NOVEL NEXT Chapter 108
The Tenant ⅠI
As everyone knows, navigating the Inunaki Tunnel is exceedingly difficult.
Even as a regressor, I had to sacrifice hundreds of lives across five runs to finally conquer it.
At that moment, I thought,
‘...Isn't this the best security facility?’
It was a complete reversal of thought.
From the perspective of an intruder, the Inunaki Tunnel boasted an incredible level of difficulty, but from a defender's viewpoint, it was an impregnable fortress.
Moreover, this ironclad security applied only to intruders. For those who had already mastered the ‘strategy,’ the Inunaki Tunnel was just a slightly tricky path.
Thus, starting from the 197th run, I did not fully disclose the tunnel strategy on SG Net.
After conquering Inunaki alone, I set up a guild hideout in the underwater tunnel. I then sent ‘invitations’ only to a select few trustworthy acquaintances.
The invitations, of course, kindly detailed the walking method for the Inunaki Tunnel.
Now, without an invitation, no one could visit my café hideout.
“A shop that only accepts customers by invitation? Is this a VIP golf course or something...?”
Noh Do-hwa turned the invitation over and over, making a sour face.
“The insane idea of privatizing an anomaly and using it is just what I'd expect from your filthy brain... But this means you're not planning to do business with the general public, right?”
Noh Do-hwa fluttered the invitation.
“Now, I see that our Undertaker is becoming quite the noble. Soon, you'll want to be king? Shall I hand over the position of National Road Management Corps Chief to you? Hoo, great. I've been wanting to quit this shitty job anyway. Congratulations in advance, Your Majesty...”
“Oh. Don't worry too much about that part. Corps Chief, do you see the number written at the top of the invitation?”
“Hmm...?”
Noh Do-hwa re-examined the invitation.
[Invitation - Café Hideout]
[Depth 1200m]
Noh Do-hwa tilted her head.
“Depth? 1200 meters? What does this mean...?”
“It’s the grade of the invitation.”
“Graaade...?”
“Yes. I have prepared invitations in segments of 100 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters, and so on. For instance, a 100-meter invitation contains only enough strategy to safely cover the first 100 meters of the Inunaki Tunnel.”
“Hmm...?”
“The 1200-meter invitation is the highest grade, containing the complete strategy for the Inunaki Tunnel. The 100-meter invitation is the lowest grade. And I will make all 100-meter invitations public on SG Net.”
I took Noh Do-hwa into the Inunaki Tunnel to show her an example.
“This is the 100-meter point.”
“Oh...?”
Noh Do-hwa looked around.
“This is... a café.”
Noh Do-hwa's observation was spot on.
From now on, I hope you’ll listen to all my descriptions in the voice of a friendly home shopping host.
Instead of always damp mold where water trickled from the cracks in the wall, a tiny artificial waterfall had been installed, showcasing its aesthetic point.
Where moss once flourished, there were now colorful aquatic plants. These plants weren't ordinary vegetation but had mutated in the void, thriving without sunlight.
Amidst these artificial waterfalls and planters were antique-style sofas and chairs.
Above all, the chairs sought comfort. Tables of perfect height for sitting were arranged, with small lamps adding to the ambiance.
Victorian-style tables from the 19th century were minimal in number, while the other tables revealed the natural beauty of the wood.
Of course, the lighting was indirect. The overall space was enveloped in a cozy darkness, but the faint outlines of tables and chairs added an edge even to the shadows.
A true space starts with vision and ends with hearing.
From one end to the other, the sound of water trickling from the artificial waterfall filled the air. If sunlight is the mirror of the eyes, darkness is the mirror of the ears. The sound of water flowing beyond the darkness completed this space as the pinnacle of Baroque aesthetics.
If you went up to the tunnel wall, you’d find unexpected graffiti on the concrete surface, adding a unique charm without traditional framed pictures.
The touch of the soft wood of the table and the comfort of the chair. The auditory experience of a Baroque space. And the hidden visual art of graffiti.
If the old-fashioned aroma of coffee were added, it would appeal to the senses of smell and taste――a café that satisfied all five senses, complete.
Even more, the fact that this unique scenery was in the middle of an underwater tunnel stimulated the imagination of the guests.
As the Undertaker, I was confident that even if it weren't for the apocalypse, this place could aim to be the best café in Korea.
Home shopping broadcast, over.
“...There's no natural light, yet the space doesn't feel cramped.”
Noh Do-hwa touched the table.
She seemed quite shocked.
“Was this really an anomaly that devoured hundreds of people...?”
“Hehe.”
“Even that ridiculous regressor's laugh sounds different now. I'm surprised. Undertaker, I didn't expect you to have this talent...”
Considering Noh Do-hwa's personality, this was the highest praise. But there was more to surprise her.
“Noh Do-hwa, Corps Chief.”
“Yes...?”
“Do you see those thin strings next to the bookshelf? They are puppet strings leading to the tunnel's deepest part. I had Hayul set them up. Just a slight tug on them...”
Ting- The string vibrated pleasantly like a cello's string.
“Even just by infusing aura, the vibration reaches my private room at the deepest part of the tunnel.”
“Oh...”
“Then I can immediately respond knowing there's a guest. No matter how far the distance, I can reach here in an instant.”
“Indeed. This is... quite something.”
“The treatment for the 100-meter and 200-meter levels is different. The deeper the depth, the different the interior, and the more diverse the menu will be. In other words...”
“Yes. It might be a small motivation for the awakeners. There aren’t many enjoyments these days... Hmm. Being isolated from the outside world might actually be a good thing. If one can momentarily forget the ruined outside world and enjoy a cup of coffee...”
“Exactly. So, Noh Do-hwa, Corps Chief, I have a proposal.”
“Hmm? What is it...?”
“As you can see, operating the café seriously requires a lot of coffee beans. My reserves will soon run out. So, I plan to ask the Sword Marquess, that old man, to create a coffee farm...”
“......”
“Can’t you make it happen?”
Noh Do-hwa's face filled with worry.
The Sword Marquess was essential for current agricultural endeavors. He was busy cultivating food.
Proposing to use some of that precious land for coffee, a luxury item, was bound to trouble the practical-minded Noh Do-hwa.
Of course, I could persuade the Sword Marquess to cultivate coffee without Noh Do-hwa’s consent, but that would result in Noh Do-hwa resigning.
“But we barely have enough farmland as it is...”
“The world needs luxuries too.”
I whispered.
“Think about it. Adding a new attraction to Busan will elevate the status of the National Road Management Corps compared to other major guilds...”
“Isn’t it impractical to grow coffee in Korea? It seems inefficient...”
“No need to worry. I’ll plant various coffee trees from the void and eventually create a variety suitable for the Korean climate. I am a void expert, after all.”
“Hmm...”
“There’s also the matter of security. Isn’t it better for me to manage the underwater tunnel than leave it unattended?”
“Hmm...”
“Moreover, Corps Chief, imagine waking up with a cup of coffee every morning. The headquarters is just a short walk away. Think of it as a 30-minute morning walk.”
“......”
“It would boost the morale and welfare of the management team.”
“......”
Contemplation. Consideration. Agony. Deliberation.
Finally, Noh Do-hwa muttered softly.
“Well, if it’s just a small garden...”
“You’ve made a wise decision, Corps Chief! You truly understand me. Since you’ve agreed, I’ll start building the café from the next run.”
“......”
“Don’t worry. You won’t regret this decision. You always complain, but when I earnestly ask, you always help. I know how deeply you care for me...”
“Shut up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The café hideout was a grand success!
Naturally, the café hideout received enthusiastic support.
Despite the unease of stepping into the jaws of a continental-class anomaly for a delicious cup of caffeine, brave challengers never ceased.
The segmented access levels of 100 meters, 200 meters, etc., sparked a peculiar sense of competition among the awakeners.
-Anonymous: (300m) At 100 meters, you can only get espresso and Americano, but here, you can also have café latte lol.
-Anonymous: (400m) Ice coffee lovers must reach at least 400 meters. The barista said ice coffee is available from 400 meters onwards.
└Anonymous: I like espresso too, though?
└Anonymous: (400m) Yeah, right lol.
└Anonymous: Espresso is a sophisticated taste, you idiot.
└CookingQueen: (100m) Everyone, please don't argue over this. We should be grateful just for the existence of the café, shouldn't we?
-dolLHoUse: Pathetic.
-Anonymous: (100m) But I heard Baekwha Girls’ High Guild members start at 200 meters by default. Is that true? If it is, isn’t that unfair?
└FourthGrader: (1200m) ( >_<);;
Many subculture worlds assign grades like A and S to awakeners, but in reality, Korea had no such system.
I found the terms S-rank and A-rank problematic. How much stronger is an S-rank compared to an A-rank, exactly?
An evaluation based on precise figures is far more intuitive than playing with letters, in my opinion.
The invitations I issued were easily perceived as a form of ‘grade’ or ‘level’ among the awakeners.
-WitchJudge: The deep sea at 1,200 meters. The voice of the waves conveyed through the tunnel's walls. In an era where nature has been reduced to mere danger, it’s a time to appreciate the value of ‘viewing nature.’
(Certification shot. A photo of a coffee cup placed on a table with an ‘invitation - depth 1200m’ subtly displayed.)
The majority of awakeners received the ‘100-meter grade’ invitation, and among them, only those proven in skill and character gradually updated their depth.
The grading criteria were entirely based on my judgment.
But judgment built over hundreds of runs, spanning thousands of years, becomes reliable data.
I was confident that this ‘depth’ system was more trustworthy than any other standard.
-OldManGoryeo: (1000m) The poor bastards comparing their dicks are cute lol.
-OldManGoryeo: (1000m) I tried an affogato for the first time. What’s with the coffee and ice cream combo? You kids enjoy your school meals lol.
-OldManGoryeo: (1000m) Those with 100-meter grades can only use the café once a week. Honestly, I respect that. They seem like worms that would wriggle and survive no matter how tough the world gets. This brother would rather kill himself than go without daily coffee lol.
Hmm.
Let’s ignore a few exceptions.
Sim Ah-ryeon regularly whined to raise her grade from 1000 meters to 1200 meters, or at least to 1100 meters, but I firmly refused.
It wasn’t because I discriminated against her. She had the spirit of a mountaineer in her heart, and once I started accommodating her, she’d climb endlessly like she was ascending Mount Everest.
I will discuss the stories related to this ‘awakener grade’ in more detail in the next story.
When the café operation had somewhat stabilized, I sent an invitation message to the Saintess via constellation talk.
[Is this... an invitation?]
“Yes, Saintess. Remember I asked you not to use your ‘Clairvoyance’ to observe the scenery at a depth of 1200 meters no matter what?”
[Ah, yes. So, I have not gathered any information about that place at all.]
“I kept it a secret because I wanted to show you directly. You’re always at your home in Yongsan, aren’t you? Think of it as a short outing.”
The Saintess was silent for a moment. In that silence, I strongly sensed the INTJ vibes of a lifelong hikikomori.
[...But isn’t it too far from my home to Busan? Even if I could arrive quickly on your back, that’s a bit...]
“Oh. It’s okay. I’ve dug a tunnel to your place as well.”
[What?]
This was another reversal of thought.
As everyone knew, the Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel was a fictional construction, yet it was completely devoured by Inunaki.
Then, wouldn’t it be possible to create a ‘man-made’ tunnel and have it infected by Inunaki?
The result of my idea was located at the southern end of the Han River submerged bridge. I took the Saintess there.
“...My goodness.”
The Saintess, wrapped in a white coat, opened her mouth slightly.
“Why is there a tunnel here...?”
Indeed.
Beyond the ruins of the convenience store where we first met, a small tunnel led down into the Han River.
This was the so-called ‘Han River Submerged Tunnel.’
“I’ll lead the way. Please follow me.”
“...Wait a moment, Mr. Undertaker. Did you create an anomaly artificially?”
“No. There were several tunnels planned for the Han River. Some were never completed. I superimposed multiple tunnels and ‘asked’ Inunaki to infect them.”
“‘Asked’...”
“It’s a communicative friend. Well, it’s a kind of loophole, so I can’t expand these ‘portals’ recklessly. The limit was creating emergency exits in only three places.”
One in Gangnam, right here. Another in the coffee farm in Kyushu, Japan. The third location will be mentioned in another story.
Hearing my explanation, the Saintess was astonished.
“A limit? Even so, isn’t that incredible?”
We entered the submerged tunnel.
All Inunaki Tunnels were connected.
However, to travel from the ‘Han River Submerged Tunnel’ to the ‘Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel,’ one had to follow several specific procedures precisely.
For security reasons, I won’t detail them, but from the Saintess's perspective, it only took five minutes to walk leisurely.
After walking through the tunnel.
“......”
The Saintess paused.
“...Here.”
“Depth 1200 meters. This is the deepest part of my hideout café. Welcome, Saintess.”
Before us was an underwater tunnel.
But it wasn’t made of concrete; it was made of glass.
The tunnel stretched 400 meters from a depth of 1200 meters to 1600 meters, all constructed like an aquarium's underwater tunnel.
Colorful fish swam in the azure water.
“......”
The Saintess’s eyes widened. She stared blankly at the glass tunnel.
Water shadows gently swayed, casting ripples over her hair.
She always enjoyed keeping fish as a hobby. To her, this place must have seemed like Eldorado.
“Mr. Undertaker, how on earth...?”
“The Inunaki Tunnel is connected to the Samdo River. It’s the concept of the underworld, the water flowing in the afterlife. That’s why one can drown if walked incorrectly. It also matches well with underwater or submerged tunnels. Though it was tricky, as you can see, it was possible to manifest it as an aquarium's underwater tunnel.”
“......”
In the 117th cycle.
When I confronted the outer god-class anomaly Infinite Void, I met the Saintess. Though it was merely an illusion.
On the silver moon in the night sky, the Saintess looked down at the Earth. She said this:
-Just a layer beneath that planet, it’s all turned into hell.
Her words lingered like soot in my heart.
And now, in the 197th cycle, the Saintess was looking up at the sea from the depths of the Earth’s surface.
Beyond the tunnel, starlight jellyfish floated. They were void creatures, making the deep sea look like the Milky Way.
An inverted universe.
“How do you find it?”
I asked her impressions of the hellish scenery.
“Do you like it?”
“......”
The Saintess remained silent.
Every aquarium was a lonely structure.
But a glass tunnel crossing a sea was the only aquarium where one could view fish without confining them.
Having a home while still being free.
I wondered if my metaphor reached her silently.
After a long time of closed lips, the Saintess nodded, and I wanted to believe the tunnel's significance was fully conveyed.
“...Yes. Very much.”
“I’m glad.”
“Thank you, Mr. Undertaker. ...I’ll never forget this view for the rest of my life.”
I smiled.
“Neither will I.”
There are countless stories related to this ‘café hideout.’
But today, I will end the story here without any epilogue.
Let me simply add that from that day on, there was one more stop added to the Saintess's morning walks.
Footnotes:
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