The Returnee's Hidden Strategy Stream

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 81

"Hey, they're here."

"I knew it! They must know something."

"Quiet! Just watch the stream!"

-They're being so obvious. LOL

-Typical watchers.

-The community's already live-streaming the location.

-No matter what Black Dragon does, we can't keep up.

-So true.

Those waiting in the cave were already watching Black Dragon's stream. The viewers were used to this kind of situation by now.

"Looks like we’re getting a lot of attention. What do we do?" Avantgarde asked, standing guard over Hanbit.

It seemed like he was acting as a bodyguard.

"Let's go in first."

Hanbit led the way towards the cave entrance.

The other two followed, drawing the attention of those around them.

"The tunnel's pretty ordinary."

The cave wasn't particularly large or deep. The soil and rocks inside were familiar.

"Looks like this is the end."

They had only walked a short distance when they saw a solid wall ahead. It was crowded with people.

"Excuse me, coming through." Hanbit pushed through the crowd and moved forward. He examined the wall pattern described in the forum comments.

"What is this?" A white crescent moon pattern was crossed by something vertical. It looked like a sword.

"Do you know what it is?"

"Not really."

Kim Jaeha's question went unanswered. It was unusual for him not to recognize such a symbol.

"Shall we try asking the NPCs around here? There might be someone new." Avant-garde quickly suggested a plan.

But if there was a new NPC, surely this many people would have found them already.

"No, let's try this first."

Hanbit moved away from the crowd to a corner. He took his compass out of his inventory.

* * *

A bright white light shot out from the circular glass of the compass.

It flew straight towards the wall pattern.

"Hey!"

"Black Dragon did it!"

"Quick, get in there!"

The crowd in the cave reacted to the beam of light.

Without knowing what it was, they scrambled to get in.

But the wall remained closed.

"What is this? It's not opening!"

"There must be something else!"

"Ah, can you just wait a moment!"

-They're freaking out, LOL.

-Look at their desperate movements.

-Shouldn't we slander them?

-If you turn off the screen like during a PK, it's fine.

-Don't let those thieves have it easy.

The viewers were getting angry at the others' behavior. Hanbit, who had been watching calmly, turned towards the other two.

"Let's go this way."

"Huh? Isn't it blocked?"

"You've figured something out!"

He led the two of them towards the cave wall.

The others, who had been staring at Hanbit, made way for him. They seemed to be urging him to find the answer quickly.

"What's in there?"

The path indicated by the dreaming compass was always correct. If he followed it, he would definitely be able to enter. The problem was that what awaited him inside was completely unknown.

"Ranger, you're here too?" Hanbit spotted a familiar face while looking around. He was so familiar now that he felt a strange sense of resentment.

-Practically a stalker;

-He must have been so mad after becoming fish food. LOL

-I thought he'd come to PK right away.

-But he can't enter the private area.

-Yeah, you can't come in, right?

A scowl marred the Ranger’s face.

Given the viewers’ comments, it wouldn’t be strange if he immediately nocked an arrow.

However, the Ranger asked in a calm voice, “What are you trying to do this time?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Get into the private zone.”

Hanbit, who had given the obvious answer, looked around. He was wary of a situation like the Nesto raid.

“I thought you’d request the PK guild again, but you just let it slide this time?”

“…I’ll say this clearly. I didn’t request the Nesto guild. I wouldn’t do something like that.”

-No way?

-Yeah, right.

-The advanced player’s most naive.

-You wouldn’t do something like that, but you’ll hog it all.

-And brag about it with a strategy guide.

The Ranger’s excuse didn’t fly. Perhaps it was because of the strong reasonable doubt. Of course, it didn’t matter to Hanbit.

“Figure out the explanation yourself. If you’re curious about this, find a way yourself.”

“The private zone isn’t information that can be monopolized by a single player. Are you going to shake up the RP again?”

“That doesn’t sound like something an advanced player should say, does it?”

“......”

When Hanbit mentioned the advanced players, the Ranger fell silent. As always, his inner thoughts were clearly written on his face. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say he was transparent.

‘That hit a nerve.’

At that moment, someone emerged from the crowd. A man wearing a hood. He carried a long blue spear on his shoulder.

“Liwei?”

“Is it really Liwei?”

“The advanced player is here again?”

A name heard amidst the murmuring voices.

Apparently, another advanced player had arrived.

It was natural for him to be interested in the private zone.

“Who is he?”

“Liwei, from the Qingla advanced team in China.”

-A meeting place;

-Info) Liwei is a middle-ranked vanguard. He really loves a good fight

-Info 2) He’s actually a top-tier handsome guy in the real world.

-Seriously, he could slap any celebrity 100 times.

-But he’s a real battle maniac. LOL

-Did he come here to spar too?

-WWE is possible.

The man with the refreshing face didn’t seem particularly negative.

After briefly looking at the wall, Liwei turned.

“Can no one but your party enter?”

“I don’t know. Since no one else can get in, there’s a high probability.”

“Oh, then I guess I’m out of luck.”

Liwei nodded simply and stroked the hilt of his spear.

Then he casually asked a question, “How about a one-on-one duel?”

“No.”

“Is that so?”

With a firm refusal, Hanbit nodded again.

Honestly, it was obvious he would lose if he fought the advanced player one-on-one. Even the Ranger, whom he had clashed with several times, had almost no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.

Unless he attacked first, he would have no choice but to fight.

“Alright. I hope we have a chance to fight next time.”

With his spear on his shoulder, Liwei walked out of the cave.

Even though he watched him carefully, he didn’t even turn his head until he disappeared from view.

-Refreshing;

-I like him.

-So different from that clingy guy;

-If his eyes go wild when he fights, you’re screwed. LOL

-Keep rejecting his duels.

The viewers also chatted amicably, unlike with the Ranger.

He was curious about what would happen when his eyes went wild, but he didn’t particularly want to see it.

“Anyway, everyone, try to find something yourselves. Just watching won’t get you anywhere.”

The players’ eyes were still fixed on this place.

Shrugging, Hanbit grabbed Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde’s arms.

And then.

“Let’s go first.”

He jumped towards the light on the wall.

* * *

"Huh?"

"Oh..."

Passing through the light was instantaneous.

Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde, having arrived in the new space without quite realizing it, blankly surveyed their surroundings.

"Black Dragon?"

"What's wrong with you?"

The two, looking around, turned their gaze to the quiet Hanbit. His expression was one of sheer shock.

"Ha..."

With a short sigh, Hanbit faced the ruins that stretched out before him.

A towering glass building and a leaning, old clock tower on the opposite side. Scattered around were broken concrete buildings, ancient temples, carriages, and cars. The outer stone walls were littered with the remains of magical tools, guns, turrets, and more, so many that it was difficult to even look at them all.

‘So this is where we end up.’

Hanbit stared blankly at the bright white moon in the purple sky.

This place was one he would never forget.

The death he had faced every time in the 55th reincarnation. Each time, he had been summoned to this place and wandered the streets.

Bringing him here must mean she had a definite intention.

"Are you okay?"

"...Yeah, I was just a bit surprised."

Hanbit nodded in response to Kim Jaeha's question, which came again.

"Hey? The stream is off too. This place... it really is a private zone, isn't it!"

Avantgarde's voice rang in his ears.

When he called up the streaming screen, a message popped up.

[Unreleased private zones cannot be streamed.]

-?

-What?

-Don't abandon us.

-Save us.

-Is this really a private zone?

-Let us see.

-Where's the admin?

-I'm really going to send a truck to the headquarters.

The viewers, suddenly unable to watch the stream, were erupting in complaints.

It was a pity, but they couldn't defeat the one who had created this situation.

[Fixed Message]

[I'll release it as soon as possible. Please wait a moment.]

-Dragon Dad, we finally realize it now.

-We believe in you...

-Let's create a challenge mission.

-I agree.

[Sword God has registered a 1,000,000 won challenge mission.]

[Success if the private zone is released.]

[Gidomyeota has donated 50,000 won to the challenge mission.]

[Please.]

[Daejeongryeong has donated 100,000 won to the challenge mission.]

[I only believe in spirits.]

[Jusikhoesa Taeheun has donated 1,000,000 won to the challenge mission.]

[This is Taeheun. I'll be cheering for you!]

...

The sudden flood of donations continued for a long time.

Of course, apart from the challenge mission, he had no intention of failing.

[Thank you all. I'll definitely succeed.]

After leaving the message, Hanbit looked around.

The ruins were eerily quiet.

Ding-!

「Roper」

「Hyung, please record this.」

Yeonwoo, who was watching the stream, contacted him urgently.

Hanbit replied and pressed a button to start recording.

"Hey? There's something here."

Kim Jaeha, who was looking around a few steps ahead, pointed at the ground.

"What is it?"

Hanbit approached and looked down.

There was a white square plate with writing on it, embedded in the ground.

<In the broken paradise, even true death will be lost.>

‘True death?’

It was an unfamiliar expression he had never heard before.

Ding-!

At the same time, an alarm sounded.

A message appeared:

[Death penalty is not applied in the current map.]

"No penalty?"

"This is a first."

The other two seemed to have checked the message as well.

If there was no death penalty, there was no reason to worry about dying.

The problem was why they had created such a place.

"Let's find the release conditions first. If we split up and look around..."

Boom-!

Suddenly, a loud noise came from far away.

The three of them turned their gaze towards the center of the ruins.

Bang-!

Boom-!

The continuous noise was coming from the shaking ground.

It was so intense that the glass building and the clock tower were shaking.

"What's moving? Is it collapsing?"

"Maybe it's a new kind of monster we've never seen before?"

Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde tossed out possibilities one by one.

Meanwhile, the noise grew louder and louder.

And then, for a brief moment, the vibration stopped.

Boom-!

A giant stone golem emerged from the ground.

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]