Chapter 25 – Fly Me To The Moon

Ȓe&a;d​ ｏ&n; ̃ǨãtＲeａɗ​ìngC‌af̀e

A lot has happened, and there were many struggles and twists and turns, but the job is finally over.  

It’s not completely finished, but I think I did a pretty good job.  

However, that proud feeling of mine was crushed into the abyss in less than an hour.  

“Wh-what’s with this final payment?”  

“Oh, didn’t you hear? All costs incurred during the mission are your responsibility. They’ll be deducted from your payment.”  

I looked around the ruined basin.  

I didn’t even want to think about how much damage I had caused.  

I’m pretty sure I wasn’t informed about that.  

Mertzel, hearing that, said this:  

“Well, now you know! You did a good job for your first time. But causing too much of a mess is also a problem. It makes it hard for us to clean up. By the way, the cleanup costs are also your responsibility.”  

I looked at the basin again.  

Despite the late hour, the brightly lit basin was filled with dozens of people and countless vehicles cleaning up the White Wolf Faction werewolves.  

I don’t remember calling these people.  

But not only did they arrest Cheong-an and put him in a straitjacket, they even started rescue operations without being asked.  

Well, of course, if I had known about their existence beforehand, I would’ve called them, but this time, I didn’t.  

Do I still have to cover all the costs?  

Mertzel, seeing my expression, seemed to understand what I was thinking and quickly put an end to my worries.  

“Well, you don’t have to cover the costs of the current operation. The priest over there is covering it.”  

“That’s… a relief. He disappeared all day and didn’t do anything, so he should at least cover the costs.”  

Anyway, even if he wasn’t much help during the mission, he’s quick to catch on in situations like this.  

But that doesn’t mean my bank account, which now has nine zeros in the negative, will return to normal.  

“I’m pretty sure it was in the hundreds of millions before, but now it’s in the billions…”  

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Think of it as your goal becoming clearer. You want to pay off your debt quickly, right?”  

Looking at such an astronomical amount, instead of feeling motivated, I just feel detached from reality.  

I’m even considering giving up on the money issue altogether.  

Yeah, honestly, what does it matter how much money it is…  

I’ve reached enlightenment.  

* * *  

The destruction of Area A and Area B isn’t entirely my fault.  

It’s mostly because of Cheongung, an absurdly strong fighter, who caused a huge fight here.  

Of course, most of the land being torn up is my fault, but still.  

That doesn’t mean I’m solely responsible.  

Thinking this, I went to find Cheongung to share the blame.  

A few hours after the rain stopped and the clouds cleared, a bright full moon hung in the sky as if nothing had happened.  

Cheongung was standing at the edge of the basin, looking at the full moon.  

Despite the clear weather, the only proof that it had rained was the cold breeze.  

Cheongung’s martial arts uniform fluttered in the gentle wind.  

He really knows how to set the mood.  

I, on the other hand, was in a low mood, while he was standing there all cool.  

As I quietly approached Cheongung to confront him, he somehow sensed my presence and spoke first.  

“Vampire Lord, do you know? They say the werewolves’ homeland is the moon.”  

It was something I had heard from a gray werewolf in a dream.  

I nodded.  

Given the mood, it didn’t seem appropriate to bring up mundane topics.  

Even though I’m a loner and a nerd, I’m good at reading the atmosphere. No, actually, because I’m a loner and a nerd, I’m even better at it.  

I listened to Cheongung’s words.  

“The homeland of all life is the sea, and the homeland of all wolves is the sea of the moon. The moon is our paradise, the final destination of all journeys.”  

“Is that a religious belief, or is it actually common knowledge?”  

Cheongung replied without changing his expression.  

“If you really think about it, it’s closer to a religious belief. But most of us werewolves sincerely believe it. That at the end of all this pain and joy, there is a paradise.”  

What would a werewolf’s paradise look like?  

If it’s a paradise where martial artists spend their lives in training, I couldn’t imagine such a dramatic paradise.  

It’s hard to think that their paradise would be like Valhalla, since they’re not battle maniacs.  

They seem more like martial artists who could become very peaceful if given the chance.  

Cheongung answered my question before I could even ask.  

“The form of paradise varies depending on the school, but at least I believe this. That at the end of this arduous journey, there is a home. A utopia where conflict and strife do not exist.”  

“That’s… pretty textbook.”  

“Indeed. Thinking that way, perhaps all life shares the same heart. After a lifetime of intense dancing, rest is necessary at the end.”  

But such a paradise cannot exist.  

Even if it does, I don’t think it would be the ideal form Cheongung imagines.  

“Well, for such a paradise to exist, there must be no conflict. But you know that’s impossible, right?”  

“That’s why it’s called a paradise that cannot exist. My interpretation isn’t mainstream in the martial world either.”  

No conflict means all human thoughts are the same.  

So how is that different from Cheong-an’s hive mind?  

The erasure of all human individuality and the unification of thoughts.  

The fading of all human personas.  

“It would be incredibly boring, and honestly, no different from hell. Where would you even listen to Queen music in such a world?”  

“What kind of analogy is that?”  

“I just borrowed it from a book I like. Anyway, such a paradise would be unbearably dull.”  

A world without conflict, peaceful all day long.  

A sweet-sounding lie filled with contradictions and paradoxes.  

At least, I don’t think the paradise martial artists reach after a lifetime of fighting is like that.  

So, the moon isn’t a paradise but essentially Cheong-an’s hive mind.  

Imagine a moon filled with colonies. It would be horrifying.  

That’s what I’m saying.  

“Living freely, dying freely. That’s what life is.”  

“That’s a great saying.”  

“Actually, it’s not something I came up with.”  

It’s a quote from a game I like.  

The part that comes after, “Living freely, dying unreasonably,” was omitted for the sake of the mood.  

Honestly, it’s a truth that can’t be wrong, but sometimes a little white lie is necessary.  

Cheongung turned his gaze from the full moon to me.  

“The body is made of earth and moves with blood. Perhaps the paradise I envision truly doesn’t exist.”  

The essence of life is blood.  

“Think what you want. No one will say anything, and honestly, no one would dare to challenge you anyway.”  

Who would dare to challenge a monster with the title of Sword Saint?  

Cheongung smiled humbly at my remark.  

“I agree with you, Vampire Lord. In the end, it’s just my pitiful sense of compensation for the life I’ve lived. Perhaps I should accept that life itself is a gift given to us.”  

“That’s a good point.”  

Silence fell.  

We couldn’t find another topic to continue the conversation.  

In that silence, I thought:  

‘The mood is completely ruined…’  

How long do I have to keep up this persona in this play?  

It felt like my entire life had become a scene from a movie.  

Well, it wasn’t a bad feeling. At least compared to my life of clicking a mouse in my room.  

But even that life wasn’t so bad. Is being afraid of people such a bad thing?  

Yeah, like a colony.  

A crowd gathered together, with faint personas, is no different from a colony.  

Dozens, hundreds of pairs of eyes staring coldly. That’s the real terror.  

Cheong-an’s hive mind doesn’t even come close.  

I sighed and looked up.  

“The moon is bright…”  

As if it never rained.  

No halo around it.  

After staring at the sky together for a while, I suddenly remembered why I had come to find Cheongung.  

“Cheongung, do you have any money?”  

Yeah, to share the responsibility.  

The destruction of this area was partly Cheongung’s fault too.  

But as expected, Cheongung smiled awkwardly and said:  

“I’m sorry, but the title of Sword Saint doesn’t come with material rewards. I don’t run a dojo or have any disciples, so I have no reason to indulge in such luxuries.”  

“Then help me out this time. We caused this mess together, so you should take responsibility too.”  

“Hmm?”  

“It’s good for you and good for me. You’re just lending a hand to what needs to be done, and I can finish the job faster.”  

Yeah, let’s bring the Sword Saint along for the drug bust!  

“Alright, I also need to secure that ‘drug’ properly. I’ll help.”  

Honestly, it’s like using a lightsaber to chop a chicken’s neck, but whatever.  

The more thoroughly you handle a job, the better.  

We headed to the port where the ship was arriving to wrap things up.