Chapter 733 – Room 302, The Cursed Chamber – ‘Brave New World’ (11)
—
– Han Kain
It’s been over a month since we ventured into the third floor, and now we truly understand just how amazing the observatory and telescope are.
These tools allow us to observe countless repeating timelines from a place that transcends reality!
I assure you, even the most powerful prisoner couldn’t create an incredible tool like this telescope.
However, this great tool has a serious flaw; weak beings can’t use it for long periods.
Sadly, to the creator of such a telescope, the one who sheds tears for the Three Thousand Worlds, all beings in this world appear weak.
Because of this, more than four companions need to take turns regularly.
Since shifts are essential, the observer must periodically stop watching and jot down notes on their findings.
This way, the next person knows what has happened so far and what to focus on moving forward.
But sometimes, the notes contain nonsensical content that leaves us puzzled.
Just like now.
“Ahri.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you write this down while you were observing?”
“Uh… part of it was Songee, and part was me.”
“Is there something off with the numbers? Take a closer look.”
Ahri tilted her head as if confused.
“According to Sanghyun’s explanation, there were six trained agents.”
“That’s right.”
“One of those six is Lidao, but he was later replaced by Sanghyun.”
“True, they needed a professional astronaut, which makes sense.”
“… What I’m saying is, if one of the six agents was replaced by the hyung, the numbers should still total six.”
“Sure – huh?”
Finally, Ahri’s eyes widened.
“But didn’t the shining starship have seven people onboard?”
“Did Sanghyun mix things up? Or maybe we messed up recording?”
Was it Sanghyun or the note-taker who got confused? They’re human; it happens.
But…
“… something feels off. Anyway, I’ll observe again.”
*
– Kim Sanghyun
“… Bow down to the Son of Dawn. He fell from the heavens, and some believe he is a member preventing enlightenment.”
The tone is one of utmost courtesy and even hints at reverence.
I felt this when I viewed past memories; Astear seems to worship the Son of Dawn not merely as a powerful monster but truly as a god.
This attitude is unsettling, and I decided to poke at it a bit aggressively.
“Astear, you’re aware that an unknown voice is turning the world into hell, right?”
“…”
“In the past few days alone, I’ve witnessed countless absurd crimes. Once, I was even nearly killed!”
“…”
“I searched online, and it turns out not only the U.S. and Europe but also developed countries like Japan and Korea have become lawless.”
“…”
“If even so-called developed countries are in this state, how about places where law and order were already terrible? There are numerous countries where statistics couldn’t even begin to be collected because everything has collapsed.”
It’s all facts you can find with a few clicks of a mouse.
A mad voice has turned the entire globe into a paradise for crime.
Prisons are overflowing and in chaos, with police losing it and taking out both victims and perpetrators regularly.
I said, half-jokingly, “Is this some kind of environmental policy from the management bureau? If they thought the problem was too many people on Earth, the result is almost laughable. In 30 years, we might see grizzly bears roaming the streets of New York.”
Astear murmured with a somewhat bitter expression.
“Johnny, do you think I don’t understand the weight of the blood flowing through the world more than you do?”
In that moment, I was momentarily speechless.
Also, I recalled something Ahri often said.
Agents are reincarnators who can enjoy wealth and pleasure without assistance.
Why do so many agents fight against demons, monsters, and chaotic entities despite knowing they could lose their eternal lives?
It’s a sense of duty.
Without a devoted sense of mission toward humanity, being an agent would be impossible.
Of course, Ahri, who said that, used to be at the higher echelons of the management bureau, so her perspective is bias in that direction.
Anyway, the weight of life that Astear revealed made my attitude a bit more polite.
“I know it’s hard to understand, but… I genuinely wish for a world where everyone is happy.”
A world where everyone is happy.
That phrase conjured the word ‘heaven.’
“After a long life, I’ve realized we can’t create a world where everyone is happy.”
Heaven cannot be created by human effort.
“Neither I nor the power of the management bureau can make it happen. Our great ancestors couldn’t achieve it, either.”
“Do you mean – ”
Various thoughts darted through my mind.
Did the great one referred to as the Son of Dawn ever say he could create heaven?
Is that why numerous agents became worshippers of the prisoner and the management bureau got swept up in that?
Yet, the result is devastating – more hellish than ever.
The entire world suffers from an almost unbelievable crime rate, with the population dwindling quickly every day.
What connection could there be between the world where everyone is happy and our current hell?
“– No. I’m listening.”
Still, swallowed all my questions.
I figured it was a time to listen rather than speak.
Seeing my attitude amused Astear, who broke into a smile.
“Your nature remains the same. That’s why everyone liked you. Even Lidao, who couldn’t board the last spaceship, said there was no need to worry because Johnny was excellent.”
“…”
“I often think back to the time when the six of us boarded the spaceship. It was hard and painful, but it held meaning throughout my long life -”
I couldn’t help cutting in here.
“Six? Isn’t it seven?”
“Hmm?”
“There were seven of us, right? The names, well… Astear, David, Brian, James, Serilda.”
Astear chuckled lightly.
“Finally, there’s you. So that makes six.”
“I thought there was one more?”
“Are you talking about Lidao? Seems you’re still mixed up. Lidao was changed out for you just before the launch. So it’s Astear, David, Brian, James, Serilda, and Johnny – six of us who boarded.”
I felt a twinge of confusion.
Astear seemed to think I was mixed up recalling my distant memories, but no.
The event was a long time ago, yes, but the hotel showed me the vision only two days back.
So I’m already aware that Lidao was replaced with me.
“… Wait.”
“What’s up?”
I frantically pulled three photos from my pocket.
The first photo is of me with the six agents in front of the Houston Space Center.
Astear, looking intrigued, said, “Wow, where did you find this photo? Did you recover your memory because of this?”
“…”
“Anyway, Johnny, I’m right, aren’t I? There are six agents. This one here is Lidao, who was swapped for you. So the total is six.”
“…”
Once again, I insist: my memory is both a distant past memory and a recent one.
The hotel recently presented a vision of past events to me.
So I clearly remember something like this too.
“‘With this size, can’t we hold more than twenty people?’”
“‘Sadly, no. In fact, even seven was quite a stretch.’”
It was a conversation I had with Pioneer Cromwell about the spaceship’s capacity.
“… There were seven of us.”
“What are you talking about -”
There were definitely seven.
One more person was there.
One unidentified being that could let even numerous agents and pioneers lose their minds!
The Son of Dawn.
A member of those preventing enlightenment.
The first cause of the first and second downfall.
… The mysterious seventh astronaut.
That’s where the trigger for obtaining the memory of the third photo lay.
— Flash!
A strong vision washed over me.
.
.
.
Long ago, the moment I met the Son of Dawn on a distant alien planet!
*
— Space, aboard the Shining Starship
We were nearly at our destination.
Amidst a tense atmosphere, I checked on my companions’ statuses.
“Serilda, the balance point of the EK – 038 parallel tuning device is off.”
“Oh! I thought I fixed it earlier…”
“James, control the EMS of the Tesla module 3 – ”
“Doing it now.”
As expected, there were a few things that needed attention.
While they were seasoned agents, they were rookies in the unique environment of space.
As we were checking one by one, I noticed a dark-haired youth with gentle eyes staring intently at me.
“Yujin, you’d better put on your helmet.”
The youth responded cheerfully, “Right! I almost forgot. After all, I don’t need a helmet even in space.”
“…”
“Still, I’ll wear it.”
After wrapping up personal checks, I began stabilizing the orbit of the Shining Starship as best as I could.
During this time, agents began gathering around the central unidentified area of the starship.
“…”
Something occult that resembled a shrine or a magic circle.
Just as the universe appeared unfamiliar to the agents, that occult formation was utterly baffling to me.
I heard it was for contact with the great one, but I had no clue how it worked.
The agents were hoping I wouldn’t meddle in matters related to the shrine.
Neither did I have the slightest intention of getting close to the occult, so it worked well for both sides.
Perhaps they chose me considering my disposition.
Anyway, for better or worse, I needed to seek some minimum opinions now.
“Astear.”
“Johnny, what’s up?”
“The navigation system says we’ll arrive at the destination in 28 minutes.”
“Right.”
“… I don’t know if you’re aware, but the destination is just empty space.”
“Right.”
“That’s not what I meant. You think we’re just going to park the spaceship in empty space? Just to be clear, spaceships aren’t boats or helicopters; they can’t just stay put in one spot –”
“Real destinations will show up soon.”
“Soon?”
“Soon.”
As Astear said “soon,” something beyond comprehension occurred.
Suddenly, an incomprehensible light began to flash from the center of the spaceship!
— Drrr…!
In the next moment, a strong vibration enveloped the entire starship.
And then –
I was left speechless.
“See, Johnny? Problem solved, right?”
“…”
“No need for the spaceship to remain suspended in air. We can land there now.”
Suddenly, a mysterious star appeared right where previously there had been only empty space!
“What, what is this—”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Are we hiding a star behind an illusion? But even if that were the case, the gravity –”
As I expressed my confusion and blurted out my thoughts in panic, someone tapped my shoulder.
It was that cheerful youth’s voice.
“Calm down, Johnny. By this point, you should realize that when the great one is involved, discussions about gravity are irrelevant.”
“… I see.”
Astear calmly replied.
“Johnny, start landing procedures. Rico, go get David.”
“Understood.”
Rico?
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