Everyone is Young Except for Me

Chapter 281

Translator: rainbowturtle

Editors: LD & Jyazen

“......”

The cold stillness scattered in the wind. I stood alone and looked down at Zhen Sulong below. An Seunghyun and the others had already left. They had left at the moment Park Muyeol lost, leaving me behind. Therefore, it was only Zhen Sulong and I who were here. There was only a sense of tension.

“...You are really strong, Sulong.”

Prometheus’ message followed as if to answer my words.

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ is telling you that he feels Raitra has become stronger.]

“Yes. It is obvious with one look. Now it isn’t unreasonable if he climbs to first-grade.”

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ says yes.]

“...Prometheus.”

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ is looking at you.]

“It will be a tough fight. Maybe it is a fight where I have to throw everything I have. I don’t know what path will unfold in front of us, but I don’t want a fight with any regrets, even if I lose.”

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ is giving you the apostle’s buff.]

[All stats are increased by 20%.]

I could feel the divine power surrounding my entire body. Indeed, the apostle buff was a great power. I can feel the strength increasing as I leveled up and became stronger.

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ says that he is ready to give directions.]

“Let’s go.”

I watched Zhen Sulong firing a white lightning bolt to the sky and manipulated the air. There was a transmission sensation and once I opened my eyes, I could see the back of Zhen Sulong in front of me. I slowly approached him. Zhen Sulong looked back like he sensed me. “You’ve come.”

“Yes. You have truly become stronger.”

“It is all thanks to you.”

“What did I do?”

At the same time, the two of us laughed. Anyone looking from a distance would think we were good brothers. At this moment...

[The game will start after 10 seconds.]

“Yes.”

“It is time.”

Zhen Sulong took a posture and I also made a solemn posture to prepare for the upcoming decisive battle. Then suddenly, I had a thought. Zhen Sulong was currently very tired from dealing with Park Muyeol. Would I feel good if I fought and won against such an opponent? Additionally, was it right? Would there be any regrets? These thoughts flashed through my head. “Wait, Sulong.”

“......?”

There were five seconds left in the countdown when I raised my hand to Sulong.

“This is unfair. Restore your health. I want to fight you in perfect condition. So let’s take a break.”

Beeeeep!

The sound signaling the start of the game rang but no one moved. Zhen Sulong and I watched each other.

* * *

Meanwhile, Yoo Minseok met Joseph and heard about the previous situation and Lee Geonmyeong’s plan. He was facing evidence left behind by Kang Jaeseong, including Choi Chuntaek’s identity.

“...This is really true?”

Joseph nodded as he watched Yoo Minseok silently. He spoke with confidence to the heart that was filled with disbelief, “I swear to God that there is no falsehood.”

Originally, Joseph wasn’t religious, but he had to act like a believer in order to persuade Yoo Minseok in front of him. He only wanted to tell Choi Chuntaek at first, but Choi Chuntaek said it would be good to have a person in Union in preparation for the disaster that would happen one day.

Joseph thought it was correct, so he wanted to persuade Yoo Minseok in front of him. The addition of even one more person might be able to avoid disaster. This was the meaning of his brother-in-law who was lying down in a coma.

“Sigh...”

Yoo Minseok sighed deeply and raised his head. He then laid out the evidence left by Kang Jaeseong on the desk. It was a list of people who were sacrificed in Lee Geonmyeong’s ugly experiment. Among them were children, even orphans. They died without knowing the reason why and were used for illegal experiments. Additionally, among them was Choi Chuntaek’s wife. The word ‘failure’ was written next to the names of others, but the word ‘success’ was clearly written next to Yoo Seonyeong.

“So Gaia is now Elder Choi Chuntaek’s wife?”

Yoo Minseok wondered and Joseph replied.

“Currently, my guess is that is indeed the case. Among the people on the list, she is the only one who was a success. I think it is right. Elder was selected by seven stars in the tutorial. All of this can be explained if Gaia is Elder’s wife.”

“......”

Yoo Minseok frowned and made many wrinkles on his forehead. What would’ve happened if the elder hadn’t started Arkstar because of his granddaughter? Would nothing happen? No, rather than that, was this really a plan made by Lee Geonmyeong to put this world at risk? Yoo Minseok had no way to know, but the evidence in front of him was clearly saying that this was the case.

“You must be very confused. At first, I didn’t believe it either. However, the more I know, the more I dig out and the more things that are added to the materials my brother-in-law sent me. Now it seems that Lee Geonmyeong is doing something very dangerous. We have to stop it.”

Yoo Minseok sighed again at Joseph’s earnest words. His mouth was bitter as he took out a cigarette and held it in his mouth.

“Can I smoke?”

“It’s fine. Please smoke. I quit because of my children.”

“I’m sorry but I’m going to smoke. It is too confusing.”

Yoo Minseok’s lighter burned the end of the cigarette. Yoo Minseok took a quick drag and the smoke went down his throat, came up through his lungs, and was expelled from his nose.

Sigh.

Now he felt a bit better.

“You don’t know the identity of the disaster?” Yoo Minseok asked as he held the cigarette between his index finger and middle finger.

“Yes. I can’t confirm anything apart from the fact that Lee Geonmyeong is planning a disaster. The coordinates left by Jaeseong hyung-nim are the only hope now.”

“Hmm.”

Yoo Minseok thought about it. Joseph in front of him was also a poor man. He was clinging to the request left by his vegetative brother-in-law, fighting fiercely alone in a place that no one knew.

“Honestly, I can’t believe all your words right now.”

“...I can understand.”

After all, he was facing the ugly side of Union. What choice could a person make? What choice had Chuntaek made at the time? He didn’t know yet. The only conclusion was that Yoo Minseok’s heart couldn’t fully believe everything yet.

“However, if what you are saying is true and signs of disaster are revealed, then I will do my best to help you and the Elder. I will face it even if the truth is ugly.”

Joseph sighed with relief. He was initially very anxious, but once it was confirmed that Choi Chuntaek’s choice wasn’t wrong, he was relieved.

“Thank you. Haha...”

Joseph smiled and held out his hand to Yoo Minseok. Yoo Minseok cocked his head. “Give me one too. It isn’t possible to leave without a cigarette today.”

* * *

At Union Square Stadium, in Seoul...

-What a beautiful sight.

-This shows how great Choi Chuntaek is.

-An ordinary player would’ve considered their own interests in this situation. The friendship between two brothers who want a fair fight is really good. Haha, I am in a better mood watching it.

-I heard that love has no borders but I think this needs to be revised. Friendship also has no borders.

Some people might be frustrated by such a scene, but it wasn’t the case here. The Chinese cheering team clapped for the two of them and the Korean cheering team started a wave in response. The audience screamed and did the wave. It was the moment when South Korea’s status rose again.

“Shit. I don't know what this is.”

In the midst of the Korean audience seats, there was a man with a tired expression. Choi Bulryong was making a face that was more unmotivated than anyone else. This time, he managed to get a ticket for the World Competition through a scalpel but it turned out to be such a match.

“The old man has taken off his mask. I wanted to see the real thing, but it is just a frustrating game. There is nothing fun about this.”

If he knew it would be like this, Choi Bulryong would have logged into the game and played more. These days, Choi Bulryong was in love. The identity of Dark Wolf was revealed and the security of Metheus became lax. During the time when the old man was busy with the World Competition, Choi Bulryong secretly entered Metheus and had a relationship with Eileen.

‘Ah, I want to see Eileen.’

He told the Fire Dragons not to look for him in the game because he would be doing closed-door training, but this wasn’t the case.

‘She said she would make meat stew for me when I come.’

He visited Eileen at the flower stop in Metheus and Eileen accepted him. It was the first time in his life that he had gained such inner peace. It seemed like all the sins he committed would melt away when he stood in front of Eileen. Choi Bulryong thought that perhaps this type of life wouldn’t be bad.

‘It would be good to live like this forever.’

He could let go of everything as long as he was with Eileen. He thought it would be good if his Fire Dragon brothers knew such small happiness. Love someone, work hard, and go back. It was a precious happiness to have a loved one waiting for him.

For Choi Bulryong, who had been lonely all his life, this was more valuable than anything else. The money he was so obsessed with was useless in front of Eileen.

“...Hmm.”

Choi Bulryong crossed his eyes and stared up at the lights of the ceiling that shone like stars. It was very dazzling. It was like a constellation in the night sky. He had always been struggling in the darkness and now he might’ve found a light to illuminate his future.

“Ucha!”

Choi Bulryong stood up. He climbed the stairs to the side and walked toward the exit of the stadium. The passageway to the exit was a bit dark In the old days, he would’ve been lonely facing the solitude of the deep darkness, but it was different now. Now there was Eileen by his side.

‘Eileen.’

Therefore, he could move forward with confidence even in the face of darkness.

‘I’ll be there soon.’

Waaaah!

Choi Bulryong turned back at the screams that were suddenly heard. On the screen, Choi Chuntaek stood up and took a posture. It was the same for Zhen Sulong. They were smiling at each other and seemed very happy.

Choi Bulryong smiled at the two of them. “It is nice to see, old man. Live a long time. I am going.”

Step, step.

There were screams behind Choi Bulryong as he walked proudly beyond loneliness. The screams of the stadium that had fallen into a crucible of excitement were pleasantly stabbing at Choi Bulryong’s back.

6th Anniversary Event Link (Submission Final Date: 15th November)