The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 15

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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 15
15. Who Is That?
Galleria Forest, located in Seoul Forest.
“Wow…”
Ryu Won couldn’t stop marveling at the luxurious residential complex towering a full 45 stories high.
“This place looks really nice.”
“Compared to our old place, it’s incredible.”
“I couldn’t tell from the photos, but seeing it in person is just breathtaking.”
Leaving my younger brother speechless, I informed the security guard of our move-in.
“Don’t you have any luggage? You didn’t bring anything?”
“Right. We discarded everything and came with nothing.”
After verifying my ID, we proceeded inside.
A security staff member stationed within the building verified our identities once more at the elevator.
The sight drew another exclamation from Ryu Won.
The security was tight enough to seem impenetrable.
“Wow… they have dedicated security staff?”
“The security here is better than other places.”
Soon we arrived at the 43rd floor and entered our new home.
“Wow…”
Upon stepping inside, Ryu Won’s mouth remained agape.
“B-brother. How many square meters is this place?”
“100 pyeong.”
“Gasp…”
Moving from a 10-pyeong multi-unit residential building to a 100-pyeong luxury apartment.
Ryu Won wondered if he was dreaming.
“Brother, is it really okay that we just came with ourselves like this?”
“Of course it is.”
Though we called it a move, the brothers arrived with virtually no belongings.
“It might look sparse, but all necessary appliances are built-in. We can buy daily essentials downstairs, and I’ve already ordered all the furniture, so it should arrive today. In the meantime, take a look around the place.”
“Okay!”
Ryu Won wandered around exploring the apartment.
“Wow… how many rooms are there?”
“Four. And four bathrooms too.”
“What?! So each room has its own bathroom?”
Ryu Won, still marveling, gazed out the window.
Seoul Forest nearby was visible at a glance, and the Han River even came into view.
Being on the 43rd floor, near the top, the view was certainly exceptional.
“Brother… isn’t this place too spacious for just the two of us?”
“We have plenty of money, so we should live in a place like this.”
“How much did you pay for the contract?”
“Deposit of 50 million won, monthly rent of 2.2 million won.”
Ryu Won’s eyes bulged from their sockets in an instant.
“W-what? Monthly rent over 2 million…?”
“Add management fees and utilities, and we’re looking at another 2 million on top of that.”
Factor in living expenses of 1 million won, and nearly 25 million won was bleeding out every single month—a fixed hemorrhage.
For Ryu Won, who used to tremble while buying a 5,000-won convenience store meal, the numbers were simply staggering.
“Isn’t this too expensive? Wouldn’t it be better to live somewhere cheaper?”
“No. This level of spending is necessary. The security here is exceptional.”
When the first of each month arrives, Players fall into a narcoleptic state.
Players are most vulnerable when they’re asleep.
‘No matter how much I soar and crawl through the Other World, if I die in reality, that’s the end.’
There’s no guarantee that fires, earthquakes, or natural disasters won’t strike while I sleep.
That’s why a Player must prepare to cross into the Other World from the safest possible location when the time comes.
This was why I had moved into an expensive apartment.
‘Eventually, Players will start targeting each other.’
Of course, since they all sleep and wake at the same time, Players can’t directly target one another….
‘But hiring a civilian to commit murder is entirely possible.’
It happened in previous cycles.
Players who hired assassins to eliminate their competitors.
This was why keeping my username hidden was so crucial.
“So? Do you like the apartment?”
“Like it? It’s absolutely incredible!”
Ryu Won squealed with excitement.
At the sight of him, my lips naturally curved upward.
“I’m glad you do.”
I’d won a fortune through a dream and bought an expensive place.
That’s what my brother would believe, but he’d never know the truth.
That this wealth came at no cost—that I hadn’t already paid the price of 99 deaths and was preparing for the final game.
Did he notice the bitterness flickering behind my smile?
Ryu Won’s joy faded from his face.
“This isn’t right… I’m sorry, hyung.”
“For what?”
“Next month, you’ll be dragged into the Other World again to fight. And here I am, just selfishly celebrating… I’m sorry. I was being thoughtless.”
“It’s fine.”
I understand his naivety.
He was still just a middle schooler, after all.
If anything, I had matured far too early for my age.
‘Or maybe I’ve simply aged too much?’
My body was only twenty, but my soul had lived over 110 years.
It was Ryu Min, who only looked twenty on the outside, but was actually over 110 years old in reality.
Seeing my younger brother’s dejected expression, I tapped him on the back.
“Why do you look like you’re attending a funeral? Are you worried I won’t make it back from the next round?”
“…You never know.”
I let out a soft chuckle.
Eliminated in Round 2?
For someone who had uniquely made it all the way to Round 20, such a comment was nothing but amusing.
“Stop worrying needlessly. Let’s head downstairs, browse the shopping complex, and grab some food. I heard there’s a great Korean restaurant on the second floor here.”
“Okay.”
To lift my brother’s spirits a bit, I simply wandered through my shopping complex.
Buzz… buzz…
In the meantime, Hwang Yong-min’s call came through, but I dismissed it casually.
‘By now, he must have realized I’ve moved.’
From past experience, I already knew he would come seeking retaliation.
I also knew we wouldn’t cross paths in reality anymore.
‘Unless it’s in the Other World, that is.’
I smiled and slipped my phone into my pants pocket.
* * *
As Ryu Won wandered through the shopping complex, his mood refused to lift.
‘I got so caught up with the lottery that I forgot. Next month, hyung will be dragged away…’
It wasn’t something to be merely amazed about just because my brother had become a Player.
It wasn’t something to be purely happy about just because we’d moved to a nicer home.
Survivors are dragged into the Other World every month to face trials.
Next month, and the month after that.
A life with a countdown timer—never knowing when death might come.
My brother was merely acting as if nothing was wrong, but it was the same as the eerie calm before a storm.
‘He’s not showing it, but he must be deeply worried and suffering. Without a doubt, he feels like he’s standing on the edge of a cliff.’
Though Ryu Min genuinely harbored no worries, I blamed myself once more.
‘What an idiot! My brother is in danger, yet here I am grinning like a fool just because we moved to a nice place!’
What could I do to help my brother?
As I reflected on my actions and fell into thought, one thing came to mind.
‘I’ll help with the housework. It’s the only thing I can do right now.’
With whatever time remained, I decided to take on all the household chores so my brother could rest comfortably.
“Hyung, if you have any laundry, give it all to me. I’ll wash everything!”
“Hyung, I’ll be cleaning so it might be noisy—just rest in your room!”
“Hyung, should I go grocery shopping? Could you give me some living expenses…?”
“Won.”
Unable to watch any longer, Ryu Min spoke with a smile.
“I appreciate you helping with housework, but you don’t need to go to such lengths. We can handle meals through eating out, so there won’t even be dishes to wash. Laundry and cleaning once a week is more than enough.”
“But I should still help with something…”
“There’s no need to force it, really. Just live as you normally would—that’s enough. Still, we’ll need living expenses, so I’ll give you a card.”
Ryu Min pulled out a card from his wallet.
“There’s 50 million won in it. You won’t lack for living expenses. But don’t go spending it recklessly.”
“Gasp. Th-thank you, hyung.”
Though my younger brother had taken the card, I knew him well.
He wasn’t the type to squander money on frivolous things.
I wasn’t worried precisely because I knew he’d be frugal with such a substantial sum.
‘He’ll probably insist on continuing with the household chores anyway.’
Even when I told him it wasn’t necessary, my brother would stubbornly shoulder all the domestic responsibilities.
It had been that way for all 99 cycles, and this one would be no different.
‘At least thanks to him, I don’t have to worry about the house.’
With that concern lifted, I checked my cryptocurrency account.
The coins I’d deposited at 14 billion won had climbed to 16 billion in just a few days.
I’d earned 2 billion won simply by sitting idle.
‘I should buy lottery tickets this weekend too.’
Just like before, I’d mark the same number across 100 tickets.
And without fail, I’d win first prize, netting nearly 15 billion won.
The world would be shocked, but since I needed to multiply my wealth immediately, I couldn’t afford to worry about public opinion.
‘For this month, I’ll focus on accumulating funds.’
A deep smile spread across my lips.
* * *
The day after moving.
I woke early and noticed my younger brother preparing to go out, which struck me as odd.
He was dressed in outdoor clothes.
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, I ordered some rice cakes and need to pick them up.”
“Rice cakes?”
This pattern from my brother was different from before, and I furrowed my brow.
‘This has never happened before.’
Regression doesn’t always produce identical circumstances.
Sometimes my brother’s mood would be good, other times melancholic.
Depending on his emotional state, his behavior would shift slightly.
‘Of course, the main thread remains the same. Only the branches differ.’
Ryu Won’s apologies to me were one such example.
That aspect appeared consistently with every cycle.
Each round, Ryu Won wanted to be my support as I participated in the game.
That’s why I often saw him cleaning in the morning or bringing simple snacks.
‘But buying rice cakes—this is the first time.’
A shift in his heart had apparently created this new branch.
“What’s the occasion with the rice cakes?”
“Well, we just moved, so shouldn’t we give rice cakes to the neighbors? That way they’ll think well of us too….”
“Ah.”
Ryu Min quickly grasped his younger brother’s intention.
‘He wants to make a good impression on the neighbors.’
If we distributed rice cakes, at least no one could call us impolite.
He must have been pondering what else he could do and arrived at this conclusion.
‘There’s no harm in improving our reputation.’
What was certain was that this was something I hadn’t considered.
Unlike my brother, I didn’t concern myself with others’ opinions.
“Distributing rice cakes to the neighbors, huh… that’s a good idea.”
“Right? Since they’re our neighbors, we’ll run into them in the elevator all the time anyway. When they mention the rice cakes, any awkwardness will disappear, and also….”
Was it because Ryu Won was pleased to receive his brother’s approval?
Ryu Won spoke excitedly.
Ryu Min watched him with a warm expression.
“I’ll take the rice cakes and distribute them, so you just stay home.”
“No. It’s better if we go together to greet the neighbors.”
‘How could I leave this entirely to my brother?’
Besides, I didn’t have anything else to do anyway.
“Let’s go find the rice cakes.”
* * *
After obtaining the rice cakes, the brothers visited each home.
They decided to visit the unit below, next door, above, and so on, though there weren’t many households.
Ding-dong—
As the doorbell rang, a voice came through the intercom.
-Who is it?
“Hello. We’re your new neighbors who just moved in yesterday.”
Moments later, the door opened and a woman in her fifties, dressed with refined elegance, peeked out.
Ryu Won bowed politely.
“Hello. We’re the ones who just moved into unit 4302. We hope to get along well as neighbors.”
“Oh, how nice to meet you. You two look so alike—are you brothers?”
“Yes. This is our older brother.”
“Hello.”
As Ryu Min bowed, the woman returned the gesture.
“Pleased to meet you.”
There was an air of refinement about her, likely from her wealth.
Ryu Won quickly offered the plate of steamed rice cakes.
“Please try some of these rice cakes. We just received them this morning, so they’re still warm and delicious.”
“Oh my, how thoughtful… thank you. I’ll enjoy them.”
A smile bloomed on the woman’s face.
The brothers turned back with satisfied expressions, having accomplished their task.
They had certainly made a good impression on the neighbor.
“Hyung, let’s try the next door too.”
“Sure.”
I went to the neighboring unit with my brother and pressed the doorbell.
Some homes didn’t answer, but since it was morning, most people were home.
“We’re from downstairs. Please have some rice cakes.”
The neighbors all accepted the rice cakes with words of gratitude.
Seeing the recipients’ joy made the giver feel fulfilled.
The brothers headed to the penthouse last.
“This is a penthouse. It spans the 44th and 45th floors.”
“Wow… Then only the super wealthy must live here?”
“Well, I’m not sure of the details, but I heard corporate tycoons and celebrities live here.”
Listening to my words, Ryu Won pressed the doorbell.
But there was no response—it seemed like no one was home.
“Are they out?”
Ryu Won tilted his head and pressed again.
I waited, but still nothing.
“Looks like they’re not here. Let’s go, hyung.”
Just as I was about to turn and leave.
“Huh?”
Ryu Won couldn’t help but be startled.
A woman with an appearance so beautiful you’d believe she was an angel stared at us with eyes like a rabbit’s.
Beside her stood a sturdy man in a formal suit, his brow furrowed.
“Who are you? Are you perhaps a fan?”
“Huh? We… we just moved in downstairs…?”
“Downstairs?”
The man, seeing the rice cakes, inferred the situation and frowned.
“What now.”
“Please have some rice cakes—”
“That won’t be necessary. She doesn’t eat such things. Come inside.”
As the man opened the door, the woman glanced back before stepping inside.
When the front door closed, I was left speechless.
“I don’t know what that guy does, but he’s incredibly rude.”
I muttered while glancing at my side.
My brother looked stunned, his expression blank.
“I can’t believe someone like that lives in a penthouse. Won, don’t let what he said bother you.”
“Huh? I’m fine. But did you see just now? That was incredible…”
“See what?”
“What do you mean? You saw her too, hyung. Seo A-rin.”
“Seo A-rin?”
I spoke with an indifferent expression.
“Who is that?”

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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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