Surviving Among the Entities

The dream the Supreme Chief Justice had was an equal judicial system.
Since there was no way to maintain that by human means until humanity’s extinction, he entrusted the position of judge to higher-dimensional beings, but ultimately perished because of it.

“An equal judicial system cannot be achieved by any means.”

The ones who establish laws are human.
The ones who enforce them are human.
The ones subjected to them are human.

Since humans are inherently imperfect beings, no matter what method is used, eventually flaws will arise.

‘If flaws arise with the law makers, unequal laws will be created. If with the enforcers, false charges will occur. If with the subjected, fraud exploiting legal loopholes will happen.’

First, I made a wish to the Scales of Good and Evil.

‘May all humans receive fair and equal judgement under the law, fairly and equally.’

The will of the scales was conveyed.

[No time limit has been set.]
[With your current positive karma, this wish can be maintained for a maximum of 14 years, 6 months, 12 days, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 27 seconds.]
[Will you fulfill this wish?]

I shook my head, and the will of the scales was severed.

“If chaos returns after 14 years, it’s better not to attempt it.”

At least, I wish it could be maintained until the Earth’s extinction.
No, until humanity’s extinction.

‘So that’s why the Supreme Chief Justice did not directly fulfill his wish.’

If my positive karma could only grant 14 years, then for him, the only recourse besides higher-dimensional beings was hopeless.

“The Scales of Good and Evil are not enough.”

I tried to obtain information or the location of an entity that could fulfill this wish in a roundabout way, but this time my positive karma was insufficient, and the wish could not be granted.

“In the end, I have no choice but to use this.”

I set aside the Scales of Good and Evil for now and replaced them with a new set of scales.

“The Forgotten Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange Scales.”

Equivalent exchange refers to the economic term where goods of equal value are exchanged with other goods or currency.

“It’s also the alchemical law that to obtain something, an equal price must be paid.”

Setting that aside, I tried using them directly.
When I grasped the scales, a system message appeared in my mind.

[Welcome to using the Alchemical Scales.]
[Please select the item you wish to input.]
[1. Price]
[2. Reward]

I selected Reward.

[What reward do you desire?]
[Reward: ]

I entered the reward into the message.
The reward could be input just by thinking, and I could pause or modify it like typing on a keyboard.

[Reward: Information on the Forgotten Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange Scales]
[Reward has been inputted.]
[Currently scanning items of equal value the user can pay as the price. The scan may take up to 30 seconds.]

After a few seconds, a new message appeared.

[Scan complete]
[Three methods equal in value to the reward and payable by the user have been selected.]
[Please choose one of the following three payment methods you wish to use.]
[1. Loss of sense of taste for 3 months]
[2. Unable to sit on chairs for 3 months]
[3. 300 million won]

There was no need to hesitate.

‘I’ll pay with option 3.’

At that moment, information poured into my mind.

“….So this was the method.”

I brought out ‘My Mental Notebook’ and wrote down the information that surfaced.

[The Forgotten Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange Scales]
[Scales created by the Forgotten Alchemist, able to exchange prices and rewards according to equivalent exchange.]
[Do not be afraid to use them, as the scales’ self will kindly guide you through usage.]
[There are two methods of use: inputting the reward first or inputting the price first.]

As I was writing, Sarang’s voice came to me.

[Seung-hoon, 300 million won has disappeared from one of your alias accounts. It was not withdrawn or an error, but as if that amount never existed in the first place.]

Paying the price is unavoidable.
That’s how it sounded.

[When inputting the reward first, it will confirm the prices the user can pay.]
[The prices come in the following forms:]
[1. Physical prices the user can pay with their body.]
[2. Conceptual prices the user can pay through actions.]
[3. Material prices the user can pay.]
[Prices can be temporary extinction, permanent extinction, reversible changes, irreversible changes, etc.]

[When inputting the price first, 3 rewards matching the price will be selected.]
[The rewards come in the following forms:]
[1. Material rewards.]
[2. Conceptual rewards.]
[3. Random rewards.]
[Rewards may include things that do not exist in the user’s dimension, or things that may harm the user, so caution is advised when choosing.]

In conclusion, the reward matching the price, or the price matching the reward.
That’s what kind of scales they were.

“Let me try inputting the price first as well.”

This time I inputted the price.
For the format, I chose my own body from body, concept, and material.

[Price: Loss of sense of taste for 3 days.]

Then 3 forms of rewards appeared.

[1. 240,000 won cash]
[2. The ability to undergo a medical checkup including an endoscopy without fasting (3-day period)]
[3. One box of Fire Noodle-flavored Choco Pies (12 pieces)]

I selected option 3.

“It really appeared.”

On the desk was a box combining red and black colors.
The box exterior featured a chicken breathing fire from its mouth saying “Deliciously spicy! Fire Noodle! Kukkio!” and above it was written “Finally released! Fire Noodle & Choco Pie Collab!”

“This must be a product from another dimension?”

I tried eating one, but since I had paid the price of losing my sense of taste for 3 days, I could not taste anything.

“Would anyone like to try these?”
“Huh? What is this?”
“Wow, how strange!”

I went to a park and handed them out to people.
Perhaps because it was a strange collab product, everyone showed interest.

“Ack! So spicy!”
“Wow! This isn’t just regular fire noodles, it’s like nuclear-level spicy!”
“It’s even spicier than nuclear noodles! The spicy cream is sticking to my tongue and won’t go away!”

The reward was certain.
Now that I knew the usage method, it was time to achieve the desired result.

‘Normal methods won’t work. In the end, I’ll just have to follow in the Supreme Chief Justice’s footsteps.’

The price seems to adhere to absolute criteria.
Even with an enormous amount of positive karma, the Scales of Good and Evil could only grant a time-limited period, so equivalent exchange would likely be the same.

‘Still, let me give it a try.’

I browsed through it first.

[Reward: A world where all humans receive fair and equal judgement under the law until humanity’s extinction]
[Please choose one of the following three payment methods you wish to use.]
[1. You do not possess a physical price payable to obtain this reward.]
[2. You do not possess a conceptual price payable to obtain this reward.]
[3. You do not possess a material price payable to obtain this reward.]
[This transaction will be canceled.]

The transaction was automatically canceled.
If I lacked the means to pay, inputting the reward would not complete the transaction.

“As expected, perfect judicial justice is impossible.”

Lowering the time period or criteria for fairness and equality may make it possible, but that would just be the current judicial system, rendering it meaningless.

‘Let’s lower the hurdle. Why do we feel anger toward the broken judicial system?’

The reason is simple.
It’s exactly what the judges of the Private Law Enforcement Agency said.

“Because wicked people do not receive rightful judgement, and virtuous people cannot claim their rightful entitlements.”

Wicked people who deserve punishment walk around brazenly.
By living wickedly, they become wealthier than ordinary people, healthier, and enjoy life more happily.

“On the other hand, virtuous people often cannot attain these things.”

By helping others, one hits their head and becomes a vegetable living a miserable life.
By dedicating themselves to their country, when injured, the country abandons them like trash.
By making and giving out free kimbap to others, one is sued for food poisoning and must pay hefty settlement fees.

“We desire virtues to be rewarded and vices to be punished.”

While perfect judicial justice is impossible,
perhaps that much is achievable?

[Reward: A world where virtues are rewarded and vices are punished]

Like before, I lacked the means to pay the price.

[Reward: A world where virtues are rewarded and vices are punished to some extent]

This time was the same as well.

[Reward: Information on a method I can employ to apply rewarding virtues and punishing vices to the world, even partially]

Finally, a success.

[Please choose one of the following three payment methods you wish to use.]
[1. Loss of liver, pancreas, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord]
[2. All positive karma you possess]
[3. Permanent deprivation of property rights, inability to possess property from now on]

“Good options have appeared.”

I chose option 2.
I felt a massive amount disappear from within me, followed by a brief sense of emptiness that soon faded.

“I can just accumulate more positive karma later.”

What if I don’t accumulate any?
Experiencing hell might make for a good experience, no?

‘Ah.’

Information poured into my mind.
Soon after, I learned an interesting fact.

“If I pay 10 drops of ‘Enhancement Potion’ as the price to the ‘Forgotten Alchemist’s Equivalent Exchange Scales,’ I can obtain 1 drop of ‘Special Enhancement Potion’?”

Perhaps because they were from the same Forgotten Alchemist series, this easter egg was hidden within.
I took out the Enhancement Potion and immediately tried it.
After paying the price of 10 drops, one month’s worth of Enhancement Potion, a single golden droplet formed inside the potion bottle.

“And I’ll apply this to the ‘Scales of Good and Evil.'”

The moment the golden droplet fell onto the scales, a brilliant light burst forth.

[I am the scales that preside over good and evil in this world.]

I could not see.
Amidst the brilliant light, the will of the Scales of Good and Evil was conveyed to me.

[Punishment for the wicked.]
[Salvation for the virtuous.]

The light gradually faded.
As it faded, the final will of the scales was conveyed.

[Once per hour.]
[The happiness of the wicked shall disappear.]
[Once per hour.]
[The fortune taken from the wicked shall be passed to the virtuous.]

And when the light completely faded, the Scales of Good and Evil also disappeared from sight.

“Success.”

So it means that the fortune of the wicked will be taken away and given to the virtuous, right?
Once per hour means 24 people per day, 8,760 people per year whose fortune as wicked people will disappear.
Conversely, 8,760 virtuous people will become happier each year.

“Not perfect, but as long as the Scales of Good and Evil are not destroyed by someone, this will continue.”

The next day, I came across some interesting news articles online.

[American serial killer’s identity exposed due to an absurd mistake.]
[Became incredibly fortunate and turned himself in, thinking it was a dream and confessing all crimes?]

Whether this is true or not, I don’t know.
Perhaps it was just a coincidental occurrence.

[Firefighter in vegetative state for 3 years miraculously regains neural activity, able to walk again.]
[Photo of firefighter smiling while undergoing rehabilitation.]

The world is vast, and wondrous things happen often.
But I want to believe these were all caused by the specially enhanced Scales of Good and Evil.

[Real estate scammer who fled overseas dies of acute appendicitis on plane.]
[Philanthropist defrauded by relatives and bankrupted wins lottery jackpot, “I’ll donate again, the world is still warm, isn’t it?”]

That way, I can imagine 8,760 virtuous people smiling happily each year.