Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World Chapter 117

After the day Ha Cheongwon declared his research to Yoo Hwashin, he began researching ‘Hell’ with the GRC unit as promised.

 

In truth, their research was possible only by relying on Ha Cheongwon’s ability. Ha Cheongwon would foresee the future, and based upon that foresight, the GRC would commence research regarding the pattern of the monsters’ appearances and methods of resolution. 

 

Consequently, Ha Cheongwon practically lived at the GRC. Now that he knew how to trigger his ability, he had to do everything he could.

 

Dozens of times a day, he thought of it. The horrific scenes where his precognition failed, the citizens all perished, and even his own sister died. Even if those imaginings remained as trauma, he believed it was the right thing to do.

 

A situation where he must foresee a dark future for the sake of a bright future. Watching him suffer throughout the research, Researcher A and B had even tried to stop him. 

 

—…We obviously know how important this research is. But is there a reason for Ha Cheongwon-ssi to suffer like this because of it? I, I’m not sure. If I were your family, I certainly wouldn’t want this.

 

—He’s right, you need to rest a bit. If you keep going like this, you’ll collapse first.

 

In a laboratory located inside the research facility. Ha Cheongwon, sitting on a cot in the center of a stark white square room, slowly raised his head. Ha Cheongwon, now nothing but skin and bones, spoke as he nudged his glasses up with his middle finger.

 

—What is Yoo Hwashin-ssi doing?

 

—….Uh, well. If you mean Yoo Hwashin-ssi, he went to training recently after finishing his interview. R-Right?

 

—Uh, yeah. But why are you asking about that?

 

—…Because I can’t just sit still while he’s doing something.

 

Because he never does anything without a reason.

 

Since the person who gave him this ability is him, there must be some reason. And he had clearly told him. That he would find out about the Hell of Falsehood no matter what, and that he would present a future full of joy to his younger sibling. The reality of having to read other futures in order to present that future felt like yet another hell. 

 

However, if he could change the outcome by walking through hell alone, he would gladly do so.

 

Ha Cheongwon laid his body down on the bed once more. Toward the worried researchers, he opened his mouth. The single remark put forward by him, who had a blunt expression, carried a manner of speech that was more tender than anyone else’s. 

 

—And because I am going to keep every word I said. So please help me out a bit as well.

 

***

 

The information handed to those who returned from training was the blood, sweat, and tears of Ha Cheongwon.

 

The S-ranks distributed papers to the A-rank heroes that intricately wove together the location where the dome would manifest, the situation that would unfold inside the dome, and the tasks they needed to perform. 

 

Hwashin and the other heroes had to memorize all the received materials. Hwashin checked whether there were any parts where the received materials and the development he knew of differed. 

 

Fortunately, there were no scenes that showed a distinct difference. The occurrence location was the same, and the unfolding situation wasn’t much different either.

 

It might have been because the scenes Ha Cheongwon saw were from the very beginning, so he hadn’t grasped the rest.

 

Nevertheless, what he saw was information helpful enough. To begin with, even if Yoo Hwashin alone blabbered about Hell, his credibility within the Association wouldn’t be very high. They would be on guard, but it would stop there. But what was needed now was not just being on guard, but ‘pressure.’

 

The pressure that this city, this country, might truly perish. Fear. Those were the emotions needed. Since the training of the GH Unit members had become even more intense after learning this fact, it was easy to tell.

 

And now, Hell had truly arrived.

 

「 The ‘Sequel’ to the Hell of Falsehood begins. The sequel will only proceed inside the dome. 」 

 

「 There is only ‘one’ way to end the Hell. You must banish the protagonist of the said Hell from that world. 」

 

 「 The ‘Sequel’ to the Hell of Falsehood, . The said story will be recreated exactly as it was in the dome of . 」 

 

「 The resurrection of everyone who dies in Hell is… 」

 

A dome spreading out centered around the Gwanghwamun Station crossroads. The moment the dome opens, all citizens within that radius are swept into that Hell.

 

According to the original, they wouldn’t have been able to evacuate, but this time was different. After Ha Cheongwon’s precognition, the Association responded quickly. A week before the arrival of the dome. The state issued evacuation orders only from Yeongdeungpo-gu to Nowon-gu. While the size of the dome would gradually increase, there were limits to the residents’ evacuation.

 

Furthermore, the opening of Hell wasn’t the only problem. Simultaneously with the opening of the Hells Painting, the suppressed Gates would appear at the same time. It meant the outside of the dome would also become a scene of carnage.

 

To handle this, all members of the GH Unit and SH Units 2 and 3 had to stand by outside the dome.

 

And on the day.

 

“It’s dead quiet.”

 

Checking her alarm, Yoo Jian looked at the wall of the dome. Nothing could be seen inside the black dome.

 

“…We can do it, right?”

 

Lee Suho mumbled in an unconfident voice. The massive dome was subtly increasing its size. Lee Suho, who had flinched and stepped back, still had his head bowed low.

 

“It’s not a matter of whether we can or not.”

 

A heavy voice directed itself at Lee Suho. The low voice might have been scary, but Lee Suho slowly looked at him because of the gentle tone. Cha Jaeha lashed out at the sagging atmosphere as he walked toward the dome.

 

“We must do it.” 

 

“If our Jaeha says so, then we must.”

 

Yoo Hwashin spoke while placing his arm over the shoulder of Cha Jaeha, who had his arms crossed. 

 

“We will do it.”

 

Yoo Hwashin looked at the dome. The goal was the ‘Hell of Falsehood,’ to find and banish the protagonist of that Hell.

 

“Let’s go in.”

 

All members of Unit 1 made their entry inside the dome. 

 

***

 

What unfolded inside the dome was the street of an ordinary village. Well, it would be hard to call the expression ‘village’ ordinary in the first place. This was no longer the Republic of Korea of . However, traces of Gwanghwamun were visible beyond the village, mixed in ambiguously. On the opposite side, a hotel and Deoksugung Palace could be seen. But Gwanghwamun Station had vanished, and in its place was the back alley of some village.

 

“Isn’t it too narrow?”

 

Hwashin, who was stuck in the alley while standing facing Cha Jaeha, floundered and looked around his surroundings. The situation of the other members seemed similar. 

 

“F-First, should we head out of the alley?”

 

Just as Lee Suho suggested, they burst outside and saw people swarming in front of a public notice. Their attire felt quite different from that of modern people in . Rather, only Yoo Hwashin and Elric could feel a sense of familiarity.

 

“….How fascinating.”

 

He didn’t feel they were similar based on the descriptions in the book.

 

From the dresses the villagers were wearing to the leather vests, brown boots, and even the fedoras they wore. It was all attire similar to the place where Yoo Hwashin used to live. But if asked if it was exactly the same, the answer was no.

 

Before the eyes of Hwashin and the others watching them, a window similar to the one from the Red Gate appeared.

 

「 “What does this say? Hey mister, you said you learned to read, right? Read it for us.” 

 

The villagers standing in front of the notice whispered. Among them, the only man who knew how to read spoke like this. 

 

“…It seems someone stole a royal relic?” 

 

“A royal relic?” 

 

“….Yes, that thing. The one they say contains the blood of the World Tree, or the sap.” 

 

“My goodness. Who would steal such a thing?” 

 

“There was one kid in our village who looked like he’d… do such a daring theft.” 

 

“Oh, come now, surely not.” 」

 

Jeong Mueum, having eavesdropped on the conversation, turned his head sharply and said.

 

“….That person who stole it.” 

 

“Yeah, that’s the person we have to find.” 

 

“So all we have to do is banish that one person.” 

 

“Right. We just have to banish that protagonist from this world.”

 

Just as Han Jeyu said, even if this hell is ‘the past of some world,’ without that main figure, the hell cannot develop. In other words, it meant the method of resolution—that they only needed to banish that main figure—remained exactly the same.

 

But will it really be resolved that easily? Hwashin didn’t have a large grievance with the development of banishing the protagonist. Because that was the most appropriate and comfortable method. 

 

“Then where should we find that protagonist?” 

 

“….We’ll find them soon enough.”

 

Clop, clop, clop.

 

It was then.

 

The sound of horse hooves began to be heard from the other side of the village. White horses surrounded the spot where a cloud of dust rose, and blood splattered along with the sound of flesh being torn and sliced. By the time the villagers were horrified and began to evacuate, the heads of several humans were already rolling on the ground.

 

The Hell of Falsehood—this was exactly what was most hellish about this place.

 

A society where the royal family is absolute. In this empire, the royal family was like God, and because their authority was also granted by heaven, no one could resist. In such an empire, someone had stolen the royal family’s most precious relic. The royal decree issued to catch the one who stole that relic was:

 

‘Slaughter all residents of the region where the thief escaped.’

 

To follow that utterly nonsensical order, hundreds and thousands of knights were dispatched.

 

People began to run away, screaming.

 

“Move out of the way—!” 

 

“Waaaah, Mommy!” 

 

“My baby, my baby has fallen over there!”

 

They aim arrows simultaneously at those who are fleeing. Arrows imbued with mana pierce through the backs of the people while drawing a beautiful trajectory of light. Those whose chests were pierced collapsed onto the ground just as they were, turning into dust and vanishing. 

 

If it were according to the original work, among those who were fleeing, there should have also been citizens of Seoul who had been caught in the dome. And even while watching the crowd fleeing, cursing, and defaming one another, Cha Jaeha fulfills his role completely. Because his mission is to save people. 

 

Along with the guilt of not being able to save everyone, Cha Jaeha falls into a dilemma as he watches people pushing others away for the sake of their own lives.

 

Nevertheless, he chooses the good.

 

Cha Jaeha was that kind of person.

 

On the ground, a fallen child was crying. The horses of the soldiers did not stop; the horse of a knight, mixed with blood and dust, charged ferociously toward the child. The tip of the sharp magic spear was enveloped in attack magic and glowed purple.

 

“Waaaah, Mommy—! Daddy—!”

 

Whoosh.

 

Before long, the sound of all the knights mounted on horses burning was heard. The knights, who let out screams of dreadful pain, fell from atop their horses like fallen leaves. Simultaneously, the transparent wall of Jeong Mueum, who stood in front of the child, veered the direction of the horses to both sides. Yoo Jian stopped the veered horses on one side, and Lee Suho stopped them on the other side. 

 

Cha Jaeha strode forward toward the burning line of hundreds of knights. Cha Jaeha took hold of a magic spear that a fallen knight had been gripping. The tip of the spear he held in his hand pierced the knight’s throat. Squelch, the blood that spurted out splattered as far as Cha Jaeha’s cheek.

 

Cha Jaeha, having wiped the dark red blood from his cheek, slowly reached out his hand. His palm, directed toward those following behind, clenched tight.

 

“「Surge forth.」”

 

A wave made of fire sliced through the ground as it was and rose up, stopping the galloping horses. The village residents who were fleeing also slowly turned their heads.

 

The ragged breaths slowly died down. They simply watched those who protected them with bated breath. Those in peculiar attire, those using powerful magic. Some were terrified, while others watched them with eyes full of awe.

 

Only Hwashin stood still, watching the village residents with a cold gaze.