Return of the Frozen Player

- W-w-what is this?

- You are Young Hero Seo, but you are also Young Hero Seo…

- Are my eyes broken? Is it time for me to get my parts replaced?

Of course, the Frost Queen had already experienced this before, so she casually raised her hand. “Hi, Jun-Sik.

“Hey, Frost.”

Similar to how Seo Jun-Ho absorbed his clone’s memories, Seo Jun-Sik also obtained the former’s memories whenever he was summoned.

“So, you want me to go and investigate the Murim Alliance, right?” he said.

“Yeah. Especially to see if there’s something suspicious…” Seo Jun-Ho immediately cut himself off.

‘Wait, can I even trust him to gather info when he’s so restless? That makes me nervous.’

‘Hey, dumbass. I can hear everything. We share thoughts, remember?’

‘If this guy messes up, I’ll also be affected.’

‘Huh? Can’t you hear me?’

‘In that case, would it be better to leave him here and go by myself?’

‘You’re a shithead, Original.’

Seo Jun-Ho flicked Seo Jun-Sik hard on the forehead.

“...Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” said the clone. He smiled bitterly, and his eyes drooped in sadness. “I wanted to sneak around the Alliance, too, but yeah, I shouldn’t probably do that.”

“If you’re gonna act all sad, at least be honest about it.”

“Dammit.” Instantly, Seo Jun-Sik scowled. He slumped onto the couch, sulking. “Ugh, whatever. I want to do it, so just let me.”

“Yeah. You should go.”

Seo Jun-Sik’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer, and he asked, “Uh… Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“The Alliance Leader is watching me right now. I have to consider the one in a million chance that we get caught,” Seo Jun-Ho explained. If he were the one who went spying and got caught, everything would be over. “But you’re different...”

Seo Jun-Ho could summon him back at any time. On top of that, since they shared thoughts at all times, it was a much safer approach.

“Man, what is this? I suddenly don’t want to do it. I feel like you’re using me as a meat shield,” complained Seo Jun-Sik.

“I’m not using you as a meat shield. No one is thinking that way.”

“...”

However, Seo Jun-Sik pouted and muttered, “I can hear all your thoughts, you know…”

***

As soon as Seo Jun-Ho opened the door to the hallway, the auras on the roof and in the walls sharpened ever so slightly.

“Is there anything you need?” a servant asked as they approached him.

“I’d like to eat. Do I have to go somewhere to dine?” he asked.

“If you wish, we will bring your meal to your room.”

Their customer service was more stellar than most hotels.

“Then, please bring me one serving. Oh, do you also have dessert?”

“Of course...”

While Seo Jun-Ho chatted with the servant, Seo Jun-Sik activated Night Walking and slipped out through the ajar door. Once Seo Jun-Ho was back inside, he closed his eyes and concentrated on feeling Seo Jun-Sik’s senses.

‘He’s doing better than I thought.’

After activating Night Walking, Seo Jun-Sik immediately lowered his body temperature with the Frost skill. There was only one reason he was doing this.

‘It’s all so that the thermal cameras won’t detect him,’

However, Seo Jun-Sik seemed to be excited by the idea of spying, so he even put a black mask on his face. Now, all Seo Jun-Ho had to do was wait until Seo Jun-Sik found something interesting.

While Seo Jun-Sik was out, Seo Jun-Ho dug through the memories he had absorbed from the former.

‘I see. So this is how things on Earth are right now.’

The Players who attempted the Seo Jun-Ho Difficulty on the 4th Floor finally started returning one by one. Of course, they were the ones who had to drop out after using up all of their three attempts. Still, they obtained massive growth despite dropping out.

‘Because time flows differently there.’ Though they had spent months or years on the 4th Floor, in reality, only about a few weeks had passed. It was a great, unique opportunity that allowed them to grow stronger depending on the effort they put in.

‘It’ll take more time for those guys to come down.’ His friends and the Nine Heavens wouldn’t come down for another few months. Seo Jun-Ho sorted through his thoughts. ‘Before they come up to the 5th Floor, I have to set things up at some level.’

When the food arrived, he shared it with Frost.

“How is it?” he asked.

“It is decent. This flower cake, in particular, is delicious,” she replied as she nibbled on it.

Once they were done with their satisfying meal, the Frost Queen took Wisoso and started playing with the latter.

Just then, Seo Jun-Sik’s voice came through.

‘Hey, Original. Where should I start?’

Seo Jun-Ho thought for a moment. The Murim Alliance’s library? The cabinet, where they stored important information? Perhaps at the separate buildings where the alliance’s martial artists resided?

However, Seo Jun-Ho responded, ‘The Alliance Leader’s residence.’

***

‘Impressive.’ Seo Jun-Sik roamed around the Murim Alliance. To be honest, the first place that he had been planning on checking was the library. ‘But we’re starting off with the leader’s quarters. He’s got guts.’

Of course, Seo Jun-Ho’s intentions were pretty obvious to him. ‘Yeah. If we don’t take this chance, we might never get the opportunity again.’

Right now, Namgung Jincheon was still at the Alliance conference. This could be their only chance to dig through his quarters.

‘It’s daring. As expected of my Original.’

Seo Jun-Sik confidently strode up to the entrance.

‘The guards are strong, too.’

If it weren’t for Night Walking, there was no way he would be able to get past the martial artists standing guard.

‘Even the security measures are really tight.’ Past the guards, there was a keypad that required an iris scan, a fingerprint scan, and an identification code.

However, Seo Jun-Sik easily bypassed them by becoming darkness itself.

‘Damn, this is really fun… Huh?’

Seo Jun-Sik was astonished upon entering the residence. It was all because there was nothing inside.

‘Is this that popular trend? Minimalism or something?’

No. Even minimalists would have at least one chair in this palace-like residence.

Seo Jun-Sik’s eyes narrowed. He started walking around. There was a large hallway, sitting area, room, and kitchen. There was no trace of any furniture or any person in any of them.

‘...’

His face turned very grave. He opened the door to the Alliance Leader’s bedroom.

No, it couldn’t be called a bedroom. It was filled with stacks of ancient books.

‘Does he not sleep? There’s no bed either.’

Every person had to sleep. Players who stood at the boundary of becoming superhuman could go a long time without sleeping, but if they didn’t sleep at all, their brains would regress.

‘...But it would be different for a machine.’

If Namgung Jincheon was a robot from head to toe, it would explain why he didn’t have to sleep.

‘Hey, Jun-Sik. Look around to see if you can find his diary or some records of his recent orders.’

At that, Seo Jun-Sik started moving according to Original’s command.

‘Diary, diary… How many of these are there?’

He started reading the books one by one.

‘Not this, not this either…’ He had already gone through dozens of history books alone.

“Geez, did he want to become a historian when he was younger?” Otherwise, why did he have so many old history books in his bedroom and nothing else?

However, someone unexpectedly answered him. “No, I did not.”

“...!”

Crack!

At that moment, a hand seized Seo Jun-Sik’s neck and slammed him into the ground.

“It seems a rat has snuck in here.” The voice sounded relaxed and amiable.

Seo Jun-Sik turned and was met with the face of Alliance Leader Namgung Jincheon.

‘Gah!’

Seo Jun-Sik’s body twisted as he tried to escape Namgung Jincheon’s grasp.

“You still haven’t noticed?”

Just as the Alliance Leader spoke, a beastly cry escaped from Jun-Sik’s lips.

“Guh… Ahhh!”

Somehow, all the tendons in his arms and legs had been severed.

He flopped down and started convulsing in the hands of the old man as if he were a puppet.

“Hm. Are you not the one I was thinking of? You seem much weaker.”

He slowly reached forward to take off the mask.

Fwoosh!

Just as he pulled off the mask, Namgung Jincheon’s eyes furrowed.

“...”

The man had disappeared. The blood, body, and even the mask that were just on the ground had disappeared without a trace.

“So it’s a ghost rather than a rat,” he whispered as he swept his gaze across his scattered books.

***

Slam!

Dozens of martial artists stormed into Seo Jun-Ho’s room. Their weapons were raised, and they were ready to strike at any time.

“Search.” A man carrying with him a vicious aura ordered. At that, his men scattered and started searching all over the room.

Click!

Just then, all their eyes turned to one place.

“Huh?”

Seo Jun-Ho stepped out of his bathroom. He was wearing a gown and was ruffling his wet hair with a towel. He looked around the guestroom and frowned. “What is this? Why did you barge into my room without permission?”

“...”

Their leader scanned Seo Jun-Ho. More precisely, he looked closely at Seo Jun-Ho’s skin and hands.

‘He has been in the water for quite some time.’

The Player had to have been in the tub for a long time because the tips of his fingers were all wrinkled. Considering that they had stormed his room within a minute after receiving the Alliance Leader’s orders, he couldn’t be the culprit.

As such, the leader lowered his weapon and said, “Forgive my rudeness. My name is Hwang Bo-Hyuk, and I am the leader of the Blue Dragon Unit.”

“That is a very impressive title. But why are you here when you have such a high rank?”

“A thief has entered the building. The Alliance Leader ordered us to search the rooms in case they harmed one of our guests.”

“Oh, no.” Seo Jun-Ho looked deeply disturbed. “A thief? I should take good care of my belongings.”

“Yes. Please be careful.”

“And please do send the Alliance Leader my gratitude for being so considerate.”

“I will…”

With a nod, Hwang Bo-Hyuk ordered his men to leave. He scanned the room one last time before he left.

Seo Jun-Ho’s eyes grew cold as he looked at the closed door.

“As expected, you were the first one they suspected, Contractor.” The Frost Queen pointed out.

- Did I not say that this exact thing would happen?

“Why are you speaking casually?” Seo Jun-Ho asked.

- I said I knew this would happen, sir.

“But now, we’ve quelled their suspicions.” Seo Jun-Ho pointed out.

- Sigh. That is because you do not know what kind of person the Alliance Leader is...

“What kind of person is he, then?”

- He is an extraordinary genius that has sat in his position for 57 generations with a pure-blooded human body. He is also famous for his stubbornness. If he suspects you once, he is unlikely to stop suspecting you.

“...”

A pure-blood? A pure human?

Seo Jun-Ho grinned. “Something smells fishy.”

“I-I said that I would bathe once you returned. Must you shame me so?” The Frost Queen scampered to the bath, misunderstanding him completely.

“Geez, what is she talking about?”

- Then, did you intend to say that I stink? Indeed, I was just in a garbage landfill…

“Now, what are you talking about?” Seo Jun-Ho said with frustration. “I’m talking about the Alliance Leader. Alliance Leader Namgung Jincheon. I’m saying that he’s suspicious.”

- Hm? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?

“Listen closely.” Seo Jun-Ho told him everything Seo Jun-Sik had seen and sensed.

- Then, certainly…You may be correct!

After hearing what happened, Wisoso spun in place like they were nodding.

Seo Jun-Ho stroked his chin as he vocalized his thoughts. “There’s just one thing that bothers me.”

- What is it? I shall listen.

“I get that he’s hiding something. But what’s the secret?”

Considering that his residence had no furniture at all, Seo Jun-Ho was sure that his body wasn’t purely human. If someone as powerful as the old man were a human just like himself, he would have to sleep on a good quality bed for the sake of his health.

“And all Jun-Sik found was a bunch of history books in his room. He’s just some freak obsessed with history,” Seo Jun-Ho said.

- Hm? I have a different conclusion.

“What do you mean?"

- Wait. Did you truly not consider this?

-【・ヘ・?】

Jun-Ho stared at Wisoso in total confusion.

- Those books. Don’t you think that they could all be diaries rather than books?