Chapter 599 – The Stolen World (14)
—
– Cha Jinchul
The Seocheo Blue Demian Apartment, Room 203.
It’s a luxury apartment known for its high prices, even in Seoul.
— Ding ding!
Yet for that status, my call wasn’t going through.
Well, it’s not really the apartment’s fault; the world’s just gone to hell!
“Ah, getting all these international calls—who is it? Rookie Cha!”
“It’s been a while. Remember we worked together in Busan not long ago? I meant to reach out after—”
“Okay, okay! Let’s skip the chit-chat! What’s up? Need a favor or something?”
A brief exchange, but I could feel the confidence in the other person’s tone.
A rare sight in today’s world.
Isn’t this when the ark suddenly appeared in the sky and started the rapture?
Everyone knew it was like something out of a bad apocalypse movie, plunging the whole world into chaos for quite some time.
But my conversation partner is also an agent and a returnee like me.
Whether the world collapses or not, and whatever happens with the ark, he trusts that there’s a ‘next life’ waiting, so he’s not scared.
“Hey, did you see the text I sent?”
“Whoa! Isn’t that the address of some regular folks living in Texas?”
“Make sure you take them all out by today.”
“…”
After a brief silence, the other party responded.
“Not a tough task, but… can I ask why?”
“Did you hear the rumor about the Silent One in the Korean branch?”
“They said they went missing—”
“They’re back. You know I’m close with ‘that person,’ right?”
“… Is this an order from ‘that person’? Got it. Anything else?”
“This is just personal advice. After you finish your tasks, you should consider suicide too.”
“… Not sure what it’s about, but thanks.”
“Anytime.”
— Tick!
The call ended.
“Ugh!”
This is too funny; here I am, talking about ‘that person’ with Ari, right?
My earlier call was with Agent Lee Seokhyun, one of several agents I met while working at the Administration Bureau.
Honestly, we weren’t that close.
He’s just the only agent I know who’s currently in America, so I called him.
It’s amusing that I ask such a favor out of the blue, but it’s equally amusing that he agreed so quickly.
He probably thought it was a command from ‘the Silent One, Kim Ari,’ because he knows about our connection.
At times like this, I really feel the capability and authority Ari holds.
In any case, it seems I’ve successfully ‘evacuated’ Seungyub’s family and Agent Mooksung’s family too.
Now that my outside errands are done, it’s time to head back—
— Chit-chat!
Huh? I didn’t even touch the remote, and the TV suddenly—
「Emergency Disaster Alert!
…
Follow the guidelines—」
— Chit-chat!
「Emergency Disaster Alert!
…
Follow the guidelines—」
“…”
The moment I realized the bizarre flood of alerts was coming in, it hit me.
The endgame events have kicked off!
“Why’s this happening right now?”
Didn’t Kain mention the moon would start its big munching act on everyone’s souls soon?
This must be it.
The remaining forces of the Administration Bureau are trying to warn everyone while the moon is probably corrupting them!
If I stepped outside now, it would be like stepping into a kaleidoscope of confusion under the moon’s influence, right?
“Hey! I’m not dumb enough to fall for this! Do you think I’d walk right out there like I’m some dumbfounded NPC?”
I confidently declared to whoever was on the other side, but already my head was starting to spin.
What if I stayed in here?
Am I seriously stuck in this tedious apartment all by myself?
Of all the times, this nonsense happens while I’m separated from my crew!
Sure, it’s better than getting brainwashed outside, though.
Unfortunate, but considering my luck, that’s a win!
Either way, fatigue settled in, and I plopped down on my sticky bed.
— Creak!
“Ugh. I heard apartments are pricey here, but they could’ve gotten a decent bed—sorry, didn’t mean to ramble.”
Or is it just that my weight is too much?
Letting out a sigh, I slowly thought about what was next.
Just then—
— Bang!
“…”
— Bangbangbangbangbang!
A frantic knocking at my door.
“Who’s there?!”
As if waiting for my response, chaotic voices chimed back.
“Hey! Mr. Room 203! Come out!”
“What’re these folk doing in there? Why aren’t they coming out?”
“Didn’t you hear the emergency disaster alert?!”
In less than ten minutes, has everyone already fallen under the moon’s thrall?
— Bangbangbang!
“Room 203! Room 203! You gotta come out!”
“What a bunch of clueless folks! Everyone else got out in a flash!”
“Who lived in Room 203 again?”
“It was a veterinarian couple and their high school daughter—”
“Not a doctor, a vet!”
“But didn’t the her veterinarian sound a bit rough?”
It was an uproar outside, with a bunch of folks crowding at my door—you’d swear it was at least ten people out there.
— Chit-chat!
Then suddenly, the TV flickered back on.
“What now? I even unplugged it—”
On the luxurious 100-inch TV screen, a news desk appeared, showing an anchor with a piercing glare.
「Seocheo Blue Demian Apartment, Room 203.」
“Wow! They even have my address? Impressive!”
「You need to listen. Come outside. Accept your salvation—」
As the anchor rambled, he suddenly stiffened and clammed up.
“What’s going on?”
He looked like some horror story monster, darting his eyes around, unable to speak.
“What were you trying to say?”
「…」
“Oh, did I leave my place in a mess? It was clean at first.”
「…」
— Bang! Crash!
There was a massive sound from the direction of the door.
Are they actually smashing the door down with a hammer or some blunt object?
“Why are they so hell-bent on dragging me out?!”
In this day and age, who even knows their neighbors!
Feeling the ridiculousness, I made my way to the door, and sure enough, there was a sizable hole now.
“Ha ha ha! Room 203, coming through!”
“Didn’t I say not to hide away in there?”
“We—”
— Ding ding!
So, I just opened the door.
They clearly weren’t expecting it, and the one holding weird tools to pry the door off looked totally dumbfounded.
“Um, uhhh—”
“Come in! You seem eager to check out the place.”
They stepped in, looking bewildered.
As the door opened, I could hear the insanity happening outside was the same upheaval taking place throughout the entire apartment complex.
To put it plainly, they were pulling the unpossessed into their madness while dragging out the unaffected!
“So, what’s the condition of the place?”
“Uh, uhh, what’s…!”
Just moments ago, the people shrieking crazily were now wide-eyed, taking in the sight of Room 203.
“Ah, is it because there are bodies on the floor?”
Seocheo Blue Demian Apartment, Room 203.
Previously, I heard it was Songi’s family house.
The body lying on the floor belonged to Songi’s parents.
After putting Seungyub’s folks into safety, I’d also sent Songi’s parents to a secure location.
From the looks of things, I’m probably coming off like a serial killer to someone who doesn’t know what’s going on.
However, having heard what Kain said earlier, it clicked.
Ah…!
As the sun sets and the moon rises, the standards of right and wrong have flipped.
The safest spot in the world is the underworld, and murder can be a form of salvation!
“Gah!”
“Why are you so shocked? Is this your first time seeing a corpse? People can die sometimes, what’s the big deal?”
“S-someone’s been murdered!”
“Murder?”
“A-a mad murderer killed the veterinary couple in Room 203—”
— Bang!
The man in front’s head exploded.
“W-What kind of gun—”
“It’s just my line of work.”
— Bang! Bang!
One after the other, the heads of those behind him burst.
Soon, there were seven bodies lying in Room 203.
“…”
I felt a gnawing guilt sting at my heart.
Yet, with every beat, my mind kept whispering the cold, hard truth.
I wasn’t killing them; I was just sending them to safety.
“…”
Navigating through the apartments cautiously, it seemed like I could avoid getting sucked into the moon’s madness.
— Creak!
“Hey? Who—”
— Bang!
I decided to conserve ammo from here on out.
I’m evacuating civilians into a sanctuary that the moon cannot penetrate—into the underworld.
Eight. Nine. Ten.
At some point, I stopped counting.
…
To stroll through a world eroded by lunar insanity, mental shielding becomes essential.
As for the remaining allies back at Delight, they’d be fine with Eunsol noona’s flute, the status window, and some wisdom among other powers.
I was in no hurry to escape this apartment complex.
What to do now?
— Creak!
I returned to Room 203, moving towards the still-bright screen.
The bizarre anchor stared at me with bulging eyes.
“Hey, are there more people in the apartment?”
「…」
“You can shoot your beam in and out, can’t you? Just send them all to me.”
「…」
“Are you not hearing me? Do I need to come over there and teach you a lesson? Just because you look girly doesn’t mean I won’t break your face!”
Just then, while I was politely conversing with the creepy anchor on the TV—
「You dastardly— Gah!」
“Whoa, whoa? What’s going on?”
Another bizarre incident popped off!
“What’s this—”
Is the moon’s minion under attack by something?
*
—
User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 227
Current Location: Delight Hotel, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Sage’s Advice: 3
—
– Han Kain
The world is genuinely going nuts now.
Voices of people ensnared by the moon’s madness erupting everywhere.
“Salvation is here! Salvation is here!”
“The Maitreya is coming to save us!”
Currently, I’ve made it up to the rooftop of Delight Hotel alone.
In the dim night sky, a faint scarlet glow shimmers.
The moon still isn’t fully descended.
“…”
With my vision blocked by the status window as I look at the moon, it’s like staring at the sun through polarized film.
Just as that film can’t block out all sunlight, the status window can’t entirely ward off the moon’s power.
Well, that’s exactly what I was aiming for.
The voice I heard before comes back to me.
「Teacher」
「Researcher」
「Mage」
The moon is speaking to me.
「Coward」
This time, there’s a new word thrown into the mix.
“Coward? Why?”
「I know. Your true self is inside the building.」
I’m just a summon called upon by the Miro.
I can endure only so much; whenever it feels too rough, I can just throw a ‘!’ in the status window, and Miro should bring me back.
“I admit it; I’m a little cowardly. But come on, don’t you recognize a summon when you see one?”
「Traitor」
「Arrogant one」
I had a vague sense of this before, but now I’m sure of it.
The voices I hear from the moon aren’t just one.
A dizzying cacophony of countless voices blends into a chaotic orchestra.
And it seems quite a few sound like immature children.
Is their consciousness struggling to merge properly?
「Teacher」
“…”
What Miro conveyed earlier.
Long ago, the ‘Researcher’ released some chaotic entity which had been confined in the Administration Bureau.
That entity became the seed of all disasters.
…
This voice must be something I trust the most, right?
“I can’t quite follow what you’re saying here.”
I did my best to appear just like the image associated with ‘teacher.’
「Teacher, there were many who doubted you, but… I always believed in you.」
A tangible confession came through for the first time.
“Thanks a lot. If you have more to say, go ahead—”
「They’re coming.」
“What?”
「Just like before, raiders are coming again!」
“Wait, raiders? What are—”
「Aah…! They’re coming! After taking back the world from thieves, another thief is on the way!」
The tone shifted.
Plus, the voice descending from the moon has intensified tremendously!
The moon is getting excited!
「I am the firstborn of this world. No one can take what’s mine! The world shall not be stolen again!」
In mind-numbing agony, I scribbled frantically into the status window.
At that moment, a long-forgotten title from the scenario’s beginning resurfaced in my vision.
‘The Stolen World’
「!」
Immediately, the reverse summoning began, and my body felt hazy.
That was my last memory.
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