Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 172

Let’s Go to New Zealand (5)

* * *

Rainy night.

The person standing outside the door was a fellow actor. Jin Ji-yu hesitated for a moment before asking,

“…Can I come in for a bit?”

“Yes.”

Park Geon, seemingly unsurprised, readily opened the door.

Soon, the two leads of ‘The Chronicle of the Gods’ and the one-two punch of Roman Entertainment were sitting across from each other at a solid oak table covered with a tablecloth.

“……”

An awkward silence hung in the air. Outside, the rain beat against the wooden walls of the lodge, and flames danced in the traditional fireplace.

Jin Ji-yu looked at her colleague and junior, who had flown all the way from distant Korea.

‘He looks similar on the surface, but…’

Having just met Peter Sean at the film set, water dripped from her hair despite using an umbrella.

When a few drops fell on the floor, Park Geon asked,

“Do you need a towel?”

“Yes. And if you have any water…”

“There’s plenty. Seon filled it up before she left a little while ago.”

Park Geon got up, opened a small refrigerator, poured bottled water, and brought a clean towel.

It wasn’t a particularly grand gesture, but the distribution of his movements was subtly precise.

It had been quite a while since he was discharged from the military, so it could have changed, but in official settings or fan meetings, his unique movements remained.

New fans who had just joined the fandom would be captivated, saying he was ‘like a soldier’ or ‘chic’.

“Did you have dinner?”

“I ate with Seon and Hee-do.”

“I was with Alicia and the staff…”

Simple greetings were exchanged. With the constant rain, most of the actors and staff were stuck in the lodge, so their daily lives were simple.

Watching actor Park Geon, actress Jin Ji-yu thought,

‘He’s different than usual.’

In fact, he had already changed a lot.

A few years ago, Park Geon, whom she met at a dog filming set in Seoul, was an actor with a unique sense of humor and a blunt demeanor.

When they joined the same company, fought against enemies trying to harm them, and he removed her old shackles, he was like a savior.

After the incident involving her parents was settled, Im A-hee of Four Queens simply commented,

‘Unnie [term for older sister used by females], those oppas [term for older brother used by females] are really great. Both the older and younger one are genuine.’

How many people would suddenly visit the company that harassed their younger sibling and demand an apology, or selflessly step up for a fellow actor?

Perhaps that’s why. At one point, her romantic feelings had grown even stronger.

But… at some point, things changed slightly. After vaguely reading the eyes hidden behind his expressionless face, always seeming to carry everything on his shoulders.

‘He said he had something to finish…’

Even though it was a special appearance, she could tell because they had already worked together several times.

From the moment he arrived in New Zealand, Park Geon looked like someone who would disappear at any moment.

Just like the wanderer in ‘The Chronicle of the Gods’… like Ido, who tried to leave this world after beheading the Emperor.

Jin Ji-yu bit her lip slightly.

‘Seon doesn’t know. Or maybe she knows but is pretending not to.’

Come to think of it, it had always been like that.

Even when filming Seoul Dogs, or in other works, he always felt somewhat detached.

It was only masked by his tremendous acting skills and transcendent performance, but his atmosphere was different from that of ordinary actors.

“Um, Oppa [term for older brother used by females].”

“Yes, go ahead.”

The hair he had grown for the role of Ido was now long enough to reach below his eyes.

His expression was the same as usual, his tone unchanged, but Jin Ji-yu was certain.

The colleague in front of her might retire from the entertainment industry after this project.

“Are you… not going anywhere?”

*

‘She has a good sense. She would have learned magic well if she was taught.’

Thinking idly, Geon turned his gaze to the window.

“Where would I go? I have to go back to Korea when filming is over.”

“That’s not what I mean. I mean, have you lost interest in acting, or are you retiring after this project…?”

After saying it, Jin Ji-yu quickly covered her mouth as if she had said something she shouldn’t have.

Geon calmly asked back.

“Retiring? Why did you suddenly think that?”

“Oppa [term for older brother used by females] hasn’t rested properly since his debut. You’ve been filming movies and dramas alternately without any breaks, so you might get burned out.”

“I’m fine. Ji-yu knows better than anyone else that I have good stamina.”

He made the usual excuse, but the top idol-turned-actress was not an easy opponent.

Jin Ji-yu, who had been biting her lip, looked at him as if she had made up her mind.

“I just… suddenly had that feeling. I was wondering what Oppa’s [term for older brother used by females] goal is.”

“Goal?”

“Yes. Besides winning awards at the three major film festivals, becoming a global star as a ten-million actor… what goal are you trying to achieve with acting?”

Geon pondered for a moment. Come to think of it, he had never thought about what would happen after regaining his memories.

During the Iron Kingdom era, he ran tirelessly to slaughter the Great Demons… After crossing over to the modern era, he ran to uncover the connection between the other world and acting.

In the process, he gained fans and met new colleagues…

“It was enjoyable.”

Jin Ji-yu’s eyes widened slightly.

“Yes?”

“The acting I started after returning, and my fellow actors, including Ji-yu, were all great. There are countless people I’m grateful for.”

“Hey, I didn’t do anything…”

“You allowed me to live as an actor. I still remember our first meeting.”

However, a part of his heart was held captive by a decades-long wish. Remaining somewhere between the warrior God and the actor Park Geon.

“When this project is over…”

-When this battle is over…

The lamplight flickered just as Jin Ji-yu carefully opened her mouth.

‘It’s starting again. Without cameras this time.’

Was this a sign that this journey was coming to an end?

The voice of his colleague, who had the hair color of a saint, mixed with the memories of the other world.

-Where are you planning to go? We received word that the Palanmir Highlands have already been occupied. The northern fortresses are also being captured one by one.

The log cabin in Queenstown, New Zealand, disappeared, and a stone room appeared.

The warrior of the Iron Kingdom, God, raised his cloudy eyes and stared at the saint in front of him.

-We must retreat. We can no longer hold out.

-No.

-What do you mean no?

-We have to break through now. If we stop here, the entire front line will collapse.

The saint passionately argued, even biting her lip.

The battle that began at dawn the day before had ended only after the sun had set. Aria Riverot, even her always shining hair was matted with blood and soot.

-Valmon of Wrath, 70% of the Allied forces were crushed while fighting him. There were also great sacrifices while escaping the Great Forest.

The third Great Demon, Valmon, who was entrenched deep in the southern Great Forest, had been defeated, but the cost was high.

Most of the Allied forces, who could not handle the combined arts, died from his power to disintegrate everything he saw.

Countless comrades and colleagues who had joined the warrior’s party also died. Even more tragic was the fact that this was not the first iteration.

Twenty-third,

It was the iteration in which Valmon was captured with the least amount of sacrifice.

-So we have to push through. Even if all those troops are annihilated and only the warrior is left, our victory if we can eliminate Berial.

The saint’s theory is correct. As she had consistently said since the first transfer, even if all the soldiers of the Iron Kingdom died, it would be a human victory if only the five Great Demons were captured.

But… the warrior shook his head.

-Is that our victory? Or is it the victory of the angels watching the fight from above?

The saint’s eyebrows narrowed as if he was talking nonsense.

-No, why are you suddenly talking about that…

The saint knows.

From the 8th iteration, after seeing the letters made of wriggling vines in the stone chamber after defeating Valmon, a seed of doubt sprouted in the warrior’s heart.

Perhaps he was tired of it. The constant sacrifice of comrades, the continuous deaths, the endless cycle of regression that did not end even after cutting down demons and Great Demons.

And… also to the ugly leaders of the Iron Kingdom and the lofty angels of heaven.

-Soldiers have seen Matekael in Pagul and Orgoth.

If one seat in the high heavens is Asruel, then Matekael and Prauriel are the remaining three thousand angels.

People used to distinguish the three by the red, green, and blue radiance surrounding the angels.

God spoke without waiting for the saint’s answer.

-They didn’t do anything, they just flew around the battlefield once and disappeared. Prauriel was sighted in Ent… and Asruel came down to congratulate us immediately after Valmon died.

-Warrior.

-What are they doing? Are they harvesting the souls of humans who died to demons, looking down on us without getting a drop of blood on themselves?

Although her actions were rough and her words were harsh, the saint’s faith was the deepest in the kingdom.

Normally, a loud shout would have been thrown at him, but… this time it was different for some reason. She avoided his gaze and only fiddled with the cross on her lap.

God called out the name of his colleague.

-Aria Riverot. Saint of the Iron Kingdom.

The erased memories were revived, and the hesitation on the saint’s face was visible.

Aria Riverot was wavering for the first time during countless regressions.

-During thousands of battles, we have never received reinforcements from heaven. Not the three archangels, nor even the individual angels below them.

-…

-Before the Great Demons were destroyed, they left me with words. They seemed to know something. About this world, and about the lofty heavens and the saint who spreads its will.

There was still no answer. The person who called him to this world and his oldest colleague, Aria, only moved her lips several times.

As if trying to say something unspeakable.

-Attack!

-Damn it, the demons…!

At that moment, a rough shout was heard from afar.

In an instant, the outside became as bright as day, and the sounds of weapons and shouts echoed. Berial’s army, which had crossed over from the Demon Realm, attacked under the cover of night.

Cutting through the stone wall with his drawn holy sword and jumping down, he glanced back.

…The saint was still not moving.

.

.

.

“…Let’s definitely go to the workshop.”

Suddenly, he came back to his senses. Geon took a fresh look at the face of his colleague, whom he had been facing until just now.

Thinking he hadn’t heard, Jin Ji-yu sighed and said again.

“The workshop. When we return to Korea, I think it would be good to gather the company people and go for a day or so. If Oppa [term for older brother used by females] is annoyed, well, I’ll take Shin-seung Oppa [term for older brother used by females]. Team Leader Gong will make a fuss again, saying she’s disappointed…”

“Let’s go.”

Jin Ji-yu’s eyes widened. Geon, who had stood up, picked up the sword he had leaned against the wall.

The hilt in his grasp was heavy and cold.

“By then, it will all be over.”

*

“Oh, the rain stopped!”

“Finally, this damn humidity is over. I want to leave for the North Island soon.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. I heard there are still a lot of scenes left to shoot at the base camp because of the rainy season.”

The staff and supporting actors in the lodge cheered at the rain-free sky, but the locals tilted their heads as if they were suspicious.

“It’s strange. I thought the early autumn rainy season came too early… and now it’s suddenly clearing up. It’s the most extreme weather I’ve experienced in the last few years.”

At the lodge owner’s words, the assistant director, who was happily scooping bread and soup, retorted with a smile.

“Still, this is something! I’ve heard that New Zealand’s nature is fickle. It’s been cloudy for a while, so it’ll be clear from now on.”

“Still, something…”

“Maybe our work called for the rain and wind.”

From behind the owner, who was speaking with a suspicious expression, a hoarse voice was heard.

Peter Sean, clutching a crumpled note, staggered out and sat at one side of the table.

“Get ready to run, halftime is over.”

* * *