The Regressor Only Protects Me Chapter 144

Episode 144. The City of the Dead (2)

Immortal beings, zombies.

There were originally two cities here.

Uiwang City and Gunpo City.

Over the past three rounds, the field boss here, the 'Witch', has been slowly collecting corpses to create another life form.

In fact, the 'witch' was an alien life form selected by the administrator.

Witches are beings who use the dead as food to create plants that will serve as the lungs of the planet.

In a word, they are planet worshippers.

The trees in the large, dense forest that spreads out here were all created by the residents of Uiwang-si and Gunpo-si.

When those alien plants grow for a certain amount of time, they produce a fruit.

That's the green dragon's egg.

Humans were the materials to raise the green dragon.

But after the green dragon died, the witch began to capture humans again.

To revive the green dragon.

In the midst of all this, he set foot in the forest.

One whose soul is overwhelmingly beautiful.

Kang Shi-on.

'You must… … use it as the material for the green dragon. Then, a very powerful green dragon that can even burn the universe will be born. You must eat it. You must eat it. That man.'

The witch drove the expedition away.

The witch's black magic could not only turn the dead into plants, but could also temporarily infuse souls into the dead and bring them back to life.

It was a zombie.

An immortal being that is dead but does not die, that rushes to kill but can never be killed.

Clang, clang, clang, clang! Crunch!

Jin Jae-hee's holy sword swung horizontally, cutting down all the zombies that rushed at him.

It was a powerful attack that would have instantly burned down any living creature.

But they didn't die.

The zombies, with their torn flesh reattached, rushed at Jin Jae-hee once again.

It was different from Park Ji-soo's cells.

Park Ji-soo's cells disappeared after being cut once, but these ones did not die even after being cut.

The expedition was exhausted.

It was a battle that lasted for two whole days.

The entire forest burned, and hundreds of trees were snapped and felled.

The blood shed by the zombies alone was enough to form streams that could form rivers.

But Jin Jae-hee never left Kang Si-on's side.

Without moving even a single step, he protected Kang Shi-on until the end.

Because I hated even the thought of losing him here.

Even if that were true for Jin Jae-hee, the situation was different for the other expedition members.

“I’m so sleepy… … . I feel like I’m going to collapse… … at any moment.”

Choi Hyun-ji bowed her head.

Choi Myeong-jun grabbed Choi Hyeon-ji's hair with a desperate spirit.

“fu*k! Hold it in!”

“For two days already… … . Not even drinking water… … . Just fighting… … .”

Jin Jae-hee glanced at Kang Si-on, who was lying down, breathing heavily.

A shield of light swirled around him.

Of course, I thought about running away.

No matter how strong you are, it is difficult to fight against an immortal being.

But you can't leave the forest until you kill the witch.

That was the trap of this quest.

The witch first bewitched Kang Shion, the brains of the expedition, and then slowly tried to eat the remaining members.

'Just because Zion can't fight… …. They're being driven like this.'

Jin Jae-hee realized once again what kind of person Kang Si-on was to them.

-Gyaaaaaaah… … !

-Gooyaayaaaaah!

-Gyagyagyagyagg! Gyaaaaaaah!

A large number of new ghoul zombies surrounded the expedition team.

“Hey, that’s pretty great.”

The witch's voice crossing the bloody river was captivating.

Jin Jae-hee bit her lower lip and glared at the guy.

A witch is a being without substance.

I've tried to cut her dozens of times now, but it's no use.

As expected, it was a field boss set by the administrator.

If you take him down, there will be a huge reward to match.

It is almost impossible to take it down.

Jin Jae-hee wiped the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and glared at the bastard again.

“But is this it? It’s enough to enjoy the game.”

The witch smiled, confident of victory.

“There is no escape.”

At that moment, Choi Hyun-ji staggered and lowered her head, and the witch continued speaking.

“You can't beat me.”

I looked at Choi Myung-jun, who was standing on the other side, but it was the same. He pretended to be strong, but it was his limit.

The witch smiled after checking all of these.

“You will die here.”

Jin Jae-hee had a quick recovery, but she still wasn't enough to deal with the witch alone.

The witch looked into Jin Jae-hee's eyes and declared again.

“I am the death of you all.”

… … But Jin Jae-hee couldn’t give up.

She will keep it.

Kang Shi-on.

I took up the holy sword again with determination.

Zombie ghouls all rushed towards her.

She swung her sword, emitting a light so strong it was blinding.

As if squeezing out every last bit of strength I had left.

And at that moment.

Dududududududududuk-!

All the zombie ghouls that had rushed towards the expedition fell like dominoes.

“… … ?!”

Jin Jae-hee was so surprised that he stopped moving.

Before her sword could even reach them.

What this meant was that it wasn't Jin Jae-hee who took them down just now.

At that time, Jin Jae-hee's protective shield, which boasted absolute strength, was broken.

Crackle-. Crackle!

She looked back slowly.

There stood Kang Shi-on.

"……Zion?"

But somehow it didn't seem like it was Kang Si-on.

* * *

Baron.

A place where celestial beings reside.

There was nothing in common in the appearance of those gathered there.

But they were all cheering enthusiastically as they watched the images appear before their eyes.

“Wow! A mind-controlling monster! Are you trying to make us kill each other?”

“Author Jin Jae-hee is obsessed with Kang Si-on, but it’s such a tragic show… … . Ah, this is fun! This is so fun!”

“K! K was the manager of the match ticket. He set up this kind of thing. This is really an incredible show!”

The beings were filled with admiration at K's ingenuity.

K smiled secretly as he watched them like that.

'Okay. I think it's a perfect version.'

K decided to come clean about the mistakes he had made in the past.

At first, K only thought of Kang Si-on as someone who would be used under Park Ji-soo.

However, the wit and strategies that Kang Shi-on had shown so far far exceeded his expectations.

So this time, it had to be fixed.

Managers are the directors who run the show.

They were artists who set up a stage in the area they were in charge of and created a show with the league's participants within it.

K was covering up his own mistakes while also fulfilling his duties as an administrator.

A variable called Kang Shi-on.

Kang Si-on was turning the crisis into an opportunity.

at that time.

A being approached K.

“K! What happened? Didn’t you say last time that you didn’t have high expectations for Kang Shi-on?”

A being with countless arms.

The being asked K with an expression of surprise at the unexpected development.

It was a being that K knew well.

He was particularly fond of battle scenes and was one of Bayron's great spenders.

K immediately bowed his head and said.

“Well, there’s not much I can say for the fun ahead, but I’d like to say that you should look forward to the future developments.”

At K's words, the expression on Existence's face brightened.

“Great! K’s show is always the best! I bet Kang Shi-on gets eliminated from this forest!”

The being shouted loudly as if for others to hear.

At the cry of existence, other beings also began to shout loudly as if they could not resist.

“Then I’ll bet that Kang Shi-on makes it out of the forest alive!”

As the stakes rose, K's expression grew more triumphant.

K, who was watching the beings chattering away, looked back at the things he had arranged for the last time.

'So far, everything is going so smoothly.'

K's plan itself was simple.

Jin Jae-hee is the biggest obstacle to eliminating Kang Si-on.

Separate her from Kang Shion.

And it makes the two enemies.

Jin Jae-hee was one of the strongest players in the entire Korean league, but for some reason, she stayed by Kang Si-on's side almost to the point of obsession.

In that case, all that had to do was to make Jin Jae-hee not protect Kang Si-on, or, conversely, to induce him to kill her.

The witch was a means to that end.

A witch who controls time and spirit.

The witch succeeded in exploiting a very small gap in Kang Shi-on's strong mind.

It wasn't an easy process even for a witch who was a semi-boss-level monster in another dimension.

In conclusion, the witch bound Kang Shi-on's spirit.

Now we will kill each other.

'It's perfect because it's even insured.'

K thought with a satisfied smile.

The witch was a monster skilled in time magic, so she made time flow differently in the forest than outside.

Even if Kang Shi-on and his party managed to defeat the witch and leave the forest, several years would have already passed outside.

In a league where every hour of your day is precious, wasting years of your time is a fatal loss.

Even if you somehow manage to return to Man-gyeong, other forces that have already grown strong will destroy Man-gyeong.

The smile never left K's lips.

Upon reviewing his plan, he found that there were no loopholes.

K is a veteran manager.

He was a seasoned manager who had been through countless leagues and countless rounds.

No disruptor had ever survived her clutches before, and K was confident this time would be no different.

'If it weren't for a manager like me, things might have gotten out of control a long time ago.'

Administrators are prohibited from directly interfering with the league.

This was a case where the players' safety was directly threatened.

The only domain of the administrator is 'breaking the board'.

At the start of a round, the task of placing newly added monsters, terrain, resources, etc. in the appropriate locations.

That was the optimal way to direct the drama of this stage.

What if the designer intervenes directly in the show?

That would have been a really boring show.

And the fate awaiting the administrator who designed the unfunny show is to return immortality.

In the first round, direct intervention is strictly prohibited after the first round, although it is allowed as an exception to encourage participation of disruptive species in the league and to ensure a smooth show.

K Also after round 2, quests and terrain features.

Other than placing other minor elements, we never directly intervened to restrict players' actions.

In the end, in order to eliminate Kang Shi-on, there was no choice but to set up the third round as a murder play to kill Kang Shi-on.

Also, the monsters that are the best of Gangsi-on were placed along the expected path.

They also arranged their quests in advance so that the surrounding powers would keep an eye on Man-gyeong.

All of this was a stage set up by Manager K to eliminate Kang Si-on in this round.

Meanwhile, while K was thinking about his plan, the beings' interest was still not cooling down.

“Still, it’s a shame. Kang Shi-on, I liked that player.”

“Wasn’t K in charge of the match ticket? I’ve been a fan of K’s shows for a long time. K never makes a boring show! I’m sure more interesting characters will appear in the future.”

Feeling good about the compliment, K approached the beings he was talking to.

“Thank you for your compliments. I am just doing my best to make sure you all have an interesting show.”

“Oh my, you’re being so humble that you don’t match your abilities. I just watched the Gyeongsang League and it wasn’t fun at all.”

“Really? I went to see the American league, and it was pretty good. But this guy kept saying that the show planned by K was the most fun, so I came here. It was just as great as I heard!”

K bowed his head deeply and showed respect to the beings.

The beings were delighted to see such a K and bet a huge amount of Geran.

“Okay! K. I look forward to the future.”

“K. You’re a great manager, but why are you only managing such a small place? I think you could put on a bigger show in a bigger place.”

“You are too kind. I am just doing my best in the mission given to me. But if I were given more authority and could show you a more enjoyable show, I would be very happy.”

K's pride grew higher and higher as he was praised by those who were immersed in the show.

The more power you have, the higher your chances of having a higher-level character's name.

If only I could have the name of the higher character.

'Ahhh… … . Absolute Being. Now I understand your will.'

The Absolute promised K that if he could eliminate Kang Shion in this round, he would be given a name with higher letters.

He had also heard that if he could not protect it, he would be given immortality, but K did not even think that far.

Although he was exceptionally clever, all he could do was eliminate one player.

'You were simply testing my abilities before promoting me. Now I understand your profound intentions. Ah! How thoughtful… … . In that case, K. I will prove it with an overwhelming show!'

K walked forward towards the beings with confident steps.

Then he stopped politely.

This is one concert.

He is a conductor.

An orchestra that plays to admiration and cheers with its own show.

As K stood in front of them and paused for a moment, all the beings turned their gaze towards K.

K, who showed them such an entertaining show, will present them with another fun thing next time.

The performers all looked at the conductor.

K quietly raised his arms.

The basics of ensemble playing is to synchronize the first beat with each other.

K opened his mouth and swung his raised arms strongly in the air.

“I won’t keep you waiting for too long! I, K! I will continue to work hard to provide you with enjoyable shows in the future!”

“K!, K!, K!!”

The beings all called out K's name.

Under K's precise direction, following a certain beat.

K felt joy at seeing that sight.

'Ah, this is it. More. More excitement! Until this shout reaches the Absolute!'

K knew.

Soon, the witch's magic will take effect.

A crimson curtain was drawn across the footage behind K.

Antique curtains decorated with antique gold borders.

Even though the image they were immersed in was obscured, the beings did not complain.

Just when that curtain opened again.

When the next command came in.

I will play again with a loud cheer.

All beings turned their attention to their leader.

“Everyone! What kind of fate will Kang Shi-on face? One of the strongest players is always by his side, but will she be able to protect Kang Shi-on until the end? If Kang Shi-on loses himself and goes berserk, will she kill Kang Shi-on? The genre of this show can be defined as drama. Or action. Or romance. What else can you call it?”

The beings let out a passionate cheer.

The heat of the beings rushed to K's face.

K opened his mouth again, a strange smile on his face.

“K! The genre of this show is K! I can confidently say this. Everyone! Enjoy it! And remember. This is a fantastic show created by K! My name is K. I am the manager of the match ticket in this league!”

K bowed his head politely.

At the same time the curtain opened.

It was perfect timing.

climax.

K commanded thunderous applause from the crowd.

'Applause! Before the great show!'

but.

Contrary to expectations, obvious dissonances erupted here and there.

“Huh? What, what is that! What’s going on here!”

“Hey K! Something feels off! I think we just missed something important.”

K, who had been lowering his head, raised his head in bewilderment at the screams of the beings.

'What? What is that…?'

K hurriedly turned his head towards the video playing behind him.

There was Kang Shi-on there.

He must have been under the control of a witch and was attacking his comrades.

But now, Kang Shi-on. No, 'he' was no longer Kang Shi-on.

* * *

Baron.

VVIP room.

Deep inside the Absolute's chambers.

The Absolute looked around quietly.

There was a vast space there without land, walls, or ceiling.

A world of darkness as quiet as space.

This was a space reserved for the Absolute, where neither administrators nor beings could enter.

In the distance, colorful stars shine and celestial bodies of terrifyingly vast size pass by.

The Absolute stood in the middle of it all.

The Absolute looked at the huge display case right in front of him.

There were models densely displayed there.

The Absolute approached one of those models.

[Universe 127-42]

[127-42-08 League Winner. ■■■■]

Small body with gray skin.

The model, with its large head, thin neck, and slender arms, looked like what people on Earth commonly refer to as an 'alien'.

It was one of the absolute's favorite models.

It was an exciting league, and we were able to obtain a lot of meaningful data during the league.

The Absolute passed the model with the corners of his lips raised in satisfaction.

Then, he stood in front of another model that he particularly cherished and looked at it quietly.

[Space 127-9710]

[127-9710-12 League Winner Kang Si-on]

A model that appears to be modeled after Kang Shi-on.

A person with bushy hair and the height of an adult human male.

Even the cold eyes that look straight ahead.

The Absolute still smiled with satisfaction, thinking that the model reflected the real thing well.

Universe 127.

The Absolute thought about whether someone identical to the model could win in another universe other than Universe 127.

But soon he shook his head.

Thinking no longer made sense.

Soon, you will be able to see it clearly with your own two eyes.

(Continued in the next episode)