The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 165 (Part 2)
Chapter 165: Jeffrey Bishop (Part 2)
As Ryu Min turned around at the sound of an English man behind him.
Thump!
The follower grabbed his throat and slammed him against the wall.
“Kuh…! Je, Jeffrey?”
Recognizing the follower’s identity, Ryu Min first acted in pain but internally assessed the situation calmly.
‘So it was him? Why does he bear malice towards me? Maybe I should read his thoughts?’
Seeing the killing intent in the eyes of the man choking him, Ryu Min quickly understood.
‘He’s angry because I didn’t provide information to Christine.’
It reminded him that the man was raised by Nathan and was practically family.
‘And he’s secretly in love with Christine. Could it be related to her?’
Further reading his thoughts revealed that it was an independent action unrelated to Christine.
‘Shall I play along for now?’
Ryu Min acted even more pained than before.
“Kugh, Je, Jeffrey! I can’t breathe. Let, let go!”
His acting was so convincing that Jeffrey unwittingly released his grip.
‘He doesn’t really intend to kill, then.’
Having read his intentions, Ryu Min knew what the man was up to.
He just wanted to extract information that he hadn’t given to Christine.
Coughing and rubbing his neck, Ryu Min yelled with a victim’s face.
“What is this all about?”
“Prophet. I don’t like you. I’ve been suspicious from the start. Claiming to see the future. Sounds like a scam.”
“A scam? Haven’t I proven my abilities?”
“Of course, I believe you now. But that doesn’t change my dislike.”
Jeffrey glared threateningly.
He was now holding a dagger in his hand.
Ryu Min swallowed nervously as he glanced around.
“What exactly do you want?”
“Information.”
“What?”
“I want information about the person harming Christine.”
“I’ve heard your conversation. You refused to mention the culprit.”
“You heard, so you know. It was unavoidable. The future must not be altered…”
“Yes, it would be inconvenient. If the future changes, you’ll lose trust as a prophet. It would be very awkward for you.”
The cold touch of the dagger reached Ryu Min’s throat.
“No more words. Tell me everything you’ve seen. Who is harming Christine, and who is saving her?”
“What if I refuse?”
“Then this dagger will pierce through your neck.”
It was a terrifying threat, but Ryu Min, who could read the inner thoughts, knew.
Even if he spoke harshly, he had no intention of actually causing harm.
‘Still, this is too reckless.’
What he was doing was clear intimidation, and backing down now would be akin to attempted murder.
‘Is he so blinded by love that he can’t think straight?’
Thinking he needed to correct this behavior, Ryu Min reached into his pocket.
Seeing Ryu Min fidgeting with something, Jeffrey quickly grabbed his hand.
A cellphone was pulled out from Ryu Min’s hand.
“What do you think you’re doing with the cellphone?”
He checked and saw that the recording function was on.
Jeffrey immediately pressed the power button and turned off the cellphone.
“Why? What were you going to do with the recording?”
“I was going to submit it to the police as evidence. This is clearly blackmail and attempted murder.”
“Ha, a player reporting to the police? That’s really funny.”
“Or I will tell Christine and her family what you have done.”
“Go ahead and try. I’m not sure if a corpse can talk.”
“Ha… Why are you doing this? What grudge do you have against me?”
“I don’t particularly have a grudge. But it might develop if you don’t disclose the information.”
“I told you I don’t know who’s targeting Christine.”
“You think I’m a fool? It’s obvious you know but won’t tell.”
“Do you think I will just talk easily? I can’t do something that will change the future.”
“If you don’t talk now, you won’t have a future. You’re going to die.”
Despite Jeffrey’s threats, Ryu Min did not cower or show fear; instead, he looked back defiantly.
“Even with a knife to my throat, I can’t do it. The moment I start spreading future information to everyone, the future changes. The future I knew disappears, and I become a mere quack, not a prophet.”
“…”
“You need to handle tangled futures carefully. You won’t get it by threatening. The moment you act on the information, the future could change again. Why can’t you see that it might hurt Christine more?”
Ryu Min’s persuasion seemed to take effect.
After a long silence, the dagger disappeared from Jeffrey’s hand.
“I was short-sighted. Hearing you out, you make some sense.”
“You’re not calling that an apology, are you?”
“Look, Mr. Prophet. Do you expect an apology from me? Don’t get cocky just because I’ve put away the knife. Don’t forget I can draw it again at any time.”
“…”
Jeffrey left with those words, without a single apology.
*
‘Damn, he didn’t fall for the threat.’
On the plane back home, Jeffrey recalled the defiant attitude of the prophet.
‘How can he remain so calm even with a knife to his throat?’
At first, he seemed scared, but his expression changed completely when they started talking about prophecies.
He must have some kind of mission or firm belief.
I thought he’d spill everything once I brandished a blade, but it was unexpected.
‘So, certain future information is not something you can reveal easily, even at the risk of your life?’
While Jeffrey could not know the prophet’s heart, one thing was certain.
‘At least he won’t blab unnecessary information to others.’
A person with a tight lip can be trusted.
This incident increased the prophet’s credibility, but that didn’t make him entirely favorable.
‘He lacks flexibility. A little hint wouldn’t hurt, would it?’
To put it nicely, he’s upright and just, but to put it badly, he lacks flexibility.
‘No choice. From now on, I’ll have to protect Christine with my own hands.’
Unaware that there were many others willing to protect her, Jeffrey returned to the temple with Christine.
Of course, he followed her secretly, so he entered a bit later after giving her some time.
“Hello, Mr. Jeffrey.”
As he entered the office, Christine greeted him while talking with Nathan.
“Good Morning. Ms. Christine.”
“Not so ‘good’ because of someone.”
“…?”
Confused by her chilly response, Jeffrey glanced at the phone Nathan was holding out.
“What is this?”
“It’s a file sent by the prophet to me and Christine. Press play.”
As he pressed what seemed to be a recording, a familiar voice flowed out.
– Why? What were you going to do with the recording?
– I’ll submit it to the police as evidence. This is definitely blackmail and attempted murder.
– Go ahead and try. I’m not sure if a corpse can speak.
– You know I said I don’t know who’s targeting Christine.
– You think I’m a fool? It’s obvious you know but won’t tell.
– Do you think I’ll just talk because you do this? I can’t do something that will change the future.
– If you don’t speak now, you won’t have a future. You’re going to die.
Listening to the recording, Jeffrey panicked.
There was no need to listen further, it was clearly his own voice.
‘How? How did this happen? I made sure to turn off his phone.’
A theory suddenly flashed through his mind.
‘Could it be there were two phones?’
His mind went blank as only one thought remained.
‘…I’ve been played.’
Swallowing hard, he lifted his head.
Nathan and Christine were staring at him with terrifying eyes.