Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 561

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

Chapter 121. Beginning the First Record

“October 25th, 11 AM.”

Kale Heniatus watched Lee Sung-won quietly, observing his hesitation before he opened his mouth.

“Continue.”

At Kale Heniatus’s words, Lee Sung-won hesitated before speaking.

“Hyung. Will this actually help?”

Kale Heniatus shifted his gaze upward at the anxiety reflected in Lee Sung-won’s eyes.
A clear sky came into view.
I was currently on the rooftop of the Central Shelter building.

‘Kale Heniatus.’

I recalled the casual conversation I’d had with Choi Han last night.

‘Why?’
‘It’s something the God of Death mentioned in passing. That god said so.’

Choi Han spoke as if it were nothing important, his expression suggesting he wasn’t sure if it mattered.

‘A sealed god doesn’t have the ability to return to the past, but they do have the ability to force their way into another dimension.’

Then Choi Han shrugged, saying there was nothing more to add.
I, who had been frantically busy since last evening, could finally afford the time to contemplate those words.

‘The ability to open another dimension?’

If that were true, then this place isn’t a trial created based on my past?

“…Could this place be somewhere else?”

Is it merely an illusion manifested for my trial?

“Kim Rok-soo.”

Kale Heniatus shifted his gaze.

“May I ask what you mean?”

At Choi Han’s question from the rooftop, Kale Heniatus gave a slight shrug.

“Hmm? No, it’s just. That dimension you mentioned.”
“Ah.”

Choi Han grasped Kale Heniatus’s meaning immediately.

“Could it be another dimension—”

He glanced at Lee Sung-won for a moment, then closed his mouth.
Lee Sung-won looked at Choi Han with curiosity.

‘Kim Rok-soo’s close younger brother?’

He’d been told they were like blood brothers.

‘But we’re the same age.’

Lee Sung-won was the same age as Choi Han, yet for some reason, it was difficult to approach him in conversation.
And Choi Han remained solely by Kim Rok-soo’s side, showing no interest in interacting with others.

Kale Heniatus nodded to Choi Han, who had closed his mouth upon seeing Lee Sung-won.

“Right. That thought kept circling in my mind.”
“But the condition is that I entered your mind, so it wouldn’t be another dimension or anything like that, would it?”

Choi Han spoke as if, since he had entered Kale Heniatus’s mind, it couldn’t possibly be another dimension or something similar.

“I suppose.”

However, unfortunately, Kale Heniatus trusted neither the God of Death nor the sealed god.
Gods. He had never seen them outright lie, but he had witnessed them withhold the truth far too often.

‘Regardless of whether this world is my illusion or a test.’

I had to treat it as real.
Kale Heniatus had already made up his mind.
He opened his mouth while looking at Lee Sung-won.

“Will this be useful?”

Just moments ago, Lee Sung-won had asked Kale Heniatus this very question.
‘Hyung. Will this be useful?’
Lee Sung-won carefully nodded his head.

“…Yeah. Will it be useful?”

At his question, Kale Heniatus nodded.

“It will be useful.”

The more real this world was to Kim Rok-soo, to Kale Heniatus.
The more Lee Sung-won’s ability was needed.

Whether this world was an illusion or a test.
I had to create a future.
I had to create hope.
Only then could despair be erased, could it not?

If the condition to pass this test was to eliminate Kale’s, Kim Rok-soo’s despair.

Then all the more reason for me to construct a future.

Only then could I, leaving behind this moment from the past, wash away the despair about the future that would unfold from this point onward.

“Didn’t I tell you?”

He placed his hand on Lee Sung-won’s shoulder—here, there was only a three-year age difference between them.

“Data is the future. Even a weak human can triumph if they know a monster’s weakness; they can win based on that information. Thinking. That is humanity’s greatest advantage.”

Lee Sung-won’s ability.

‘Recording.’

Kale Heniatus gazed at the small badge held in Lee Sung-won’s hand.
It was just a badge that had been rolling around inside the building.

“Sung-won. The information you create with your ability will become this world’s hope.”
“…It’s not necessary for survival—”
“A power that isn’t necessary for survival?”

Lee Sung-won gave a small nod to Kale Heniatus, who cut him off with the question.

“…Yes.”
“That doesn’t exist.”

Kale Heniatus denied Lee Sung-won’s words without a shred of hesitation.

There was no such thing as a power unnecessary for survival.
Everything was needed.

The only difference was whether it was needed now or for the future.

Kale Heniatus’s gaze turned downward from the rooftop.
Lee Sung-won’s gaze followed, turning toward the ground below the rooftop.

The landscape within the Boundary Line centered around the building, where monsters could not approach.
That sight entered Lee Sung-won’s eyes.

More people than ever before were gathered within the Boundary Line.
The tumult of the entire building reached his senses.
Lee Sung-won heard Kale Heniatus’s whisper.

“Sung-won. Watch today’s battle carefully.”

That whisper was calm, as if speaking a truth.

“You’ll witness the victory of those who fight even without abilities.”

Lee Sung-won’s gaze turned toward Kale Heniatus.
In that moment, Kale Heniatus was rising from his seat.

Creak.
Kale Heniatus opened the rooftop door and watched Park Jin-tae approach.
Park Jin-tae came toward Kale Heniatus, bringing Lee Chul-min with him.
He opened his mouth.

“I spread your word to the other Central Shelters. I’ve been to several Temporary Shelters as well.”
“Didn’t you hear the crazy talk?”

Pfft. A deflating laugh escaped Park Jin-tae’s lips.

“Of course I heard it. Of course I would, wouldn’t I? They’re saying all the shelters will collapse and monsters will pour in.”

From last night until this morning.
Park Jin-tae and a few others had hastily assembled a group and visited two other Central Shelters in nearby districts.

Of course, while visiting those Central Shelters, they also stopped by other Temporary Shelters they knew of.

They conveyed everything Kim Rok-soo had told Park Jin-tae to the other shelters.
They also passed along what Kim Rok-soo had asked them to deliver.

“And according to Kim Rok-soo’s wishes, I brought those who believed our words.”

Kale Heniatus raised one corner of his mouth at Park Jin-tae’s words.

“You simply did as I asked? You brought them because you wanted to save them too, didn’t you? That’s why you spent the whole morning on work that should have been finished at dawn.”

Park Jin-tae had been moving busily all morning, having stayed up all night since yesterday evening bringing so many people.
Park Jin-tae averted his gaze from Kale Heniatus’s smile.

“…Don’t talk nonsense.”

Pfft.
When Kale Heniatus laughed once more, Park Jin-tae contorted his face and opened his mouth.

“I’ve emptied out all the remaining food except for one day’s rations.”

Park Jin-tae had not distributed all the food he had gathered through hunting.
He had always set aside some of the long-lasting provisions.
In case he couldn’t hunt.

However, he had released most of that stockpiled food today.

“Everyone must have eaten their fill.”
“Yes. That way you’ll be able to endure the plan you’ve laid out.”

Park Jin-tae stepped closer to Kale Heniatus. And he spoke as if grinding his teeth.

“If your words are lies, we’ll be starving within just a single day.”

Kale Heniatus’s calm gaze turned toward Park Jin-tae.

“Do you not trust my words?”

Park Jin-tae’s gaze passed over Kale Heniatus and turned toward Choi Han.
And it also reached Lee Sung-won.
A voice flowed from Park Jin-tae’s lips.

“…Since last night, I haven’t seen any monsters nearby. Even beyond the Boundary Line, it’s quiet. It’s as if the monsters are hiding to avoid humans.”
“The calm before the storm.”

At Kale Heniatus’s words, Park Jin-tae nodded.

“I don’t have foresight, but I have instinct. It feels like a storm is coming soon.”

The expression of Lee Chul-min behind Park Jin-tae had also hardened.
He too felt an eerie dread pressing down upon him.

“Grandmother Kim asked me to tell you that she’s prepared everything you mentioned.”
“Then I should head down now.”

Kale Heniatus headed toward the rooftop door.
And made his way to the lower floors.
Park Jin-tae and Choi Han followed side by side behind him.

Lee Sung-won, watching their figures, opened his mouth.

“Current time: October 25th, 11:45 AM.”

His voice carried a faint undercurrent of anxiety.

“In just one minute, at 12:01, the Central Shelter will collapse entirely. The Temporary Shelters will follow in succession. Monsters will continue their assault for twenty-four hours.”

Lee Sung-won closed his eyes, then opened them.

“But.”

Strength began to crystallize in Lee Sung-won’s voice.

“A new Central Shelter will emerge soon.”

His words were being recorded.

“We are planning to go there.”

After saying that much, Lee Sung-won hesitated before speaking again.

“All of this is based on Kim Rok-soo’s foresight, and I, Lee Sung-won, believe in his words. I am now beginning the first recording.”

Lee Sung-won then gripped his badge and headed down from the rooftop.
It was to follow in Kim Rok-soo’s footsteps.

‘Hmm.’

And Kale Heniatus walked down from the building while observing his surroundings.

He felt the gazes of those whispering as they watched him, and eyes filled with anxiety.
Since everyone spoke in hushed tones, the building interior wasn’t particularly loud.
That only amplified the sense of unease.

But Kale Heniatus’s eyes were seeing something beyond that anxiety.

‘I’ve done what I could.’

Though it was only a single day, throughout the building were the preparations Kale Heniatus had spoken of.

“Rok-soo.”
“Grandmother.”

Last night, while Park Jin-tae ventured outside to survey the surroundings, Grandmother Kim oversaw all the internal operations of the building.
Since Park Jin-tae had entrusted everything to her, all tasks progressed swiftly under the command of the already-respected Grandmother Kim.

Kale Heniatus headed toward the Main Gate on the First Floor of the building.

“Sir.”

Jang Man-su, seated in a chair near the First Floor Main Gate, waved his hand at Kale Heniatus.

“Here. Take this.”

He accepted the object Jang Man-su offered him.
It was a wristwatch.
One of the few mechanical devices still functioning.

Tick. Tick.
Time was passing.

By the time he had descended while slowly surveying the interior of the building, considerable time had already elapsed.

Current time: 11:55 AM.

Kale Heniatus’s mouth opened.

“Choi Han. Move him.”
“Yes.”

Jang Man-su climbed onto Choi Han’s back.
Kale Heniatus headed out through the Main Gate.
The Training Ground outside the building. Within that space inside the Central Shelter’s Boundary Line, several awakened individuals stood in formation.

They watched Kale Heniatus with expressions filled with anxiety, distrust, doubt, and every other emotion imaginable.

Kale Heniatus passed through them and stood directly before the Boundary Line.

“You came?”

There, Lee Jin-ju, Lee Sung-won’s older sister, greeted him with an awkward smile.

“Is this my spot?”
“Yes. Choi Han, I’ll set you down here.”

Jang Man-su was lowered beside Kale Heniatus, right in front of the Boundary Line.
Sitting atop the soft blanket, he looked up at Kale Heniatus.

‘…I never knew he had this side to him.’

He gazed at Kim Rok-soo, who stood unwavering despite receiving waves of anxiety, fear, distrust, and anger from all directions, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Then Kale Heniatus’s mouth opened.

“One minute left.”

Park Jin-tae immediately raised his voice at those words.

“Everyone, return to your positions and stand by!”

At Park Jin-tae’s command, the people quickly moved to their designated spots.
Observing them, Park Jin-tae could catch sight of several skeptical glances directed at him.

‘You believe what Kim Rok-soo said?’
‘This doesn’t make sense from the crack of dawn.’

That’s what their gazes were saying.
Distrust and doubt directed at Park Jin-tae, who had been bustling about since last night following Kim Rok-soo’s words, at this Central Shelter’s leader.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Park Jin-tae’s feelings weren’t much different from theirs.
Doubt welled up within him—whether this was truly the right call.

But he had decided to trust, so he waited.

Soon.
The moment Kim Rok-soo had spoken of would arrive soon.

And then Kim Rok-soo’s indifferent voice was heard.

“3.”

The sky remained brilliantly clear beneath the radiant sun.

“2.”

Every eye in the Central Shelter turned skyward.
Hearts pounded violently.

“1.”

In that instant.
The world plunged into darkness.

It felt as though strength drained from everyone’s limbs all at once.
Their entire bodies grew cold.
Because the horrifying nightmare that would follow was already taking shape in their minds.

‘Kim Rok-soo was right!’

In the darkness.
Park Jin-tae’s face twisted in a world where nothing could be seen.

That was when it happened.

“Sister!”

Kim Rok-soo’s voice pierced through the darkness.
He was calling for Lee Jin-ju.

“Sister! Speak with the loudest voice you can!”

Kale Heniatus’s hand came to rest on Lee Jin-ju’s shoulder as she cowered in the darkness.
Perhaps it was his warmth.
Lee Jin-ju opened her mouth.

{This is Park Jin-tae Shelter reporting.}

She had majored in vocal music, or so I heard.
Was that why?

{Last night. Or early this morning and dawn. You must have received the information transmitted from Park Jin-tae Shelter.}

Her voice resonated through the pitch-black world.

Her ability was ‘Amplification’.
A voice powerful enough to reach the Central Shelter and the nearby shelters, extending to roughly two other Central Shelters in different sectors.

Ordinarily, it was an ability that could not be used—one that should never be used—because it would summon monsters.

But if monsters were going to approach anyway, that changed everything.

{Hold firm based on the information we’ve provided.}

To the people from other shelters who had not believed Kale’s words spoken through Park Jin-tae’s mouth.
Her voice would become a beacon.

{As we informed you, a new Central Shelter will be created.}

The size of the new Central Shelter was equivalent to combining three to five of the current initial shelters.

‘That means three to five initial Central Shelters will disappear in the process.’

Three to five initial Central Shelters would vanish, and a massive new Central Shelter would emerge in their place.
Her voice continued.

{This voice will continue every hour from now on.}

And now the time had come for that voice to pause briefly.

{I hope to see you all at the new Central Shelter. Let us survive together.}

Listening to the ticking of the watch whose medicine had not yet worn off, I opened my mouth.

“Ten seconds.”

9, 8, …. 5, 4.

{Hang in there.}

The moment Lee Jin-ju’s first amplified voice ended.

3, 2.

“1 second.”

The world blazed with light.

“Hah!”

A hesitation.
Park Jin-tae’s feet instinctively retreated backward.
Chills ran down his spine.
An overwhelming pressure bore down upon him from all directions.

The crushing weight made it feel as though he couldn’t breathe, as if death itself were near.
Confronted with the sight before him, Park Jin-tae halted his retreat.

“…Damn it….”

There was no end in sight.
The Grade 3 monsters that Kim Rok-soo had classified were advancing toward the building in an endless tide.

Behind them, Grade 2 and Grade 1 monsters surely awaited their turn.

“…This can’t be! Really—!”

Park Jin-tae heard Lee Chul-min’s voice trembling with shock.
Everyone had to confront the terror and despair of the reality before them.
Though they had prayed this wouldn’t happen, the nightmare—no, the reality—that unfolded left them gasping for breath.

Then, a sharp voice cut through the silence.

“Everyone, snap out of it!”

All eyes turned toward Kale Heniatus, who stood just before the Boundary Line of the Training Ground outside the building.
They all gazed upon his back.

Kale Heniatus did not turn to meet that gaze.
Instead, he needed to awaken the people who were gripped by fear at the reality before them.

That there was no need to be afraid.

“Choi Han!”

The gazes of Kale Heniatus and Choi Han collided.

“Sweep them away!”

Choi Han rushed forward toward the Grade 3 monsters surging toward them.

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