Chapter 443. Choi Chi-Woos (2)
Choi Yoo-Joo looked at Chi-Woo with mixed feelings from the air. Then she finally regained her senses and, after trying to send Chi-Woo back, she dropped her hand.
“…”
“…Stay.”
“…”
“I request you to stay. Could you please stay? I beg you!” Her att.i.tude took a complete turn. She sounded so desperate that Chi-Woo couldn’t even scold her for trying to send him back without figuring things out properly. Thus, he ended up nodding confusedly, and the Yoo-Joo in the air looked relieved.
After that, the same thing that happened before repeated. She sent back many Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos while leaving one or two of them every now and then. Eventually, the weeding-out process ended. There weren’t many people remaining compared to the large crowd from the beginning, and now there were significant gaps in the s.p.a.ce that had been filled with people from corner to corner.
“…Yes, this is more like it,” Yoo-Joo bitterly murmured after the screening process. She let out the breath she had been holding and rose into the air. “First of all, congratulations.” She looked around at the remaining Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos.“You all are…how should I say this? Yes, you and I are the remaining Chois who have a slight chance of reaching the future we desire at this current time.”
All the Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos blinked hard and glanced at one another. Not all of them understood what this Yoo-Joo was saying.
Then one Chi-Woo opened his mouth. “Parallel universes.” It was the Chi-Woo who had asked a question in a calm manner before. “We are Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos who live our own destinies in our own worlds…is that right?” he asked in a polite voice.
“That’s correct.” The Yoo-Joo in the air looked at the Chi-Woo with a slight look of surprise. As he said, they came from different parallel universes, also known as alternate realities or parallel worlds.
“It doesn’t really matter if we are man or woman, what our names are, or what kind of lives we had lived until now.” The Yoo-Joo in the air extended her hand. “The important part is that our roots are the same. In other words, we are existences that branched out from one origin.” A s.h.i.+ning seed formed in the air. Soon, the seed sprouted and grew roots from below; and from above, it shot out endlessly and formed branches to almost infinity. Seeing the tree of light, Chi-Woo understood that he was one of the infinitely growing branches.
The Chi-Woo who had asked the question stared intently at the tree of light and asked, “Then who are you…?”
“Who do you think I am? Want to take a guess?”
“The future.” The Chi-Woo answered like he had been waiting for the chance. “You are the other us who had reached a faraway future that we hadn’t reached yet.”
“You really are smart. No wonder you came all the way here. I will call you Smart Chi-Woo from now on. How is it?”
“Ahaha….” Smart Chi-Woo scratched his cheeks awkwardly in response to the nickname that was suddenly given to him.
“It’s as you say. Unlike you all, who came from different points in time, I’m Chi-Woo and Yoo-Joo from the future. In Earth terms, there’s probably a difference of a couple decades between us.”
“Wait, then how old are—?”
“Smarty, that’s enough.”
“Ah, yes, ma’am.”
Smart Chi-Woo immediately clasped his lips as the Yoo-Joo in the air opened her eyes threateningly.
“You are me from the future? Really? What happens next?” Then another Yoo-Joo hastily asked. It was understandable that she’d be curious after hearing that one of them came from a faraway future.
“What do you mean?”
“What happens to Liber? Liber!”
Chi-Woo wondered if the Yoo-Joo in the air was even allowed to reveal this information as it was a secret from the heavens. But there was no need to worry, as she dismissed a rule like that like it was nothing and replied.
“Of course I saved Liber. Do you think I’d be standing before you all if I hadn’t saved it?”
It was then a sharp voice spoke up. “Then what are we here for?” Among the many Chi-Woos, one of them glared disapprovingly at Yoo-Joo. “Why should we believe you? Even if you are telling the truth—that makes it less comprehensible why we would be called here.”
“What can’t you comprehend?”
“Is there really a need for you to go this far? If you really saved Liber, there should be nothing left for you to do. Isn’t that what we wished for?”
“…”
“It doesn’t make sense that you’d organize an event of this grand scale out of simple goodwill without a purpose in mind. Are you seriously just telling us to trust you?” It was as he said. If the Yoo-Joo in the air had accomplished all her wishes, she should’ve been able to live well and worry-free. But the fact that she was doing something this large-scale raised some doubts. The Yoo-Joo in the air remained silent. She simply looked down at the Chi-Woo doubting her.
“You are smart. But since we already have a Smart Chi-Woo…you should be something else. I’ll call you Grumpy Chi-Woo given how grumpiness is written all over your face.” She was basically admitting to at least half of what Grumpy Chi-Woo said with this statement, yet it seemed that Grumpy Chi-Woo wanted her to answer his question instead.
“Shut up and just answer my question.”
“Well, it’s true. I called all of you here because there’s something I desire. It’s for a very personal purpose, but it’s also not a bad opportunity for you all. Of course, it depends on how you all make it.”
“That must mean you didn’t save Liber properly,” Grumpy Chi-Woo immediately retorted. “Or even after you saved Liber, you couldn’t fulfill all your desires. You must still have some regret or lingering feelings. So you are trying to set the past right according to your own standard through us.”
The Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos here would’ve gone to the future or past at least once. Thus, it wasn’t difficult to deduce the motivation of the Yoo-Joo in the air. Grumpy Chi-Woo talked like he could see through her, and Yoo-Joo in the air raised one eyebrow. Grumpy Chi-Woo smirked seeing her reaction.
“Do we have any reason to help you?” Grumpy Chi-Woo asked.
“What?”
“If you really think about it, you basically failed. Even if you’ve ama.s.sed great strength, it’s meaningless if that happened after a great length of time.” Grumpy Chi-Woo jutted his chin. “In other words, what’s the point of hearing the advice of a failure, who failed to fulfill everything she desired while saving Liber?”
Chi-Woo thought Grumpy Chi-Woo had a point and was about to ponder on it when a short burst of laughter escaped her mouth. ‘Pft.’
Soon afterward, the Yoo-Joo in the air couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into loud laughter.
“Ahahahahaha!” She even clutched onto her belly and doubled over like she couldn’t get over how hilarious the situation was. Grumpy Chi-Woo stared up at her and gritted his teeth, looking a bit taken aback.
“What are you laughing about? What’s so funny?”
“No—you really are something, aren’t you?” After laughing senselessly for a while, the Yoo-Joo in the air finally calmed herself down. “How long has it been since I had a proper laugh? Thank you so much. But by the way, you are very confident…let me have a quick look at you.”
At that moment, Grumpy Chi-Woo felt a mysterious energy search him from head to toe.
“Hm~ Look at him. How nice. The path had been set up for you since you were young and that allowed you to quickly become a Master on Liber. Many died and many were killed…and you lost as much with it… You walked a very b.l.o.o.d.y path to come here; well then, that explains quite a bit.” The Yoo-Joo in the air wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and chuckled.
“Should I tell you something?” Then, she continued like an adult looking pitifully at a child. “You know the future that you just judged right now? It’s just as you said. I couldn’t accomplish everything that I hoped for. To be exact, I didn’t get what was most important to me—what I personally think is even more important than the salvation of Liber.”
“What is more important—”
“But I accomplished pretty much everything besides that. Here, I will give you a quiz,” she cut off Grumpy Chi-Woo. “Not just to you, everyone in this s.p.a.ce, or everyone I just sent back. This question is for all the Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos who came from this one root. How many people do you think reached a similar timeline as me?”
The Grumpy Chi-Woo looked a bit taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“How many Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos do you think accomplished the future I reached, discounting me?”
Grumpy Chi-Woo closed his mouth. It seemed that the Yoo-Joo in the air hadn’t really expected an answer. She spread out only her index finger and said, “Just one.”
Everyone looked stunned. Among the countless number of Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos, how could there be only one?
“Besides me, there’s just one among the Chi-Woos who accomplished it.” A small commotion arose from her bold statement.
“Wait a moment. Does that mean that I won’t be able to save Liber…?”
“Don’t cry. It’s too early to jump to conclusions.”
The Yoo-Joo who had jumped up and down in glee immediately looked despondent at the news, and Smart Chi-Woo comforted her.
“But Yoo-Joo from the future said…”
“Even if what she said is true, it’s not like it’s completely impossible.”
“What do you mean? Why?”
“Because your worldline might be the same as hers.”
“Huh?”
“…It’s nothing. Let’s focus on the announcement for now.” Smart Chi-Woo smiled bitterly at Stupid Yoo-Joo. All sorts of questions poured out to Future Yoo-Joo in the air.
“One? Out of all these destinies, there’s just one?” they asked.
“Yes, there’s one among the Chi-Woos…no, there used to be one,” Future Yoo-Joo continued. She changed from present tense to past tense. This seemed to mean that the Chi-Woo who had saved Liber was no longer around, and Smart Chi-Woo didn’t miss this point.
“By that, do you mean…?”
It was only for a moment, but Future Yoo-Joo’s face hardened. She didn’t answer.
“…How can we take your word for it?” Grumpy Chi-Woo retorted, and Future Yoo-Joo sighed.
“You sure talk a lot. If you are that suspicious, why don’t you just go back?”
“I came here by making an offering. I can’t return empty-handed.”
“I will come up with a reward especially for you. It’s not that much of a bother to do. So? Do you want me to send you back now?”
“…Even if it’s advice from a failure, I’m sure it’s worth hearing you out.”
“I’m sure it is. Well, do whatever you want since you are also at a worldline that piques my interest a little bit—though not to the level of those two from before.” Future Yoo-Joo snorted and looked around her.
“Does anyone have more questions?” Yoo-Joo seemed to be telling them to ask her their questions now instead of bringing them up later.
“Could you tell us what this s.p.a.ce is?” As expected, Smart Chi-Woo raised his head and posed a question.
“It’s a temporary s.p.a.ce I made for you all,” Future Yoo-Joo responded, but Smart Chi-Woo didn’t seem satisfied with her answer.
“According to the revelation, this place is a kind of junction—”
“A junction?” Future Yoo-Joo snorted in disbelief. “Is that what the G.o.ds on your end told you?”
“…That is the revelation I received.”
“Well, I suppose it isn’t wrong…but it’s not certain yet.”
“What do you mean…?”
“It’s up to you guys whether this place would be a mere bus stop that would lead you to your scheduled destinations, or if it would lead you to a new place and allow you to hit a new milestone.” In other words, coming here alone didn’t guarantee rewards. Smart Chi-Woo nodded in understanding and asked another question after organizing his thoughts.
“Then, what is it that we have to do here? And what would we earn after succeeding?” It was the question that everyone wanted to ask the most. They got a sense of what Future Yoo-Joo’s goal was, so in the end, the most important question was about themselves. What did they need to do here, and would they be able to gain something that surpa.s.sed what they had given up? Everyone’s eyes s.h.i.+fted up to Future Yoo-Joo, and she shrugged.
“Nothing.”
What? Seriously? There was nothing they could earn? But Future Yoo-Joo wasn’t done speaking. Before Grumpy Chi-Woo could lose his temper, she continued, “And everything. Everything that anyone could wish for.”
The mood that could’ve turned foul immediately settled.
“I told you. It’s all up to you.” They could return to their respective worlds empty-handed, or on the contrary, a path that would allow them to gain everything could open up. There was a possibility that they could achieve what countless Chi-Woos and Yoo-Joos had failed to do. This was the purpose and reason why Future Yoo-Joo brought everyone to this s.p.a.ce.
“What do we need to do now?” Grumpy Chi-Woo quickly asked. “Do we have to fight each other until there’s only one left?” It was a simple and rough method, but also the cleanest. However, Future Yoo-Joo didn’t intend to allow that and laughed humorlessly. “It’s so like you to think that way. So like you.” She clicked her tongue and turned around.
“Seeing it yourself once is better than me explaining it to you a hundred times,” Future Yoo-Joo raised her hand a bit expectantly and asked, “Want to have a taste of it first?” She put her middle finger and thumb together to snap them before anyone could say anything.
“Why don’t you give it a try?”
Flick! At that moment, the s.p.a.ce changed completely.