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Chapter 667: The Dreaming Machine (1)

The Observation Device.

A facility for observing the tablet, and a device that would make Lemu great.

Just how many years ago had Lemu begun preparing this? 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

‘At the very least, it must have been over a hundred years. And this is a plan prepared by someone called the Designer. No matter how capable the Chairman is, he won’t be able to break this.’

Of course, looking at it from another angle, it also meant that an enormous amount of preparation was required just to threaten a 3rd-grade being.

Moreover, wasn’t Quiad a being who had been isolated from the universe for 612 years?

If this much effort was required just to make a ‘deal’ with such a Quiad, then facing someone like Chairman Dogo, who had remained active all along…

‘That wouldn’t even be possible to attempt in the first place. At least not for a 4th-grade being.’

Perhaps that was why Lemu had planned this.

If that Observation Device would make Lemu, a 4th-grade being, great, didn’t that mean an elevation to a 3rd-grade being?

Although Chairman Dogo had said Lemu would remain a 4th-grade being until the moment of its extinction, the person in question had long been dreaming of a rise in status.

‘…A dreaming machine.’

It sounded romantic at a glance, but the actual scene was nothing short of barbaric.

Crack!

Because Quiad was once again grinding Lemu’s head into the ground.

—It wasn’t enough that you drove that grotesque machine into my planet, now you intend to become great through it? You dare use me as a tool for your achievement!

□ I had long anticipated that you would find this displeasing, so I have nothing further to say. However, please remind yourself that there is no alternative.

—What?

Sparks flew from Quiad’s pupils.

But it seemed he already knew well enough.

That there was no way to escape the plan laid out over long years by the ‘Designer.’

No matter that he was a 3rd-grade being, it was impossible to remove the Observation Device, which had taken root deep within the planet, in a short time.

And retrieving the detonator from within Lemu’s body before the ‘self-destruction’ activated was also far too great a gamble.

Thus, there were only two ways to be freed from this situation.

Accept Lemu’s demands… or…

‘Otherwise, we’d have to abandon all the inhabitants of Maden. Even if this planet explodes, it wouldn’t pose much of a problem for the Chairman’s survival.’

But hadn’t it already been made clear?

Humans who had been driven out into the universe, including Herisa, had an exceptional attachment to their own kind.

So Quiad would never sacrifice countless humans just to obstruct Lemu’s plan.

And Lemu knew that fact well, which was precisely why he had done this.

□ Inevitable.

—…!

□ This is inevitable. For me, and for Mezo as well.

Though Lemu was pinned to the ground, in reality, he was the one controlling the situation.

There was a reason he had earned the alias “Designer.”

—…This is one of the most unpleasant moments I can count on one hand.

At last, Quiad broke his brief silence and spoke.

—So, what exactly do you want? Is the source energy of Maden all that you desire?

At that, Lemu slowly blinked.

□ That is correct. Aside from the Observation Device, Maden will remain entirely yours, Lord Mezo. And once the source energy is used, the self-destruction function of the Observation Device will also be removed.

In other words, it meant he only needed to permit a single release of energy.

In one sense, it was quite simple—yet at the same time, complex.

Because through this, he would be opening the path for Lemu, a 4th-grade being, to ascend to the 3rd-grade.

‘Huh? But honestly, across the entire universe, aren’t there quite a lot of 3rd-grade beings? Why is he so intent on blocking only Lemu’s path?’

As Yeongwoo tilted his head in confusion, Lemu, who had somehow noticed, turned his head toward him.

□ What is it that puzzles you, Planetary Captain?

“Uh… I mean, it feels a bit awkward to butt in at a time like this, but… is this really something worth fighting over to this extent? It’s true that President Lemu committed a serious offense against the Chairman, but it’s also true that, thanks to him, you were able to escape, right? Probably…?”

In the Black Sector, Lemu had saved Jeong Yeongwoo’s life, so in terms of results, it wasn’t wrong to say Lemu had helped Quiad escape.

Moreover, the fact that Lemu had already made preparations on the planet Quiad would visit immediately after his escape was proof enough.

If Lemu had not glimpsed this future, how could he have installed the Observation Device in Maden in advance?

As Yeongwoo finished speaking and blinked, Lemu smiled as if pleased.

□ Planetary Captain, that is precisely the problem.

“…What is?”

As Yeongwoo asked again, still not understanding, this time Quiad added his words.

—If I open the path here, that machine will become a 3rd-grade being that sees the future.

“Ah.”

Only then did Yeongwoo seem to understand a little, nodding halfway.

Quiad continued.

—This one does not live in the present. Thus, the purpose of all its actions is unpredictable. It is a being whose future form cannot be known.

At those words, Lemu turned his gaze to look at Quiad.

□ Are you perhaps afraid?

—I am afraid of your will—to take my kin hostage in order to make the future you saw into reality.

□ The future is already written. Therefore, this is not a threat, but merely a process.

‘…Ugh.’

At Lemu’s final words, Yeongwoo felt goosebumps for the first time.

And at last, he began to understand.

Why Quiad was trying to prevent Lemu from reaching ‘greatness.’

—The future is already written? With a mere flick of my finger, the future you saw will be overturned.

Quiad rejected determinism in a very human manner.

Meanwhile, despite standing at the crossroads of life and death, Lemu appeared utterly calm.

□ That will not be possible. Since the future has already been observed, the actions that Lord Mezo can take are also determined.

At this, Yeongwoo’s mouth fell open.

‘H-Hey, if you keep provoking him like that, this is going to get dangerous…’

Humans are rational, but at the same time, highly emotional.

And they are creatures with immense pride.

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Moreover, the opponent was a 3rd-grade human—an existence of immense power even on a cosmic scale.

To such a being, to say, “What you can do is already determined”…

—Don’t spout nonsense!

As expected, the enraged Quiad bared his teeth, his face more savage than ever.

—A predetermined future? Have you truly seen this future, machine!

It was clear Quiad had steeled his resolve.

One of his hands rose into the air, taking a posture as if to strike down with a blade.

‘N-No way.’

Yeongwoo’s eyes widened.

A pitch-black trajectory had already been drawn by Quiad’s hand, aimed at the back of Lemu’s neck.

And then, at last—

Sssshhhhk!

Just as Quiad’s hand was about to reach Lemu’s neck—

Crunch!

With a sound like bones snapping, Quiad’s forearm stopped moving.

Right in front of Lemu’s nape.

—Fuck.

In the end, Quiad could not abandon his kin.

Thus, in the end, Lemu’s words proved correct.

□ As I have said repeatedly, this is merely a process. Though I do possess a detonator, the inhabitants of Maden were never going to perish.

—Shut up!

In contrast to his rough voice, Quiad’s body had already stepped back a couple of paces away from Lemu.

Was this truly something predetermined by fate?

Or was it merely that Quiad’s choice had coincidentally aligned with the future written on the tablet?

In any case, for Quiad and Yeongwoo, who simply lived in the present, there was no way to know the truth.

Amid the extreme confusion, it felt as though waves were crashing inside their heads.

But Lemu, who had long believed in fate, turned his head as if the next step remained.

Toward the white silhouette approaching from outside the reception hall.

□ The time of restitution is approaching.

The silhouette was none other than Chancellor Herisa.

She was approaching along the guiding line, dressed in a white uniform.

“Chancellor.”

As Yeongwoo looked toward Herisa first, she gave a slight smile, only to stiffen as she sensed the atmosphere inside the reception hall.

It seemed she knew nothing at all about the relationship between Maden and Lemu.

The reason she had chosen Maden as the rendezvous point was simply because, at that moment, it had been the closest to her space station.

‘Lemu didn’t just see a single scene. He grasped, in totality, all the events connected to this moment.’

Though he might not have seen all futures, he must at least have known from what point onward, and on which planet, he needed to establish control to gather all these individuals in one place.

A truly terrifying level of information.

‘And someone like that is going to ascend to a 3rd-grade being?’

As Yeongwoo swallowed heavily, Herisa, having entered through the reception hall entrance, swept her gaze across the room.

“It looks like quite a complicated situation.”

As she said this, Lemu slowly rose from his spot and spoke.

□ But it’s fine now. We’ve talked enough.

At this, Herisa looked at Quiad instead of Lemu.

She was seeking his agreement.

And soon—

—Did you bring the divine relic?

Without saying anything else, Quiad asked about the relic.

At that, Herisa drew out a finely crafted silver dagger from her waist.

“Of course. This is one of the two reasons I came here.”

The other reason was likely the settlement of the remaining payment with Planetary Captain Jeong Yeongwoo.

Ssk.

As Herisa extended the dagger handle toward Quiad, Lemu’s mechanical eyes flashed.

Because once Quiad received that relic and reclaimed his rightful authority, the Observation Device installed here would fully activate.

—Lemu.

□ Yes, please speak.

—When the Observation Device begins using Maden’s source energy, what will you be able to see?

At that question, Lemu looked up at the sky for the first time since arriving here.

More precisely, beyond the sky—into space.

□ The reason the concept of ‘contingency’ exists in this world is because of futures that have not been observed.

Then he raised his index finger and marked a point in the air.

□ The moment a future is observed, it becomes fixed. As far as I know, it is inevitably realized.

—Then an unobserved future can be changed.

□ Of course, since everything is written on the record, even unobserved futures exist within it. And that is precisely—

Sst.

Lemu marked another point in a different place in the air.

A straight line was drawn between the two points.

□ What we call the ‘priority future.’ The future that ought to occur as it was meant to.

—But you’re saying that can be changed by contingency?

□ That is correct. Perhaps, the path between the present and the future is not truly a straight line. Perhaps it is like a spider’s web, with countless branching paths—due to innumerable contingencies.

—Then what you intend to see through that Observation Device is…

□ Yes.

As if the moment had finally arrived, Lemu’s pupils turned completely white.

□ What I intend to see this time is contingency. Now, even ‘what might happen’ can be observed.

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