Chapter 141 - Memorize | Novel Seeker

The End of Practice ------------------------------------------------------------------------

There’s a saying, “In life, fortune and misfortune are like the horse of Sai Weng,” which means that good and bad luck are never constant. What seems like a blessing can turn into a curse, and vice versa. Lately, I’ve found myself reflecting on this more often.

Of course, the place I’m in now is a different world altogether, called the Hall Plain. In my first life, the saying didn’t quite apply. My life here felt like a series of misfortunes, and I experienced hardships to match. Rarely did I have a day of peace. Whenever I tasted a bit of happiness, it was soon shattered by misfortune. In hindsight, perhaps the saying was true in a way. While luck and misfortune weren’t evenly split, the overall flow leaned heavily towards misfortune.

Thinking back to my first life left a bitter taste. I wondered what my brother was doing now, what Han So-young was up to, and what all the users I had connections with were doing.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought of my brother and her. When I first entered the Hall Plain, I considered seeking them out. Yoo Hyun, my brother, would never abandon me, and Han So-young wouldn’t let a user like me slip away. She had a knack for recognizing talent and embracing both good and bad people.

However, I had two reasons for not seeking them out.

First, they were already established users. Yoo Hyun was likely making a name for himself in some eastern city. When we met later, I learned he hadn’t participated in the Golden Lion Clan’s Iron Mountain expedition or the vagrant extermination operation.

Han So-young was the same. She was already the clan lord of , a prominent clan in the southwestern city of Monica. Though rumors suggested they might fade due to the Golden Lion Clan’s animosity, their stock would rise sharply after the Iron Mountain expedition.

Given their established positions, I realized I wouldn’t be able to sway them to my liking. They were surrounded by capable users, and expecting them to follow my lead was unrealistic.

So, I decided it was better to build my own power base and meet them on equal footing. In the later stages of the Hall Plain, clan alliances were essential. It was more efficient to combine forces than to rely on my own strength.

The second reason was related to the first. Even without my intervention, my brother and Han So-young were capable users. In my first life, they had a knack for reading the flow. I didn’t want to interfere with their future, which seemed destined for success. I had my doubts, but after acquiring a rare class in Mule and dealing with the high demon Belphegor, I gained confidence in my choices. Had I gone to them right after the user academy, I wouldn’t have achieved these results.

I felt no regret, but a heavy weight pressed on my heart. What was this oppressive feeling? I sighed deeply, trying to shake off the sudden unease.

“In life, fortune and misfortune are like the horse of Sai Weng.” Our group was riding a wave of luck. Even with the variable of , it was undeniable that luck was on our side. Unexpected rare classes, high-quality equipment, skilled users, and the execution of the high demon Belphegor. Things were going better than I had imagined.

Reflecting on my time in the Hall Plain, where misfortune was more common, I realized I was struggling to adapt to this streak of good luck. I decided to clear the lingering anxiety I’d felt since leaving Mule. Misfortune might come, but I could prepare for it. While the future wasn’t guaranteed to unfold as I remembered, knowing the major events allowed me to minimize potential misfortunes. Perhaps my decision to push the group hard was rooted in a desire to curb arrogance and keep them grounded.

I maintained my pace, taking in the scenery. This path was one I was supposed to walk two years later. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it felt familiar.

The lay in the dark forest, and the required crossing the northern wasteland. But the was hidden deep within countless mountain ranges. The land we walked on was a vast expanse of green, with trees standing tall, giving the impression of walking through a giant meadow. It felt like a picnic, as Ha-yeon had once said.

“Wow, it really feels like we’re on a picnic,” An Sol remarked.

“Yeah, if it weren’t for the occasional monsters, it wouldn’t be so bad,” Vivian replied.

An Sol and Vivian chatted as they marched, with Vivian showing consideration for An Sol. While the others seemed to have adapted, An Sol, with her low stamina, occasionally struggled, biting her lip and pushing through.

Marching alone is tough, but chatting with a friend can make the fatigue fade. Since it didn’t disrupt the caravan’s atmosphere, I let their conversation continue. Honestly, while I claimed to be strict with the group, I had suppressed them more than necessary because I preferred a quiet atmosphere.

In that sense, Go Yeon-ju was a perceptive user. She seemed to have a natural talent for understanding people’s personalities and emotions, adjusting her behavior accordingly.

She appeared to be enjoying the exploration as if it were a genuine outing. Users who reached the <10th level> often carried a sense of authority, but Go Yeon-ju lacked that stiffness. After leaving the city, she observed my actions closely and began to take care of the group with kindness and consideration. (Though, to me, it seemed like a game of push and pull. In the city and outside, we had swapped our usual behaviors, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she had ulterior motives.) Her actions felt like she was playing the role of a supportive partner.

Go Yeon-ju occasionally joined Vivian and An Sol’s conversation, sharing useful information about the Hall Plain. As a fifth-year user, she had plenty of stories, and the group found her tales a welcome distraction from the grueling march. I, too, listened to her from time to time, leading the group in a relatively good mood.

As we moved further from Mule, the initial luck of the exploration waned. Encounters with monsters became more frequent. Today alone, we had faced our fourth group of monsters before it was even time to set up camp.

The latest group we encountered were Mud Gargoyles, a first for the group. Gargoyles are golem-like monsters, with bodies made of mud and stone, and sinister human-like faces. They lack magical attacks but possess formidable strength and self-repair abilities, making them tricky foes.

However, they have a critical weakness: they’re slow. To exploit this, I instructed the mages to launch a preemptive strike, and they delivered splendidly.

Ha-yeon didn’t use an attack spell this time. Perhaps having faced gargoyles before, she used a large-scale water spell and OverLap to soak the gargoyles, softening their mud bodies and creating an easier battlefield for the melee fighters.

Shin Sang-yong used Chain Lightning to further slow the lumbering gargoyles, and Vivian summoned her familiar, Aranya, to entangle them. Vivian’s performance against the gargoyles was particularly impressive.

Her familiar wrapped around the ten or so gargoyles, manipulating their limbs like marionettes, creating a comical sight. As their limbs were torn off one by one, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Though they were formidable foes, the users’ strategic abilities made the battle surprisingly easy.

“Hoho, An Hyun, you look bored,” Yoo-jung teased, noticing An Hyun standing idly with his spear.

Yoo-jung, having made her mark early on, continued to pressure An Hyun. But instead of rising to her bait, An Hyun turned to me and said, “Heh, that’s right. Su-hyun and I don’t have much to do. You’re right, Yoo-jung. I’m sure Su-hyun’s bored too.”

Yujeong clammed up the moment Ahn Hyun dragged me into the conversation. She glared at him for a while before snapping, “That’s low. How can you compare yourself to my brother? How dare you bring him into this?” With that, she stormed back to her seat.

Ahn Hyun watched her retreating figure, her hips swaying defiantly, and chuckled to himself before turning away. I studied his face closely. There was a certain confidence in his eyes, as if he had a hidden ace up his sleeve—perhaps some undeniable proof that he held an advantage over Yujeong.

By the time the first wave of magoils reached us, their numbers had already dwindled to less than half. Not a single one was unscathed; they all seemed to have lost something along the way. So, Yujeong, Ahn Hyun, Go Yeonju, and I each took on one magoil, and we managed to end the battle amicably.

Afterward, we continued our trek into the mountains, reaching early evening as we marched. Although we could have pushed on a bit further, the darkness seemed to descend quickly in the mountains. We found a suitable spot for camping, and I hesitated for a moment. We had made good time, covering the day’s planned distance, so I wondered if it was necessary to continue.

Despite the encroaching night, I decided we should press on. It seemed wise to make as much progress as possible while we could. Just as I was about to announce the end of our break, Go Yeonju approached me.

“User Kim Suhyun, I have a question.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Could you tell me how far we are from our target?”

“Let me check.”

I quickly unfolded the map and calculated the distance we had covered. By the end of today, it would be a week since we left Mule, and we had covered about seventy percent of the journey. After I shared this with her, she gave me a knowing smile and leaned in closer. Glancing around at the others, she whispered in my ear with a teasing tone.

“One more thing. Are you planning to keep the tail, or will you cut it off?”

“You could just ask directly, you know,” I grumbled.

She smiled slightly before speaking again.

--------------------------------- Author’s Note ---------------------------------

Hello, this is Ro Yujin.

Yes, after a full day of rest, I’m feeling a bit better. Your well-wishes have been a great source of strength for me, and thanks to that, I managed to publish this chapter at midnight. Though I’m still battling a cough and runny nose, I’m much better than I was at lunchtime.

I’ll continue to take better care of myself. Thank you. :)

P.S. Thank you to Kim for sending the cover art. Much appreciated. (__)

『 Ripple 』(Episode 139)

힘들어도: Congratulations on being first! Your immediate comment made me chuckle. I hope you had a good night’s sleep. Haha.
hohokoya1: Indeed. It’s especially tough being sick without anyone to care for you. Maybe that’s why I looked forward to your comment even more. Haha. Thank you. (__)
당룡: Oh dear, it seems many are catching colds with the changing seasons. Coughs echo everywhere on the subway. Swollen tonsils are particularly bothersome. ㅜ.ㅠ I sincerely hope you recover soon, 당룡.
고장난선풍기: Thank you for the fan art of Go Yeonju and Kim Hanbyeol. I was too busy to check the forum yesterday, but I was pleasantly surprised today. Your depiction of Go Yeonju is spot on!
레필: Your comments always offer me great insights. Haha. I’ll address An Sol’s storyline after the “Cave of Screams.” While An Sol’s past might seem trivial, from her perspective, it could be significant. Her actions so far have been unexpected, hence the warning. It could be seen as a form of “pretense.”

『 Ripple 』(Episode 140)

러브라이크: Congratulations on being first again! Given the unpredictable timing of the lunchtime updates, it’s impressive. Enjoy this episode!
오피투럽19: Haha, not at all. There were brief moments in the “Forest of Darkness” and the “Ruined Lab” where the scenery was described. It’s not careless talk; anyone who’s explored ruins might say such things naturally. (And please, don’t misunderstand. I’m a guy. ㅜ.ㅠ)
Goksd: I felt the same. I must have reviewed the battle scenes eight times, yet the details wouldn’t stick. I often describe scenes as they come to mind, but today, the imagery just wouldn’t form. Even as I uploaded it, I considered revising. This dissatisfaction is a first, and it still weighs on me. ㅜ.ㅠ
곰숭이: No, no. My neck isn’t broken. It’s just swollen. Gosh…
악마신전: Thank you for your constant support and encouraging comments. They made me feel much better this evening. I’ll strive to imbue each chapter with meaning. :) And don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.