I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 656

"...Alright, no one will notice, right?"

A man swiftly crosses the crowded changing room. His movements are far quicker and more precise than the people around him, who are struggling to put on unfamiliar equipment for the first time.

He attaches nerve terminals along his spine, a wearable tail on his pelvic bone, but that’s not all. He also wears a tactile feedback suit and personal lenses.

Immediately, numerous UIs appear in front of his eyes—a woman shaped like a butterfly, created with pink and sky-blue tones in human form. However, with each action she takes, her appearance changes slightly.

From relatively wild long hair to neatly trimmed hair, even the butterfly-shaped accessories in her hair are removed. The outfit consists of short pants and Ugg boots, something she would never wear in ordinary circumstances.

When the final appearance is decided, he quickly exits the changing room and crosses the gate.

Realizing that the people around him don’t recognize him, he— or she, or the Cartographer—lets out a small sigh.

The smile on his lips was an added bonus.

‘...Yesterday was an accident in many ways.’

The Cartographer.

The reason he sneaked into the park today without telling anyone—he didn’t even have any acquaintances around, nor did he turn on a stream—was simple. The words of Loren Tina still lingered in his mind.

Her point was clear: If you don’t enjoy the content Eugene worked hard to prepare, you’re at a disadvantage. You need to adapt to the situation.

He also reluctantly acknowledged that this was not entirely wrong... but, unfortunately, yesterday’s circumstances, with the viewers constantly nagging and the unexpected appearance of Gaia, had thrown things off.

In short, external factors had caused his failure to adapt.

"Ugh, what useless people..."

Normally, they were quite helpful.

Of course. When the viewers gently egg him on— the more outrageous ones filtered and banned beforehand— the Cartographer would huff and argue back. This was one of the two key elements that had fueled his current peak in life.

But in situations like yesterday, where he absolutely had to immerse himself, it was enough to break his concentration. And the fact that Eugene had prepared everything today added to the problem.

Imagine this: The Biyam suddenly contacts him saying, "It seems you didn’t enjoy it as much, Cartographer. How about inviting some friends to join and enjoy it more?"

That was... favorable in terms of taste, but it wasn’t without its pressure.

Anyway, he started looking around today without turning on the stream.

Neon-colored hair, strange outfits you might see in a cyberpunk world, and numerous holographic projectors scattered around, probably being overworked.

People in those outfits, with their various Biyam tails, stared at mirrors and marveled at their own reflections. It was simple. This was reality, not VR.

So many people wanting to undergo a sex change. The Cartographer realized that his own attire seemed ordinary to the point of being plain in this crowd, and he walked the same path he had yesterday.

How long had it been?

‘...Seems like no one is paying attention. Good.’

If he had come here in his usual attire, and even broadcasted it, by now, he would have been immediately spotted by Biyam. Given that he had been roaming the Expo with her underlings, Harmony and Dice, he was bound to be noticed. Especially considering Biyam’s role.

In short, if he had entered like yesterday, people would have turned into spies, telling Biyam about his movements, and soon enough, he would have been caught by her.

Thankfully, that didn’t happen.

"...But I’m curious. Maybe I should take a look around."

A strange thought began to creep into his mind.

Logically, it was something he shouldn’t do, but there was something the Cartographer didn’t know—he had already been subconsciously drawn toward Eugene, a massive force of attraction.

Biyam’s underlings or Eugene’s acquaintances—excluding the ones who had manifested—would spout nonsense, and Eugene would deal with them in a way that stays within acceptable limits. Typical banter.

And thinking about the structure of banter, a two-person duo wouldn’t be complete without both sides.

In other words, the Cartographer was experiencing Eugene withdrawal.

‘Ugh, no one will notice if I stay far enough away.’

Of course, he had no idea that Eugene had known about his presence at the theme park long before.

And so, he— or she— began to slowly inch closer to Biyam’s grasp, but that didn’t mean immediate capture.

As I mentioned, there was a lot to enjoy.

"Aah, no, ugh, why is my body moving on its own…!"

Click!

In the screen zone that helped him strike a lively pose he would never take as a man, he earned his first stack of black history.

"...A female makeup experience?"

Though he had managed to resist experiencing it, it was truly fascinating, even eerie, how the female form’s appearance could change.

"Aah, no. Why does my speech sound like this... Wait! Reverse it!"

"Please wait a moment. I need to change the voice changer settings..."

"...Ugh, almost lost my mind there."

He even experienced how his voice completely changed through the voice changer. The Cartographer seriously began to suspect that Eugene was developing a potion to turn people into Biyam.

The theme park had more to offer, but fortunately or unfortunately, the remaining experiences weren’t directly related to his transformation—such as the central plaza content where people drew with their tails.

The same space as yesterday. The only difference was the crowd filling the area.

Only then did he feel relieved, and as he turned his head and started to stroll around, he finally realized...

‘...Definitely, it's very different from what the Mecha Biyam friends are drawing.’

It couldn’t be helped, though.

But the noise he heard from the people around him was somewhat off-putting. They were all desperately struggling to control their tails, making all sorts of noises.

Then, suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind. Eugene had said something yesterday. Concentration wasn’t the only thing—tail muscles had to be developed for delicate control.

Anyway, after scanning the surroundings, he began to decide on his next destination.

Before another noise broke out.

‘...Ah! Eternal...’

"...Huh?"

A murmur spread through the crowd, and immediately, the Cartographer’s mind began to race.

How close should he get, and how much distance should he maintain to intuitively observe the situation without being noticed? If Eugene could hear his thoughts, it would be nothing short of scandalous.

But today, his instincts were a bit more dominant than his rational mind—perhaps because of the tail—and he started moving quickly.

How much time had passed?

He had gotten close enough to the center of the commotion. Specifically, close enough to see what was happening inside.

And then—

"Sergeant Park Hyun-seok! The 33rd recruit from the 15th division still remembers you!"

"Throw your helmet, put on your gas mask in under 6 seconds, and show us your trick again!"

"Hyun-seok! You’ve become the perfect specimen for re-enlistment! Our training noncoms are waiting for you! Hurry and get on the Obong-go!"

"I changed my name to Park Hye-jeong! Who’s Park Hyun-seok, you crazy bastards—!"

"Don’t deny your past, you asshole!"

...What is going on?

In the middle of this chaos, he saw a few Biyam tail girls in Korean military uniforms, and Iris screaming with a red face in front of them. The Cartographer was speechless.

Something... something was happening.

"…Well, with this much effort, it’s bound to show up."

"Alright, alright, calm down now!"

"Haha! I’m getting tired of doing all this," someone chuckled, gesturing to everyone around. The conversation seemed to be a joke at first, but it quickly gained traction.

The excitement in the air was palpable, and despite all the joking around, it was clear that everyone was having a blast. The two characters, despite their playful bickering, were still able to exchange meaningful moments with others.

The sound of laughter and chatting echoed through the space, creating a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. They couldn’t quite get everything in one go, but they didn’t need to.

“I’m getting tired of all this,” one voice muttered again. “Seriously, I’m more than ready to get back to normal after all this craziness.”

The group remained in a kind of magical place where everything felt surreal yet calm, hanging somewhere between humor and madness.