Chapter 348
Isabel, who was strangling Alshas until the life support device attached to her body sent a danger signal, soon lost consciousness. This is because it was not long after the brain transplant, so his physical condition was not normal.
“I confirmed that the signals sent from my younger brother’s brain were amplified more than necessary. They turn to external support systems until they can stabilize themselves.”
PS-111 began tuning Isabelle’s fallen body by connecting cables and various electronic devices.
I passed out shortly after waking up, but I’m not particularly worried. If the tuning process is successful, you will wake up again.
‘good. then….’
I pointed the tip of the snout at Alshas lying on the floor.
The pistol that Isabel used until she fainted.
It probably refers to the weapon used to fight enemies in past memories. It is presumed that Cynthia took it with her after tricking him.
Jason said that Cynthia took care of the equipment of the rankers she hunted. And so far, he has hunted at least two rankers with Jason.
‘I wasn’t carrying any weapons when I fought in the space fortress.’
There was no way I would have just thrown away the equipment I got from Isabelle, Penelope, and other rankers. It’s probably hidden somewhere.
And there is someone in front of me who can know that place.
The guy who came back from the dead felt my gaze and stiffened. When I brought my head closer, it started shaking.
“We still have some calculations to make, right?”
“I really don’t know anything. Oh, really! Please believe me!”
Given the circumstances, it is highly likely that Cynthia was the one who enslaved Isabel. And at some point, Alshas took over control of Isabel from Cynthia.
There was no way Cynthia, who was acting as a double spy, would entrust the management of Ranker to someone she did not trust. Even if they are colleagues from the same faction. If they are close friends, they would know where Cynthia hides the equipment she acquired.
‘Now that I look at him, he seems to be in good spirits.’
Since the conversation is going well, there doesn’t seem to be any problem in taking out information.
“Cynthia, who entrusted Isabelle to you. “Tell me everything you know about him.”
“Si, Cynthia? “He’s just my colleague, all I know is…”
“If you don’t know anything, there’s no reason for you to be alive.”
“…If I tell you, will you save my life?”
“okay. You won’t die. “I promise.”
Heavenly Mother, who was helping PS-111 take care of Isabelle, glanced at me. The look in his eyes asked if this was the beginning again.
“Should we change seats?”
“Yes…hiik?!”
I picked up Alshas with my fighting arms.
「Where is the big baby going?」
「Me」「Together」「Go」
「Wait a minute. The coldbloods Isabel brought with them haven’t eaten yet. Can you two help me?”
“Are you humans with so many appendages hungry?”
“Cute dwarf.” “I’ll help you.”
“Instead of what we eat, you can go to the restaurant and bring us the leftover food.”
“Yes.”
Number 26 and Adhai, who were following me, left for the restaurant to bring food to the 40 Coldbloods.
‘Now that I think about it, I need to think about what to do with the 40 people.’
You can’t keep burning it on a giga cracker. We need to put them on a safe planet so they can survive on their own.
‘It’s a safe place.’
They know a lot about us. If we happen to come into contact with other rankers, information about us may be leaked.
Therefore, it is not a matter of being safe. It’s a good idea to move to a planet that other players don’t know about.
‘Shall we send it to the dragon’s nest?’
A frozen underground kingdom ruled by Ham Ort on behalf of Adhaj. It’s a planet that doesn’t appear in the game, and to get to the underworld, you have to go down through a thick layer of ice. Even if another ship accidentally discovers the planet, it is not easy to check the underworld.
‘The basement under the ice isn’t a bad place for Coldbloods to live.’
Plus, it will be safer than any other planet since it will be protected by the Gallagons. It’s a thought that came to mind in passing, but it seems surprisingly good.
‘It couldn’t have happened in the first place.’
It’s hard to believe when you look at Aadhai, but gallagons are very vicious. They are hostile to all creatures other than their own group. It is not a creature inspired by Western dragons for nothing.
Of course, I am considered a member of the Aadhai group. If you ask Ham Ort to protect the Coldbloods, he will most likely listen.
‘You could just entrust it with helping incubate the eggs or raise the Blue Gallagon.’
I will have to talk about this with Heavenly Mother later.
After organizing my thoughts, I took Alshas and moved to the hangar.
“Let’s start with Cynthia first.”
After arriving at the hangar, I asked Alshas some questions.
He answered as best he could to satisfy me. I couldn’t find the slightest trace of mocking me in Berzan 02.
Moreover, he must have really wanted to die, so he told everything about not only Cynthia but also his colleagues. Thanks to this, I was able to learn a lot of interesting facts.
‘The 4th and 7th places joined forces.’
As I guessed when Alshas received support from Outspacer, Outspacer ranker and 7th ranked cult ranker Beomho were in a cooperative relationship. Outspacer and the cult are incompatible, but it was unclear what cooperation was received in return.
According to him, Beom-ho persuaded No. 4 to join the same team.
‘More than that, it’s been over 30 years since the 4th person came to this world. ‘It’s a big deal.’
The 4th place player in the game was the type that steadily grew its colony and overwhelmed the opponent. Outspacers are a race that is weak individually, but quickly becomes stronger when large numbers of people gather together. 4th place can be seen as having a play style that best matches their race.
Since it has grown steadily over a long period of 30 years, the size of the colony is likely larger than expected. Additionally, it is said that the Outspacer player ranked 37th has also joined the 4th ranked colony.
Since the two rankers have joined forces, they may be able to take down the cult empire once and for all.
‘I too have become something other than the standard, but I have to be careful.’
There will be perks based on the genetic essence accumulated over 30 years, so if you are going to fight, you must do your best.
‘Anyway, this confirms who the returning members are.’
Alshas said that, excluding himself, two outspacer rankers, and Beomho, there are two more rankers. Of the two, Wolf Ranker said he was in charge of managing the faction’s equipment.
“If you say Wolf Ranker, do you mean 9th place?”
“9th place is dead. “The person who manages our equipment is someone else.”
9th place is the highest ranking among Wolf Rankers. Unlike the Heavenly Mother, who is good at fighting while transformed, he is the type that prefers to fight using a fleet in his beastman form.
Seeing that he declared that he was dead, I think he might have been killed by the returning faction.
“Where is he hiding?”
“It’s in Asuka 44 in the Dorane star system. “It is an unknown volcanic planet.”
“It’s a volcanic planet.”
I tried to make Wolff-specific equipment for Mother of Heaven, and it just turned out well. Since you have already obtained the most important material, Vortex One’s body, you can obtain the remaining mineral materials there.
‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to stop by while I’m looking for Isabelle’s pistol.’
“good. I knew Wolf Ranker’s location. “Where did the other one go?”
“Well, well, I don’t know the details. All I know is that I went to do something else under Beomho’s instructions. ”
He added hastily, scratching the hangar floor with his combat claws.
‘It looks like Beomho is taking on the role of brain.’
I expected that to happen.
He is good at outwitting the enemy by utilizing various variables. He could be said to be similar to me in that he enjoys using unusual tactics.
“Where is the tiger’s stronghold?”
“My friend is always wandering around, so I don’t know where he is right now.”
“What are his perks?”
Alshas answered my question hesitantly.
“Well, I’ve never had a deep conversation before…”
“Really?”
The answer I received was that I didn’t know, but I wasn’t particularly disappointed.
Beomho is a player with similar tendencies to me. I had already expected that even if they were from the same faction, they would not share their information.
“You’re following someone you don’t know anything about. “You trust people more than I thought.”
“That’s not it.”
“No?”
“Beomho knows a way to return us to the real world. That’s why I also follow the cause of the returnees.”
“If there’s a way to bring them back, do you mean the ending?”
Alshas shook his head at my question.
“It is impossible to see the ending the way it is in the game.”
“It’s impossible. “How do you know that?”
“Before the Return Sect was created, Beomho attempted the final mission with other rankers but failed. 9th place was also dead at that time.”
Now that I think about it, I once heard a similar story from Heavenly Mother.
In the past, several rankers, including first place, challenged the final mission.
At that time, they used some method to meet the conditions for challenging the mission. Looking back, I think each ranker used the perks they received.
But they failed, and I heard that the conflict between rankers began after that.
“That’s an interesting story. “What way do you want to see the ending?”
“I don’t know that either.”
“You don’t know?”
“The only person who perfectly knows the method is Beomho. “Because it would be difficult if the plan were leaked.”
“It’s not wise to lie to me.”
“Well, it’s not a lie! Beom-ho tells me parts of the plan whenever necessary, so I know very little!”
I have several ways to detect someone else’s lies. You can use parasites or make them into human face bugs.
There is no way Alshas, a ranker, wouldn’t know that, so he wouldn’t lie or try to deceive.
However, apart from not lying, there is one question.
‘I don’t think either Cynthia or Alshas would trust others easily.’
Cynthia was a double agent, and Alshas is selling out his colleagues to survive. It will not be easy to gain trust from these people.
‘Or is there some other factor?’
There may be something about Beom-ho that Alshas himself is not aware of. Things like perks or brainwashing-related techniques that I don’t know about.
‘I don’t know what it is, but I need to be careful.’
First of all, I confirmed all the important things.
I asked him the last question.
“Have you ever had a vision while clearing a quest?”
“yes?”
“They say that the closer you get to the ending, the more your memories of the real world appear as illusions. “Who did you look like in your fantasy?”
The guy who heard me was silent for a moment and then opened his mouth.
“I became what I was when I was human. “I killed the incarnated enemy of the cult in this world, in my mansion.”
He was the opposite of Jason. This is because Jason had a vision of killing ‘his former human self’ in the body of a cult.
“At what point did that happen?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to ask questions.”
“…I saw it when I cleared stage 10 of the quest.”
Jason also said he had a vision in level 10. Only the choices were different for both, but the point in time when they saw the illusion was the same.
“After that?”
“According to the words of Beomho and the 4th Empress, they say that from then on, they have visions of returning to life in reality.”
“Real life?”
“They said they were preparing us so we could adapt safely.”
I asked the question without much expectation, but the answer was unexpectedly interesting.
Three of the members of the Returning Sect saw visions related to reality. There is almost certainly a connection between factions and fantasy.
‘Furthermore, they said that fantasy plays a role in helping people adapt to reality.’
Perhaps, as you get closer to the ending, the fantasy you see changes depending on the identity you have decided on. If you choose the human form, you see life in the real world, and if you choose this world, you see life in space survival as a fantasy.
‘We’ll have to talk about this when Isabel wakes up.’
“good. “There is nothing more to ask.”
“Is that so?”
I got enough information to be helpful. I got up.
Alshas, who was lying in front of me, looked up at me with expectant eyes.
“Hey, you promised, right? “If you answer the question, they will save your life.”
“okay.”
“Okay, then I’ll just go.”
Having lost all of his limbs and part of his lower body, he crawled towards the remaining airship in the hangar.
I blocked the guy who was crawling like a slug with my fighting arms. He forced a smile and tried to slide off to the side, but I was faster.
I picked it up with four long fingers. And the head in the center opened its mouth wide. When he saw my mouth wide open, his complexion suddenly became pale.
“Sa, you promised that you would save me!”
“okay. “I promised.”
“I will never mess with you again! “I won’t go against Amov’s wishes!”
I brought the rest of his body to my mouth. The guy hanging on to my finger was trying his best to get away.
‘It’s meaningless, though.’
“Well, please send it to me! Lord, I don’t want to die!”
“You don’t die.”
“yes?”
“The form and character will be a bit different.”
“Seo, really?”
I meant it when I said I would save him.
However, I don’t know when he might betray me if I leave it like this, so I’m just trying to take ‘some action’.
“Kyaaaaah! Hey, I hate human beings! I don’t like it! “Please don’t do this!”
It jumps around like a fish in the water. But there’s no way a guy who couldn’t run away even if he had arms and legs could run away now.
The face, which was very beautiful as expected from a cult, was stained with tears, saliva and other secretions. The dignity of the ranker who was mocking me in Berzan 02 was gone.
I threw him into the wide open mouth.
“Si, I hate it! “I don’t want to die like this…”
As I closed my mouth, the screaming stopped. The sweet scent spreads to every corner of your tongue, palate, and teeth. It was a scent that made you feel good, like eating cool peppermint candy.
It would be nice to keep it in your mouth, but you can’t do that forever. I passed what was Alshas down my throat.
and.
“Predation effect activated! Succeeded in stealing ‘Alshas’ (Olivia Green)’s privilege! 」
「Can be fused with the possessed ‘Three Heads’ and ‘Smog Tower’. Please select a characteristic. The result of your choice is influenced by the characteristics of the material used.”
“PS: You are at a crossroads of important choices. Please choose carefully. 」
「Time remaining until attribute selection: 24:00;00」
「Eligible for use of the attribute enhancement system. Do you want to use the system?”
A text box seen in the Dragon’s Nest in the past.
A new ‘mark of a strong enemy’ awaits my choice.
A word from the author (author’s review) The quarantine period is over, but the problem is that I have a severe cough and my head is dizzy. I
will make up for the portion I missed on Sunday later.
2022/12/07
There was a setting error, so it will be corrected.
Among the strong enemy token materials, ‘Ghost Nest’ is changed to ‘Smog Tower’.
Until now, the Strong Enemy’s Mark has always been made using normal traits as materials, but Ghost Nest is a nest-related fusion trait.
Since it is a trait that has never been used yet, some people have asked what it is.
It was obtained when receiving creatures from Alkadi in Berzan 02. The characteristic effect was set to show illusions to multiple enemies through the fog in the nest.
This characteristic will likely be used later, not this time. Watch the next episode.”