Chapter 96
A black woman, roughly thirty years old in appearance, was in a room filled with dolls, held by a giant bear stuffed toy like a little girl.
“It’s Monday of the first week, Madam Negrita,” said an Asian woman in a colorful dress.
“Mmm... I’m too lazy.”
“You must work, even if that’s the case. You know how many people are waiting for your prophecies.”
Negrita sighed and opened the bear stuffed toy’s zipper. Countless letter envelopes poured out of the stuffed toy.
“This is from Gao Weiguang... This one’s from Lazarus... Hm? There’s even one from El Chapo. He’s asking when it’s okay to leave the Cecil Hotel, huh?”
She continued to say the names of High Rankers and Rankers.
“Alright! I’ve decided on these three today!”
Negrita grabbed three letters and summoned her D Weapon, Evil Spirit’s Ouija Board.
[Evil Spirit’s Ouija Board (Destiny Weapon)
Rank: A(55)
Description: A board possessed by Ouija, an evil spirit who tells the future. The user can ask questions until Ouija grows sick of them. Ouija will answer Yes, No, or in sentences depending on its mood. However, Ouija will grow stronger the more questions the user asks.
Unique Skill: Speak to me, Ouija]
...
A wooden board a meter long and seventy centimeters wide appeared. Yes and No were engraved on each top corner, and the alphabet from A to Z and numbers from zero to nine were engraved throughout the board. A wooden arrow that looked like a mouse pointer was on the board.
Negrita took deep breaths and activated her skill.
[Activating Unique Skill: Speak to me, Ouija.]
An unsettling green mana enveloped the Ouija board.
“Ouija, Ouija, are you here?”
The wooden arrow pointed toward Yes.
“Okay. Ouija, can El Chapo leave the Cecil Hotel?”
The wooden arrow pointed toward No.
“Ouija, is what Lazarus plans to do a threat to his life?”
The wooden arrow pointed toward Yes.
“Ouija, is Clan Seven Sword’s next dungeon excavation optimistic?”
The wooden arrow pointed toward No.
The more questions Ouija answered, the thicker and more dangerous the green mana enveloping the board became.
“You must stop, Madam Negrita,” the Asian lady remarked.
“Huuu. I know. One last thing. Ouija, do you have anything you want to tell me?”
The wooden arrow slowly slid along the wooden board and pointed toward Yes.
The Asian lady gasped as her eyes widened. It had been six months since Ouija expressed that it had something to tell Negrita.
“What... do you want to tell me?” Negrita asked.
The wooden arrow pointed at the alphabet one by one.
G—R—O—U—P
“Group...”
L—O—S—T
“Lost...”
L—A—M—B—S
“Lambs...”
1
“One? W-what? Ouija! Do you mean one week? Or one year—Kyaaah!”
The green mana enveloping the Ouija board took the shape of a hand and started strangling Negrita. Her skin cracked as if her life force was being sucked away.
“Madam Negrita!”
The Asian woman in the colorful dress pulled out a brass bar with twelve bells attached to it and frantically shook it. It was a ceremonial rattle used by shamans.
[Activating Unique Skill: Exorcising Bell.]
“Begone, evil spirit!”
A clamorous exorcism commenced.
***
Cards from Seong-Hwi’s Tarot Deck of Destiny flew around the drawing room.
As Remy watched the spectacle, he remarked, “I don’t believe you.”
Seong-Hwi replied, “It doesn’t matter what you believe. It is an inevitable future.”
“Hah! You expect me to believe the rest of the humans on Earth will be Lost as one group once we reclaim a city in the fourth zone? That makes no sense!”
Seong-Hwi remained unfazed by Remy’s shouts. He was telling the truth. It was one of the most important incidents for humanity in his past life. The phenomenon was named Lost-All because every human still on Earth was sent to the Mirror World, and its trigger was the reclamation of a fourth zone human city.
The reclamation process of the fourth zone was slow in my past life.
At the time, humanity was in no position to recover cities because the Union was on the verge of war against Humilitas, and they had not received information about the fourth zone cities from Abyete. However, that changed after Seong-Hwi’s intervention; the pioneering faction was speeding up the fourth zone reclamation.
“I would guess... It will happen in one month,” Seong-Hwi remarked.
Remy’s eyes widened. He expected the Yeouido reclamation operation to take roughly one month.
“S-Seong-Hwi... Are you serious? How can that be?” Jurie asked.
Even she, who trusted Seong-Hwi’s ability, was skeptical. That was how absurd the thought of the rest of humanity on Earth being Lost was.
Seong-Hwi answered, “I’m dead serious. They’ll pour into the Mirror World without carrying out the mandatory quest.”
“Without... the mandatory quest?” Jurie asked in shock.
The Path to the Mirror World, the mandatory quest in the Dark Forest, was dreadful but also necessary. It was a rite of passage, showing people how to survive in the Mirror World. It was like a vaccine.
“If that happens... countless will die,” Jurie mumbled.
Falling into the Mirror World without preparation or knowledge was like throwing people into the Amazon River filled with piranhas and pouring pig blood into it.
“Yes, they will,” Seong-Hwi answered.
He remembered the day that people named Bloody Friday. Countless people were Lost to the Mirror World. Not just in the Capital but every city reclaimed by humans. People who knew nothing filled the streets. The Union was also unprepared for such a crisis. They lacked the time to prepare appropriate measures, resulting in countless deaths.
They were easy prey for Dark Humans and the Chaos, and some even committed suicide. Even estimating roughly, millions of humans died on that day alone.
“Everything that happened during the mandatory quest is overlooked. The Union made that rule to prevent fellow humans from harming each other,” Seong-Hwi continued.
“Baptism...” Remy mumbled.
Whatever happened in the Dark Forest stayed in the Dark Forest. It was both a solace and a suffering. Remy couldn’t let himself forget about killing Vivienne.
“Because of that, humans jokingly call themselves Baptists as if they were forgiven for their sins. In that sense, the people who reach the Mirror World through the Lost-All have no sins in the first place,” Seong-Hwi remarked.
“Hah! Then what would you call them? Lambs?” Remy said as he snorted.
Just then, a chair fell and its sound echoed throughout the drawing room. Jurie’s pale face had turned even paler.
“Y-you... could it be?” Jurie said, staring at Seong-Hwi.
“What’s wrong, Jurie?” Remy asked.
However, Jurie kept her eyes on Seong-Hwi. She then turned around and stared at the new name of her hotel, Fence for the Lambs.
“Holy... shit!” she cursed, recalling the contents of Seong-Hwi’s letter he sent her a while ago.
I had an odd divination in my morning tarot card reading. It was about innocent lambs being released into a field en masse. There were no fences or herding dogs, so many of them were devoured by wolves.
If you trust my reading and buy the lodgings, you will become a true benefactor. You will become a shepherd, and the buildings you purchase will become a fence for the lambs.
“Were you... preparing for this the whole time?” Jurie mumbled.
She thought Seong-Hwi told her to buy lodging to become rich through real estate. Hence, she had planned on giving him a percentage of the profits once she began to earn passive income through the hotels.
But it was all in preparation for the lambs to come... If Seong-Hwi is telling the truth, the lambs with no Coins or Karma will wander the streets, and they’ll be easy prey for Dark Humans.
Jurie stared at Seong-Hwi in amazement, but Seong-Hwi averted his eyes from her gaze.
Don’t look at me like that, Jurie. I’m not as noble as you think I am, Seong-Hwi said inwardly.
He had sent the letter to Jurie, thinking it couldn’t be helped even if it didn’t work out. He spent most of his time obtaining the Wings of Evolution, and his preparations for the lambs were all but a contingency. The more he could save, the better, but he wouldn’t lose sleep over being unable to save as many of them as possible.
Remy stood up. “I can’t believe this. That’s enough. I’m busy.”
“Dad!”
“I only heard him out up to this point because he is your friend, Jurie. I can only tolerate so much nonsense.”
As he was about to leave the drawing room, a Martin clansman barged into the room with a letter.
“Clan Leader! We just received a letter from Exorcist’s Travelogue!”
The letter flew out of the clansman’s hand and into Remy’s.
“Whoa!”
“You may leave,” Remy said.
“Yes, sir!” the clansman said as he left.
Remy opened the letter, and his expression froze as if he had seen a ghost. There wasn’t much written in the letter, but it was enough for him to collapse back on the chair.
G—R—O—U—P
L—O—S—T
L—A—M—B—S
1
Negrita
“That’s... impossible...” Remy mumbled, his voice filling the drawing room.
***
Exorcist’s Travelogue was a clan affiliated with the Union. It wasn’t big, but it held significant authority because the Black Saintess Negrita was a member. She was a verified specialist D Weapon user with a prophecy ability, which not everyone could establish as a rule.
Remy had developed an amicable relationship with Exorcist’s Travelogue, allowing him to be one of the few humans who could receive her prophecies. But of course, the prophecies were often difficult to decipher because they were sometimes snippets of a word or downright incomprehensible.
Group, lost, lambs, one, Remy repeated the words on the letter inwardly.
This letter would have also been difficult to understand a few hours ago.
From only this, anyone would think the number of Lost newbies would increase in the next season.
The clans who received this information would likely compete to become the next Edu principal. However, Remy interpreted the letter differently after his conversation with Seong-Hwi.
“Cheon Seong-Hwi, was it? Join Clan Martin,” Remy said.
“I will respectfully decline,” Seong-Hwi answered.
“I’m sure the rebound for your prophecies is no joke. We can help you.”
“I’m fine.”
Remy did not pursue further as Seong-Hwi continued to decline. He read the letter again and said, “Lost-All, huh? What an absurd variable.”
“Allow me to ask you the questions this time. Remy Martin, do you still plan to continue the reclamation of the fourth zone?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“Of course,” Remy answered without hesitation.
“Dad!” Jurie shouted. “Weren’t you listening to Seong-Hwi? The Lost-All will happen once humans reclaim a city in the fourth zone!”
“Even so, the reclamation cannot be delayed. If it will happen sooner or later, it should happen sooner,” Remy said firmly.
Seong-Hwi nodded, having expected the response.
Then it’s safe to assume the Lost-All will happen in one month, he said inwardly.
“But... I will have the Union make ample preparations,” Remy continued.
“I’ve heard item prices have gone down significantly thanks to the agreement between Humiltas and Lee Kang-San. I’m sure the people who were panic-buying are putting everything they bought on the market,” Seong-Hwi added.
Remy grinned. “Are you sure you don’t want to join Clan Martin?”
Seong-Hwi shook his head. Remy expressed disappointment and said, “We should purchase mainly low-ranking items. Yes... and start a rental business once the lambs get here.”
“They should be allowed to use them for free initially.”
“Of course. Turning them into escapers is the last thing we want.”
“And...”
Seong-Hwi and Remy had an attentive discussion as if they were long-lost friends.
Seeing that, Jurie said to Gerard, “Gramps, I kinda feel like... my dad was taken from me.”
“Do you understand how I feel now?” Gerard remarked.
“Huh?”
Jurie turned to Gerard, but he slightly turned away.
***
Seong-Hwi and Remy’s long discussion was mostly finished.
“Why did you tell me, of all people, such important information?” Remy asked.
“Because you’re the purest of them,” Seong-Hwi answered.
“Pure... huh? That’s the first time I’ve been called pure.”
“Your goal is to obtain the Master Stone, right?”
Remy nodded hesitantly.
Seong-Hwi continued, “When we first arrived in the Mirror World, the Akasha Message told us that all life in the Mirror World is bound by duty to obtain the Master Stone.”
“It did.”
“But who is searching for the Master Stone nowadays? They’re all too busy trying to stay alive each day.”
Remy remained silent. Seong-Hwi was right; everyone knew the mythical Master Stone existed, but only a select few strove to obtain it, and Remy was one of them. He would do whatever it took to get it. One could say he was purely insane.
“Since you’re that kind of person, I believed you would choose the method that best increased our chances of reaching the center of the Mirror World.”
“We must... make our race stronger,” Remy answered as if it were obvious.
He couldn’t reach the center alone. His philosophy was that clans, alliances, and humanity needed to grow stronger to join forces and reach the center.
“I see... Anyone who isn’t from the pioneering faction would have wasted this information.” Remy stood up and continued, “Thank you for trusting me. I will repay this debt, no matter what. If you need my help, you can contact me through Jurie anytime.”
“Oh, one more thing,” Seong-Hwi remarked.
“Hm?”
“Are you able to contact the Tortoise Emperor?”
“Kang-San?” Remy nodded. “I can, but what for?”
“That’s great. I have something I’d like to sell him.” Seong-Hwi turned to a table in the corner of the room and said, “Come out, Mitasra.”
“K-kerek...” Mitasra groaned as he reluctantly came out from under the table.
“You want to sell that goblin to Kang-San?” Remy frowned because he was understandably not fond of goblins. “Look, I’m no trafficker, even if it’s a goddamn goblin.”
Seong-Hwi paid no mind to Remy’s refusal and continued, “I will hand him over at cost price. Three hundred million Coins.”
“What?”
Although it wasn’t Karma, three hundred million Coins were still astronomical. Remy would have flipped Seong-Hwi upside down with Telekinesis if he weren’t a prophecy D Weapon user.
Remy continued, “You’re bad at telling jokes. I think you’ve mistaken me for Brad Pitt. I’m not that rich.”
“But I’m sure Lee Kang-San is.”
“Perhaps, but Kang-San wouldn’t pay three hundred million for that scrawny goblin.”
“Are you sure about that?” Seong-Hwi said with a business smile as if he were about to advertise his product.
He grabbed Mitasra by the neck and brought him closer to Remy.
“Kerek! Let go of me!”
“His name is Mitasra, an executive member of Clan Trophy. He was the head of the collection unit,” Seong-Hwi introduced.
“Clan Trophy? There were still survivors?”
Everyone in the Mirror World knew that Biphatogenes annihilated Clan Trophy, so Remy did not expect there to be a single survivor.
“But that doesn’t make him worth three hundred million—”
Seong-Hwi interjected, “Clan Trophy attacked Edu, even using an item prohibited by the World Law.”
Remy’s eyes shone. He mumbled, “Quies os.”
“Exactly. The World Law would be useless if they weren’t caught, but... we have a witness right here. The only one.”
“Hah... Hahahaha!” Remy burst into laughter.
He was amazed that the man before him was only ranked 945th, a Semi Ranker. No, the rank was of no issue.
He asked, “You... know what is on Kang-San, Gula, and Biphatogenes’s minds?”
“It’s a simple guess. World Rankers are known for their pride, after all.”
“I see... and you want to sell Kang-San the card that can pressure Humilitas?”
“The more cards available to play, the better. You can take the product first, as long as I am guaranteed payment,” Seong-Hwi remarked as if Kang-San would have no choice but to purchase Mitasra, and Remy couldn’t deny it.
“Kerek! W-what the hell?!”
Mitasra floated via Remy’s Telekinesis, powerless to resist being dragged away. Remy extended his hand to Seong-Hwi, requesting a handshake. Seong-Hwi grabbed it.
“Allow me to ask one last time... Are you sure you don’t want to join Clan Martin? I can pay you handsomely.”
“I just made three hundred million Coins on my own.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Remy said as he smirked and shook his head. He continued, “Well... On second thought, three hundred million isn’t enough. Since you gave us what we need, allow me to give you what you need.”