Chapter 723

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

**723 Episode 28 House (1)**
「 «When he returns, we will live in an enormous house.» 」

Shin Yoosoung murmured the words while gazing quietly at the sky.

«It will be so vast that it contains the Han River and the sea. There will be a PC room and a library. We could eat pizza by the Han River or have chicken by the sea without ever stepping outside. We could all go to the PC room together and speak with Joonghyuk ahjussi. He could teach us games, and—»

«You’re being foolish. No house is that large.»

Lee Gilyoung scolded her. Shin Yoosoung was silent for a long moment before she finally replied.

«I know.»」

An hour earlier, our first priority had been to locate shelter.

«I’m not certain what the event scenario starting in an hour will involve, but our first step is to find a place to stay.»

In truth, that was a lie. I had a good idea of what was coming.

An event titled ‘The Three Little Pigs’ would undoubtedly feature a related plot.

Fortunately, the small Yoo Jonghyuk agreed without any argument.

«Lead the way.»

«Alright.»

I somehow felt like a servant attending to his master.

I walked ahead, carefully examining the signs posted throughout the city. This place functioned as a proper city, so there had to be some form of temporary lodging available.

Given the cyberpunk setting, a hotel was a distinct possibility.

«You.»

«Yes.»

«You are walking too fast.»

I glanced back at little Yoo Jonghyuk and deliberately slowed my pace.

Yet, it wasn’t long before he spoke up again.

«I said you walk fast.»

«What does that mean?»

When I turned around, Yoo Jonghyuk was just looking up at me without a reply.

I looked at him and sighed.

His body seemed no older than ten. Without the support of any skills or Stigmas, he likely hadn’t recovered from the exhaustion of the previous ‘zodiac race’.

Seeing no other option, I knelt down and offered my back.

Yoo Jonghyuk, as if he had been waiting, immediately climbed up and stood on my shoulders.

Wait, this was more like he was riding a surfboard than getting a piggyback ride.

«Couldn’t you just ride on my back like a normal person?»

«You should focus more on your physical training.»

«Excuse me?»

«Your body’s balance is off because your scapula and deltoid muscles are underdeveloped. When you wield a sword, you must move your shoulders while being mindful of your scapula’s range of motion.»

«Are you sure you really lost your memory?»

I grumbled but started walking with little Yoo Jonghyuk perched on my shoulders.

If Uriel were watching, she’d probably be showering us with coins for this heartwarming scene.

Strangely, the constellations I usually interacted with were nowhere to be seen here.

«Will your body return to its original state after these ten days?»

«That is also unknown to me.»

«It would be problematic if it doesn’t.»

«It will recover. The extent is what is unclear.»

If the Yoo Jonghyuk of this regression remained in this childlike state, it would be a disaster.

What could be done then?

Should I toss this little version of him into a temporal fault within the Dark Dimension and wait for him to grow up?

«I’m not sure about you, but the Dark Dimension contains places known as temporal faults.»

«Do you possess a skill called [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint] by any chance?»

«What nonsense is that?»

«Why bring up a temporal fault?»

«It is a suitable place for a weakling like you to train his body.»

Ah, was that his meaning?

«Why train when you can just improve your stats with coins?»

«That is not ‘real’ growth.»

«Who cares what’s real? This is a world where coins solve everything.»

While we exchanged these words, we reached a building marked ‘Fox and Crane Hotel’.

It was called a hotel, but it looked much more like a simple inn.

A musty smell of beer hit us as I opened the door and entered.

The patrons seated at the bar tables watched us with wary eyes.

I ignored them and went straight to the counter.

«Oh, welcome.»

The owner who noticed us stammered a greeting.

For the record, the owner was a crane.

«What brings you youngsters to a humble place like—»

«Isn’t this Iggy’s dormitory?»

«Y-yes, it is, but is this really a place for esteemed Naori to…»

Esteemed Naori?

I took a quick look at our appearance. I was wearing a decent coat, but beneath it was just a tangle of ragged clothes. The only notable item was the mask…

「 The Mask. 」

A feeling of unease settled in.

Since we first entered Zone 13, Yoo Jonghyuk and I had encountered several incarnations.

But they all shared one common trait.

「 Not a single one was wearing a mask. 」

Pig? I was certain everyone had initially entered wearing masks, but now—

«Are you two newcomers by any chance?»

«Yes.»

«You… you didn’t choose a ‘zodiac sign’ and came straight to Zone 13?»

I gave a slight nod.

The owner’s eyes widened as he muttered to himself.

«Why would anyone make such a crazy choice…»

As I suspected, it seemed rare for anyone to choose Zone 13 immediately.

That made sense. Normally, one would choose a zodiac sign and develop with its support.

Only lunatics like Kim Dokja or Yoo Jonghyuk would make a choice like this.

«Do you have a room available?»

«Oh, certainly.»

Their tone shifted noticeably the moment they realized we were beginners.

Not a very pleasant crane.

«What’s the rate?»

«One child and one adult. That will be 2,000 coins.»

The price was blatantly exorbitant, but securing a room was our immediate priority.

The moment I materialized 2,000 coins in my palm, the owner’s expression turned stern.

«Are you making a joke?»

«Is there a problem?»

«Heh, it seems you failed to read the guide’s explanation properly.»

As the owner spoke, a message appeared in my head.

[The standard ‘coins’ are not valid currency in this worldview.]

[The mainstream currency here is the ‘recycled coin’.]

Recycled coins?

«Like these.»

The owner pulled open the cash register drawer.

I peered inside at the ‘recycled coins’ filling it.

«Aren’t those bottle caps?»

«This is the currency used here.»

The drawer glittered with bottle caps of all kinds, from worn old ones to shiny new ones.

«Everything has its purpose. That is the spirit of the ‘Recycling Center’.»

Was the director’s nickname ‘environmental movement enthusiast’?

«We only have coins. Is an exchange not possible?»

Some of the beer drinkers began to take an interest in us.

«Tch, that’s how incarnations are these days.»

«Trying to take the easy way out.»

«Probably someone who only boosts his abilities with coins and doesn’t appreciate the value of a hard-earned story.»

Simply by attempting to exchange currency, I was branded a lazy opportunist.

When little Yoo Jonghyuk shot them a threatening glare, they immediately fell silent.

The owner shrugged.

«Sorry, but currency exchange isn’t possible.»

«I’ll pay 10,000 coins per night.»

«I said I can’t.»

«50,000 coins per night.»

«No, well—»

«100,000 coins.»

The owner thought for a moment, glanced at his other customers, and asked again.

«You’re serious?»

«No.»

Of course not.

«…Then go get some recycled coins. Night is approaching, you should hurry.»

We were promptly ushered out of the inn.

It seemed the local currency had to be earned within this world.

A very harsh system for beginners.

[50 minutes remain until today’s ‘Event Scenario’ begins.]

[Find ‘accommodation’ that will provide shelter.]

Little Yoo Jonghyuk, who had already climbed down from my shoulder, asked.

«What is your plan now? You told me to trust only you.»

«I never said that.»

Likely, the ‘night’ in this world was as perilous as the ‘night’ in the demon world. Hence the repeated messages urging us to find shelter.

However, we currently had no means of obtaining ‘recycled coins’.

«Why are you hesitating? Obtain the recycled coins.»

«Do you have a method in mind?»

I asked without much hope. I expected a typical Yoo Jonghyuk solution: ambush a passerby, clean the inn for payment, seize the lodging by force, or simply destroy the establishment.

«Purchase recycled coins with coins.»

I pondered his words before responding with dawning understanding.

«Oh, you mean trade our coins for their recycled coins directly?»

«What foolishness is that?»

«They said exchange isn’t permitted here.»

There might be illegal money changers somewhere, but we had neither the time nor the knowledge to find them.

Perhaps shaking down a passerby, Yoo Jonghyuk-style, was the way to go.

«Recycled coins are bottle caps.»

«Bottle caps are recycled coins.»

«This means our objective is to acquire bottle caps, not specifically ‘recycled coins’.»

Little Yoo Jonghyuk said this and pointed towards a street vendor displaying various potions.

I looked there, confused for a moment, before it clicked.

My God, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of what little Yoo Jonghyuk had already deduced.

Soon, we were stacking numerous potion bottles and prying off their caps. I should note, we didn’t steal them from the vendor; I purchased them properly.

How did I buy potions without recycled coins?

[A total of 2,000 coins were spent from the ‘Dokkaebi’s Bag’.]

[You have purchased 100 ‘low-grade health potions that are nearly expired’.]

We worked diligently to twist off every cap. I discarded the leftover potion after removing the cap.

[The constellation ‘Polar Bear Guardian’ is appalled by your wastefulness.]

Of course, the environment matters, but survival comes first. Only by surviving can we eventually protect the polar bears.

Once we had a pile of caps, we returned to the inn.

The owner was visibly shocked by the caps we presented.

«These are all ‘new bottle caps’! Did you open potion bottles?»

«Yes.»

«What did you do with the potions inside?»

«Discarded them.»

«You fools! You should have sold the potions!»

Little Yoo Jonghyuk and I exchanged a blank look.

«Hmph, just a joke. Those potions are worthless here anyway. The ‘Recycling Center’ only deals in ‘recycled potions’.»

He was an owner who enjoyed his jokes.

«However, this is only worth ‘500 recycled coins’.»

The owner clicked his tongue slightly and shook his head.

The value was low, being caps from the lowest grade potions.

«Even a small room would be fine. Surely that’s enough?»

[The ‘event scenario’ begins in 15 minutes.]

Time was running dangerously short.

If we couldn’t find lodging, we’d be stuck endlessly opening bottles again.

That was not an option.

«Actually, there is… a place. But it’s very shabby. Would that be acceptable? It’s a shared room, so it will be somewhat inconvenient.»

«It’s fine. Please take us there.»

The owner nodded and gestured for us to follow with his chin. We followed him quietly. He led us out of the inn and into the alley behind it.

«Is the accommodation outside the hotel?»

«Consider it a guest house.»

After walking about a hundred meters down the alley, a dilapidated, abandoned village came into view.

«It’s here. You can take room 101.»

The owner stopped before a wooden villa that looked on the verge of collapse.

It felt less like a guest house and more like a haunted house attraction.

«Meals are provided in the morning. Return to the hotel at sunrise.»

«Breakfast is included.»

«Naturally. That is, assuming you survive until tomorrow morning.»

After leaving us with that ominous remark, the owner departed, leaving me alone with little Yoo Jonghyuk.

«Will this be alright?»

«It is irrelevant. I am accustomed to having no home.»

«Why remember that, but forget your own name?»

Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t answer immediately. I wondered what was going through his mind.

A faint sense of guilt washed over me as I watched him.

Abilities activated at the cost of ‘ordinary memories’ typically cause the loss of ‘unnecessary memories’ first.

And Yoo Jonghyuk had forgotten his own name before anything else.

«It has been some time since I last stayed in a house.»

«I’ll find us better accommodations next time.»

«It is unimportant.»

We opened the door to room 101. The sound of people talking animatedly came from inside.

«Oh, looks like new arrivals.»

«Welcome—»

A welcoming voice from within the entrance. They seemed polite, at least.

As I nodded and looked up, my eyes met those of the woman who had come to greet us.

Unlike us, her face, free of a mask, was full of vitality.

Beside her stood a handsome-looking man with a smudge of soot on his philtrum.

Suddenly, my throat felt tight, and no words would come out.

「 «I will not choose any district.» 」

Perhaps I should have anticipated this.

If it were Kim Dokja, of course he would have made the same choice.

That fact made me both happy and profoundly sad, silencing my voice.

Kyung Sein was the first to speak.

«Ah…»

The man next to her also widened his eyes in surprise.

Furthermore, Cha Yerin and Literature Girl 64, who were sitting on a shabby chair and turned to look, and Ye Hyunwoo, the 7th apostle, who was lying listlessly on the floor and lifted his head our way.

«Everyone.»

I barely managed to force the word out, swallowing my emotions. Just then, Ye Hyunwoo suddenly sat up from the floor.

«It can’t be—»

Simultaneously, a man leaning against the window turned around.

I was about to nod happily, but then I looked down at little Yoo Jonghyuk. I remembered I wasn’t Cheon Inho right now.

«Nice to meet you. My name is Kim Dokja.»

My companions stared blankly at my introduction.

Kyung Sein’s lips trembled wordlessly, Dansu ahjussi wore a pitying expression, and Ye Hyunwoo looked at me as if I were insane.

Only the man at the window, wearing a ‘black wolf mask’, reacted differently.

Even with the mask, his identity was unmistakable.

I didn’t know where he got it, but he wore a black coat strikingly similar to Yoo Jonghyuk’s.

«I see. So you’ve finally arrived.»

Wait a minute, was that actually Yoo Jonghyuk’s coat?

«I was waiting for you, Kim Dokja.»

[The ‘event scenario’ will begin shortly.]