Seoul not by a safety bus or KTX, but by a private taxi.
Then he changed his route.
Instead of heading to Seoul Station, he chose to take a safety bus toward Gwangju Songjeong Station from Seoul Express Bus Terminal.
There were no other options.
The only ways to reach Gwangju Songjeong Station were from Seoul Station or the bus terminal.
It was risky to travel by anything other than KTX or a safety bus due to many hazardous areas.
Renting a car was an option, but it would inevitably lead to dangerous situations.
Considering their information network, theyve held out pretty well.
He wasnt surprised or flustered.
If Cha So-hee, a close associate of Kang Dong-hyun, was on the move, it was only a matter of time.
Rather, it was right to think that they had managed to play hide and seek for quite some time despite Eclipses significant information resources.
It doesnt make sense to shy away from becoming stronger due to fear of attention or scrutiny.
The stronger you become, the more you will inevitably catch someones attention.
This is inevitable, a natural course of events, and something that will continue in the future.
Ultimately, it was a matter of when he would encounter Cha So-hee, hoping it wouldnt be too soon.
Perhaps after dealing with the matter at Gwangju Songjeong Station?
Because he knew her stats and abilities.
Her level was estimated to be at least 250, and she was a magic-type hunter specialized in fire elements.
The problem was she was a magic-type hunter who also enjoyed close combat.
Additionally, she was skilled with a dagger, making her a particularly challenging opponent.
No wonder shes called a hunting dog.
It wasnt a meaningless nickname.
Once she began attacking, she didnt let go until her target was dead.
It seemed more like Cha So-hee was trying to capture him for some reason, rather than kill him.
But he had no intention of complying easily.
Being captured meant living like a slave under Eclipses control, just like in the detention center.
It meant eventually facing Cha So-hee, and one of them would have to die for the situation to end.
Even if he didnt intend to kill Cha So-hee, if he was not cooperative, she would show her intent to kill.
There was no room for compromise.
It was either death or survival.
Having arrived in Seoul via private taxi, Kang-hoo headed straight to Namsan Tower.
According to Lee Ye-rins tip, Cha So-hee was still waiting at Seoul Station.
He had changed his destination to the Seoul Express Bus Terminal for different travel plans, but the bus was still a while away.
So, instead of doing anything else, he chose Namsan Tower as his destination to get some air and organize his thoughts.
Its peaceful here, he remarked.
Perhaps due to the heavy rain, only a few people were in the observatory.
Tables and sofas were arranged in front of the large windows for everyone to enjoy their drinks and relax.
This arrangement had been made about two years ago, mainly because of Jang Si-hwan.
Jang Si-hwan often visited the observatory, and at his request, the tower management had changed the entire floor layout.
This wasnt surprising, as it was detailed in the original story.
I created this situation, Kang-hoo thought to himself.
He gazed down at Seoul, shrouded in dark clouds and rain, lost in thought.
The emotions Jang Si-hwan might have felt looking down at Seoul from the observatory in the original story were now vividly conveyed to Kang-hoo.
[For Jang Si-hwan, the observatory was a place where he always designed the future and tightened the slack in the present.]
He always drew energy from here, gaining the momentum to push forward. Many tasks still lay before him in the world.
The lines from the original story resurfaced in his mind without missing a single word.
Now that he thought about it, the word task seemed quite daunting.
The protagonists task was to head towards an ending where the world was thrown into the maw of the Demon King.
How could the author design such a future without getting shot in the head?
It felt as though he had been shot in the temple, so he pressed it with his fingertip.
Looking at Seoul through the wide glass, he naturally felt at ease to design the future and reflect on the present.
There was no special effect here, but it seemed to resonate with his heart unknowingly.
I cant face all thirteen stars alone. I need allies.
He analyzed the situation coldly.
He might be able to eliminate some of the thirteen stars himself.
But they were not fools.
Two or three might fall, but the survivors would join forces for a united response.
He needed to set a large stage and place multiple chess pieces on it.
Even with a king, without a chariot, horse, or soldier, you cant win. You end up in a stalemate.
First, secure the line with Lee Ye-rin. Care for Jung Yuri, pay attention to An Yeong-ho, and create ties with The Abyss
His thoughts became clear.
Additionally, he might be able to change the fate of the forces eliminated by Jang Si-hwan and the Jeonghwa Guild.
A dark future loomed over Lee Hyun-seok, the leader of the warlord group The Abyss.
Being able to foresee the future, he could naturally sketch out how to respond now.
Just then.
!
He instinctively felt an unusual energy and turned his head.
It wasnt a sensation born of overflowing mana or a unique killing intent, but something felt fateful.
Like he had naturally recognized the presence in his subconscious, a tingling sensation?
He turned and saw Jang Si-hwan.
The protagonist of the original story and the greatest obstacle he would have to face.
Jang Si-hwan was the tragic cause of the worlds end.
A VIP spot.
The place where Jang Si-hwan sat commanded the best view of Namsan. The sofa beneath him was a top-quality luxury item, a worthy throne for Jang Si-hwan.
The number of constellations associated with Jang Si-hwan that he naturally scanned was ten.
But not all were visible.
Only the first ten constellations appeared on the list.
Looking down, he noticed pages labeled [1], [2], [3].
Starting from page 2, the constellations were not even listed.
Similar to Silent Woman, a hidden constellation type he had seen with Yu Cheonghwa.
If I remember correctly, he has contracts with thirty constellations. Thats insane.
How could he erase the memories of the protagonist he had so meticulously created?
He didnt even want to think about which constellations Jang Si-hwan had.
The thoughtless boosting of them under the guise of protagonist buff was excessive.
He purposefully avoided looking too closely at the list.
Knowing the details now was both a curse and a poison.
Thus, he quickly dispelled the memories of Jang Si-hwans constellations that kept surfacing.
By focusing on other thoughts, he succeeded in banishing those memories.
Thats why it might be interesting.
The thought suddenly made him wonder if he was going mad.
Having an ostensibly unattainable goal made the journey of growth feel less monotonous.
A perfect long-term motivation to strive beyond Jang Si-hwan, in addition to short-term goals.
Since arriving in this world, he had never lost his determination to surpass him.
Then he thought.
Why not just focus on growth by looking upward? Isnt that simpler?
There was no need to adjust the goals he had set.
Besides, he knew of future privileges and opportunities that Jang Si-hwan had yet to acquire.
He hadnt dared to think about them due to his current low level, but they were slowly coming into reach.
Of course, he planned to claim them all.
Not even a grain of rice for Jang Si-hwan.
Then, Jang Si-hwans gaze naturally met his.
His long black hair, coupled with red eyes, exuded a decadent aura.
His pale, bloodless face, a signature unlike mine, gave off a different kind of decadence.
Jang Si-hwan was the first to speak.
Its rare for people to come to the observatory on days with such heavy rain Unexpected.
I wanted to come here.
Is this your first time?
Yes.
His voice, with its unique intonation and tone, contrasted with my response, delivered in a cold, low tone.
Jang Si-hwan, seemingly intrigued by his reaction of not being overly excited upon seeing him, a famous figure, chuckled while playing with his hair.
Typically, everyone gets flustered upon seeing Jang Si-hwan.
He was the only one to maintain a stoic expression and respond dryly.
To Jang Si-hwan, accustomed to admiration and envy, his reaction seemed completely alien.
Enough to make him wonder who he was.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com