Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 96

Survival Expert (1)

096. Survival Expert (1)

2022.02.04.

Between the numerous branches stretching high towards the sky, grotesque creatures approached, making strange noises and staggering. [Krrr….] [Krrr….] As if sensing a human presence, their direction was very clear.

‘Bright and clear sunshine and weather? A beautifully 펼쳐진 [unfurled] wide white beach? Emerald seawater softly caressing the soles of the feet?’

‘There’s no way those things would catch my eye.’ If the staff, like Yeon-woo, had their spiritual eyes open, their reaction would have been different. They probably wouldn’t be leisurely wandering around looking at things like they are now. Wouldn’t they be terrified, screaming, and running away? That’s how bizarre ‘those things’ looked. Even Yeon-woo, who had seen quite a bit, frowned.

The only reason Yeon-woo could stand still was, ‘…Still, they’re a bit better than what I saw in the remote mountain valleys before.’ It was because he had experience seeing similar kinds before.

‘The remnants of the higher spirits that were once deified….’ Commonly known as folk beliefs. Giving meaning to even a single object, deifying it, and giving it faith seems to have been a common, long-standing custom worldwide.

‘I thought only Korea had things like that, but it seems that’s not the case.’ The divine being, who once had many followers, would have gradually lost faith and support for various reasons over time, and its influence would have diminished. Influence based on faith cannot exist if that faith disappears. That’s probably why the reason ‘those things’ look so grotesque.

‘A lion, a monkey, a snake… They’re all mixed up?’ Things that were once revered as divine beings have now become nothing more than huge thought-forms [entities created by strong emotions or beliefs]. The head is a snake, the tail is a monkey. The outstretched arm is made of long branches and a snake’s tail, and the body has a lion’s mane. The reason they became like that is simple. They devoured each other to fill the rapidly depleting power.

‘The one I saw in the mountains had thirty human heads….’ Certainly, this is much better than that time. Have you ever seen a monster with thirty heads and dozens of limbs? Have you ever seen it moving its dozens of limbs like crazy in the dark mountains at sunset, rolling its eyes and approaching quickly? Even Yeon-woo, who prided himself on having seen everything, was a little dazed at that point. It didn’t seem like a typical ghost, but it looked worse than a ghost.

‘I was lucky to have Madam Kang with me.’ It was Madam Kang who explained what it was and how it was made. It happened when she took young Yeon-woo to a mountain renowned for its spiritual power to pray.

‘I have to take care of them.’ What those things wanted was very clear: the power to sustain their bodies. Humans would be very good prey for those who are searching for something to keep their existence going without collapsing further.

Glance! Yeon-woo’s gaze swept over the staff who were busy looking around. No one is paying attention to this side, so it should be okay.

‘I’m definitely going to bill that human for this.’ A free trip? An investment for cheap marketing? Yeon-woo didn’t think it was either. Perhaps what Woo Do-gyeom intended was… ‘My blood is expensive.’ Wasn’t it the disposal of those things?

[Grrr….] [Krrr….] The creatures, with their arms and legs not fully intact, pushed through the trees and came closer. With his hands hanging down, Yeon-woo waited for them to come a little closer. Fortunately, he felt the paper he had put in one pocket just in case. If he drew blood from the start, they might run away and he would miss them, so he was planning to use it when they got a little closer. But then.

[You bastards! Where do you think you’re trying to prey on the living!] Suddenly, something burst out from the side not far away with a thunderous roar.

“…?” The approaching creatures seemed surprised as well, freezing in place.

[Can’t you just rot and disappear?! Look at you crawling out just because people came after a long time!] The man who shouted that raised something towards the sky.

‘…A gun?’ Taang! A threatening sound roared from the gun.

[Krrr…!] [Krrk…!] The stopped creatures flinched.

[Uh-huh. Still not leaving? Guess that wasn’t enough?] Seeing the man reloading his gun, the two cowered again. Not only that,

[Uwaaaah!] When the man roared threateningly, the approaching creatures quickly turned around and scurried into the island.

“…?” What on earth is going on? Yeon-woo took a moment to sort out the situation in front of him. The giant residual thought-forms discovered the staff and tried to approach the beach. But suddenly, a seemingly sturdy ghost appeared and threatened the thought-forms, chasing them away.

‘Is that possible?’ Even though they have now fallen to the level of thought-forms, they were once beings of high status. But they’re being chased away by a mere ghost?

[Tsk tsk. I don’t know what’s so good about this island that they keep crawling in one by one. What’s so good about this backwater place! There are so many this time, too. They would have all died if I wasn’t here. Tsk tsk!] The man clicked his tongue and lowered his gun. The man, muttering as if something didn’t please him, turned around.

[At least people who know how to save themselves should come here, but I don’t know why stupid humans keep coming… Huh?] The man’s words stopped as he frowned deeply. It was because he met a gaze that seemed to be looking at him head-on.

[That’s strange. Can he see me? There’s no way he can see me. It must be a coincidence, right? Just by looking at him, how could a living person see me. Haha. Adrian. You’re still dreaming empty dreams.] The man, who became more self-deprecating as he went on, drooped his shoulders unlike the thunderous appearance he had just shown. If it were normal, Yeon-woo would have ignored the man, no matter how suspicious the previous events were. But.

[Harvestable lifespan: +180 days]

The quest notification floating above the man’s head was more than enough to change his mind.

***

“Excuse me.” Yeon-woo was by no means a slave to lifespan. After gaining influence, he had been filling his negative lifespan relatively easily, like paying off a loan little by little. The movie would be released soon, and the drama soundtrack was scheduled to be released at the same time as the broadcast. Besides.

‘X-App is surprisingly lucrative….’ All he does on X-App is just ordinary conversation, but for some reason, lifespan comes in. As the number of viewers increases, the amount of lifespan collected gradually increases, like gathering dust to make a mountain.

-[Yeah, of course. People can die or live for very trivial reasons.] That was Dongja-ryeong’s answer to Yeon-woo’s question.

-[Seeing the face of someone you like is enough to sustain life.] Dongja-ryeong’s face looked a little lonely when he said that, so he couldn’t ask any more questions. Anyway, that’s why Yeon-woo’s lifespan was accumulating steadily. But that doesn’t mean.

‘They’re giving me lifespan so openly, it’s not polite to lifespan to ignore it.’ Not just a few days, but a whopping 180 days. A long time, half a year. And.

‘…I’m also a little curious about the relationship with those thought-forms.’ As long as filming continues on this island, those thought-forms can target the staff and approach them at any time. When Yeon-woo is there, he can sense their approach and chase them away first. But what if the situation doesn’t allow it? During filming when the camera is rolling. Or if they attack while he’s not there?

‘Well, the more insurance you have, the better.’ Yeon-woo stared at the man who called himself Adrian. Residual thought-forms, but they were once divine beings. A mere spirit chases such beings away.

‘It’s also interesting.’ Once he saw the lifespan, there was no need to hesitate. It’s always beneficial to receive quests. It would be even better if there were additional stats, but it’s a shame there’s no way to check yet. Moreover, haven’t they always said that people shouldn’t lose their initial intentions? So Yeon-woo,

[Hehehehe… I still can’t let go of hope. I’m still far from it, Adrian. It’s time to let go of empty hope. It must be a coincidence. It must be.] Spoke to the man who was full of hope alone, then soon realized the reality again and seemed to embrace all the despair.

“Excuse me.”

[Now I’m even hearing nonsense. Like someone is calling me…]

“I am calling you.”

[Um. Yeah, calling me… What? Calling me?!] Adrian, who was muttering to himself, turned around to face Yeon-woo. As if witnessing an unbelievable situation.

[Are you… really talking to me… ?]

“Since you’re the only person here, it must be you I’m talking to.”

[You can really see me? Really?]

“What’s so important about seeing me when you’re talking to me?” As soon as Yeon-woo finished speaking,

[Oh my God!] Adrian suddenly knelt on the sandy beach. [I can see… I can see…! God is finally giving me salvation!] Amen. Adrian, who added reverently, spread his arms towards the sky. [God is answering me!]

Adrian, who was almost wailing, jumped up. [Am I going to heaven now? Or hell? No. Please don’t let that happen… God. Angel. I’m going to heaven, right?!]

“……?” Yeon-woo was briefly stunned. It was because he heard a word he hadn’t heard in a long time.

‘Angel… Angel.’ Unfortunately, Yeon-woo was not an angel, nor did he have anything to do with the ‘cheon’ [heaven] of heaven.

“No.”

[……Huh? Then am I going to hell……?]

Adrian’s face was stained with despair.

“You’re not going to hell either. And I’m not an angel.”

[……?]

This time, Adrian had a dumbfounded look on his face. If you’re not an angel, then what are you? That’s the look on his face.

“There are people who can see spirits even if they’re not angels.”

[I see…….] Adrian said in a tone that clearly showed disappointment. [Then I… have to keep wandering around this island……?]

“That’s not true.”

[Huh……? Not true?]

“Let’s make a deal. How you survived the thought-forms. Why those things are afraid of you, and…” A smile appeared on Yeon-woo’s lips. “Your wish, that is.”

***

[Angel.]

“I’m not an angel.”

[If you’re not an angel, how are you going to grant my wish?]

“It’s a trade secret.”

[Are you really granting wishes? Then am I going to heaven?]

“I don’t know about that either.”

[……Anyway, all I have to do is protect you from those things?]

“And how you survived.”

[Hmm… That’s surprisingly simple. You just need courage. Do you know what’s most important when you encounter a dangerous animal in the wild?]

“What is it?”

[It’s the courage not to be intimidated by the opponent. The best thing is not to encounter them, but if you do, you must not avoid eye contact. In that state, you show the opponent that I am a much stronger being than you. In my case,] Adrian held the rifle he had slung over one shoulder in his hand. [I had this gun. The problem is, there’s only one bullet.]

“One bullet?” He was clearly acting threateningly like he was going to shoot more earlier?

[Haha. It’s called bluffing. The guys won’t even know I only have one bullet.] Because he had only left one bullet when he died, Adrian’s rifle could only use one bullet even after death. The used bullet would be refilled as the days passed.

‘A gun.’ It was quite amazing that the thought-forms of beings who were once divine were intimidated by just that.

[I hid and attacked them every day, so they naturally avoided me.] Adrian had a unique stat. Stealth, a stat with a whopping A+ grade.

‘I didn’t even feel it, so how did he pop out.’ I should have taken the quest. Although.

-Additional harvestable stat: ?