Chapter 179
At Song Ha-Young’s question, Cha Jin-Hyeok confusedly tilted his head. “Don’t you know where this is?”
“...”
[Attach picture]
Ha-Young realized that this drawing(?) was like a map pointing to a particular place.
“So, these pointy triangles are roofs, and these squares are windows,” he explained.
Several drawings resembling houses were sketched on the paper. Another drawing looked like waves, but whether it was a stream or a creek was unclear.
“Ah, and these look like sailboats, not leaves.” Jin-Hyeok took his pen and wrote leaves beside the picture, then crossed it out and wrote sailboats.
Astonished, Ha-Young asked again, “And these floating things are clouds, right? So, this is a drawing of a landscape?”
“Clearly.”
She locked eyes with him. It felt like confronting the depths of an unfathomable universe.
‘Why is he so confident?’ Ha-Young thought.
She could not understand why he thought it would be normal for her to determine the location just from this drawing, wondering where such confidence came from.
“...So, you are saying I should deduce the location from this drawing?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“...What exactly do you think I am?”
“A competent Thief and an informant?”
Ha-Young flinched. Jin-Hyeok’s compliment resonated in her mind. She replied, “I appreciate you seeing me like that, but I can’t tell the location from this. But are you actually being serious?”
“...”
He seemed dead serious.
“...Wow, you are. You thought I could pinpoint the location just from this drawing?”
‘What’s with his expression? It’s as if I should know it!’
Ha-Young was dumbfounded, but Jin-Hyeok looked slightly disappointed.
“So you don’t know?” He clicked his tongue.
Ha-Young was speechless at his expression.
‘Is this something to be disappointed about?’
This filled her with a surge of determination. “Give me more specific details. Like, what color were these roofs?”
“Uh... They seemed sort of red.”
“Where did you see this landscape?”
“I glimpsed it on TV or Eltube while scrolling. It appeared briefly in the background during an interview.”
‘I knew there was more to it!’
Ha-Young saw a glimmer of hope. “Then give me the link to that video.”
“It’s gone now.”
“Why?”
“It was deleted.”
“...”
The video Jin-Hyeok had seen was from before his regression. It was a brief interview with the Paper Sorcerer, Makendra. The location was uncertain, but the landscape had briefly appeared in it. Makendra had acquired Picasso’s Brush in that area. This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com
~
A few days later, Jin-Hyeok beamed. “Yes! That’s the place. See? I told you that you could do it.”
“It’s been a while since we Played as a party. We need to maintain our teamwork so that it doesn’t get rusty,” Jin-Hyeok said.
“We are... a party?” Ji-Soo said.
“What are you talking about?” he asked.
“We’re a team?” Ji-Ah said, reacting similarly.
“Why are you making such a fuss over the obvious?”
“Really? You really think of us as a team?” Ji-Soo asked again.
“How many times do I have to say it?”
Ji-Soo suddenly hugged him. “I thought you didn’t need us anymore, Oppa.”
Then, she started crying in his arms. For a moment, he felt like sharp thorns were pricking his heart.
‘Is this a new kind of assassination technique?’
Jin-Hyeok wondered if they were testing it on him since Kaylin and Do-Hyeong often tested their new skills on him. So, he decided not to let his guard down.
‘Wait, Ji-Ah too?’
While she was not hugging him outright like her sister was, Ji-Ah had come close to him and was lightly holding onto his clothes.
‘That’s weird. It does not seem like an assassination attempt. But why do I feel pain in my heart?’
***
A couple of days ago, the Seo Sisters were having a conversation. They were always mentally prepared for Jin-Hyeok to leave them.
“Our Jobs are not that special compared to that of other Players. You know that right?” Ji-Soo said.
Ji-Ah nodded. The sisters were aware of their limitations. Although they were currently maintaining their top positions through collaborative synergy, it was only a matter of time before they would lose their spot.
Ji-Soo bit her lip tightly. “In a world where effort alone is not enough, maintaining our position in Jin-Hyeok’s team... it’s going to be harder and harder.”
“...Are you sad?”
“Yes, I am sad. We are trying really hard not to let Jin-Hyeok down as his original party members. But honestly, I don’t know how long we can keep this up.”
“...”
“Maybe we are already drifting apart. Jin-Hyeok now has the leader of the Black Thorn Alliance, Do-Hyeong, and Kaylin by his side.”
Ji-Ah shook her head. “We just need to do our best in our own way. We need to be more intense.”
“You’re right. But it still makes me sad. Sometimes, I wish we had never been his original party members from the start. Why can’t we have 9-Star Jobs?”
“It’s just a classification people made up. We shouldn’t set our limits just because of our Jobs.”
“I know you feel it too, Unnie. I think it’s more brave to acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged.”
“...”
The concept of rating Players’ Jobs in Stars was more of an arbitrary distinction people had made on their own, but Ji-Ah and Ji-Soo were feeling it in their bones.
“We are already starting to notice the difference between our growth rate and that of the Players with 9-Star Jobs.”
The sisters felt the existence of a small gap that effort alone could not close. This small gap was certain to grow over time. Eventually, Jin-Hyeok would discard them; even if he did not do it himself, they would no longer be able to hold their positions as his original party members.
However, today, the Seo sisters heard what Jin-Hyeok truly thought of them.
“It’s been a while since we Played as a party. We need to maintain our teamwork so that it doesn’t get rusty,”
Those words felt particularly comforting.
‘Someday, if we become unworthy as Oppa’s party members, we will leave on our own...’
But that time was not now. Jin-Hyeok’s words about being a team moved Ji-Soo and Ji-Ah. But Jin-Hyeok found it difficult to understand why they were acting this way. Having given up on understanding them, he did not make much effort to do so.
“But, I have a question,” Jin-Hyeok said. He was curious about something. “When exactly are you guys going to attack me?”
‘I am waiting, you know,’ he thought.
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