Chapter 38, Harvest (2)
A journey of harvesting.
Among the Mysteries we collected were things like [Lullaby for Perfect Sleep] and [Scales That Measure Value].
Most of them were Mysteries that might become useful someday, but were difficult to use effectively.
Among the nine Mysteries we harvested, only one was as absurdly useful as Lucy, the book, or the flame.
#Wuxia
I obtained another Tag from the Company.
We had collected every Mystery.
But our harvest wasn't finished.
The Company's greatest value wasn't its Mysteries.
It was its technology.
After gathering the Mysteries, we began searching the research laboratories.
“So this is where they developed the zombie virus.”
The first place I visited was the laboratory that had created the zombie virus.
Following Noah's instructions, I collected the vaccine for the virus.
There wasn't much.
Only enough for around twenty people.
It would have been better if there were more.
Still, I didn't have some grand mission to cure the zombie virus that had devastated the world.
So I quickly let go of my disappointment.
For now, I distributed the vaccine among the five members of our group, including myself.
Lee Jinsung was included.
We would soon separate from the boy.
Still, I considered the vaccine a reward for everything we had gone through together.
Lee Jinsung looked deeply moved.
He seemed to be holding back emotion.
I told him he had worked hard.
Then we stored the remaining vaccines.
After that, everything moved smoothly.
We gathered everything worth taking.
Then we left the Company.
As promised, I also released Noah and the two Company employees.
“Th, thank you!”
Noah returned toward the Company's building.
Unlike her, the two Company employees ran outside, away from the building.
I watched them leave.
Then I installed an explosive in front of the Company building.
Its power was overwhelming enough to destroy not only the Company but the entire surrounding area.
If we wanted to completely destroy the Company, this level of force was necessary.
“And there might still be people trying to escape.”
I extended a finger.
Whoosh...
A blue spark formed above it.
I gathered every flame I could control into that tiny spark.
Then I gently blew.
The spark floated through the air like a dandelion seed, leaving behind a blue trail.
It entered the building.
BOOM!
The ground shook.
The spark swallowed the entire 1st floor in one bite.
Greedy blue flames continued burning without going out.
They took control of the 1st floor.
That should be enough.
Even if some Company employees somehow escaped through the flames, the outside world was filled with zombies.
Escaping would be nearly impossible.
“The bomb will explode in about an hour. Let's leave quickly.”
We had no time to calmly enjoy the sight.
We could do that once we reached the comfort of home.
Before leaving, I opened the book and created another save point.
Then I ran.
The zombie horde we had already encountered several times came rushing toward us again.
Among them, I saw the two Company employees I had released.
They had already become zombies.
We raised our weapons.
Honestly speaking, escaping Busan was harder than destroying the Company.
Maybe that was because I had practically cheated against the Company by using the Tag.
Or maybe it was because of the cat.
Meow.
The cat's left head had cried several times.
While trudging out of Busan, I repeatedly pressed the cat's belly.
The cat apparently enjoyed it.
It purred like a car engine.
My companions glared at the cat while speaking to me one by one.
“I never expected there to be a gas station nearby... It was my mistake. I apologize.”
Arlin apologized for using magic near a gas station and causing an explosion.
“Sorry. I never expected that pillar to be supporting the entire building... That was my mistake. I'll be more careful next time.”
Hwa-ryeon apologized for accidentally cutting through a badly constructed support pillar when one of her sword strikes missed.
We had nearly been buried beneath the collapsing building.
Still, no one blamed her.
Arlin had made a similar mistake.
Even Lee Yeonhee had one of her own.
“I'm sorry too... I didn't expect my divine power to block everyone's vision...”
“Me too. I never expected a zombie swinging its hand randomly to knock off the Invisibility Cloak... Sorry. I caused trouble.”
Every one of my companions except me had made at least one mistake.
Maybe their tension had disappeared after destroying the Company.
But none of us really thought that was the reason.
Everyone knew about the cat's ability.
For a moment, I seriously considered abandoning the cat.
The cat had cried four times while we were escaping Busan.
All four times...
It had been the left head.
Was the probability really fifty-fifty?
From my experience, it felt more like the left head had a ninety percent chance of crying.
For now, I decided to watch a little longer.
I gave the cat a suspicious look.
Then I approached Lee Jinsung.
He was removing the Invisibility Cloak.
It was time to return what I had lent him.
Our journey to destroy the Company had ended in victory.
Now it was time to separate.
Lee Jinsung wasn't one of our permanent companions.
Even if he wanted to join us...
Even if I wanted him to...
The boy would never become part of our group.
He had his own beliefs.
He had companions his own age.
Lee Jinsung was surrounded by children who had come to welcome him back.
He smiled awkwardly.
Then he pushed through the wave of children and approached me.
He handed over the Invisibility Cloak.
I accepted it.
It was still warm.
“Thank you. Really. Thanks to you, I finally settled something that had been weighing on me.”
I didn't know exactly what he meant.
I didn't know the story behind the boy.
He had never joined because of friendship in the first place.
He had joined for a purpose.
Because of his desire.
Our connection ended there.
After saying those final words, the boy left together with the other children.
Once I finished seeing him off, I returned to my companions.
Then we headed home.
“Oh. This is a Lamborghini. I've always wanted to drive one at least once. Let's try it.”
“Please be careful this time, Oppa... I got really dizzy the last time you drove.”
“I'll try. Any other requests?”
“Yuhyeon. Please avoid crashing into a tree like last time.”
“I thought it was fun.”
“Shut up, Sword Freak.”
“Ah, wait. Come to think of it, Oppa, your leg is still... kyaaaaaa!”
“...Ughhh.”
The strange bitterness I had felt disappeared quickly while talking with my companions.
We chatted energetically.
We were excited to finally return home.
Relieved that everything was over.
And satisfied that we had successfully screwed over the Company.
Soon, we arrived home.
As we entered Seoul, the number of zombies decreased dramatically.
Reaching home wasn't difficult.
Soon, the dense forest of apartment buildings greeted us.
“...Something feels strange.”
“There are quite a lot of people.”
“Those people have some killing intent around them. They're hiding weapons too.”
The apartment complex had been empty before we left.
Now, dozens of armed people were glaring at one another.
Their weapons were only things like hammers and kitchen knives.
Still, the atmosphere was dangerous.
It looked like something annoying had happened.
We tried pretending we hadn't seen anything and walking past.
At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to collapse onto my bed.
Apparently, two men had no intention of respecting our exhaustion.
They stopped us.
Their greedy eyes moved toward my bag.
I could tolerate that much.
But the moment their eyes shifted toward my companions, something unpleasant squeezed around my heart.
There was no reason to endure it.
Blue flames rose from my hand.
They swallowed both men completely.
Screams echoed.
Everyone around us turned to look.
Ignoring the dozens of frozen people, I continued walking home.
My companions did the same.
I was curious about what had happened to the apartment complex while we were gone.
Why had this happened?
Why had dozens of armed people gathered together?
I did intend to investigate.
But not now.
My brain was so exhausted that my thoughts kept breaking apart.
How long has it been since I slept?
At least three days, probably.
Because of that Mystery, we hadn't been able to sleep.
If I included the time before regression, it was probably more than a week.
I wanted to sleep.
Desperately.
The moment we reached the apartment building, all the exhaustion I had been ignoring hit me at once.
It was the same for everyone.
We passed the frozen crowd and entered our apartment building.
When we took the elevator upward, I sensed a presence.
A small girl.
Confirmation Bias.
I gently stroked her head when she ran over to greet me excitedly.
Then we immediately threw ourselves onto the sofa.
We didn't even have enough energy to reach the beds.
I felt the combined weight of three women piling on top of me.
Then I closed my eyes.
A death-like sleep took me.
[The Gallery Master is my life...]
[Author: Near-the-Peak-of-Ascension]
[Even if I swing my sword, even if I browse the Gallery, swordsmanship and the Gallery without the Gallery Master are like training without fasting pills.
It has already been five days since the Gallery Master disappeared.
Even I, someone standing near the Peak of Ascension, cannot determine whether the Gallery Master is alive or dead.
I have realized the emptiness of all things...
Through this realization, I finally became a true master of the Peak of Ascension instead of merely standing near it.
But what meaning does that have?
I suppose I shall hold my breath until the Gallery Master returns.]
└ That's what it says?
└ Wait, he seriously reached the Peak of Ascension? Just by thinking about the Gallery Master?
└ The Gallery is truly educational, hahaha.
└ Mom! I'm telling you, browsing the Gallery instead of practicing with a sword lets you duplicate enlightenment!
└ Wasn't there also some magic freak who recently surpassed Grand Mage and became a Magus after thinking about the Gallery Master?
└ That guy seriously sounded insane, lol.
└ I thought he was making it up until he posted proof.
└ Wasn't that one actually because of Lucy, not the Gallery Master?
└ Yeah. I remember he wanted to meet Lucy badly enough to train while thinking about crossing space, then gained enlightenment about spacetime and transcended, lol.
└ Suspiciously competent Book Freak.
└ The Gallery Master is saving so many people, lol.
└ Is that... really considered saving...?
└ Anyway, he gave them enlightenment, lol. Whether they become Book Freaks or end up suffering regret stories, at least they get stronger, hahaha.
└ So when the hell is the Gallery Master coming back?
└ Didn't this happen last time too? Shouldn't you guys be used to it?
└ Last time wasn't even two damn days!!! Idiot, it's been five days now!!!!
└ Why are you swearing?
└ Withdrawal symptoms. Please understand.
└ Withdrawal from what?
└ I need new pictures for my Confirmation Bias collection, but the Gallery Master isn't here to upload any...
└ I can't believe I was talking to an animal.
└ Huh? Someone says the Gallery Master is back right now.
└ Gallery Master appearance, season 10,101.
└ No, seriously.
└ Wait, is this actually real?
└ But why does his post look like this?
└ Did he finally go insane???
