Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 677

The dream that doesn’t break continues.

“Oppa, I came again today.”

Hyun-byeol visits almost every day, telling me all sorts of stories.

“I looked into it separately, thinking it might help you regain your senses, Oppa. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d actually find anything… but I got really lucky.”

In this dream world, Hyun-byeol wasn’t dragged into the game. After hearing about me from Mom, she’s been visiting often to help me.

Just like this.

“There’s this discharged soldier named Lee Baek-ho. I posted on the [Dungeon & Stone] community that you used to frequent, and somehow I managed to find him.”

“When I asked if I could meet him to talk, he asked if I was a girl first? When I said yes, he agreed to meet… The way he acts, he seems a bit obsessed with women.”

“Ah, I got sidetracked for a moment. Anyway, the important thing is, he wasn’t sucked into the game or anything. Uh… are you disappointed?”

Disappointed? What for?

It was already expected.

In this dream world, no one has been dragged into the game.

That’s why.

I even bothered to send a letter to my Canadian friend.

I was starting to genuinely wonder if I was losing my mind.

But thankfully, the results came out yesterday.

No matter how many drugs they gave me or how much they messed with me.

I wasn’t crazy.

There are many strange things about this place that make it hard to call it a dream, and there are many unnecessarily realistic parts, but still.

This is a dream world.

It’s a bit weird to say this, but it’s also something very advantageous for me.

‘Thinking about it now, even the police were strange.’

Even though they treated me like a madman, I made such a fuss. Yet, Team Leader Kang still visits occasionally, saying he hopes I get better soon, and speaks kindly to me.

And that’s not all.

“Oppa, once you get better, let’s go to Namsan together. You liked the night view there.”

Hyun-byeol is being so devoted to me, even though I’m just her ex-boyfriend.

“Hansu… it’s my fault, it’s my fault… If I hadn’t done that, you wouldn’t have ended up like this…”

Even my mother, who was my biggest trigger, is the same.

She keeps saying the words I’ve always wanted to hear deep down in my heart.

Is this really what you’d call a dream-like world?

‘Maybe that’s why.’

Looking back now, this might have had a bigger impact than the drugs or anything else.

That I thought this was reality and that I was the one who was crazy.

It’s like how once you lie down on an electric blanket, you just want to stay there, right?

‘But now, I have to get up.’

Using my Canadian friend’s letter as a support, I regained my weakening will and started planning my escape again.

I figured out the hospital’s layout and analyzed the staff’s tendencies and schedules.

At the same time, I pretended to receive treatment obediently, making them lower their guard.

It was around the time I was steadily preparing like that.

“Mr. Hansu, actually, I haven’t been able to tell anyone, including you, but… I think what you said might be true.”

Team Leader Kang, who came for a visit under the guise of an investigation, suddenly said something out of the blue.

As someone who was acting like my condition was improving, it was a rather awkward situation.

“Huh? Isn’t that all just made up? I honestly think so now…”

“I’m sorry… I kept debating whether it was right to say this now that you seem to be getting better… But could you please watch this video just once?”

Team Leader Kang, as if pleading, took out his phone and played a saved video.

‘What is this…?’

The video showed the police station where I was previously investigated.

The camera was pointed at a monitor on a desk…

“Do you see it? The text on this monitor.”

There were unknown logs on the monitor.

It was hard to read the text on the monitor through the video because of the poor quality, but thankfully, Team Leader Kang read them out loud.

“Synchronization complete.”

“Character information and logs are being recorded and sent to the administrator.”

“Successfully completed the coming-of-age ceremony, equipped new gear, and the overall item level has increased by this much… It’s full of game messages like that. It even updated in real-time.”

“Sometimes character information would also appear, and the name of that character was ‘Bjorn Yandel.’ It matches the name you mentioned.”

For me, who had decided this was a dream and was planning an escape, this was a sudden and confusing situation.

“But… so what does that mean?”

I asked, frowning, and Team Leader Kang replayed the video that had been paused.

“Please take a good look around the monitor. Yes, right here. As you can see… there are no wires connected to the monitor. There’s no power cord plugged in, let alone the main unit.”

Oh… that’s true?

My head became complicated for a moment.

What does this even mean?

“It’s a situation that can’t be explained scientifically. That’s why I thought your words might be true.”

“…So, does that mean I’m not crazy?”

“No, I still don’t know about that. But one thing is certain… the situation is very suspicious.”

“Suspicious?”

I tilted my head, and Team Leader Kang looked around before lowering his voice.

“Shortly after we brought this monitor, it was lost from the evidence storage room.”

“……”

“As if someone was trying to destroy the evidence.”

What’s going on?

***

Team Leader Kang’s words confused me.

I had finally come to believe that this world was a dream, but then he shows me this video?

What’s real and what’s fake?

Maybe because I don’t believe this place is real, Team Leader Kang was sent to show me this to make me believe it?

‘No, then they could have just made sure that I didn’t get that reply from my Canadian friend in the first place, right?’

A situation where solving one contradiction creates another.

My head starts to ache again, but the more it does, the simpler I decided to think.

In the end, what’s important is belief.

And I can choose.

What I will believe.

‘The execution date is four days from now…’

Soon, the escape plan was completed, and the date was set.

That day, I will escape this hospital and go outside.

Then, I’ll have to think about how to escape this dream.

‘Somehow, I feel like the answer might be in [Dungeon & Stone]…’

Of course, this is just my guess, and it’s not certain.

However, it’s suspicious that they allow everything else in the hospital but not [Dungeon & Stone].

Well, they did have the excuse that it interferes with treatment.

‘Clearing [Dungeon & Stone] again. That might be the trigger.’

It’s worth trying.

So, what’s important is that the escape is successful on the first try…

‘Just in case, one more time.’

While waiting for the execution date, I continued to run simulations, looking for any shortcomings.

And…

One day, two days, three days.

It was the point when there was only one day left until the execution date.

“Patient Lee Hansu! You have a visitor!”

Someone visited the hospital where I was admitted.

Hyun-byeol, my mother, Team Leader Kang.

I thought it would be one of the three, but when I went, it was a complete stranger, an old man, who greeted me.

His race was white.

His attire was a suit reminiscent of a gentleman.

A fancy cane that didn’t look like a weapon.

‘Just because he has a cane doesn’t mean he’s a wizard, but still.’

Analyzing strangers is a habit I picked up in Lafdonia—.

“You must be Hansu.”

Surprisingly, the old man, who looked like a pure-blooded white person, spoke Korean very naturally.

I thought the young man behind him was an interpreter.

Is he just an attendant?

I don’t know, but one thing was clear.

“Yes, but… who are you, sir?”

For some reason, I have a bad feeling.

Why would people like this come to see me?

He looks rich and high-ranking.

Even the fact that someone who has nothing to do with me could visit is suspicious.

Swoosh.

The white old man took off the fedora that was covering his face and placed it on the table.

As he did, his face, which had been hidden, was revealed.

Thanks to that, no further introduction was needed.

“I am Auril Gavis.”

Thump-!

“I am also the creator of the [Dungeon & Stone] you played.”

I didn’t expect this old man to show up.

Is it because the concept is ‘dream’? I really can’t predict what’s going to happen next—.

“But you see.”

The old man’s sharp eyes, which were hard to fathom, were fixed on me.

An atmosphere that was overwhelming just by looking at him.

“Judging by your reaction, it seems you already knew me?”

Well, whether it’s that world or this world, there’s nothing I can hide from this old man.

“Did you see another me over there?”

“Another me…?”

“Hmm, so you haven’t figured that out yet…”

Is it because I’m too used to modern life?

As soon as I heard the old man smack his lips, the old senses awakened in my whole body.

If I don’t stay alert, I’ll get caught.

Right, so…

“Enough, get to the point.”

As I lowered my voice and looked straight into his deep eyes, the old man put on a mysterious smile.

A smile that seemed somewhat satisfied.

“I am the only one who knows you are not crazy. And I also have the ability to help you get out of here.”

“……”

“But seeing that you don’t have much of a reaction to this… it seems you already have an escape plan?”

Ha, this old man is so naturally probing, like it’s second nature.

“Get to the point.”

I lowered my voice a little more and spoke in a strong tone, and the old man slowly nodded.

And finally, he got to the point.

“I’ll ask you directly.”

This old man came to find me because he was curious about one thing.

“Did you meet that child?”

“Who is that child?”

I had a guess, but I pretended not to know and asked back, and the old man shook his head.

“…Never mind. I’ll change the question.”

What, now I’m curious.

“How were you able to return? It’s not like the Gate of the Abyss was opened.”

“…If you’ve come this far, you must have already investigated everything?”

“Ah, are you talking about the records of what you told the police or doctors? If so, I’ve already checked…”

The old man, who was speaking calmly, suddenly shut his mouth and then burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Ahahahahaha!”

“……”

“Could it be that you really believe this world is a dream world?”

Because it was a mocking nuance, I didn’t want to answer. But if I just kept my mouth shut, I wouldn’t get any information.

“It seems like you don’t think so, old man?”

“Hansu, no matter what you believe, this is definitely reality. Even if it’s different from where you were.”

“Different from where I was? What does that mean?”

“There is no ‘cheat mode’ in this world that you mentioned. That’s why only you were able to open the Gate of the Abyss and cross over to Lafdonia. But…”

The old man, who had trailed off, continued.

“That doesn’t mean this place isn’t real.”

“Even if it’s hard to believe, it’s all real. Your mother who is asking for your forgiveness, your devoted ex-lover.”

It wasn’t just hard to believe, it was unbelievable.

“Then… show me some proof.”

However, when I acted boldly, the old man just chuckled and shook his head.

“No, never mind. There’s no need for that.”

“Is it because you don’t have any proof to show?”

Even though I tried to provoke him, I didn’t get the reaction I expected.

“Think what you want. You think this place is a dream anyway. If you want to go back to that place, there’s no reason to persuade you.”

Ha… is this how it’s going to be?

My stress level suddenly spiked, but since I was about to escape, I couldn’t just punch him.

“Then I’ll be going now. Good luck.”

The old man got up from his seat coolly, as if he was really done with his business.

Of course, I could have just let him go, but…

“Wait.”

I felt uneasy, so I stopped the old man.

“Do you have something to say?”

Uh… I didn’t stop him because I had something to say, but because I felt like I couldn’t just let him go like that…

Since it’s come to this, I decided to ask this.

“What’s the way to wake up from a dream?”

“Hmm?”

“If you want me to go back anyway, shouldn’t you just tell me?”

At my repeated questions, the old man stared at me intently and chuckled again.

“It’s what I wish for.”

“……What?”

“If I wish for you to go back, it will happen whether you want it or not. But seeing that you’re still here…”

“……”

“It seems that, unlike what you say, you’ve grown quite fond of this place.”

What are you talking about? I want to go back this very moment.

“Ah, I’ll take care of the hospital and police issues. So you can do whatever you want.”

No matter what he says, don’t get confused.