Chapter 50: Chapter 41: Jade Crown of Silla (2)

A/N: And so, after another century, I finished a chapter...

There was a question I've always had ever since Min Jiwon brought up the Jade Crown.

Why had she never gotten the crown?

Although every round was theoretically the same, at the same time, due to the actions of special people, and the factor of "luck" tipping, each round was independent from the other.

So, for an important piece such as the Jade Crown, there should have been a round or two that Min Jiwon succeeded.

Perhaps this was something story wise, but I always found it strange for this important piece of information always briefly mentioned in [Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World] more than once over the several rounds, even later down the line in the 100+ rounds.

If it was important, why hadn't it ever been exploited as a plot point, just like how my senses developed for stories would dictate?

Am I thinking too much? After all, my memories...I scoffed to myself, but eased the issue about my questionable memories off.

I was thinking about the question of the Jade Crown as we bid goodbye to the residents of the station.

There were a few familiar ones, such as Gong Pildu and Lee Hyunsung, but there were also others whose faces I felt like were somewhere stuffed deep in my memory, though still unfamiliar, standing on the platform of Chungmuro.

 Of the ones I was unfamiliar with, there was one who looked like a female lead, or main heroine, of a story. She was called Yoo Sangah, while another gentle beauty by her side referred to herself as Jung Heewon.

"G-goodybye Sangah-unnie, Heewon-unnie, I'll be back." Trying to stifle a sniffle, Lee Jihye gave the two women each a hug.

"Come back safe and sound, okay?" Yoo Sangah looked worriedly at Lee Jihye and Na Bori behind her.

"Disgracing yourself." Gong Pildu muttered with his arms crossed as he turned his head away, though his eyes still watching the scene betrayed his sentiment.

On the other hand, the big dog Lee Hyungsung looked saddened by the two girl's departure.

"Don't worry, with me here, crybaby Jihye won't go looking for trouble." Na Bori patted her chest, giving Sangah a wink, which she gave a small chuckle towards.

"Bori..." Lee Jihye growled at Na Bori as Jung Heewon gave a hidden thumbs up toward Na Bori out of amusement when Lee Jihye wasn't looking.

"You too, little Gilyoung. This noona will come back safe and sound, so you keep everyone safe." Wisely ignoring the death glare her friend was giving her, Na Bori lowered herself to speak to the final person I was unfamiliar with.

 That person was a little boy. A cap nestled atop his wooly hair that beckoned a pat. Although he was a cute kid, his gaze was cautious and wary. The clear eyes attempted to observe everything and anything calmly, but for some odd reason, I could still discern his mood. His name was Lee Gilyoung.

When I saw him, I couldn't help but blurt out softly, "...grasshoppers", although I didn't know why.

Apparently, he had heard that, because his head perked up and he looked at me with a less hostile light.

Despite that, he still looked like a silently vicious wolf cub....

"Are you the friend Bori and Jihye keep talking about?" As I was thinking, Jung Heewon had approached me.

"Oh, um, yes. Hello there unnie." I greeted Jung Heewon respectfully.

Inwardly, I was nervous at meeting these unfamiliar people, although I tried not to show it.

Still, Jung Heewon seemed to have sensed my inner emotions, since she gave a hearty laugh and smacked me on the back.

"Oof!" I was startled at the force of it, stumbling a small step forward as I looked at Jung Heewon in bewilderment.

"Relax, it's not like I'm going to eat you!" Jung Heewon gave me a reassuring grin. 

Despite her saying that, I couldn't get rid of my nervousness that easily.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I shouldn't take up your time. Jihye, Bori, it's time to leave." Jung Heewon turned and shouted at the two mentioned people.

Lee Jihye was wiping her tears and snot with her sleeve as she stifled her sobs, saying goodbye to Yoo Sangah and made her way to my side.

Somehow, that made me feel very guilty, like I was tearing a young girl away from her family forcibly.

But wait, they were the ones who wanted to come with me in the first place, isn't that so?

Completely the tearful reunion, our group finally set out as initially planned.

As we traveled, I couldn't help but think about the fresh appearances of the people who sent us off.

Although a little cruel, I wondered how they survived the scenarios and became a part of the story.

Nevermind, let's not think about that now.

It was plain to see these fresh appearances of people not written within the text of [Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World] was brought about by the man by the name 'Kim Dokja'. At least, for this, I was sure.

It came to the point that I was unwilling to have these small thoughts as we trekked across Seoul tiredly.

The conversation between Na Bori and Lee Jihye, as well as the occasional quip from Jung Youngho from the start of the journey died down by this point as we all tried to conserve our stamina.

There were still many dangers above-ground, so we couldn't linger in one place for too long, even when we took breaks. Still, while I had struggled slowly across the Seoul Dome with Jung Youngho before, when Na Bori and Lee Jihye joined the party, it was a startling smooth path.

Yoo Junghyuk's training regime was no joke.

There was absolutely no creature that could stand up to the three before me now (with the exception of those few behemoths), which made me...

...the weakest of the four of us.

A little disheartening, but riding on the coat-tails of someone else was pretty pleasant.

"We're close to arriving." The cheer came from Na Bori at the side.

Due to Na Bori's cheer, our spirits rose a little after the arduous journey.

In this manner, our group of four quickly closed in on the meeting area. But after I sent out a message to notify our arrival, I received a strange reply instead.

[Don't come over. Only linger in the periphery.]

I frowned, unsure of what Min Jiwon was trying to tell me.

Relaying the contents of the message to my current party members, Jung Youngho didn't care too much about it. Or rather, he was confident that no matter what the underlying message was, it wouldn't be able to shake him.

On the other hand, Na Bori and Lee Jihye were more contemplative.

"I don't have a good feeling about this..." Na Bori frowned, feeling an icky feeling rush over her. However, whether this icky feeling was due to the message or not, Na Bori wasn't sure.

On the other hand, Lee Jihye suggested something more concrete.

"It seems this 'Min Jiwon' has gotten into trouble. Perhaps she ran into a powerful monster?"

At first, it sounded plausible, but there were loopholes to that hypothesis put forward by Lee Jihye.

"If there was a monster, wouldn't Min Jiwon ask us for help? After all, I was able to sign a contract with her because she knows how powerful Jung Youngho is." I pointed out.

At the sound of his name being called out in this manner by someone younger, Jung Youngho wrinkled his nose.

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I saw that, but ignored it.

"In any case, let's just follow the instructions, yeah? It's not like we have any other options..." Lee Jihye grumbled, tousling the loose strands of hair that slipped out of her ponytail, "Right, Bori?"

Lee Jihye paused, having expected a reply, but not receiving it.

"Bori?" She tried again.

"A-ah? Right, Jihye." Na Bori hurriedly replied.

Lee Jihye scoffed at that, "Were you even paying attention?"

Na Bori stuck her tongue out at her friend.

"Allrrriiighht, let's get close enough to find out what's going on from somewhere high up. Something's definitely not right." I pulled the two out from their tangent to focus on the task at hand.

"Aye aye, captain! / Sure."

Na Bori and Lee Jihye replied each.

 On the other hand, Jung Youngho lazily stood there and rolled his eyes in contrast to Na Bori and Lee Jihye's reactions.

Having gotten instructions, everyone got back on task.

Eyeing the desecrated surroundings of Seoul for a viable route upwards, I wasn't the first person to find it.

When I turned my head, I watched as Na Bori and Lee Jihye nimbly scaled apartment buildings by using the balcony on each floor from the way it was facing us.

Even Jung Youngho had begun to climb up in a leisurely manner.

My lips twitched, as I once again felt my uselessness.

Giving a small sigh, I relied on the high level of my agility stat to follow my companions.

When I got to the top, Na Bori tapped me on the shoulder and silently pointed to an area in the distance.

Jung Youngho and Lee Jihye were already facing the direction in which Na Bori pointed with her finger, and as I squinted my eyes reflexively despite not needing to, a surprising scene unfolded before me.

Along with the flag belonging to Min Jiwon were a few other flags.

As they billowed in the wind, I recognized that Min Jiwon was being besieged on all sides by her opponents.

The situation seemed tense, despite no moves being made.

This is troublesome...I thought.

Although it was hard to see in the distance, only those "kings" would use flags such as those for flamboyance.

Aside from the other four kings I hadn't met, the Hermit king and the Neutral king, which were unlikely to appear here, there were two others facing Min Jiwon.

It was Cha Sangkyung, the Maitreya King's forces, and Gu Daesung, the Earth King's forces.

I wanted to turn around and walk back to where I came from.

Out of sight, out of mind.

They were some of the other forces I wanted to sign a nonaggression pact with.

If these three forces started battling here, that would become a difficult endeavor.

This is bad. What are you doing, guys?

If it was like this, there would be no hope against those "disasters", and especially..."that" disaster.

"So, what are we planning to do? Jump in and help?" Lee Jihye pointed down to the tense situation.

Jung Youngho and Na Bori kept quiet, but they also looked at me with the same question.

"Since Min Jiwon said not to interfere and wait, then that's what we'll do. Right now, us joining in might make things worse. Wait a moment, I'll message Min Jiwon and tell her we arrived." I told them.

Despite being unwilling to join into this muddy tension-filled stand-off, there was no hiding from it.

So the only other way was to get a clearer picture on the state of things.

[Hello, we've arrived and we can see your stand-off. However, I'm not sure what's going on exactly. Mind filling me in?]

I waited for a reply.

[The other kings are here. I trust that you already know? Still, remain where you are and wait for my command to head over. Remember, do not get involved until I tell you to.]

Min Jiwon gave a quick reply amidst the fluttering flags, but Min Jiwon didn't give an explanation.

Either she was too preoccupied to explain how she got into the situation, or she was unwilling to give me this piece of information, or a factor of both, I didn't get anything I didn't know already.

Still, I expected this, since Min Jiwon didn't appear to like to inform outsiders anything.

Well, oh well. Just let her do her, and you do you.

Afterall, if anyone, Min Jiwon would be the one to swallow the bitter fruit, so there wasn't a need to get frustrated over it.

Having gotten all there it was, I relayed Min Jiwon's words to the others.

"She says to just wait until she gives us a signal."

Having said so, I was the first one to sit down, my legs tired from the journey.

Seriously, I should consider upgrading my physique stat.

I exhaled as the others also sat down in a circle following my example.

Like this, a friendly gathering of friends sat down without heeding the apocalyptic scenery, nor any of the lurking dangers.

Since, after all, Jung Youngho had draped the invisibility cloak over the four of us.

It was a very interesting experience since we could still "see" the outside, but now the "outside" couldn't see us.

If not for the weight on my head, I wouldn't think there was anything there.

And if there was any trouble, I was sure the three sitting in the friendship circle could handle it.

So, we began our wait.

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