Chapter 52: Chapter 52

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Chapter 52: Someone Else's Memory (3)

After quitting sports, I hopped from one part-time job to another.

"No way someone with a bad back can handle this job."

"I can handle light packaging. Just give me a chance."

One of those jobs was assisting at the wholesale market during the early morning auctions for agricultural products.

The task involved packaging fruit into smaller portions so that the shopkeepers could sell them more easily.

Even that proved too much for my back, so I couldn't do it for long, but...

"8,000! We have 8,000 points!"

I never imagined that the skills I picked up back then would come in handy like this.

"If there are no additional bids in the next 10 seconds, the auction will close. 10, 9, 8..."

【The 'External Affairs Department's Rookie' anxiously awaits the result.】

"7, 6, 5... Alright, everyone, just 5 seconds left."

【'External Affairs Department's Rookie' asks you not to bid anymore.】

8,000 points.

One of the observers was willing to pay 8,000 welfare points to "experience" me.

To relive just one hour of a past memory.

What an incredible deal.

Even after the 50% commission fee, I'd be well on my way to reaching the mission's goal of 5,000 points.

But, I couldn't help but get a little greedy.

"Isn't anyone else tempted to raise their bid? If no one steps up within 5 seconds, the newbie will win."

If I provoked the others just a little more...

【The Raven of the Administration Bureau snorts and places a bid.】

【10,000.】

It worked.

"10,000 points!"

The auction that started at 1,000 welfare points had climbed to 10,000.

Spending that much for a single hour of a memory that they didn't even know the details of.

Not that I was complaining.

"It's a mandatory mission anyway, so why not make some money while doing it?"

【The 'External Affairs Department's Rookie' lowers their head in disappointment.】

【The Raven of the Administration Bureau smirks smugly and lifts their chin.】

Four observers were actively participating in the auction.

Apart from the newbie, the others had been giving unsolicited advice from the start.

Among them:

【The 'External Affairs Department's Rookie' throws in the towel.】

【The Raven of the Administration Bureau clicks their tongue, telling the newbie to go back to learning the ropes.】

【The 'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' steps out, citing budget constraints.】

The newbie and the Prince of the Investigation Bureau both dropped out.

It seemed even they couldn't afford to bid higher.

Now, only two remained.

As time passed...

【15,000】

An anonymous observer upped the bid.

"15,000!"

15,000 points.

After fees, that would net me 7,500 points in profit.

"Starting the 10-second countdown! 10, 9, 8..."

【The anonymous observer declares they're stopping here.】n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I slowed down the countdown, just in case.

"3 seconds left! Not 5, not 10, but just 3 seconds!"

Thankfully, the raven took the bait.

【The Raven of the Administration Bureau refuses to back down and bids!】

[20,000]

20,000?

"We have 20,000 points!"

【The 'Prince of the Investigation Bureau' asks if 20,000 is a whole month's salary.】

【The Raven of the Administration Bureau retorts that no salary is that low.】

It was hard to tell whether they were joking or serious.

"If there are no more bids within 10 seconds, the auction will close. 10, 9, 8..."

【The anonymous observer laments their light wallet in frustration!】

The last dropout had shown themselves.

"...3, 2, 1."

Time was up.

Which meant...

"Sold!"

The bidder who would "experience" me had been decided.

And that meant I had just earned enough points to open the mid-level shop for two survivors—or the lives of 200 skeleton soldiers.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

‘Even after the 50% fee, that's still a whopping 10,000 points.’

Adding that to the points I'd earned from the previous mission rewards...

‘This is incredible.’

* * *

【Observers who failed to win the bid click their tongues in regret.】

【The Raven of the Administration Bureau pumps their fist, unable to hide their excitement!】

【Many observers eagerly anticipate the content of the passionate youth's hour.】

The auction was over.

It left behind the regret of those who didn't win, the satisfaction of those who did, and a windfall for me.

[Are you some kind of professional bidder or what?]

"I'm not sure what kind of 'professional' you're imagining, but no."

[Hmm.]

Harona's voice was dripping with skepticism, but she was still a pro.

[The auction payment will be sent immediately. It'll be categorized as a donation.]

"Good."

[Access rights to the channel have been granted. It's only for an hour, though.]

Her work was impeccable.

['The Raven of the Administration Bureau' donates 20,000 welfare points!]

[After deducting a 50% administrator fee, the remaining amount has been deposited.]

Just as I was smiling in satisfaction at the swift transaction...

[Time limit: 1 hour.]

[Capture the hearts of your customers with compelling content!]

[The participant with the highest donations will receive an additional reward.]

The announcement that had played when the group left earlier sounded again.

[Participant 'Eunho Lee.' Entering memory space.]

[Brace for impact!]

Flicker!

The world went dark, then reappeared.

Flicker!

Again.

Then came a splitting headache.

‘Ugh!’

It felt like being struck by a blunt weapon—a deep, resounding pain that lingered.

As I clutched my throbbing head, unable to distinguish reality from illusion...

The moment I closed and reopened my eyes—

Whooosh!

The scenery transformed.

Half-collapsed buildings turned into a red rain under a blue sky.

Preciously gathered survival supplies became stacks of boxed sports drinks.

After everyone left, retreating into their memories, even the solitude left behind transformed into a boisterous air.

‘I’m back.’

Back to the day before the accident.

To the day of my last competition, my brightest moment in life.

‘I swept the 100m, 400m, and the relay. The reporters swarmed that day.’

They called me the future of Korean athletics or something like that.

I feel strange.

Perhaps it’s because everything—scenery, textures, even smells—is so vivid.

Even knowing it’s all fake, I can’t help but feel a tickling sensation in my chest.

A mixture of excitement and unease.

[One participant is awaiting activation.]

Barely regaining my senses, I noticed a faint white mist hovering nearby.

Mist… Can I even call it that?

It seemed to take on a human shape, so I stared at it.

[You fool!]

The mist, shaped like a person, barked at me.

[What are you doing? Hurry up and begin!]

Apparently, this thing was the raven.

It stood over 2 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a massive build that radiated an imposing aura despite its hazy form.

Its facial features and attire were too indistinct to identify anything specific, but…

[Transferring physical control to the designated target.]

[Do you consent?]

I nodded.

At that moment—

Dwoong—!

Something inside me began to rumble.

Not of my own will—someone else was forcibly shaking me from within.

Dwoong! Dwoong—!

A deep, resonant tremor rose from the abyss.

I staggered.

Something within me wavered, teetering precariously.

And I barely held on.

It felt as if my feet were glued to the ground, as if every cell of my body clung desperately to something sticky.

And finally—

Poof!

I was ejected.

Out of my standing body.

‘!!’

I was staring at myself.

It felt like the time I encountered the doppelgänger at the academy.

“It worked! It worked!”

My body spoke.

Without opening my mouth, it raised my arms high in the air.

Meanwhile, I…

Srrrk!

Translucent hands.

A body that people passed through as if I weren’t there.

…Like a ghost.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

w

‘A skeleton last time, now a ghost?’

Here I am, struggling desperately to stay alive.

And yet, I keep ending up in situations where I’ve died and come back to life.

What a cruel irony.

“Ahahaha! This is delightful!”

Whether it understood my plight or not, the raven seemed quite pleased.

It groped my body here and there, drew curious stares with its self-directed chatter, and poked and prodded things that were clearly someone else’s possessions.

As I watched anxiously, worried it might cause trouble—

“Eunho!”

Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

The raven turned its head sharply, its eyes glinting.

‘Those guys…’

…Who are they?

“Why aren’t you warming up?”

“You think just because you’re fast, you can skip warming up?”

“Cocky bastard.”

Ah, I remember now.

They were from a rival school, the ones I’d see at every competition.

Always losing to me in records, trying to make up for it with their mouths.

It’s been ten years since I last saw their faces, so I barely recognized them.

[These guys… It's been a while. Kind of glad to see them.]

Huh?

My words didn’t come out of my mouth but instead echoed from my head.

Like the administrators.

This feels… weird.

I wanted to tell the raven to just ignore them since they’re nobodies.

But—

“Ahahaha! Warm up? You want me to ‘warm up’ this ‘body’?”

The raven was quicker.

Its laugh, unsuitable for a gathering of fresh-faced future athletes, echoed loudly.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Is he nuts?”

Murmurs spread through the ravend, but the raven didn’t care.

It just kept letting out a booming laugh, “Ahahaha!”

[Is that supposed to be funny?]

“It’s hilarious! Asking me to warm up… this ‘body’!”

The raven’s laughter grew louder, and the faces of the guys confronting it twisted more and more.

Apparently, they took it as an insult.

Perhaps that’s why—

“Hey! Shut your mouth, freak!”

“This guy… is he really Eunho?”

They stepped closer, irritation and bewilderment written all over their faces.

“Hey, looks like there’s going to be a fight.”

“Ugh, why here of all places?”

And just as the tension reached its peak—

Our dear raven…

“Indeed! I am Lee Eunho!”

It raised its arms high again and shouted.

“And you! You must be my subordinate!”

And then—

It lunged forward and hugged one of them.

…The guy who had been picking a fight.

“…?!”

[?!]

“…?!”

He’s insane.

He’s completely insane.

He must be.

Everyone watching muttered the same thing.

Except for the guy being hugged.

“You crazy bastard!”

Thwack!

Someone I couldn't even remember the name of kicked at me.

The raven caught it with one hand, without even blinking.

Thud!

The guy, with his ankle caught and his balance thrown off, hit the back of his head on the ground.

"You bastard...!"

Then the raven, utterly unfazed, casually opened his mouth.

"Oh dear! So you're not an ally but an enemy?"

And calmly twisted the wrist.

Crack!

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Along with that, the ankle in his grip.

Yes, that would be the ankle of a soon-to-be national athlete.

Ahhhhhhh!

The guy screamed in pain and fury, trying to get up, but the raven never let go.

"You crazy bastard!"

"What the hell are you doing before a match?!"

Even the friends who rushed in were handled with one hand each.

And then he shouted as if demanding more.

"So! Who else should I take down? Where is the enemy?!"

His eyes sparkled.

Sigh.

This guy seriously had the wrong idea about the genre.

This isn't some battle manga; it's a sports story.

"Where?! Who is it that has made your blood boil like this?!"

But.

[That's not an enemy...]

Maybe I should humor him a bit.

For customer satisfaction, you know.

[It's your determination to win the match.]

"A match? What match are you talking about?"

[If you beat the people here on this lane... or rather, on this red field, that's enough.]

"Ooh!"

Honestly, since this is just inside my memory, it doesn’t really matter what I do.

"So I just have to beat the people on this field! Got it!"

This guy would interpret anything however he wanted anyway.

"Where are the weapons?!"

[There are no weapons. It's about pursuing the strength of the body itself, you see.]

"Of course! A true warrior should be able to win even with bare hands!"

He's practically a hot-blooded shonen protagonist.

"Wait. Don’t tell me we don’t even have troops?"

[Of course not. Think of it as an extreme survival situation.]

"Oh, I see! So you’ve intentionally placed me in an extreme situation! Got it!"

Not a problem for me.

So.

[Happy now? Have fun.]

Step.

I turned around without hesitation.

There's a mountain of work waiting for me outside.

"Where are you going?!"

[Uh... to investigate?]

"What? You're not even going to watch my glorious deeds?!"

The raven's eyes flashed as he shouted.

[It’s better to watch from a distance, isn’t it?]

"Oh-ho! You are wise indeed! Hahaha!"

And then he laughed heartily again.

By the time I left the field, a horde of his enemies had charged at him, and he was dealing with them.

Thud!

I left the field and plopped down on a nearby bench.

The most secluded spot I could find.

A bench tucked away in a corner I’d never unconsciously visit.

‘Even places I don't remember are fully replicated.’

Places I don't know.

People I don't know.

Even smells I don't recognize.

Everything is perfectly recreated here.

Except for the "ranking" floating above.

〔Live Sponsorship Ranking〕

Lee Eunho (20,000 points)

Kim Seah (1,000 points)

Song Gooyoung (500 points)

-

-

The 20,000 points I paid as the participation fee landed me in first place, obviously.

[A special reward will be given to the individual with the most donations.]

The administrator probably thinks I’m aiming for the top donor reward.

They wouldn’t be wrong.

But there’s another reason why I allowed someone else into my body.

"Access."

[Participant Lee Eunho, would you like to access 'the Eye'?]

To earn the qualification of an “observer.”

"During the experience, please grant me observer privileges."

[What? Why would you need that?!]

A condition I slipped in as if it were no big deal.

‘Glad they didn’t make a fuss about it.’

Evaluating participants’ charm was supposed to be a light-hearted mission.

Failing didn’t mean death—just a bonus game.

At least, that’s what I thought at first.

But.

‘This changes things.’

[Participant Lee Eunho, access to 'the Eye' granted!]

Information.

About who else, besides me and the companions I’ve met so far, has survived.

Who they are, and what “core memories” they carry.

If I’m lucky, I might even discover their unique skills.

[Set your observer name.]

All of it, completely one-sidedly.

[Anonymous.]

What greater advantage could there be?

Fwoosh!

Hundreds of screens unfolded like a checkerboard.

Someone’s memories.

Bookmarks pinned in the middle of their lives.

‘200, 210, 220... There are more than I thought. And these are just survivors from Yongsan District.’

If this wasn’t a situation like this, I’d have no desire to peek into so many lives.

But there they were: countless stories spread out before me.

Leisure. Travel. Romance. Everyday memories.

And then, violent fights. Murder. Arson...

‘Are these memories from after the mission began?’

Clearly, everyone had chosen the most thrilling, provocative moments.

People hitting, killing, and toying with others—levels of "stimulation" that drew attention.

And then.

Next to a scene of school violence that made me frown.

‘Jieun?’

A close-up of a woman’s face burned into my eyes.

Short hair and pale skin.

Her eyes were closed, as if she was asleep.

But...

‘Huh?’

She was nestled in someone’s arms.

[So she had a boyfriend?]

I didn’t know that.

I was about to close it, thinking I shouldn’t keep looking.

But then I noticed a familiar face.

Wait. That...

[...That’s me?]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

w