Chapter 57 — I'm an Infinite Regressor, But I've Got Stories to Tell

Chapter 57

Following the conclusion of a trial, the narrator (Undertaker) and Dang Seo-rin share a meal of Sundae stew, their relationship having evolved from professional peers to close 'foodie friends.' Undertaker queries Dang Seo-rin about the 'equivalent exchange' judgments she employs, a system not present in his previous visits. Dang Seo-rin explains that with prisons gone, Busan utilizes a pragmatic version of the Code of Hammurabi, where punishment is tailored to the crime and agreed upon by all parties to ensure 'fairness' without wasting labor. She argues that while traditional society relied on prisons, her method offers a qualitative distinction in justice. During their meal, a child approaches Dang Seo-rin for an autograph on a hat, showcasing her status as Busan's beloved ruler, though she quickly drops the persona once the interaction ends. She warns that her justice relies on consent, as people can judge fairness wrongly, but asserts that in the apocalypse, her trials are preferable to random witch hunts. She invites Undertaker to observe a trial in a month. A month later, Undertaker arrives at the execution square with homemade Melona ice cream, a gift Dang Seo-rin admires. He observes several rational but harsh judgments: a thief serves a victim for life; a journalist who caused a suicide must publish their own wrongdoings; and a wage defaulter must live in sync with the victim. The most poignant trial involves a murderer. When asked if they regret the act, the murderer agrees to endure any punishment from the bereaved family without resistance. The family immediately attacks, and despite the lack of security intervention, they beat the murderer to death in the square. Undertaker reflects that these trials, enforced by magic, represent a strange but necessary rationality in the apocalypse, contrasting with the corruption of other cities. Later, on a train, a drunk Dang Seo-rin asks Undertaker for his honest opinion of the trial. Seeking validation, she activates the equivalent exchange spell, asking him to place his thoughts of her on the scales. Undertaker, surprised by the emotional nature of the request, complies. A shadowy snake tail emerges from his chest, meeting a white thread-like snake from her heart. The scales balance perfectly. When she asks what the result signifies, he calls it a secret. As the scales glow faintly against the backdrop of a meteor shower, Dang Seo-rin smiles brightly, accepting the ambiguous answer.

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aahzejw6b9

Chapter number

57

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10:55

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