novelzi Chapter 284
Chapter 284
Chapter 284
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◈ I’m an Infinite Regressor, But I’ve Got Stories to Tell
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The Hypocrite III
After subjugating the Mastermind and venturing beyond the Ural Mountains, I traveled overseas multiple times with Ji-won.
The reason was simple.
“Ji-won, did you get a good look at New Delhi?”
“Yes, it’s now visible on the Mini-Map.”
“Good. Next, let’s visit Naryan-Mar.”
The goal was to familiarize Ji-won with the cities beyond the mountains and the key figures living within them.
As you may already know, once Ji-won fulfills certain conditions, she can mark targets on her Mini-Map. This allowed the Command Center of the National Road Management Corps to have a map of not only the Korean Peninsula but also the Japanese Archipelago and the entire Eurasian continent as well. Thanks to this, I was able to grasp international affairs remotely, at least to a certain extent.
For someone like me, who planned to establish a multinational coalition that would surpass the Korean Awakener Alliance someday, traveling abroad with Ji-won wasn’t optional—it was essential.
The same went for the 703rd cycle.
“Hmm?”
However, the moment we hastily made our return to the Korean Peninsula after marking down Naryan-Mar, I felt an unsettling sense of dissonance.
Something was different.
‘...Why isn’t the Saintess welcoming me?’
Usually, upon my return to the Korean Peninsula, the Saintess’s telepathy would soon greet me warmly.
[Have you returned, Mr. Undertaker?] or [Nothing unusual happened here while you were away, Mr. Undertaker.] Alternatively, [Mr. Undertaker, there’s trouble! A strange Void appeared while you were gone!]
My travels with Ji-won weren’t vacations but, instead, missions with clear objectives. Thus, our departure and return dates were always predetermined. It was evident when and where I would return. Yet, strangely, the Saintess’s voice was absent that day.
“G-Guild Leader, you’re back?”
Instead, Ah-ryeon awaited me at the rendezvous point.
She dismissed her escort team and sent them far away, then turned to me and hesitated, looking nervous—a rare expression for someone acting as the Saintess of the North. It was as though she had done something wrong.
“Ah-ryeon, why are you here?”
“Well... The Saintess...”
She glanced at Ji-won briefly. Whatever understanding passed between their exchanged glances had Ji-won taking a few steps back in response.
Then Ah-ryeon covered her mouth with the back of her hand and whispered softly, “The Saintess... has passed away.”
The Saintess had always boasted an overwhelming survival rate compared to my other allies, including those of the Regressor Alliance.
Not 100%, of course. Like anyone else, the Saintess occasionally died.
In the 670th cycle, she slipped and fell to her death while strolling on the Seongsu Bridge. In another, she was mistakenly killed by an ally. During the 687th cycle, an Outer God directly caused an earthquake in Seoul, annihilating her.
“She was found near Sinuiju...” Do-hwa muttered at the Saintess’s funeral as she cleaned her monocle. “My guess is that she went out to greet you on the day you returned...”
“The Saintess, who was a hardcore homebody.”
“Well, it’s not like I know myself. Maybe she ventured into unfamiliar territory around Sinuiju and encountered a strange Anomaly.”
Such incidents had occurred before, after all.
I thoroughly retraced the Saintess’s path, examining every detail. However, there was no evidence of interference from an Outer God or the Mastermind.
It was a simple accident. The Saintess had ventured further than usual to welcome me after my long-distance mission. During this rare excursion, an unexpected Anomaly claimed her life.
“You should’ve insisted on warning her, telling her to stay put and never wander outside.” When I didn’t respond, she pushed, “I’ll ask directly. Undertaker, why didn’t you?”
True, if I had persistently indoctrinated her with warnings about the dangers of the world outside, prohibited even her occasional strolls, and earnestly begged her to remain inside, especially since she could freeze time to monitor the entire peninsula without leaving her home, then she might have agreed.
“Yes, I understand,” she likely would have agreed with her usual emotionless expression, accepting my logic that it was safer.
This “what if” scenario surfaced vividly in my mind, so vivid that I had to shake my head to dispel the thought.
“Noh Do-hwa, Chief of the National Road Management Corps. I see regression not as a method to limit possibilities but to explore numerous alternatives.”
“Hmm...?”
- The Constellations are dead, and for 20 days, the Korean Awakeners endured unparalleled agony...!
Some people declared their newfound freedom and acted recklessly. However, most remained faithful.
- The Constellations are being held by that damned Collector! They’re watching us even if they can’t speak for now.
- Live however you want, but when the Constellations return, they’ll punish lawbreakers first!
- The Constellations are watching you!
The overwhelming majority clung to their connection with the Constellations. This steadfastness resulted in a favorable ratio of 1:9, where only one out of ten acted out. Still, even this small percentage led to crimes that hadn’t occurred while the Saintess was present.
“This cycle leaves us no choice but to fortify our foundations...”
“Pardon? What was that, boss?”
“Nothing. I was just thinking I’ll have to work even harder.”
“Geez, you’re the most diligent person I’ve ever seen. Even earlier, you worked your legs off with me during training.”
“Exercise is necessary, no matter how busy you are.”
Time passed in a blur.
The schedule of a regressor was already grueling, but filling in for the Saintess made it all the more demanding. I was so busy that upon returning to the Inunaki Tunnel, Dok-seo and Ha-yul would rush over in concern.
“Whoa, are you okay, mister? Your under-eye circles look like Do-hwa’s now.”
“I’m fine. It’s manageable.”
“...”
“You’ve gotten really good at shoulder massages, Ha-yul. I don’t feel any tension at all.”
Through relentless effort, I managed to maintain the Korean Peninsula’s security and unity. Thankfully, my advanced Awakeners physique allowed me to function even after over a week without sleep. Otherwise, my mind would have crumbled long ago.
“Welcome back, Your Excellency.”
Oh, right.
In the 703rd cycle, Ji-won ended up staying in the Inunaki Tunnel instead of the National Road Management Corps’ headquarters.
With the Saintess gone, the strategic value of Ji-won’s Mini-Map had become critical. It allowed us to track Awakeners’ movements, establish alibis, and monitor disappearances.
Without the Mini-Map, my schedule would have exceeded its limits.
“Well done today, Your Excellency.”
“Thanks, Ji-won. But why are you still in uniform even here? You can dress casually where you live, you know?”
“I find this uniform to be the most comfortable attire.”
Ji-won always wore her National Road Management Corps uniform, even when off-duty.
“That’s fair,” I conceded. “Anyway, no major disappearances while I was gone, right?”
“There were six disappearances in total.”
“Oh no. Were they due to Anomalies?”
“Various causes. They’re individual cases rather than group disappearances.”
Regrettably, I couldn’t personally investigate every missing person. Even when the Saintess was alive, such a task was impossible.
The following years were a whirlwind of activity. Ji-won’s role grew closer to that of my personal secretary than of a team leader. She spent as much time waiting in the Inunaki Tunnel as she did reporting to the Corps.
‘...It feels like the 5th cycle again.’
Back then, Ji-won was my direct underling before she began building her career as a key figure within the Corps.
It was a natural fit for us, and not just in my eyes either—her gaze toward me occasionally carried a hint of camaraderie that had been absent in earlier cycles.
“Undertaker, it’s been a while since you brewed me coffee...”
“Hmm? Oh, sure.”
One day, Do-hwa called for a private meeting. Her off-handed comment caught me off guard.
“Team Leader Yu has been abducting people lately. Any idea why...?”
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