[{"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-676":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},1328053,1764,"Chapter 676: Dream (3)","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-676",676,"\u003Cp>“Slowly, I opened my eyes halfway and tried to piece together the sounds and visual information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘...That’s right? It must be.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My wrists were still cuffed, secured to the handle...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were inside a large van that was moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, but if that guy really is him, then what on earth happened? It’s strange that a person missing for over a year was suddenly found at home... And I’ve never heard he was an aggressive type like this...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, is that the setup?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder this felt like a tutorial in a game—but the difficulty level was way too high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did five burly adult men punch in the password to get in, but there was also a taser ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ gun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yeah, not even giving me a knife and just strapping a taser on a ranged mob is basically telling me to just take it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My guess is that being captured after losing at the start point was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most likely, from here on out, the trials would continue—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough, everyone! Let’s go and scan his fingerprints. That’ll tell us if this bastard really is Lee Hansoo or not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Phew, still alive at least.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Leader Kang? This bastard is laughing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?! He’s awake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the man beside me said I had woken up, the ‘Team Leader Kang’ in the passenger seat was startled and quickly turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What, he couldn’t kill me either?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did they release me too soon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it looks like only three people are in the car, so the other two must have been taken to the hospital for treatment...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lee Hansoo! Stay still! Whatever you went through, if you cause trouble here again, no matter what your mother says, we’ll have to do things by the book!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Team Leader Kang seemed worried I’d cause a scene in the car again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do I really look like an idiot?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I apologize. I will stay still.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke in the most polite tone I could muster, making it clear I wouldn’t cause any more trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But was that situation so ridiculous?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell... why is this bastard suddenly so calm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, I’m under a CC effect right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I were in my barbarian body with the strength to smash handcuffs instantly, that’d be different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regular Lee Hansoo becomes useless just by having handcuffs on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe this is some kind of escape mission. If there’s a dream where you just kill monsters and it’s over, then there’s also a dream like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of attempting a foolish escape, I decided to play along and gather information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since this can be seen as a kind of tutorial process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alright then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Officer, I was too flustered earlier. I was surprised when strangers suddenly punched in the password and tried to enter my house... I apologize once again for earlier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Putting aside my barbarian mindset, I offered a neat and polite modern apology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet for some reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Team Leader Kang’s expression did not soften; if anything, it grew even stranger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bullshit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Huh? I apologized and he calls it bullshit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should have ended this for good back then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were laughing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Absolutely not, officer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah... Damn, I got stuck with a crazy bastard. Hey, what did this guy call us earlier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He said ‘Goblin Officers.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, I got carried away and said nonsense. Calm down a bit and explain the situation to me—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Team Leader Kang cut me off harshly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shut up!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s with this sudden outburst?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just shut up, bastard!! I’m barely holding back right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ugh, spitting everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I didn’t fully understand why he was so triggered, but it seemed best not to provoke him further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So from then on, I stayed silent and organized my thoughts alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long had we been driving?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon the car stopped at the nearby police station and the firmly closed door slid open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bright sunlight pierced my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air smelled sweetly of flowers and freedom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, finally a chance to escape—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t even think about any funny business. Unless you want to taste the electric shock again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yeah, well... first things first, I need to get these handcuffs off. The moment they come off will be my starting point, so I’ll hold back for now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving up on the escape cleanly, I followed Team Leader Kang into the police station, arms still bound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We took the elevator up and arrived at the interrogation room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One, two, three, four, five, six...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the whole building, but just this floor was full of goblin officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When would this tutorial end?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No idea, but following Team Leader Kang’s orders, I pressed my fingerprints and was briefly locked in a holding cell, soon to be called out again for questioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We contacted your family; they should be here soon. Also, you probably didn’t hear this because you were unconscious, so I’ll say it again: Lee Hansoo, you have the right to remain silent...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike before, Team Leader Kang began speaking respectfully, and after reading me my Miranda rights, immediately started with this question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Name: Lee Hansoo. Age: 30. Missing from home for over a year. First, tell us this: why were you there today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just opened my eyes and was there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A truthful answer with no exaggeration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did my barbarian manner of speaking irritate them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the flunkies beside me snapped and raised his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘There’? You’re young but you dare talk down to Team Leader Kang? That’s disrespect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cut it out, Detective Park! He was missing for over a year! We don’t know what he’s been through, so just hold back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Team Leader! Because of this bastard, Jihoon was rushed to the ER! To the ER!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough! If you’re going to disrupt the investigation, get out, you bastard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Team Leader Kang’s harsh shout made the flunky turn around, clearly pissed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-sorry for the fuss, Lee Hansoo. We’ll resume the questioning. We have many questions for you. Of course, you can remain silent, but we hope you won’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll cooperate sincerely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, don’t just say that casually. One of our detectives was injured. One almost died by strangulation. If we don’t protect you, you’re really screwed. Understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let those words slide in one ear and out the other, and Team Leader Kang sighed deeply and resumed the questioning; I tried to answer as sincerely as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was, they didn’t seem to feel that sincerity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, while playing the game [Dungeon and Stone], you suddenly found yourself sucked into the game world?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your speech pattern is because in that world, you had to survive as a ‘Barbarian’ race. Now you were exploring a place called Dreamfall Waterfall and fell asleep, and this place is that dream world?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impressed by the neat summary, I nodded, when an unexpected exclamation came from nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow... this guy’s really nuts...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t that schizophrenia?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt unfair to be treated like a madman even after telling the truth, but I could also see a silver lining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I appeared mentally weak, they would let their guard down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that sense...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click, click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I picked up a pen in front of me and fiddled with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The tip’s pretty sharp...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Very sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If stabbed in a weak spot like the eye, it could cause permanent physical damage and incapacitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, I also figured out how to unlock these handcuffs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to not neglecting my surroundings during questioning, I learned how to unlock them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw a man at the table next to me take off his handcuffs...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the waist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Police keep handcuff keys on their belts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, if I can take down Team Leader Kang, I can grab the key from his waist and free myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Team Leader... shouldn’t we have a mental evaluation before this investigation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll handle that, just focus on your work. Bored?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept telling the truth during questioning, and surprisingly Team Leader Kang listened seriously, or maybe with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long had it been?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You hungry? Let’s eat first. Jajangmyeon or Jjamppong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jajangmyeon. Oh, and a cider, cider too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I buried my nose in the jajangmyeon ordered by Team Leader Kang and inhaled it, a strange feeling arose for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whaaa....”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it really be this real?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why that face all of a sudden? You were enjoying it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well... it’s just strange.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s strange? It looks fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I tried tasting something in a dream before, but back then I couldn’t taste anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my answer, Team Leader Kang looked at me with a mysterious expression, then suddenly dusted off his knees and stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough questioning for now. If you’re done eating, please give me your bowl. Someone will be coming soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone to meet...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who do you think? Lee Hansoo, you... oh, here they are. Mom, this way, this way!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned around following Team Leader Kang, who got up and waved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hansoo...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long skirt she always wore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old, worn sneakers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bucket hat pulled down to cover her frazzled hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And beneath it, the face I always wanted to see but never wanted to see again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahhh...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mother collapsed, covering her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her, I let out a hollow laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, it really felt like a dream now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft! Hahaha!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, what a shitty feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single room in some nameless boarding house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mom was always busy with work and came home late at night, and I was too immature to understand her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mom always blamed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mom cried asking why she gave birth to someone like me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I still loved her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I begged her to stay with me always, and once she indulged my childish tantrum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, we were together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mom read me the fairy tales I liked and cooked cup noodles when I was hungry. In the cold single room, we hugged each other under the blanket and ate snacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said I wished every day could be like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mom agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, she took me to an amusement park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day was the last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of the carousel, Mom suddenly disappeared, and I was found by the amusement park staff only when closing time came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, I don’t remember well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many adults approached me, and I was shuffled through countless institutions, sleeping in different places every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Child abandonment and abuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Custody revoked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adults whispered difficult words where I couldn’t hear, and I vaguely felt...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d never see her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I get it. It’s maddening.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, now I understand Mom’s feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sick child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A child who causes parents trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever I went, I was like a plague bringing unfortunate incidents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lee Hansoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mom was only a few years older than I am now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed someone to hate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The urge to throw everything away and run away must have tempted her every moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, what happened next was a different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[“Aaaah! Don’t come! Never again! Please disappear from my life!”]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I found Mom as an adult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She screamed that, and I never looked for her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when Hyunbyul told me about Mom, I was quite surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[“She kept talking about inheritance for a long time... and asked the police if there was a way to file a death report before the missing period ended.”]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe she knew the news and wanted the money?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe she just wanted me gone as soon as possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only she knows her exact thoughts, but one thing is clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahhh... Hansoo... I’m sorry, I’m sorry... Mom’s really sorry...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s not a woman who should be crying now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, thanks to that, I was more sure that this place really is a dream world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I really... really wanted to meet and talk. I know I don’t deserve it, but... could you forgive me... this useless mother...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching my sobbing mother, I made up my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This might... be useful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not bad at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I approached my crying mother and reached out my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing all emotions rising inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I forgive you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes... because Mom taught me that...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a priest absolving all sins, I gently placed my thick, not-so-large hand on hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carefully stroking the back of her hand, I slowly turned to look at Team Leader Kang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Detective... could you please unlock the handcuffs for a moment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>",2097,"2026-06-05T19:33:18.642Z",1,"novelbin.me","ab4e01998ea90cded25820c4029288163c620e0da1d3cc3331cc3a41a4d46e39","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-677","surviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-chapter-675",807,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsurviving-the-game-as-a-barbarian-cover.jpg"]