Chapter 54: Star, The Dream (4)

‘Disgusting,’?

Chang-Sun thought after observing the army of Ghost Soldiers.

After the Hohwan Mama overtook them, people lost their rationality and ego, turning into mere dolls to be unleashed on the world as killing machines. As Chang-Sun knew how horrible it was to have one’s free will taken away, he was bound to feel that way; he was naturally annoyed by Heoju, the one responsible for what was happening.

‘Song Yoo-Jun said they would just be given new egos afterward. These people… only exist now as soulless dolls.’

[The Celestial 'Twilight-Piercing Owl’ is very displeased to see the current sight!]

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ scowls at ‘Calamity Tiger.’]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ smirks at her, asking what she is going to do.]

Minerva had not even been hostile toward Mephistopheles, but the sight before her left her outraged. From what had happened in ‘Bestla’s Tomb’ up until now, Minerva had taken great issue with everything related to Heoju. However, Heoju acted shamelessly, taunting Minerva by asking what she would do to act on her hostility.

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ explodes with anger, desperately pleading with you to execute justice on her behalf!]

Just as she always did, Minerva bitterly asked Chang-Sun to resolve the situation, saddened by the fact that she could not take care of the incident herself due to the restrictions of causality.

[A Sudden Quest (The Owl’s Plea) has been created!]

[The Owl’s Plea]

Type: Sudden Quest.

Explanation: ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ is greatly disappointed by ‘Calamity Tiger’, who only brings deep chaos and darkness to the Saha World at present. She is also saddened to see that many lives are being held hostage. Thus, ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ strongly pleads with you to bring peace to those people on her behalf.

Prerequisites: Quest recipient.

Time Limit: ―

Objectives:

1. Eliminate all the Ghost Soldiers.

2. Annihilate the ‘Dream Sphere’ manufacturing facility, the place that created the Ghost Soldiers in the first place.

Reward: A blessing from ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ that will be chosen based on the level of your performance.

‘She’s going this far?’?

Chang-Sun thought, slightly agape.

No matter how angry Minerva was with Heoju, Chang-Sun had not thought she would actively give out a quest to stop him. On top of that, she was offering Chang-Sun a pretty good reward.

‘She’s saying that she’ll give me a different blessing depending on how well I complete the tasks… Is she willing to give?me an Authority, too?’

Chang-Sun thought half-jokingly, but somehow, he had a feeling that it would not be so impossible.

Thus, it made sense to accept the quest. However, there was a problem.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ is very curious as to what you will choose!]

‘I’ll be on bad terms with Heoju if I accept this,’?

Chang-Sun thought. It was a problem, as his plan to get as close as possible to Heoju by winning his favor would be disrupted as a result.

‘I’ll be burning bridges with Minerva if I reject this, though.’

In truth, Chang-Sun had nothing to lose even if he turned down Minerva’s request. Minerva’s bonus rewards, [Unbending Spirit] and [Composed Spirit], would disappear, but he had other skills to substitute for them.

Still, he felt bitter about the thought of letting one of his sugar deities go just like that, and he was reluctant to give up when he could potentially even receive an authority. In the end, he had to choose one of two particularly risky options.

‘Fuck,’?

Chang-Sun thought.

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ fixes her gaze on you!]

Even as Minerva strongly urged Chang-Sun to accept the quest, he prepared to reject it, feeling that he had no other choice. However, an idea suddenly flashed through his mind.

‘Don’t I just have to act uncertain in front of them? Besides, these two deities need me to a similar extent,’?

Chang-Sun concluded. Smiling faintly, he asked Heoju, “I would like to ask ‘Calamity Tiger’, who wishes to become my Guardian, one thing.”

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ willingly accepts your request.]

“I’m sure you’re already well aware of why I’m here,” Chang-Sun began.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ orders you to cut to the chase, as he indeed knows very well.]

“I’m planning to snatch up everything in this place right now, because I have zero intention of letting others have what I can’t have. What does ‘Calamity Tiger’ think about my choice?” Chang-Sun politely asked.

In short, he was telling Heoju that he would take as much as he needed from the research facility as he could, then burn the rest. If Heoju disliked Chang-Sun’s choice, they would have no choice but to part ways.

‘Heoju is already paying a lot of attention to me, the most desirable priest candidate, so he won’t just give up on me,’?

Chang-Sun thought.

Heoju was the kind of deity who would swallow something he wanted before thinking twice, even if that something was poison. Thus, Chang-Sun thought Heoju would only be more intrigued and continue to watch him if he acted that way.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ laughs inadvertently, realizing what you are arrogantly trying to pull.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ says he likes your attitude despite everything, and concludes that his subordinates would be the stupid ones if they were killed by you.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ promises that he will not interfere while you fulfill your ambition.]

[A Sudden Quest (The Tiger’s Plunder) has been created!]

[The Tiger’s Plunder]

Type: Sudden Quest.

Explanation: ‘Calamity Tiger’ strongly desires to watch you, his new priest candidate, grow stronger. However, he warns you that he will punish you severely if you fail to meet his expectations, as he has been watching you with interest.

Prerequisites: Quest recipient.

Time Limit: ―

Objectives:

1. Just as you have declared to the deity, pillage everything before you.

2. Consume all your trophies perfectly.

Penalty: Divine Punishment.

Reward:

1. The right to keep your trophies.

2. A blessing from ‘Calamity Tiger’ that will be chosen based on the level of your performance.

‘I got him,’?

Chang-Sun thought in satisfaction.

Seeing as even Heoju had given out a quest, Chang-Sun had basically received a blank check.

‘I’ve taken care of Heoju, so how are you going to react, Minerva?’?

Chang-Sun thought, waiting patiently.

In truth, Chang-Sun had put on the whole performance for Minerva, not Heoju, as if to ask whether he could use whatever method he desired to finish her quest.

[The Celestial ‘Twilight-Piercing Owl’ delightedly says that she knew you would make such a decision.]

It seemed Minerva was actually rejoicing in the fact that Chang-Sun would diligently carry out her quest.

‘She’s definitely a simpleton,’

Chang-Sun thought as the corners of his lips curled up in satisfaction.

[Accepted the Sudden Quest (The Owl’s Plea)!]

[Your range of objectives has increased, as the two Sudden Quests (‘The Owl’s Plea’ & ‘The Tiger’s Plunder’) have been merged.]

[Eliminate all the Ghost Soldiers and any related facilities from now on!]

As Chang-Sun had gotten a better result than he originally intended, he moved without any hesitation, feeling pleased.

‘Next…!’?

he thought, deciding to examine the room to try to find any hidden passageways.

“Who’s there?!” someone suddenly yelled from behind, causing Chang-Sun to look backward.

[Your Concealment Skill has been deactivated!]

Chang-Sun saw two Players looking at him sharply, their eyes wide. Even at first glance, he could tell they were no ordinary Players; their levels seemed to be higher than the two instructors he had met in the Jigwis’ nest.

It seemed they had visited to take care of business amid the chaos and detected Chang-Sun’s presence… Chang-Sun’s mastery and skill level of [Windstalking Tiger] were low, which meant his [Windstalking Tiger] appeared very sloppy in the eyes of the two Players, who were at higher levels than Chang-Sun.

‘I’ve dragged things out too much,’?

Chang-Sun thought, lightly clicking his tongue. The Players had caught him before he could completely figure outExecutive Director Oh’s secret.

Seeing that he had no other choice, he powered up his magic integrated circuit. In truth, the thought that he would need to create chaos to find what he needed had already crossed his mind. It was said that it was easier to catch a fish in muddy waters .

[The Eon Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier is blazing!]

[The Title ‘Jigwi’s Phantom Body’ has been applied!]

Whoosh!

Fire blazed outward from Chang-Sun’s feet, spreading out to create several vortexes. Giant Jigwi wings sprouted from his back as the black and red flame vortexes swirled and cast sparks.

“W-What…?!”

“Why is a Jigwi’s fire…?!”

The two Players could not finish their sentences, as they were instantly destroyed by the firestorm created when Chang-Sun flapped his fiery wings. Even before they could scream, they were reduced to ash, not leaving a single trace of blood. Only black scorch marks remained in the spot where they had been as the flames spread across the entire room in a flash.

‘I feel as if things are somehow turning out similarly to how they did in ‘Bestla’s Tomb’,’?

Chang-Sun thought.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…!

Rumble, rumble, rumble―!

[A firestorm rages in the room!]

The Ghost Soldiers standing by, of whom there were over a hundred, were immediately engulfed by the firestorm.

* * *

Boom! Boom!

Rumble―!

In the blink of an eye, the research lab exploded, engulfed in flames. It started with the ground suddenly shaking, and an explosion that was so loud it almost deafened those nearby filled the air. Thus, despite how busy they were, the facility’s staff looked in the direction where the explosion had come from. However, the firestorm suddenly spread through the research complex, destroying everything in its way.

As most herbs and facilities related to the [Dream Spheres] were highly flammable, the facility’s staff had fireproofed everything, but the firestorm was completely unaffected.

“Fire!”

“There’s a fire!”

“The central research wing is on fire! Hurry! Come on!”

“W-We can’t put it out!”

“What’s going… Aaaarrrgh!”

“Don’t get too close! Use an ice spell from far away!”

The second explosion reduced those who had hurried to put out the fire to ashes, or buried them alive as the ground collapsed. Third and fourth explosions soon followed one after another, causing the entire complex to fall into complete mayhem.

No matter how much they used ice-type magic spells and Skills, the fire only grew larger and spread more fiercely, rising higher rather than subsiding. Explosions continued to happen unceasingly, shaking the mountain range and creating earthquakes violent enough to cause avalanches. The black smoke in the air turned into a tornado that filled the air.

“W-What’s g-going on?!” Lab Director Sang-Won stuttered, leaping out of his office with a pale face after belatedly realizing what was going on.

Tongues of crimson flame greedily swallowed up the central research wing where all the important facilities were, including the [Dream Sphere] manufacturing lines and the Ghost Soldier depository. If the central wing collapsed, the decade of effort the White Tiger Clan had spent would go to waste. However, Lab Director Sang-Won’s biggest problem was that the ‘vessel', his last hope, was there!

“W-What are the guards doing?! How on earth did they let…?!” Lab Director Sang-Won yelled.

Boom, boom, boom!

Rumble―!

Another explosion followed, sending a large amount of shrapnel flying through the air. The Players who failed to avoid the fragments died on the spot, and some of the researchers hurriedly escaped the research complex in fear.

“L-Lab Director! Are y-you alright?” Lab Director Sang-Won’s subordinate asked, coming to his aid.

Lab Director Sang-Won had barely managed to survive by instinctively diving toward the ground, his face turning so white that his subordinate could see his smallest blood vessels. Imagining what would happen if the facility and the ‘vessel’ were both destroyed, Lab Director Sang-Won clenched his teeth, as he had no way to survive if his worst fears came true. Director Gwon was scheduled to arrive soon.

In order to survive, Lab Director Sang-Won was prepared to use any means necessary. Even if he could not necessarily save the Ghost Soldiers, he had to save the ‘vessel’.

Thus, he quickly grabbed his subordinate, who was right next to him, and asked, “How many? How many men do we have left?”

“T-That’s…!” his subordinate stuttered.

“Speak! Now!” Lab Director Sang-Won yelled, his eyes burning with madness.

1. This is a saying that appears in the Thirty-Six Stratagems. When the water becomes muddy, the fish loses its sense of direction and is disoriented, making it easier for the fisherman to catch it.