Chapter 82
Chapter 82 – If You Can Catch Me, Try to Catch Me
I have lived four lives.
However, I did not live longer than others.
In my first life, I was revered as a pro gamer.
However, I died after winning a trophy and getting hit by a truck on my way to confess my love.
In my second life, I lived as a mage.
Then, I died in mutual destruction with the Demon King.
In my third life, I lived as a martial artist.
I lived as a martial artist and then died.
For some reason, I got caught up in a conspiracy, tried desperately to escape, and got injured.
I perished together with the Plum Blossom Swordsman, who formed a formation with the entire Mount Hua Sect and the three major figures of the orthodox sect.
Including my current life, I have lived four lives in total.
But I did not live that long.
Even after adding up all my past lives, I did not reach fifty.
That was me.
Maybe that was why.
I had a sharp intuition, but my study of human relationships was a bit lacking.
No matter how great I was, human relationships were complex.
For someone like me, love affairs were truly complex.
As a result, the number of people I had to take responsibility for gradually increased.
Thus, I couldn’t get married.
They wanted marriage, but…
I was too oblivious.
My relationship with the Heavenly Demon was a bit complicated.
I was nominated as the consort of the Demonic Sect, but we only had a simple engagement ceremony.
Anyway, I neglected and left those two alone for quite a while.
However, in my defense, I had no choice.
Magic and martial arts were just too much fun.
‘Well, let’s move on from that.’
Anyway, the Seven-Color Magic Tower and the Demon Sect were deeply related to me.
In my second life, I was connected to every individual in the Seven-Color Magic Tower.
In my third life, only the Demonic Sect supported me.
If I were to name a problem…
‘These two are deeply connected to the Heavenly Demon and the Duke of Extermination.’
I wasn’t not naive.
White-Faced Golden Fur.
The strange place I saw after capturing her.
Everyone seemed to be ‘tied’ there.
They couldn’t come here right away.
No matter how desperately they wanted to leave, that place was quite bizarre.
Did the two move their forces first?
These were women capable of taking immediate action without it being strange.
「But why is that making our Seojin sweat?」
“…………………………………It’s nothing. So, I just need to lead the kids, right?”
「Yeah, for now, that’s all you need to do, right?」
“Then I’ll take a short leave and come back.”
「Vacation? All of a sudden? Rather, you need to solve the problems with the Seven-Colored Magic Tower and the Demonic Sect first.」
“Just give those two organizations an appropriate excuse.”
「No, even if you say that suddenly…」
“Then I’m counting on you.”
「Hey…!」
I quickly ended the communication.
For now, if possible, I need to get out of here by today.
I asked Zeronis.
“Can I get to Korea… no, can I get out of here by today?”
“It seems you have something very urgent to attend to.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then I will quickly guide you to the treasure vault.”
“Treasure vault?”
“You chose practicality, right? The gods have allowed you to take two items from the vault they prepared.”
“Really?”
I was momentarily curious about the items given by the gods.
Zeronis opened his cell phone and typed a few messages as he spoke.
“I’ll have a plane ready to take off immediately. Since you chose practicality, we’ll treat you properly.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. I couldn’t express it properly due to the rapidly changing situation, but thank you for saving us that day.”
“It’s fine. They were enemies I had to defeat anyway.”
“No, we must properly express our gratitude. We can’t neglect someone who saved the children who are our future and our lives.”
“…Is that so?”
I replied awkwardly.
I could feel it from his emotions.
Zeronis was genuinely thankful and not trying any tricks on me.
‘Well, it’s comfortable and nice for me.’
I should say. I wasn’t used to this kind of gratitude.
“Please follow me this way.”
I followed Zeronis.
‘Oh.’
And the place we arrived at was a door gleaming with golden light.
At a glance, a considerable amount of money had been spent.
However, if it were just that, I wouldn’t have been impressed.
Most of the things here were imbued with divine power.
‘There are no mechanisms here.’
As soon as an intruder arrived, the objects here resonated.
My Heavenly Eyes discerned everything around me.
And I drew one conclusion.
A ridiculous yet certain conclusion—the most dangerous method.
‘Is it in the form of a god descending?’
If so, the reason there are no guards here and no mechanisms to stop intruders must be precisely this.
“…Could it be that you’ve noticed?”
“Well, roughly.”
“…The gods told me, so I was doubtful, but you are impressive.”
So, it meant those gods were watching this place.
‘How sinister.’
Maybe giving me this treasure was also a trap.
There might be some device inside the treasure to monitor me.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
If there was such a thing, I could deceive them instead.
“This way.”
Following Zeronis’s guidance, I went inside.
And there, I scanned through the treasures.
My head throbbed a little.
It seemed the information from the Heavenly Eye was too overwhelming.
‘Actually, that’s good.’
Here, I was able to choose the treasure.
So, the more information, the better.
“Would you like a recommendation?”
“No.”
In the distant future, I don’t know what kind of relationship I’ll have with these guys.
What I learned in my past life was that relationships could always be overturned by the group’s interests.
That was why I had to scan all the information in this treasure vault thoroughly—.
Because they were items bestowed by the gods.
Even by my standards, there were many impressive items.
‘If someone from the Middle Realm could take just one treasure from here, their minimum combat power would double.’
Those were the kinds of items present here.
And then a thought emerged.
The Seven-Colored Magic Tower and the Demonic Sect.
I needed to visit those two factions at some point.
And since I thought of it, it would be best to leave immediately.
The Seven-Colored Tower and the Demonic Sect.
If I were to go anywhere.
‘The Demonic Sect.’
I should head there.
And in this place, there exists a martial world called the Central Plains Martial World.
‘What could have happened?’
After the eruption of Mount Hua, the martial world declined.
I thought the magic world and martial world declined because of what I did.
‘But that doesn’t seem to be the case.’
I saw people bound in a strange place.
The Heavenly Demon and the Duke of Extermination.
The two of them left the strongest impression.
But there were others.
A guy known as the Whirlwind Sword of Cheongseong.
The Overlord of the Unorthodox Alliance.
I can’t remember the rest, but there were two subordinates of the Unorthodox Alliance and a sword master from the Demonic Sect.
‘That place is very suspicious.’
That’s why I had to visit the martial arts world.
And here, there are a few items related to that.
Weapons weren’t a bad choice if possible, but…
‘I don’t need weapons.’
The items here could strengthen even a Middle Realmer by more than double.
But faced against the Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique, there are no items that can withstand it.
I picked up a ring and a cloak.
“A good choice. Your martial arts are extremely destructive, so I thought combat items wouldn’t be suitable.”
“Right.”
I chose a cloak with a stealth effect.
And the ring was quite an interesting item.
‘You can change into the form you desire.’
I quite like it.
With this, infiltrating should not be a problem.
“I’ll take these two.”
“Yes, understood.”
Zeronis and I stepped outside.
As we went outside, I was engulfed by a strange sensation.
‘How insidious.’
While leaving the area, a very faint energy wrapped around the end of the ring.
‘What could it be?’
Surveillance? Or eavesdropping?
Well, it doesn’t matter once I’ve noticed it.
After sending off the students, I prepared for a separate trip.
In the meantime, I emphasized a few things.
“If you don’t know anything while I’m gone, be prepared.”
“…Why do you have to speak so harshly?”
“Anyway, I’ll be back from the business trip, so take care.”
“But do you really not need me? Leaving behind someone as virtuous, beautiful, and smart as me will be tough for you.”
“…”
Honestly, I felt a bit uneasy.
Although Yoo Eunchae is the type to cause incidents, the information she possessed was genuine, and her abilities were quite exceptional.
‘Moreover, she is…’
I looked at Seon Woohyeon, whom I had decided to bring along.
Seon Woohyeon was suspected to be a regressor, but he had many flaws.
For example, he lacked meticulousness.
And he had only a moderate level of ferocity.
Finally, he couldn’t stay cold-headed and was indecisive.
He was the type that always hesitated when doing something.
Moreover, he always faltered at critical moments.
Thinking about it, he only had worrisome points.
‘Well, as long as I’m here.’
It’ll work out somehow.
It wasn’t that I trusted Seon Woohyeon.
I trusted my ability to handle things.
We saw the students off and reclined in our chairs.
‘I wonder how the martial arts world has changed.’
I was looking forward to various things.
Have I fallen behind, unable to keep up with the times?
Or have I adapted to the changes and transformed into a cyberpunk-like figure?
‘Those old-fashioned guys don’t seem like they’d change anything.’
As I heard the plane taking off, I drifted into sleep.
‘Here is…’
I was bewildered.
The Central Plains Martial World.
Thinking of that place, I imagined the Martial World. There was a sense of anticipation within me.
There was an anticipation of how the Martial World might have changed.
‘But.’
What is this?
I looked at the airport with a blank expression.
‘Could I have reincarnated again?’
I was so dumbfounded that the thought crossed my mind for a moment.
But that wasn’t it either.
I looked around.
Near the airport, there was a dense bamboo forest.
Up to that point, it was fine.
Bamboo forests can be found anywhere.
But why.
Why were people dressed in old martial arts uniforms?
Why did people seem to engage in bartering rather than using money?
Why were there buildings that looked like they belonged in the martial arts world?
Why was it so crowded right in front of the airport?
‘Why on earth…’
I stared blankly at the panda-throwing people.
“You dare insult the Hwangbo family?”
“Hwangbo’s house talks too much. Show your skills.”
And below them, two swordsmen were pointing their swords at each other.
I knew the martial arts world was old-fashioned.
But wasn’t it a bit much that nothing has changed at all?