Chapter 57
“Yeah. No? You don’t look very happy right now?”
“Huh? No, I’m really happy and excited!”
At my words, Choi Kkang-kang looked at me with a ‘what’s wrong?’ expression.
I deliberately raised the corners of my mouth into a smile and muttered again.
“Haha. I’m excited.”
If I could steal one of those and run away, living safely alone for the next 10 years…
Sting.
‘Huh?’
Feeling a sudden pain in my chest, I rubbed my chest area with a puzzled expression.
‘What’s wrong? Did I eat something wrong?’
“Noah?”
Baek Yi-heon quickly noticed even the slightest change in my expression and asked.
“Are you hungry? The stew is ready, so let’s go eat.”
No, you fool… It’s not that.
Do you think everyone’s hungry if they’re rubbing their stomach?
“Are you hungry? Then let’s go eat!”
“Let’s go, Noah.”
Before I could even answer, everyone rushed out of the car.
I’m telling you, it’s not that…
I looked at the door of the camping car with slightly resentful eyes.
Yu was ladling steaming stew into wooden bowls.
Se-hoon was busily setting spoons on the makeshift table, and Choi Kkang-kang, unable to wait, was gulping down the stew and choking as his tongue got burned.
Baek Yi-heon quietly handed him some water.
…I know I’d sound crazy saying this when humanity is on the brink of extinction.
But suddenly, I thought how peaceful it all seemed.
At that moment, everyone gathered around the campfire turned their heads towards me in unison.
“Noona! The stew is delicious!”
“Hurry up and come! What are you doing in there?”
“…Okay. I’m coming.”
As I was muttering softly and stepping out, I suddenly rubbed my stomach with a puzzled expression.
‘Huh?’
The stinging pain in my chest had disappeared without me noticing.
💎
The camping car with the Barrier Stone installed sped along unhindered.
Without monster interruptions, nothing could stop us now.
As I drove along the empty, straight national highway, I fell into a daze for a moment.
Now, all that’s left is to go to the shelter.
The shelter happens to be near Ganghwa Island, in Paju.
‘I’ll pretend to take them to Ganghwa Island, then quietly steal the Barrier Stone and run away.’
Since Choi Kkang-kang can make as many Barrier Stones as needed, it shouldn’t be a big problem.
If there’s anything to worry about, it’s that the original story is changing bit by bit?
I glanced at my companions playing cards in the back.
Baek Yi-heon had gained Sehun and Yu as companions, who didn’t even appear in the novel.
In Busan, Yoo Cain appeared and formed a guild called Dowonhyang.
‘Well, since I met Baek Yi-heon, the protagonist, as soon as the original story started, the plot has been different from the beginning.’
The Hwacheon Prison and Busan were very different from what I had seen in the original work.
‘The Ganghwa Island survivor camp… should be okay, right?’
It should be fine to send them alone without me… Huh. What am I thinking?
I shook my head quickly at the thought that suddenly occurred to me.
Baek Yi-heon is with them, why am I worrying?
I should only worry about myself.
As long as my shelter is safe, that’s all that matters. Yep, that’s right.
“It’s Onjeong City.”
Just then, I heard Baek Yi-heon, sitting in the passenger seat, mutter quietly.
I glanced at the sign next to the highway.
<Welcome to Onjeong City, where hearts warm up!>
Onjeong City was one of the big cities where many civil servants lived because of the government complex.
Since it’s a place where many people gathered, dungeons must have exploded exponentially on Gate Outbreak Day.
‘Also… it’s the city where ‘that incident’ happened.’
‘TOAA’ mainly took place in Seoul, so the situations in other cities weren’t described in detail.
Therefore, there were two cases where other cities were mentioned in the original work.
When an important event occurred for the plot development, or when humanity suffered great damage.
Onjeong City was briefly mentioned in the original work for the latter reason.
‘…Should we go save them?’
I was startled for the second time at the thought that crossed my mind.
Why should I?
What Choi Kkang-kang said in Dowonhyang was somewhat right.
In this chaotic world where monsters are popping up everywhere, the idea of ‘saving everyone’ was just a naive delusion.
Even I, who’ve been postponing the contract with the supreme god under the pretext of not wanting to save humanity.
Especially if I’m a psychopath lacking empathy.
‘I guess I’ve been with Baek Yi-heon for too long.’
Because…
“…How about we check the city’s situation before we go?”
Right. It was obvious he would suggest this.
So, is that why I unconsciously thought we should save them?
“Hmm…”
I pretended to hesitate for a moment before answering.
“I’m not sure. Shouldn’t we hear what the others think?”
Probably even without asking, Yu and Se-hoon would agree with him.
A moral compass, a monk, a child.
And a psychopath.
In an unfavorable 3 to 1 fight, I would have usually followed his words and chosen the good action, but…
Now, things are different.
“Huh? But didn’t you say there’d be more monsters where there are more people?”
Choi Kkang-kang, sitting on the sofa in the back, grumbled with a dissatisfied voice.
“Even with the Barrier Stone, it’s not perfect. Since it’s made with mid-grade magic stones, it’s likely ineffective against high-grade monsters.”
Right. That’s normal.
I smiled to myself, satisfied.
Now, there’s one more person in this group with normal self-interest.
3 to 2 is a bit more manageable.
“Does Noah think the same?”
Baek Yi-heon looked at me and asked in response to Choi Kkang-kang’s words.
After pretending to hesitate for a moment, I opened my mouth as if I had no choice.
“Hmm. If that’s Choi Kkang-kang’s opinion. We can’t put everyone in danger…”
This time, let’s just pretend we don’t know and pass by.
Just as I was about to answer, the Messenger’s voice quickly rang in my head.
[(Messenger) The anxious Indra finally opens his mouth.]
[He solemnly commands you to go to Onjeong City and eradicate the forces of evil, stating that knowingly passing by would be a great sin.]
‘A command…?’
I muttered inwardly with indifference.
While pressing down harder on the accelerator.
Vroooom—.
“Noah?”
Baek Yi-heon, sitting in the passenger seat, called out to me while carefully gripping the handle.
[(Messenger) Indra is panicking, saying, ‘Ah, we can’t get any further away…!’]
I continued to increase speed, ignoring both Baek Yi-heon’s bewilderment and the message ringing in my head.
[(Messenger) Indra, who was flustered saying ‘Ah, ah,’ finally hurriedly pulls out his trump card.]
[(Messenger) Sudden Earth Realm Mission triggered!]
[Difficulty: C-rank
Mission: Prevent the tragedy of the scheduled Portongseoha and save the people of Onjeong City.
Time Limit: 3 days
Reward: 10 A-grade magic stones
Failure: Your synchronization rate with Indra god will decrease by 2.55%. This penalty applies even if you refuse the mission.]
Screeeeech—.
“Noah?”
There was no time to answer Baek Yi-heon’s puzzled call.
I stared with surprised eyes at the blue window that appeared before me.
‘…Mission? Reward? Is this even possible?’
Naturally, this was never described in the original work.
[(Messenger) Indra explains that now that the synchronization rate has risen a bit, he can send missions.]
“…Hooh.”
I let out an intrigued sound.
If it’s ‘that incident’ I know about, solving it shouldn’t be too difficult.
After all, I roughly know who the culprit is.
And the reward is ten A-grade magic stones.
‘That’s quite generous, isn’t it?’
I could use them for combat, or have Choi Kkang-kang refine them to make items.
[(Messenger) Indra is very proud of your reaction.]
[As the king of heaven and god of gods, he is confident you won’t be disappointed with the reward.]
Is this what it means to be a big shot in the heavenly realm?
I grinned and thought in a subtle tone.
‘I see. Oh god of gods. There’s a saying among us lowly humans.’
I feigned a solemn expression and added.
‘Double or nothing.’
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
