CH 9

Chapter 9: The Regressor is Too Lazy

Was this vacant lot really a safe zone?

Surprisingly, it indeed felt like one.

Throughout my time here, I hadn't felt any threats whatsoever.

If you pushed through the grass and ventured outside, goblins were abundant, but for some reason, they didn't enter this vacant lot.

The air was also warm, and there was no rain to steal away body heat.

I was a bit worried that something might go wrong... but nothing really happened, and the tension within me quickly dissipated.

Only then did the real healing begin.

Five days had passed since I decided to do nothing.

I guess it's been 6 days since I regressed.

Why did I suddenly skip time?

It was because I didn't have anything special to say.

That's just how life is.

Those who burn themselves out at the forefront of life, striving and sacrificing themselves, are the ones who have subjects to gossip about.

Who did what today, what story I heard over there, that person we talked about last time, it turns out there are rumors about them, and so on.

But those unemployed individuals who spend their days scratching their bellies in the corner of their rooms, tinkering with computers, don't have much to talk about even when meeting friends.

Yesterday, I was on the computer all day. Today, I was on the computer all day as well. Tomorrow, I plan to be on the computer all day.

The only thing that changes is the dinner menu. Sometimes, even that doesn't change, so it's reasonable to say that their monotonous daily life is light-years away from an interesting story.

Similarly, what I'd done in the last 5 days was... nothing.

I lay down, ate when Choi Ji-won brought food, slept when I was bored, and when I occasionally heard someone screaming, I offered my condolences.

I was leading an unbelievably peaceful life considering my prejudice toward the tower.

If I were to write this story as a web novel, the title would be ‘Healing Alone in the Tower Tutorial’ or something like ‘I Want to Live Quietly as I Regress with a Single Cut.’

But… wasn’t I bored living like that?

Of course, I was. But being bored was better than being tired.

Besides, it wasn't always boring. Because I could make conversation.

"No, seriously, isn't it ridiculous? He told me to follow him because he would protect me, but he was laughing so sinisterly!"

"Oh, are you talking about the guy with glasses? I think I saw him too."

"Yes, yes, that's him! I got goosebumps because he was so scary... But when Ji-won Unnie stared at him, he flinched! And ran away."

"Haha, Ji-won is a bit scary, isn't she?"

"Hehe yeah, but isn’t Ji-won Unnie really cool? She's my role model."

Who was I talking to right now? 

It was that short-haired girl - the same girl who asked if there was something to eat on the first night.

Her name was Baek Da-hye. She was a college student before being summoned to the tower.

Baek Da-hye had a timid personality, but she seemed inherently kind. 

Her face was also cute. Even if she hadn't been summoned to the tower, she could have lived a good life, being treated well by a man if she wished to... It's a pity, really.

"Oh, this is my friend! Say hello!"

"...Were you friends from before? You seem really close."

"No! We became friends after coming to the tower!"

There was also another girl who always sat next to Baek Da-hye.

Her name... was it Kim Se-in? I hadn't become close to Kim Se-in yet. She was not very talkative, so we hadn't had many conversations.

"Oh, um, do you have something to say?"

"..."

"I guess you don't..."

Sometimes, Kim Se-in would give me a probing look, which always gave me chills... To be honest, I think it's hard to make friends with her.

However, there was something different about the gloomy Kim Se-in, and that was the fact that she had blonde hair.

One of her parents was a foreigner, or so she said. So, it would be easier to remember the blonde beauty as Kim Se-in.

Now, let's talk about another person...

The old man who was digging the ground suddenly disappeared yesterday.

The hole he was digging and the shovel were still there, but only his body vanished.

Did he really discover a hidden piece? Or did he fail to control the power boiling inside him after drinking the legendary elixir?

Or maybe he found the entrance to a secret dungeon and was currently challenging it?

I decided to find out what happened the next time I'd regress. 

I'll hide and observe, then strike when the opportunity arises.

By the way, the man who was rummaging through the pile of weapons gave up a long time ago and left the vacant lot. It seemed he couldn't find the legendary weapon after all.

It was truly disappointing. If that man had really found the legendary weapon, all I had to do was snatch it from him as soon as I regressed.

As for the remaining people in the field, I didn't know their names, but I began to recognize their faces now.

Sometimes our eyes met, and we exchanged awkward greetings… like neighbors? A small community had formed within this lot.

Was there anything uncomfortable about living in the vacant lot?

Hmm... The most uncomfortable thing was, first and foremost, hygiene.

The unnamed old man who dug the ground to find a hidden piece ended up making an improvised restroom - a pit.

You could just dig up the ground with a shovel, do your work, and cover it up again...

The problem was that the sound could still be heard. The women were embarrassed to the point of dying. Even if we covered it with dirt, the smell couldn't be completely avoided either.

Nevertheless, I think things were at least a bit better after the old man left, as we could use the pit as a restroom.

Thank you, old man.

If you were challenging the dungeon... I'm sorry. When you come back, the whole pit will be smelly.

Another inconvenience was... the tower occasionally threw messages.

Remaining Golden Beads: 27/50

"Ah, seriously?"

A message appeared in front of my eyes while I was lying down comfortably.

The tower would do this from time to time.

Hey, while others are diligently collecting golden beads, what are you doing? Are you not going to escape the tower? 

It feels like it's nagging me.

Ah! I'll do it my own way!

"Jun-ho, Ji-won Unnie is here!"

Baek Da-hye called me cheerfully. I turned my head and saw Choi Ji-won standing there with her hands full of food supplies.

"Uh, Ji-won ssi, wait! Let me help you!"

As someone benefiting from this situation, I should at least offer some help. 

I received a bundle of bottled water from Choi Ji-won and naturally started tearing the plastic and distributing the water.

Despite all the ups and downs... It’s fun living here.

The next day:

It was an ordinary day like any other.

I wandered around, engaging in various conversations with people.

After completing her swordsmanship practice, Choi Ji-won left the vacant lot to gather food supplies, probably feeling it was time.

Everyone in the field knew that if we waited for about an hour, she would return with water and food.

It felt as if I had become a baby bird waiting only for the mother bird to bring food...

Well, it doesn't matter. It's a situation that satisfies both the mother bird and the baby bird after all.

"What do you think today's meal will be? I'm already hungry."

Baek Da-hye playfully poked her stomach. Come to think of it, I was also feeling hungry.

"The chocolate bars were delicious last time. They give you a good boost of energy."

"Yes, I agree. I want to have chocolate bars again. It's about time for Ji-won Unnie to come back, I'm looking forward to it."

"Do-Do-Do-Do…"

Baek Da-hye began to tap the ground with her hand, making a sound of 'Do-Do' with her mouth.

"Hey, don't tap the ground. The ground seems to be shaking."

Not only did the dirt fly up, but the ground also seemed to be shaking a bit. Perhaps because it was soft ground, it seemed to shake just from Baek Da-hye tapping on it.

"Hey, stop tapping... huh?"

"..."

I turned my head to look at Baek Da-hye’s frightened expression.

Glancing down, I noticed that her hand had stopped moving for a while.

However, the vibrations from the ground were still palpable.

Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Do

Was Choi Ji-won causing some kind of commotion again?

Or was it the firefighter who went out with a large axe, cutting down trees?

Do-Do-Do

No, when I touched the ground, I could feel the vibrations flowing through the floor.

This was truly a heavy, moving vibration...

"Run away! Go that way!"

Boom!

At that moment, an enormous explosion-like sound erupted.

It seemed like I could hear Choi Ji-won's voice, but I couldn't properly hear it because it was drowned out by the sound of something exploding.

“…”

I wondered if I misheard, but everyone in the field was also frozen. Only blonde-haired Kim Se-in suddenly stood up.

What happened? Did the monsters start fighting? But could a sound this loud come from that?

But why... has the vibration stopped now?

"Kim Jun-ho!"

Blond-haired Kim Se-in urgently called my name.

I think it was the first time she ever addressed me.

"Above! Aaaaaah!"

Kim Se-in let out a piercing scream.

Come to think of it, the surroundings around me were unusually dark… As if a huge shadow were looming over.

My instinct, honed through multiple regressions, was warning me like crazy:

You're screwed.

I slowly raised my head.

"Mwoooaaah!"

"...Shit."

The last thing I saw was a gigantic cow-headed monster falling from the sky, screaming.

Mwwwwoooaaaaahhh!!!

"No! Ah..."

Status: Injured

Regressing back to the time when you first entered the 0th floor.