[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian":3,"chapter-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-250":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Surviving the Game as a Barbarian",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1327927,1764,"Chapter 250 Gnometree (4)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-250",250,"\u003Cp>Gnometree (4)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, I thought it might be the GM again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if it were the GM, he wouldn’t borrow the same face he used before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the atmosphere emanating from the knights and the people around him was completely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, this guy was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The real Hans A.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the GM pretending to be Hans A., but the real Hans A.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, there was only one thing I had to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have to apologize…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…and ignore him, clenching my teeth as if I didn’t hear him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tadat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wh, why are you running…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Woo! I suddenly feel like running!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Th, this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real Hans A. was flustered by my mindless dash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no way I would stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distance between us widened quickly, and he didn’t follow me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, he didn’t have that much tenacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Did I avoid him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached the front of the annex in one breath and tried to calm my pounding heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only heard his voice, I didn’t see his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that, we didn’t make eye contact, and I held my breath, so the probability of air contamination was low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…This should be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, it will be fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome back, sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A servant greeted me as I was catching my breath in front of the annex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as I entered…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nyaha, Bjorn, you’re back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Misha greeted me with an excited expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the High-Tension (Alcohol) Mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, who was sitting quietly next to her, wasn’t much different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mister… Hehe, hihihi!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She called me in a gloomy voice and then let out a creepy laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s going on here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The living room was filled with empty bottles, and the smell of alcohol was strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It hasn’t even been an hour since I left…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What happened here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around like a detective and then realized that Ainar wasn’t there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s Ainar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The warrior-nim is sleeping after getting drunk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the servant of the annex who answered my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked for her location, and it turned out to be the central courtyard of the annex, not a room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snore!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha, seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I carried Ainar to her room and threw her on the bed, then came back down. Misha was chugging from a bottle, as if she was enjoying herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keuh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cautiously approached Misha, sensing a strange danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did something happen while I was gone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although she had gotten drunk after drinking a little at our team drinking parties, this was the first time I saw her chugging like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something? Nyaha, something, my ass!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But why are you drinking so much…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just drank because I was happy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I, I see?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She drank because she was happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like I was worrying for nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body must have felt refreshed after the hot spring, and there was good alcohol next to her for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason for her not to drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, at first…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha’s expression turned serious as she wiped the alcohol from her lips with her sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I involuntarily averted my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen, who was sitting on the sofa with a relaxed posture, caught my eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, she was staring blankly into space…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…and giggling for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is laughing her drunken habit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Bjorn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha grabbed my wrist and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, yeah?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About you rejecting me that day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uh… she’s bringing that up now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an uncomfortable topic, but the atmosphere wasn’t right for me to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha then bit her lip and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was it because I can’t give birth to barbarians?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did Ainar say something strange?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind went blank for a moment, but my barbarian body was good at dealing with crises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mouth opened without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason I rejected Misha that day wasn’t because I wasn’t attracted to her or because she was a beastman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had a reason I had to keep to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, that’s right…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha, who was staring into my eyes as if trying to discern the truth, then opened a new bottle and chugged it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then it must be…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…she looked at me and then looked away, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly, and then muttered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… will… disappear someday… disappear…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misha trailed off and then lowered her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nyahaaan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, she was way past her limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a sigh I had been holding back and hugged Misha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erwen was smiling when I returned to the living room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re finally… all asleep…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is she talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go to sleep if you’re drunk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Neck Slice.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I roughly knocked her out and threw her next to Misha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>___________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was late at night, and midnight was approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I thought about cleaning up the empty bottles that were scattered around…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I decided to just leave them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t my house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would clean it up after I left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I collapsed onto the sofa, which was a bit small for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind was racing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of what Misha said at the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You… will… disappear someday… disappear…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew what she was going to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was probably going to ask if that was why I rejected her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, she wasn’t certain that I was an evil spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, she was probably more inclined to believe that I wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had seen me receive an oracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a city where it was known that evil spirits were the enemy of God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for God to help an evil spirit and even give him a sacred relic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t make sense according to the world’s common sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just a sliver of anxiety that had taken root in her mind and came out because of the alcohol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…But the good news is that it doesn’t seem like she’ll be hostile towards me even if I’m an evil spirit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt relieved by that fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was also grateful, and I felt a sense of accomplishment, thinking that I hadn’t lived a meaningless life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the strongest emotion was self-deprecation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What am I even hoping for?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My top priority when I woke up in Bjorn Yandel’s body was my own survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to somehow survive and adapt to this world, and then find a way to return to my original world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wouldn’t it be bad to just live here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did I really have to go back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were fewer good things there anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought had been growing stronger recently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could understand why players called the natives NPCs and distinguished them from themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed to draw a line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That this world wasn’t our world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That we had a place to return to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forcefully stopped my endless thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I return home?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or stay here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t make either decision yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had made up my mind while watching the death row inmates who died because they couldn’t pay their taxes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To decide after reaching at least the 6th floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s pointless to worry about it now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just the taxes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragonslayer, the Clown, Noark, the royal family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many things that threatened my life in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether I liked it or not, I had to become stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, there was no point in doing anything if I wasn’t alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, in that sense…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you going at this hour?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I’m just going for a walk. You don’t have to wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left the annex after telling the servant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about time for everyone to be asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[02:37]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cool night air enveloped me as soon as I stepped outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But was it because we were right next to a mountain?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt a bit chilly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud, thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, there were few people on the street, but it wasn’t completely empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The brightly lit gambling house was still bustling with noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place I was going to was outside this village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s dark.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A darkness that was almost like the labyrinth’s unfolded before me as I left the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The countryside in Korea was also like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An eerie nature greeted me as soon as I moved away from the lights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s about time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought about lighting a torch, but I carefully moved forward, just in case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some time…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…the cave marked on the map I found in the annex appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of the tourist attractions here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…There’s no one guarding it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cautiously entered the cave, and the surroundings gradually brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this place was similar to the 1st floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mystical cave with crystals embedded in the walls, emitting a blue light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved forward without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although there were side paths, I just had to go straight from the entrance in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, a vast cavern soon appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a rock in the center that vibrated at regular intervals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Lignaracia.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The origin of the name was from the ancient language, and it meant ‘blessing of the earth’, according to the map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said to bring good luck if you touched it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was probably a superstition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real hidden piece wasn’t the rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my subspace pocket and took out my mace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I passed the rock in the center and clicked the interaction button on the wall with a mural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, it means I smashed it with all my might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wall crumbled and collapsed at my mace swing, imbued with the Ogre’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I wasn’t worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This cave had a self-repairing magic circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be fixed in about 5 minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Let’s go.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I entered the passage that was revealed beyond the collapsed wall. There was a small space inside, just like in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Judging by how it’s hidden like this, the one outside must be fake, and this is the real one.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I placed my hand on the rock in the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an ordinary rock, unlike the one outside, which vibrated at regular intervals and gave off a mystical vibe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I felt something after a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Imbued with the Earth Dragon’s energy. (1\u002F3)」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sense of fulfillment flowed into my body through my fingertips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Soul Power increased by +10.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Earth Resistance increased by +20.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of the hidden pieces that were quite beneficial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although there was a condition that you had to be a noble and be able to enter Gnometree…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…it practically gave you 30 stat points for free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Most people who played the original version would probably know about this. They would have pressed the interaction key everywhere.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although it was just my guess, I thought there would be quite a few players who knew about this hidden piece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, they probably wouldn’t know about this, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「The blessing engraved on your soul reacts.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Additional stat increase is increased to 30%.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stat increase rate from the Earth Dragon’s Blessing is upgraded from 20% to 30%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I never expected to be the first to unlock this condition.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was definitely not a normal playthrough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To become a noble at just level 5?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were a game, I would have definitely thought I was using a bug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Anyway, should I go back now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned around to leave after obtaining everything, and then I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man was standing in front of the wall, which was starting to repair itself as if time was reversing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, you really were a player?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Lee Baekho.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>____________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless possibilities swirled in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was Lee Baekho here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had disappeared after that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t tell me he had been following me all this time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Human relationships are strange, huh? I was following him, thinking he might be the GM in disguise again, and then you appeared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Hans again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho had met Hans A. in Gnometree by chance and discovered me while following him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He must have been following me ever since.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could roughly picture the sequence of events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The decision was already made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re saying that again. Aren’t you tired of it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a good idea to reveal my identity to Lee Baekho.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a fickle guy, just by looking at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if we were on good terms, he would pull out a knife and force me to choose if something didn’t go his way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems like that cat girl is starting to suspect something. Wouldn’t it be better to just kill her?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I felt cornered, I feigned ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I understand why the chieftain called evil spirits evil beings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, you’re good at playing dumb, even in this situation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This situation…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I put all my effort into making a confused expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lee Baekho just chuckled as if it was ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, this situation. The fact that you’re here is proof that you’re a player. Otherwise, how would you know about this hidden thing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Okay, I knew you would ask that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered as if I had been waiting for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subtly mixing in the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m a benefactor of the Dragonkin. I returned Dragonslayer to their tribe, and I’ve become close friends with the Ancient Dragon, ‘Lafir’. Even his daughter, the Dragon Shaman, is fond of me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an answer that implied I heard this information from them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho tilted his head as soon as he heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Uh, what? It’s true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it’s true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t lie at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you were the one who took down that Dragonkin bastard? Wow, this is amazing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Baekho exclaimed as if he found it interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I inwardly sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I had to reveal my hidden information to escape the situation…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, the ring broke anyway, right?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that big of a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect of the sacred relic was over, and whether I liked it or not, I would soon be reunited with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to hide like before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded after observing me for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not that hard to believe. Right, they might tell you something like this if you made that much of a contribution? Well, it’s not that big of a deal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it worked?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, there’s no way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was too early to relax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t let my guard down and waited for his next words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when, after a few seconds that felt like an eternity…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you answering so readily?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind went blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last time, when I asked if you were a player, you clenched your teeth and didn’t answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve suddenly become very friendly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That damn bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>",2506,"2026-06-05T19:32:49.064Z",1,"novelbin.me","ea2e124594579698fa28808ff99e20b342d4de58f603e499e4f355993f18921c","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-701","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-249",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]