Chapter 307: The Fifth Return, Earth (3)
“Phew.”
People took deep breaths as they crossed the devastated border.
Someone, perhaps trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, muttered, “So this is how I end up stepping foot in North Korea.”
“I never thought I’d be back here either…”
“Oh? Have you been to North Korea before?”
“I’m a defector.”
“Ah.”
The person who had spoken first fell silent awkwardly.
The group moved forward slowly. Geum Jung-geun broke the silence.
“It feels eerily quiet. Even the air feels different.”
It was chilly and heavy. Their senses sharpened as an icy tension seemed to fill the atmosphere.
‘Rumble!’
Soon, a loud noise echoed.
The ground cracked open, revealing buried monsters.
[Monster 113454 has appeared.]
[Monster 100045 has appeared.]
[Monster 100148 has appeared.]
Several C-rank monsters, each identified by their six-digit numbers, emerged. Taesan stepped back.
“Minerva, Varkaza. Stay back.”
[Understood.]
“Got it.”
At Taesan’s command, the two retreated. To the startled group, Taesan spoke.
“I won’t interfere. Use this chance to coordinate your attacks.”
“Ah, yes!”
Kim Hwiyeon quickly nodded and shouted, “Everyone, move to your designated positions!”
The Japanese and Korean players began to move, their lines overlapping as they confronted the approaching monsters, kicking off the ground and swinging their weapons.
‘Clang!’
At this stage, C-rank monsters were manageable for Hard Mode players working together. Instead of stepping in, Taesan let the players from Korea and Japan face the monsters, using the opportunity to assess their teamwork and strength.
Initially, their coordination was clumsy, but as the battle progressed, their movements gradually became more precise.
As their teamwork improved, the Japanese players couldn’t help but marvel.
“Their average strength is far above ours…”
Korean Hard Mode players had already reached the late 40th floor. By comparison, Japanese players had only just entered the early 40th floor. The gap in power was significant.
Although impressed by the Koreans’ abilities, the Japanese players couldn’t hide their curiosity.
“If they’re so strong, why did so few of them survive?”
“Ah…”
At this question, Kim Hwiyeon turned her gaze awkwardly to Taesan, who shook his head. She gave a vague answer.
“There were… some conflicts.”
“Ah, I see.”
The Japanese player nodded in understanding. After all, Japan had also experienced many deaths due to conflicts among their players.
“Is this enough?”
“Yes.”
Taesan responded to Kim Hwiyeon’s quiet question.
He couldn’t yet explain the full story behind Earth’s destruction and the labyrinth. That revelation would come much later.
For now, they dealt with the monsters without any casualties. However, their progress was noticeably slow—too many monsters kept appearing.
“Why are there so many?”
‘Crack.’
Lee Taeyeon clicked her tongue after taking down a C-rank monster on her own. Every few minutes, monsters emerged, forcing them to stop and fight repeatedly. It felt endless.
It was as if the monsters had overwhelmed the region, leaving no humans to keep them in check.
“Are there really any survivors here?”
“Based on the community, there should be… but we can’t sense anyone. Maybe they’re hiding?”
Taesan stared at the horizon.
[You have activated Reconnaissance.]
[You have activated Leraje’s Domain Detection.]
The skills worked together, gathering information from the surrounding area.
Taesan detected faint traces of a group of players gathered in the distance.
“Minerva, bring them here.”
“Every time I see it, it’s amazing. How do you even use that power?”
Minerva clicked her tongue and waved her hand. A gust of wind exploded, flying toward the horizon.
“Ahhhh!”
In moments, dozens of people were flung through the air, landing in front of the group.
The startled players watched the newcomers in confusion.
“What’s going on?”
“Who are they?”
“Huh…?”
Minerva had brought about thirty people.
They looked disheveled. While the Korean and Japanese players weren’t in pristine condition, they at least managed to trim their hair and clean up occasionally. In contrast, the new arrivals had matted hair covering their faces and unkempt appearances.
Kim Hwiyeon cautiously asked, “Are you… North Korean players?”
“…Ugh!”
Realizing the situation, the newcomers panicked, seeing the large group of players and drawing their weapons.
“Get up! They’re enemies!”
“We’re not enemies!”
Kim Hwiyeon shouted urgently, but the North Korean players didn’t lower their guard. Instead, their hostility grew.
“Stay back! Don’t come any closer! If you do, we’ll kill you!”
Their aggressive cries revealed their fear of human contact itself.
As the tense standoff continued, Taesan stepped forward.
“Calm down and talk first.”
[Kang Taesan’s Non-lethal Strike.] (T/N: Yeah. This part seems awkward. But it’s really how its translated. Im not sure how I can make it better. )
“Ugh.”
All thirty players collapsed simultaneously, unable to resist.
Taesan brushed off his hands.
“Wake them up one by one and talk to them. If they still don’t listen, call me.”
His implication of knocking them out again was clear.
Kim Hwiyeon murmured, “You’re quite decisive…”
“This is the fastest way.”
In the previous timeline, players who had returned to Earth after clearing the labyrinth, dreaming of a happy future, had gone mad, denying reality.
At first, they had tried to persuade them with words, but that never worked.
The quickest way was to knock them out, let their overheated minds cool, and then help them accept the situation. Though it seemed violent, this approach was rooted in countless experiences.
The group hurriedly carried the unconscious North Korean players and continued moving forward.
When the players regained consciousness, explanations were given slowly. Some raged, while others reluctantly accepted the situation.
Those who resisted were knocked out by Taesan repeatedly until they eventually complied.
The story that emerged from them was shocking to all who heard it.
Initially, the North Korean players had worked together to survive. The dire circumstances left no room for petty conflicts.
But as the situation stabilized and they had some breathing room, a question arose:
Who would lead?
Who would take charge of the people?
The players clashed head-on with the inherent contradictions of North Korea’s hereditary system.
The group split—dramatically. They began killing each other to shape the future they wanted.
Those with the greatest power tried to impose their will. But unlike before, the oppressed also held power now.
In fact, the previously oppressed had the advantage.
The oppressed were the majority, which also meant a higher number of talented individuals among them. Those who had been trampled underfoot rose up.
It was as if they were burning everything to the ground.
They didn’t stop. Judging each other as enemies, they fought with monstrous ferocity.
The oppressed became the new rulers of North Korea, killing all who had oppressed them.
But the chaos didn’t end there.
The new rulers began oppressing others, just as they themselves had been oppressed.
Power drives people mad. Those who had seized power amidst the chaos and fighting now wanted to wield it for themselves.
And so, they began killing each other again.
Even after returning to the labyrinth, their infighting continued.
More players died at the hands of their fellow players than from monsters or the labyrinth itself.
By the time the situation calmed, the North Korean players had splintered into dozens of factions, refusing to see each other as allies.
After returning to Earth, these fractured groups killed and clashed, heading northward.
The only survivors left were thirty Hard Mode players unaffiliated with any faction.
Their story left everyone speechless.
While they had considered the possibility, hearing it directly from those who had experienced it sent a chill through their hearts.
China shared many similarities with North Korea.
If that was the state of North Korea, what could they expect from China?
“Well, let’s keep moving for now.”
With unease and determination, they pressed forward.
The thirty North Korean Hard Mode players, who had survived the chaos, demonstrated their strength.
With their perfect coordination, they joined the group and helped defeat monsters along the way.
They continued to advance.
—
A week later, they arrived at Mount Baekdu.
“Wow…”
The breathtaking view drew gasps of admiration from everyone.
Even with the world overrun by monsters, Mount Baekdu remained much the same as before. Kim Hwiyeon murmured,
“This was on my bucket list. I never thought I’d cross it off like this.”
The mountain was blanketed in snow. Kim Hwiyeon calmly suggested,
“The quest might take a long time. Let’s set up a base first.”
Unlike their previous quests in urban areas, this was a remote location with no human habitation. A simple resting area was necessary.
The group began cutting trees and clearing land to establish a base.
Meanwhile, Lee Taeyeon, Kang Taesan, Kim Hwiyeon, and a few others headed to the Heavenly Lake at the summit to survey the area and assess safety.
“Wow.”
Kim Hwiyeon couldn’t hold back a soft exclamation at the sight of the lake.
Feelings of pure beauty, long forgotten, began to stir within her. Ichika and Geum Jung-geun also gazed at the view with shining eyes.
But Taesan remained expressionless. He had come too far to feel beauty anymore. The immeasurable passage of time had stripped him of some emotions.
Lee Taeyeon, too, wore an indifferent expression.
“Doesn’t seem to impress you much.”
“I don’t really get it. Is this supposed to be moving? I’ve never cared much for art or beauty.”
Taesan chuckled at her response.
In her past life, Lee Taeyeon had collected art pieces—not because she had an interest in art but to maintain the facade that she was normal.
But now, she no longer needed such a mask.
Taesan thought this change was for the better.
After surveying the area, the group descended Mount Baekdu.
“Where did the North Koreans who left ahead of us go?”
When Lee Taeyeon asked the North Korean players, they replied,
“They must have gone to China.”
North Korea had splintered into dozens of factions, each vying to eliminate the others.
However, it was too dangerous for them to handle directly.
So, they sought outside help—China’s help.
Lee Taeyeon frowned in disbelief.
“In this situation, they’re looking to do that?”
“Don’t expect rationality. Even when their lives are at stake, people will risk it all for petty gains.”
“True, but still…”
Kim Hwiyeon muttered uneasily.
“It seems like the Chinese haven’t arrived yet. Let’s get ready for now.”
The group began clearing out the monsters around Mount Baekdu.
Hope and apprehension coexisted as they awaited the arrival of the Chinese players.
—
A week later, they finally appeared.
“They’re here.”
Standing at the summit of Mount Baekdu, Taesan lowered his sword and muttered quietly. Beside him, Lee Taeyeon, panting to catch her breath, asked,
“Who?”
“The Chinese. There are a lot of them.”
“What? Seriously?”
Lee Taeyeon stood up and followed Taesan’s gaze.
“I don’t see anything.”
“They’re still a few hours away.”
“…You can see that far?”
Lee Taeyeon asked in disbelief after a brief silence. Taesan stood and replied calmly,
“Let everyone know. They’ll be here soon.”
“Ah, got it.”
The news that the Chinese players were approaching spread quickly. The group gathered with mixed emotions, waiting in tense anticipation.
—
It wasn’t long before the Chinese players came into view.
“…Huh?”
Kim Hwiyeon’s expression hardened.
Though her eyesight wasn’t as extraordinary as Taesan’s, it was still exceptionally sharp—sharp enough to discern a person’s facial expression from kilometers away.
From one end of the horizon to the other, across the vast expanse visible to her eyes, there were people.
People filled every part of her vision, and still, it wasn’t enough to count them all.
“Wait, how many are there?”
Others began murmuring as they realized the scale of the approaching group.
‘Boom!’
The ground trembled with each step the Chinese players took.
Even when monsters rose from the ground to attack them, the sheer overwhelming numbers of the players swallowed the monsters whole, preventing them from slowing the march.
The gathered players from Korea and Japan could only watch in stunned silence as the Chinese drew closer.
At the front of the group, a massive, ornate red palanquin captured everyone’s attention.
The palanquin was excessively luxurious, as if it had collected every decorative element in this broken world. Its opulence felt out of place amidst the ruined surroundings.
It had taken the Chinese players over two weeks to reach Mount Baekdu. While monsters would have obstructed their path, the palanquin was spotless, not even a speck of dust marring its surface.
‘Step.’
Dozens of people carried the palanquin on their shoulders, marching forward in a scene reminiscent of a royal procession.
Beside the palanquin stood a gaunt man who suddenly shouted,
“Behold! The Incarnation of the Dragon!”
He bellowed, his voice carrying the reverence of a servant introducing an emperor.
“Witness the one who possesses the qualities of a Heavenly Conqueror, who has subdued this vast land and rules over us with greatness and nobility! His Majesty, the Emperor, has descended upon this place! All nations shall bow their heads and worship the Emperor’s dignity!”
