Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 274

274. Another Respite (2)

August 1, 2022

“I told you it would work.”

Those words burst out of me in response to Madam Kang’s declaration that it was useless.

Who knew those words would become the truth.

‘I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try, so I just went for it.’

It was a simple thought.

Madam Kang was scraping the bottom of her depleted spiritual power, even using her life force, so I would fill that void with my own power.

A very simple thought like that.

But then.

‘Another respite?’

And it’s an SSS-rank stat?

I’ve never seen a rank like that before.

I’ve seen up to SS-rank, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen a rank with three S’s.

There was no time to think about what it was.

No time to read the details.

‘Use it. Use it! Use it no matter what!’

But Yeon-woo was sure.

That this was the answer to solving this situation.

[Would you like to use the function of this stat?]

[Yes/No]

There was no need to hesitate.

Yeon-woo immediately selected ‘Yes.’

“……Are you okay?”

Kang Yeon-hwa spoke with a puzzled voice, seeing Yeon-woo pointing and poking her finger in the air, but Yeon-woo couldn’t answer.

He was too busy looking at the notification on the status window that appeared right in front of him.

[Warning!]

[Once a choice is made, it cannot be reversed. Careful selection is required.]

[Are you sure you want to use the function of this stat?]

[Yes/No]

A status window with a red warning.

Even with the warning that it could not be undone, Yeon-woo did not hesitate at all.

The hand that pressed ‘Yes’ once again was very firm.

[Using the stat ‘Another Respite’.]

[Remaining uses: 0]

[Select the target to grant lifespan to and the amount of lifespan.]

[Currently selectable target: Kang Yeon-hwa]

[Currently grantable lifespan: 7,277 days]

‘All of it.’

If it could save Kang Yeon-hwa, he was willing to give up all his spiritual power and everything else.

Barely scraped together.

But now, thinking about it, gathered at an incredibly slow pace.

He wished he could give all of that lifespan as well.

And that wish was actually coming true.

‘All to Madam Kang.’

7277 days.

A lifespan of 19 years and 342 days.

There was not a moment of hesitation or reluctance in transferring all of it.

Swish-

He felt something whooshing out of his body.

Madam Kang must have felt it too, as her eyes widened.

“Kang Yeon-woo. What are you doing right now?”

A stern voice.

But again, he didn’t have the mind to answer.

Because the lifespan count that had been floating in the corner of his vision became 0, and a friendly notification window popped up.

[Remaining respite: 0 days]

Twinkle, twinkle.

The status window blinked and asserted itself, as if it really wanted to let him know that there was no lifespan left.

‘I used to do everything I could to fill that up…….’

To get lifespan, he had even asked a person he was meeting for the first time,

-Old man. Do you happen to have a son? A dead son.

He had even asked such a question.

It was the first starting point where he, who hated and detested being a shaman so much, ended up doing it himself.

‘It’s okay. Lifespan will keep coming in.’

One of the best things about becoming a celebrity was that once his recognition had built up to a certain point, lifespan came in like interest.

Sometimes it came in a lot, like during the Onflix broadcast, and sometimes it didn’t.

But at least there had never been a time when there was no harvest for more than two days.

‘If it’s short, it’ll be a day. If not, I just have to hold out for a few days.’

If it really comes down to it…… I can activate the lifespan vending machine after a long time.

He’s going to live to be over 120 years old, so even if I just get one more day, it shouldn’t be a big problem, right?

Of course, he has no intention of just wiping his mouth and leaving.

One must always repay kindness properly.

‘Surely they won’t kill me right away.’

Back then, when he opened his eyes with minus 28,470 days.

A window that floated up in front of his eyes.

[Would you like to choose death?]

That status window that overwhelmed everything with just the word death, without any explanation.

Why is that memory suddenly floating up from deep within his mind?

“Hoo…….”

For now, he had overcome a major hurdle.

There’s still another hurdle left because the respite period has become 0.

But he’ll be able to solve that somehow.

Um…… probably.

“Kang Yeon-woo. What on earth have you done? Tell me the truth right now.”

Once he came to his senses, Madam Kang’s piercing gaze was right in front of him.

“You’ve done something very dangerous…… What on earth have you done? Huh? Do I have to worry about you even as this mother is on her way out?”

“Where are you going?”

His voice came out gruffly on its own.

“What are you talking about? Kang Yeon-woo. There are times when people have to accept reality…….”

“I’m saying that reality isn’t reality anymore. Just know that you won’t be going to the afterlife anymore.”

“What?”

“19 years and 342 days. At least for that long, you won’t have to worry about seeing the afterlife.”

“What are you talking about? 19 years?”

“Round it up to 20 years.”

“19 years, 20 years, whatever. How can you manipulate the affairs of heaven as you please?”

“I gave it because it worked. Isn’t this system something Madam Kang bestowed upon me?”

“What? System?”

Kang Yeon-hwa, who had emptied her mind and finished her final preparations with a detached attitude.

She had also seen the face of her son, who had been on her mind.

Now, she had no regrets.

She, who had been waiting for the final moment with a mind like still water…… was currently one step away from going crazy.

“What on earth are you saying? Lifespan? You gave me lifespan?”

“Oh? Didn’t Mom give it to me? You said you messed with my lifeline. Well. It’s not that important, so just take it.”

“You gave me lifespan, and you’re saying it’s not important!”

Boom.

It was Madam Kang’s scolding that he had heard in a long time.

“Oh. I gave you all the lifespan I had saved up. So, don’t waste it recklessly or try to use your strength to help me again.”

“Kang Yeon-woo!”

Madam Kang jumped at the word ‘all’.

“What kind of parent wants to live by sucking the life out of their child!”

Her glaring eyes and stern voice had something that made one’s legs tremble just by hearing it.

In fact, customers who heard such a scolding never dared to set foot in Madam Kang’s shrine again.

But who was Yeon-woo?

He was someone who had lived listening to that scolding for over twenty years.

“It’s the same for children, though.”

Well, there may be some who aren’t, but at least Yeon-woo wasn’t.

You could tell just by looking at how he had immediately gone crazy and transferred all the lifespan he had saved up.

“This rascal! You’ve been wandering outside, and only your mouth has come back alive!”

“Well…… I can’t deny that, unfortunately.”

You have to make up words, even if they’re not true, to attract attention in the entertainment industry.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he tried to gain popularity by telling lies.

It just means that you have to speak eloquently enough to avoid getting caught or getting into gossip, while still increasing your influence.

“My head is aching. Even if I urge you to train so much, you only get better at finding ways to avoid it, and even in times like this, you’ve created my strange number [caused me trouble]. You rascal. Yeon-woo. Kang Yeon-woo. Do you think life is something that can be given and taken so easily?”

Yeon-woo shrugged his shoulders once.

“Ah, but I already gave it. No take-backs. I won’t take it back. Mom just said she saved me, too. I just did it, too. There’s no reason or anything. Do I need a reason to want to save Mom if it’s a headache to think about it?”

As for lifespan…….

It’s a bit nerve-wracking that it’s become 0 days.

I can just collect it again.

It’s something I did after just going for it, but Yeon-woo could say with certainty that he had no regrets.

As he was finishing those words, full of such meaning, grumbling.

-Ding!

Yeon-woo heard the clear alarm sound once again.

[Congratulations!]

[Many people have been moved by your admirable filial piety!]

[Additional rewards will be given in return for showing such great filial piety!]

Um……?

‘Admirable…… what?’

The emotional moment with Madam Kang that was about to be touching was shattered into pieces by the status window that popped up out of nowhere.

‘Who on earth was moved……?’

Could it be that someone is watching right now?

Yeon-woo turned his gaze to the sky with an uneasy expression.

‘No. Well. In the first place, this abnormal system wouldn’t have arisen naturally…… I did think that there might be ‘someone’ who created this system, but…… is there really someone?’

It was really sudden and absurd.

‘If there really is someone who planned all this and is just watching, I won’t let them…….’

-Ding!

[Congratulations! Acquiring additional rewards.]

[Reward: 7 days of immortality]

‘……I have no reason to do anything. Yeah. I should just leave them alone.’

But that dissatisfaction didn’t last long.

[From now on, the user is exempt from death for 7 days.]

[Caution: If there is no lifespan to postpone after 7 days, you will face death.]

Even the unfriendly system kindly informs you of the explanation this time through the status window.

‘It feels like they’re giving me a disease and then giving me medicine, but well. It’s better than not giving anything.’

He was about to curse them to death just a moment ago, but what does it matter?

There are times when you have to just go with the flow, even if something unexpected happens.

Yeon-woo changed his mind as easily as flipping his hand.

At least for the next 7 days, he wouldn’t die even if the remaining respite period was 0 days, so how could he dislike it?

‘I don’t know who it is, but thank you?’

“You. Are you okay?”

“About what?”

“You said you gave it all. I’m asking if you’re okay even so.”

Madam Kang asked in her usual voice, as if she had already calmed down.

But she couldn’t hide her subtly trembling gaze or her hesitant fingertips.

Pretending not to notice that, Yeon-woo replied nonchalantly.

“Yeah, well…… I don’t think I’ll die right away.”

There’s no need to say that he’ll die if he doesn’t collect lifespan for 7 days.

It’s a very refreshing and dirty feeling, as if I’ve gone back to the beginning.

There’s no reason to find my roots even in a place like this.

“Really? Can I believe you?”

Death.

As that heavy word came out, Kang Yeon-hwa suddenly glared sharply.

“Are you really okay? If not, you have to tell me without hiding it so this mother can try to do something, right?”

“I’m telling you I’m really okay? If I wasn’t okay, would I say I was okay instead of saying I wasn’t okay? Why can’t you believe what I say?”

“Of course I can’t believe you! Do you even know what your face looks like right now?!”

“Yes? No…… What’s wrong with my face?”

“You right now…….”

At that moment.

The world swayed.

No. To be exact, it was Yeon-woo’s vision that swayed.

“Huh?”

“Kang Yeon-woo!”

The feeling of strength draining from his whole body like a receding tide was clear.

It was like his stomach suddenly dropping.

It was like riding a roller coaster and experiencing zero gravity.

“Yeon-woo! Kang Yeon-woo! Come to your senses!”

Madam Kang’s hand, which grabbed the collapsing Yeon-woo, was rough.

“Come to your senses, quickly!”

“I’m not dy…….”

“Yes! Hold on to your senses like that! Yeon-woo!”

This is the first time I’ve seen Madam Kang so desperate.

I don’t know where the detachment that had been waiting for death without showing any signs, even though she had saved her child’s life, had gone.

There was no time for such impressions.

“Come to your senses! Yeon-woo!”

Slap, slap!

Even as his mind was rapidly fading, he could feel Madam Kang’s fierce touch all too well.

‘I have to tell her when I wake up.’

That her touch was so fierce that even death would run away.