Chapter 48: The Neutral Zone – Interlude 1: The Stars that Change Course and the One Who Observes Them

** Yun Seohui (POV) **

*Ring* *Ring*

The office phone rang. Despite being very busy solving all the disasters caused by those annoying old men from the high command, it was hard to find solutions that satisfy them and maintain the company's interests while trying not to do bad things to achieve it.

I picked up the phone and it was my assistant, so I sighed and said, "You know I'm very busy and you shouldn't call me unless it's something very important, so tell me, what happened?"

"Miss, there's a girl named Seunghae on the line, I put her on hold and then contacted you as you had asked me to pass on any call if it was from her," said my assistant, somewhat scared, but I didn't care. As soon as she said that Seunghae called, I immediately shifted all my attention to focus on her and said, "Connect her immediately to my private line."

The call from my assistant immediately changed and was connected with Seunghae and I heard her voice, "Unnie, sorry if I bothered you, if you are too busy I'll call later."

"No, don't worry, I wasn't doing anything very important, tell me, why did you call? Is everything okay at home, is there anything your Unnie can help you with?" I asked because it's rare for Seunghae to call me at work, she usually leaves messages or calls outside my working hours, but she almost never calls me at work.

"The thing is, Seonhwa asked us to meet her; Jinhee Unnie, Roe Unnie, you and me, in a place in the trading zone to talk about something important and I think it has to do with Oppa, otherwise she would not have asked to meet just us, that's why I'm calling to pass on the message and see if you would be available at 2:00 pm," said Seunghae.

"I understand, text me the exact address before 2:00 pm, I'll be there without fail, thanks for letting me know Seunghae, I'll hang up the call now, I have to get some things in order to be free on time," I said, and after exchanging goodbyes, I hung up.

I looked at the clock and there are only 4 hours left until 2:00 pm, I guess I won't have time to eat if I want to get things in order, it will be another exhausting day.

I called my assistant and told her to postpone all appointments from 2:00 pm onwards to tomorrow.

~~~

** Third Person (POV) **

In a commercial area of Seoul, inside a building with a 'For Sale' sign, you can see 5 beautiful women talking.

"So Unnie, why did you ask us to meet in a building that is up for sale?" asked Seunghae.

"Because soon it won't be, I'm just negotiating its purchase and within a few days at the latest it will be mine, I want to open a café and I want you to help me manage it," said Seonhwa.

"Wait Unnie, it hasn't even been a day since Oppa left and you're already losing your mind, we don't need to open a business and especially not something like a café, Oppa has more than enough money to keep us like queens for the rest of our lives and we've never had problems with him supporting us, so why are you coming up with this idea out of nowhere? And why are you involving us in your idea?" asked Seunghae, annoyed.

"It's true Unnie, as Seunghae says, it doesn't make sense to open this business. Besides, if the four of us open it and attend to it, we will only end up causing a disaster, especially you 3 who are dating Oppa, I can already imagine social media going crazy a few hours after someone posts this. And I say four because Seohui Unnie is already the director of a company and I don't think she can join this idea," said Jinhee worriedly, Roe and Seohui nodded showing they agree with what Seunghae and Jinhee are saying.

"It's not about the money, nor because I really want to open a café, it's because I need a front to cover my movements and that's why I need you, to help me maintain the facade," replied Seonhwa, somewhat resigned.

"I don't understand, what do you want to do that requires us to help you hide it? And more specifically, who exactly do you want to hide what you're doing from?" Roe asked quite confused, and Seunghae, Jinhee, and Seohui had faces just as confused as hers.

Seonhwa took a deep breath, then exhaled and said, "I need your help with this facade to hide from the rest of the family that I will return to the place where Roe comes from."

"Wait a moment, 'Return'? Did you say return instead of saying you're 'going' there? In other words, have you already been to Paradise, where Roe Unnie comes from?" Jinhee asked excitedly and curiously, while Seunghae, Roe, and Seohui looked at Seonhwa with a face that was waiting for an explanation.

"Yes, I can't speak clearly, Jihu and Roe have already explained that those who are already part of that place cannot speak clearly about it, so don't be demanding with the details. I can only tell you that I joined that place shortly after I started my university studies in North America, and the special medicine I gave to mom wasn't actually given to me, but I obtained it through my efforts. I had not told you in order to avoid worrying you, but now that Oppa went there, he will need all the help possible and that's why I plan to return, to help him, but I will need an excuse to hide my movements from the family," said Seonhwa.

"No offense Seonhwa Unnie, but even if you are already part of that place and you were there for a while, unless you are a level 5 or higher, you might end up hindering Oppa instead of helping him. Oppa may start from scratch, but he has undeniable potential, even Sinyoung wanted to recruit him years ago because of that, so it's better to give up the idea of returning and leave Oppa's support to me. Although I don't have the full support of Sinyoung, I still have most of the influence as long as my father doesn't interfere, and I can use that influence to support Oppa much more," said Seohui.

"Seohui, it's fine that you want to support Jihu, and I trust you, but I would never trust Sinyoung. It's preferable that Seonhwa, even if she's weak, returns and supports Jihu in his early steps. If she's already been there for a while, she might be level 3 or 4, and that would be enough to support Jihu during his start," said Roe.

"No, I'm totally against Unnie going. First, it already bothers me that she joined Paradise and didn't tell us anything, she didn't even tell Oppa, but going now will only cause more problems. Oppa is smart and quite capable, he can surely conquer that place on his own, but if Unnie goes and joins him, she will end up becoming a concern for Oppa and he will end up wasting time trying to keep her safe, even if it's at the cost of his own safety, so I'm against it," said Seunghae.

"I think Unnie is the last person who would seek to cause problems for Oppa. If she wants to return, it's because she has a plan or thinks she can really be of help to Oppa, am I wrong Unnie?" said Jinhee.

"Finally, a bit of trust, thank you Jinhee. It's true that if I didn't have confidence in my ability and was going to be a burden, I wouldn't propose the idea, but believe it or not, I am one of the strongest people on that side. They call me Baek Heaju, the sacred empress of the spear," said Seonhwa with quite a bit of pride.

"I met Baek Heaju more than two years ago, before coming to Earth. It's true she was one of the most powerful terrans, but as I said, I met her and I can say that you and she are different people, Seonhwa," Roe pointed out.

"I also know about her. It's true she is the first level 8 and is among the 3 most powerful terrans along with Seo Yuhui and Sung Shihyun, but like Roe, I have also met her and I am sure she is a different person," said Seohui, quite puzzled.

"Because I use an artifact that alters my appearance and conceals any means of identification, but that is my identity in that place. That's why I'm sure I can support Oppa better than anyone there," said Seonhwa.

"Well, if that's the case, I won't oppose the idea, but I'm still upset that you kept it hidden from us all this time, Unnie," said Seunghae.

"If you can help Oppa, I also agree that you should go, but I don't understand why keep everything hidden. You could tell the rest of the family just like Oppa did, and we'd avoid the problems of hiding your situation, Unnie," said Jinhee.

"It's because if I tell them, they'll worry even more. Besides, uncle, auntie and Mom will be disappointed because I lied to them for so long, and I don't want to see them like that," said Seonhwa.

"Do you not want to see them worried and disappointed, or are you trying to escape punishment?" Seohui asked playfully.

"I say she's avoiding punishment," said Roe.

"Girls, let's not get off track. The important thing is to help Oppa, so it's decided. We'll open this place, and you'll help me hide my return to that place so I can assist Oppa," said Seonhwa, and the girls agreed.

~~~~

** Third Person (POV) **

In an enormous field filled with grass, where there seems to be no end in sight, a man can be seen sitting cross-legged in meditation. Around him lies an incredible amount of blood and gore, evidence that many people have been crushed to the point of being turned into pulp on the ground.

In the distance, the fierce sound of something enormous rolling in his direction can be heard, but the man remained completely unaffected, as if he was either completely ignoring the sound or simply could not perceive it.

After some time, an enormous spherical rock can be seen rolling toward the man. The rock is immense, easily the size of a two-story house. The force and speed with which it is rolling are very high, and it's headed straight for the meditating man.

Seeing the huge rock and the number of bodies completely crushed around the meditating man, it's easy to realize what happened to those bodies and what fate awaits the man if he doesn't move out of the way.

When the rock is only a few meters away from the man, he calmly stands up and extends his right hand toward the rapidly approaching rock.

The rock finally reaches him, but upon contact with the man's hand, it stops as if the force with which it was previously moving no longer exists, as if it were perpetually at rest.

As for the man, he doesn't exhibit any change, as if he didn't receive any impact or force from the rock at all. However, if someone capable had observed the exact moment when the rock made contact with the man's hand, they would have noticed that the force of the rock didn't vanish into thin air. Instead, upon contact with the man, it immediately transferred to his hand, then from his hand to his body, and finally dispersed into the ground at his feet, causing a slight ripple that traveled several kilometers across the ground around the man.

"Well, I suppose that's it. I've finally mastered the ability," said the man, and a status window appeared in front of him as if to verify his words.

[The ability 'One with Nature' has evolved into 'One with the World'.]

"I guess it's finally time to leave here. I feel like I've been stuck here for decades, but with this power, I finally know I can repay my debt," said the man as he nostalgically surveyed his surroundings. It seems he has spent many, many years training in this place.

"Twenty years, to be exact," said a woman's voice. "I must admit, I'm truly surprised by your tenacity."

"Twenty? That's incredible. Even I wouldn't have imagined it would take me that long. But seeing the results, it's been worth it. And you're right—if it had been my past self, I wouldn't have dared to undergo such madness. But given the circumstances, I was forced to change and mature. I suppose I was too immature back then. After all this time of training and self-reflection, I see things differently now. But enough talk; we'll have time to chat later. For now, I suppose I'll return and see how much things have changed in this time," said the man as he began walking in a certain direction.

~~~~

** Third person (POV) **

On the third floor of an old white building in Haramark, three men were talking. The first was an elderly man with a fedora, a formal suit, and a cane. The second was a tall, muscular young man with dark skin. The last man exuded an air of nobility; his ash-gray hair was neatly combed, and his eyes held deep respect and gratitude toward the elderly man.

These three men were Jang Maldong, Edward Dylan, and Marcel Ghionea.

"It's good to have you back, Master," said Edward Dylan. "But I thought you said you were taking a long vacation on Earth."

"It's nothing. It's just that your elder finally decided to step forward and come out of anonymity. So I can't stay on vacation and miss the show. And tell me, what's the famous Steel Archer doing in Raison D'être? Sorry, I forget that you changed it to Carpe Diem," Jang Maldong said with amusement.

"I'm here to request joining your group, Mr. Maldong. Thanks to you and your wise advice, my wife was saved from a tragic fate a year ago. I would have liked to come and express my deepest gratitude back then, but I had to take care of her on Earth until her mind stabilized a bit after death. But after several months of rehabilitation and therapy, she's been able to return to her normal life, and we finally got married. And now, that's why I'm here—to repay my debt of gratitude to you and to join your group," said Marcel Ghionea with much gratitude and respect in his voice.

"You heard him, Master," said Dylan.

"You owe me nothing, young man. The idea of suicide capsules to avoid being captured and parasitized wasn't mine; it was a suggestion from my first disciple. And in any case, there's no need for thanks. Your wife, Marika Larisa, contributed a lot to this place, and that more than compensates for anything. It's a relief to know she escaped a dire fate.

Being captured by one of the Seven Commanders wouldn't have ended in death. It's good that she followed the advice and chose to commit suicide on her own terms. Losing her memory on Earth is better than being parasitized here. So go, live your happy life, retire completely, and return to Earth to be with your wife.

But if you're obstinate and want to move forward with joining us, well, at this moment, though I'm back, Dylan holds the mantle of leadership. So he has the final say. I want to see how he handles everything," said Jang Maldong, relieved to know that more Earthlings have been saved from a tragic future—saved from being parasitized instead of dying—thanks to Jihu's idea of capsules containing highly lethal poison for quick death in case of capture.

Some Earthlings took the idea to even more destructive extremes and carry bombs to detonate and cause harm if captured.

Everyone knows that the worst fate for an Earthling is not death in Paradise, but to be captured and parasitized. Before the suicide system was implemented to prevent this, there were already cases of Earthlings being captured and parasitized. When this happens, their bodies return to Earth as if they had died in Paradise, but their consciousness does not return, and they remain in a vegetative state. They cannot recover from this state until their parasitized bodies in Paradise are killed.

"I, Marcel Ghionea, have a life debt to pay. Please Mr. Dylan, allow me to join your group," said Marcel Ghionea with deep sincerity.

Dylan could only sigh and say, "Well, I can't say no to such a capable man who wholeheartedly wishes to join us. Welcome to Carpe Diem, Marcel Ghionea, the steel archer."

"Then, returning to the matter at hand. The master's first disciple and our elder, who has been secretly hidden for years, is finally coming here. You know, Master, all these years I thought those stories of yours about having an amazing first disciple were just that, stories to put psychological pressure on us during training. Now that after so many years he really says he's coming, it has caused me quite a surprise and real curiosity," said Edward Dylan.

"Bah! As if I needed to make up stories to put pressure on you, I just need this," said Jang Maldong as he lifted his cane and then continued, "I told you he was real, it's your problem if you didn't believe me, but I'll leave you with the curiosity and see if you're able to identify him on your own with your keen eye. Although I'm back, it's still not full-time, I still have things to do on Earth.

And tell me, what has happened in these months that I've been away? On Earth, it was a few months, but here it's been almost two years, I suppose many things must have changed," said Jang Maldong curiously.

"It's as you say, Master, many things have happened, the most notable, well as you could see when entering the building, Luxuria's daughter moved to Haramark and settled right in front of our building. Then a few days ago, there was a commotion at the Scheherazade auction. Miss Foxy put an invaluable item up for auction, she put the legendary 'Pneuma's Sky Boots' from the VIP store up for auction, causing a commotion among the high ranks of the warrior and archer class. I wanted them myself, but against the one who won them and caused the real commotion with his presence, no one could fight, neither in brute power nor in economic power," said Dylan regretfully.

"Hoh! Now you've intrigued me, who was the one who caused such a commotion? Who even managed to crush your spirit in such a way?" asked Jang Maldong with considerable curiosity about the subject.

"You can't imagine Master, it was the missing Sung Sihyun. He disappeared for two years, shortly before you retired, and reappeared a few days ago at the auction buying the boots. He looks completely changed, before he had an air of unbridled arrogance and pride, now he seems like a sword in its sheath ready to be unsheathed and kill. When I saw him, it gave me a terrible chill, I almost thought I was in front of a commander of the parasites from feeling his overwhelming presence.

You know, Master, considering that he disappeared shortly before you and now appeared almost at the same time as you, and that you boast of your first disciple, it couldn't be him, could it?" asked Edward Dylan with quite intrigue and curiosity in his voice.

"No, it's not him. It's true that I also trained him at one point, but he's not my first disciple. If Sung Sihyun is a genius, my first disciple is a genius among geniuses. When you meet him, you'll understand," said Jang Maldong.

Then they continued talking and catching up on many things.

~~~~

** The Parasite Queen (POV) **

Sitting on the corrupt throne, with one hand supporting her head, the being known as the Queen of Parasites looked around the area with half-closed eyes.

What stretched before her was a vast expanse. Around Paradise, the planet she inhabited, countless stars formed a galaxy.

The vision of a god is physically and mentally on a different dimensional level than mortals, but when it comes to observing the Fate and Causality of a world, normally even gods have limitations. However, these limitations do not exist for the deity in charge of overseeing a world.

In this case, the Parasite Queen, who consumed the divinity of the Supreme Deity and with it, the rights of said deity to oversee the world known as Paradise, can perfectly see the Fate of Paradise and its inhabitants.

A fate that until recently was almost completely defined and headed for its doom at the hands of the Parasite Queen, but that has been slowly changing. The stars that were once derailed from their paths and were about to be destroyed or join her side suddenly stood still and dormant or completely changed direction against her.

"I don't understand, everything was fine, but suddenly the stars whose course was headed to the end of their path or were on their way to join my Fate completely changed. I cannot see the Cause of the change. No, rather, I can see that the force that began to change their trajectories is a very bright star, but it is dormant. A dormant star should not have so much influence; I don't understand why it does.

A dormant star usually means that it is a star whose influence is outside of this world, like a baby destined to be born and play an important role in the world as it grows, but has not yet been born. Its star would be dormant until it is born and grows to begin fulfilling its Destiny. Or a person destined to appear in this world, but has not yet appeared. I understand that the forgotten deities invoked the Earthlings, and when they return to their world, their stars sleep in this one. But this star has been dormant from the beginning, which means it has never come to this world and therefore should not have influence over it. I don't understand why and how the other stars are so influenced by its existence," said the Parasite Queen, voicing her analysis aloud, unable to make sense of the situation she is observing.

A dormant star that already has so much power and influence is extremely dangerous, but it doesn't change the fact that it's dormant. As long as it remains so, no matter how influential it may be, it won't be able to change her plans. But if it were to awaken, if it were to appear, then she would make sure to eliminate it by all means. She cannot allow such a star to develop or roam freely; the results would be catastrophic. Therefore, she can only wait, wait for it not to awaken and for everything to ultimately end in her favor, or wait for it to awaken and then find and eliminate it immediately and forever.

Reaching that conclusion, the Parasite Queen calmed down and fell into a deep sleep to finish digesting the divinity of the Supreme Deity of Paradise and to heal from the injuries left by the Martial God, whom she would take revenge on as soon as she had enough power...

~~~

[T/N: Terrans or Earthlings, which sounds better? Anyway, on my way to translating the remaining chapters, I met a black cat, so I had no choice but to change directions and seek a different path. Unfamiliar with this path, I ended being lost in the way of life and I ended taking longer to reach the remaining chapters...]