Chapter 30: Unexpected Victims

 

The darkness that had cast a shadow over the entire great forest finally lifted, revealing a picturesque rainbow that arched over the scorched field, as warm sunlight poured down.
The forest, sickened and dying for twenty years at the hands of a single yokai, had finally reclaimed its peace.

Yet, only one person could relish in this victory.
Only one person would leave the boundary alive.

[“Don’t make that face.”]
[“You know, right now, I’m really, really happy.”]
[“I’ve avenged myself, and I got to see my parents again.”]

The young Jorogumo wore a radiant smile, her body submerged halfway in the swamp, waiting for the inevitable.

[“Thank you for granting my wish.”]
[“Without you, revenge would have been impossible.”]

The Jorogumo seemed content to end things here, satisfied on her own terms, but Hae Eung Eung couldn’t accept her way of saying goodbye.

She reached out with a broken tree branch, desperately attempting to pull her out of the swamp.

This genuine determination, to save the NPC she’d met for the first time, not just in the game but on any real level, left a deep impression on both the Jorogumo and the viewers watching.

– “No one takes NPCs as seriously as she does.”
– “I hope she survives; this supporting character is such a gem.”
– “Is there a way to save her?”
– “No guides out yet.”
– “It’s uncharted territory. Who’d know how?”

Of course, not all the viewers were that compassionate.

– “Too invested. Chill.”
– “Get rid of the nerds!”
– “Why make such a fuss over a bit of data?”
– “Stop hogging the screen time; hurry up and let her die!”
– “She didn’t cry over that suicider yokai bomb, but now she’s losing it over the Jorogumo?”
– “Next up, ‘suicider yokai bomber’ vibes.”

The stream’s growing audience also meant an increase in smart viewers.

– “If she dies, we’ll have another five minutes of mourning and then a shutdown. Save the Jorogumo at all costs!”

One insightful viewer’s comment brought everyone together in unified support.

– “Mom, are we going back to space? Mom, are we going back to space? Mom, are we going back to space?”
– “Get a doctor, stat!”
– “There’s a V-tuber streaming right now who’s a surgeon!”
– “Clip it!”
– “Isn’t she half-yokai, though? Would a doctor even know what to do?”
– “Fine, let’s get a vet!”
– “MongMongLove’s streaming and has 230 viewers right now.”
– “Forget it; just send the clip!”
– “But would a vet know how to treat a spider?”
– “Maybe an animal keeper?”
– “Animal Guardians has 150k subscribers!”
– “Perfect. Let’s get this clip out there!”

Clips of the scene spread wildly, as viewers sought help in every possible direction.

Unaware of the frenzied efforts from her audience, the young Jorogumo, looking at the anxious, frantic Hae Eung Eung, felt a deep, overwhelming mixture of gratitude and guilt.

[“I guess… friendship hurts.”]
[“If I’d known saying ‘Let’s be friends’ would make parting this painful, I’d never have said it.”]

[“You haven’t forgotten, have you?”]
[“The barrier we’re trapped in… only one of us can leave.”]
[“So stop this pointless struggle.”]

Despite the Jorogumo’s attempts at persuasion, Hae Eung Eung ignored her words, finally managing to pull her legs from the swamp. Her hands trembled violently.

– “How are we supposed to save her like this?”
– “Is the swamp acidic? Her body’s dissolving!”
– “Jorogumo is dying…”
– “Time to suit up for space travel.”
– “Prepare for launch; loyal viewers, take off!”
– “No, damn it! I even brought a zookeeper!”

<Animal Guardian has donated 10,000 won!>
“I’m sorry, but it seems you should prepare for the end.”

– “Confirmed, it’s over… ”
– “You called a doctor, not a mortician!”
– “Hey, why blame the zookeeper?”

Apologize!

– “No, it’s us going into space soon who need an apology from that quiet swordsman!”
– “Is he some suicide-bomber yokai, hitting everyone with an AOE attack?”

Unfazed by the chaos in the chat, Hae Eung Eung glanced at the bleeding lower half of the Jorogumo, recognizing the little time she had left.

Just as she tried to touch the Jorogumo’s face, her barely intact front leg brushed her hand away.

[“Don’t do something so foolish.”]
[“Don’t you know that touching a yokai or half-yokai’s body could corrupt you?”]
[“My face is bad enough. I don’t want to add this pathetic body to your memory… just let it end.”]

Hae Eung Eung shook her head, but the Jorogumo took Hae Eung Eung’s sword with one of her legs, the dying half-yokai offering the weapon to the human.

[“Kill me, so the pain will end.”]
[“Let me go here, in the place where my parents fell.”]

The hilt trembled in Hae Eung Eung’s hand, the weight of the blade reflecting her shaking resolve.

【Interaction Options】

  1. “What is your true name?” (Reveal True Name)
  2. “I can’t do it.” (Attempt Rescue)
  3. (Ease her suffering.)

The options signaled the end. Though there were three choices, both Hae Eung Eung, the dying Jorogumo, and the viewers all knew what she would select.

[“One minute remains until the barrier closes.”]

The barrier was further separating her from the outside world. Her trembling hand would not steady, and then, her vision turned white, bringing forth a cascade of unwanted memories.

“There’s no sea that Haenam cannot conquer.”
“Young Miss Eung, please, don’t resent the plum blossom of Mount Hua too much.”
“Demon Lady? Hmph. Such a trivial title doesn’t suit you. Remember, it was Peng Cheolsan of the Hebei Peng Family who acknowledged you as a true master.”

The people who once sought to protect her.

“I’m sorry, sister. If my survival endangers you, I… I’m sorry.”
“You know, don’t you? Only one of us can survive the Nine Yin Strain. Please, take my inner power.”
“Survive, Commander. Your lacking subordinate will depart first.”

The people she failed to protect.

Even in a new body, her unshakable trauma vividly resurfaced, casting a net of helplessness around her, drawing her into the mire of despair and memories of old wounds and regrets.

But just as she teetered on the brink—

[“Smile for me. I want to see you smiling at the end.”]

Her eyes brimming with unshed tears, she struggled to force a smile as her hand hovered above…

The Jorogumo crossed her legs, gazing at Hae Eung Eung.

[“You really don’t know how to smile, do you?”]
[“Idiot.”]
[“My mom said, when you smile, it should look like this.”]

With a refreshingly calm smile, she comforted Heung-Eung.

[(Ease her suffering)]

Splash!

Choosing the path that Hae Eung Eung couldn’t bring herself to select, the Jorogumo drove the blade into her own heart.

As the sensation of her heartbeat faded beneath Hae Eung Eung’s fingertips, the Jorogumo pushed the stunned Silent Swordsman out of the barrier.

“!!”

She collapsed to the ground, reaching out toward the Jorogumo’s fading smile, head hanging low inside the barrier.

[“The barrier is closing.”]

As the designated time ended, the barrier shut before her eyes, taking the Jorogumo’s body with it.

Tears streamed down her face. Silent screams echoed within her. Blood trickled from her clenched fist.

Nothing could reach the Jorogumo, who was now gone.

Another bond severed by death, another blood-stained memory was added to the growing weight she bore.

– “You really don’t know how to smile, idiot.”

Desperately, she tried to form a smile, hoping it might ease her pain, but the more she forced it, the stranger her face became.

Finally, she erased all expression, returning to a blank, emotionless stare.

Five minutes. A short yet endless silence.

[• Ending the game.]
[ Silent Swordsman has ended the broadcast.]

The 6,600 prepared viewers, along with an additional 350 who had just tuned in, were all launched into the void of space.

– “What kind of stream kicks you into space the moment you join?!”

Mayday. 6,950 space refugees adrift in the cosmos. Requesting assistance. Over.

– “This is NASA Ground Control. We’re stranded as well. Over.”

– “LOL”

– “Wait, if even you guys are stranded, who’s going to save us?!”

– “What kind of broadcast leaves viewers drifting in space?”

– “Mom, look, there’s a shining light in the sky!”

– “That’s the tears of the viewers watching the Silent Swordsman’s broadcast, sweetheart.”

– “Damn it, just like the Jorogumo.”

– “Why is this stream making everyone cry?”

– “Ah, it must be so deep.”

– “It means you’re next to die.”

– “Are you serious? Wanna die, huh?”

– “Your mom’s a full-grown Jorogumo.”

– “Wow, that was totally out of the blue. Why are they taking their anger out on me when we’re all equally annoyed?”
LOL “That guy must really feel unfairly targeted.”

– “Where does the water-demon suicide bomber keep popping out from?”
– “From the water-demon chief’s body.”
(Agreed, because it wasn’t wrong.)

It was now practically tradition in the Silent Swordsman’s broadcasts—chaos and pandemonium as always.

2.

[The Saddest Five Minutes in Broadcasting History][13]
[(Late) Jorogumo’s Best Moments Compilation][7]
[I wouldn’t cry that much even if my best friend died][13]

The Silent Swordsman’s broadcast captivated many hearts.

Despite only having three episodes totaling barely two hours, it wasn’t just any two hours.

– “Our channel owner is truly amazing, isn’t he?”
「Isn’t it a talent to uncover so many hidden details in a game that’s been out for ten years?」
– Ox
– “It’s talent, sure, but the dedication to immersion is on another level.”
– “Exactly.”
– “Sometimes I wonder if he even realizes he’s streaming.”

The level of immersion was so intense that viewers flocked back to re-watch the brief two-hour broadcast.

– “When the Jorogumo died and he tried to smile, I felt so sad.”
– “Why are you sad? You don’t even have friends.”
– “Wait, why are these water-demon suicide bombers acting like this outside the stream too?”
– “Yo, your mom’s a fully-grown Jorogumo~”
– “Nah, your mom’s the water-demon chief.”

The viewers who sought to share their feelings online ended up exchanging playful insults in the community, but it all came back to a shared sense of loss.

– “So, when’s our channel owner coming back?”
– “Maybe in a month, like last time?”
– “He looked so heartbroken before ending the stream; it wouldn’t be surprising if he just stopped streaming altogether.”
– “Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
– “But he really seemed like he might.”
– “Yeah, he did…”

Longing for a reunion with no clear timeline, the viewers, accustomed to such cruel farewells from the Silent Swordsman, began seeking his content to ease their restless hearts.

– “Welcome, refugees!”
– “At this point, isn’t this basically our main base?”
– LOL

An opportunistic streamer seized the chance to gather these wandering “refugees” into his channel.
His name was Eom Gildong, known as the creator of the “Catching Up to Silent Swordsman” simulation—a must-watch for fans of cerebral streamers.

“Hey, hey, welcome, everyone. A lot of people are hooked on the Silent Swordsman lately, right?

I’m still dealing with some serious withdrawal from that last broadcast, so I’ve prepared a little something for you all.”

– “What’s this? What’s this?”
– “Something big is coming.”
– “Wait, could it be… that thing?”

“Catching Up to Silent Swordsman? Nah, I wouldn’t just recycle old content. I don’t even have any more bones left to boil.”

– “Hey, multitasking expert, hurry up and give it to us while we’re still being nice.”
– “We’re extremely edgy right now from a week without the Silent Swordsman’s broadcast.”
– “Bring it on.”
– “Give it.”
– “Give it, give it, give it!”

Eom Gildong, eyeing the chat full of demands, sighed and opened the stream before things got any more intense.

[Catching Up to Silent Swordsman Ver1.2]

“Today, we’re diving into version 1.2 of ‘Catching Up to Silent Swordsman’ with a new map! The NPC of the month? The renowned Jorogumo from V-Tube!”

– “Wow, the Jorogumo!”
– “There’s no resisting the Jorogumo.”
– “So, what are we doing with the Jorogumo?”
– “You said no rehashing!”

“Whoa there, version 1.1 and 1.2 are completely different. We’ve added a brand-new map.”

– LOL
– “Fair enough for a version upgrade.”
– “So, what’s the map about?”

“The grand forest speedrun mode, featuring the Jorogumo! This challenge is to see how fast you can sprint across the same field that the Silent Swordsman once traversed.”

– “Wow.”
– “This is gonna be a masterpiece.”
– “Gildong, we trusted you!”
– “When it comes to streamers who plan great content, Eom Gildong’s unmatched.”
– “Amazing.”
– “But wait, isn’t this just running around non-stop?”
– “Who cares, just enjoy it.”

Eom Gildong’s generous content, which could pull in over two thousand viewers on average, returned with a new grand forest map in “Catching Up to Silent Swordsman.”

3.

“Damn it, Jorogumo! Don’t leave me behind—take me with you!”

– LOL
– “Gildong’s getting abandoned again?”
– “Damn, that Jorogumo’s fast, LOL.”

As 24 hours passed since the launch of “Catching Up to Silent Swordsman Ver1.2,” the beloved Jorogumo had already gained a new title among the fans: the “Damn Jorogumo.”


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