# Chapter 144
Looking at the battle situation from a distance, it was clearly disadvantageous for Taesung and Jade. They were overwhelmingly outnumbered.
‘Plus, those elemental minerals…’
No matter how little time they had to process them, those vicious bastards wouldn’t have just one shotgun.
The fact that Taesung and Jade could fight on equal terms with so many pursuers was partly due to their skills, but also because the pursuers hadn’t properly pressed their advantage yet.
‘They still haven’t captured any incriminating footage on camera.’
If things had gone according to plan, they would gradually fall back while Taesung killed non-Awakened people instead of Lee Hwan. Afterward, with their prepared attack, they would eventually collapse.
In this situation, how long could he protect Taesung if he jumped in between them? Would he just become a burden again with this exhausted and tattered body?
Lee Hwan took several deep breaths after coldly assessing his condition. While organizing his churning insides, he deliberately suppressed the instinctive fear welling up in his chest.
‘At this rate, those two will never be able to escape. I need to draw some aggro from their side.’
If so, how could he escape?
Ideally, only about a third of them would rush toward him. Then Taesung and Jade could exploit that gap to escape, and he would run away with pursuers on his tail, shaking them off as much as possible.
But had anything ever gone the way he wanted in his life so far?
After his Awakening, he barely enjoyed that sweetness before the monster wave hit. He regressed before he and Taesung could even open up about their feelings, and afterward, everything had been consistently unlucky.
‘…Think positively. Think positively.’
The phrase he’d constantly repeated to himself after losing his entire family calmed Lee Hwan. Looking at it differently, despite all the shitty incidents, hadn’t he somehow managed to complete his tasks and come this far?
Thinking carefully, it was actually better if more forces pursued him. While they still had no memories and no notable escape routes, he…
[Causality is being restored.]
[0h 0□m □2s]
[0h □0m □□s]
[□h □0m □2s]
In the final moment, Lee Hwan might be able to regress again if necessary.
Only about 7 minutes remained. The end of all this suffering was approaching. His vision seemed to blur momentarily.
“Whew… haah…”
He breathed deeply, filling his lungs completely. Then, suppressing his fear, he approached the gun in front of him and hooked his finger on the trigger.
Though he didn’t know its range, if it was an anti-monster weapon, it would perform better than ordinary weapons.
Click.
Lee Hwan took aim and widened his eyes. The pursuers surrounding Taesung with guns came clearly into view.
His machine gun spewed fire toward the morally bankrupt pursuers who would gang up at any opportunity.
Tatatatatata-!
“Aaargh!”
“To the rear…!”
As bullets rained down on their nearly defenseless backs, the figures who were about to capture and subdue Jade tumbled sideways. Simultaneously, the head of someone in combat with Taesung whipped around toward Lee Hwan.
The pursuers were all standing in the bright area where fires blazed, so they wouldn’t be able to see his face hidden in darkness. Despite knowing this, Lee Hwan felt that the man recognized him.
Crackle-.
Suddenly, a static sound came from the walkie-talkie.
—Those idiot bastards wouldn’t have done this… you, how did you get out?
Contrary to expectations that he would scream in desperation, a low, chilling voice that seemed almost soothing made the walkie-talkie vibrate.
At the same time, with a single gesture from him, the surrounding enemies swarmed toward Taesung. He stepped away from the battle and began walking toward where Lee Hwan was.
Lee Hwan dropped the gun and picked up the walkie-talkie with his uninjured hand while slowly backing away.
The distance was still too great to see the movement of his pupils, but he sensed that the man was scanning each position where guns had been set up.
Lee Hwan pressed the walkie-talkie button with his swollen hand that wouldn’t move well.
Crackle-.
“Looking for this?”
As Lee Hwan waved the camera shell, an unpleasant smile seemed to spread across the man’s face. Suddenly there was a sound of someone stomping the ground, and led by him, quite a large number of pursuers began chasing after Lee Hwan.
Fuck. After confirming that almost half of them were following him, Lee Hwan hurriedly turned and ran between the trees.
* * *
Stomp!
“I.”
Bang-! Babababat!
“Told you.”
Crack, thud!
“We should go later.”
Each time Jade gritted his teeth and shouted, the incoming bullets stopped and the charging attackers tumbled to the ground.
However, there were too many enemies and the weapons never ceased, so when he focused on the incoming attacks, armed Awakened would approach within reach, and when he swung his fists, bullets constantly grazed past his head.
He couldn’t just set up flame walls indiscriminately. As night fell, it became increasingly difficult to see outside due to the light from the flames. Eventually, Taesung had no choice but to haphazardly set fires wherever he heard gunshots and engage in close combat.
“This was obviously going to happen. You fucking idiot who can’t tell heaven from earth.”
Taesung turned his head, pretending not to hear the bone-cutting criticism. When they had found traces of Lee Hwan, he hadn’t ignored Jade’s warning that it seemed like a trap. He just thought it would be fine.
He had become impatient. He knew Jade wasn’t suggesting they abandon Lee Hwan, but rather wait a bit longer and look for an opportunity to rescue him… but why? He felt like someone drowning was right in front of him.
Once his thoughts were swept away, his reason was paralyzed in an instant. He couldn’t make cold judgments or calm responses. From that point on, Taesung frantically searched for the phone’s location, alongside Jade who was irritably furrowing his brow.
It was all because of Lee Hwan. More precisely, because of the look in his eyes when he sent him away. The emotions contained there were too ambiguous and ominous.
That expression containing resignation and a trace of acceptance grabbed Taesung’s heart and shook it roughly.
‘Something feels off.’
He had dismissed Lee Hwan’s incomprehensible words about not avoiding even embarrassing situations as his usual nonsense. But he couldn’t dismiss the expression that followed. The stare that instilled creeping anxiety, as if looking at the end of something, wouldn’t leave Taesung’s mind.
It was a face silently waiting for an ominous arrangement. Annoyingly, it gave him a sense of déjà vu. After turning away and leaving Lee Hwan alone as instructed, Taesung realized it was like Jade walking into the research building on his own feet.
So how could he hold back from finding him?
BOOM!
An explosion skill burned the face of a pursuer who had lunged right up to his nose. He had almost been seriously injured. Taesung internally chewed on curses.
The situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable. They were too outnumbered. Moreover, there was one guy leading the charge against them, and most of their strength was being consumed just blocking him.
‘Did the others call him Executive Director?’
While his ability didn’t seem uniquely or exceptionally strong, he was skilled in combat with Awakened people, skillfully pushing Taesung back with just his physical techniques.
Additionally, his strength clearly surpassed that of ordinary Awakened. He seemed to have a physical-type ability. The way he stuck close to Jade or himself, making it difficult to threaten him with flames, made Taesung think Naru had truly sent him with a vengeance.
It seemed impossible to break through this guy and escape.
“Ugh…!”
Jade finally missed one bullet. When he clutched his leg and staggered, the Executive Director’s eyes seemed to flash. Taesung hurriedly used an explosion, but an innocent bystander caught it and burst into flames.
As their balance crumbled, the battle faltered. Perhaps he should have listened to Jade after all. He was having belated regrets in this life-or-death crisis.
Tatatata-!
Suddenly, rapid gunfire rang out and blood splattered everywhere. The surroundings filled with screams.
Three or four pursuers collapsed dead or injured all at once, and the battle instantly became more manageable. At this rate, they could resist until the opponents tired and then escape. With that assessment, he looked triumphantly at the Executive Director.
He seemed to have reached the same conclusion, as the previously competent fighter suddenly glanced behind him and called another pursuer. He abruptly left the battle and turned his head toward the direction of the gunfire.
Crackle-!
Something like a hissing sound came from the walkie-talkie in his hand.
“Those idiot bastards wouldn’t have done this… you, how did you get out?”
The Executive Director’s muttering voice dropped dangerously low. Taesung felt another ominous premonition.
Thwack!
The man stomped the ground as if on tiptoe and disappeared from sight in an instant at a terrifying speed. At the end of the direction he ran, someone who looked like Lee Hwan stood with one arm raised.
‘Get away!’
He tried to run toward him shouting, but was immediately attacked by pursuers who quickly filled the gap. Moreover, attacks came relentlessly, as if they had been holding back until now.
Far away, Lee Hwan retreating in the distance. A massive figure following behind him. Anxiety rising to the peak of his chest.
While supporting Jade and continuing the battle, a thunderous noise was heard from the direction where Lee Hwan had disappeared.
KWAAANG-!
After a flash of light, it became quiet like the eye of a storm. Taesung felt his heart sink.
* * *
Silence. At some point, the ringing in his ears had stopped.
What happened? Lee Hwan gathered his scattered thoughts with a dazed mind.
Taesung and Jade were fighting. The moment he opened fire, a large portion of the forces surrounding them moved toward him.
Sadly, he clearly knew he didn’t have the ability to handle them all. Even if he joined Taesung and Jade, it would be difficult for all three to survive safely.
The moment he became certain, Lee Hwan seemed to make some kind of resolution. Desperately waiting for the restoration of causality that was nearly complete.
Why did he wait for it so eagerly in that dangerous moment…
In that precarious situation, what Lee Hwan hoped for while waiting for causality’s completion wasn’t just longing for Taesung.
Regardless of Lee Hwan’s feelings, the life-threatening crisis wouldn’t suddenly disappear just because he returned.
In his hazy consciousness, as if groping through empty space, Lee Hwan remembered himself repeatedly bringing up the system window.
He recalled the trap he had glimpsed sideways, the surprised face of the enemy.
Ah. That’s right.
Lee Hwan discovered what the pursuers planned to do after filming the video. Something like a mysterious bomb surrounded the entire concave terrain.
If their target entered this place, the enemies could easily dispose of them with a single explosion.
It was fortunate that he discovered it first. Even more fortunate that he was alone. With a strange sense of relief, Lee Hwan faced the enemy approaching him.
Then he realized. It wasn’t time to feel relieved yet. Whether the bomb exploded or not, he would be dealt with here, and afterward, the enemy would return to the pursuers and attack Taesung and Jade.
There was no winning scenario here or there.
‘Transferred through the user’s death.’
Why did that phrase come to mind so clearly, when all he needed to do was survive?
“You crazy bastard!”
After losing one arm to the enemy charging at him with a shout, Lee Hwan saw the group of pursuers urgently trying to escape from the basin-like terrain.
[Causality is being restored.]
[0h □□m 04s]
[0h □0m □□s]
[□h □0m □2s]
As he deployed his ability to its maximum, a huge space surrounding the entire area was designated. He felt blood pouring from his mouth and nose.
For the next 10 seconds, no object within the space could physically move. His vision began to turn red from the unreasonable constraint.
Ding-.
New! [The lost causality has been completed.]
– The clockwork’s operation is complete.
– Parts will be returned.
– The clockwork’s usage count is recharged.
At the same time, the long journey finally ended.
“Ugh…”
But before he could savor that joy, strength left his body. The system window visible to his eyes flickered like a hallucination. Lee Hwan exhaled a long breath and swallowed the bloody water.
Taesung and Jade wouldn’t reach this place in the few seconds remaining. If so, only he could blow all these people away in an instant.
“Haha…”
He laughed at the absurdity. Come to think of it, his anxiety began the day he saw the complete skill description.
Perhaps he had sensed it. From the moment he noticed that the regression ability wasn’t bound to him, there was a possibility that he would be used as a tool.
This time, could things go according to plan?
Lee Hwan’s hand, swollen blue, touched the detonator.
