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Chapter 177

‘What, now?’

He could not fathom why, but Sae-Rin was not the type to spout nonsense without reason.

‘Well, it’s not a bad idea.’

In Jin-Hyeok’s opinion, the Swallowing Croaker content was not as intense as he had thought it would be. There had been close calls with its teeth and digestive fluids, but that was not intense enough to make a fuss about. He thought stirring up some curiosity with the final production could be a good idea.

‘Or maybe Sae-Rin has found something, like a Hidden Achievement.’

Holding onto a sliver of hope, Jin-Hyeok ended the livestream. “So, why did you make me turn it off?”

“I thought there might be something more.”

“Really?” Jin-Hyeok stepped back a couple of paces.

Sae-Rin’s face was slightly flushed, and her breathing was a bit faster.

‘She’s excited!’

This was an excellent sign. It meant that the Navigator had discovered something he hadn’t!

‘What did she find? I hope it’s a Hidden Achievement.’

Worried about interrupting her, he stepped back again.

Then Sae-Rin said, “Come stand next to me.”

“Okay.”

‘What is she trying to find? What is she trying to show me?’

Jin-Hyeok was getting more and more excited.

“Turn off the lights too,” she added.

“Got it.”

Since they were not livestreaming, there was no need to keep Broadcaster’s Light on. With a pop, the lights went out, and darkness fell upon them. The Twisting World of the Swallowing Croaker was very dark. Only the silhouettes of Jin-Hyeok and Sae-Rin were barely distinguishable.

Sae-Rin made another request. “Hold my hand.”

“Your hand?” He did not understand her intention, but complied anyway. It was natural to follow the instructions of a Ruler or a Navigator during Play.

Soon, Sae-Rin said, “You can let go now.”

She asked him to hold her hand several more times, which he did without understanding why.

Eventually, he asked, “What are we doing?”

“I have a Skill where if I hold hands with someone, I can copy their stats. It’s random, so I don’t know when it will activate.”

‘I also wanted to see if my heart races when I hold your hand,’ Sae-Rin thought, but didn’t say it out loud.

“Oh, I didn’t know you had that kind of ability.” Jin-Hyeok was sure Sae-Rin did not have such an ability before his regression. Clearly, she had progressed in many ways.

“Yeah, the other person has to be a non-combatant-class Player, and there are various other restrictions. Anyway, I can temporarily share your stats and Level with this Skill.”

“That sounds like a good Skill.” Jin-Hyeok became more enthusiastic about holding and releasing her hand. “How often does this random activation happen?”

“I don’t know. My guess is around one percent?”

“That’s pretty high, isn’t it?”

“Don’t let go too quickly. I have to hold it for at least three seconds.”

“I see.”

Sae-Rin and Jin-Hyeok focused on holding hands. While trying to copy his stats, Sae-Rin casually asked, “So, do you ever think about dating someone?”

***

Sae-Rin did think there might be something more hidden in this place, which did not seem particularly intense considering this was a Scenario. However, it was also true that she wanted to be alone with Jin-Hyeok.

‘My heart is pounding so fast,’ she thought.

The very first time she held his hand, she had felt a thrill. She wanted to know if that excitement came from the unfamiliar Play or Jin-Hyeok himself. Every time they held hands, her heart raced.

‘So far, the stat-copying effect has not been activated.’

They had a moment to talk, so she asked, “So, do you ever think about dating someone?”

“Dating? Why do you ask?”

“Because it can impact your Play,” Sae-Rin said with a slightly flushed face as if she was making an excuse. “You know how important Player relationships are in Play, right?”

“Of course.”

“As a Navigator, I need to know about your relationships with other Players.”

“That’s a good point. You’re much smarter than Mole Man,” Jin-Hyeok said with a nod.

“In normal Play, it is not a big deal. But if you start seeing other Players as romantic interests, it can be problematic and lead to biased decisions,” she replied.

‘Including me.’

But Sae-Rin did not say that out loud.

“You think someone would see me as a romantic interest? Don’t worry. There is no one like that.” Jin-Hyeok shook his head with certainty. After all, he had only his comrades around him.

“What about Angel Girl Song Ha-Young?”

“What about her? Hm... She is competent. No other Thief can match her skills, and she is excellent at information gathering. Lately, she has been generating explosive synergy with the Black Thorn Alliance,” Jin-Hyeok said while stroking his chin.

Jin-Hyeok confided everything to Sae-Rin, who was supposed to become a Ruler in the future.

“The only downside is that she is so competent these days that I don’t get the chance to use the Tight-Fillet Spell.”

“Ha-Young is really cute and lovable. Small and delicate, you know, the kind that makes you want to protect her?” Sae-Rin asked.

“Her small stature is an advantage for infiltration. That’s for sure.”

Sae-Rin secretly smiled.

‘So Ha-Young is definitely not the one. Hm... Who’s next.’

“What about MiNaTV, or rather, BongMiNaTV’s Kang Mi-Na?”

Mi-Na was not only capable as a Streamer but also famous for her charming appearance and sensual physique. Anything she wore was often sold out, earning her the nickname Trendsetter.

“She’s competent. There is a lot to learn from her. She is great at highlighting the relationships and characters of the people who appear in her livestreams. She has the ability to catch and direct the fine details that I often miss,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“I heard she declared she would seduce you.”

“Oh, that.” Jin-Hyeok frowned, then shivered as if he felt a chill. “She said something about how being in an inappropriate relationship with me would enhance her abilities.”

“Inappropriate relationship? Why would that be inappropriate? Wouldn’t it be good for you if Mi-Na’s abilities improved?”

“We’re like family. I can’t do that.” Jin-Hyeok felt nauseous. He was answering Sae-Rin’s questions sincerely, but he did not want to think about it any further. “I guess holding hands like this is the most I can do.”

Sae-Rin’s smile deepened.

‘So not Mi-Na. Who’s next...’

“What about the twin Assassins?”

“Seo sisters? They are doing really well. Their Jobs might be a bit lower in rank compared to that of the others, but the sisters are effectively using their Job characteristics and working well with each other. I highly value that aspect.”

They would probably be weaker if they Played separately, but together, they were exponentially stronger. They had only 8-Star-rank Jobs, but they had overcome their Job limitations through cooperation.

“You talk about them much more affectionately than the first two,” Sae-Rin said.

“It’s because I think about them a lot.”

Since their Job rank was only 8 Stars, they were considered somewhat weak. Also, since Jin-Hyeok did not have memories of Playing with them before his regression, the intensity of the hardships he had faced with them was much less than those with the first two.

So, to him, the Seo sisters felt more like juniors who needed to be nurtured and cared for, rather than brothers or comrades. They were like endearing juniors, a bit lacking in talent but diligently striving to do their best.

“...Why do you think about them a lot?” Sae-Rin asked.

“Their way of finding their paths is admirable.”

Jin-Hyeok did not see the twin Assassins as romantic interests either. This thought somewhat satisfied Sae-Rin.

“What about Shin Yu-Ri? She seems to really like you.”

“With Yu-Ri, it is more like a teacher-student relationship.” Jin-Hyeok sighed deeply and then continued, “And how can I see her as a romantic interest? She lost her loving husband not long ago.”

“...You understand those emotions?”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

Sae-Rin really wanted to say, ‘You are,’ but decided not to.

‘You’re not stupid, but you’re definitely crazy.’

To her, Jin-Hyeok was a person who was crazy about Play to the point of being blind to everything else.

She continued the interrogation. “What about Kaylin?”

“Kaylin? Who’s that?”

“Black Butterfly.”

“Oh, Black Butterball? She’s just mad because she can’t kill me.”

Jin-Hyeok was much more familiar with the name Black Butterball than he was with Kaylin. Realizing he did not even know the Assassin’s real name, Sae-Rin was happy.

“That’s enough. You don’t need to explain,” she said.

“Ah, but there is one person who sees me as a romantic interest.”

“There is? Did she confess?”

“Yes. I do not know her ulterior motives, but she is a Succubus.”

“Succubus... The only Succubus that I know of is... the one from Choi Gap-Soo’s workshop. Is it her? That really pretty one?”

“All Succubi are pretty.”

Sae-Rin suddenly felt tense. The idea of a Succubus confessing to Jin-Hyeok set off alarm bells in her mind. “But be careful. Succubi are dangero—”

“Huh? What was that? I just felt a tingling sensation. Was that my stats being copied?” Jin-Hyeok interrupted her with a smile.

“Yeah, it worked. It’s actually the first time I have succeeded.”

“Wow! How does it feel? Can I upload this to my Eltube channel?”

“You can.”

“Can you see something now?”

“Don’t be impatient.” Sae-Rin closed her eyes for a moment, trying to feel the surroundings. She seemed to sense everything, from the sticky humidity to the slight movement of the air.

‘Holy shit!’

She had anticipated a significant difference in their stats, but not to this extent.

‘Is this what Chul-Soo feels?’

Of course, Sae-Rin had known there would be a difference between being a Streamer and a Navigator. Even with the same stats, their perceptions would differ. However, this was beyond that.

‘It’s like a new world has opened up.’

Her heart pounded even more fiercely, and her eyes snapped open. She took a deep breath and began to move as her instincts indicated.

‘I can feel its wounds healing very quickly.’

This was not the self-healing power of the Swallowing Croaker; it was more like an external force at work.

‘The divine power is moving through the blood of the Swallowing Croaker and healing the inner walls we cut.’

As if she were possessed, Sae-Rin ran toward the wound. She began to frantically tear at the nearly healed inner wall with her hands.

The Swallowing Croaker was in great pain, causing an earthquake, but Sae-Rin paid it no heed. Her eyes were filled with madness.

‘She’s definitely gone mad,’ Jin-Hyeok thought as he looked at her eyes. The eyes of the insane always harbored such madness, and he found that madness appealing.

Sae-Rin became covered in blood as she tore at the inner wall with her bare hands.

“...I found it.” She lifted an item. “Hehehehe.”

With her blood-stained hand, she brushed back her hair and laughed loudly. “I found it!”

She excitedly continued, “The blood flow was more concentrated than usual near the wounds to heal them. It seems like this got stuck here while circulating.

Sae-Rin approached Jin-Hyeok with a giggle, handing over a bloody item.

[Research Journal on Paper Soldiers]

Just from the name, it appeared to be related to Makendra.