Chapter 46…
Since that day, my team and I had been lying around for a whole week.
We didn’t do anything. Really.
“Phew, that was pretty intense for the first time after the regression.”
The Gate cluster that Break Rush caused was resolved, as Julie Pearson suggested, simply by cleaning it up.
The cleanup was carried out in an orderly fashion under the command of Disaster Control Team 7.
“Honestly, if they expect us to handle that too, they’re not human—they’re demons, seriously.”
The area will soon transform from an abandoned factory complex into a new energy production site that produces magic stones.
“If the project succeeds smoothly, that is…”
Since there’s still no contact from the government, I have no idea what they’re thinking.
Not that I’m in a hurry anyway.
They’re the ones trying to make use of me.
“Ah, I wonder how the interrogation of that girl went. She looked like a memory-wiped AI robot…”
Rebecca, a follower of the Reverse Heaven Cult.
This time, she’s a priest from the captured Palspira sect.
If things go well, she could provide valuable information.
“Well, that’s out of my hands now. Let the government deal with it.”
I left the troublesome matters to others.
I planned to spend some time socializing for a change.
After all, since I ranked first in contribution in this operation, I had the right to demand at least a post-operation briefing.
So today’s meeting place was…
“Meat! Pork, of course!”
My longtime favorite, a samgyeopsal (pork belly) restaurant near my house.
I specially ordered thick cuts.
Sizzle—
The sound of pork grilling.
A sound of healing.
“…”
I closed my eyes and enjoyed the beautiful melody.
But the sharp gaze from beside me made me frown.
“Why… why is that?”
I asked myself but couldn’t figure it out.
Of course.
The worst criminal casually walks into a public restaurant, and no one even stops her.
Does that make sense?
“Meat. Meat. Meat.”
I turned to glare at the girl in question, a long-haired girl.
She swayed slightly from side to side, but her gaze was fixed firmly on the pork belly.
I flipped the meat with one hand, while blocking her gaze with the other.
“…Seo Gyeoul, why is she here? Please explain so I can understand.”
Rebecca.
She was here.
“It’s because of the psychiatrist’s report…”
Seo Gyeoul avoided my gaze and mumbled an excuse.
Hearing this, Kim Pyeongon poured some water and said,
“Wow! So if we stay with her, she might regain her memory?”
“I’m skeptical… but apparently, yes. Being exposed to a similar environment can help with memory recovery,” Seo Gyeoul replied.
“…So this is memory recovery training? Through pork belly therapy?”
Hmph, ridiculous.
Eating while staring at the person who crushed them doesn’t restore anything.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one thinking this way—though from a slightly different perspective.
“Also, since Siwoo has experience handling a divinely guided priest, they think he can manage Rebecca just fine.”
“…Me?”
“Well, it’s a decision from above…”
No, they should handle the next step themselves after capturing her.
Now they expect me to act as a babysitter too?
These leech-like people.
“No, I’m not doing it! I’m not some philanthropist—”
“But instead, the Director… no, the Chief wants to see you once, Siwoo.”
“…The Chief? Ugh, how bothersome.”
Hmm.
It’s probably not just to see me.
They likely want to have a “constructive” discussion.
But babysitting? Nah…
“Oh, and regarding the Arc Academy professor…”
“…?”
“The Chief wants to recommend you as a full-time professor instead of a visiting one, so he asked me to relay this.”
“Eh, you should’ve told me sooner.”
Well, that’s different, hmm.
Since they’re showing this much goodwill, it wouldn’t be polite to refuse.
I learned that from Madam Park.
“Can’t be helped. Set it up once.”
“Yes, understood. I’ll let you know when the schedule is set. But…”
“Yes?”
“If that person says anything strange, just ignore it.”
“Eh? Yes, understood. Not difficult at all.”
I said that and reached for a perfectly grilled piece of pork belly.
At that moment—
Snap—
“…!?”
A chopstick snatched my meat like a hawk’s talon.
I turned my head lightning-fast.
Rebecca was there, chewing away.
Crunch crunch crunch—
“The meat is delicious. Better than porridge.”
“…”
I was so stunned that I blankly stared at Seo Gyeoul.
She looked equally surprised, her eyes unusually wide.
“During the investigation, she didn’t say anything, right?”
“Yes! Definitely… strange. Even on the way here, she quietly looked out the window.”
“Why does she only react to meat?”
“…”
“…”
Rebecca ignored our gazes and grabbed another shiny slice of pork belly.
My mind was racing.
“Wait, is the doctor’s claim real? Shock therapy actually works?”
I had no idea what was going on.
So I decided to test her with a few questions.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
“Name? Oatmeal? Hope? Hmm, I don’t know. Yum, meat is good.”
“…Why are you here?”
“Eat meat, eat! Yum yum.”
“…Hey, you pay for it yourself.”
Yeah, at least I understood that conversation wasn’t going anywhere.
And I realized I’d have a hard time ahead.
“Alright, if there’s something to gain, there’s something to lose… endure, endure.”
The difference between a visiting and full-time professor at Arc Academy isn’t just prestige—it’s power and influence.
It’s a world-class academy.
“If it works out, I’ll gain strong leverage. This I can endure.”
Yes, I must be someone who can sacrifice the small for the greater good. Only then can one aim for a higher purpose.
Rationalizing myself, I flipped another piece of meat.
“Don’t take this one. It’s mine. Revelation or not, touch it and you’ll get scolded.”
Just as I was about to eat the carefully grilled piece—
“Nom.”
Rebecca snatched it again in an instant.
I slammed my chopsticks down and shouted,
“Damn it! Hey! You didn’t lose your memory! Don’t think I won’t notice if you take revenge—”
“Brother, calm down. You can’t treat a child like that.”
Kim Pyeongon whispered, restraining me.
A child? A child! How old are these people?!
“She may look like that, but she’s nothing like it! Maybe she’s even…”
At that moment, my keen senses picked up a strange shift in the atmosphere.
The restaurant fell silent instantly.
“….”
“….”
“….”
Even the regular owner and the patrons filling the restaurant stared at me like I was trash.
Ah… I’d fallen into the pitfall of getting mad at a child over food.
“…Okay, okay, eat well. You need to grow big and strong.”
I gritted my teeth but patted Rebecca’s head.
I restrained the urge to bonk her on the head with superhuman patience.
“Well done, Kang Siwoo…”
She didn’t stop eating even amidst all this.
Ugh.
Watching her, my appetite disappeared, and I slumped in my seat.
Kim Pyeongon glanced at me and muttered with a twitch of a smile,
“This is a serious situation, yet no one seems concerned. I like it.”
“…Be quiet.”
“Yes.”
Seo Gyeoul noticed us and brought up another topic to lighten the mood.
Luckily, it was a topic that drew my attention.
“By the way, did the rewards come through well?”
“Of course! They were huge!”
She said, and Kim Pyeongon nodded enthusiastically.
Yes, this reward was unprecedented.
I pulled out my phone and opened the notification.
Operation Name: Ghost Signal
Grade: B → A+
Recipient: Kang Siwoo
Approver: Director of the Gate Management Agency
Rewards:
-
Cash: \1,000,000,000
-
‘Phase 2 Universal Garden’ Entry Ticket (One-time use)
-
One A+ Grade Magic Stone
Seeing the screen, Seo Gyeoul and Kim Pyeongon were shocked.
“1 billion?! That’s ten times what I received!”
“…Siwoo, be careful. Seems like the Chief is targeting you.”
Targeting? What targeting?
Reading my expression, Seo Gyeoul explained politely.
“I recently received a ‘Phase 4 Universal Garden’ entry ticket as a promotion reward. But giving a Phase 2 ticket to a civilian… it’s unprecedented.”
“Unprecedented, you say?”
“Of course! The ‘Universal Garden’ is under the Korean government, and it’s never happened before!”
Universal Garden – a relic similar to the ‘Archive of Records.’
It can store all types of objects infinitely. A valuable relic.
And if I remember correctly, ‘that thing’ was hidden there.
“With that, I could raise Kakan, who grows slowly, much faster…”
The important point is I don’t remember exactly which phase it’s in, as I wasn’t particularly close to the government before the regression.
“Well, nothing I can do. Anyway, it’s not the only way.”
If I get it, great. If not, stick to the original plan.
The more leverage I have, the better—no reason to refuse.
“But I guess I need to take the hand they offer…”
The generous rewards are likely “bait,” bribes to test me.
They probably want to work with me properly at least once.
It shows how valuable I’ve become to them.
“…Yes. Whatever happened in the past, that was then, this is now.”
If the conditions are right, nothing’s impossible.
Moreover, Seo Gyeoul’s father, Seo Byungcheol, is one of the few normal people, as I mentioned before.
“Siwoo, about Pearson’s request the other day…”
“You mean having me as a project negotiator?”
“Yes. There seems to be some debate above regarding that.”
Of course.
What power-holder would be happy letting some random guy control negotiations?
“Actually, it was predictable. It’s a huge responsibility, and everyone wants their person in place.”
“Siwoo, aren’t you concerned?”
I flipped the meat again and replied,
“I don’t care either way. They’re the ones missing out.”
That’s true.
I only have personal business with Julie Pearson anyway.
Of course, I already declared I’d share what she tells me with my colleagues.
They deserve to know.
“Anyway, up there, the hawks and doves are fighting intensely. It’s a nationwide project. They’re doing it with Bluestone MegaCorp…”
“The doves will respect her opinion, I see.”
“Yes. They don’t want to anger Julie Pearson. The plan is to make me the negotiator and safely secure the project.”
“And Seo Gyeoul’s father is a dove?”
“…How did you know?”
“Just by projecting from Gyeoul? Also, he seems to want to ask me for something regarding this.”
Yes, that’s probably why Seo Byungcheol showed goodwill toward me.
“You’re amazing. But recently, the hawks have been crossing the line.”
“Crossing the line?”
“They’ve always been strict, but now they’re going unusually far. The Chief wants to warn them.”
“A warning… But you know me, I don’t move easily.”
“Of course. The Chief promised to grant anything within his authority.”
But that’s just the down payment; the reward for work should be separate.
“Argh—”
At that moment, Rebecca opened her mouth wide, trying to grab a whole strip of pork belly.
I snatched it away in one swift motion.
Rebecca flailed, but I dodged and responded to Seo Gyeoul.
“…Ahem! That’s the taste. Then, tell the Chief to just find one person from the Tower.”
“One person?”
“Miyamoto Daichi. One of the Triumvirate. Just find him.”
“…Yes?”
Savoring the meat juice, I recalled old ties.
He should be around the 200th floor by now, likely.
Targeting the residential floors, aiming for the 300th.
“Tell them the Madam of the ‘Red Thread’ is looking for him. As proof, get his talisman—or more precisely, his cursed tool.”
This way, I can achieve it without stepping in personally.
“…But why suddenly such a request?”
“Right. I got greedy for the silver mask, and it ended up like this… Anyway, just relay it like that.”
I fiddled with the relic in my pocket, [Silver Mask of the Leper King].
“Hmm… yes, I’ll bring good news.”
“If you keep your promise, I’ll be your marksman catching the prey you desire.”
“Meat. Meat. Meat. Meat. Meat.”
Rebecca, deprived of meat, repeated herself like a broken toy.
Ah, what do I do with this trouble…
“Boss, four more servings of pork belly, please!”
First, fill the stomach, then think.
