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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 196
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Investors V
Sometimes, when reading regression stories, this scenario pops up:
- Magician, your true talent is actually in swordsmanship.
- Impossible! Me? Born into a prestigious family of magicians, and you're telling me I'm a swordsmanship genius?
- And also a muscle genius.
- Hmm, did you just say that my posture was the ‘Perfect Squat of the Forgotten Era’? I was merely sitting down and standing up!
This is the so-called "Our Child Has Changed" cliché.
In previous episodes, these geniuses didn't fully realize their potential due to biases, discrimination, poverty, or bad luck. The regressor gave these supporting characters one-on-one training sessions, and thanks to that, they became true experts.
As a regressor who’s done plenty of personal training, I’ve nurtured quite a few exceptional members. In fact, I secretly pride myself on being better than any other regressor in this field.
But we need to approach this with the brain of a scientist rather than the heart of a liberal arts major.
Now, what exactly does the adjective "quite a few" refer to in numbers?
- Saintess, Seo Gyu, Tang Seorin, Cheon Yohwa, Sim Aryeon, Lee Hayul, Yoo Jiwon, Let's Go.
What a shocker. Only 7 people!
Of course, depending on the episode, you could add or subtract about five more names. But still, it's less than 15.
In my view, most regressors are gravely mistaken. How do they plan to change the world with such a small elite group?
Sure, changing the lives of 15 people is a great achievement. But that's still just the scale of a small to medium business owner. Apple has over 150,000 employees.
You're just scratching the surface with these human lottery tickets that have a guaranteed future? That's just basic. Like buying Bitcoin—it's something you "obviously should do."
The real important thing is the societal system.
Reorganizing the entire workforce in a healthy way to support the small number of experts.
This is what I would call the ultimate goal of a regressor.
"I will invest directly in the Kingdom Project that the top DMs are currently developing."
After returning from the writers' retreat at Dalmaji Hill, I immediately convened the Regression Alliance.
Noh Doha, whose life is practically overtime, met me with a face drenched in exhaustion.
"DM? Aren’t they those casino junkies who hook up with fairies in their dreams so they can have sex with their ideal partners?"
Oh my god. To think this is the current understanding of the ruler of the Korean peninsula!
I tremble with rage every time I expose Noh Doha’s ignorance and prejudice to you all. Please spread the word about Noh Doha’s disgrace far and wide.
"Ahem. Please refrain from such slander about the only growing industry in the market right now."
"Has this man’s brain gone rotten from dreaming of the Three Kingdoms a few times? Why are you suddenly freaking out in the middle of the night about investing in DMs?"
I calmly explained the potential of the Kingdom Project.
It didn't take long for Noh Doha's expression to change.
"...Hmm. If you remove the DMs and tutorial fairies, it's basically like a 'virtual reality world.'"
"Exactly."
"I see. A place where you can freely build up experience in defeating anomalies and exploring voids... It does sound plausible."
[Isn’t there a big risk?]
The Saintess, who was participating in the video conference remotely from Yongsan, questioned.
[After all, the Ten Clans and Meteor Shower were real anomalies that once existed. If you transfer their data into a virtual reality, it could end up causing the entire other world to be invaded by voids like our reality. I think this will just expand the activity range of the anomalies. Besides, there's a high likelihood that new anomalies related to 'virtual reality' will be created.]
"You're right. There will definitely be side effects."
I nodded.
"But the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Let's try it at least; if the side effects become too much to handle, we can stop in future turns."
With Warren Buffett's heart for Coca-Cola stock, I decided to invest in the Kingdom Project.
Starting the very next day, I began managing the 'risks' that the Saintess pointed out.
Among all risks, the most foolish one is the human risk—human-caused disasters.
I summoned Tang Seorin and Cheon Yohwa to the 1,200-meter depth of the cafe hideout to address the human resource issue.
"Huh?"
"Ugh."
They arrived with light steps, but upon seeing each other, they frowned openly.
The atmosphere became tense. It was a battle of pride between the magicians who represented white magic and black magic, incantation magic, and necromancy.
I spoke up from the middle.
"You two, stop fighting."
"Fighting? What are you talking about, Doctor Jang? I don't have the leisure to fight with anyone. If I do fight, even if my opponent looks human, I’d wonder if they’re actually a anomaly."
"Oh, right. There’s that rumor in Busan about people of all ages wearing witch hats. They might actually be cosplay anomalies. You should be careful, too!"
Don't worry. This level of tension is just cute. If these two were seriously intending to kill, they could easily turn someone into human jerky. They're both the bosses of top-tier guilds.
"Seriously, stop fighting. Together, you two employ 46 personal DMs. That’s too much. Are you planning to start your own novel platform?"
"No, it's just that she started――."
"Wait. Sorry to interrupt. But hear me out first. I'm not here to pick a fight. I’m here to tell you that I desperately need the DMs you two are employing."
"...Huh?"
Tang Seorin and Cheon Yohwa blinked.
Just like Noh Doha, they quickly grasped the situation once I calmly explained.
The tense atmosphere, where they seemed ready to fight, slightly eased (in an actual duel, Cheon Yohwa, a close-combat specialist, would win).
"Tang Seorin. How many personal DMs do you really need to manage your dream world?"
"Well..."
Tang Seorin glanced at Cheon Yohwa and replied.
"Four would be enough."
"Good. Yohwa, would you also be slightly short with just four?"
"...Hmm. No, that should be sufficient. After all, I have my preferred DMs, and the others are just for fun."
I nodded.
"Once the Kingdom Project starts running smoothly, some outstanding talents will definitely emerge. Talents you’d want to recruit as guild members."
"Hmm."
"Ah."
"Of course, the competition to recruit these talents among guilds will intensify. Therefore, we’ll implement a draft system, giving 'priority' to the guilds that have hunted the most anomalies and voids in reality each year."
"...!"
Their expressions changed once more. Whereas before they had the attitude of 'we’ll do it because the Doctor Jang asked,' now they exuded the air of cold, calculating leaders.
"The National Road Management Bureau is already asking each guild to submit reports on their hunts of anomalies and voids. But it’s not being properly enforced."
"Well, yeah. It's trade secrets after all. Honestly, I'd rather give you the information than the National Road Management Agency. I’ll just report enough to keep them from looking bad."
"Thanks. But if there were real benefits to reporting the subjugations to the National Road Management Agency, it would be a different story."
"...So they get the right to select the most talented rookies first. And for several years, rookies who have been repeatedly vetted in dream simulations."
"Exactly."
The Three Thousand Worlds and Baekhwa High School were more actively subjugating the void than any other guild.
Naturally, they would be given priority in the draft.
"So, what do you think? Both of you. Isn't this enough of a reason and benefit to put aside the mind games and reduce the number of DMs?"
It was done.
Once the leaders of the two major guilds conceded, there was no need to say anything to those below them. Small to medium-sized guild leaders quickly reduced the number of personal DMs.
The DMs who suddenly found themselves out of work were then employed by the National Road Management Agency and assigned to the "Kingdom Project."
The number of people involved was a staggering 120.
All of them were "skilled" enough to be employed by guild leaders and had at least the minimal "social skills" to continue such a lifestyle.
It was practically a miracle, gathering all the top talent that could be found on the Korean Peninsula.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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"We will cover all labor costs. Don’t worry about rent or anything else. Just think of the newly added DMs as subordinates, not fellow writers, and use them as you see fit."
"Uh, uh... Okay."
Writer A was bewildered but accepted my investment.
"Thank you. I never dreamed something like this would happen to me..."
"If anyone dares to disrespect your authority as a manager, feel free to contact me. I’ll handle it personally."
"Wha—! No, no! I wouldn’t dream of troubling you with something like that, Doctor Jang!"
But there were issues.
Some DMs caused trouble, and I personally intervened, using violence and threats to establish the hierarchy among the DMs firmly. It didn't matter how successful they were before the apocalypse; Writer A was now the project leader.
Two years later.
The "Kingdom Project" solid framework was fleshed out with sturdy muscles and tasty meat.
Thus:
[Explore the Kingdom in crisis and save the world of humanity from the void!]
[Organized by the National Road Management Agency, in collaboration with 36 major guilds, including Three Thousand Worlds and Baekhwa High School, this is the dream project!]
[Anyone can freely enter the ‘Kingdom’ by consulting the tutorial fairy.]
[Season 1 Raid Boss ‘The Ten Clans’ Appears!]
Countless banners appeared at Dream Casino, and numerous advertisements flooded SG Net.
"What? What’s that?"
"130 DMs participated in the production?"
"I wondered where that DM went, and they were making something like this."
"Dreaming without a DM, just with a fairy? Won’t that be less fun...?"
The release of the "Kingdom," a dream simulation created by the devotion of writers, the experience of returnees, and the cooperation of guild leaders.
The reaction to the Kingdom was explosive.
-Anonymous: No way, Kingdom is freaking awesome lololol
└LiteratureGirl: Is this the ‘sincerity’ of the DMs...? This is terrifying...
-KoreanVillage: For real, no joke, big thumbs up for those who are dreaming of the Kingdom while taking sleeping pills lol
-Anonymous: No, if they had this kind of talent, why couldn’t Korean game companies make a GOTY before the void came? Seriously, if this had come out back then, it would’ve crushed all other games!!
└Anonymous: 'Tutorial Fairy'
└Anonymous: Ah
Even the awakened were highly praising it.
Even the professionals who fought anomalies in real life recognized the "realism" of the Kingdom.
Of course, they did. Who provided the data, after all?
-Anonymous: Kingdom jerks! The Ten Clans have appeared in the southwest beyond the mountains!! Those guys are insane! If you don’t unite your armies to defeat the Ten Clans now, you’re totally screwed!!
└Anonymous: Yeah~ let the locals die~ I’m safe in the capital~
-Anonymous: Why does this unfamiliar medieval kingdom feel so familiar??
-dolLHOuse: Kingdom is a freaking hilarious mess of a nation on the brink of destruction. But the funniest part is that it’s still better than our reality.
└Anonymous: Oh...
In the dream simulation, the void hadn't yet destroyed humanity. It was just on the brink of destruction.
Even in this situation, the Kingdom’s NPCs were wasting time with politics, debating who was right or wrong, how safe the kingdom’s property market was, whether the ambitions of provincial figures were suspicious, or claiming they were pure humans while others were filthy beastmen.
-Anonymous: These crazy Kingdom jerks are still terrorizing each other over pure humans and beastmen in this situation lol
-Anonymous: “There are seven rebel factions in the provinces, and no matter how strong the Ten Clans are, they’ll just deplete the rebels anyway” (Actual quote)
-Anonymous: Ah, we can't dine with beastmen even if humanity is destroyed~
For the simulation participants, who lived in a world where nations had already been wiped out by anomalies, it was only natural to become deeply immersed.
The Kingdom’s NPCs lamented the state of politics, calling it the worst of times. But the simulation participants knew better than anyone.
They knew this was the last golden time to save humanity.
-Anonymous: Breaking news: The Ten Clans have wiped out the southwest and are now heading north over the mountains.
-Anonymous: I was a mercenary in the southwestern count’s territory, got taken out in two tentacle strikes. I just woke up to relay the news, then I’m going back to sleep to dream again.
-Anonymous: I’m thinking of creating a new character in the capital and joining the fight. Everyone, good luck.
└LiteratureGirl: Don’t respawn just anywhere. There are nobles in the capital who genuinely consider the Ten Clans a threat. They’re trying to persuade other nobles. Set your character as a citizen of this noble faction and respawn to support them.
└Anonymous: Oh, thanks, thanks
Even though it was the first time they had encountered a medieval fantasy kingdom, the simulation participants could see the Kingdom’s fate all too clearly.
They could see the future.
They knew the ending and acted accordingly. In this way, the humans participating in the Kingdom’s dream were practically no different from "regressors."
Indeed.
In the virtual training ground created by the DMs, people were rapidly leveling up as "pseudo-regressors."
It was a complete system that didn’t require me to guide or tutor them personally.
"Teacher!"
After Season 1 of the Kingdom ended, Cheon Yohwa ran up to me, her face flushed with excitement.
"The new recruits this time... they’re amazing!"
At last, the power of the Korean Peninsula began to grow rapidly.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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