The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 128

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Maxed-Out Player’s 100th Return – Episode 128
128. Investigation
Fourteen hours before Jang Bok-chul’s death.
Ryu Min discovered a familiar name in the murder roster.
‘Ju Sung-tak? Did this bastard join Player Cafe too?’
The name and age matched perfectly, but the nickname was slightly different.
‘The nickname is [Shit Guys]? It was probably originally [Shit Idiots]?’
Seeing that the recorded ranking was also different, it appeared he had deliberately twisted his information when joining.
‘So that’s why Ju Sung-tak wasn’t among the executives.’
Ju Sung-tak was a skilled fighter ranking in the top two or three across All Districts.
If he’d been among the executives, I would have met him long ago, but with him falsifying his information like this, it was natural that I hadn’t encountered him until now.
‘Looking at the registration date, it seems he joined quite early… Did he only pass the murder interview and then stay quiet?’
After searching through the Cafe, there were no posts he’d written and no comments from him.
It seemed he’d simply passed the murder interview and kept a low profile.
‘This bastard certainly deserves to die, but he still has value I can use… ‘
I decided to show mercy and let him live.
Either way, he’s a dead man walking like the others.
The only difference is that his time has been extended.
‘Hmm?’
Looking at the list again, I spotted a nickname that seemed familiar from somewhere.
‘Name: Hong Sun-ah. Nickname: Volbang-Bbang-Jjin-Bbang. Age: 22, Profession: Actress.’
Seo A-rin suddenly came to mind.
She was the same age and had the same profession.
If they’d acted in the same production, they would likely have been close.
‘Should I search for her?’
When I typed Hong Sun-ah into the internet, several articles appeared.
[Round 8 Survivor Actress Hong Sun-ah, Her Multifaceted Charm!]
[Hong Sun-ah, Seo A-rin, Gu Yeon-seung, Jang Bok-chul and Other Popular Celebrity Players Survive This Round Too….]
[Actress Hong Sun-ah Signs Advertisement Contract with Major Agency! She Now Has Reason to Keep Living!]
[Hong Sun-ah Confirmed for Variety Show ‘Players’! Anticipation Builds for What Role She’ll Take….]
It appeared she was a celebrity who, as one of the surviving actresses in her twenties alongside Seo A-rin, was rising in value in the Entertainment Industry.
‘To condone murder at Player Cafe and then brazenly continue her Entertainment Industry activities… This woman has thrown her conscience to the dogs.’
After all, the fact that she condoned murder was information only the executives knew.
As long as the executives kept their mouths shut, it would never reach the public.
And Player Cafe wouldn’t expose it either.
It would be like spitting while lying down.
‘Knowing that fact, she’s probably acting so openly.’
Ryu Min clicked his tongue disapprovingly and decided to gather some information by visiting Hong Sun-ah’s Instagram.
There were several photos, and among them was one taken with Seo A-rin.
‘From the photos alone, they seem quite close.’
There were many other photos besides the two women smiling brightly.
Most of them were selfies that Hong Sun-ah had taken while pretending to look pretty.
The rest were photos taken with acquaintances.
Among them, Ryu Min stared intently at one particular photo.
It was a recent photo taken in front of a club with male actors, and beneath it was written a caption.
[A shot with close colleague actors at my usual club. From left: Ju Ji-seung junior, Gu Yeon-seung senior, Jang Bok-chul senior, Kang Su-hyun junior… Had a blast today!]
‘Colleague actors?’
Names I’d seen somewhere before.
Just to be sure, I reviewed the murder list once more.
I cross-referenced the names among those whose profession was acting.
“Hah.”
Not a single one was missing—they were all Players registered with Player Cafe.
‘So they really do stick together. All these actors are Player Cafe members?’
They had committed crimes—murder, rape, complicity—yet lived shamelessly as if they were human.
And all while basking in the spotlight under the guise of being celebrities.
Unable to hide his bewilderment, Ryu Min accessed each actor’s Instagram.
There were indeed many photos of them taking pictures of each other’s faces, showing how close they were.
‘They’re close actors and Player Cafe members? Something smells off here.’
What would murderers do if they gathered together?
Could they be conspiring to commit another crime?
Following that train of thought, I investigated and discovered one common thread.
‘They all have photos taken at the same club.’
Looking at photos taken against the backdrop of an identical club, Ryu Min grabbed his coat.
The stench was unmistakable.
If I went to that club, something more would surface.
“Hyung, where are you going?”
“I’ll be back in a bit.”
“At this hour?”
I nodded and turned away from my younger brother, opening the entrance door.
“Go to sleep first. I might be late.”
* * *
Vroom—
The club wasn’t far from here.
Twenty minutes of driving the Lamborghini and I arrived.
It was past midnight, a perfect time to visit a club.
‘Not that I’m going to have fun, just to investigate.’
I parked the car in the public parking lot and walked a short distance.
‘This is it.’
Finding the club I’d seen on Instagram, Ryu Min was immediately disappointed.
I’d expected a burly bouncer like in the movies to conduct a dress code inspection, but nothing of the sort.
Not only was there no doorman, but the club’s entrance was locked.
‘What’s this? The club isn’t open during peak hours?’
It was definitely suspicious.
After surveying the building, I found a back door, but it was locked as well.
‘My presence detection senses people inside, though.’
Both doors locked, yet people within thirty meters?
‘Suspicious. Very suspicious.’
If there were windows, I would have broken through and forced my way in, but the club was underground.
How was I supposed to get inside?
‘Why overthink it?’
Crack—
I simply forced the door open with brute strength.
Then I activated Invisibility to conceal myself and slipped inside.
Since I was wearing the Phantom Footsteps Boots, my footsteps made no sound.
“….”
The club was silent, as if it wasn’t operating.
‘But there were definitely people inside.’
I walked toward the presence my detection skill had picked up.
“Huh?”
The man looked in my direction—he must have a presence detection skill.
I immediately stepped outside the thirty-meter range.
“That’s strange. Did I sense wrong?”
Seeing nothing and feeling nothing, the man tilted his head in confusion and resumed walking.
‘That guy is an actor named Ju Ji-seung.’
After confirming his face, I frowned with displeasure.
‘Damn it, everyone and their mother has presence detection. I can’t approach properly.’
I realized anew how poor Invisibility was as a skill.
‘Until I obtain the Rune of Stealth, there’s no helping it.’
Fortunately, I would obtain the Rune of Stealth once I reached Round 9.
Until then, there was nothing I could do but carefully tail Ju Ji-seung.
I maintained a thirty-one-meter distance to stay outside his detection range and followed.
As Ju Ji-seung walked down the corridor, he soon encountered three people emerging from a room.
They were faces I had already memorized.
‘Their names were Gu Yeon-seung, Jang Bok-chul, and Kang Su-hyun, right?’
Because it was so quiet, I could hear the four of them conversing despite being thirty meters apart.
“Huh? Where are you going, senior?”
“I’m going to grab some alcohol. And some cannabis too.”
“You’ve already smoked it all?”
“Yeah. I said I’d bring more, and these guys couldn’t hold back—they wanted to come along.”
At Gu Yeon-seung’s words, his younger companions spoke up.
“Ah, how could we younger brothers just sit still when the boss is making a move?”
“Hehe, it’s absolutely not because I’m eager to get high quickly.”
His wheezing laughter already betrayed someone addicted to cannabis.
“You can’t even keep your body steady. Just rest. I’ll bring all the alcohol and cannabis.”
“Well then, would it be alright to ask?”
“Of course. Go inside and sing some songs. I’ll prepare everything.”
“Haha, thank you so much, boss!”
As Jang Bok-chul bowed respectfully, Gu Yeon-seung snickered.
“You bow like that and you look like a real gangster.”
“I do have a gangster’s face, don’t I? Hehe.”
“Senior Gu, Jang Bok-chul here is incredibly innocent despite his looks. He’s never even done it before. Kekeke.”
“Really? That’s surprising with a face like that—looks like a bandit.”
“Hehe, don’t tease me, seniors.”
Jang Bok-chul scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.
“No wonder he’s been calling Seo A-rin’s name so much lately it’s stuck in everyone’s ears. So there was a reason for his obsession?”
When Gu Yeon-seung mentioned Seo A-rin’s name, Ryu Min’s eyes changed.
“Boss, but we’re really seeing Seo A-rin tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. Sun-ah contacted me. We set up a meeting at the cafe tomorrow at lunch.”
“So, so I’m losing my virginity tomorrow?”
“Of course. Our Bok-chul’s ideal type is falling right into our lap—how could I not give her to you? You get first dibs to play with her.”
“Th-thank you so much, boss! Really, thank you!”
Jang Bok-chul bowed repeatedly.
“But after you, it’s our turn, right?”
“Of course! After I’m done, feel free to play with her however you want, boss.”
“This bastard never even asks to go first?”
“Hahaha!”
Jang Bok-chul seemed genuinely delighted.
“Anyway, hearing you call me ‘boss’ all the time makes me feel like I’m some gangster. Just call me senior.”
“Boss sounds better to my ears than senior. Hehe.”
“Still, others might think it’s strange.”
“Come on, you’re being too much. Do you think I lack that much awareness? Of course I’ll call you senior in front of others.”
Jang Bok-chul rubbed his palms together like a fly, grinning wickedly.
Reading his thoughts, I saw his imagination running wild with things too obscene to speak aloud.
-Hehe, when Seo A-rin comes tomorrow, I’ll try all sorts of things, that bitch.
Ryu Min turned away as if there was nothing more to hear.
Having read their true intentions, I had obtained the crucial information.
‘These bastards plan to kill Seo A-rin.’
I hadn’t expected Seo A-rin to be involved.
‘I investigated out of curiosity, and it connects like this. Seo A-rin has only been surrounded by trash?’
Seo A-rin probably had no idea.
I never expected to be stabbed in the back by Hong Sun-ah, my closest friend in the industry.
‘Tomorrow, I’ll understand just how foolish it is to trust people.’
In this world, even colleagues will plunge a knife into your back for survival.
As a player who had completed 99 cycles, Ryu Min had witnessed such scenes countless times.
‘Regardless, this is an opportunity. A chance to gain Seo A-rin’s genuine favor.’
If I save Seo A-rin from danger under the name Black Scythe?
I can make her completely mine.
‘Men can be controlled through Yamtti, but women don’t fall for charm so easily.’
That was why I had turned away without killing them.
‘It’s better to wipe them out when they’re all gathered in one place. Killing them now won’t make Seo A-rin appreciate my efforts anyway.’
Of course, I don’t know how gaining Seo A-rin’s favor will affect the future.
It’s not guaranteed to work in my favor.
But I can’t just leave it alone either.
It would be a waste to hand this opportunity to Ma Gyeong-rok.
‘It’s better if I’m the one who saves her rather than Ma Gyeong-rok.’
For now we’re cooperating, but Ma Gyeong-rok could become an obstacle to me.
If Ma Gyeong-rok and Seo A-rin grow close, it’ll likely become troublesome later.
Squeak— click.
Leaving the club, I waited for daybreak.
‘If I tail Hong Sun-ah tomorrow, I can pinpoint the perfect timing.’
It was time to personally clean up the trash.
* * *
Fourteen hours had passed.
In my hands was the corpse of Jang Bok-chul, a piece of garbage.
I had tailed Hong Sun-ah into the club and killed Jang Bok-chul first when he was using the public restroom.
‘If I bring him out and show them, I can deliver a clear message.’
I straightened the corpse’s dangling head and grabbed the nape of its neck to move it.
Of course, I wore a white mask to establish myself as Black Scythe.
I deliberately changed into different shoes instead of the ghost-step boots so they would hear my footsteps.
Thud, thud—
I entered through the open door, my footsteps audible.
There was Seo A-rin, about to suffer something terrible.
The actors’ gazes turned toward me.
Or rather, toward the corpse I was presenting in front of me.
“Huh? Bok-chul! Here’s that Seo A-rin you like….”
When they discovered me behind the corpse, the actors’ expressions all hardened at once.
“Jang Bok-chul—you bastard, he’s your friend, right?”
“Who, who are you?!”
“Looks like it.”
I erased Jang Bok-chul’s corpse without a trace.
“So that’s where the stench of garbage was coming from. Gathered right here, I see.”
“Who the hell are you—!”
Ryu Min said nothing and simply raised Death Side.
The entire room held its breath.
Unless they were complete fools, that alone was answer enough.
“That… that’s…”
“A scythe?”
“Could it be… Black Scythe?”
Some of the actors shook their heads, denying the reality before them.
“No way. Why would Black Scythe show up here?”
“Right. There’s no guarantee that only he carries a scythe like that.”
Two actors who had been conversing stepped forward, releasing Seo A-rin from their grasp.
Loyal dogs who had been fawning over Gu Yeon-seung.
“Hey, you bastard. How the hell did you get in here?”
“Did you kill Bok-chul? Huh?”
Ryu Min sighed softly, muttering to himself.
“They still haven’t grasped the situation, it seems…”
“This punk’s sighing in front of us? I’ll beat you to—”
Whoosh—
Ryu Min’s scythe moved once through the darkness.
The two actors’ heads slid cleanly from their bodies.
There was no sound of cutting, not even the faint scrape of a blade through flesh.
In an instant, two people became corpses.
Thud! Thud!
“Gasp!”
The remaining actors flinched back in horror.
Shock was written plainly across every face.
Seo A-rin was no exception.
‘Is that… Black Scythe? Really?’
The voice was different, making her hesitate, but Seo A-rin could not deny it.
The figure who had appeared like a prince on a white horse was indeed the Black Scythe she knew.
Ryu Min leveled his scythe at the remaining men.
“Since this is tedious, come at me all at once. And don’t bother trying to scheme your way out.”
A low voice emanated from within the mask.
“None of you will leave this place alive anyway.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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