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I'm an Infinite Regressor, But I've Got Stories to Tell
Shin No-ah
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961 chapters
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The Undertaker has repeated the end of the world 1,183 times. Having stopped trying to force a happy ending, he tells stories of countless lives, people, disasters, and the cost of trying to save the world.
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Audio chapters (485) · 271–300
271
Chapter 271
In the final days before the monster wave reaches Ark City, Gibraltar, the atmosphere is festive despite the scarcity of resources. Noh Do-hwa observes the celebrations with a detached but pleasant demeanor. When prompted by the narrator, she notes that acting serious among such 'clowns' is pointless and kicks the narrator's leg, surprised to find it is made of flesh and bone rather than metal. She then wanders off with wine, signaling a desire for solitude. The narrator observes the Mount Hua sect, led by Hong Bi-cheong, who rallies his disciples with patriotic fervor, unaware that his speech triggers system notifications boosting their morale and critical hit rate. The disciples chant system sounds, activating buffs like 'Heavenly Sanctuary' and 'Mount Hua's Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Formation - Last Stand Mode.'
The narrator walks through the festival, passing Sim Ah-ryeon who drinks café au lait while contemplating her final artwork, and Nenet, who is exhausted after completing 'Babel 200kg No Aura Challenge.' The narrator eventually finds Lee Ha-yul alone at the coastline. Ha-yul appears frail, using an ordinary artificial leg and crutches instead of her advanced prosthetics. She admits she simply wanted to feel what it was like to walk without them. They sit together, and Ha-yul expresses fear that they will forget each other in the next cycle, describing the prospect of starting over as cruel. The narrator reassures her, citing Plato’s myth of merged beings split by Zeus, arguing that while their bodies may reset, their souls retain the memories. He declares his love for her, stating that every smile and breath is etched into his soul and that he will always stand by her, regardless of what happens. Ha-yul clings to him, calling him 'Oppa' and 'Dad,' and asks him to tell her future self that she was the happiest person in the world. The chapter concludes with the narrator reflecting on the nature of love as the reason for his regression, affirming that he too is the happiest regressor.
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11:30
Chapter 271
In the final days before the monster wave reaches Ark City, Gibraltar, the atmosphere is festive despite the scarcity of resources. Noh Do-hwa observes the celebrations with a detached but pleasant demeanor. When prompted by the narrator, she notes that acting serious among such 'clowns' is pointless and kicks the narrator's leg, surprised to find it is made of flesh and bone rather than metal. She then wanders off with wine, signaling a desire for solitude. The narrator observes the Mount Hua sect, led by Hong Bi-cheong, who rallies his disciples with patriotic fervor, unaware that his speech triggers system notifications boosting their morale and critical hit rate. The disciples chant system sounds, activating buffs like 'Heavenly Sanctuary' and 'Mount Hua's Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Formation - Last Stand Mode.'
The narrator walks through the festival, passing Sim Ah-ryeon who drinks café au lait while contemplating her final artwork, and Nenet, who is exhausted after completing 'Babel 200kg No Aura Challenge.' The narrator eventually finds Lee Ha-yul alone at the coastline. Ha-yul appears frail, using an ordinary artificial leg and crutches instead of her advanced prosthetics. She admits she simply wanted to feel what it was like to walk without them. They sit together, and Ha-yul expresses fear that they will forget each other in the next cycle, describing the prospect of starting over as cruel. The narrator reassures her, citing Plato’s myth of merged beings split by Zeus, arguing that while their bodies may reset, their souls retain the memories. He declares his love for her, stating that every smile and breath is etched into his soul and that he will always stand by her, regardless of what happens. Ha-yul clings to him, calling him 'Oppa' and 'Dad,' and asks him to tell her future self that she was the happiest person in the world. The chapter concludes with the narrator reflecting on the nature of love as the reason for his regression, affirming that he too is the happiest regressor.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:30
272
Chapter 272
In the 689th cycle, shortly after the defeat of the Mastermind, Oh Dok-seo approaches the Undertaker (Go Yuir) with a serious concern, initially joking about taking a hiatus from her writing before revealing she has been experiencing strange dreams. She describes a recurring vision where she acts as the Saintess in a frozen world, calling out to the Undertaker who stands immobile on a rooftop. Recognizing the specificity of this dream—which corresponds to the frozen time event from the 267th cycle—the Undertaker identifies it as 'Side Story Creation,' a powerful ability awakened by Dok-seo after the Mastermind's defeat. They discuss the dangers of this phenomenon, noting that the Infinite Metagame, which absorbed remnants of the Mastermind's power, is likely using Dok-seo as a conduit to investigate the Undertaker’s hidden past. Over the subsequent cycles, Dok-seo’s condition deteriorates from vague hallucinations of past voices to hyper-realistic visions of events she never witnessed, such as Seo Gyu’s death or the final moments of Dang Seo-rin. She begins struggling to distinguish these phantom memories from her present reality, even conversing with illusions of the Undertaker and Sim Ah-ryeon. The Saintess (Jeong Ye-ji) is consulted via telepathy; she theorizes that the Infinite Metagame’s ingestion of the Mastermind’s essence is forcing the system to simulate and expose the Undertaker’s past through Dok-seo. Although the Saintess advises caution regarding reliance on Outer Gods, she reveals that Dok-seo is now writing a novel that details the frozen 267th cycle from the Saintess’s own perspective—events the Undertaker never shared. The chapter concludes with the shocking realization that Dok-seo has successfully accessed a 'side story' of a past cycle entirely unknown to the narrator, confirming the Infinite Metagame’s ability to bypass his omniscience by extracting narrative data from its Miko.
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11:56
Chapter 272
In the 689th cycle, shortly after the defeat of the Mastermind, Oh Dok-seo approaches the Undertaker (Go Yuir) with a serious concern, initially joking about taking a hiatus from her writing before revealing she has been experiencing strange dreams. She describes a recurring vision where she acts as the Saintess in a frozen world, calling out to the Undertaker who stands immobile on a rooftop. Recognizing the specificity of this dream—which corresponds to the frozen time event from the 267th cycle—the Undertaker identifies it as 'Side Story Creation,' a powerful ability awakened by Dok-seo after the Mastermind's defeat. They discuss the dangers of this phenomenon, noting that the Infinite Metagame, which absorbed remnants of the Mastermind's power, is likely using Dok-seo as a conduit to investigate the Undertaker’s hidden past. Over the subsequent cycles, Dok-seo’s condition deteriorates from vague hallucinations of past voices to hyper-realistic visions of events she never witnessed, such as Seo Gyu’s death or the final moments of Dang Seo-rin. She begins struggling to distinguish these phantom memories from her present reality, even conversing with illusions of the Undertaker and Sim Ah-ryeon. The Saintess (Jeong Ye-ji) is consulted via telepathy; she theorizes that the Infinite Metagame’s ingestion of the Mastermind’s essence is forcing the system to simulate and expose the Undertaker’s past through Dok-seo. Although the Saintess advises caution regarding reliance on Outer Gods, she reveals that Dok-seo is now writing a novel that details the frozen 267th cycle from the Saintess’s own perspective—events the Undertaker never shared. The chapter concludes with the shocking realization that Dok-seo has successfully accessed a 'side story' of a past cycle entirely unknown to the narrator, confirming the Infinite Metagame’s ability to bypass his omniscience by extracting narrative data from its Miko.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:56
273
Chapter 273
The Undertaker reviews a manuscript detailing the suffering of the Saintess in the 267th cycle, revealing that she endured nearly two millennia of isolation after confining an Outer God. He shares this with Oh Dok-seo, who confirms her hallucinations are actually loops of these past cycles. She explains that her newly Awakened ability, Side Story Creation, allows her to possess characters she writes about, initially experiencing their pain as a form of 'Divine Illness' until she channeled it into writing, which alleviated the suffering. The Undertaker identifies the figure before him as the Saintess of the 267th cycle, possessing Dok-seo's body through this empathy-based possession. The Saintess explains that while she retains the personality and memories of the original character, she is technically an interpretation powered by the Admin of the Infinite Metagame's enhanced resolution. Convinced of the ability's fidelity, the Undertaker commissions Dok-seo to write a side story about Noh Do-hwa of the 668th cycle to gain access to that cycle's experienced leader. Dok-seo completes the story instantly. They travel to the National Road Management Corps headquarters, where the Undertaker forces Dok-seo to possess Noh Do-hwa, resulting in two identical, irritable Noh Do-hwas glaring at each other. The Undertaker revels in the chaos, noting the utility of creating multiple doppelgangers for amusement and strategic consultation. He spends the next week isolating himself in the tunnel, constantly consulting with possessed versions of Dang Seo-rin, the Saintess, and others to solve problems and brainstorm. The Saintess, watching via Clairvoyance, grows increasingly concerned about his reclusive behavior, comparing him to an internet addict and pleading for him to leave the tunnel. The chapter ends with the Undertaker realizing he has been holed up for over a week, acknowledging his addiction to these virtual consultations despite the Saintess's sorrowful reminders to get fresh air.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:07
Chapter 273
The Undertaker reviews a manuscript detailing the suffering of the Saintess in the 267th cycle, revealing that she endured nearly two millennia of isolation after confining an Outer God. He shares this with Oh Dok-seo, who confirms her hallucinations are actually loops of these past cycles. She explains that her newly Awakened ability, Side Story Creation, allows her to possess characters she writes about, initially experiencing their pain as a form of 'Divine Illness' until she channeled it into writing, which alleviated the suffering. The Undertaker identifies the figure before him as the Saintess of the 267th cycle, possessing Dok-seo's body through this empathy-based possession. The Saintess explains that while she retains the personality and memories of the original character, she is technically an interpretation powered by the Admin of the Infinite Metagame's enhanced resolution. Convinced of the ability's fidelity, the Undertaker commissions Dok-seo to write a side story about Noh Do-hwa of the 668th cycle to gain access to that cycle's experienced leader. Dok-seo completes the story instantly. They travel to the National Road Management Corps headquarters, where the Undertaker forces Dok-seo to possess Noh Do-hwa, resulting in two identical, irritable Noh Do-hwas glaring at each other. The Undertaker revels in the chaos, noting the utility of creating multiple doppelgangers for amusement and strategic consultation. He spends the next week isolating himself in the tunnel, constantly consulting with possessed versions of Dang Seo-rin, the Saintess, and others to solve problems and brainstorm. The Saintess, watching via Clairvoyance, grows increasingly concerned about his reclusive behavior, comparing him to an internet addict and pleading for him to leave the tunnel. The chapter ends with the Undertaker realizing he has been holed up for over a week, acknowledging his addiction to these virtual consultations despite the Saintess's sorrowful reminders to get fresh air.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:07
274
Chapter 274
The narrator, Go Yuir, begins by reflecting on the nature of existence within a game-like reality, citing a past quote: "The people are inside the game!" He engages in a telepathic conversation with Jeong Ye-ji, who is currently inhabiting Oh Dok-seo's body via Side Story Creation. Yuir playfully teases her, refusing to acknowledge her as the true Saintess and instead treating her as a "junior" version from the 267th cycle, complete with a hand-drawn "267" mask. The true Jeong Ye-ji, observing from the real world in Seoul, is initially amused but grows furious at Yuir's mockery, her rage manifesting as a terrifying, oppressive silence that alarms Yuir’s sixth sense. Yuir attempts to de-escalate by adopting a comforting persona, which pleases the 267th cycle entity but further enrages the true Saintess, who vows to prepare a "lesson" for him. The next day, Yuir’s prank goes viral. Cheon Yo-hwa bursts into Yuir’s hideout in the Inunaki Tunnel, furious that Yuir was gossiping with a "fake" Cheon Yo-hwa and claiming there were multiple versions of her. She reveals she has mobilized 31 accounts to trend the story on the SG Net, causing widespread social backlash. Yu Ji-won arrives, finding Yuir kneeling in penalty outside Noh Do-hwa’s office, and offers to help him overthrow Noh Do-hwa, but Yuir declines, fearing lethal consequences. The commotion settles, revealing the addictive power of Dok-seo’s Side Stories. Oh Dok-seo, now physically present, reveals she has absorbed the emotions of the previous cycles’ entities she impersonated, feeling their affection, regret, and worry. She proposes a new creative arrangement: for every 100 chapters Yuir writes, she will write one side story from his perspective without his review, which Yuir accepts. The narrative then jumps to an epilogue in a later cycle. Yuir uses Side Story Creation to embody his younger self from the 10th cycle. He confronts this younger, arrogant version of himself, listing the horrific Anomalies he must face in the future. The younger Yuir is shocked and despairing, accusing the older Yuir of cruelty. Yuir calmly asks his younger self if he has become an adult he can be proud of. The younger Yuir remains silent, drinks the café au lait Yuir offers, and abruptly severs the connection, fleeing the conversation. The older Yuir finishes the drink, savoring its special taste.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:11
Chapter 274
The narrator, Go Yuir, begins by reflecting on the nature of existence within a game-like reality, citing a past quote: "The people are inside the game!" He engages in a telepathic conversation with Jeong Ye-ji, who is currently inhabiting Oh Dok-seo's body via Side Story Creation. Yuir playfully teases her, refusing to acknowledge her as the true Saintess and instead treating her as a "junior" version from the 267th cycle, complete with a hand-drawn "267" mask. The true Jeong Ye-ji, observing from the real world in Seoul, is initially amused but grows furious at Yuir's mockery, her rage manifesting as a terrifying, oppressive silence that alarms Yuir’s sixth sense. Yuir attempts to de-escalate by adopting a comforting persona, which pleases the 267th cycle entity but further enrages the true Saintess, who vows to prepare a "lesson" for him. The next day, Yuir’s prank goes viral. Cheon Yo-hwa bursts into Yuir’s hideout in the Inunaki Tunnel, furious that Yuir was gossiping with a "fake" Cheon Yo-hwa and claiming there were multiple versions of her. She reveals she has mobilized 31 accounts to trend the story on the SG Net, causing widespread social backlash. Yu Ji-won arrives, finding Yuir kneeling in penalty outside Noh Do-hwa’s office, and offers to help him overthrow Noh Do-hwa, but Yuir declines, fearing lethal consequences. The commotion settles, revealing the addictive power of Dok-seo’s Side Stories. Oh Dok-seo, now physically present, reveals she has absorbed the emotions of the previous cycles’ entities she impersonated, feeling their affection, regret, and worry. She proposes a new creative arrangement: for every 100 chapters Yuir writes, she will write one side story from his perspective without his review, which Yuir accepts. The narrative then jumps to an epilogue in a later cycle. Yuir uses Side Story Creation to embody his younger self from the 10th cycle. He confronts this younger, arrogant version of himself, listing the horrific Anomalies he must face in the future. The younger Yuir is shocked and despairing, accusing the older Yuir of cruelty. Yuir calmly asks his younger self if he has become an adult he can be proud of. The younger Yuir remains silent, drinks the café au lait Yuir offers, and abruptly severs the connection, fleeing the conversation. The older Yuir finishes the drink, savoring its special taste.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:11
275
Chapter 275
The Undertaker begins by recalling his leadership of the mobile fortress BusaN, which traversed the Eurasian continent populated by "Forsaken Villages." These settlements consisted of residents who, unable to survive the hostile Void environment, abandoned their humanity to adapt. The narrator explains that while inhabitants claimed this was a noble adaptation, it was fundamentally incompatible with human existence; one cannot truly adapt to the Void without ceasing to be human. Examples of this degradation include temporal distortions, memory loss, and sensory perversions where sewage becomes appetizing. This moral disintegration culminated in the rise of the Church of Unhappiness, a human-created cult that preached the abandonment of happiness as the only realistic goal in an age of destruction. The narrator contrasts this with cults like the Mo Gwang-seo Faith, which relied on external Anomalies.
The narrative then shifts to the narrator’s past, specifically the early cycles of the Tutorial Dungeon. He recalls using Mind Reading in Busan Station, capturing the initial panic of various survivors. He focuses on Jung So-hee, identifying her as a Zealot and a member of the Church of Unhappiness. Jung So-hee was part of the Undertaker’s original party, which also included Uehara Shino, Lee Jae-hee, and a mysterious fifth member erased from memory via Time Seal. In the harsh conditions of the Tutorial Dungeon, where water was scarce and death was imminent, Jung So-hee’s ability to produce clean tap water was vital for survival. She consistently prioritized the combatants, refusing to drink until the others had. The narrator notes that his memories of this period are fragmented and potentially manipulated by Infinite Void. Despite the extreme stress and betrayal rampant among other raiders, Jung So-hee remained selfless. However, in a crucial moment of despair, she asked the Undertaker if he was unhappy and offered him the "good word" of her church. The chapter concludes with the revelation that Jung So-hee had infiltrated his party with the specific intent of spreading the misfortune and unhappiness of her faith to him.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:14
Chapter 275
The Undertaker begins by recalling his leadership of the mobile fortress BusaN, which traversed the Eurasian continent populated by "Forsaken Villages." These settlements consisted of residents who, unable to survive the hostile Void environment, abandoned their humanity to adapt. The narrator explains that while inhabitants claimed this was a noble adaptation, it was fundamentally incompatible with human existence; one cannot truly adapt to the Void without ceasing to be human. Examples of this degradation include temporal distortions, memory loss, and sensory perversions where sewage becomes appetizing. This moral disintegration culminated in the rise of the Church of Unhappiness, a human-created cult that preached the abandonment of happiness as the only realistic goal in an age of destruction. The narrator contrasts this with cults like the Mo Gwang-seo Faith, which relied on external Anomalies.
The narrative then shifts to the narrator’s past, specifically the early cycles of the Tutorial Dungeon. He recalls using Mind Reading in Busan Station, capturing the initial panic of various survivors. He focuses on Jung So-hee, identifying her as a Zealot and a member of the Church of Unhappiness. Jung So-hee was part of the Undertaker’s original party, which also included Uehara Shino, Lee Jae-hee, and a mysterious fifth member erased from memory via Time Seal. In the harsh conditions of the Tutorial Dungeon, where water was scarce and death was imminent, Jung So-hee’s ability to produce clean tap water was vital for survival. She consistently prioritized the combatants, refusing to drink until the others had. The narrator notes that his memories of this period are fragmented and potentially manipulated by Infinite Void. Despite the extreme stress and betrayal rampant among other raiders, Jung So-hee remained selfless. However, in a crucial moment of despair, she asked the Undertaker if he was unhappy and offered him the "good word" of her church. The chapter concludes with the revelation that Jung So-hee had infiltrated his party with the specific intent of spreading the misfortune and unhappiness of her faith to him.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:14
276
Chapter 276
The Preacher II recounts a past interaction with Jung So-hee during the Busan Station Tutorial Dungeon. So-hee approaches the Undertaker, identifying his unique talent for misfortune and offering a philosophy that unhappiness is a manageable condition akin to bacteria. She shares her personal reflections, claiming he is the only one who can understand her depth of heart, thereby establishing an emotional debt. So-hee then teaches him a mantra—repeating that misfortunes are not his fault but the fault of 'Anomalies'—combined with breathing exercises. This psychological conditioning provides him relief and inadvertently strengthens his Aura, as the technique helped him calm his mind after the trauma of losing 'X'. He enthusiastically shares these methods with other survivors, leading to the formation of the Church of Unhappiness in Busan. So-hee preaches to the masses, utilizing techniques inspired by George Orwell’s 'Two Minutes Hate' to foster contempt for humanity and Anomalies, culminating in group screaming rituals. She also uses her evolving ability, Localized Rainstorm, to provide free water, which converts pseudo-believers into indoctrinated followers. Later, the Undertaker confesses his secret identity as a regressor. So-hee reacts with intense emotion, calling him 'Reverend' and identifying him as a savior figure destined to bear the world's misfortunes. This moment marks the Undertaker's realization that So-hee may be manipulating him rather than saving him.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:33
Chapter 276
The Preacher II recounts a past interaction with Jung So-hee during the Busan Station Tutorial Dungeon. So-hee approaches the Undertaker, identifying his unique talent for misfortune and offering a philosophy that unhappiness is a manageable condition akin to bacteria. She shares her personal reflections, claiming he is the only one who can understand her depth of heart, thereby establishing an emotional debt. So-hee then teaches him a mantra—repeating that misfortunes are not his fault but the fault of 'Anomalies'—combined with breathing exercises. This psychological conditioning provides him relief and inadvertently strengthens his Aura, as the technique helped him calm his mind after the trauma of losing 'X'. He enthusiastically shares these methods with other survivors, leading to the formation of the Church of Unhappiness in Busan. So-hee preaches to the masses, utilizing techniques inspired by George Orwell’s 'Two Minutes Hate' to foster contempt for humanity and Anomalies, culminating in group screaming rituals. She also uses her evolving ability, Localized Rainstorm, to provide free water, which converts pseudo-believers into indoctrinated followers. Later, the Undertaker confesses his secret identity as a regressor. So-hee reacts with intense emotion, calling him 'Reverend' and identifying him as a savior figure destined to bear the world's misfortunes. This moment marks the Undertaker's realization that So-hee may be manipulating him rather than saving him.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:33
277
Chapter 277
The chapter opens with Jung So-hee attending to Go Yuir (Undertaker) with extravagant breakfast preparations, which he rejects due to the believers' scarcity. So-hee misinterprets this as a spiritual trial and escalates her devotion, framing his frugality as a virtue and turning the Church of Unhappiness into a deification cult centered on Yuir. Yuir reflects on his naivete, recognizing that delegating organizational control to So-hee allowed her to manipulate the congregation. He recalls a past conversation where he attempted to resign from the Church to focus on Anomaly extermination. So-hee interpreted this as a personal rejection and a test of loyalty, leading to a rift. The narrative then shifts to the failed military campaign against the Ten Legs, where Yuir, lacking cooperation from Dang Seo-rin, orders a retreat and evacuation. Upon returning to Busan, he encounters Uehara Shino, who warns him that So-hee has gone mad. They rush to the Church gathering site to find thousands of believers dead, poisoned by rainwater So-hee had manipulated. So-hee emerges from the carnage, presenting the organized corpses to Yuir as a fulfillment of her promise. She reveals her twisted theology: she believes the world's creator is malevolent, deriving power from suffering. Her own ability to generate both pure water and poison stems from her childhood trauma of being forced to drink water as punishment. She asserts that Awakeners are defined by their deepest wounds, not their joys, leaving Yuir horrified by the extent of her descent into madness and the destruction she has wrought in the name of her 'Reverend.'
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12:44
Chapter 277
The chapter opens with Jung So-hee attending to Go Yuir (Undertaker) with extravagant breakfast preparations, which he rejects due to the believers' scarcity. So-hee misinterprets this as a spiritual trial and escalates her devotion, framing his frugality as a virtue and turning the Church of Unhappiness into a deification cult centered on Yuir. Yuir reflects on his naivete, recognizing that delegating organizational control to So-hee allowed her to manipulate the congregation. He recalls a past conversation where he attempted to resign from the Church to focus on Anomaly extermination. So-hee interpreted this as a personal rejection and a test of loyalty, leading to a rift. The narrative then shifts to the failed military campaign against the Ten Legs, where Yuir, lacking cooperation from Dang Seo-rin, orders a retreat and evacuation. Upon returning to Busan, he encounters Uehara Shino, who warns him that So-hee has gone mad. They rush to the Church gathering site to find thousands of believers dead, poisoned by rainwater So-hee had manipulated. So-hee emerges from the carnage, presenting the organized corpses to Yuir as a fulfillment of her promise. She reveals her twisted theology: she believes the world's creator is malevolent, deriving power from suffering. Her own ability to generate both pure water and poison stems from her childhood trauma of being forced to drink water as punishment. She asserts that Awakeners are defined by their deepest wounds, not their joys, leaving Yuir horrified by the extent of her descent into madness and the destruction she has wrought in the name of her 'Reverend.'
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:44
278
Chapter 278
In a rain-soaked, corpse-strewn setting, Jeong So-hee, having become a deranged zealot of the Church of Unhappiness, delivers a nihilistic sermon atop a pile of dead bodies. She declares that adversity and suffering are the catalysts for becoming Awakeners, framing them as a curse from an evil god. She confronts the narrator, whom she addresses as 'Reverend,' asserting that he is uniquely chosen by this god because he is a regressor. So-hee argues that his failure to save everyone at Busan Station was his fault, as his growing strength imposes greater responsibility; thus, his existence is defined by the lives he allows to die. As rain falls, she asks if he is unhappy and commands him to remember her before slitting her own throat. Uehara Shino screams in horror, but the dead corpses begin to writhe and merge, driven by Void poison, to form a colossal Anomaly called 'The Hollow.' The entity’s face is that of the smiling So-hee, and it chants the church’s doctrine—'Eternal Invincibility' and 'Unyielding Will'—as it crushes the narrator under its massive hand, killing him.
An epilogue reveals that in his next cycle, the narrator’s heart is indeed filled with the unhappiness So-hee intended. However, instead of despairing, he finds purpose in his connections with others. He recalls his time as Vice Guild Leader under Dang Seo-rin, who invited him to join 'Samcheon World' guild, and his interactions with Jeong Ye-ji and Oh Dok-seo, whose traits he adopted. He realizes that while individuals bear burdens, they do not bear them alone; community and shared responsibility provide his freedom and strength. In the 700th cycle, the narrator seeks out Jeong So-hee, who is now searching for the 'First Reverend.' He asks her if she senses any talent in him. So-hee, blind to his true nature, dismisses him as fifth-rate and talentless, telling him to give up if he hears the 'voice' of their god. She walks away, severing ties. The narrator chuckles at her rejection, finding tranquility and amusement in being deemed 'fifth-rate' by the very woman who tried to destroy him, cementing his freedom from her toxic ideology.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:40
Chapter 278
In a rain-soaked, corpse-strewn setting, Jeong So-hee, having become a deranged zealot of the Church of Unhappiness, delivers a nihilistic sermon atop a pile of dead bodies. She declares that adversity and suffering are the catalysts for becoming Awakeners, framing them as a curse from an evil god. She confronts the narrator, whom she addresses as 'Reverend,' asserting that he is uniquely chosen by this god because he is a regressor. So-hee argues that his failure to save everyone at Busan Station was his fault, as his growing strength imposes greater responsibility; thus, his existence is defined by the lives he allows to die. As rain falls, she asks if he is unhappy and commands him to remember her before slitting her own throat. Uehara Shino screams in horror, but the dead corpses begin to writhe and merge, driven by Void poison, to form a colossal Anomaly called 'The Hollow.' The entity’s face is that of the smiling So-hee, and it chants the church’s doctrine—'Eternal Invincibility' and 'Unyielding Will'—as it crushes the narrator under its massive hand, killing him.
An epilogue reveals that in his next cycle, the narrator’s heart is indeed filled with the unhappiness So-hee intended. However, instead of despairing, he finds purpose in his connections with others. He recalls his time as Vice Guild Leader under Dang Seo-rin, who invited him to join 'Samcheon World' guild, and his interactions with Jeong Ye-ji and Oh Dok-seo, whose traits he adopted. He realizes that while individuals bear burdens, they do not bear them alone; community and shared responsibility provide his freedom and strength. In the 700th cycle, the narrator seeks out Jeong So-hee, who is now searching for the 'First Reverend.' He asks her if she senses any talent in him. So-hee, blind to his true nature, dismisses him as fifth-rate and talentless, telling him to give up if he hears the 'voice' of their god. She walks away, severing ties. The narrator chuckles at her rejection, finding tranquility and amusement in being deemed 'fifth-rate' by the very woman who tried to destroy him, cementing his freedom from her toxic ideology.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:40
279
Chapter 279
The narrator, identifying himself as the Undertaker, observes that Oh Dok-seo's social ineptitude is primarily due to her roommate Sim Ah-ryeon's presence; without Ah-ryeon, Dok-seo is merely a socially oblivious writer. At a dinner meeting hosted to foster unity among NRMC leaders (Commander Noh Do-hwa, Operations Manager Yu Ji-won) and guild heads (Samcheon Guild Leader Dang Seo-rin, Baekhwa Guild President Cheon Yo-hwa), Oh Dok-seo abruptly asks the Undertaker who would win in a fight: Seo-rin or Yo-hwa. The question triggers a deathly silence at their table, perceptible only to those using Aura, as Do-hwa freezes mid-drink and Ji-won stops pouring soju. Dok-seo, unaware of the tension, presses for an answer, citing her interest in "who would win" debates. The Undertaker attempts to deflect by citing camaraderie, but Dok-seo persists, comparing their S-class and A-class rankings. The Undertaker mentally signals Saintess Jeong Ye-ji via blue-tooth for help; she initially succeeds in distracting them but returns to report failure as both leaders approach the Undertaker to force a drinking toast, interpreting the question as a provocation.
With Do-hwa staring him down, Ji-won absent, and Lee Ha-yul already incapacitated and drunk, the Undertaker realizes all diplomatic options lead to disaster. Seo-rin and Yo-hwa, seated side-by-side, begin a verbal spar wrapped in polite threats. Yo-hwa shatters a glass deliberately, spilling contents near Seo-rin, while Seo-rin mockingly suggests medical checks for Yo-hwa’s tremors. Realizing he must intervene to avoid being crushed by their combined power, the Undertaker uses regressive logic. He suddenly stands and loudly agrees with Do-hwa, proposing a grand sports tournament to build solidarity. He specifically suggests an "Awakening Tournament" where he will not compete, leaving the championship open for Seo-rin and Yo-hwa to settle their rivalry legally. The crowd, including the previously hostile leaders, erupts in cheers, swept up in the excitement. Seo-rin and Yo-hwa abandon their aggressive posturing to embrace the tournament idea. The Undertaker survives the crisis, wiping his brow, and discusses naming the event the "AwakenCup" with the Saintess, who silently judges the mundane name.
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10:24
Chapter 279
The narrator, identifying himself as the Undertaker, observes that Oh Dok-seo's social ineptitude is primarily due to her roommate Sim Ah-ryeon's presence; without Ah-ryeon, Dok-seo is merely a socially oblivious writer. At a dinner meeting hosted to foster unity among NRMC leaders (Commander Noh Do-hwa, Operations Manager Yu Ji-won) and guild heads (Samcheon Guild Leader Dang Seo-rin, Baekhwa Guild President Cheon Yo-hwa), Oh Dok-seo abruptly asks the Undertaker who would win in a fight: Seo-rin or Yo-hwa. The question triggers a deathly silence at their table, perceptible only to those using Aura, as Do-hwa freezes mid-drink and Ji-won stops pouring soju. Dok-seo, unaware of the tension, presses for an answer, citing her interest in "who would win" debates. The Undertaker attempts to deflect by citing camaraderie, but Dok-seo persists, comparing their S-class and A-class rankings. The Undertaker mentally signals Saintess Jeong Ye-ji via blue-tooth for help; she initially succeeds in distracting them but returns to report failure as both leaders approach the Undertaker to force a drinking toast, interpreting the question as a provocation.
With Do-hwa staring him down, Ji-won absent, and Lee Ha-yul already incapacitated and drunk, the Undertaker realizes all diplomatic options lead to disaster. Seo-rin and Yo-hwa, seated side-by-side, begin a verbal spar wrapped in polite threats. Yo-hwa shatters a glass deliberately, spilling contents near Seo-rin, while Seo-rin mockingly suggests medical checks for Yo-hwa’s tremors. Realizing he must intervene to avoid being crushed by their combined power, the Undertaker uses regressive logic. He suddenly stands and loudly agrees with Do-hwa, proposing a grand sports tournament to build solidarity. He specifically suggests an "Awakening Tournament" where he will not compete, leaving the championship open for Seo-rin and Yo-hwa to settle their rivalry legally. The crowd, including the previously hostile leaders, erupts in cheers, swept up in the excitement. Seo-rin and Yo-hwa abandon their aggressive posturing to embrace the tournament idea. The Undertaker survives the crisis, wiping his brow, and discusses naming the event the "AwakenCup" with the Saintess, who silently judges the mundane name.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
10:24
280
Chapter 280
The Undertaker (Go Yuir) officiates the opening of the First NRMC Awakener Fighting Tournament, dubbed the AwakenCup, held in a massive Colosseum that mysteriously appeared near Pyongyang. He introduces the first match between NRMC Operation Team Leader Yu Ji-won and Sim Ah-ryeon, the Saintess of the Eastern Holy State. Yu Ji-won enters riding Kongkongi, an official NRMC Pachycephalosaurus warhorse, while Sim Ah-ryeon enters to a deafening, adoring crowd as a beloved local icon. The Undertaker probes NRMC Commander Noh Do-hwa about the match, suggesting Yu Ji-won might throw the fight for political gain, which angers the crowd.
As the match begins, Yu Ji-won attacks fiercely. Sim Ah-ryeon offers no resistance, allowing Yu Ji-won to sever her left arm, legs, and right arm. Sim Ah-ryeon’s limbs regenerate instantly, and she maintains a serene, divine smile throughout the dismemberment. The Undertaker reveals via SG Net that Sim Ah-ryeon herself authored an exposé revealing her alter ego, the notorious troll OldManGoryeo. This strategic move paints Yu Ji-won’s relentless violence against a healing, smiling figure as cruel and unsportsmanlike. The crowd turns against Yu Ji-won, booing her and using flash photography to capture her distasteful expressions for global dissemination on SG Net. Overwhelmed by the psychological pressure and finite Aura reserves, Yu Ji-won collapses to her knees in defeat (dogeza). Sim Ah-ryeon wins the match through sheer endurance and public relations mastery. The Undertaker notes the absurdity of losing her secret identity for such a trivial victory, calling her madness incomprehensible. Jung So-hee cleans the arena while illusion spells mask the gore. The tournament proceeds to the next match between Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:50
Chapter 280
The Undertaker (Go Yuir) officiates the opening of the First NRMC Awakener Fighting Tournament, dubbed the AwakenCup, held in a massive Colosseum that mysteriously appeared near Pyongyang. He introduces the first match between NRMC Operation Team Leader Yu Ji-won and Sim Ah-ryeon, the Saintess of the Eastern Holy State. Yu Ji-won enters riding Kongkongi, an official NRMC Pachycephalosaurus warhorse, while Sim Ah-ryeon enters to a deafening, adoring crowd as a beloved local icon. The Undertaker probes NRMC Commander Noh Do-hwa about the match, suggesting Yu Ji-won might throw the fight for political gain, which angers the crowd.
As the match begins, Yu Ji-won attacks fiercely. Sim Ah-ryeon offers no resistance, allowing Yu Ji-won to sever her left arm, legs, and right arm. Sim Ah-ryeon’s limbs regenerate instantly, and she maintains a serene, divine smile throughout the dismemberment. The Undertaker reveals via SG Net that Sim Ah-ryeon herself authored an exposé revealing her alter ego, the notorious troll OldManGoryeo. This strategic move paints Yu Ji-won’s relentless violence against a healing, smiling figure as cruel and unsportsmanlike. The crowd turns against Yu Ji-won, booing her and using flash photography to capture her distasteful expressions for global dissemination on SG Net. Overwhelmed by the psychological pressure and finite Aura reserves, Yu Ji-won collapses to her knees in defeat (dogeza). Sim Ah-ryeon wins the match through sheer endurance and public relations mastery. The Undertaker notes the absurdity of losing her secret identity for such a trivial victory, calling her madness incomprehensible. Jung So-hee cleans the arena while illusion spells mask the gore. The tournament proceeds to the next match between Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:50
281
Chapter 281
Chapter 281 chronicles the latter stages and conclusion of the AwakenCup tournament, marked by chaotic combat and absurd outcomes. The chapter opens with the match between Oh Dok-seo and Manyo Neko. Neko activates an AT Field defense, rendering Dok-seo’s magic ineffective until she exploits a loophole by flying, then dropping to defeat Neko with a 'Nyanpunch.' Dok-seo suffers a disgraceful exit, booed by the crowd. Next, Lee Ha-yul faces Phantom Blade. Both competitors lack speech abilities and limbs (Ha-yul lacks legs; Phantom Blade lacks arms). Ha-yul utilizes puppet strings to cocoon and hoist her opponent, securing a victory that delights the audience despite later accusations of bias from the SG Net administrator. In a subsequent bout, Lee Baek fights Seo Gyu. The match devolves into a violent, low-level brawl driven by mutual hatred, with Seo Gyu winning decisively. The quarterfinals feature the highly anticipated clash between Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa. The pre-match atmosphere is hostile, with Samcheon’s fans using grapefruit-scented fireworks to taunt Baekhwa, while Baekhwa supporters dismantle witch costumes to reveal sailor uniforms and burn a doll, chanting anti-train slogans. When the match begins, Seo-rin and Yo-hwa engage in a bitter, sanitized verbal exchange before resorting to physical combat. After forty minutes of exhausting aura usage, the fight becomes a primal brawl. Yo-hwa pins Seo-rin in dogeza, forcing a submission while gnawing on Yo-hwa’s ankle. Yo-hwa claims victory, earning a standing ovation from the crowd as Samcheon’s fans are too battered to cheer. The aftermath sees Fairy No. 264 destroyed while intervening in the post-match chaos. Sim Ah-ryeon heals the injured. In the Finals, the narrator, Undertaker, introduces the 'Potato Mask' as the mysterious final competitor. The Saintess (Jeong Ye-ji) appears, distinguished from Sim Ah-ryeon by her deeper recluse. In a shocking conclusion, the Potato Mask defeats Cheon Yo-hwa in one second with an unexplained force, securing the title of world's strongest Awakener. The tournament ends with the Colosseum in ruins and the narrator expressing relief that the event is over.
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10:30
Chapter 281
Chapter 281 chronicles the latter stages and conclusion of the AwakenCup tournament, marked by chaotic combat and absurd outcomes. The chapter opens with the match between Oh Dok-seo and Manyo Neko. Neko activates an AT Field defense, rendering Dok-seo’s magic ineffective until she exploits a loophole by flying, then dropping to defeat Neko with a 'Nyanpunch.' Dok-seo suffers a disgraceful exit, booed by the crowd. Next, Lee Ha-yul faces Phantom Blade. Both competitors lack speech abilities and limbs (Ha-yul lacks legs; Phantom Blade lacks arms). Ha-yul utilizes puppet strings to cocoon and hoist her opponent, securing a victory that delights the audience despite later accusations of bias from the SG Net administrator. In a subsequent bout, Lee Baek fights Seo Gyu. The match devolves into a violent, low-level brawl driven by mutual hatred, with Seo Gyu winning decisively. The quarterfinals feature the highly anticipated clash between Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa. The pre-match atmosphere is hostile, with Samcheon’s fans using grapefruit-scented fireworks to taunt Baekhwa, while Baekhwa supporters dismantle witch costumes to reveal sailor uniforms and burn a doll, chanting anti-train slogans. When the match begins, Seo-rin and Yo-hwa engage in a bitter, sanitized verbal exchange before resorting to physical combat. After forty minutes of exhausting aura usage, the fight becomes a primal brawl. Yo-hwa pins Seo-rin in dogeza, forcing a submission while gnawing on Yo-hwa’s ankle. Yo-hwa claims victory, earning a standing ovation from the crowd as Samcheon’s fans are too battered to cheer. The aftermath sees Fairy No. 264 destroyed while intervening in the post-match chaos. Sim Ah-ryeon heals the injured. In the Finals, the narrator, Undertaker, introduces the 'Potato Mask' as the mysterious final competitor. The Saintess (Jeong Ye-ji) appears, distinguished from Sim Ah-ryeon by her deeper recluse. In a shocking conclusion, the Potato Mask defeats Cheon Yo-hwa in one second with an unexplained force, securing the title of world's strongest Awakener. The tournament ends with the Colosseum in ruins and the narrator expressing relief that the event is over.
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10:30
282
Chapter 282
In Chapter 282, the narrator, identified as the Undertaker, opens with a philosophical rejection of the idea that people cannot be changed. Motivated by his regressor status and the ability to pull life’s gacha, he asserts his belief in human improvement, citing his past success in reforming Seo Gyu and OldManGoryeo. He introduces Yu Ji-won, a silver-haired psychopath he has encountered in the 703rd cycle. Upon entering a convenience store she has usurped, the Undertaker confronts her. She initially attempts to attack him with a hatchet, but when her weapon shatters against his skin, she seamlessly pivots to seduction, pledging loyalty to secure her life. Recognizing her chaotic genius, the Undertaker spares her but announces a new, ambitious side quest: rehabilitating Yu Ji-won from a pure psychopath into a human with genuine emotions, a project he dubs the "Silver-haired Psychopath Understand the Human Heart? Yu Ji-won Rehabilitation Project!" He presents her with a series of psychological tests to gauge her baseline. When asked what she would do upon finding a suicide victim and their dog, she states she would kill the dog for food. Regarding companionship in a wine cellar, she assumes her peers intend to poison the group to hoard spoils. She describes killing as merely tedious waste disposal and defines love as a rationalization tool for self-satisfaction. Despite these grim answers, she attempts to flatter the Undertaker by claiming nobility and aligning with his preferences in historical factions. The Undertaker confirms her psychopathy, labeling her a "Silver-haired Psychopath." He then tests her reactions to virtuous acts, such as saving orphans, but she views it as a waste of time since the victims cannot take responsibility for themselves. He suggests romance is the missing piece, prompting her to agree to date immediately. However, real-world attempts fail to elicit any romantic interest. Turning to Fairy No. 264, they construct a dream simulation to find her ideal partner. They summon archetypes: a handsome man, an educated gentleman, and a powerful warrior. In each scenario, Yu Ji-won’s heart rate remains flat. Only when the simulated partner possesses absolute power, despite being morally bankrupt and weak, does her heart rate rise significantly. The Undertaker notes this reaction is identical to her response to his own presence, hinting at a deeper, unexplained connection based on power dynamics rather than attraction. The chapter concludes with the rehabilitation project ongoing and fraught with failure.
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10:27
Chapter 282
In Chapter 282, the narrator, identified as the Undertaker, opens with a philosophical rejection of the idea that people cannot be changed. Motivated by his regressor status and the ability to pull life’s gacha, he asserts his belief in human improvement, citing his past success in reforming Seo Gyu and OldManGoryeo. He introduces Yu Ji-won, a silver-haired psychopath he has encountered in the 703rd cycle. Upon entering a convenience store she has usurped, the Undertaker confronts her. She initially attempts to attack him with a hatchet, but when her weapon shatters against his skin, she seamlessly pivots to seduction, pledging loyalty to secure her life. Recognizing her chaotic genius, the Undertaker spares her but announces a new, ambitious side quest: rehabilitating Yu Ji-won from a pure psychopath into a human with genuine emotions, a project he dubs the "Silver-haired Psychopath Understand the Human Heart? Yu Ji-won Rehabilitation Project!" He presents her with a series of psychological tests to gauge her baseline. When asked what she would do upon finding a suicide victim and their dog, she states she would kill the dog for food. Regarding companionship in a wine cellar, she assumes her peers intend to poison the group to hoard spoils. She describes killing as merely tedious waste disposal and defines love as a rationalization tool for self-satisfaction. Despite these grim answers, she attempts to flatter the Undertaker by claiming nobility and aligning with his preferences in historical factions. The Undertaker confirms her psychopathy, labeling her a "Silver-haired Psychopath." He then tests her reactions to virtuous acts, such as saving orphans, but she views it as a waste of time since the victims cannot take responsibility for themselves. He suggests romance is the missing piece, prompting her to agree to date immediately. However, real-world attempts fail to elicit any romantic interest. Turning to Fairy No. 264, they construct a dream simulation to find her ideal partner. They summon archetypes: a handsome man, an educated gentleman, and a powerful warrior. In each scenario, Yu Ji-won’s heart rate remains flat. Only when the simulated partner possesses absolute power, despite being morally bankrupt and weak, does her heart rate rise significantly. The Undertaker notes this reaction is identical to her response to his own presence, hinting at a deeper, unexplained connection based on power dynamics rather than attraction. The chapter concludes with the rehabilitation project ongoing and fraught with failure.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
10:27
283
Chapter 283
The Undertaker reflects on Yu Ji-won’s true nature, realizing her type is not merely 'power' but the 'manipulation of will.' Ji-won explicitly states that her loyalty is gender-neutral and entirely dependent on the Undertaker, viewing his companions as resources to be managed. She demonstrates this by greeting Lee Ha-yul with excessive politeness, explaining that respecting those the Undertaker cherishes is the logical path to his approval. The narrative then shifts to a flashback from the 703rd cycle. The Undertaker discovers Ji-won brutally training Sim Ah-ryeon by cutting her finger with a blade to test her healing regeneration. Ah-ryeon, in pain, hides behind the Undertaker, claiming Ji-won is torturing her for neglecting training. Ji-won defends her actions, arguing that maximizing Ah-ryeon’s healing speed is essential for the upcoming Eastern Holy State project. The Undertaker realizes Ji-won misinterpreted his playful, teasing dynamic with Ah-ryeon as contempt, leading her to mirror this perceived hierarchy with harshness. He corrects her, explaining that Ah-ryeon views rough treatment as intimacy. Ji-won attempts to adapt by apologizing and bowing to Ah-ryeon, though she struggles to understand the concept of goodwill detached from utility. The Undertaker reassures her that he does not judge her harsh methods, but he must teach her nuance. The reflection concludes with the revelation that despite their mutual efforts to improve, their combination led to a catastrophic outcome in that cycle, triggered by the Saintess's death.
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10:20
Chapter 283
The Undertaker reflects on Yu Ji-won’s true nature, realizing her type is not merely 'power' but the 'manipulation of will.' Ji-won explicitly states that her loyalty is gender-neutral and entirely dependent on the Undertaker, viewing his companions as resources to be managed. She demonstrates this by greeting Lee Ha-yul with excessive politeness, explaining that respecting those the Undertaker cherishes is the logical path to his approval. The narrative then shifts to a flashback from the 703rd cycle. The Undertaker discovers Ji-won brutally training Sim Ah-ryeon by cutting her finger with a blade to test her healing regeneration. Ah-ryeon, in pain, hides behind the Undertaker, claiming Ji-won is torturing her for neglecting training. Ji-won defends her actions, arguing that maximizing Ah-ryeon’s healing speed is essential for the upcoming Eastern Holy State project. The Undertaker realizes Ji-won misinterpreted his playful, teasing dynamic with Ah-ryeon as contempt, leading her to mirror this perceived hierarchy with harshness. He corrects her, explaining that Ah-ryeon views rough treatment as intimacy. Ji-won attempts to adapt by apologizing and bowing to Ah-ryeon, though she struggles to understand the concept of goodwill detached from utility. The Undertaker reassures her that he does not judge her harsh methods, but he must teach her nuance. The reflection concludes with the revelation that despite their mutual efforts to improve, their combination led to a catastrophic outcome in that cycle, triggered by the Saintess's death.
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10:20
284
Chapter 284
The chapter opens with Undertaker and Yu Ji-won traveling overseas, specifically visiting New Delhi and Naryan-Mar, to map Eurasia using Ji-won’s Mini-Map abilities. This expansion is crucial for Undertaker’s long-term goal of establishing a multinational coalition. Upon returning to the Korean Peninsula, Undertaker notices the absence of the Saintess’s usual telepathic greeting. He finds Sim Ah-ryeon waiting for him; she nervously reveals that the Saintess has died. Later, at a modest funeral attended only by the Regressor Alliance, Noh Do-hwa speculates that the Saintess, a homebody, ventured to Sinuiju to greet Undertaker and was killed by a random Anomaly. Undertaker internally regrets not strictly forbidding her from leaving her home, while Do-hwa subtly threatens him by imagining kidnapping his elderly patients, hinting at her own dangerous nature. Do-hwa also provocatively touches his face, noting his stern expression is entertaining.
With the Saintess gone, the primary source of order and faith in the Korean Peninsula vanishes. Undertaker initiates a contingency plan he had prepared for this scenario. Through Seo Gyu, he broadcasts a message impersonating the 'Collector of All Anomalies' (Sim Ah-ryeon’s title, though the text attributes the broadcast text to the Collector persona). The message claims the Constellations have been imprisoned by the Collector, freeing the Awakeners from their constraints. This 'Constellations' Abduction Plot' is supported by a redesign of the SG Net platform to a sinister red-and-black theme. While some Awakeners react with reckless freedom, the majority remain fearful, believing the Constellations are watching from imprisonment and will punish transgressors. Public sentiment remains largely compliant, maintaining a 1:9 ratio of order to crime. Undertaker works tirelessly, barely sleeping, to maintain stability. Yu Ji-won remains at the Inunaki Tunnel, acting as his personal secretary and managing disappearances. The dynamic between them mirrors their early cycles, with Ji-won showing camaraderie. In the final scene, Noh Do-hwa summons Undertaker for a private meeting, casually asking why Yu Ji-won has been 'abducting people lately,' raising suspicions about her subordinate's activities.
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12:02
Chapter 284
The chapter opens with Undertaker and Yu Ji-won traveling overseas, specifically visiting New Delhi and Naryan-Mar, to map Eurasia using Ji-won’s Mini-Map abilities. This expansion is crucial for Undertaker’s long-term goal of establishing a multinational coalition. Upon returning to the Korean Peninsula, Undertaker notices the absence of the Saintess’s usual telepathic greeting. He finds Sim Ah-ryeon waiting for him; she nervously reveals that the Saintess has died. Later, at a modest funeral attended only by the Regressor Alliance, Noh Do-hwa speculates that the Saintess, a homebody, ventured to Sinuiju to greet Undertaker and was killed by a random Anomaly. Undertaker internally regrets not strictly forbidding her from leaving her home, while Do-hwa subtly threatens him by imagining kidnapping his elderly patients, hinting at her own dangerous nature. Do-hwa also provocatively touches his face, noting his stern expression is entertaining.
With the Saintess gone, the primary source of order and faith in the Korean Peninsula vanishes. Undertaker initiates a contingency plan he had prepared for this scenario. Through Seo Gyu, he broadcasts a message impersonating the 'Collector of All Anomalies' (Sim Ah-ryeon’s title, though the text attributes the broadcast text to the Collector persona). The message claims the Constellations have been imprisoned by the Collector, freeing the Awakeners from their constraints. This 'Constellations' Abduction Plot' is supported by a redesign of the SG Net platform to a sinister red-and-black theme. While some Awakeners react with reckless freedom, the majority remain fearful, believing the Constellations are watching from imprisonment and will punish transgressors. Public sentiment remains largely compliant, maintaining a 1:9 ratio of order to crime. Undertaker works tirelessly, barely sleeping, to maintain stability. Yu Ji-won remains at the Inunaki Tunnel, acting as his personal secretary and managing disappearances. The dynamic between them mirrors their early cycles, with Ji-won showing camaraderie. In the final scene, Noh Do-hwa summons Undertaker for a private meeting, casually asking why Yu Ji-won has been 'abducting people lately,' raising suspicions about her subordinate's activities.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:02
285
Chapter 285
The chapter opens with a flashback of the Undertaker recalling Noh Do-hwa’s revelation that Team Leader Yu Ji-won was secretly tracked by civilian operatives disguised as non-Awakeners to bypass Yu’s Mini-Map surveillance. Do-hwa presented photographic evidence of Yu dragging civilians into the Inunaki Tunnel late at night, asking if the Undertaker had known of these actions. The scene shatters to the present, where Ji-won serves coffee to the Undertaker (MC) in their café base. The MC reflects on Ji-won’s calculated nature, noting her efficiency and ability to position herself as an ally despite her psychopathic tendencies. Ji-won deduces the MC’s meeting with Do-hwa and admits to the 'kidnappings,' claiming they were necessary. When the MC questions the purpose, Ji-won requests time to demonstrate the truth. She leads the MC through the modified Inunaki Tunnel, displaying her own ability to manipulate the anomaly to create hidden spaces, such as the staircase leading down. They descend into a dark, underground chamber that Ji-won calls the 'Misfortune Workshop.' The area is revealed to be a prison-laboratory where abducted civilians are restrained in grotesque positions and subjected to torture. Ji-won explains that this facility is used to artificially create Awakeners from ordinary people. The chapter ends with the MC witnessing the horrifying reality of the workshop.
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12:04
Chapter 285
The chapter opens with a flashback of the Undertaker recalling Noh Do-hwa’s revelation that Team Leader Yu Ji-won was secretly tracked by civilian operatives disguised as non-Awakeners to bypass Yu’s Mini-Map surveillance. Do-hwa presented photographic evidence of Yu dragging civilians into the Inunaki Tunnel late at night, asking if the Undertaker had known of these actions. The scene shatters to the present, where Ji-won serves coffee to the Undertaker (MC) in their café base. The MC reflects on Ji-won’s calculated nature, noting her efficiency and ability to position herself as an ally despite her psychopathic tendencies. Ji-won deduces the MC’s meeting with Do-hwa and admits to the 'kidnappings,' claiming they were necessary. When the MC questions the purpose, Ji-won requests time to demonstrate the truth. She leads the MC through the modified Inunaki Tunnel, displaying her own ability to manipulate the anomaly to create hidden spaces, such as the staircase leading down. They descend into a dark, underground chamber that Ji-won calls the 'Misfortune Workshop.' The area is revealed to be a prison-laboratory where abducted civilians are restrained in grotesque positions and subjected to torture. Ji-won explains that this facility is used to artificially create Awakeners from ordinary people. The chapter ends with the MC witnessing the horrifying reality of the workshop.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:04
286
Chapter 286
The chapter opens with the narrator, the Undertaker, posing a philosophical inquiry into whether a psychopath can love someone with the same weight as themselves, concluding that such a person is inherently abnormal yet potentially useful. The scene shifts to a conversation with Yu Ji-won, who asserts her complete trust in the Undertaker and reveals that she has investigated the nature of Awakeners. She explains her discovery that the 'Misfortune Workshop,' located in the Inunaki Tunnel, serves as an 'Awakener Factory.' By subjecting ordinary humans to extreme, unadaptable trauma, she mass-produces Awakeners with immense power. Ji-won references a past conversation with the Saintess, Jeong Ye-ji, where they agreed on the necessity of information concealment to prevent the 'Church of Unhappiness' from spreading its dangerous doctrines widely. The Saintess agreed to act as a proxy for the Constellations to maintain order, while the Undertaker handles the shadows. The Undertaker questions the morality of creating 'farm-raised' Awakeners, fearing they would hate humanity rather than Anomalies. Ji-won acknowledges this risk but proposes a solution: role division. She suggests using Cheon Yo-hwa’s brainwashing capabilities to unite the Awakeners against Anomalies, but notes Yo-hwa’s personal loyalty issues. Instead, Ji-won advocates for a 'good cop, bad cop' dynamic. She volunteers to play the 'bad cop,' the embodiment of misery who torments the captives, while urging the Undertaker to be the 'good cop,' the savior who rescues them. She argues that her psychopathic nature makes her the only suitable candidate for this role, as she lacks the empathy that would hinder her, and she does not seek love or affection, only utility. Ji-won expresses her willingness to be discarded after use, stating she was born for this purpose. The chapter concludes with the Undertaker accepting her offer, acknowledging their meeting as 'fate' and Ji-won’s destined role as his ultimate tool and secretary.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
11:21
Chapter 286
The chapter opens with the narrator, the Undertaker, posing a philosophical inquiry into whether a psychopath can love someone with the same weight as themselves, concluding that such a person is inherently abnormal yet potentially useful. The scene shifts to a conversation with Yu Ji-won, who asserts her complete trust in the Undertaker and reveals that she has investigated the nature of Awakeners. She explains her discovery that the 'Misfortune Workshop,' located in the Inunaki Tunnel, serves as an 'Awakener Factory.' By subjecting ordinary humans to extreme, unadaptable trauma, she mass-produces Awakeners with immense power. Ji-won references a past conversation with the Saintess, Jeong Ye-ji, where they agreed on the necessity of information concealment to prevent the 'Church of Unhappiness' from spreading its dangerous doctrines widely. The Saintess agreed to act as a proxy for the Constellations to maintain order, while the Undertaker handles the shadows. The Undertaker questions the morality of creating 'farm-raised' Awakeners, fearing they would hate humanity rather than Anomalies. Ji-won acknowledges this risk but proposes a solution: role division. She suggests using Cheon Yo-hwa’s brainwashing capabilities to unite the Awakeners against Anomalies, but notes Yo-hwa’s personal loyalty issues. Instead, Ji-won advocates for a 'good cop, bad cop' dynamic. She volunteers to play the 'bad cop,' the embodiment of misery who torments the captives, while urging the Undertaker to be the 'good cop,' the savior who rescues them. She argues that her psychopathic nature makes her the only suitable candidate for this role, as she lacks the empathy that would hinder her, and she does not seek love or affection, only utility. Ji-won expresses her willingness to be discarded after use, stating she was born for this purpose. The chapter concludes with the Undertaker accepting her offer, acknowledging their meeting as 'fate' and Ji-won’s destined role as his ultimate tool and secretary.
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11:21
287
Chapter 287
The narrator, Mr. Undertaker, opens with a philosophical reflection on the disparate natures of the people around him, specifically contrasting the Saintess and Yu Ji-won. He observes that while both offer him a simple "Good morning," their underlying intentions and emotional weights differ vastly. For the Saintess, the greeting is an intimate connection, a shared moment of humanity amidst their timeless existence. In stark contrast, Yu Ji-won’s greeting is purely functional and military; she reports operational stability and pledges her readiness for orders. Undertaker finds her approach exhausting and decides to impose a physical confrontation to test her worthiness. He demands a full-force fight without the use of Aura, stripping himself of his coat and cane-sword to level the playing field.
Undertaker immediately attacks, slamming Ji-won into the ground. Ji-won, showing no surprise, asks if he preferred she used her Aura to block or endure the blow, demonstrating her calculated nature. Undertaker orders her to deactivate her Aura. The fight escalates as Ji-won employs tactical feints and hidden weapons. She throws a hatchet, which Undertaker catches mid-air, shocking her with his non-Aura reflexes. He strikes her shin, breaking her leg. Undeterred, Ji-won uses a secret device resembling an electronic cigarette to fire a spike into Undertaker’s forearm. She reveals the weapon was crafted by Noh Do-hwa and implies it might be poisoned, but Undertaker dismisses the threat, citing his near-complete immunity to poison achieved centuries ago. Ji-won mocks his hearing, referring to him as a "human toilet," and triggers a trap that causes the ceiling to collapse. She retreats through a series of mechanical traps, including arrows, crumbling floors, and gas clouds. Despite her injuries, she utilizes a crutch and a gas mask, revealing she likely broke the prisoners' limbs beforehand to secure the crutches. Her final measure involves releasing a gas mixture of stimulants, narcotics, and aphrodisiacs developed with Uehara Shino, designed to strip rationality and expose raw instincts. She claims the prisoners lost sanity within minutes and gives Undertaker twenty minutes before she returns in cleaner attire, leaving him to endure the chemical effects.
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10:30
Chapter 287
The narrator, Mr. Undertaker, opens with a philosophical reflection on the disparate natures of the people around him, specifically contrasting the Saintess and Yu Ji-won. He observes that while both offer him a simple "Good morning," their underlying intentions and emotional weights differ vastly. For the Saintess, the greeting is an intimate connection, a shared moment of humanity amidst their timeless existence. In stark contrast, Yu Ji-won’s greeting is purely functional and military; she reports operational stability and pledges her readiness for orders. Undertaker finds her approach exhausting and decides to impose a physical confrontation to test her worthiness. He demands a full-force fight without the use of Aura, stripping himself of his coat and cane-sword to level the playing field.
Undertaker immediately attacks, slamming Ji-won into the ground. Ji-won, showing no surprise, asks if he preferred she used her Aura to block or endure the blow, demonstrating her calculated nature. Undertaker orders her to deactivate her Aura. The fight escalates as Ji-won employs tactical feints and hidden weapons. She throws a hatchet, which Undertaker catches mid-air, shocking her with his non-Aura reflexes. He strikes her shin, breaking her leg. Undeterred, Ji-won uses a secret device resembling an electronic cigarette to fire a spike into Undertaker’s forearm. She reveals the weapon was crafted by Noh Do-hwa and implies it might be poisoned, but Undertaker dismisses the threat, citing his near-complete immunity to poison achieved centuries ago. Ji-won mocks his hearing, referring to him as a "human toilet," and triggers a trap that causes the ceiling to collapse. She retreats through a series of mechanical traps, including arrows, crumbling floors, and gas clouds. Despite her injuries, she utilizes a crutch and a gas mask, revealing she likely broke the prisoners' limbs beforehand to secure the crutches. Her final measure involves releasing a gas mixture of stimulants, narcotics, and aphrodisiacs developed with Uehara Shino, designed to strip rationality and expose raw instincts. She claims the prisoners lost sanity within minutes and gives Undertaker twenty minutes before she returns in cleaner attire, leaving him to endure the chemical effects.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
10:30
288
Chapter 288
Yu Ji-won returns to the underwater tunnel forty minutes late, having used the delay to apply psychological pressure, claiming the breach of her twenty-minute promise was intentional to test the Undertaker’s mental fortitude. She enters wearing a gas mask to protect against the potent pink toxic gas Uehara Shino created. The Undertaker immediately reacts, grappling with Ji-won and flipping her to the ground in a sudden burst of physical aggression. Despite being subjected to a powerful sedative and the toxic gas, the Undertaker reveals he has been circulating his Aura to resist the drug’s effects, noting that Shino’s formula was flawed for his specific nature.
A brutal wrestling match ensues. The Undertaker, relying on decades of hellish physical training under Old Man Scho, overcomes Ji-won’s superior Aura-based combat skills. He breaks her limbs and dislocates her joints, rendering her completely immobilized. Ji-won surrenders, acknowledging her failure to account for the Undertaker’s immense physical conditioning and mental resilience.
Exhausted, they lie in the tunnel. Ji-won reveals her true objective: she seeks to create a variable for the Undertaker by identifying Awakeners with teleportation potential. She argues that if they can find a teleporter, they could establish stronghold cities and reduce the suffering inflicted on ordinary people in future cycles, sparing them the reset trauma. The Undertaker rejects this utilitarian approach, explaining that as a regressor, he retains his memories and conscience. He fears that if he began justifying torture and betrayal as temporary, he would become a Corrupted Anomaly, losing his humanity and the meaning of his existence.
In a shocking confession, Ji-won admits that the Undertaker is the only reason she has never become a serial killer. She lists several high-profile figures—including Dang Seo-rin, Cheon Yo-hwa, Lee Ha-yul, and others—as prey she has desired to kill, but reveals that the Undertaker’s presence has been her sole restraint. She concludes by asking him to live long, solidifying her complex, dark allegiance to him.
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10:39
Chapter 288
Yu Ji-won returns to the underwater tunnel forty minutes late, having used the delay to apply psychological pressure, claiming the breach of her twenty-minute promise was intentional to test the Undertaker’s mental fortitude. She enters wearing a gas mask to protect against the potent pink toxic gas Uehara Shino created. The Undertaker immediately reacts, grappling with Ji-won and flipping her to the ground in a sudden burst of physical aggression. Despite being subjected to a powerful sedative and the toxic gas, the Undertaker reveals he has been circulating his Aura to resist the drug’s effects, noting that Shino’s formula was flawed for his specific nature.
A brutal wrestling match ensues. The Undertaker, relying on decades of hellish physical training under Old Man Scho, overcomes Ji-won’s superior Aura-based combat skills. He breaks her limbs and dislocates her joints, rendering her completely immobilized. Ji-won surrenders, acknowledging her failure to account for the Undertaker’s immense physical conditioning and mental resilience.
Exhausted, they lie in the tunnel. Ji-won reveals her true objective: she seeks to create a variable for the Undertaker by identifying Awakeners with teleportation potential. She argues that if they can find a teleporter, they could establish stronghold cities and reduce the suffering inflicted on ordinary people in future cycles, sparing them the reset trauma. The Undertaker rejects this utilitarian approach, explaining that as a regressor, he retains his memories and conscience. He fears that if he began justifying torture and betrayal as temporary, he would become a Corrupted Anomaly, losing his humanity and the meaning of his existence.
In a shocking confession, Ji-won admits that the Undertaker is the only reason she has never become a serial killer. She lists several high-profile figures—including Dang Seo-rin, Cheon Yo-hwa, Lee Ha-yul, and others—as prey she has desired to kill, but reveals that the Undertaker’s presence has been her sole restraint. She concludes by asking him to live long, solidifying her complex, dark allegiance to him.
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10:39
289
Chapter 289
Chapter 289 opens with the MC and Yu Ji-won receiving medical treatment from Sim Ah-ryeon, who openly teases the severely injured Ji-won while healing her broken joints. Ji-won, feigning vulnerability, confesses a fabricated psychopathic past and attempts to establish a twisted familial bond with Ah-ryeon, who remains stoic and focused on her duty. The following morning, Ji-won apologizes to the MC for the trouble caused by the Misfortune Workshop incident and proposes a standard cover-up involving memory erasure and media manipulation through Cheon Yo-hwa. The MC rejects this approach, announcing that Noh Do-hwa and the MC will handle the fallout. A public notice issued by Noh Do-hwa reveals that Yu Ji-won abducted 173 civilians over two years, resulting in 13 deaths and severe trauma for the survivors. Do-hwa assumes full responsibility, resigns as Corps Leader, and appoints Dang Seo-rin as her successor, while also demoting the Undertaker. The SG Net erupts in shock and debate regarding the validity of the post and the shift in power, though Samcheon Guild members adapt quickly. The MC explains to a stunned Ji-won that Do-hwa’s move was calculated to preserve the truth in the MC’s memory, preventing total erasure. Despite the Saintess’s death and Do-hwa’s resignation, the system holds due to pre-existing contingency plans and overlapping infrastructure with the Samcheon Guild. Ji-won, the MC, Lee Ha-yul, and Oh Dok-seo are assigned to the penal unit. Ha-yul asserts dominance over existing prisoners with her violent capabilities. Noh Do-hwa visits the prison, mocking the MC but expressing gratitude for the forced retirement and hinting at future cycles. The chapter concludes with the group on a battlefield cleanup duty. The MC encourages Ji-won, who acknowledges the exhaustion but accepts the reality of her existence. In a poignant moment under the sunset, the MC holds Ji-won’s hand, asking her to promise to discuss any future killings with him first. Ji-won agrees, placing a kiss on his finger and declaring her intent to follow his example, hoping the MC can compensate for her lack of a heart and humanity.
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10:30
Chapter 289
Chapter 289 opens with the MC and Yu Ji-won receiving medical treatment from Sim Ah-ryeon, who openly teases the severely injured Ji-won while healing her broken joints. Ji-won, feigning vulnerability, confesses a fabricated psychopathic past and attempts to establish a twisted familial bond with Ah-ryeon, who remains stoic and focused on her duty. The following morning, Ji-won apologizes to the MC for the trouble caused by the Misfortune Workshop incident and proposes a standard cover-up involving memory erasure and media manipulation through Cheon Yo-hwa. The MC rejects this approach, announcing that Noh Do-hwa and the MC will handle the fallout. A public notice issued by Noh Do-hwa reveals that Yu Ji-won abducted 173 civilians over two years, resulting in 13 deaths and severe trauma for the survivors. Do-hwa assumes full responsibility, resigns as Corps Leader, and appoints Dang Seo-rin as her successor, while also demoting the Undertaker. The SG Net erupts in shock and debate regarding the validity of the post and the shift in power, though Samcheon Guild members adapt quickly. The MC explains to a stunned Ji-won that Do-hwa’s move was calculated to preserve the truth in the MC’s memory, preventing total erasure. Despite the Saintess’s death and Do-hwa’s resignation, the system holds due to pre-existing contingency plans and overlapping infrastructure with the Samcheon Guild. Ji-won, the MC, Lee Ha-yul, and Oh Dok-seo are assigned to the penal unit. Ha-yul asserts dominance over existing prisoners with her violent capabilities. Noh Do-hwa visits the prison, mocking the MC but expressing gratitude for the forced retirement and hinting at future cycles. The chapter concludes with the group on a battlefield cleanup duty. The MC encourages Ji-won, who acknowledges the exhaustion but accepts the reality of her existence. In a poignant moment under the sunset, the MC holds Ji-won’s hand, asking her to promise to discuss any future killings with him first. Ji-won agrees, placing a kiss on his finger and declaring her intent to follow his example, hoping the MC can compensate for her lack of a heart and humanity.
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10:30
290
Chapter 290
The narrator, Yu Ji-won, opens with a disclaimer regarding the dark and disturbing nature of the content, specifically focusing on her crimes and the subsequent atonement for the National Road Management Corps. She details the public reaction to her abductions: while 173 people were targeted, 13 died, yet the public response was largely apathetic because she exclusively targeted individuals with no social connections. Among the 160 survivors, most sought to forget, but Kim Ji-soo chose rage and revenge.
The narrative shifts to Yu Ji-won’s official interrogation by the National Road Management Corps, attended by Commander Noh Do-hwa and a deputy investigator using a Lie Detector ability. Yu Ji-won confesses to being an amateur in torture, stating her true specialty was murder and disposal. Her primary objective was to artificially create an Awakener with the ability of 'Phantom Torture'—delivering pain without physical harm. This required two conditions: the subject must endure the full sensory experience of severe torture (e.g., burning, dismemberment) and, crucially, maintain unyielding hatred toward her. She failed with 11 subjects, killing them when their will broke, before succeeding with Kim Ji-soo as the twelfth subject.
To conceal her own injuries from self-experimentation, Yu Ji-won regularly visited Uehara Shino for healing potions, masking the damage from the National Road Management Corps. Once Kim Ji-soo Awakened, Yu Ji-won made her an assistant, using Phantom Torture to torment prisoners while leaving no physical marks. When Kim Ji-soo rebelled, attacking Yu Ji-won with her powers, Yu Ji-won remained desensitized and unharmed. She then weaponized Kim Ji-soo’s resistance by threatening to execute prisoners physically if Kim Ji-soo disobeyed. The prisoners, desperate to avoid real pain, begged for Phantom Torture. Faced with the reality that her defiance caused actual suffering to others, Kim Ji-soo broke after the thirteenth death. She surrendered, begging for mercy, and became Yu Ji-won’s compliant assistant, ending the first day of the interrogation in chaos as officers reacted with horror.
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11:53
Chapter 290
The narrator, Yu Ji-won, opens with a disclaimer regarding the dark and disturbing nature of the content, specifically focusing on her crimes and the subsequent atonement for the National Road Management Corps. She details the public reaction to her abductions: while 173 people were targeted, 13 died, yet the public response was largely apathetic because she exclusively targeted individuals with no social connections. Among the 160 survivors, most sought to forget, but Kim Ji-soo chose rage and revenge.
The narrative shifts to Yu Ji-won’s official interrogation by the National Road Management Corps, attended by Commander Noh Do-hwa and a deputy investigator using a Lie Detector ability. Yu Ji-won confesses to being an amateur in torture, stating her true specialty was murder and disposal. Her primary objective was to artificially create an Awakener with the ability of 'Phantom Torture'—delivering pain without physical harm. This required two conditions: the subject must endure the full sensory experience of severe torture (e.g., burning, dismemberment) and, crucially, maintain unyielding hatred toward her. She failed with 11 subjects, killing them when their will broke, before succeeding with Kim Ji-soo as the twelfth subject.
To conceal her own injuries from self-experimentation, Yu Ji-won regularly visited Uehara Shino for healing potions, masking the damage from the National Road Management Corps. Once Kim Ji-soo Awakened, Yu Ji-won made her an assistant, using Phantom Torture to torment prisoners while leaving no physical marks. When Kim Ji-soo rebelled, attacking Yu Ji-won with her powers, Yu Ji-won remained desensitized and unharmed. She then weaponized Kim Ji-soo’s resistance by threatening to execute prisoners physically if Kim Ji-soo disobeyed. The prisoners, desperate to avoid real pain, begged for Phantom Torture. Faced with the reality that her defiance caused actual suffering to others, Kim Ji-soo broke after the thirteenth death. She surrendered, begging for mercy, and became Yu Ji-won’s compliant assistant, ending the first day of the interrogation in chaos as officers reacted with horror.
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11:53
291
Chapter 291
The chapter opens with Yu Ji-won assigning the Hanja characters for 'pond' and 'swamp' to the name Kim Ji-soo, redefining her identity not as a daughter but as a 'godmother' who forcibly imposes maternal roles through trauma. Ji-won delivers a speech to her adoptees, framing Anomalies as existential threats and accusing ordinary people of cowardice for not Awakening. She commands them to face their wounds, discipline themselves through self-loathing, and use their emotions as weapons. This initiates a period of extreme psychological and physical torture designed to force Awakening. Ji-soo breaks under the pressure, developing a 'talent' that isolates her further. Ji-won manipulates her by promising autonomy and humanity through responsibility, a lie that keeps Ji-soo compliant. Eventually, the system punishes Ji-won with lifetime membership in a prisoner squad rather than execution, ensuring she must live with her crimes. The narrator, the Undertaker, joins this 703 Punishment Unit, alongside other outcasts like Lee Ha-yul, who murdered her father. Do-hwa falsifies documents to allow Oh Dok-seo to join the unit as well, after Dok-seo threatens random violence. The unit is deployed to the harshest frontlines. Later, Dang Seo-rin introduces a new recruit: Kim Ji-soo. Ji-soo, now malnourished with dark green eyes, greets the Undertaker with an eerie, calculated politeness that mimics Ji-won’s tone but hides seething rage. She reveals she killed seven people simply to be able to approach the unit, having been barred from contacting her 'godmother.' Ji-won appears, casually asking how many people Ji-soo killed. Upon hearing the number seven, Ji-won criticizes the inefficiency, advising her to treat anger as a precise blade rather than blunt force. Ji-soo thanks her, expressing relief that Ji-won has not changed, fearing a reformed Ji-won would be disturbing. The chapter ends with Ji-won complaining of phantom pain from a recent neck slash and wrist severance, a subtle hint that Ji-soo has already begun her violent retaliation against her former captor, despite the unit's protective barriers.
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11:25
Chapter 291
The chapter opens with Yu Ji-won assigning the Hanja characters for 'pond' and 'swamp' to the name Kim Ji-soo, redefining her identity not as a daughter but as a 'godmother' who forcibly imposes maternal roles through trauma. Ji-won delivers a speech to her adoptees, framing Anomalies as existential threats and accusing ordinary people of cowardice for not Awakening. She commands them to face their wounds, discipline themselves through self-loathing, and use their emotions as weapons. This initiates a period of extreme psychological and physical torture designed to force Awakening. Ji-soo breaks under the pressure, developing a 'talent' that isolates her further. Ji-won manipulates her by promising autonomy and humanity through responsibility, a lie that keeps Ji-soo compliant. Eventually, the system punishes Ji-won with lifetime membership in a prisoner squad rather than execution, ensuring she must live with her crimes. The narrator, the Undertaker, joins this 703 Punishment Unit, alongside other outcasts like Lee Ha-yul, who murdered her father. Do-hwa falsifies documents to allow Oh Dok-seo to join the unit as well, after Dok-seo threatens random violence. The unit is deployed to the harshest frontlines. Later, Dang Seo-rin introduces a new recruit: Kim Ji-soo. Ji-soo, now malnourished with dark green eyes, greets the Undertaker with an eerie, calculated politeness that mimics Ji-won’s tone but hides seething rage. She reveals she killed seven people simply to be able to approach the unit, having been barred from contacting her 'godmother.' Ji-won appears, casually asking how many people Ji-soo killed. Upon hearing the number seven, Ji-won criticizes the inefficiency, advising her to treat anger as a precise blade rather than blunt force. Ji-soo thanks her, expressing relief that Ji-won has not changed, fearing a reformed Ji-won would be disturbing. The chapter ends with Ji-won complaining of phantom pain from a recent neck slash and wrist severance, a subtle hint that Ji-soo has already begun her violent retaliation against her former captor, despite the unit's protective barriers.
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11:25
292
Chapter 292
The 703 Unit continues its operations, but the narrator is deeply troubled by Yu Ji-won’s recent psychopathic rampage, an event unique to the 703rd cycle. Lee Ha-yul offers emotional support and a chilling suggestion to silence the danger, while Oh Dok-seo wallows in exhaustion. The narrator reflects on the transfer of Kim Ji-soo, a victim of Ji-won’s past atrocities, into their squad. The next day, the narrator (Undertaker) meets with Ji-soo, offering a café au lait and unconditional support for any revenge she seeks against Ji-won. Ji-soo accepts the coffee with a rare moment of softness but clarifies her goal is not death, which she deems too quick, but prolonged suffering. She requests that the narrator order Ji-won to obey her without resistance; the narrator complies. Ji-soo integrates well into the unit, displaying high combat proficiency with her Awakening ability, Phantom Torture, which induces the sensation of decapitation in low-tier Anomalies, rendering them helpless. Despite her past as the 'Godmother' of the Misfortune Workshop, Ji-won remains arrogant, boasting to the unit that her academy-style torture was excellent education. The narrator warns Ji-won against harming Ji-soo further, to which Ji-won cryptically replies that the opposite will happen. On a weekend evening, Ji-soo and Ji-won leave for the woods. The narrator secretly follows them. In a pine forest, the narrator witnesses Ji-soo tying Ji-won to a tree. Ji-soo intends to recreate the torture she inflicted on Saintess Jeong Ye-ji—specifically, flaying the flesh. Ji-soo begins to use Phantom Torture to shred Ji-won’s skin while Ji-won is bound. Ji-won screams in pure agony, a sound unheard from her before. The torture continues for five hours, with Ji-soo forcing Ji-won’s awakening to keep her conscious. When it ends, Ji-soo is drained, and Ji-won is wrecked but eerily calm, claiming the suffering is meaningless because she cannot truly be hurt. Ji-soo, bleeding from her lip, stares at her broken tormentor.
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10:16
Chapter 292
The 703 Unit continues its operations, but the narrator is deeply troubled by Yu Ji-won’s recent psychopathic rampage, an event unique to the 703rd cycle. Lee Ha-yul offers emotional support and a chilling suggestion to silence the danger, while Oh Dok-seo wallows in exhaustion. The narrator reflects on the transfer of Kim Ji-soo, a victim of Ji-won’s past atrocities, into their squad. The next day, the narrator (Undertaker) meets with Ji-soo, offering a café au lait and unconditional support for any revenge she seeks against Ji-won. Ji-soo accepts the coffee with a rare moment of softness but clarifies her goal is not death, which she deems too quick, but prolonged suffering. She requests that the narrator order Ji-won to obey her without resistance; the narrator complies. Ji-soo integrates well into the unit, displaying high combat proficiency with her Awakening ability, Phantom Torture, which induces the sensation of decapitation in low-tier Anomalies, rendering them helpless. Despite her past as the 'Godmother' of the Misfortune Workshop, Ji-won remains arrogant, boasting to the unit that her academy-style torture was excellent education. The narrator warns Ji-won against harming Ji-soo further, to which Ji-won cryptically replies that the opposite will happen. On a weekend evening, Ji-soo and Ji-won leave for the woods. The narrator secretly follows them. In a pine forest, the narrator witnesses Ji-soo tying Ji-won to a tree. Ji-soo intends to recreate the torture she inflicted on Saintess Jeong Ye-ji—specifically, flaying the flesh. Ji-soo begins to use Phantom Torture to shred Ji-won’s skin while Ji-won is bound. Ji-won screams in pure agony, a sound unheard from her before. The torture continues for five hours, with Ji-soo forcing Ji-won’s awakening to keep her conscious. When it ends, Ji-soo is drained, and Ji-won is wrecked but eerily calm, claiming the suffering is meaningless because she cannot truly be hurt. Ji-soo, bleeding from her lip, stares at her broken tormentor.
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10:16
293
Chapter 293
In a twilight forest, Yu Ji-won and Kim Ji-soo stand bound, their heads lowered in submission, though for vastly different reasons. Ji-won lowers her chin from a position of absolute power, devoid of fear, while Ji-soo does so because her agency has been stripped away. Yu Ji-won recounts a story to Ji-soo about a tyrannical emperor who massacred a village. She explains that true power is not just the ability to commit evil without consequence, but the power to strip others of the ability to judge or find meaning in one's actions. The emperor found value in a lone, burned survivor who bluntly admitted the emperor’s crimes without seeking justification, proving the emperor’s absolute authority. Ji-won reveals that she once answered a similar question as a child, and Ji-soo, now realizing the parallel, correctly identifies the core truth: the emperor was satisfied because he faced no consequences, rendering the child’s vengeance and testimony meaningless. Ji-soo, horrified by Ji-won’s nature, accuses her of being an Anomaly or monster who parasitizes emotions, screaming that Ji-won is not human because she remains unfazed by the torture and pain inflicted upon her. Ji-won calmly acknowledges her pain and loss of consciousness but dismisses Ji-soo’s outburst as irrelevant. She then uses her Aura to break her bonds and embraces Ji-soo, confirming that Ji-soo’s hatred and suffering are exactly what she needs. Ji-won views Ji-soo as a 'chamberlain' who proves her power through her resistance, treating her with a twisted maternal affection, calling her a daughter and ordering her to rest for upcoming missions. As Ji-won departs, the narrator, who had been hiding in the bushes, reveals themselves. Ji-soo, initially angry at being watched, is left alone with the narrator. The narrator warns Ji-soo against suicide, arguing that while her death would cause Ji-won temporary grief, she would ultimately heal and move on, rendering Ji-soo’s sacrifice meaningless in the long run. The narrator urges her to live, allowing Ji-soo to make her choice later. This argument causes Ji-soo’s hardened expression to crumble.
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10:20
Chapter 293
In a twilight forest, Yu Ji-won and Kim Ji-soo stand bound, their heads lowered in submission, though for vastly different reasons. Ji-won lowers her chin from a position of absolute power, devoid of fear, while Ji-soo does so because her agency has been stripped away. Yu Ji-won recounts a story to Ji-soo about a tyrannical emperor who massacred a village. She explains that true power is not just the ability to commit evil without consequence, but the power to strip others of the ability to judge or find meaning in one's actions. The emperor found value in a lone, burned survivor who bluntly admitted the emperor’s crimes without seeking justification, proving the emperor’s absolute authority. Ji-won reveals that she once answered a similar question as a child, and Ji-soo, now realizing the parallel, correctly identifies the core truth: the emperor was satisfied because he faced no consequences, rendering the child’s vengeance and testimony meaningless. Ji-soo, horrified by Ji-won’s nature, accuses her of being an Anomaly or monster who parasitizes emotions, screaming that Ji-won is not human because she remains unfazed by the torture and pain inflicted upon her. Ji-won calmly acknowledges her pain and loss of consciousness but dismisses Ji-soo’s outburst as irrelevant. She then uses her Aura to break her bonds and embraces Ji-soo, confirming that Ji-soo’s hatred and suffering are exactly what she needs. Ji-won views Ji-soo as a 'chamberlain' who proves her power through her resistance, treating her with a twisted maternal affection, calling her a daughter and ordering her to rest for upcoming missions. As Ji-won departs, the narrator, who had been hiding in the bushes, reveals themselves. Ji-soo, initially angry at being watched, is left alone with the narrator. The narrator warns Ji-soo against suicide, arguing that while her death would cause Ji-won temporary grief, she would ultimately heal and move on, rendering Ji-soo’s sacrifice meaningless in the long run. The narrator urges her to live, allowing Ji-soo to make her choice later. This argument causes Ji-soo’s hardened expression to crumble.
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10:20
294
Chapter 294
Under a half-moon in a pine forest, Kim Ji-soo collapses, weeping without tears, her soul breaking from the weight of her memories. The narrator, the Undertaker, wraps his Aura around her to ward off the chill, attempting to comfort her as she stares blankly at the sky. Ji-soo recalls the truth behind her savior, Yu Ji-won. Once, Ji-soo belonged to a pack of orphaned wanderers in a Forsaken Village after an Anomaly wiped out their community. Yu Ji-won, an agent of the National Road Management Corps, arrived amidst the charred remains and saved only Ji-soo. Yu Ji-won asked if Ji-soo would dedicate her life to revenge, and Ji-soo agreed. Yu Ji-won then took Ji-soo's name, renaming her 'Ji-soo'—derived from 'ji' (pond) and 'soo' (marsh)—describing her as a place where hatred pools and grows. Ji-soo later realized the horrifying truth: Yu Ji-won likely allowed the Anomalies to destroy the village, intervening only to save a single promising survivor to serve her own purposes, effectively recycling human waste into tools. The Undertaker acknowledges this, explaining that Ji-won’s ambition was instilled by him. He reveals that in previous cycles, Ji-soo was destined to die because wanderer groups lacked Awakeners, but Ji-won’s intervention in this cycle broke that pattern. The Undertaker offers Ji-soo a choice: he can grant her a comfortable life in Busan, train her to fight Anomalies without torture, or share his regression knowledge. He emphasizes that he is a regressor and Ji-won remains his lieutenant across cycles. After two months of contemplation, during which Ji-won noticed Ji-soo’s distracted demeanor, Ji-soo returns with resolve. She admits she has killed people seeking revenge and realizes she and Yu Ji-won are alike. Rejecting the wish for personal happiness, she asks a shocking question: since Yu Ji-won values being the Undertaker’s lieutenant above all else, Ji-soo requests to take Yu Ji-won’s place as his lieutenant, thereby depriving Yu Ji-won of what matters most to her. She asks for help in replacing Godmother Yu, seeking to inflict the deepest possible loss on her tormentor by usurping her position.
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12:06
Chapter 294
Under a half-moon in a pine forest, Kim Ji-soo collapses, weeping without tears, her soul breaking from the weight of her memories. The narrator, the Undertaker, wraps his Aura around her to ward off the chill, attempting to comfort her as she stares blankly at the sky. Ji-soo recalls the truth behind her savior, Yu Ji-won. Once, Ji-soo belonged to a pack of orphaned wanderers in a Forsaken Village after an Anomaly wiped out their community. Yu Ji-won, an agent of the National Road Management Corps, arrived amidst the charred remains and saved only Ji-soo. Yu Ji-won asked if Ji-soo would dedicate her life to revenge, and Ji-soo agreed. Yu Ji-won then took Ji-soo's name, renaming her 'Ji-soo'—derived from 'ji' (pond) and 'soo' (marsh)—describing her as a place where hatred pools and grows. Ji-soo later realized the horrifying truth: Yu Ji-won likely allowed the Anomalies to destroy the village, intervening only to save a single promising survivor to serve her own purposes, effectively recycling human waste into tools. The Undertaker acknowledges this, explaining that Ji-won’s ambition was instilled by him. He reveals that in previous cycles, Ji-soo was destined to die because wanderer groups lacked Awakeners, but Ji-won’s intervention in this cycle broke that pattern. The Undertaker offers Ji-soo a choice: he can grant her a comfortable life in Busan, train her to fight Anomalies without torture, or share his regression knowledge. He emphasizes that he is a regressor and Ji-won remains his lieutenant across cycles. After two months of contemplation, during which Ji-won noticed Ji-soo’s distracted demeanor, Ji-soo returns with resolve. She admits she has killed people seeking revenge and realizes she and Yu Ji-won are alike. Rejecting the wish for personal happiness, she asks a shocking question: since Yu Ji-won values being the Undertaker’s lieutenant above all else, Ji-soo requests to take Yu Ji-won’s place as his lieutenant, thereby depriving Yu Ji-won of what matters most to her. She asks for help in replacing Godmother Yu, seeking to inflict the deepest possible loss on her tormentor by usurping her position.
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12:06
295
Chapter 295
The chapter opens with the narrator, a regressor known as the Undertaker, posing a question to his companions about their feelings on accompanying a regressor. Noh Do-hwa expresses that it feels 'shitty' and unfair due to the inequality of experience. Cheon Yo-hwa enjoys it because regression prevents permanent loss. Oh Dok-seo is excited to be near a protagonist, while Jeong Ye-ji states that the person matters more than the ability to regress. Sim Ah-ryeon worries if the Undertaker learned her passwords, and Lee Ha-yul playfully scolds him for trying to read minds. The narrator then turns to Kim Ji-soo, asking what she means by wishing to replace Yu Ji-won. Ji-soo declares her intent to become as capable as Godmother Yu—learning Latin, mastering administrative skills, and eventually taking her position—to wound Ji-won as deeply as she was wounded. When asked if her future self would accept a life dictated by this grudge, Ji-soo entrusts her pain and resolve to her next self, mirroring a silver-haired woman from a past cycle who similarly gambled on future happiness. The Undertaker accepts this, and a week later, Ji-soo takes her own life, triggering the 704th cycle. The regressor begins the new cycle by performing rituals of drinking tea and coffee to cleanse his mind. He intentionally delays meeting Ji-won to first visit Busan Station’s tutorial dungeon. There, he witnesses Kim Ji-soo as a student in a gray uniform confronting a Hollow zombie that has killed her teacher. Despite fear, Ji-soo bravely engages the monster with a golf club to buy time for her classmates to rescue the teacher. Although her tactics are sound, the group is doomed by the teacher’s rapid transformation and the students' inability to survive. The regressor intervenes, killing the zombie with a single strike and claiming to be a National Intelligence Service agent to reassure the survivors. A battered Ji-soo returns, having shed her coat to distract the monster. She bows to the regressor, thanking him for saving her classmates, and introduces herself by name.
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9:18
Chapter 295
The chapter opens with the narrator, a regressor known as the Undertaker, posing a question to his companions about their feelings on accompanying a regressor. Noh Do-hwa expresses that it feels 'shitty' and unfair due to the inequality of experience. Cheon Yo-hwa enjoys it because regression prevents permanent loss. Oh Dok-seo is excited to be near a protagonist, while Jeong Ye-ji states that the person matters more than the ability to regress. Sim Ah-ryeon worries if the Undertaker learned her passwords, and Lee Ha-yul playfully scolds him for trying to read minds. The narrator then turns to Kim Ji-soo, asking what she means by wishing to replace Yu Ji-won. Ji-soo declares her intent to become as capable as Godmother Yu—learning Latin, mastering administrative skills, and eventually taking her position—to wound Ji-won as deeply as she was wounded. When asked if her future self would accept a life dictated by this grudge, Ji-soo entrusts her pain and resolve to her next self, mirroring a silver-haired woman from a past cycle who similarly gambled on future happiness. The Undertaker accepts this, and a week later, Ji-soo takes her own life, triggering the 704th cycle. The regressor begins the new cycle by performing rituals of drinking tea and coffee to cleanse his mind. He intentionally delays meeting Ji-won to first visit Busan Station’s tutorial dungeon. There, he witnesses Kim Ji-soo as a student in a gray uniform confronting a Hollow zombie that has killed her teacher. Despite fear, Ji-soo bravely engages the monster with a golf club to buy time for her classmates to rescue the teacher. Although her tactics are sound, the group is doomed by the teacher’s rapid transformation and the students' inability to survive. The regressor intervenes, killing the zombie with a single strike and claiming to be a National Intelligence Service agent to reassure the survivors. A battered Ji-soo returns, having shed her coat to distract the monster. She bows to the regressor, thanking him for saving her classmates, and introduces herself by name.
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9:18
296
Chapter 296
Two months after arriving in Busan, the Undertaker (mc) arranges a meeting with Kim Ji-soo (704th cycle). He brings Oh Dok-seo as a 'bystander' and Awakener. In a café, the Undertaker explains his identity as a regressor and details the horrific past cycle where Ji-soo was abducted, tortured, and forced into an Awakener path, eventually committing suicide. Ji-soo reacts with rational detachment, rejecting the emotional burden of vengeance and stating she intends to live a happy life rather than inherit her past self's trauma. She views the past self's misery as incomprehensible and refuses to adopt her will.
The Undertaker reveals that the 703rd cycle Ji-soo anticipated this rational rejection and devised a workaround. He asks the current Ji-soo to close her eyes while a melody plays—Seo-rin’s Cursed Song Incantation, modified with vocal modulation and illusion techniques. Through the song, Oh Dok-seo uses her 'Side Story Creation' ability, fueled by the Undertaker’s Complete Memory of the 703rd cycle, to perfectly embody the previous Ji-soo. Dok-seo, appearing as the 703rd cycle Ji-soo, greets the current one. The narrative flashes back to explain the pact: the 703rd Ji-soo realized her hatred could not be conveyed through words alone to a future self who might reject it. She spent a week with the Undertaker and Lee Ha-yul, imprinted her personality, emotions, and answers to every possible question into the Undertaker’s memory, which Dok-seo then acted out. The chapter concludes with the 703rd Ji-soo (via Dok-seo) inviting the current Ji-soo to ask anything, opening the 'time capsule' of memories within the regressor’s mind.
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12:53
Chapter 296
Two months after arriving in Busan, the Undertaker (mc) arranges a meeting with Kim Ji-soo (704th cycle). He brings Oh Dok-seo as a 'bystander' and Awakener. In a café, the Undertaker explains his identity as a regressor and details the horrific past cycle where Ji-soo was abducted, tortured, and forced into an Awakener path, eventually committing suicide. Ji-soo reacts with rational detachment, rejecting the emotional burden of vengeance and stating she intends to live a happy life rather than inherit her past self's trauma. She views the past self's misery as incomprehensible and refuses to adopt her will.
The Undertaker reveals that the 703rd cycle Ji-soo anticipated this rational rejection and devised a workaround. He asks the current Ji-soo to close her eyes while a melody plays—Seo-rin’s Cursed Song Incantation, modified with vocal modulation and illusion techniques. Through the song, Oh Dok-seo uses her 'Side Story Creation' ability, fueled by the Undertaker’s Complete Memory of the 703rd cycle, to perfectly embody the previous Ji-soo. Dok-seo, appearing as the 703rd cycle Ji-soo, greets the current one. The narrative flashes back to explain the pact: the 703rd Ji-soo realized her hatred could not be conveyed through words alone to a future self who might reject it. She spent a week with the Undertaker and Lee Ha-yul, imprinted her personality, emotions, and answers to every possible question into the Undertaker’s memory, which Dok-seo then acted out. The chapter concludes with the 703rd Ji-soo (via Dok-seo) inviting the current Ji-soo to ask anything, opening the 'time capsule' of memories within the regressor’s mind.
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12:53
297
Chapter 297
In a quiet café, the narrator (Undertaker) steps back as Kim Ji-soo from the 703rd cycle meets her current self, Kim Ji-soo. The narrator orchestrated this meeting to allow the current Ji-soo to witness the future's trauma, hoping to transfer the weight of past grievances. The 703rd cycle Ji-soo, having overwritten the current Ji-soo’s personality via the narrator's help, speaks with a wry, transformed demeanor. She reveals that while the current Ji-soo views her own potential future as hypothetical, she actually lived through a hellish timeline under Yu Ji-won’s tutelage at the Misfortune Workshop. The narrator recalls his skepticism about transferring emotions without physical pain, having rejected a dream-recreation plan because the 703rd Ji-soo refused to force her younger self to suffer. However, as the 703rd Ji-soo describes her torture—skin peeled, teeth pulled for Phantom Torture—the current Ji-soo begins to weep. Her tears are not mere empathy; her eyes shift from black to a brilliant, glowing red. An external observer, Jeong Ye-ji, notes the transformation, confirming an Awakening has occurred. The current Ji-soo feels a visceral, physical pain, vomiting and trembling, indicating that the 703rd Ji-soo’s resentment and memories are being forcibly shared through physical contact. Instead of inheriting the skill of Phantom Torture, which requires inflicting pain to understand it, Ji-soo awakens a new ability called Empathic Resonance. This skill allows her to fully feel another’s emotions, suffering alongside them. The current Ji-soo embraces the future version, thanking her for the truth. She admits she cannot promise revenge or dictate her future path, but vows never to forget the pain. The narrator watches as the cycle’s trajectory shifts; the vengeful, torture-based skill disappears, replaced by a power born of shared suffering. The 703rd Ji-soo accepts this outcome as sufficient, closing her eyes as the two versions of Ji-soo are bound by this new, crimson-named ability.
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9:35
Chapter 297
In a quiet café, the narrator (Undertaker) steps back as Kim Ji-soo from the 703rd cycle meets her current self, Kim Ji-soo. The narrator orchestrated this meeting to allow the current Ji-soo to witness the future's trauma, hoping to transfer the weight of past grievances. The 703rd cycle Ji-soo, having overwritten the current Ji-soo’s personality via the narrator's help, speaks with a wry, transformed demeanor. She reveals that while the current Ji-soo views her own potential future as hypothetical, she actually lived through a hellish timeline under Yu Ji-won’s tutelage at the Misfortune Workshop. The narrator recalls his skepticism about transferring emotions without physical pain, having rejected a dream-recreation plan because the 703rd Ji-soo refused to force her younger self to suffer. However, as the 703rd Ji-soo describes her torture—skin peeled, teeth pulled for Phantom Torture—the current Ji-soo begins to weep. Her tears are not mere empathy; her eyes shift from black to a brilliant, glowing red. An external observer, Jeong Ye-ji, notes the transformation, confirming an Awakening has occurred. The current Ji-soo feels a visceral, physical pain, vomiting and trembling, indicating that the 703rd Ji-soo’s resentment and memories are being forcibly shared through physical contact. Instead of inheriting the skill of Phantom Torture, which requires inflicting pain to understand it, Ji-soo awakens a new ability called Empathic Resonance. This skill allows her to fully feel another’s emotions, suffering alongside them. The current Ji-soo embraces the future version, thanking her for the truth. She admits she cannot promise revenge or dictate her future path, but vows never to forget the pain. The narrator watches as the cycle’s trajectory shifts; the vengeful, torture-based skill disappears, replaced by a power born of shared suffering. The 703rd Ji-soo accepts this outcome as sufficient, closing her eyes as the two versions of Ji-soo are bound by this new, crimson-named ability.
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9:35
298
Chapter 298
In Chapter 298, the narrator (Go Yuir/Undertaker) formally introduces Kim Ji-soo to Yu Ji-won, establishing Ji-soo as Yu Ji-won’s direct disciple. The introduction is awkward; Yu Ji-won, an emotionless sociopath with silver hair and blue eyes, delivers a cold, transactional greeting, comparing her feeling toward Ji-soo to tasteless tap water. Ji-soo, characterized by black hair and crimson eyes, bluntly replies that Yu Ji-won feels like nothing, creating an immediate, ironic antagonistic dynamic likened by the narrator as an "enemy duo" (Ji-won + Ji-soo = won-soo, Korean for enemies). The narrator notes their diametric opposition: Yu Ji-won carries authority and ascends toward heaven, while Ji-soo bears guilt and hatred, descending toward hell. Despite being opposites, they share the burden of past-cycle trauma.
Ji-soo is assigned to the National Road Management Corps, a decision made alongside Noh Do-hwa. Do-hwa, the Commander, exhibits hostility toward the concept of reincarnation, viewing life as a single event and resenting the "debt" of past-life obligations. She sarcastically accepts the arrangement but sets a strict boundary: she forbids anyone from using Mind Reading on her, citing a past cycle where she threatened to quit if the narrator ever used the ability again. The narrator proposes creating a new Counseling Office to manage the psychological instability of Awakeners, whose powers are tied to deep psychological scars. He argues that Yu Ji-won’s emotional void makes her ineffective for counseling, whereas Ji-soo’s "Empathic Resonance" allows her to perfectly mirror client emotions, bypassing the need for traditional therapeutic techniques. Do-hwa grants the facilities, locating the office in the basement of the Inunaki Underwater Tunnel, ironically the same site where Yu Ji-won operated the Misfortune Workshop previously. The tunnel has been repurposed into a complex of mental-well-being facilities: a casino (Dream Casino), a level-up cafe (Azit), and Ji-soo’s counseling center.
As the office opens, Ji-soo struggles with the mental exhaustion of counseling high-profile targets like Cheon Yo-hwa and Dang Seo-rin. She seeks solace with the narrator, using her Empathic Resonance to absorb his tranquil, "blue hole" emotional state, which stabilizes her. Ji-soo expresses a long-term goal to use her power combined with Phantom Torture to awaken emotions in Yu Ji-won, hoping this will lead Yu Ji-won to apologize to her past victims. Moved by Ji-soo’s purity and devotion, the narrator accepts her request to be called "godfather," a title reflecting his role in saving her life in a previous cycle. Yu Ji-won interrupts this tender moment with a sarcastic, formal interpretation of the godfather title as an indirect proposal to her, which the narrator simply shuts down with a command to "Shut up."
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15:32
Chapter 298
In Chapter 298, the narrator (Go Yuir/Undertaker) formally introduces Kim Ji-soo to Yu Ji-won, establishing Ji-soo as Yu Ji-won’s direct disciple. The introduction is awkward; Yu Ji-won, an emotionless sociopath with silver hair and blue eyes, delivers a cold, transactional greeting, comparing her feeling toward Ji-soo to tasteless tap water. Ji-soo, characterized by black hair and crimson eyes, bluntly replies that Yu Ji-won feels like nothing, creating an immediate, ironic antagonistic dynamic likened by the narrator as an "enemy duo" (Ji-won + Ji-soo = won-soo, Korean for enemies). The narrator notes their diametric opposition: Yu Ji-won carries authority and ascends toward heaven, while Ji-soo bears guilt and hatred, descending toward hell. Despite being opposites, they share the burden of past-cycle trauma.
Ji-soo is assigned to the National Road Management Corps, a decision made alongside Noh Do-hwa. Do-hwa, the Commander, exhibits hostility toward the concept of reincarnation, viewing life as a single event and resenting the "debt" of past-life obligations. She sarcastically accepts the arrangement but sets a strict boundary: she forbids anyone from using Mind Reading on her, citing a past cycle where she threatened to quit if the narrator ever used the ability again. The narrator proposes creating a new Counseling Office to manage the psychological instability of Awakeners, whose powers are tied to deep psychological scars. He argues that Yu Ji-won’s emotional void makes her ineffective for counseling, whereas Ji-soo’s "Empathic Resonance" allows her to perfectly mirror client emotions, bypassing the need for traditional therapeutic techniques. Do-hwa grants the facilities, locating the office in the basement of the Inunaki Underwater Tunnel, ironically the same site where Yu Ji-won operated the Misfortune Workshop previously. The tunnel has been repurposed into a complex of mental-well-being facilities: a casino (Dream Casino), a level-up cafe (Azit), and Ji-soo’s counseling center.
As the office opens, Ji-soo struggles with the mental exhaustion of counseling high-profile targets like Cheon Yo-hwa and Dang Seo-rin. She seeks solace with the narrator, using her Empathic Resonance to absorb his tranquil, "blue hole" emotional state, which stabilizes her. Ji-soo expresses a long-term goal to use her power combined with Phantom Torture to awaken emotions in Yu Ji-won, hoping this will lead Yu Ji-won to apologize to her past victims. Moved by Ji-soo’s purity and devotion, the narrator accepts her request to be called "godfather," a title reflecting his role in saving her life in a previous cycle. Yu Ji-won interrupts this tender moment with a sarcastic, formal interpretation of the godfather title as an indirect proposal to her, which the narrator simply shuts down with a command to "Shut up."
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15:32
299
Chapter 299
In a snowy square where the National Road Management Corps’ Forbidden Books Department aggressively distributes will-writing services, the narrator, known as Undertaker, encounters Oh Dok-seo. While most citizens display indifferent indifference to the morbid promotion, Dok-seo muses that her published novels serve as her own will. The narrator questions her about wills, revealing his unique approach: instead of paper documents, which he deems unreliable, he has created AI-driven Undertaker dolls equipped with behavioral patterns and pre-recorded messages. He demonstrates 'Unit 05,' a miniature doll modeled after himself, which plays a message apologizing for pressuring her to update her serialization. The narrator reveals a vast collection of similar dolls, each customized for key figures in the Regression Alliance. Unit 01 is assigned to Jeong Ye-ji to assist if she tires of posing as a Constellation; Unit 02 to Noh Do-hwa to enforce work-life balance; Unit 08 to Seo Gyu to motivate his training. The dolls for Lee Ha-yul and Cheon Yo-hwa are noted as being of particularly high quality due to their involvement in manufacturing. Dok-seo, initially creeped out, suddenly realizes a logical loophole: if these dolls can preserve the narrator's influence post-mortem, observing their activation would provide empirical data on what happens after a regressor’s death. Seizing this inspiration, Dok-seo proposes a radical experiment to the stunned narrator. Ignoring his protests about the dolls' technical complexity, she whispers her plan to fake his death. The scene shifts as the narrator confirms his complicity in this deception. The chapter concludes with a system-wide broadcast from the Infinite Metagame addressing the Regression Alliance, calmly announcing that Mr. Undertaker has disappeared and is presumed dead, marking the successful execution of their grand deception.
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8:32
Chapter 299
In a snowy square where the National Road Management Corps’ Forbidden Books Department aggressively distributes will-writing services, the narrator, known as Undertaker, encounters Oh Dok-seo. While most citizens display indifferent indifference to the morbid promotion, Dok-seo muses that her published novels serve as her own will. The narrator questions her about wills, revealing his unique approach: instead of paper documents, which he deems unreliable, he has created AI-driven Undertaker dolls equipped with behavioral patterns and pre-recorded messages. He demonstrates 'Unit 05,' a miniature doll modeled after himself, which plays a message apologizing for pressuring her to update her serialization. The narrator reveals a vast collection of similar dolls, each customized for key figures in the Regression Alliance. Unit 01 is assigned to Jeong Ye-ji to assist if she tires of posing as a Constellation; Unit 02 to Noh Do-hwa to enforce work-life balance; Unit 08 to Seo Gyu to motivate his training. The dolls for Lee Ha-yul and Cheon Yo-hwa are noted as being of particularly high quality due to their involvement in manufacturing. Dok-seo, initially creeped out, suddenly realizes a logical loophole: if these dolls can preserve the narrator's influence post-mortem, observing their activation would provide empirical data on what happens after a regressor’s death. Seizing this inspiration, Dok-seo proposes a radical experiment to the stunned narrator. Ignoring his protests about the dolls' technical complexity, she whispers her plan to fake his death. The scene shifts as the narrator confirms his complicity in this deception. The chapter concludes with a system-wide broadcast from the Infinite Metagame addressing the Regression Alliance, calmly announcing that Mr. Undertaker has disappeared and is presumed dead, marking the successful execution of their grand deception.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
8:32
300
Chapter 300
The Undertaker (Oh Dok-seo) orchestrates a complex ruse by faking his own death, known only to the informant (Dok-seo) and the Saintess (Jeong Ye-ji). He relocates to the Saintess's isolated home in Yongsan, a choice validated by its remoteness and the Saintess's lack of visitors. The Saintess, a solitary individual with no friends, provides logistical support while enforcing strict operational security, notably banning SG Net usage to avoid detection by Seo Gyu. The Undertaker enjoys the psychological thrill of the deception, observing the reactions of his former colleagues through the Saintess's real-time intel.
The political landscape of the Korean Peninsula fractures into two primary factions over the validity of the Undertaker's funeral. The 'Funeral Faction,' comprising Noh Do-hwa, Dang Seo-rin, Yu Ji-won, and Seo Gyu, organizes the memorial in Busan. Conversely, the 'Anti-Funeral Faction,' led by Cheon Yo-hwa and including Sim Ah-ryeon, Lee Ha-yul, and Oh Dok-seo, rejects the funeral as invalid. Oh Dok-seo joins the Anti-Funeral Faction due to her personal ties with Ah-ryeon and Ha-yul. The Saintess and the Sword Marquess remain neutral, fearing that siding with either side would expose the Constellations' identities and destabilize public order.
Sim Ah-ryeon plays a crucial stabilizing role within the Anti-Funeral Faction, using her healing abilities and emotional resilience to keep Lee Ha-yul focused and prevent the group from descending into madness. However, Cheon Yo-hwa, predicted by the Saintess to 'Fall' soon, executes a sudden coup on Christmas Eve. Utilizing secret passages known to Ah-ryeon and Ha-yul, Yo-hwa launches a surprise attack on Busan, successfully capturing the Sword Marquess. This move secures control over the food supply, a critical resource, and shifts the balance of power. In retaliation, Dang Seo-rin declares war on Baekhwa Girls' High, triggering a cascading conflict involving the Eastern Holy State and the National Road Management Corps. The chapter ends with the nation on the brink of total collapse as multiple factions declare war simultaneously.
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12:55
Chapter 300
The Undertaker (Oh Dok-seo) orchestrates a complex ruse by faking his own death, known only to the informant (Dok-seo) and the Saintess (Jeong Ye-ji). He relocates to the Saintess's isolated home in Yongsan, a choice validated by its remoteness and the Saintess's lack of visitors. The Saintess, a solitary individual with no friends, provides logistical support while enforcing strict operational security, notably banning SG Net usage to avoid detection by Seo Gyu. The Undertaker enjoys the psychological thrill of the deception, observing the reactions of his former colleagues through the Saintess's real-time intel.
The political landscape of the Korean Peninsula fractures into two primary factions over the validity of the Undertaker's funeral. The 'Funeral Faction,' comprising Noh Do-hwa, Dang Seo-rin, Yu Ji-won, and Seo Gyu, organizes the memorial in Busan. Conversely, the 'Anti-Funeral Faction,' led by Cheon Yo-hwa and including Sim Ah-ryeon, Lee Ha-yul, and Oh Dok-seo, rejects the funeral as invalid. Oh Dok-seo joins the Anti-Funeral Faction due to her personal ties with Ah-ryeon and Ha-yul. The Saintess and the Sword Marquess remain neutral, fearing that siding with either side would expose the Constellations' identities and destabilize public order.
Sim Ah-ryeon plays a crucial stabilizing role within the Anti-Funeral Faction, using her healing abilities and emotional resilience to keep Lee Ha-yul focused and prevent the group from descending into madness. However, Cheon Yo-hwa, predicted by the Saintess to 'Fall' soon, executes a sudden coup on Christmas Eve. Utilizing secret passages known to Ah-ryeon and Ha-yul, Yo-hwa launches a surprise attack on Busan, successfully capturing the Sword Marquess. This move secures control over the food supply, a critical resource, and shifts the balance of power. In retaliation, Dang Seo-rin declares war on Baekhwa Girls' High, triggering a cascading conflict involving the Eastern Holy State and the National Road Management Corps. The chapter ends with the nation on the brink of total collapse as multiple factions declare war simultaneously.
Guest access includes first 49 of 485 audio chapters. Sign in for Free access.
12:55
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